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If you want to harden your water just use tufa rock!

yeah do a fishless cycle its faster and more efishent so good luck and wecome to afracians

just beginning - Thanks for the link - those guys were beautiful!! Its going to take me a little while to pick just a few of them

I will now have to drain my tank and add sand instead of the gravel that I have. I will also need to find some rocks to begin making the rock structures.

Would you guys recommend a fishless cycle so I can add all the fish at once or should I cycle with them and add a few at a time??
Thank you for your awsome help,
Stella

I like the idea of a species or two species tank. A colony of 12-15 demasoni would be cool...maybe throw in some labs

Africans

It's much easier to raise ph than to lower it. Crushed coral in the filter would help, as would limestone rocks (try landscaping places for cheap rocks) and aragonite sand or crushed coral/shell substrate. You can also use baking soda as an additive at every water change.

My standard answer for how many species in a 55 gallon is up to 3, 4-5 of each fish (with really good filtration, I'm not familiar with the Emporers but you may want to consider adding a second filter). Mbuna do best in larger groups with 1 male to at least 3 females. You could even go for just two species in a 55 gallon, which is a very striking look. The species you choose is up to you but I'd stay away from any of the ultra-aggressive types, like melanochromis. Electric yellows are always a favourite but there are many species out there to choose from! Have a look through the photo gallery here: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/photogallery, select Malawi Mbuna from the dropdown menu and prepare to be amazed!

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

Thank you guys for all the suggestions! I probably will go with the africans.

With them do I need to have sand as a substrate?? The pH of my water is about 7.0-7.2 if I need to harden it could I put crushed coral into the filter? I have an emperor 400 and it has baskets that you can add extra carbon, so could I put the coral into that??

Also do you have any ideas of how to make the rock work that I will need for the tank?

One last thing what species and how many of them could I add to the tank to make it interesting??

Thank you sooooo much for all the help!! Keep it coming

Stella

My water ph is 7.8 that were is should be aruond about

Malawis. They don't like hard water anyway. Unless, of course, water with a dH of 6 is hard.

I have an empty 55 gallon tank right now that is screaming to be filled The only problem is I'm not sure what I want to put in it. I really really want an oscar but they get HUGE and are ultra MESSY. I also really like africans but my water isn't that hard. What should I do should I get aficans or an oscar?? Any help would be great!!
Thanks,
Stella

If you want Malawis just harden your water. I have really soft water out the tap, so I use kent rift lake salts and trace elements, with a marine Kh and Gh buffer inconjuction with coral gravel and limestone rocks. Malawis are a very rewarding group of fish, as for which I would choose..... I dont know, I have both (in different tanks of course!)

the malawi's are more tolerant of water than most people like to believe. i have friends with them in softer, more nuetral water and they do fine. just make sure you acclimate them a bit longer. chances are, your lfs has them in soft, nuetral water when yo buy them. you could probably fit about 8-12 nice sized mbuna in there.

Let me take everyone's malawi suggestion a bit farther and say you ought to try out mbuna malawi cichlids. That's what I'm going to do with my 75 gallon. Mostly because they stay smaller so you can have more than with other breeds.

Africans would be more compatible in a 55 gallon. Unless you're planning to upgrade, an Oscar needs a larger tank than just a 55.

Africans

yea oscars need a 55 for water volume but for turn around space i have been told SEVERAL times thet to be truly happy they need a 75

Get malawis coz that size of tank is way to small for an oscar (i think) plz go for my idea!