Wild Africian 80 gallon setup

[Aussie_Star]

hey,
i have seen some people on here that have a running diary on their tanks, so i decided to do one aswell

i have decided to make my second 80 gallon tank as a wild africian setup. I got the second 80 gallon tank from my uncle after he has stop caring for it. He had about 20 yabbies in the tank. So all i have to buy to get it up and running is a good heater and i wanted to buy another canister filter to go with the hang on filter that he is going to give me.

So I will have
Tank 48 x 20 x 20
1 aqua one CF1200 canister filter
1 aqua one 500 hang on filter with bio wheel
2 200w heaters
1 twin outlet air pump
twin globe light with a coral glo 40 w white

for the subtrate, im am using is finely crush coral/sand with lots of pieces of slate for hiding holes and stuff, plus I have made some caves

The fish that I have been thinking to add are: ( I will not be putting all of these in depends if I can get at the time, but I have seen these all in the store in great numbers)

Iodotropheus sprengerae ( Rusty cichlid )
Labidochromis caeruleus ( Electric yellow )
Metricalima lombardoi ( Kenyi )
Pseudotropheus socolofi ( Powder blue cichlid)
Pseudotropheus demasoni
Pseudotropheus zebra ( Cobalt blue)
Cynotilapa mbamba


I am looking for some clean up crew, I was thinking maybe a Hypostomus punctatus ( common plec) or any fish from the Synodontis family

I will start cycling the tank on Saturday Australian time and it will be a fishless cycle for a bout a week maybe two. I will try to post some photos on Monday, depends when I have to work .
I will also be setting up a convict breeding tank in a 30 gallon tank, it with be the same as this beside in will only have a hang on filter and all the stuff require for it.
Thanks
If u have any ideas or anything else please add them

 

[semper fi]

i would reconsider the p. demasoni. demasoni are extremely aggressive and intolerant of tankmates, even their own kind. they are very territorial and require a large footprint to be able to establish their territories. the labs, rusties and socoloffi will more than likely be killed in a setup with them.

are you replacing the canister filter listed or is that the one you are considering? you should also consider adding a powerhead or two with sponge filter attachments. the mbuna will like the current, as well as the sponges housing bacteria.

why are you replacing the 2 200watt heaters? on the larger tanks, it is best to go with 2 heaters. for one, if one of them break down the other will still be functioning to help keep the temperature from dropping too rapidly. for another, it will more evenly heat the tank. a heater on each end and at opposite corners will ensure a constant temp throughout the tank.

unless the bacteria died off in the biowheel, there is no need for cycling. if it has, it will take longer than 2 weeks to fully cycle the tank unless you are seeding it with your established tank.

 

[Aussie_Star]

i would reconsider the p. demasoni. demasoni are extremely aggressive and intolerant of tankmates, even their own kind. they are very territorial and require a large footprint to be able to establish their territories. the labs, rusties and socoloffi will more than likely be killed in a setup with them.

are you replacing the canister filter listed or is that the one you are considering? you should also consider adding a powerhead or two with sponge filter attachments. the mbuna will like the current, as well as the sponges housing bacteria.

why are you replacing the 2 200watt heaters? on the larger tanks, it is best to go with 2 heaters. for one, if one of them break down the other will still be functioning to help keep the temperature from dropping too rapidly. for another, it will more evenly heat the tank. a heater on each end and at opposite corners will ensure a constant temp throughout the tank.

the p. Demasoni are the lasort resort if i cant not get any of the other fish, my lfs is shocking they will not order fish in for people and they only get these kind of lake malawi cichlids in once in a life time, so i will hav to search and to get them.

That is the canister filter i have, it is exactly the same as the fluval 404, just different brand names, all the media, filter sponges and every attachment will fit onto it, so its all good. There i was thinking about the powerheads but wasnt sure, thats why i ask if any when has any other ideas please tell. Do u i just need some filter sponge and attach it where it pushes the water?

I have two heaters for the tank and for that purpose incase one breaks down the other one is there already running

unless the bacteria died off in the biowheel, there is no need for cycling. if it has, it will take longer than 2 weeks to fully cycle the tank unless you are seeding it with your established tank.
I will have to at least mini cycle casue the biowheel has being used for like a month how so just to be safe i will.

