How To Set Up A Tanganyika Tank?

[electropunk06]

Hi i am getting a new tank this week, probably a juwel rio 300 (350L) and am thinking about stocking options, lake tanganyika is my favorite at the minute but i'm not to sure how to set it up.
So far i know i will need alot of rocks, a higher ph and the tank should be over stocked to help with aggression.

How would i rise ph to the requited level? (my tap water is 7/6.8)

Dose this setup need to have snail shells?

What are the best/most interesting stocking options?

How much filter turn over is best?

Any other help would be apriciated.
Thanks
Lloyd

 

[bullit]

So far i know i will need alot of rocks, a higher ph and the tank should be over stocked to help with aggression. This setup does not need overstocking. That is for malawis. Also depending on species you have, you wont need lots of rockwork.

How would i rise ph to the requited level? (my tap water is 7/6.8) Coral sand and ocean rock will raise it.

Dose this setup need to have snail shells? it doesnt need to unless you keep shellies.

What are the best/most interesting stocking options? 3-4 species so you can have numbers rather than odds and sods. Maybe find what you like first? A shellie, rockdwellers and open swimmers are popular so you can have all areas of the tank used.

How much filter turn over is best? Ive never gone on turnover myself. The stock rio filter will be good enough to start with when there small. Then maybe add an external to the other side of tank.

Any other help would be apriciated.
Thanks

 

[elisew]

Hi i am getting a new tank this week, probably a juwel rio 300 (350L) and am thinking about stocking options, lake tanganyika is my favorite at the minute but i'm not to sure how to set it up.
So far i know i will need alot of rocks, a higher ph and the tank should be over stocked to help with aggression.

How would i rise ph to the requited level? (my tap water is 7/6.8)

Dose this setup need to have snail shells?

What are the best/most interesting stocking options?

How much filter turn over is best?

Any other help would be apriciated.
Thanks
Lloyd

Good size for a Tang setup

I myself have Ocean Rock, sand and some Escargot shells in my Tang tank as different species require different places i.e some are sand dwellers, some are shell dwellers and others are rock dwellers. I have a 380L running a Fluval FX5.
As for the stocking, with the Tangs there`s no need to overstock to avoid aggression. You`ll find that applies more to the Malawi/Mbuna.
I am no expert when it comes to the stocking, kiriyama, doresy and bullit seem to have a better idea than I do on that. I have a very peaceful mix.....a pair of caudopunctatus, 1 marlieri, 3 ventralis, 2 calvus and 11 cyprichromis. They all get along really well, in fact the only aggression is when the other fish come close to the punks area of shells where they spawn and that`s nothing more than a bit of chasing away.

If you`re intent on going down the route of Tangs, have a look at the thread I started when trying to sort out what to keep. There`s a few photos from setting up the tank to the fish I now have

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/345161-thinking-of-changing-from-tropical-community-to-mbuna-or-tanganyikan/

 

[doresy]

Hi and to the world of Tanganyika!

I wont repeat anything that has been posted previously as I think you should have it by now.

Regarding the ph level........your tap water is a little low but, as suggested before, the rock/coral gravel or sand will help.
2 things to check out here is to ask your intended LFS what they keep their stock of Tangs in. (My lfs for instance keep their stock in local PH level water to help with transference stress) Stability is much more important than the actual level. I personally would stay away from buffer/ph raisers as they tend to cause instability at waterchanging time (which are better to be small and frequent)

As 'eliew' suggested check out the old threads in this section

 

[kiriyama]

As above, stable pH better than using buffers and risking fluctuations, I have kept Tangs in 7.4....
What most Tangs lack in colour they certainly make up for in interesting behaviour

 

[electropunk06]

Thanks for the help
i've ordered my tank now (still not sure whether to get tangs or discus)
theres not many tangs in my LFS they only had neolampologus multipasciatus but there are is a breeder near (ish) me and a couple of shops quite near which stock them.
Could i buy large limestone rocks for the tank? if not what rock is suitable?
Also is coral sand suitable? (fairly sure it is)
Could i have some plants in with tangs?

Thanks
Lloyd

 

[kiriyama]

Mixed reports on the coral sand, the aragonite will certainly help buffer the pH up a bit Folks that keep shell dwellers are a biy wary of it saying its a bit rough on there mouths when digging so depende how fine the sand is with what you are wanting to keep, ocean rock and tufa rock will certainly buffer the ph also can't comment on the limestone as never used it , sorry, have been advised to use it and have been advised not to use it, funny thing is that most of the rocks I have seen in the bulk of cichlid tanks have some type or another of limestone Apparently if you pour vinegar on it and it fizzes then don't use it, someone here will be able to explain this process way better than me, sorry Downside is I recently sourced some very nice limestone and was advised it had to much lime content in it (?) Confusing... I tend to mix coral gravel and coral sand in with white or black sand, recently I have actually been buying the caribsea cichlid sand, it's sort of black and white mix , it supposed to buffer the pH , i like it and have found no problems with it either, my comp fry love chucking it about looking for food scraps...
last but not least plants, vallis is probably the nearest to some of the plants in the lake, if you are having shell dwellers then I wouldnt put the plant near the shells as they will get dug up as well lol, I am useless with plants but have bits of java fern everywhere, very slow growing and easy in low light, easily attached to rocks etc.....
Hope this helps a bit, any questions feel free to ask

 

[electropunk06]

Thanks
I will go and have a look at how rough the coral sand at my LFS is but ive got a bag full of play sand left over from my 90L.
I dont like the look of ocean rock to much.
I have plenty of vallis in my other tanks so thats good.
Lloyd