Girlfriend won a 65g

[Zimmanski]

So we went to the anniversary sale at The Fish Gallery in Dallas and they had a spin the wheel get a prize thing going, well my girlfriend won the Grand Prize! She got a free 65 gallon aquarium, black pine stand, glass tops and a t8 light fixture. I had an AC70 that I was going to sell so we threw that on there, got some white sand and hokey rock and got it all set up. We always wanted an African cichlids but they have no place in my planted community tanks so this was the perfect opportunity to do it and best yet, this has finally really got her interested in my hobby!

So anyway, I just wanted to maybe get some tips or tricks anyone has learned with their African tanks that may help us avoid future incidents. We've done a lot of research on our own so far but you can't have too much information.

Also, with all the fish swimming in the holey rock and in the open areas we would like to add something to the bottom of the tank, maybe to help clean up scraps. Does anyone have any ideas? I was wondering if maybe CPOs would do okay in the tank so if anyone has opinions about those that'd be great.

I think we would like to go with the less aggressive lake tanganyika fish, but all suggestions would be appreciated. The tank is 36" long if that helps

 

[Bix22]

Congrats that is awesome!!

 

[Freakgecko91]

I'd add more holey rock if possible, you really want a nice tall stack of it.
As for species, if you're looking into Tanganyikans, definitely consider:
Julidochromis (marlieri, dickfieldii, ornatus, etc)
Lamprologus leleupi
Altolamprologus calvus, compressiceps
Cyprichromis leptosoma (GREAT fish for your tank, a schooling cichlid species that's often used as a dither species for other tanganyikans)
Then you have the shell dwellers (lamprologus and neolamprologus) for the front like brevis, multifasciatus, hecqui, etc

As for bottom dwellers, synodontis work great. They're naturally found in the rift lakes (including Tanganyika) I'd personally go with either petricola or luccipinis, and if I remember correctly, they are both Tang species

 

[Zactheninja]

I only won some additives and some flake food...

Congrats.

 

[The boring name]

Well as for tips and tricks rocks,rocks,and some caves that will cut the aggression way down +1 for more rocks. I have always loved the mbunas they are colorful and have a lot of personality my favorite are the kenyi and eletric yellows. I'm sure you know about the tank cycleing process. As for the clean up crew snails will be ate, pelecos that are smaller are good, or the synodots catfish are good my favorite is the 'upside down catfish' they do awesome with mbunas

 

[erikmoseley]

You're going to need more filtration. I'd add a canister or at least anothe hob

 

[erikmoseley]

Hit send by accident. Ac110 or anither ac70 minimum would be good but you can get a nice canister relatively cheap at pet solutions or big Al's with free shipping

 

[Zimmanski]

Hit send by accident. Ac110 or anither ac70 minimum would be good but you can get a nice canister relatively cheap at pet solutions or big Al's with free shipping

Doesn't that depend on my stocking? I know about canisters and filtration rates, I have a box of ACs, 2 fluval 06s, and an eheim 2213.

 

[Zimmanski]

I only won some additives and some flake food...

Congrats.

Haha didn't know anyone from the forum would be there, if I had known I would have offered you some free plants I'm trying to get rid of. Don't feel bad about not winning, all I won was an algae scraper, which I gave to my GF for her tank haha

 

[Zimmanski]

I'd add more holey rock if possible, you really want a nice tall stack of it.
As for species, if you're looking into Tanganyikans, definitely consider:
Julidochromis (marlieri, dickfieldii, ornatus, etc)
Lamprologus leleupi
Altolamprologus calvus, compressiceps
Cyprichromis leptosoma (GREAT fish for your tank, a schooling cichlid species that's often used as a dither species for other tanganyikans)
Then you have the shell dwellers (lamprologus and neolamprologus) for the front like brevis, multifasciatus, hecqui, etc

As for bottom dwellers, synodontis work great. They're naturally found in the rift lakes (including Tanganyika) I'd personally go with either petricola or luccipinis, and if I remember correctly, they are both Tang species

Thank you for the advice and list of fish!

