# Cichlid tank under progress



## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

Started on my cichlid tank, this is what i have for now, will be puttig some bog wood in the soon, im running a fluval 4plus internal, and hydor prime 20 external, no water in at the moment, waiting till the weekend when the living room is painted so i dont have to move it full of water,


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## Moogloo (Mar 15, 2010)

Nice looking setup mate!! What kind of cichlids are you going to go for?

If malawis, you'll want to look into getting a decent external filter as internals aren't man enough to create flow between the rocks and to cope with the overstocking you'd have to do..


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

Looks great, IMO a black background would really top it off.


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

Moogloo is correct. That filter needs to be replaced by a much more powerful external. It simply won't have turnover or media capacity needed for a community of mbuna fish.

Have you done much research into mbuna care?


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

If you read it, it says, i have a hydor prime 20 external


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

Yeah was thinking about painting the back in black gloss 



Morgan Freeman said:


> Looks great, IMO a black background would really top it off.


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## _simon_ (Nov 27, 2007)

Or you can buy adhesive vinyl instead of painting. Makes changing the colour easier if you want to.


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

Where can i get that from ?



_simon_ said:


> Or you can buy adhesive vinyl instead of painting. Makes changing the colour easier if you want to.


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## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

jack14 said:


> If you read it, it says, i have a hydor prime 20 external


You tend to overstock mbuna tanks by upto 20%. A bigger external will help. Trust me I've kept a lot of mbuna. They need a lot of filter.


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

Yeah been reading up on them for a couple of months, and its 600 lph and the internal is 200lph, i was advised 4x the capacity of the tank is good ?



Mynki said:


> Moogloo is correct. That filter needs to be replaced by a much more powerful external. It simply won't have turnover or media capacity needed for a community of mbuna fish.
> 
> Have you done much research into mbuna care?


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## Moogloo (Mar 15, 2010)

Sorry to the OP, i missread that as 'internal' not external  my mistake, though would still advise upping the filter before you are more than half stocked...

And avoid most if not all of the Peacocks/Aulonocaras. They grow seriously fast and way too big for that tank, having to sort out a new tank atm for assorted mbuna/aulonocaras (i know i know but it isnt my tank.. got birchirs and a giraffe cat too...) and thy were all in 250L tank and the peacocks started off tiny, an inch at most from shops and within a year half of them are 3-4 inches easily and the malawi eyebiter is huge, though the most gentle in there. In the middle of sorting out the 1200L tank atm...

You will definately need to think stocking through as mbuna dont get so big but they do tend to be a lot more territorial and aggressive...

Start of with the more timid species like Labidochromis (yellow labs, pearlmutts and hongi red tops).

Then i suppose something like the Metriaclima estherae (blues or red zebra) or M. zebra or O.B which is the more commonly known zebra and the calico variation or orange blotch variation.

There are so many species out there, i guess i only know a few, most i have seen were hybrids, though i was fortunate enough to be buying F2 stock from wild caught parents from someone locally. 

Ones i wouldnt touch again with a barge pole, bigger tank or not... would be the Lake Victorian "Nyerii", the Greshaki or any kind of Tropheus. Bunch of nutcases they are!


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

what i was thinking of to start of with was, yellow labs, maylandia zebras, and ob's ?


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## Moogloo (Mar 15, 2010)

That will do perfect 

Cant wait to see photos of them in place!

You will need to have your tank *really* cycled well before you put the fish in because you will want to put 6-8 fish in on go but you will need to cycle your tank useing ammonia to make sure its stable nough


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

I have another tank that im shutting down that has a pair of yellow labs, jewels and convicts, is it okay if I transfer the water from that into this tank ?


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## Moogloo (Mar 15, 2010)

Sure, take the water out before you stir up the gravel etc so its as clean as possible... can you transfer the filter or the filter sponges to the other tank too? You would effectively be cloning your tank then 

Would still leave it to settle for a couple of weeks before adding more fish, and keep checking the water parameters regularly to make sure you dont have problems...


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

the other tank is only 100 litres, so should i put that in and then fill the rest up ? and put the filters out the other tank in till the new ones are cycled ?




Moogloo said:


> Sure, take the water out before you stir up the gravel etc so its as clean as possible... can you transfer the filter or the filter sponges to the other tank too? You would effectively be cloning your tank then
> 
> Would still leave it to settle for a couple of weeks before adding more fish, and keep checking the water parameters regularly to make sure you dont have problems...


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

Yeah.... Transfer the water over, top up with dechlorinated water of a similar temperature, and then I'd take the media from the existing filter and split it between the 2 filters in the new tank.


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

The other filters, are a fluval 3plus and 2plus, so how would i do it ? just put the sponge at the top of the external ?



hippyhaplos said:


> Yeah.... Transfer the water over, top up with dechlorinated water of a similar temperature, and then I'd take the media from the existing filter and split it between the 2 filters in the new tank.


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

You could just put both old filters in the new tank and in a few weeks remove them when the new filters have been seeded.


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

But would i be able to put the fish in ? 



Morgan Freeman said:


> You could just put both old filters in the new tank and in a few weeks remove them when the new filters have been seeded.


