150 mbuna cichlid tank. Work in progress. Thoughts?

[Miller54]

The plans are 1 more piece of driftwood with more Anubias, Java fern and other cichlid proof plants. Want to work my way up to a school of 12 mbuna cichlids with my common pleco. I’m debating right now on lighting one side of the tank and keeping the other side dark for the pleco, or lighting both sides. Also am thinking about trying a cryptokorn I don’t know if spelt that right lol. Anyways water parameters are good and where they need to be. Thoughts on aquascaping and any other advice.

 

[madmark285]

I would add more rocks and get rid of the black slate. Long ago I found great source of rocks, my employer parking lot. The entire bottom of my Mbuna tank (50 gallon) was rocks.

If you can find a local source of large rocks, set them directly on the bottom of the tank with another layer or 2 of rocks above them. Some suggest putting in an Egg crate panel in first to distribute the weight. Then fill in with gravel.

With Mbunas, you don't have to make 'caves' for them, they will dig out the gravel to make a home. But all of them will be searching for a spot to make it their home. For inspiration, some tanks from the BIOTOPE AQUARIUM DESIGN CONTEST 2020

 

[jams]

Just 6 months into my African journey. Here's my 55g, work it progress, still looking to add more rocks.

Good Luck!

 

[madmark285]

Just 6 months into my African journey. Here's my 55g, work it progress, still looking to add more rocks.

Nice tank! What I did long ago for my Mbuna tank, I built a rack for the rocks using pvc pipe. This allowed me to go up without using tons of rocks.

 

[jams]

I built a rack for the rocks using pvc pipe. This allowed me to go up without using tons of rocks.

Very Interesting, any pics, or how to. As mentioned they are in a 55g only about 1 year young. I have noticed they only swim in the bottom 2/3rds of the tank. Reluctant to start building the rocks higher, concerned with tipping over.
I will be upgrading to a 6ft tank come spring to summer, trying to find a one similar to a 33L height wise.
Or your idea might work?

 

[Miller54]

I would add more rocks and get rid of the black slate. Long ago I found great source of rocks, my employer parking lot. The entire bottom of my Mbuna tank (50 gallon) was rocks.

If you can find a local source of large rocks, set them directly on the bottom of the tank with another layer or 2 of rocks above them. Some suggest putting in an Egg crate panel in first to distribute the weight. Then fill in with gravel.

With Mbunas, you don't have to make 'caves' for them, they will dig out the gravel to make a home. But all of them will be searching for a spot to make it their home. For inspiration, some tanks from the BIOTOPE AQUARIUM DESIGN CONTEST 2020


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Thanks for the advice will definitely get back to working on the tank after we get power again had a ice storm that wrecked my city’s trees and power lines. Fish are doing fine though I have a generator

 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

For inspiration, some tanks from the BIOTOPE AQUARIUM DESIGN CONTEST 2020

See, I have been hemming and hawing about whether to get a black or blue background for my mbuna tank. I decided on black, but those photos make me think blue could have been good... I'm definitely going to go for "slice of Malawi" look. Did I make the wrong call?! *begins pulling hair out*

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Watch these videos....

Simple and easy aquascaping...

 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

It's interesting. To me scape is like art; there is so much about personal preference and taste to it. I know this will be unpopular (perhaps I should have posted this in that thread), but I find the types of scapes in the videos you linked to be overly prescribed and sterile. I've never liked that style (I say, nature aquarium indeed! ), and those videos support my experience with people scaping that style espousing there being a "right" and "wrong" way to scape an aquarium, or at least a formula to follow. Perhaps it is because I am one of those in the "wrong", but it's just not my view. I tend to see many of those sorts of aquariums as being about as appealing to me as those with pink castles and psychedelic colored gravel. Simply, neither are my taste.

 

[madmark285]

, and those videos support my experience with people scaping that style espousing there being a "right" and "wrong" way to scape an aquarium, or at least a formula to follow. Perhaps it is because I am one of those in the "wrong", but it's just not my view.

When I look at some of these aquascapes, building a habitat for the fish seems to be a low priority.

Now when I ask my Tiger Barbs what they want, they voted for a Bubbling Mermaid! They like the well endowed ones, horny little fish

 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

Now when I ask my Tiger Barbs what they want, they voted for a Bubbling Mermaid! They like the well endowed ones, horny little fish

? From what I know about tiger barbs, that seems like a plausible personification of them.