Well as for tips and tricks rocks,rocks,and some caves that will cut the aggression way down +1 for more rocks. I have always loved the mbunas they are colorful and have a lot of personality my favorite are the kenyi and eletric yellows. I'm sure you know about the tank cycleing process. As for the clean up crew snails will be ate, pelecos that are smaller are good, or the synodots catfish are good my favorite is the 'upside down catfish' they do awesome with mbunas

Thanks! We will be getting more rocks eventually, probably in 2 weeks or so. And yea I know about cycling, I've got half cycled media and half new ceramic rings in the filter

As for stocking right now we have 2 jewels, 2 black calvus, 2 yellow labs, and 2 Metriaclima sp. "Msobo".

I know we're mixing lakes so far but when we read up on them it seemed these would be okay, and if they do get too aggressive then we'll rehome the labs and msobos. From now on we'll stick to lake tang, they're all about 2" right now and have all found their own holes to call home

 

[Zactheninja]

Haha didn't know anyone from the forum would be there, if I had known I would have offered you some free plants I'm trying to get rid of. Don't feel bad about not winning, all I won was an algae scraper, which I gave to my GF for her tank haha

Its all good. I came later in the after noon so most of the good stuff was gone anyway, but they were having some good deals on corals so it was a great sale.

 

[erikmoseley]

Doesn't that depend on my stocking? I know about canisters and filtration rates, I have a box of ACs, 2 fluval 06s, and an eheim 2213.

I think an ac70 on a 65 gallon with anything at all in it wouldn't provide very good water quality as good of filters as they are. I always would do at least double the recommended tank size so if mine was a 30 gallon id do a filter for 60 and thats just on community tanks. The general African "standard" is I think 8 times your tank size per hour. And an ac70 does 250 I think so two would meet the need but I think canisters are more beneficial due I the media options you have. That eheims 2213 supposed to be a good filter. I'm looking for one myself for my 36 gallon community tank. Either way you have a great score and will find what works for you PLUS you got the lady into it!!! Bonus!

 

[Zimmanski]

I think an ac70 on a 65 gallon with anything at all in it wouldn't provide very good water quality as good of filters as they are. I always would do at least double the recommended tank size so if mine was a 30 gallon id do a filter for 60 and thats just on community tanks. The general African "standard" is I think 8 times your tank size per hour. And an ac70 does 250 I think so two would meet the need but I think canisters are more beneficial due I the media options you have. That eheims 2213 supposed to be a good filter. I'm looking for one myself for my 36 gallon community tank. Either way you have a great score and will find what works for you PLUS you got the lady into it!!! Bonus!

I'm sure we'll upgrade eventually, its not like we had canisters laying around, we had an ac70 so that's what we're using for now. Probably will get another 06 but not until the 1st, I'll take my fluval over an eheim any day.

Quick question, we didn't like the look of crushed coral so we used regular white sand, so will holey rock and base rock be enough enough to raise ph to good levels(keeping in mind we'll add more than pictured? I think my tap ph is somewhere around 7.2. I know these rocks will raise it, I just don't know how much.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Your ph is fine just keep it stable. That's the most important thing you can do.

 

[Joostrom]

That's a wicked deal congrats this is my 65 tall Mbuna

 

[Zimmanski]

Your ph is fine just keep it stable. That's the most important thing you can do.

Really? I mean I'm not going to use ph-up/down or anything but I thought I would want to raise it naturally. Most of the fish I researched said they needed around 7.6-8.2

That's a wicked deal congrats this is my 65 tall Mbuna

Great tank! They don't rip up your plants? I was under the impression they would eventually

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

That's what they have in the wild. They likely have never been in such water conditions. Plus almost all fish are extremely adaptable. Stability is the most important thing

 

[Joostrom]

No not really I have the weighted at the bottom with heavier rocks at the base they tend to dig around but once they root your good to go

 

[Freakgecko91]

Most tanganyikans aren't bad on plants, I keep lots of jungle Val and Anubias in my tang tank, but I have mostly smaller species

 

[Zimmanski]

More Pics

Just wanted to add a couple more pictures, everybody is doing great and parameters are already solid at 0-0-15. We added a few more mature stems of wisteria, a few more of corymbosa, and a queon 500 circulation pump but I havent gotten pictures of it yet. I think we've decided on getting a canister on the 1st, but not sure which one yet, its her choice. All of the fish are really active and have beautiful colors on them, obviously no stress in this tank whatsoever! She has also decided she really likes julidochromis marlieri, any opinions on this fish?