75 gallon Malawi build

[manmythlegend]

I'm setting up a 48"x18"x21" glass tank for Africans.
Marineland Magnum 350 and Emperor 400 filters.
Eggcrate from hardware store under the Tahitian Moon sand to protect the bottom from diggers and rock slides.
Water temperature is steady at 80F (27C).
It started off with nothing but actinic lighting as seen in the first image but I didn't like that. I may add the actinic back later but it will be mixed with another type if I do.
The second image is the left hand side with new bulbs in the light strip and rocks collected from the surrounding desert. I will be adding more rock when I can make it back outside in the daylight hours again.
The last picture is the entire tank. The dark shape in the top middle is a barely floating piece of driftwood that won't probably stay in there by the time it's all said and done. The other piece of wood on the right was thrown into the tank right before this image was taken and hadn't been placed just yet.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Looks like an interesting beginning. With the driftwood pieces you will need to monitor pH, as the decomposing wood can have a direct impact on your pH.

 

[manmythlegend]

Will do! Supposedly our water is SO hard here in the Phoenix metropolitan area that it takes huge doses of acids to change the pH by much. As far as I know, the small one on the right is the only piece of driftwood I will have in there. The floating piece is already out. I have a master kit and will certainly keep track of it though.

 

[tiger terror]

Imo,it would look so much better with a black background..

 

[manmythlegend]

Changes

Plans have changed.

The dearly beloved had an unexpected windfall so we went tank shopping, as one does when you have extra cash on hand. Now there is a glass 125 gallon being delivered sometime soon that will be the African setup. The 75 gallon is being converted into a Central American cichlid setup with a Jack Dempsey and Salvini cichlids.

While shopping I was asked by the beloved, "When does this go from hobby to an obsession?"
"Ummm...3 tanks ago" was my reply.

As far as aquascaping the 125 goes there is already Caribsea cichlid sand here to use as substrate. A black painted background seems in order as this tank is going in the den and will be the main display tank. Underwater Galleries Cichlid Stones mixed with native stones from hither and yon sound like a good way to go. Any thoughts?

For the filtration, what would be the best way to go? I kinda wouldn't mind delving into a sump system of some sort that could be used to grow shrimp but I don't want to drill the tank necessarily. Suggestions?

 

[Convict2161]

Imo,it would look so much better with a black background..

x2 on the black background, also just FYI I have 4 pieces of driftwood not small either. I have a bio bag with crushed coral in the back of my AC 110 and have had no issues with pH. Just keep an eye on it in the beginning, my thing is if the stability o pH is more important but that's JMO.

Here's my 75 gallon



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