Rock Scaping, 1st try...

In all honesty, I would have avoided the crushed coral substrate. Even with cichlids. Sand would have been a more preferable route for the fish, I do believe.
 
Really? That is kind of a bummer, that was the second biggest cost to my tank at $30 for 40lbs(1st was a Ranco Temp controller). I only used probably 20lbs of it. I have had sand before in my Saltwater Tanks and hated it. Others I know use CC and I know the risk of letting it sit without giving it a vac every once and a while. Well thanks again everyone for the help. Tonight I am going to get some gravel from my friends 55g undergravel filter to get the cycle really cycled. He said he hasn't cleaned it in about 2 years, lol...
 
Really? That is kind of a bummer, that was the second biggest cost to my tank at $30 for 40lbs(1st was a Ranco Temp controller). I only used probably 20lbs of it. I have had sand before in my Saltwater Tanks and hated it. Others I know use CC and I know the risk of letting it sit without giving it a vac every once and a while. Well thanks again everyone for the help. Tonight I am going to get some gravel from my friends 55g undergravel filter to get the cycle really cycled. He said he hasn't cleaned it in about 2 years, lol...

My personal favorite was setup 2. They will each look good once populated...

Don't sweat the crushed coral with Africans. It's no big deal. I think it looks better than sand and is easier to clean. The fish do prefer sand, but cc is fine. The zoo in my large metropolitan city has a display of Africans with coral.
Here's a couple of shots from my phone. Also, as you can see, the rocks go clear to the top and taper to the right. The left side went to the side wall of the tank.

hzooafr2yh9.jpg


hzooafrly2.jpg
 
UPDATE*

Just thought I would give an update (almost a year later). I ditched all of the granite and went with a more simple route with some lace rock. I stocked this tank with Cichlids and everything has been going great. Inhabitants are:
6 Moorii (Kaiser II) Cichlid (Tropheus moorii)
1 Blue Johanni Cichlid (Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos)
1 Marlieri Cichlid (Julidochromis marlieri)
1 Red Zebra Cichlid (Metriaclima estherae)

They have been in there for about a year now. haven't lost anything.

Just thought I would share... Thanks for looking.
FW_Tank.jpg
 
thanks for the update! Its defiantly a simpler look. I think it looks great!
 
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