Aaron's 40g Malawi Setup

[aaronnorth]

Well just over a week ago i stripped down my planted tank to turn it into a malawi tank seen as i have a 60l planted so i thought why not have one of each

tank - fluval vicenza 180 (180l/ 40g
filter - fluval 205 external & eheim classic 2215
lighting - 2 x 24w HO T5 (life glo & power glo)
air pump - thanks to sambofish
substrate - coral sand
decor - large slate
fauna -
5 x labridchromis caeruleas (white)
5 x labridchromis caeruleas (yellow)
2 x Astatotilapia "CH 44" (latifasciata)
2 x Copadichromis Borleyi

I emptied the tank, and most of the gravel, and it looked like this:

Today, i cleaned out rest of the mulm and picked out the gravel then cleaned it out, and added the coral sand after a thorough washing. So this is how it is now:

I am planning on having large pieces of slate stacked up on the right side to cover the filter inlets/ outlets and leaving the left side clear.


All Critiques welcome

 

[Larissa]

I love that background - it will look great once you get the slate in!

 

[Ace Of Spades]

Looking Nice so far mate, Are you going to get more turnover as 3x isnt that much. Also you got a pic of a white lab, never seen one before and im interested ....

Anyway yeah its looking good, looking forward to more pictures!!! keep us updated...

Many Thanks
Ace Of Spades

 

[aaronnorth]

Thanks, background is juwel, Money is a problem otherwise i would get a bigger filter, do you think i should get a powerhead?

White lab, basically the same with the black on fins but white body:

http/www.tntcichlids.com/PICS/croped/Lab...%20%20White.jpg

 

[Ace Of Spades]

Thanks, background is juwel, Money is a problem otherwise i would get a bigger filter, do you think i should get a powerhead?

White lab, basically the same with the black on fins but white body:

[URL="http/www.tntcichlids.com/PICS/croped/Lab...%20%20White.jpg"]http/www.tntcichlids.com/PICS/croped/Lab...%20%20White.jpg[/URL]

Oh looks like a P. Scolofi apart from the head , It isnt the flow in the cichlid tanks its the filtration its self as you are overstocking due to agression so you need extra filtration and water changes..

 

[aaronnorth]

Thanks, background is juwel, Money is a problem otherwise i would get a bigger filter, do you think i should get a powerhead?

White lab, basically the same with the black on fins but white body:

<a href="http/www.tntcichlids.com/PICS/croped/Lab...%20%20White.jpg" target="_blank">http/www.tntcichlids.com/PICS/croped/Lab...%20%20White.jpg</a>

Oh looks like a P. Scolofi apart from the head , It isnt the flow in the cichlid tanks its the filtration its self as you are overstocking due to agression so you need extra filtration and water changes..

I will be doing 50% weekly w/c

 

[kj23502]

I guess you'll be finding out if water changes will be enough
Why not waiting for a little bit and see about getting a good second hand filter to add? Or start partial stocking and watching for one to come up for sale? I got both my new filters second hand....was a great deal

So what size is the tank? demensions too?

 

[aaronnorth]

I'll look out, maybe just a small internal for now,

fluval vicenza 180 (180l/ 40g) 92cm(L) x 55cm(H) x 40cm(D)

 

[aaronnorth]

Got the slate today from MA, seen as i did my work experience a few week back they let me have it half prce, 35kg for £20 instead of £42.50!

as i walk into room

I might sticck a few anubias nana in there to brighten it up a bit

 

[aaronnorth]

A bit better pic as it is cleared, i also scooped the sand out to make the bottom caves deeper, you can just amke it out on the pic. On the very last cave to the left, i swapped a few pieces of slate around to make it flatter.

 

[darrel69]

Looking good aaron!! ... slate goin up to near enougth the top at each end to hide the back corners will set the background off really well imo..

 

[kj23502]

5 x Labidochromis caeruleus (yellow lab)
5 x Labidochromis caeruleus (whiite lab)
2 x (forgot name! blue with tint of yellow)
2 x (forgot name! Lots of colours)

I will find out the names of these, maybe tommorow.

40 gallons with a 36 inch length is kinda small for mbuna. About 12 fish would be good. Have you thought about sticking w/5 yellow and 5 white labs only? They aren't as agressive as most mbuna. Also, they will hybridize. Even though there's a slim chance you'll have any fry that live to adulthood, if you sell them to people they may not be happy if they realize it's not pure. I can't think of any other type of cichlid that would be good in there with the yellow labs Ps. Acei aren't supposed to be to aggressive, but they get way to big to put in there (at about 6 inches.)

Although, I will say that I quaratined my 5 yellow labs in a 29 gallon with a 30" base and they didn't seem to happy in there. In fact 2 died for unknown reasons. They had been in there about 1 month. Looking back, I wonder if it was the stress? Maybe it would've been different if I had another 3 or 4 in there too?? I dunno.

Any scientific names for the other 2?

 

[aaronnorth]

Finnaly found them (or there pictures) but it is a start

here is the one with lots of colours:

<a href="http/www.fishpost.com/images/vic/hapredfinoblique.jpg" target="_blank">http/www.fishpost.com/images/vic/hapredfinoblique.jpg</a>

and here is the other

<a href="http/www.tropicalfish4u.co.uk/Fish/Fresh...dKadangoCichlid" target="_blank">http/www.tropicalfish4u.co.uk/Fish/Fresh...dKadangoCichlid</a>

all stay under 6"

I won an eheim classic 2215 today for a 350l tank for £33 so fish will be going in shortly after

 

[aaronnorth]

got the scientific names, as i have just been!

5 x labridchromis caeruleas (white)
5 x labridchromis caeruleas (yellow)
2 x Astatotilapia "CH 44" (latifasciata)
2 x Copadichromis Borleyi

the final stocking list.

 

[kj23502]

Wow! It's all coming together
Will you be using some established filter media or doing a fishless cycle?