seeking advice for a malawi cichlid tank

[globey1]

Hi, I'm desperate for some advice - I've got a malawi cichlid tank and I'm looking at using rocks for decoration. Ocean rocks are ridiculously expensive, so I was wondering if cotswold rocks would be ok to use instead. I saw some really nice ones at the local garden centre and they're loads cheaper than what I'd pay at the LFS for ocean rock. I'm getting a new 6ft tank delivered next week and I want to create a big rockery aquascape, but using ocean rock would cost a fortune. Someone told me cotswold rock is limestone, so it should be good for pH levels - is that right? Thanks, Lee.

[greenfox]

I've got a 4ft tank, not as big as yours, but I love my ocean rock and coflake sand. Got 25kg of ocean rock for £36 and 25kg of coflake sand for £32, thought that was a good deal, especially since my local LFS was charging £3.50 a kilo. I got mine from teesside koi, they deliver all over, and they've got a great selection of cichlids too.

[ocean4]

Cotswold rocks are a fantastic alternative, they've got a much more natural look compared to ocean rock and they really come alive once algae starts growing on them. Just make sure to give them a good wash before adding them to your tank.

[kizumi1]

Cotswold rocks are definitely the way to go, especially with juveniles in the tank - ocean rock can be a real issue with all the little holes, I've had my fair share of panicking when fish get stuck. The Cotswold stone will look fantastic, and as ocean4 mentioned, it's brilliant with algae on it. Give it a good wash before adding it to the tank, and you'll be golden. I'd avoid buying from a local fish store if I were you, they tend to charge an arm and a leg - garden centers are a much more affordable option. What's your current pH, by the way?

[globey1]

Cheers for the advice, my ph is averaging 7.2 to 7.4, thanks lee

[kizumi1]

You're only a little off the ideal pH for Malawis, so a slight buffer should do the trick. Crushed coflake sand could be worth a try - it's worked for me in the past. If you're looking for alternatives to limestone, I've found slate and river cobbles do the job nicely. Just remember to give everything a good clean before adding it to the tank. There's loads of great ideas for Malawi aquascaping on Google if you need some inspiration.

[dakora]

I've had no issues with fry getting stuck in ocean rock. I've got around 200 in my Rio 240 and none have ever got stuck. I use a mix of crushed coflake sand and ocean rock in both my tanks, the Rio 400 and the Rio 240, and I think it looks great. I know it's not the cheapest option but I think it's worth it. My ocean rock was £50 for 40kg, which I thought was a good deal, and the crushed coflake sand was £20 for 25kg - I needed three bags for both tanks.