Just a note

[aidensmomma2000]

Just a note on the white sand... (for you Stephan- figured Id start a new topic)

I was warned about this but did it anyway- it really bleaches out the colour of the fish. Wish I hadnt done it! Plus I got it in my filter :roll:

[Mettle]

A lot of people tend to say that Africans look quite nice on the white sand, though. Which is the only way I'd go with white sand, personally.

[kennyman]

as my tank developed I have ended up having 50%-75% of the footprint covered in sheets of rock. The sand I used (sable) is just to fill in the spaces between the lagre flat rocks and to give them something to dig in under those sheets.

I don't know if its something the more exp people around here would recomend. But I don't think you ever have enough rock for those Mbuna.

[oenology]

Just a note on the white sand... (for you Stephan- figured Id start a new topic)

I was warned about this but did it anyway- it really bleaches out the colour of the fish. Wish I hadnt done it! Plus I got it in my filter :roll:

Depends on the type/colour of your fish. Example: 'gold' occellatus shell dweller - on white sand they are a clean gold and purple and dark sand they get all muddy. O. lithobates juvies were the same  - not that they have any real colour but they completely disapeared on the the dark substate. I ended up changing out the dark stuff and putting in white. My rock work and backgrounds are dark so I get a contrast that way.

[aidensmomma2000]

That makes sense.

My cories, pleco and kribs bleached out and now that Ive replaced those with my discus theyre doing the same. *sigh*- should've listened...

[gvv]

I use crushed coral in my malawi tank and it looks nice (at least for me ). But, yes, it is not perfectly white and tend to darken with time.
You may try to put some rocks over the sand as kennyman mentioned. Also put plants and when you will have shades, everythingwill be fine. maybe except you filter. BTW, what type of sand you have, I using pool sand and it never get into any of my filters. Even when cleaning the substrate it is hard to vaccum it.
Regards

[aidensmomma2000]

Its pool filter sand. I jsut wasnt smart enough to unplug my filter when I was adding the sand into my tank!  :roll: