Doing some upgrading to my tank

[MySpace Mike]

So I have my 55 gallon African Cichlid tank. I'm upgrading the lighting and filtration.

New lighting will be

2 - 18" Power-Glo 15 watt bulbs.

New filtration will be

1 - Eheim 2026 @ 180 gph (got off ebay for $80)

1 - Whisper 60

1 - Whisper 40


Also I ordered five 19" plants for the tank, and will be getting more rock work done next weekend. Hopefully I'm done with my new additions.

If you have any suggestions for better filtration or lighting let me know, however I am on a limited budget.

[stratusfearrr]

if those are live plants, thats not enough light. however if they are just for show, and are fake, you should be fine.

[MySpace Mike]

Yeah i never use live plants with cichlids now after having almost $300 worth of live plants shredded to hell by some. I only use plastic now.

[abarilot]

The 2026 is a great choice!

[MySpace Mike]

I hope so, I use to have an older Eheim canister filter and was so happy with it. So I figured I'd get me another one only better. So hopefully it works better then my first Eheim

[MySpace Mike]

Got my new Eheim 2620 canister filter today, it's a beastly effing filter lol didnt think it would be so big. Definitely looks like it should do the trick, I'm waiting on my lighting and carbon order fro mdrsfostersmith.com which should be here on tuesday then i can add a huge amount of carbon to the filter and let it run for 3 months. I always use 3 month supply of carbon, just makes it much easier to deal with my filter cleanings. However the a**hole I ordered 6 Dragon Blood Fire Fish peacocks from, is pissing me off, he said i would have my fish by wedsnesday, its now going towards friday and i dont have sh*t from him.

[ibr3ak]

Is that your stock in the sig? The front will outgrow the tank eventually and the mbuna will keep him under constant stress.

[CornBreadjiffy]

thats what i was worried about but i am goin to put my fronts in a tank by them selfs cause those mbuna will worry the **** out of them

[MySpace Mike]

He pretty much runs the tank, keeping my mbuna's hiding in the rocks. He pretty much keeps them stressed. Here's a pic of him

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/2048/frontosa.jpg

[ibr3ak]

How big are the mbuna? If they're still juvies it'll change once they start maturing, and fronts get to 12"+, he'll be cramped in that 55.

A 6' tank is recommended for fronts as a minimum and that they'd be kept in colonies. They also like a calmer environment and are easily spooked, their diet is different as well.

That's just my 2 cents though.

[MySpace Mike]

So I'm waiting for a guy to come pick up the Frontosa, will miss the little guy. I'm trading him for a Gombi Cichlid, and 3 Mbunas (cobalt blue, ice blue, and another species) I think they'll get along better in my tank then the Frontosa will.

[aquanooby]

good call on re homing him

[MySpace Mike]

OK, so here's the fish I traded the Frontosa for

5" Cobalt Blue, 5" Unknown Yellow Guy, 3" Transcriptus Gombi, and a 3" Hongi Peacock. Can't get a pic of the Gombi as he loves hiding in my rocks.

Here's some pics, hopefully someone can identify the yellow guy, and no it's not an Electric Yellow. lol.

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/5977/fish1z.jpg

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/2488/fish2b.jpg

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/3782/fish3t.jpg

[ibr3ak]

The first one is a red zebra (females are usually alot more orange and males are paler), second is an m. callainos, the peacock is a. baenschi (benga yellow).

[MySpace Mike]

Thanks

[MySpace Mike]

Pic of my tank with some new rock work done to it.

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/51/tankfish1.jpg