Help me decide which region of cichlids to keep

[howmanyds]

I've been reading quite a lot about the differences between the cichlid groups, but haven't made a final decision, so I'd love to get some more advice. Because of my work and my kids I'm looking for easier to maintain and fewer deaths (well, obviously).

Tank:
-75 gallon
-2 sunsun 303b canisters (I think 350 gph) each filled with bio balls and the included mechanical media and an open tray waiting for whatever else I'll need to add depending on the fish I choose - maybe coral if I need more buffering capacity.
-Non-silica playsand as substrate
-100lbs of quartzite to make caves and tunnels (original plan was to stock with mbuna - waiting for a well-water testing kit in the mail to test for harder metals to make sure the quartzite is safe before adding anybody to the tank.)
-various shells and starfish collected in Australia and New Zealand - boiled and bathed in bleachy water.

Water:
-very hard tap, higher than 300 GH.
-no chlorine
-around 150-180 KH
-around 8.4 pH (unsure since its maxing out the teststrip)

My assumptions (correct me if I'm wrong, please):
-New World cichlids are out because of my hard water and because I'd rather my fish pay attention to each other than to me.
-Victorian are out because of the price
-Haps are out because I'd rather have a rocky tank than an open tank.
-Peacocks are PROBABLY out because the dull females seem boring and I'd rather not have all-male -- I'd like my kids to see some of the spawning behaviors

I think I'm at an mbuna vs tang standstill. I love the different shapes of the tangs probably more than the brights of the mbuna, but I also love the idea of an overstocked tank with the mbuna over having just 12-14 tangs in my 75g (if they're roughly 6" as adults).

Any help making my decision would be GREAT!

Thanks!

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Tjats a choice youll need to make on your own. I hate to push people one way or the other because i dont think its fair. I have malawi cichlids and have added a few victorians recently. If i had to start over id probably go with tang.. they are different and not as many people keep them, most keep them in a mix from what ive noticed.


A couple corrections to your post above
Haps and victorians are pretty much the same but they should all be stocked in a 6' tanks.

 

[howmanyds]

Any suggestions based on my particularly hard water and high pH?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Any suggestions based on my particularly hard water and high pH?

What is the ph?

 

[howmanyds]

Around 8.4, but perhaps higher -- it's as high as it can go on the test strip I have.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Around 8.4, but perhaps higher -- it's as high as it can go on the test strip I have.

I'd go with tangs for sure then
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_75g.php
That should help some

I would do the sand sifter on that link

 

[howmanyds]

Thanks - that's a great link. Is my water simply too alkaline for mbuna or is there a way to lower that if I wanted to other than constant chemical additions?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Thanks - that's a great link. Is my water simply too alkaline for mbuna or is there a way to lower that if I wanted to other than constant chemical additions?

Mbuna will be fine, it's a little high but not so much that I'd be worried about it. It perfect for tangs and way off for African river or any American.


They have some fish on there that I don't agree with like the haps. I really think they should have a 6' tank