general question about Mbuna tank set up

[NeverFadeAway86]

I have a 75 gallon community tank, I am converting this into an Mbuna set up, I am currently waiting on more funds to be available to buy the fish and am also doing some DIY decor for the tank.

I am planning on having Yellow Labs and Rustys

1. I will be buying the fish at about the 1 inch to 1.5 inch range, I was planning on getting around 16-20 of them. once fully grown would there still be plenty of space in this tank for that many ? Also some males may get weeded out as I sex them once they are more mature

2. I am also starting up a 26 gallon bowfront, as a fry and grow out tank. I currently have an AC70 and a Penguin 350 B on my 75. Have a number of filer options for this tank. so these are my filter options AC110(not cycled) AC70 (cycled on 75) AC70(not cycled) AC20(not cycled) Penguin 350 B (cycled on 75)

I have a few ideas, I was thinking of putting the penguin 350 B or the uncycled AC70 on there (would run it on the 75 for a week to get it cycled

also was thinking for the 75 of just running the cycled AC70 that is already on it and then adding the AC110. I could also do Both AC70's on one side and the AC110 on the other side . or I could do AC70 penguin 350 B and AC 110
any suggestions on which filters on which tank would be great.
I run all my filters with Sponges covering the intakes as well

 

[NeverFadeAway86]

Another question to add to the ones above, when Having a fry tank how often and how large of water changes would need to be done in a 26 gallon Bowfront ?

 

[tanker]

OK, Nice plan, but using the 29 as a fry tank is not the best. As a grow-out tank, it would be great. I would get a much smaller tank for fry ( 5gal, or 10gal). When the fry are born they will need to be fed 3-4 times per day. In a 29gal it would be difficult for them to find the food, with the food all spread out. I would put them into the 29gal after about a month. They should be about 1/2" by then,

About 20 Adult fishes would be nice, but for that to happen, I would like to add a 3rd species. You will probably only be able to keep only one male of each species, so--lots of Yellow fishes (Labs), and lots of plain fishes (rustys). So adding another species would help for the total of about 20 fishes.

Your filters sound OK, which ever you decide. You said your filters are already cycled? How do you know?

 

[NeverFadeAway86]

the AC70 and The Penguin 350 have been on this 75 for about 2 years. I am switching a tank that is currently in use, so they may not be cycled fully to the waste a cichlid makes since it is a community tank, but they have been on the tank long enough it wouldn't take long to catch up


smallest tank I have right now is a 20 H, hmm maybe I could get like a 5 gallon and put the AC20 on it ?

 

[tanker]

the AC70 and The Penguin 350 have been on this 75 for about 2 years. I am switching a tank that is currently in use, so they may not be cycled fully to the waste a cichlid makes since it is a community tank, but they have been on the tank long enough it wouldn't take long to catch up


smallest tank I have right now is a 20 H, hmm maybe I could get like a 5 gallon and put the AC20 on it ?

That would be good. You can get cheap 5gals almost anywhere. The hard part is keeping the fry tank filter fed, beween fishes.

The reason I ask is because from my experience, African Cichlids are as delicate to Ammonia as Discus. But they are very personable fishes. I use to breed them, maybe I will go back into Mbunas. .

 

[NeverFadeAway86]

ya I was thinking i could keep a bag of extra media for my AC20 in my AC110 and when I have fry just take the extra media from the AC110 and put it into the AC20. im assuming that would work right ?


as far as the 75 goes, once the current fish are out of there and I have it set up. I was gonna add extra ammonia to get the BB colony higher to be prepared for more waste from the Mbuna , was gonna do that for 10 days before I get the Mbuna and put them in

 

[tanker]

I was thinking i could keep a bag of extra media for my AC20 in my AC110 and when I have fry just take the extra media from the AC110 and put it into the AC20. im assuming that would work right ?

That would work.

Sounds like you know what you are doing. Try to get about 1M, 4-5 F. You may have to get lots of 1 and 1.5" fishes to get that ratio right. With Rustys and Yellow Labs you may be able to keep more then 1 male in the tank, but "one can never tell" with cichlids. Good Luck

 

[NeverFadeAway86]

the plan for the final stocking is 1 male 5 females of each, will prolly have to buy a bunch of juveniles and swap out some males as I go.

I bought a 5.5 gallon tank tonight for the fry, will use the AC20 on it