best subtrate for african's color? DECORATING ADVICE? :)

[ronnieroach]

best subtrate for african's color? decorating advice?

i have dolomite right now but would adding black or dark rocks w/ my dark plants (basically darkening the tank) help their color too? or is it mainly about diet & water parameters?

attatched are 2 pics of my temp set up & my fish do currently have nice color (except for my flameback, who still isnt mature) i'm just looking to maximize their potential.

im trying to achieve my perfect tank. i was thinking darker plants, moving the petrified wood to the middle w/ some more & def removing the stump & skull, i just wanted to give them things to swim through while they grow.

PLEASE - ANY DECORATING ADVICE IS TOTALLY WELCOME!!

also thought of getting those smooth round black stones and building a cavern type deal i saw one time, which could look dope on the dolo.. thoughts??

 

[ronnieroach]

i have dolomite right now but would adding black or dark rocks w/ my dark plants (basically darkening the tank) help my african's color too? or is it mainly about diet & water parameters?

attatched are 2 pics of my temp set up & my fish do currently have nice color (except for my flameback, who still isnt mature) i'm just looking to maximize their potential.

im trying to achieve my perfect tank. i was thinking darker plants, moving the petrified wood to the middle w/ some more & def removing the stump & skull, i just wanted to give them things to swim through while they grow.

PLEASE - ANY DECORATING ADVICE IS TOTALLY WELCOME!!

i also thought of getting those smooth round black stones and building a cavern type deal i saw one time, which could look dope on the dolo.. thoughts??

 

[DragonFish71]

I went with white pool filter sand and lace rock with live plants and have great color in my africans. You would think they would look faded with the lighter colors, but they don't.

Although your tank isn't my style (I prefer natural set-up) your fish look to have good coloring to me. My opinion would be to get rid of the skull thing and those 2 plants in the middle, the pink flowered ones, add more of those red stones that are on the left. Build them up and out, maybe even around the petrified wood and get some darker green plants. But again, that would be my opinion.

 

[ronnieroach]

thanks for the advice!! i agree that the lighter plants need to be replaced, if only to bring down the brightness of the tank a little bit.

the stones on the left are the petrified wood. & the stump on the right is a fake lol .. i might keep the stump in but before i added it i had the stone in the middle alone & that was pretty straight.

 

[foster53]

Dark substrate and lots of rockwork help bring out the best color in African cichlids. If your tank is large enough, try to create several rock piles(caves) This will give them the option to stake out an area for their own. Diet plays a big part in their color also.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Merged two threads and moved to Cichlid Discussion

 

[ronnieroach]

ok so i couldnt sleep & redid the tank a bit lol peep the new pics

gonna grab some darker plants & hopefully some rock that will go w/ the petrified wood on the left so i can build my caves up & deeper

also THINKING of adding some black gravel into the mix but im still diggin the dolomite & REALLY dont wanna mess it up.. opinions on switching to black & white?? or should i go totally black (gravel & background)?? or perhaps, stick w/ the dolo (orrrr dolo & black background)?? lolol soooo hard to decide

TIPS, HELP OR CRITISISM IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED!!

help a brother decide!!!

thanks!!

 

[ronnieroach]

and here is how it looked when i first set it up.. kinda think this was better lol

 

[foster53]

AH not so much

 

[ronnieroach]

Lmao!! I was gonna write the same thing after i said i kinda liked it haha!!

 

[ronnieroach]

here is a clearer pic of the new set up.. heading to the pet store now to try and find some more petrified wood or rocks that i can build my caves up with.. hopefully i'll have more new pics in an hour lol

 

[ronnieroach]

LAST PIC!!! NEW ROCK, NEW CAVES!!!!

few dark plants & some more small rocks & i'm DONE!!!

 

[steez]

I have the same tree in my oscar tank, pleco loves to hide in it

 

[Lady_Alia]

You can look in my frontosa photo album and see what a black background with black and white sand with driftwood looks like, just as a frame if reference.

 

[ronnieroach]

I have the same tree in my oscar tank, pleco loves to hide in it

my oscar tank is where the stump started lol