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FP Friends,

I did post this in cichlid central for a little while, but moved it here, because I do plan on having something green in it.

I'm in secret negotations (I guess not so secret) with my boss (wife) to jump continents (only tanks so far have been South American) and setup an East African Cichlid biotope. (LF, I think you where possibily thinking of one too (if yes, good luck with any future plans)

If approved, my plan is to resurrect my old 46 gallon bowfront. I already have an eheim cansister sitting around and a cf light. So all I really need to get started is substrate, rocks and I guess I'll put some fish in. I'm thinking of doing a species tank. Any first reactions from all and of course from experienced african cichld keepers would be appreciated in terms of general, substrate and fish recommendations.


My Scapes

hey,

Sounds like fun. I used to keep africans but that was a while ago and I was little.

If its a species tank mabey you could sell the idea on the basis that you would breed them (though mabey you would need another tank for that) and so things might pay for themselves a little.

You could always send your wife to a spa for the weekend and do a tv show like thing were a bunch of people make over an entire room as a supprise( and happen to install another tank).

Good luck, Chaos

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- - - Humorous Bit of Wisdom - - -

Sounds great Tetratech! I am gradually falling in love with Cichlids.

Which species or area are you most interested in? Have any especially caught your eye? The riverine species like kribs have different needs than the lake species and each of the lake species has different needs as well. An idea is to go to the Hagen website and check out the Geosystems line, if the web is working properly today you can look at the different set-ups and get some ideas. I like to prowl there looking at their suggestions but I haven't tried them too much yet, but later...maybe.

"If you're afraid you'll make a mistake, you won't make anything."
-Family Circus

Nice change. I don't really know much about the African cichlids. But I've always wanted to try a similar set up.
I assume there will be no co2 on this (mainly to keep the pH up ? )

A set up I've always thought about trying with these fish was a kind of freshwater reef look.

Piles of rocks, with plants acting as the "corals". Rocks piled high and use Java Fern (Narrow Leaf and Wendelov), various Anubias and Bolbitis. For some reason I don't see moss in this set up, doesn't feel right for some reason, no wood either.

These plants are tough enough to survive the cichlids and lighting and ferts wouldn't be much of an issue.

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Big Al's nearby has a similar set-up with driftwood, rocks and angels. It is a blackwater set-up though. I think it would look cool with other cichlids, java moss, fern and anubias.

"If you're afraid you'll make a mistake, you won't make anything."
-Family Circus

You could always send your wife to a spa for the weekend and do a tv show like thing were a bunch of people make over an entire room as a supprise( and happen to install another tank).

The spa thing is a definite possibility. I think I could get the tank in with that.

Piles of rocks, with plants acting as the "corals". Rocks piled high and use Java Fern (Narrow Leaf and Wendelov), various Anubias and Bolbitis. For some reason I don't see moss in this set up, doesn't feel right for some reason, no wood either

Interesting way to put it. I'm definitely thinging slender rocks in a cascading effect with a few pieces of anubias or other suitable plant here adn there. Possibility one branchy piece of wood and I mean possiblity if I think it fits in after arranging the rocks. I want a very strong contrast with dark rocks and light sand, so I'll have to decide on the type of sand to use. I also invision for some reason blue fish and only blue fish. This will probably be my only tank without wisteria. On the other hand ya never know.

My Scapes

Very cool, tetra.

If you're going for light colored sand then play sand or pool sand would be your cheapest option. If you're going for a non-shelldweller tank you don't necessarily need sand. Check out the carib-sea line of cichlid substrates, I always thought they were very very cool.

http://www.carib-sea.com/pages/products/fresh/africancichlid.html

The good thing is that they contain aragonite, which will raise ph and hardness and buffer the water. One less thing to worry about.

It's definetely a lot of fun to play with rock-work set ups, everything is easy to move and you get an idea of what it looks like right off the bat - no need to wait for things to grow in.

As for fish, the only I've ever had were shell-dwellers in a 10 gallon. Substrate area was the only thing that mattered to them, so in a 46 i think you'd have a lot of wasted space. With some other species you can build rockwork upwards and have them take up territory that way, i think that would be a better use of space.

With plants, as you said, anubias java fern i would say Vals as well. Crypts may get torn to shreds depending on the fish.

I guess the only other thing I can add is tank maintenence. This is the part where they call you crazy, but I found it much easier keeping the planted tank algae free than the rift tank. The rocks were always being scrubbed, the tank walls too, and it was nearly impossible to keep the BGA away totally - the best i could ever do was keep it minimal and clean up the spots. Difficult to keep spot free, IMO, not nearly as easy as the heavily planted tank. With this in mind you may want to go easy on the lights.

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Back in the saddle!

Nowher,
thanks much for all the info. I was just thinking about algae control. I want the light to pick up the fish color without being too intense, so I'm probably talking about 1wpg.

I wonder how true this statement is from Carib-Sea

Eco-Complete™ African
Cichlid Substrate! Creates a natural biological
balance to discourage nuisance algae. No
rinsing! Packed in water conditioning solution for
immediate results!

I was going to really overload the filter with biomedia and anything else I could do to give the tank a very strong bio filter.

I currently am using the pool filter sand in my 12 and it's cheap and easy to work with, but I guess I was thinking of something whiter, although if whiter it will be more noticeable when it starts to stain.





My Scapes

I wonder how true this statement is from Carib-Sea

Eco-Completeâ„¢ African
Cichlid Substrate! Creates a natural biological
balance to discourage nuisance algae. No
rinsing! Packed in water conditioning solution for
immediate results!

Rubbish. When my shellie tank was set-up I used the cichlid sand. I mean, you need not go crazy rinsing it, but there were bits of debris and gross-ness in the package that I didn't want floating around my tank. I think you're better off starting with a strong biological filter in the cannister anyway. I wound up draining the package and giving it a bit of a rinse - not flourite level rinsing, mind you, but ran it under water. I don't want their bio-mass anyway, I have my own, home grown. And we all know there's nothin' like home cookin'

If you want something white-white but not necessarily sand, look into marine substrates like aragonite or crushed coral. These are good especially if the fish you keep are non-burrowing. You're right that it might get dirtier faster - any algae growing will immediately be noticable, and those protein hungry cichlids will rival your BN for pooping ability.

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Back in the saddle!

Rubbish.

Yep, that's what I fiqured. My only other thought is silicone. I guess if one gets very "creative" with rock, silicone might be necessary, but I'd rather not use it and have the flexibility to change it somwhat.

My Scapes

If you stack them right you'll be fine. Place the first stones on the bottom glass and build up from there. Stack them so that... wait,what am I talking about, you have common sense I'm sure you can stack stones without having them tumble over.

However, I'll say this: Even if you do use silicone you're not completely stuck (no pun intended ) . You can use a conservative amount when putting the pieces together and then just break them apart if you don't like the set-up later on. I've found they'll snap right apart if you use a little bit, just enough to hold them together, and the existing silicone rolls right off. No big deal. That's down the road of course...

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Back in the saddle!

Man,

First it took me forever just to see this thread and then I cannot contribute much anyway.

Except: My boss says "No"

Maybe I will come up with something later,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

First it took me forever just to see this thread and then I cannot contribute much anyway

That's O.K, neither can I .

I'm in research mode. I'm hoping to get this going sometime in March, maybe sooner. Luckily I have pretty much everything I need except gravel, rocks, fish and of course some plants.



My Scapes

This will probably be my only tank without wisteria. On the other hand ya never know.

You probably could. Wisteria can grow without being rooted. A few pieces tucked into the cracks or gaps in rockwork would do ok. Very "corally".

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.