 

[Aussie_Star]

i have got all of the sand and products washed and ready to go but, im trying to make some natural looking structures out of slate for the tank but it isnt working, im am using the correct silicon casue i have made something before out of slate but this time the silicon and slate arent working together, i going to have another shot at it tomorrow, so i should have the tank filled with water on monday arvo, and pictures that night....if any knows of any pics or websites that have strcutures made out of slate pls add them, i need some models to plan mine off. Thanxs

 

[Aussie_Star]

my camera is broken, the memory card is cut with i had to put in my computer and it wont read the pictures from the crad, i an going to get a new card tomorrow so i will have have any photos from the start but only pictures from tomorrow when the tank has been running for about 24 hours,

I didnt uses the slate i hate in mine but i went to bunnings ( hardware store) and brought some big grante blocks, pretty cheap at $2.50 each, it looks like a big wall in the tank but i have to add plants yet, so its not going to look as good as it was going to

but you cant always get what u want in life

i also went to the lfs store and try to order in some fish for 2 weeks in time and he said that they will be getting them to the store in about 12 days so i will have to use some of the media and sponges filter from my other tank to speed up the cycling, i nope it will not be a problem.
And i hope chooklets bristlenoises have grown a bit so they will be reading to go in.

The plan is for tomorrow after i go for a surf is to get some plants and re arrange the tank and i will be starting the 30 gallon up tomorrow for the two convicts.

 

[Aussie_Star]

a question,
what will be the best levels for the tank, i know im have to have a high ph casue thats what lake malawi's need, but what about the others??

 

[yhbae]

What is your pH/KH and GH out of your tap? (after aeration, of course) If it is anywhere above pH 7.4, you may not need to adjust at all!

 

[Aussie_Star]

i only have a ph test kit at the moment and it is at 7.8, i will be getting the other test kits on thursday after i get paid. The LFS shop rang and said that they cant get the fish in that i want , so i have changed it from a Lake malawi setup to a wild African setup.. I will be able to get some other different species of africans, so i am going to do that

I just repaired the crack in my other tank with lots of fresh silicon, dont want it to leak again. I was going to put a pair of convicts in there, but i saw at this pet shop in town discus for $45 each, they are about 2-3 inches (there is 4 of them, but dunno what kind),and i get my tax back soon so they will basically be for free. So i was going to rasie them and then sell them, but i just have to wait for the silicon to fully heal.

The plan is to get them during next week casue the filter is cycling in my fully planted setup but i will let it run for about 2-3 days by itself in the 30 gallon

 

[Aussie_Star]

im a loser,
i was just taking the clamps on my 30 gallon casue i had to repair one on the seams, i sat in on a towel( to see if any more leaks) and started filling it with water for a test run.

It was all going good untill i went inside to get a packet of chips to eat, then i here this smash nosie, so i ran outside to find that the back piece was smashed and water was pouring everywhere. I so so casue i have been waiting all week to set it up for some baby discus fish to grow then sell, but now i dont have a tank

So i am trying to get my brother to take me to the petshop to buy another 30 gallon before work,but if that happens is another thing

 

[Aussie_Star]

luck,
i found in the newspaper a Ex - discus breeder tank, its a 24 x 14 x 24 just over 30 gallon and only for $45, thats so cheap cant wait untill tomorrow arvo to pick it up and see his tanks. He also has fry and he said he will sell them for 15 bucks each but he lives in sydney so i dont wanna make two trips to sydney in a week, i might wait a month before i get the fry, good im so happy now lol

 

[Boggle]

Before you do anything, I would recommend you go to Aquarium Treasures, 51 Brisbane Water Drive, Point Clare, phone no. 02 4323 3344.

I do not trust any other lfs as much as these guys. They can give you the best advise, as they care more about the fish being happy than making a quick sale.

They can advise you re the ph level as well. From what I've seen, ph is best left to experienced ppl, you can do more harm than good trying to play with ph levels.

And for cheap tank in the future, keep an eye on the Trading Post. Not Just Fish at Rockdale have regular sales, and their tanks & cabinets are usually the cheapest in Sydney/Central Coast sale or no sale.

 

[Aussie_Star]

Before you do anything, I would recommend you go to Aquarium Treasures, 51 Brisbane Water Drive, Point Clare, phone no. 02 4323 3344.

And for cheap tank in the future, keep an eye on the Trading Post. Not Just Fish at Rockdale have regular sales, and their tanks & cabinets are usually the cheapest in Sydney/Central Coast sale or no sale.

its that in sydney? I dont trust the lfs but they are the only good ones around here, so that will have to do, but i may go to the shop when i pick the 2nd hand tank up, if it is in sydney
and i got the tank from the local trading post
And i normally make all my cabinets and stuff casue i hav all of my grandfathers tools

 

[Aussie_Star]

i got my fish yesterday
I got 9 Electric yellows about 2/3 of a inch long ( they only had 9 left)
and 2 coblat zebras about a inch long, plus some plants, i will hav pictures 2morrow...
i gotta go huge strom coming dunno wanna blow the computer up

 

[Aussie_Star]

here is the pictures from my new 80 gallon setup Wild African setup