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ok i have a 70gallon tank.
what do to I need?. filters. airpumps. gravel.plants.
anything. because i have no idea what kind of filters to use and things to put it. too much ideas. I need your help people

What kind of cichlids are you planning on getting?

When I had my 55 gallon Mbunas I used UGF with double powerheads for filtration, though if I were to do it over again I would use a cannister filter as well

For substrate use a nice size gravel, and try to go natural in appearance. Please, keep in mind cichlids are known for pick up the gravel and moving it to where they find it suits them better

If you are going Malawi, as well as others that are more aggressive you will need to set up caves and hiding holes so that the fish will be able to dodge any aggression; this is where out of sight, out of mind often plays into the fish world For a 70 gallon tank I'd look at 75-100 lbs of Texas Holey Rock, this already has holes in it and allows for said fish to swim through to avoid any unnecessary aggression.

I was unable to find any plants that would survive my cichlids, including duck weed...though I've heard they that they are not overly fond of onion plants

Make sure to choose your cichlids wisely, as many cannot or should not go in the same tank with each other; some breeds it is only wise to keep 1 male in a tank the size of a 70 gallon...

Best of luck and let us know what all you choose to use
heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle