New FW 75 gallon

[Holokai]

Well, I'm giving up SW for the time being, and hoping I have better luck with FW. Always wanted some cichlids anyways .

So, my equipment list is as follows -

2 Emperor 400s
2 250w 15000k MH (or 2 10000k, have the bulbs)
2 40w Fluorescent
200w Heater
2 Maxijet 1200
1 Maxijet 600
75 gallon tank

I would like to end up with a heavily planted tank, with african cichlids.

I have access to south down sand (aragonite, oolitic) and was thinking of using it as the substrate. Does sand work well in FW tanks? in planted tanks?

I posted this question already in another thread (whoops) but I'll ask it again - are the MH lamps too much? I hope not, I only spent the net income of Texas on them.

I've heard that driftwood can turn the water in a tank yellow. Yet I've seen a lot of tanks around on these boards with driftwood in them... is there a "curing" process involved?

Thanks for any advice.

- Chris

 

[Atlarge]

Heavily planted tanks have a way of disappearing around African cichlids...

 

[Holokai]

Really. This poses a problem! (Glad I asked too) Is the plant-cichlid thing hit and miss, or is it pretty much always a bad mix?

- Chris

 

[deli_conker]

My Africans dig, dig, dig. And then they dig some more. They will move things around in the tank to their liking. I would advise against a planted tank; they will tear it up.

I have two nice peices of driftwood in my tank and I cured them the way. First off, they are Malaysian driftwood. Second, I put them in a plastic container in the bathtub and soaked them with the hottest water that my water heater would give off. I filled the tub up three times a day, before work, after work, before bed. Did this for about one week. You'll be able to see the difference in the runoff after a few days, but I'd go a week just to be sure.

Something to keep in mind though, driftwood will bring your ph down a little. Africans like ph around 8 or a little higher. You'll want to make sure that you do something to counteract this. I use crushed coral as media in my fluval and also as a substrate. It also helps if your tap water has a higher ph to begin with.

Lastly, if you get Mbunas, keep in mind that they naturally eat algae off of rocks. This means that they will eat it off the wood as well. I have had at least one fish get a splinter in his lip from doing so. It came out on it's own, but could have been a much bigger problem...

 

[malkore]

in addition to deli's correct statement that african's dig like crazy, they're also herbivores...so those up-rooted plants will be VERY tastey.

 

[Holokai]

Sounds like africans or plants have to go. I'm not sure I'd be hapy with a tank with no plants, but then again I'm also not sure I like too many other freshwater fish besides cichlids... Working at an LFS I saw alot of em, and mainly liked the africans. Any suggestions for neat fish that would go with planted tanks?

- Chris

 

[Menagerie]

My African cichlids all dig. I have a tank of Lake Malawi Mbuna with small rock substrate and they have rearranged it to their liking I also keep brichardi and shellies (not in the same tank) with a sand substrate and they dig.
If you want cichlids for their personalities, I suggest rams and/or apistos. I have both in my community tank. They would like plants and will not dig. I have them in a tank with driftwood and fake plants. They are not as active as the aggressive cichlids, but they still have a personality that cannot be beat by other tropicals.
HTH

 

[Atlarge]

I had a 75 planted with a few Dempsys and Green terrors that worked pretty well.

Also, if you're willing to do a load of reserch and preperation, Discus.

 

[Holokai]

Well, I've decided to go the planted route for sure, rather than the cichlid route. I dropped by the LFS today just to poke around and was informed that using aragonite sand will raise my PH, and that plants don't like that. I was reccomended a substrate that was about half the size of a pea. I suppose if it keeps the plants happy...

- Chris

 

[Atlarge]

That's a shame, I'd take the cichlids over the plants any day, your call though.

 

[Menagerie]

Have you considered the dwarf cichlids or angels?