Choices Choices.. Restarting My 200 Litre

[saz326]

We are moving house so for the past 6-8 months I have been letting my 200L community slowly die back (as fish have reached old age and died I have not replaced them)

In order to fascilitate the move we have bought a 125 litre jobbie so that I can get it cycled and transfer the fish across, then move the 200 Litre tank and cabinet leaving it for cleaning etc at a later date. This 125 litre will then become my planted Community tank, leaving the 200 Litre to play with.

The water in the area is Hard to very hard. pH 7.5. low but detectable nitrates.

Do I:

1) Lower the water hardness - run a new world tank with a few of the more colourful larger fishies (i.e. no apistogrammas/rams)
advantages - can stock over time, no big expense in one go. Can be planted. I love the new world fishy faces - so sweet
disadvantages - RO water required

or

2) Keep the hardness and use it - run an overstocked Old world tank one of the rift vally lakes
advantages - no water issues. Lots of colurs and patterns. Lots of available fish around in local stores
disadvantages - expensive to stock in one lump. Agression causing fish injuries so need suitable hospital tank ready for action at all times.



Opinions or alternative suggestions please

 

[Overload]

We are moving house so for the past 6-8 months I have been letting my 200L community slowly die back (as fish have reached old age and died I have not replaced them)

In order to fascilitate the move we have bought a 125 litre jobbie so that I can get it cycled and transfer the fish across, then move the 200 Litre tank and cabinet leaving it for cleaning etc at a later date. This 125 litre will then become my planted Community tank, leaving the 200 Litre to play with.

The water in the area is Hard to very hard. pH 7.5. low but detectable nitrates.

Do I:

1) Lower the water hardness - run a new world tank with a few of the more colourful larger fishies (i.e. no apistogrammas/rams)
advantages - can stock over time, no big expense in one go. Can be planted. I love the new world fishy faces - so sweet
disadvantages - RO water required

or

2) Keep the hardness and use it - run an overstocked Old world tank one of the rift vally lakes
advantages - no water issues. Lots of colurs and patterns. Lots of available fish around in local stores
disadvantages - expensive to stock in one lump. Agression causing fish injuries so need suitable hospital tank ready for action at all times.



Opinions or alternative suggestions please

Unless you have an R0 water kit I would not bother with changing water ph or hardness, I have water conditions similar to you but the LFS's all have plenty of New World fish, so it can work

 

[minnnt]

New world

 

[matt_storey]

Have you considered filling it up with Garra Rufa? Open up a fish spa

 

[KkAaNnEe]

NEW WORLD ANYDAY

200L is on the small side for africans too. Dont worry about your hardness too much, just acclimatise very slowly.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

An African riverine setup could work...

• Melabo Pool Synodontis (eg. decora [but gets too big for 200l], flavitaeniata, brichardi) catfish would love that sort of water, each of them being unusually social for this genus (especially the first two, brichardi is tolerant/semi-social). In a 200l tank, the safest option would be 4-6 flavitaeniata, alternatively three brichardi might just about work.
• A pair of Steatocranus spp. cichlids
• A group of ~10 African Tetra eg. African Red Eye, Yellow Congo, Congo
• I'd love to suggest midwater "Debauwi Catfish" (usually P. buffei), but I'm not sure you could fit a 10+ group (need bigger number than the normal 6+) and an essential dither group for them

Lots of current (8x true turnover or more); 24-26C temp; dim lighting; Anubias plants tied to bogwood that will break the surface and add shade (shocked me at BCA convention when I heard Anubias are naturally found at water edge, yet they tolerate being totally immersed in our tanks).

 

[minnnt]

An African riverine setup could work...

• Melabo Pool Synodontis (eg. decora [but gets too big for 200l], flavitaeniata, brichardi) catfish would love that sort of water, each of them being unusually social for this genus (especially the first two, brichardi is tolerant/semi-social). In a 200l tank, the safest option would be 4-6 flavitaeniata, alternatively three brichardi might just about work.
• A pair of Steatocranus spp. cichlids
• A group of ~10 African Tetra eg. African Red Eye, Yellow Congo, Congo
• I'd love to suggest midwater "Debauwi Catfish" (usually P. buffei), but I'm not sure you could fit a 10+ group (need bigger number than the normal 6+) and an essential dither group for them

Lots of current (8x true turnover or more); 24-26C temp; dim lighting; Anubias plants tied to bogwood that will break the surface and add shade (shocked me at BCA convention when I heard Anubias are naturally found at water edge, yet they tolerate being totally immersed in our tanks).

But American are better

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

At what, singing the American national anthem?

 

[angelfishguy]

+1 for american

 

[minnnt]

At what, singing the American national anthem?

Nah, they're rubbish at that, just sounds like bubbles...