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after recieving my bonus from work im finally feeling cashed up enough to give my tank a makeover.. plus i have next week off work to do it in!

my tank is 55g with an eheim ecco 2232 and a 200w jager heater. it has 1 male peacock and 5 electric yellows and 1 bn.

ok here are some pics to start off with... please ignore the breeding net.. currently holding 2 electric yellow fry





im open to all ideas and suggestions
so far im thinking a black background...not sure whether to paint or put cardboard behind it..
im gng to go for a blue/yellow/black look.
also was thinking of building up caves using slate? or some kind of rock..
gravel gng to change to black and maybe mix in some crushed coral
and thinking of changing to a 50/50 light globe (Actinic blue and white)

Ok so now for the suggestions/critisms/advice

thanks all !

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

i would use card bored for a back ground as this can then be removed better than paint if you change your mind. I used card bored on my tank and got the card from a craft shop it worked well. i like the sound of the black gravel with the crushed coral i think it would look great! As for the caves have you ever though of having them as a back ground i.e. what is on this web site http://www.duboisi.com/diy/BNdiygrotto/bndiygrotto.htm

it looks very gd when it is done but takes some time. Dont know what you think to that. Also do you want to plant your tank or not?

the background that juwel mention is cool. i think it would look a bit better if the rocks (used on background)varied in size. with all the same size you get a brickwall effect but i think mixing the sizes up you get a more natural feel

*click *flash *click "whered he go???"

Where to start....

My first question deals with the plant. Looks like some type of Anubias or sword? Do you want to in corperate plants into the new do? If so I would suguest more of them.

Second:
Black back grounds are good. Painting looks nice but its not easy to change...

Third:
50/50 will make your fish look really neat. It will not be great for growing plants though...

Forth:
Some rock work would look nice. Doesn't matter what it is as long as you like it and its safe.

Keep us posted!
Best wishes!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Thanks for all your replies.

Firstly that background does look great,i wonder if there was a way to make it without the guttering? ive seen them done before with styrofoam, does anyone know if styrofoam backgrounds are safe for bristlenose catfish ?


in regards to the plant, it is an anubius, its covered in algae however i find my cichlids love taking nibbles out of it so it always looks ragged. i havent decided whether im keeping it or not i guess it will depend on the end result of the tank if it fits in with the look or not.

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

ok time for an update!

finally got to a LFS today which have been closed due to easter hols.. i have so far purchased the styrofoam for underneath the tank to replace the existing chunks which arent keeping the tank properly levelled so that should even things out. i bought a 20kg bag of black gravel which i will see how it spreads out and how it looks before working out if i need some more and also went to the hardware store and bought a tin of matt black paint and esp which apparently helps attach the paint to the glass.

will be attacking the tank on thursday with the hope to get all the painting done on the day and tank up and running again by afternoon!

also checked out the rocks available at the LFS.. they sure know how to charge
can anyone suggest where else to look for rocks to decorate the tank?
i also had another idea whilst at the LFS..was picturing black background, black gravel.. bleached white rock ? i think its actually coral or some form of rock like it..

any suggestions on that idea or whether anyone has done it would be great!
will post pics on thurs of what tank looks like after painting and adding new gravel!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

I not sure if you can get it where you are but they do make a plastic black back drop for tanks. Generally it's located with other fake background at the LFS. It's blue on one side and black on the other. It's a lot less permanent than paint and you can use veggie oil to make it stick. You will like the black gravel it brings out the colors in you fish. Try the local gardening store for they slate the sell it by the pound. I live in Miami Fl and had a heck of time finding it until some suggested the gardening store. Putting the crushed coral in the tank is going to effect you pH so you should be aware of that before you put it in. Most people use coral in SW tanks not FW. But its your tank.

Djrichie
"Don't Panic"

Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams

cant wait to see the pics i think i like the sound of the white rock now better than the crushed coral on the bottom. With the rocks it will help raise the hight of the tank and give the fish a place to hide. Also as an idea u could drill holes in the rock there by making caves or tunnels but the rock piece does have to be quite big to stop the whole thing from splitting. Just an idea though.

If you are sure about wanting a black background, then go with the paint. It sounds like you have anyway, as you've bought it now, right? My tanks all have the black laminated paper, but hubby has painted his marine black & it's so much nicer.

I've thought about making that grotto cave thingy, but how do you get the fishy poo out - seems you'd need to be able to remove it regularly & easily.

This is for Africans still - right?? If so, you want pH affected & raised. My son has this set up & it is using bleached coral. The only bit I wouldn't have used, is the tall branchy piece. Watch out for rough edges, as I've been told rough coral can cut the fish. None of my son's coral is any rougher or sharper than regular rock - so we're not worried there. Are you in Sydney - if so, his coral/rock came from St George Aquarium in Rockdale.

Please post your pictures, as I'm still planning my cichlid tank & keen for inspiration from others.

About using driftwood in an African tank - doesn't driftwood help lower pH - where you're wanting it higher? But I might have it wrong.

Attached Image:


Cheers
TW

Thanks for all your replies!
ive looked at those black backgrounds that stick on but im not to keen on them as ive seen many of them peel off and where my tank is positioned i cant access the back so im gng with the permanent paint look..

ive havent decided about the crushed coral in the gravel. the guy at the LFS talked me out of it (it was st george that i visited tankwatcher!) he told me to buy the black first and i could always add the crushed coral later if i still wanted to so figured there was no harm in that.

thanks for the pic TW i think im really warming to this white coral! will definately post pics tomorrow!!

im so itching to get started!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

the guy at the LFS talked me out of it (it was st george that i visited tankwatcher!) he told me to buy the black first and i could always add the crushed coral later if i still wanted to so figured there was no harm in that.

