270L (65g) Malawi build - Sand As Substrate?

I am planning a 270L (65g) MalawI build in a couple months.

I love fine white sand as substrate and am using it on my 15 gallon multI setup. Want sand in the malawI tank too.

Pros and cons or just thoughts on the samd? Is it ok for practical reasons?

I know crushed coral helps with my low kh but I manage that ok with seachem buffer.

 

I have sand in all my tanks and they love it. easy to maintain too

 

I changed to sand and really love it. So easy to keep vacuumed and it looks awesome. Not to mention is so much better for my cories.

 

Sand without a doubt. Especially Black Diamond Blasting Sand.
Love mine. As others have mentioned very easy to clean.

 

Whatever is your personal preference.

 

I changed to sand and really love it. So easy to keep vacuumed and it looks awesome. Not to mention is so much better for my cories.

I'm finding I can't vacuum mine because it get picked up so easily. Benefit is not much settles on it. Do you find the same?

 

Sand without a doubt. Especially Black Diamond Blasting Sand.
Lobe mine. As others have mentioned very easy to clean.

Black does darken the fish up nicely but I love white.

 

If I have to have sand, I prefer the white to the black.

 

I'm finding I can't vacuum mine because it get picked up so easily. Benefit is not much settles on it. Do you find the same?

Similar for me but what I do is rinse whatever sand got vacuumed up with a bit of fresh treated water and put it back in my aquarium.

The black is lovely but I went with the lighter sand too and love it

 

Similar for me but what I do is rinse whatever sand got vacuumed up with a bit of fresh treated water and put it back in my aquarium.

The black is lovely but I went with the lighter sand too and love it

Geez so simple. Couldn't see the forest for the trees lol

 

Also does it muck up the filter?

 

Take your syphon and swirl it right above the sand. All debris will get stirred up and get sucked into the syphon.

 

I'm so excited about this. Visited the tank and stand manufacturer yesterday and decided I can't wait for a cheap foreign import set up lol. Too lazy to wait for a second hand deal online too. Will be my living room showcase and a long term emotional investment

 

Also does it muck up the filter?

I would say it may depend on how low your intake is but I've been running the same HOB with black sand for a few years now personally.

 

Take your syphon and swirl it right above the sand. All debris will get stirred up and get sucked into the syphon.

Been trying this. Gotta be careful. But I do love **** off my multis and watching them "fix up" my mess afterwards lol

 

Been trying this. Gotta be careful. But I do love peeing off my multis and watching them "fix up" my mess afterwards lol

 

Also does it muck up the filter?

No. Just make sure that you get a grain that is coarse enough that it won't get stirred up easily.
I have the extra fine blasting sand. I have to take minor precautions to make sure it doesn't get into my filter.
The stuff is super fine, but absolutely beautiful.

 

Haven't we done this one before.......

I use both sand and rock, just all depends on the theme of the tank I am setting up.

 

Haven't we done this one before.......

I use both sand and rock, just all depends on the theme of the tank I am setting up.

Yes I want sand and dark rocks. Splashing out for a 3D background I'll silicone in too. My gf is gonna kill me lol

 

No. Just make sure that you get a grain that is coarse enough that it won't get stirred up easily.
I have the extra fine blasting sand. I have to take minor precautions to make sure it doesn't get into my filter.
The stuff is super fine, but absolutely beautiful.

Sounds good I'll have to shop around

 

No. Just make sure that you get a grain that is coarse enough that it won't get stirred up easily.
I have the extra fine blasting sand. I have to take minor precautions to make sure it doesn't get into my filter.
The stuff is super fine, but absolutely beautiful.

Yes I think mine is with my multis also extra fine. Good for them but I think it's rattling my filter lol

 

You'll find plants have a harder time rooting in sand, but what I'll be doing is using gravel just around the plants and using a perspex divider to stop my filter sitting in the sand. Sand is awesome.

 

You'll find plants have a harder time rooting in sand, but what I'll be doing is using gravel just around the plants and using a perspex divider to stop my filter sitting in the sand. Sand is awesome.

