Shellie tank substrate

What's the best substrate for both Shellies to dig in and also to help with PH parameters suitable for Shellies to thrive....

I have had Shellies (Lamprologus ocellatus and Neolamprologus multifasciatus) in coral gravel and it works perfectly. It helps to buffer the pH and allows them to alter their territories as they feel like it.
I read their habitat in the lake would usually be very fine sand or mud, but these won't help with buffering water. One of the lads, Stretnik, had a lovely small Multie tank with silicate sand, probably closer to their natural habitat, but pretty sure that's inert.
What Shellies are you thinking about getting and what size tank you going for?
LoB

Forgot to mention in other reply, but it is MUCH more important to have a stable pH than trying to get it too high with any pH-UP or other chemicals. In my opinion, once you get over about 7.2pH for any tank-bred Shellies, they will do just fine. I presume you were going down this route since you were asking about the substrate, but worth mentioning anyway, as I used to struggle trying to get the pH as high as I could, but with water changes and variations within the tank, the pH would swing wildly over a week. Almost as soon as I gave up, the fish started breeding at a lower, but stable pH. Since then, I doubt it has crept over 7.4pH in 3.5 yrs.
LoB

Small 54 litre Xaribdis..With Multifaciatus maybe..

How many could I keep to make a colony?

Also are they compatible with other tankmates?

It's not definite yet..just sussing out what's required..I have a spare 54 litre as good as new tank in the shed and it's begging me to be stocked LOL...

Shellies also seem like a good way to introduce myself to African Cichlids..They have always fascinated me but I just haven't taken the plunge yet :-P

In a small tank like that Multies would be the way to go alright. They live in colonies, so you don't have to worry too much about territorial aggression. Start off with about 8-10 in a tank that size. A good ratio is one male to three females, but this is not vital, as the males have a very small territory that will overlap with other males' in the colony.
So long as you keep the water changes up and the chemistry stable, they will breed for you handy enough. You can leave the fry in the tank, and grow out multiple generations in the one tank.
They have a wonderful personality and colony structure- great to watch the dominant males in the mid water looking out for any danger whilst the females do all the hard grafting of moving the sand around the shells and keeping the fry from straying too far from their safety.
In a tank that size, you may not be able to keep more than one Ocellatus male, as they have a territory that can be 12'' each side of their shells- if an aggressive male (and these can be SERIOUSLY aggressive for their size) decides to set up shop in the middle of the tank, you could end up with every other fish in the tank stressed and exiled to the top corners.
As for Multie tank mates, it's a hard one and can really be hit-and-miss. Multies are passive enough to one another, but will viciously protect the colony en-mass against other species.
If you can set up a nice, high rock work (making sure they very are stable, as the Multies will dig under them) at one end of the tank, you may be able to keep a Julie or Cylindricus, or a small synodontis. The Shellies will grab the open area with the shells and the other fish will colonise the rockwork. How well this works would largely depend on the personailty of the individual cylindricus/julie though, particularly in a 54L tank. In that size range, there are few fish from Tangynika that will inhabit the mid- to upper-levels of the tank.
Hope this helps.
LoB

Will this or something similar do the trick as regards buffering PH and also at the same time allowing Shellies to dig?

www.seahorseaquariums.com/Coral-Sand-4kg//3104

Just the job, it's what I use.
You may be lucky and one of the very generous salties on here will donate enough for a 54L? Getting some matching coral rock looks well with it.
LoB

Black or Blue background Lorcan?

Personally I like a black background- it makes a nice contrast to the lighter substrate if going for coral gravel and rocks. Their lighter colour will stand out better against a darker background too. Really is personal taste though.
LoB.

Black was my preference too..Black it is

Gonna get things rolling soon hopefully..

Might take a few weeks..
Gonna just relax and enjoy this little project bit by bit..

Thanks again for your advice and help Lorcan

Another quick question on this topic for ya Lorcan...
What type of shells are best and how many per fish should there be in the tank?

Escargot, edible snail's shells do the job perfectly. Pick them up in a specialist supermarket, or better still- if you know anyone working in a restaurant that serves them, you can get them for free. Alternatively, you can buy them online. However, any shell that size will do the job perfectly. Any bigger and the fish might find it hard to drag their shells around, which is a regular occurence.
You should have one shell for each fish and close to half that again, as some fish will claim more than one. Also, some shells will get buried by the constant landscaping. Make sure you poke a little hole at the very top of the shell- basically where the spiral ends. This will help prevent an accidental air pocket that could axphyxiate a fish that flees in to that shell.
Good luck with it all.
LoB.