Starting My First Lake Malawi Tank!

[creg]

http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150541204089&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

purchased the tank im going to use ^

my plans

sand: argonite to buffer ph
decor: slate and other stone from local building merchant
fish: ideas anyone?
filtration: eheim or fluval external and some kind of internal
air pump: ?

 

[SensesFail]

http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150541204089&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

purchased the tank im going to use ^

my plans

sand: argonite to buffer ph
decor: slate and other stone from local building merchant
fish: ideas anyone?
filtration: eheim or fluval external and some kind of internal
air pump: ?

Sounds good! Iv just set myself a African cichlid tank I went with coral sand and ocean rocks theres a pick link in my sig. What is your Ph currently? I'd recommend getting a good external canister for it and make sure it's fully cycled then that way you can add quite a few at once so that they all get dibs at marking their rather than get a little few at a time and possibly having to re arrange the tank every time re-setting it so they can settle in and be on equal ground as such with the rest.

I also use an eheim air stone with 2 outputs which looks good wouldn't of minded an air curtain like they look awesome!

Fish wise I'll let someone more experienced jump in on that I went with what the LFS said for some of the fish had the intention of yellow labs and rusty cichlids which I knew worked well together then I ended up getting 3 other species which he assured me would work. They have so far and I also got some synodontis petricola cat fish which look awesome! I'd recommend them any day of the week they are very active and always seem to be swimming! Again photos in my sig of my fish.

 

[creg]

my ph is 7.5 if i remember correctly so already quite high

air pump ive been reading tetratec ones are super quiet so probably go with one of those

i have plenty of mature filter media to use so cycling shouldnt be a problem

will probably get my fish from here http/www.prestwoodpetzone.com/cichlids-stock-list.html i have always trusted them, have no clue what im gonna end up geting though lol

they have ocean rock at my lfs but i thought it was a little too expensive, looks cool though

 

[SensesFail]

my ph is 7.5 if i remember correctly so already quite high

air pump ive been reading tetratec ones are super quiet so probably go with one of those

i have plenty of mature filter media to use so cycling shouldnt be a problem

will probably get my fish from here http/www.prestwoodpetzone.com/cichlids-stock-list.html i have always trusted them, have no clue what im gonna end up geting though lol

they have ocean rock at my lfs but i thought it was a little too expensive, looks cool though

Yer ocean rock is dear I must say I paid something like £40-£50 quid for 30kg of the stuff so not cheap. The eheim is quite quiet. I'd try searching for reviews on the tetratec because I'm sure I did and some said they are quiet to start with then they seem to go louder very quickly and requires replacement parts. Don't quote me on it though, plenty of reviews out their 7.5 should be absolutely fine for the cichlids I'd see what your LFS ph is like and if it's that then leave it. Use coral sand as a little buffer but I wouldn't really worry. My water is about 7.5 maybe ever so slightly higher but no where near 8.

Mature media is the best option I didn't have that to start with and my tank took ages! But that was also down to my inexperience this site is excellent for guiding you through things and someone with vast amounts of experience on African cichlids will be along soon to lend a hand

Exciting stuff getting all set up and planning your fish stock

 

[creg]

im broke now after paying for the tank lol, so probably a few weeks before i can buy everything else..still exciting ive wanted a cichlid tank for ages

 

[SensesFail]

im broke now after paying for the tank lol, so probably a few weeks before i can buy everything else..still exciting ive wanted a cichlid tank for ages

I can understand with the cost of starting up! I'm completely new and African cichlids are my first fish but they are brilliant I must say! They seem to know exactly when it's feeding time and who I am! Originally I was going for discus but with the sizeof my tank I could only have 4 max and they really need to be in a group of 6. I went to pick up some mature media from a guy who's on the forum and he has a Malawi setup and when I spotted it I was like wow! That's lush. Nice to see the hustle and bustle of lots of different fish I'll save the old discus until I get the bigger tank

I better get saving haha