chopster
07-26-2005, 2:37 PM
I have decided to get a 125 gallon tank tentatively stocked with 8 Crytocara moori, 6-8 Labidochromis caeruleus “Electric Yellow,” 6 Aulonocara (freibegi?), and 6 Iodotropheus sprengerae “Rusty”. While I wait to accumulate some extra $$$$, my thoughts turn to tank set up and I have a “million” questions. I’ve read a lot but so far my reading hasn’t matched up well with the wisdom of you cichlid pros, so here goes.
How’s my fish mix?
Stands: Will the solid pine stands (like Perfecto, etc.) sold for 125 tanks hold up under the weight of water and rocks? I read in an article by George Reclos et al in “Freshwater and Marine Aquarium” magazine that stands for tanks this size should either be metal or concrete! This can’t be right, can it? They certainly wouldn’t be selling stands that would send your setup crashing to the floor would they?
Styrofoam under the tank, necessary or not?
Eggcrate or plexiglass cover for the inside bottom, necessary or not?
Substrate Part One: Which is best for this setup -- : Crushed Coral? Carib Sea aragonite reef sand? Carib Sea Agaramax sand? Carib Sea white marine sand? Carib Sea African Cichlid mix? Home Depot sand?
Substrate Part Two: How deep? About how much sand will be needed to fill a 125 gallon tank to that depth –50 lbs, 100 lbs, more?
Lights: I’ve read that cichlids like light, but too much light will wash out their colors. So, a two-light hood, or a four light hood? What kind of fluorescent bulbs work best for colors? How many hours a day should they be kept on for happy fish? (I have live plants in my current noncichlid community aquarium and have to keep lights on 12-16 hours a day with a timer).
Rock work: How much for the species listed above?
Filters (I know this is a touchy subject): I started with a Magnum 350 canister filter in my current noncichlid community tank but changed to an Emperor 400. IMO the Magnum wasn’t very quiet and was hard to work with (putting it together was a pain. The Emperor 400 by contrast, is a little less noisy, cycles more gallons per hour, and is a lot easier to service. Can I use two Emperor 400s with weekly water changes for the 125 gallon Malawi tank, or is a canister filter absolutely necessary? If a canister filter is necessary, which one can handle the job, is really quiet and easy to service, and won’t break my wallet – the tank and stand etc are already doing that! I hear the Eheim 2217 is good, quiet, reliable, but a pain to prime and clean. Is the Pro II a substantial improvement?
Plants: Algae has been the bane of my community tank and I have been looking forward to a tank of rocks and some very low light Java ferns. What plants if any can (should) be in my Malawi tank?
Well, that may not be a “million” questions, but it is close. Thanks to you all, I will be able to do this correctly, and in the time it will take to get the 125 gallon tank I can get some of the rest of this sorted out. Thanks again.
Chopster
How’s my fish mix?
Stands: Will the solid pine stands (like Perfecto, etc.) sold for 125 tanks hold up under the weight of water and rocks? I read in an article by George Reclos et al in “Freshwater and Marine Aquarium” magazine that stands for tanks this size should either be metal or concrete! This can’t be right, can it? They certainly wouldn’t be selling stands that would send your setup crashing to the floor would they?
Styrofoam under the tank, necessary or not?
Eggcrate or plexiglass cover for the inside bottom, necessary or not?
Substrate Part One: Which is best for this setup -- : Crushed Coral? Carib Sea aragonite reef sand? Carib Sea Agaramax sand? Carib Sea white marine sand? Carib Sea African Cichlid mix? Home Depot sand?
Substrate Part Two: How deep? About how much sand will be needed to fill a 125 gallon tank to that depth –50 lbs, 100 lbs, more?
Lights: I’ve read that cichlids like light, but too much light will wash out their colors. So, a two-light hood, or a four light hood? What kind of fluorescent bulbs work best for colors? How many hours a day should they be kept on for happy fish? (I have live plants in my current noncichlid community aquarium and have to keep lights on 12-16 hours a day with a timer).
Rock work: How much for the species listed above?
Filters (I know this is a touchy subject): I started with a Magnum 350 canister filter in my current noncichlid community tank but changed to an Emperor 400. IMO the Magnum wasn’t very quiet and was hard to work with (putting it together was a pain. The Emperor 400 by contrast, is a little less noisy, cycles more gallons per hour, and is a lot easier to service. Can I use two Emperor 400s with weekly water changes for the 125 gallon Malawi tank, or is a canister filter absolutely necessary? If a canister filter is necessary, which one can handle the job, is really quiet and easy to service, and won’t break my wallet – the tank and stand etc are already doing that! I hear the Eheim 2217 is good, quiet, reliable, but a pain to prime and clean. Is the Pro II a substantial improvement?
Plants: Algae has been the bane of my community tank and I have been looking forward to a tank of rocks and some very low light Java ferns. What plants if any can (should) be in my Malawi tank?
Well, that may not be a “million” questions, but it is close. Thanks to you all, I will be able to do this correctly, and in the time it will take to get the 125 gallon tank I can get some of the rest of this sorted out. Thanks again.
Chopster