# Help me pick a substrate!



## Stiletto (May 17, 2009)

I am setting up my tank all over again. It was natural planted but now I am going new world cichlid. I just finished my background but now I just really can not decide on a substrate. The background is black/gray and I am beating myself up trying to decide between dark or light substrate.

So first here is the tank:









And here are some of the options for substrate that I have right now:

-S grade black CQ (its actually mixed with a small amount of regular red/black Fluorite right now. It looks kinda cool but it could also be easily sifted back to pure black)
- fine grade small river pebble gravel
- Quikrete paver sand
-Quikrete commercial grade medium sand
-mix of one or more of the above

Of course I do not have to use one of those but those are things I have around. I am open to any suggestions.


----------



## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

I would say go with the S grade black I think it would look sick if you set it off this way with your background work. Just my opinion though, that background is sweet I've never seen anything like it!


----------



## BoostedX (Mar 1, 2009)

+1 for the opinion above.. :thumb:


----------



## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

id go with either white or black sand...the black will look good and i dont think the white will look to bad either


----------



## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

id go white.. btw the background is great =D>


----------



## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

Awesome background (probably a nightmare to catch fish though)!!

What species will you be keeping in this tank? Substrate color can greatly affect how the fish show their colors


----------



## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

MalawiLover said:


> What species will you be keeping in this tank? Substrate color can greatly affect how the fish show their colors


Agree, I have had some species I will keep over black, others over white/buff/tan ... depends on the particular species.

Also I would think a dark substrate might make that cool background seem lighter due to comparison, but a light substrate might not ... if it's white it might reflect light and seem lighter too.


----------



## Stiletto (May 17, 2009)

MalawiLover said:


> Awesome background (probably a nightmare to catch fish though)!!
> 
> What species will you be keeping in this tank? Substrate color can greatly affect how the fish show their colors


Ya I am awful at catching fish in my other tanks that are much more open. I dont even want to think about it in this tank.

I really havent decided for certain what I am going to keep. I just have a general idea which is a few cats/scavenegers, a school of dithers, and then the cichlids. This was going to be the next thing I collect advice on once the tank was all set up. 

Im starting to think maybe a salt/pepper mix would look good. White sand with a few handfuls of black mixed in to give it some black specks throughout. But pure black I think would look slick but I just hope it is not too dark. Grrrr! I forsee a lot of scooping sand in and out in my near future.


----------



## Ali1 (Apr 7, 2005)

that's a sick background. Care to give an explanation/tutorial of how you completed that?


----------



## Hthundar (Apr 10, 2009)

Yea that background is really awesome. Is that something you carved out of foam or did you purchase it?


----------



## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

A mottled look would give you more leeway with species as far as how they work with different substrates. With the exception of my 95g mbuna (yellow labs, black acei and colbats) all the other tanks have pool filter sand. The 95 has black 'T' grade ColorQuartz and a solid black background (actually all the tanks do).


----------



## Stiletto (May 17, 2009)

So I woke up yesterday and got right to work. I started out by putting in the black colorquartz and filling up the tank. I looked at it for a while and tried to convince myself it was great, but eventually I accepted the fact that I did not like it. So then I had to drain the tank and scoop all the sand out. It was a real pain getting all the sand out of the ledges and caves. Finally I got it done and put in the new substrate and filled it back up. This time I went with 10 parts quikrete medium to 1 part black CQ. Its perfect! I am so happy with it. Now I can start the process of trying to decide on what should live in there.

Here are a few pics:


----------



## bulldogg7 (Mar 3, 2003)

I just love that background, reminds me of an aliens movie or something, it's just cool as heck.


----------



## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

Ya. That backround is very impressive. What size tank is that?

Good choice on the color of sand. Looks good and I like the black and white theme of the tank. Colorfull fish will really pop out.

...Bill


----------



## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

A school of rummynose tetras would be awesome in that tank with their bright red noses and black and white tails . . .


----------



## Mr.Limpet (Jul 23, 2012)

This is one of the coolest backgrounds I have ever seen... Simply brilliant work.

I would love to see alien type fish swimming in this tank... rope fish, dragon fish, even arowana, or other oddities.

great job


----------

