Tank Setup Help/Pics!

[t57spikes]

I have an unused 55 Gallon tank and base that im wanting to make into a Cichlid setup. I think i want to do a black background and black sand/gravel with texas Holey rock in the center forming a slight hill towards the middle with a few small green plants within the rocks. I would run a Aquaclear 110 Filter HOB, and a powerhead on the opposite side to create good current, also a submersible UV filter and heater. Has anyone tried the black on black with white rock and a 6500K lighting system? Does the fishes color pop or does the blues get lost in the dark? Or, does the black on black make the colors pop and the white washes out the fishes color, or does it all balance well and make the color stand out with the white against black with the orange blue and yellow against it all? If you have any pictures please post! thanks!

 

[emerald76]

What colors are the fish you plan to stock?


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[t57spikes]

What colors are the fish you plan to stock?


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I plan on housing african cichlids from lake Malawi. They wil be yellow blue and orange colors. Some having variations of black with blue color. Maybe a few light colored ones around a whitish color.

 

[emerald76]

I would go light sand dark background as cichlids tend to stay low among the rocks


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[Ricky 1]

If your thinking of Mbuna, it's not an easy fish to keep, the water has to be spot on, dark gravel and rocks would be good, but not plants, you might consider GBR from Venezuela, they are very beautiful fish, Rams Mating : Ramirezi Ramirezi Freshwater Tropical Fish Mating, Laying Eggs & Fertilising - YouTube just a thought........

 

[emerald76]

Mbuna aren't impossible. Yes, water needs to be clean. Yes, you need to watch their diet closely. However, I would consider rams a much more difficult fish than a group of comparatively hardy mbuna.


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[Ricky 1]

That all depends how knowledgeable t57 is on Mbuna, and how long has she/he been keeping fish, I would say rams are much easier to keep than Mbuna.........

 

[dalto]

It really depends on the fish. I have always kept mbuna on light colored sand. Not white, but off-white->tan depending on the source. I have never tried keeping mbuna on black. I have seen that South Americans will actually change color in response to the black sand, typically not for the better.

Mbuna aren't impossible. Yes, water needs to be clean. Yes, you need to watch their diet closely. However, I would consider rams a much more difficult fish than a group of comparatively hardy mbuna.

That all depends how knowledgeable t57 is on Mbuna, and how long has she/he been keeping fish, I would say rams are much easier to keep than Mbuna.........

This is very interesting, I would have said that mbuna are one of the easiest cichlids to keep as long as you give them hard, alkaline water. Rams on the other hand are typically one of the more fragile fish. Especially the tank raised variety.

 

[Ricky 1]

What I'm trying to get over dalto it is not the easiest fish to start with, if this person has been keeping fish for a long time, then no problem, I don't have a problem with Rams at all......

 

[dalto]

What is your water like there Ricky1? Is it soft and acidic?

Here the water is hard and alkaline out of the tap. In this area, African cichlids are very common and many people keep them as their first fish.

You may also have access to better quality M. ramirezi(Rams) stock in the UK then we do over here.

 

[Ricky 1]

Well I have Angels so it has to be acidic, ok if that's the case then it puts a new light on the situation dalto..........

 

[t57spikes]

I would go light sand dark background as cichlids tend to stay low among the rocks


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Looking like i will go black background with white sand and white texas holey rocks.

 

[t57spikes]

If your thinking of Mbuna, it's not an easy fish to keep, the water has to be spot on, dark gravel and rocks would be good, but not plants, you might consider GBR from Venezuela, they are very beautiful fish, Rams Mating : Ramirezi Ramirezi Freshwater Tropical Fish Mating, Laying Eggs & Fertilising - YouTube just a thought........

Mbuna is a term that classifys a large variety of cichlids from the lake malawi isnt that correct? So i do plan on keeping different varieties of mbuna such as, electric, zebra, maingano, venustus, peacock, demasoni, Fuelleborni, as just some examples. Why not plants? i know they are rock fish but i have seen many tnaks with small ferns within the rocks ( the green looks good against the white rock) is there any reason i should not put plants? Ive been told that rams are harder to keep than cichlids. i have hard water already and planned on maintaining my water quality.

 

[t57spikes]

That all depends how knowledgeable t57 is on Mbuna, and how long has she/he been keeping fish, I would say rams are much easier to keep than Mbuna.........

Ive had fish for over 5 years many type. Ive always heard that rams were more fragile than cichlids?

 

[emerald76]

Rams are cichlids and are fragile especially the new tank raised ones


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[t57spikes]

It really depends on the fish. I have always kept mbuna on light colored sand. Not white, but off-white->tan depending on the source. I have never tried keeping mbuna on black. I have seen that South Americans will actually change color in response to the black sand, typically not for the better.



This is very interesting, I would have said that mbuna are one of the easiest cichlids to keep as long as you give them hard, alkaline water. Rams on the other hand are typically one of the more fragile fish. Especially the tank raised variety.

I have decided on black background with white texas holey rock and a whiteish sand. I htink that will make the colors pop and and keep the fish form changing color

 

[TomK2]

A nice plan. I converted an existing tank to cichlids. White ( for now at least) holey rock but I was too lazy to change the substrate from the brown aquarium gravel. If I was starting from scratch I would choose white or light colored sand or fine gravel. Black background was trashed from spills of days gone by, but the reverse blue side was n good shape so I flipped it around.


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[jk76601]

A little more work, but free. I keep finding rocks and cleaning them (scrub, boil, scrub, and boil). Haven't spent a cent on a holy rock or rocks period.


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[Ricky 1]

T57, I hope you enjoy your Mbuna, I was only trying to steer you away from a very aggressive fish to a much milder beautiful fish, glad you have chosen whitish sand, when it's set up I would love to see a picture, hope all goes well..........

 

[Ricky 1]

View attachment 255290

A little more work, but free. I keep finding rocks and cleaning them (scrub, boil, scrub, and boil). Haven't spent a cent on a holy rock or rocks period.


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The sand is great, a little too much but the rest is too clinical, you need to make it more natural looking, look on some aquascaping sites for idea's........hope you don't mind me saying.........