Setting up a Lake Malawi Tank

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Lady G

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Oct 6, 2005
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So I figure I'd just do a starting my tank thread...if this is not in the correct place feel free to move it Niko!

My Plan: To make a Lake Malawi Biotope tank. Any and all suggestions are welcome, I will be posting all questions I have in this thread as I go. The inhabitants I am planing are:
Labidochromis caereulus - 1 male 3 female
Iodotropehues sperengae - 1 male 3 female
Cynotilapia afra - you'll get a nice blue stripey colour morph - 1 male 2 female
Pseudotropheus socolofi albino - 1 male 2 female
Pseudotrophues acei - whichever your prefer purple w yellow fin, 'black' with white fin (Ngara variant) - 1 male 2 female.
With possibly a couple more females to a couple groups of those, or ditch one group and look at 3 or 4 male peacocks.
Along with:3-4 Synodontis
I will be using a sand substrate, with a piece of driftwood I just can't part with and lots of rock work. Possibly adding some Java fern and Moss, maybe some Vals and anubias. Yes I realize the risk of plants in a AC tank.
 

Lady G

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Oct 6, 2005
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So I figure I'll start with what the tank looks like before I start. I am working on getting all the sand out.
Then a pic of my first rocks for the tank. Then for my first question of the thread...any suggestions on how to get the last bit of water and sand out... I do not have my python here yet?

Picture 107.jpg Picture 105.jpg
 

jaylin

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Aug 14, 2005
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Oooh, sounds very interesting! What size tank do you have again?

The best advice I can give you is to make sure that you have a lot of little cavey hidey holes that the fish can run away to and some flatish areas in case some start feeling sexy and wanting to spawn. I've never had good luck seeing babies grow all the way up in a multi-species tank, but watching spawning behaviors is cool anyway.

If you're using the arragonite sand it will help buffer your water to a nice pH, if not, you might want to add something to the tank to help with that. The fish don't just like the higher pH better - they look better when the pH is to their liking. The driftwood might make that a little counter productive, but it's worth a shot. I know what you mean when you say you just can't part with it. I like driftwood too.

Of course, you could always save the driftwood, get another tank and do a south american blackwater biotope as well ...
 

jaylin

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Aug 14, 2005
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any suggestions on how to get the last bit of water and sand out...
The last time I had to remove sand from a tank like that, I used one of those sorta flexible pices of file separator plastic. Oh, I forget what that stuff it called, but it's like a flexible, but somewhat sturdy piece of plastic.

But you'll never get all the sand out. I ended up taking one of mine out on the lawn, flipping it upside down and trying to hose it out. It still has a 'lil bit of sand in it ....
 

Lady G

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That is what I thought...well, guess I know what I will be having my son help me with tomorrow!!!

Now for question 2...I got to the bottom of the sand, there is a UGF...should I take it out, should I turn it into a RUGF, or should I leave it and use it?
 

Reddog80p

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Nov 18, 2006
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Use something like a dust pan. Scoop out a half a bucket of sand at a time. I know it's a PITA but just take your time and tell your boy it will make his biceps swoll :grinyes: . I'd take the ugf out of you are gonna use sand for your substrate.
 
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Lady G

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Oct 6, 2005
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Do ya have a dustpan you can bring me? LMAO!!!!!!!!! Yeah actually I was thinking that.

Thanks Dog!
 

Reddog80p

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Do ya have a dustpan you can bring me? LMAO!!!!!!!!! Yeah actually I was thinking that.

Thanks Dog!
I do but it's for "kitchen use only" I guess I could make an exception for you :silly: Once you get down to the stuff you cant scoop, spray water in it with the hose and have your boy tip it one side (outside of course LOL):lipssealedsmilie:
 

Lady G

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Yeah take the UGF out...Mbuna like to dig. With a 55g and the planned stock I would use 2 HOB filters and a Canister. I had 2 Penguin 350's and a Rena xp2on my 55g untill I upgraded to a 75g.
OK, right now I only have the one HOB and my canister here..but I do have another HOB in just not here yet, so my next trip back to IL I'll pick it up!

I do but it's for "kitchen use only" I guess I could make an exception for you :silly: Once you get down to the stuff you cant scoop, spray water in it with the hose and have your boy tip it one side (outside of course LOL):lipssealedsmilie:
OMG, so glad you said that...cause ya know I thought you meant right there in the house :headshake2:
 
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