Probably won't be bothering with plants with Africans lol. Maybe a java fern or two potted if I'm happy with the look

 

If it's a black sand, go to Tractor Supply and buy the Black Diamond Blasting Sand at $8 some odd dollars for 50 lbs. I'm going this week to get 4 bags worth. One thing with the black is it doesn't show the dirt that settles on top as much as white does.

 

If it's a black sand, go to Tractor Supply and buy the Black Diamond Blasting Sand at $8 some odd dollars for 50 lbs. I'm going this week to get 4 bags worth. One thing with the black is it doesn't show the dirt that settles on top as much as white does.

Funny, my black shows dirt much more than my white does. I think it depends on what your stocking is.

 

I think

If you can, move the intake tube up higher. I had to cut my tube to make it higher in the tank. If you don't want to do that, you can put a pre filter on the intake to help.

 

If you can, move the intake tube up higher. I had to cut my tube to make it higher in the tank. If you don't want to do that, you can put a pre filter on the intake to help.

Yeah might move it up a bit thanks. Bit worried that a pre filter will reduce flow . . .

 

It shouldn't. If it does, it will be very minimal. Many people use them, and I've haven't heard of anyone complaining about flow loss.

 

My personal experience:

Fine sand ( play sand, caribsea Bahamas oolite ) compacts and you need to stir it up occasionally, not a problem for me since I use it in a tank for a violet goby and a puffer tank. The colors are pretty cool on these two options I used.
Bigger grain sand (National Geographic Sand)- Awesome stuff, it doesn't gets sucked into the siphon as easily as fine sand, but like fine sand- it gets into your filter and can choke it. I mixed white and black sand and got a nice colorful substrate.
For a planted aquarium I would go for sand with bigger grains.
Either way you go, plants in aquariums with sand will need root tabs and/or fertilizers.

 

If you can, move the intake tube up higher. I had to cut my tube to make it higher in the tank. If you don't want to do that, you can put a pre filter on the intake to help.

I meant to talk about a spong prefilter on the intake. I'm using them on most of my intakes except for the FX4 and Magnum 350 filters those I have to make. I think for the 350's a 3m nylon pot scrubber will do zip tied around it.

Yeah might move it up a bit thanks. Bit worried that a pre filter will reduce flow . . .

If there's any decrease in water flow you won't notice it at all.

 

I meant to talk about a spong prefilter on the intake. I'm using them on most of my intakes except for the FX4 and Magnum 350 filters those I have to make. I think for the 350's a 3m nylon pot scrubber will do zip tied around it.



If there's any decrease in water flow you won't notice it at all.

Oh hang on its only a sponge medium I'm using in my in- tank filter and the intake is just grills on the side of mine lol so don't think I can use them . . .

 

Take a picture of the water intake, you never know what can be devised. It may not be pretty but it will work. most of my intakes sit just above the sand and I have yet to have had any issues prior to using the sponge prefilters. I actually got the prefilters for my chiller unit since the water pump didn't have any type of filter, I didn't want a bunch of stuff clogging up the heat exchanger on the chiller.

 

Take a picture of the water intake, you never know what can be devised. It may not be pretty but it will work. most of my intakes sit just above the sand and I have yet to have had any issues prior to using the sponge prefilters. I actually got the prefilters for my chiller unit since the water pump didn't have any type of filter, I didn't want a bunch of stuff clogging up the heat exchanger on the chiller.

One of these doohickies. I could wrap some sponge around those vents if I was really worried

 

One of these doohickies. I could wrap some sponge around those vents if I was really worriedView attachment 466847

I'm wondering if that has a sponge prefilter already inside it. Most submersible filters and pumps come with some type of sponge filter before the water gets to the impeller.

 

I'm wondering if that has a sponge prefilter already inside it. Most submersible filters and pumps come with some type of sponge filter before the water gets to the impeller.

Actually I'm only using sponge inside. A bit loose though because I changed filters a little while back and the new filter is a little bigger but I use the old sponge media. So there is a little bit of space around the sponge like 2 or 3 mm each side

 

That actually looks like an internal filter versus an HOB from the picture.

 

That actually looks like an internal filter versus an HOB from the picture.

Yes sorry thought that's what I meant. Internal

 

Magnum 350 filters those I have to make.

You sure do. I tried using a nylon stocking, but it reduced the flow way too much for my liking. So like you, I'll have to make one.