Carib Sea Aquatics Eco-Complete African Cichlid Zack Sand, 20-Pound, Black

This product isn't at all what it claims to be. It was advertised as black and sand, and I preferred sand for its ease of cleaning and decency. Gravel can be found here. There was nothing black about this. The majority of it is white, with some black and brown thrown in for good measure. I wanted to go for a dark look. This simply appears to be filthy and unappealing. The instructions state that no rinsing is necessary. As a result, I failed to do so. My entire tank, including my glass and everything else in the tank, now looks like it's covered in coal dirt. I need to clean and empty the entire tank. I cleaned the gravel and it still looks bad with colors other than black, so it was a waste of money and my time. If you want a nice, clean black tank, this is the tank for you. You are not the target audience for this.

Maggie Shaffer

| Oct 27, 2021

It is fine gravel, not sand, as stated in the description. I had hoped to use this with my Shellies, but I'm not sure they'd be able to dig through it. Because the grains are the size of their mouths, it's not a good idea to eat one grain at a time.

Mylo Holmes

| Jun 22, 2021

This can cause problems with your magnet scraper and cause pumps to lose their impellers. I'm happy to report that this is not magnetic after performing a magnet test. When mixed with water, however, it becomes a sloppy mess. This is one of many products that now include 'beneficial bacteria' that aren't described in any way (species?). Those who consume ammonia and nitrite and convert them?). As a result, they advise against rinsing it. That is nonsense (literally, perhaps?). First and foremost, I've always been wary of bacteria in a bag, and second, I'm curious how much the weight of this wet gravel would change if it were simply dried and pressed. As you can see in the photo, this isn't going to go away after a few minutes. The fact that they have a sample of a water clarifier in the gravel is the most suspicious part. It's not cool, but there's a lot of product placement. br>br>So, why are there four stars? Because the part that hasn't been rinsed isn't a major issue. It could be disastrous if it were magnetic, but it isn't. Overall, it's a nice gravel that doesn't do all of the crazy things it claims, but it also doesn't appear to be harmful and is perfect after a couple of rinses.

Evelyn Tanner

| Jun 09, 2021

I can't find the button that gives you 100 stars. Reviews state that it is cloudy and it kills the fish, that the substrate is cloudy and this stuff 100% will not recommend cleaning first!! The bacteria has a lot of positive properties. Only putting this on top of existing substrate without mixing it in will cause fish to die! It would trap all of the bad stuff and turn your tank into a sewer, according to the bag's instructions.

Leona Foley

| Mar 24, 2021

) The tank has been completely filled. ) I started using filters. ) I used the conditioner/clarifier packets that were provided. The water had cleared up overnight. ) After 5 days, the ph level has reached 8. 0 - It's time to catch some cichlids! br>br>Note: If you're looking for a unique way to express yourself, try using the words "creative The product appears to be of good quality; However, it is not pure black sand; it contains larger pieces of mostly black and reddish brown sand, as well as small white grains that appear to be settling to the bottom. It was product 00777, according to the packaging.

Castiel Yu

| Aug 21, 2021

This was exactly what my cichlids required to remain happy and healthy. Since I put this substrate in the tank, the water has been extremely stable, and the fish are doing extremely well. It's important to keep in mind that vacuuming the tank can make it difficult to avoid sucking up a lot of this. However, once you've done it a few times, you'll get the hang of it and it won't be such a big deal. br>br>Overall, I'm very pleased. It's an excellent product that looks great in my aquarium. This is something I would strongly recommend to anyone who needs to buffer their water for cichlids.

Leroy Cain

| Jun 29, 2021

It's a deep brown color. It's more like lava rock than anything else. This was added to the sand in my tank already. It appears to be acceptable, but not to my liking. The main problem is that as water moves through the system, this material rises to the surface, causing the true sand to sink. As a result, you'll have a brown layer on top. As it covers my sand, I keep sucking it out and removing it; eventually, it will all be gone. If this is the only substrate in your tank, I think it's fine. If you're looking for sand or black, this is not the place to go. This would look and function perfectly in a planted tank with driftwood.

Tori Bell

| Dec 03, 2021

The first bag I received was fantastic! The second bag was a disaster. The second bag had leaked because it had not been wrapped in plastic like the first. The clarification pack was completely devoid of any information. It was nothing more than a dry, empty plastic bag. I don't mind the gravel size, and my cichlids appear to be much happier as a result. Though one has become more aggressive in his care of his hole, which now contains sand, lol. Also, the second bag contained significantly less silt than the first. br>br>Only three stars because the second bag was open. It was open and there was no clarifier as advertised on the bag, but it was still usable because I'm not picky.

Kaliyah Vega

| Dec 25, 2020