Mbuna Aquarium

[Matt Gleadow]

Hi. I'm relatively new to fish keeping. I thought I would share some pictures of my tank. I bought it off my mate a couple of months ago as he wasn't doing anything with it and its only a year old. Pretty sure its a custom made tank.

This is it before adding any substrate, rocks or water.

Then after alot of waiting and a few hiccups on the sellers side of things my Ocean Rock arrived from eBay. For substrate I have fine sand with some marine gravel mixed in.

But I didn't think there was enough rock so went and bought some more. So in total there is now 40kg in there. Next photo is as it is now with the fish. 4 Red Zebra's and 2 "Hongi". The Hongi are fully grown. I'm still undecided on whether to keep them as I've seen them squaring up to each other a couple of times...

I've got an Eheim external filter and T5 lighting but one of the bulbs has gone. Just waiting for some more to arrive.

I'm going to keep the stocking as it is for a month or 2 before I think about any changes.

Photo's are from my camera phone so quality isn't the best...

 

[Squid]

Looking good... but whats with the Juwel filter sponges floating about?? heheh

Squid

 

[Matt Gleadow]

They are the established filters from my old tank. The eheim filter isn't established yet. Have the sand from my old tank in there aswell.

The jewel filters will come out in a couple of weeks

 

[Squid]

They are the established filters from my old tank. The eheim filter isn't established yet. Have the sand from my old tank in there aswell.

The jewel filters will come out in a couple of weeks

Im not sure how effective they will be without the water turnover of water from a pump going through them. You may be better breaking them up, or just finding space for them or some of them in the eheim.. I might be wrong though, but im just trying to make sure you don't lose your bacteria colony. Perhaps somebody else may comment, or it may be worth asking the question on tropical chit chat.

Squid

 

[Matt Gleadow]

The outlet from the pump is aiming straight at them (green pipe on the right) so the water is flowing through the ones hanging at the top. Hopefully that will be ok?

Any other thoughts you are welcome to add as I am still learning

 

[Squid]

Any other thoughts you are welcome to add as I am still learning

The learning never stops does it... all part of the fun.

I just thought the sponges had to be in the filter to be effective. We can wait for the educated masses to confirm or blast my theories out of the water.. pardon the pun.

Squid

 

[Gankutsuou]

the reason they have to be in filters is to be somewhat constantly submerged. correct me if I'm wrong.

that's why biowheel filters are the worst filters during a black out. air exposion. That makes the bacteria die fastest. they have to be submerged.

which it looks like he has done, so it should be decently okay IMO.

 

[Gnatfish]

Well its more efficient in a filter and the whole tank would get filtered if the sponges were in a filter.

But the bacteria colony i doubt will die because its not as its run out of food. I'd be more worried about it being efficient enough to keep ammonia 0.

EDIT: However if the water from the filter is going through them then i think it will be alright. But who am i to say that.

Also i always though that Lake Malawi tanks needed to be as long as possible, becasue of the aggression issues?

 

[Matt Gleadow]

Longer tanks are better. I'll see how this one works out. Thats why there is so much rock in there. Makes its easy for them to lose any fish thats chasing them

 

[mrjames]

nice tank!! i would put the filter media in the filter imo. it will cycle your filter quicker and also remove them from your centrepeice tank...

 

[Squid]

Apologies for slightly changing what this thread is all about, it was just a comment on what I saw...

I think the tank looks good, i want to set up one myself, or convert my current tank to Mbuna.

Hopefully people will comment on the tank and not just the sponges.. !

Squid

 

[Matt Gleadow]

No worries Squid!

One of the Hongi is going to be looking for a new home very shortly. Its a nasty piece of work. As soon as I turn the light out it goes looking for the other one which is now sporting a few marks it didn't have... also seen it chasing the Zebras. So back to the LFS this weekend if they will have him back. Shame cos the colouring of him is really nice.