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

It's six and half a dozen really with the filters.... I know I'd personally just take the sponges out the current filters, and put them in the media baskets of the new one, but you could keep the old ones running in the new tank. It saves having extra filters in the tank, which will need taken out anyway.



jack14 said:


> But would i be able to put the fish in ?


Yes. As long as you ensure the water temps of the new tank match that of the old tank and the water is dechlorinated then it should be no more than a big water change. Just ensure the fish are properly acclimated.


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

So i can put the filters out the old tank into the new along with the water, and run the new filters with the old till the new have cycled ?




hippyhaplos said:


> It's six and half a dozen really with the filters.... I know I'd personally just take the sponges out the current filters, and put them in the media baskets of the new one, but you could keep the old ones running in the new tank. It saves having extra filters in the tank, which will need taken out anyway.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes. As long as you ensure the water temps of the new tank match that of the old tank and the water is dechlorinated then it should be no more than a big water change. Just ensure the fish are properly acclimated.


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

jack14 said:


> So i can put the filters out the old tank into the new along with the water, and run the new filters with the old till the new have cycled ?


you sure can!


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

Thanks for your help appreciate it alot


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## chalky76 (Aug 23, 2007)

I’ve been keeping Malawis for years now (good choice) :2thumb:. A few things to consider. If your stacking rock up the side of the tank then you really need to protect the glass. Go to a B&Q type set up and ask them to cut you some Perspex (I use slate BTW), this will act as a buffer between the pointed areas of rock and your glass (unless you’re happy to have a wet room) :bash:. 

Also as has been said external filtration is a must, I personally have two externals so that if one fails the other is still operational. I use these http://www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/aquarium-1/aquarium-filters/external-filters/aquarium-external-filter-1000-l-h.html they aren’t shiny and they aren’t all singing and all dancing BUT they are very good and work well. 

And also (and I’m sure you’ve researched this) OVER POPULATE as this is the only way to stop them going mental :crazy: and killing each other. 

Heres mine


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## Victor Creed (Aug 25, 2010)

jack14 said:


> I have another tank that im shutting down that has a pair of yellow labs, jewels and convicts, is it okay if I transfer the water from that into this tank ?



Just a quick word of advice to the OP:

- Give the Jewels and Convicts a tank of their own. Convicts are CA, Jewels are African riverine, but Jewels are actually better kept with CA Cichlids of equal aggression and typically larger size. Convicts will not appreciate the 8.0-8.6 alkalinity the M'buna will require. M'Buna are a little too ruthless for those 2 species as well and the Jewels and Convicts may end up dead.

- A 4 foot long tank is generally mandatory when keeping Malawi Cichlids. Bigger is better and controlled crowding and a sparsely decorated tank is the way to go. Less decor means less territory which means less territory claimed and less territorial disputes.

- M'buna are best kept at a 1:4 ratio.....if each male has 3-4 females this will reduce aggression as well as hopefully prevent hybridizing as well. Introduce new fish in species-groups also....always buy 4-5 of the same species at a time, and try and start the tank with all fish similar sized.

- Milder mannered species in my experience include Red or Blue Zebras, Yellow Labs, Melanochromis cyanaerhabdos (but NOT auratus), Acei and most Peacocks.

- Filtration reccomendations for Cichlids or large/predatory fish, Goldfish and aquatic reptiles should be at LEAST double the volume of water you have. i.e. a 55 gallon tank should have a filter rated up to 110 gallons....but more is very acceptable also.


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

Thanks for this, my tank is 200 litres and the filtration comes upto 800lph, so thats 4x the volume of the tank



Victor Creed said:


> Just a quick word of advice to the OP:
> 
> - Give the Jewels and Convicts a tank of their own. Convicts are CA, Jewels are African riverine, but Jewels are actually better kept with CA Cichlids of equal aggression and typically larger size. Convicts will not appreciate the 8.0-8.6 alkalinity the M'buna will require. M'Buna are a little too ruthless for those 2 species as well and the Jewels and Convicts may end up dead.
> 
> ...


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## nick19 (Jun 13, 2010)

chalky76 said:


> I’ve been keeping Malawis for years now (good choice) :2thumb:. A few things to consider. If your stacking rock up the side of the tank then you really need to protect the glass. Go to a B&Q type set up and ask them to cut you some Perspex (I use slate BTW), this will act as a buffer between the pointed areas of rock and your glass (unless you’re happy to have a wet room) :bash:.
> 
> Also as has been said external filtration is a must, I personally have two externals so that if one fails the other is still operational. I use these http://www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/aquarium-1/aquarium-filters/external-filters/aquarium-external-filter-1000-l-h.html they aren’t shiny and they aren’t all singing and all dancing BUT they are very good and work well.
> 
> ...


chalky you changed the layout again?


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## daz30347 (Aug 30, 2007)

I'd reccomend adding more Ocean Rock, higher if you can safely do that, you might want to drill holes in the rock and insert acrylic stilts, this will obviously keep the rock in one posistion. As said, an external is vital for Malawi based fish, over stocking keeps aggression down and over filter to keep water quality good.


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

Sorry got it wrong my tank is 150lites


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## jack14 (Oct 4, 2008)

Made the move today everything went goo, new tank up and runig now, still abit cloudy due to the sand not settling yet


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