New Tank Set Up, But What Now?

[ballyclover]

Ok, have rehomed all my fish bar 3 small plecs, which i thought i would keep to clean up the tanks.
 
Bought 25kg of ocean rock and 22 kg of coral sand, both look excellent if i do say so myself. I emptied the tank completely and refilled with fresh water. The external filter i use is a EX1200 tetratec. I have reconnected this and have it pumping away. I did not clean the filter or empty it so the good bacteria should till be alive and well in the filter.
 
So i am now eager to proceed to getting the fish, but dont want to rush in.
 
how long should i waited before adding any Cichlids, i really like the  COBALT BLUE ZEBRA, or LOMBARDOI.
 
I have a 180 lt tank and am aware i cannt really have more than 10, even that would be a push
 
So advice would be appreciated as to what to do next  (there are currenly no fish in the tank, the plecs are in a spare)
 
thank you

 

[benzenering]

Did you let your filter go dry during this cleaning process? I can't give you any advice on the fish, but if it were me I'd start a fishless cycle. If your filter media is still good, it should take no time at all. If it isn't you have saved your potential new fish possibly their lives.

 

[balajake]

You need to keep fish in the tank to keep the filter cycled. If you don't then All your bacteria will start to die within a few days. You could add household ammonia like Kleen off until you get new fish

 

[ballyclover]

ok,,,no the filter is untouched, so should be full of good bacteria, i hope to have the plecs back in tomorrow

 

[KevM]

What are the measurements of the tank? 180 litres won't be enough for either of the fish you've mentioned. The Kenyis, in particular, are extremely aggressive. You shouldn't mix them, either. If you post some more information, perhaps we can make some better recommendations. You're almost certainly going to be limited to dwarf Mbuna, though.

 

[balajake]

Pseudotropheus saulosi are small and very beautiful. Females are yellow and males are blue with black barring.

 

[ballyclover]

101x41x50 cm,,,,180 lts 39 uk gallon
 
i bloody hope its big enough, im not mixing any, just want to get a lovely colourful fish

 

[KevM]

101x41x50 cm,,,,180 lts 39 uk gallon
 
i bloody hope its big enough, im not mixing any, just want to get a lovely colourful fish

It's big enough for a dwarf Mbuna species tank. Pseudotropheus saulosi (as suggested above) would be a great choice because they're sexually dimorphic and quite mellow (as Mbuna go). Males are blue with black bars whereas females are yellow, providing a pleasing contrast. Check out Justin85's tank (pics can be found on here) for a brilliant example of what can be done.

 

[bullit]

As above- only small mbuna species would be advised.

 

[ballyclover]

thank you guys, had a problem with the filter today so set me back a little.

 

[KevM]

Speaking of filters, I'd also suggest adding another external of a similar capacity to the tank. Oh, and you won't need the Ancistrus spp. for cleaning duties. They can survive in Mbuna tanks but you'll want some algae growing on the rocks; it makes it look more natural (although considering you're using ocean rock this may not apply). You can keep the glass clean yourself with a sponge and a little elbow grease during your water changes. They are very messy fish and will add a lot to the bio-load in return for very little gain. You'll hardly see them because Mbuna are rowdy enough to keep them in hiding most of the time.

 

[ballyclover]

i have a tetratec ex1200 which is more than enough for the 180 tank. I did try a ex2400 at one point but was way to powerfull.
 
I am still intending to introduce at least 2 bristlenose as i have kept them since young and grown fond, but if they survive ok with mbuna then why not.
 
 
Is it recommended i run air into the tank? i currently dont as i like the tank quite and most air pumps are nosiey.

 

[KevM]

i have a tetratec ex1200 which is more than enough for the 180 tank. I did try a ex2400 at one point but was way to powerfull.
 
I am still intending to introduce at least 2 bristlenose as i have kept them since young and grown fond, but if they survive ok with mbuna then why not.
 
 
Is it recommended i run air into the tank? i currently dont as i like the tank quite and most air pumps are nosiey.

An EX1200 is not necessarily going to be enough for an Mbuna tank. You'll have to keep an eye on your stocking levels if that's the only filter you're running, and low stocking levels can exacerbate aggression problems. It is generally recommended to overstock an Mbuna tank in order to prevent hyper-dominance and ensure that the aggression is spread out among the group. With a species tank of saulosi you shouldn't have too many problems but you'll be very limited in terms of the amount of males (and thus, the colour blue) you'll be able to keep. If you're intent on only running the one filter I'd recommend you only keep one male and about five females. You'd be surprised at the amount of waste these fish produce, and they can be quite sensitive souls when it comes to water parameters. 

You won't need to run air on this (or any, IMO) set-up. I believe the surface agitation provided by your canister will far surpass the gas exchange provided by a bubbling airstone. Don't worry about any filtration being "too powerful"; you basically can't over-filtrate Mbuna tanks. I'll be running 14000lph on my 120G once it's delivered next month - a turnover of a shade over 30 times the tank's volume. Mbuna are very capable swimmers and a strong current will not faze them.

 

[ballyclover]

ok, maybe i can find another ex2400, but for the time being have to make do

 

[KevM]

It'll be fine while they're small, anyway.