Converting From Community To Malawi?

[The-Wolf]

how would I convert one of my community tanks to a malawi set up?
I have just been given a load of calciferous rock (looks like limestone to me but not sure).

rehoming the current fish is not a problem, just need to catch the blighters.
the thing that concerns me is keeping the filter alive whilst raising the ph
(ph is currently 7.5).
obviously taking fish out would starve the bacteria and keeping them in would be
not ideal.

I need pointers people.

The tank that I'm considering converting is
43"L x 12" W x 24"H (you work it out )
the substrate is currently pool filter sand and
I'd like to keep it as I don't want the expense
of buying shed loads of coral sand/gravel.

filtration is
1x Jebo (LAC) 809 cannister (maturing)
note; this has many trays so coral gravel
could be added into it for buffering if needed)
1x eheim ecco 2234
1x clearseal 3500L internal (large sponge and siporax)

all help is appreciated

 

[bobf]

I would have thought you could keep the filters alive by running them attached to any tank/bucket of water so long as you seed it with some ammonia from time to time? same as you might begin a fishless cycle.

At the same time I think you can raise the ph by adding a little bicaronate of soda - I've read that regardless of how much you use you won't get the ph above 8.4 (might be 8.2?), or use some of the coral gravel you mentioned?

Sorting the tank out should be easy enough, adding your new rock should raise and buffer the ph anyway.

Others might be able to advise if there might be any 'nasties' about using the same substrate in a malawi tank that was used for a community tank - not sure about diseases or other stuff which might carry accross?

Might be safer to take out your substate and give it a rinse with boiling water - appreciate that this would kill any nitrifers but if your filters are still sound that shouldn't be a problem?

 

[rixy]

hi wolf.a possibility is to leave the ph at 7.5(be ok for malawi's) so that the current fish can stay in the tank until you can rehome them,then add the malawis and slowly raise the ph to approx 8 - 8.5.i would put the coral gravel in the external if i were you.lots of lfs never keep malawis at the correct ph.some of my lfs keep them at 7.5.i keep mine at 8.2.my water is approx 7.5 the same as yours and last time i tested it(with coral gravel in external) it was 8.2.what malawis are you thinking of keeping

 

[The-Wolf]

let me get this correct; I can add the malawis now and move the community then bring up the pH
over time, rather than bring the pH up and add the fish.

what malawis are you thinking of keeping

well the fish that has got me interested in wanting
malawis is Nibochromis livingstonii so I definatly want them
other than that I like the looks of
Labeotropheus fulleborni & L.trewavasae

I havn't really looked into any others so I'm open to suggestions.

 

[rixy]

all my malawis have been kept at a ph of 7.5 at the lfs and i have added them to my tank at a ph of 8.2.of course i have added them to the water very,very slowly,but i've not had 1 death.
i have kept livingstoni and they were full of character.the livingstoni and the eyebiter were my favourites if i'm honest.heres a pic of my tank plus some of my fish

 

[The-Wolf]

I'm loving that tank

the rock looks like what I have been given
what's the colourful cichlid in the middle of the tank shot.
I'm likeing the looks of them

 

[rixy]

thanks wolf.the fish in the middle of my tank shot is a hap sp44.a couple of good sites to research malawis are www.malawimayhem.com and cichlidforums.com.these 2 sites have over a 1000 different malawi fish profiles.