Starting A 100 Gallon Cichlid Tank - Would Like Help/advice

[SouthSideReefs]

I've had fish for many years, just lost my 2 oscars due to ammonia in the water.. found out our well had a crack at the top and rain water was getting in, but all that is fixed now...



I've cycled my tank, 100 gallon, Rena XP3 filter, bottom 20ppi foam, on top of that 30ppi foam, on top of that ceramic rings & bio chem stars on very top dual density micro filter, two heaters, 5" air disc, 96" of bubble tubes, 50lbs of gravel, 50lbs of caribsea sand...

my PH is 8.2 ammonia is at 0 now was at 3.0 when I started my cycle, temp is set at 76 degrees.


I plan on having live plants and don't know if my lighting is enough, I have a perfecto hood with two 4' light strips, one works one does not I would love to replace the internals of the non working one with whatever I need so it stays looking good any help there? I also have blue led strip with 60 leds for night time.


I am going to be making a few "caves" tonight with PVC elbows and such with silicone and river rock I'll post pics when I'm done.


I want to have a vararity of colorful fish and would like a recommendation of which ones I should get to get along with each other and also my live plants, also the best place to buy them, I'm on the eastern shore of MD and the pet stores around here are limited does anyone have luck with ordering online? if so whats a good site to order from?


Thanks!!

 

[rifty]

curious didnt think rainwater would cause fish to die? am i reading that right?
are you planning malawis as you want a colour injection im guessing?
plants tend to get munched or dug up in my tanks!
can you post the size dimensions of your tank please

 

[SouthSideReefs]

wasn't the rain water as much as the stuff decomposing around the well and seaping down in it, but it is all fixed now


not sure what I'm planning thats why I'm asking questions, I would like some bright colors this time!


I'm going to go with plants if they dig them up they dig them up.. I guess they will be fine while the fish are small anyway, live plants were never an option with my oscars, I ended up attaching a stainless steel bolt to the bottom of my plastic plants so they couldn't dig them up but they would still move them all over the tank haha


tank size is 48" long X 18" wide X 24" tall