The gravel you see in my son's tank came from St George (one of their cichlid gravels). I've been warned against using crushed coral in the gravel, as that's when the coral is likely to be even sharper. African's are diggers and those little coral fragments can be sharp & cut them during their dig. The black brings out the colour of your fish so well IMO. If you do end up going with the white coral, it makes a nice contrast against the black of the background and the (almost) black substrate. The shapes are so interesting too.

Catch them in the right mood at St George and they lay out the coral for you in a suggested design to suit your tank's size. Act not sure - but interested - and they'll likely take you out the back & do the lay out thing for you. Take your camera, so you can take pics to help you reassemble it at home. We only had my camera phone when we bought the coral and I don't think we got it quite right - but the older guy at St George has a real talent in being able to throw the pieces together into something that looks good.

What other fish are you planning, or are you going to stay with what you have - male peacock and 5 electric yellows and 1 bn - oh plus fry

Looking forward to your pictures. Have fun.



Cheers
TW

Thanks for that tip Robyn i never even thought about it!
i went upstairs there to where all the rocks are and had a look but its all quite a jumble!

my other thought was how heavy they all seem. how do you know if its too heavy for the glass???

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Good question - I don't know the answer. I'm just thinking out loud here. If things are not leaning against tank walls, but are seated securely on the base of the tank & then the structure build upwards on that (avoiding leaning on side glass walls) - wouldn't it really be the stand that is taking the weight and not the glass?

I asked about using eggcrate on the bottom to spread the weight (as I've read here of US FP members doing that). Doesn't seem this is too common here in Aus. St George said they do sell it though (for dividers), but hadn't heard of it being used on the bottom of the tank as I described. Funny though, after the sales guy said that to me, I noticed that they do have it themselves under the gravel in that really huge African display tank, before you walk into the marine section.

That upstairs room, they have the rock /coral priced piece by piece. Out in their factory back, they sell it by weight - which is supposed to work out a little cheaper. Even so, and I can't remember the price for what you see in my son's tank, it wasn't cheap.

I have a quote from them to custom make a 4ft tank & set up for Africans & they've quoted me $8 per kilo for the coral/rock.

Hope this helps. Have fun

Cheers
TW

Hey carpe_diem

I've been wondering what scape you ended up with. Any pics, as yet?


Cheers
TW

sorry carpe diem for temp hijacking your thread
Tankwatcher, Carpe Diem
I been to st george and the 'strictly aquariums' in Beverley hills
DO u guys know any other good LFS in Sydney especially southern?

Are you looking for mbuna? I can't remember seeing any Africans at Strictly at Beverly Hills (or any other Stictly either). Xtreme Aquariums @ 11/136 Taren Point Road Taren Point is good - but small. They're down a narrow driveway & are easy to miss when you're driving. They don't have many display tanks, but what they have is nice. Seem to specialise in Discus and they have quite a few Africans as well. My son has a couple of nice ones from there. They have display apistos, but they're not for sale.

Not in the South, but here are others I use. Auburn Aquarium & Pet Centre on Parramatta Road, Auburn. If you're looking for something different (eg. apistos) then try B N C Aquarium @ 490 Bunnerong Rd Matraville or Aquapets @ 88 Bronte Rd Bondi Junction. You've probably also heard of Slippery Little Suckers @ 632 Anzac Pde Kingsford. I assume all the above stock Africans (definitely Auburn does) but when I went to BNC, Aquapets & SLS I was specifically looking at apistos & ignored the other tanks.

Good luck
EDIT: Another place is Pets Port @ 6/778-786 Old Illawarra Rd, Menai. Might look a little dark & unexciting, but the owner, Andy, is keen to look after local people and gives good personal service. Only has the one row of tanks. I've been talking to him about my own mbuna plans. Says he is good friends with the past president of the NSW Cichlid society and gets a lot of info (and maybe stock) via that source. If you go, tell him Robyn recommended him.

Cheers
TW

thanks tankwatcher,
there wernt any africans at strictly, but i will have a look at those other stores

Nsw cichlid society?
Do they have a web address?

Hi

Sorry ive been slack.. computer has been running really slow so has put me off trying to do this!

the project went well and results are great, however quite dark during the day. We managed to paint,wash gravel and refill and put fish back in by about 6pm the same day! what a job it was though!


ok here we are ..some pics!






the tank being painted and the finished results. I used ESP first and then we applied about coats of black paint. I was a bit worried about streak marks but it turned out perfectly smooth
p.s thats not my arm!

next we have the gravel washing, which we all know is never a fun job!


TW - is this the same gravel as yours? i got it at st george aqaurium. Its a black/grey colour with specks of white in it. I was going to mix the gravel but the guy at st george said to try out just the black first and see how i like it.. and i like it!



the tank just after is was refilled.. quite murky for a while but it eventually settled down. the heater was working overtime heating the water!




the finished result and happy tankmates! the water hasnt settled down fully in the photos but is clear now!
I havent purchased the white rock yet as funds have been a little low so just making do for the moment and will purchase some shortly!
ive also added a 50/50 globe...

so what do we think?

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them