peanut2110

Hi Smidey, I've always had the opposite problem where our ph is 9+. I think it has something to do with the concrete water tanks the rain water is stored in. Anyway, I use crushed gravel with aragonite sand mixed to whatever ratio will keep the water constant at 7.8 but one thing I have noticed in our last 2 rural moves is that after 48-72 hours it seems to stabilise to a ph where it intends to remain. So it definitely pays to give it at least 3 days before you start tampeing with it as you may just get it settling to around about the level you need anyway...

The "chilumba" is really good - he wasn't the genuine article in the end but is a nice fish in the display tank anyway. He doesn't cause or receive any trouble at all. A couple of the other peacocks are a similar size - the Maleri Red for one. He does get picked on a little bit but he knows how to get out of the way! The big fish in my tank currently are the Kadango, Red Empress, Fryeri and C. Moorii. The Kadango and the Red Empress often face off against eachother but nothing ever comes of it... No I don't have any girls for my boys - they are all celibate! :lol:

Hi there, I have a male only tank and it is great. The boys all get on well (most of the time!) and they are a lovely colourful bunch to look at! Just need to make sure you have a nice big tank so they can all get a bit of space if they want it. Having said that I keep the caves and possible territories to a minimum so they don't have too much to fight over... See my sig below for some of the fish I have. I bought some more a few weeks back so I now also have an OB peacock, Sunshine peacock, Otopharynx Lithobates, Electric Yellow, Aul. Baenschi and a few more rainbowfish to act as dithers. I have introduced a range of ages but generally I think if you can get your fish as juveniles and pop them all in the tank together, you will have a very good chance of them all getting on as they will grow up together. If you do introduce fish at different times (regardless of age) I have found it pays to add them in small groups as a single fish introduced on its own does tend to get picked on. Good luck!

We live rurally and are also on rain water. I use aragonite sand in my substrate (just mix it in with the black granite chips) and this help keeps everything stable. I also never change more than 20% of the water at any time. Last year when I was setting up the new 400L tank I had the opposite problem where the ph of our water (which had been sitting in concrete water tanks) was over 9! I had to mix it with some irrigation water (ph 6) just to get it to where it is normally around 7.8. It was a hassle but once I got the mix right the aragonite sand keept it there without any difficulty at all. Not sure how much aragonite sand you actually need though for it to be effective...??? :roll:

Speaking from experiesnce, definitely don't put dwarf neons in with cichlids - they do get eaten and in a most undignified manner with their rear ends hanging out of the cichlids mouth for quite some time while all the other cichlids take a chunk out of it! I was told they would be fine because they are fast swimmers but I lost 2 out of 3 dwarf neons within a week of introducing them to the aquarium so they obviously weren't fast enough! I managed to find the last one a new home quick! I still keep reds, goldens, boesmans and soon splendids as well - these are all a much better size for a cichlid tank. Also make sure you have at least 6 of them preferably more as they like to hang out together... I know lots of people who like rainbowfish but I think sometimes the price puts people off. At anywhere between $12 for a single fish and $37 for a pair, they are not exactly cheap if you want to buy a few of them for your tank... :roll:

Just looking back over old threads about lighting and this one basically answers my question except, how do you work out how much light you need using std fluro lights? I have to make a decision soon for the sparky as they are being built in to the new kitchen area. I will have a 655 litre glass tank (1.55m x 0.65 x0.65) which will contain sand, rocks and a range of cichlids in the main, so no plants. Can anyone give me an idea please? Thanks!

Brilliant! Now if you can just tell me where one finds a wide-bore tube that would be great! :roll: I am definitely going to give this a go and see if I can get the food in a place the loaches etc can get at it but the cichlids can't stick their greedy noses in!

Lol with my aim at speed I am liable to miss the aquarium altogether!!! I have tried feeding at different ends but the tank is only 1.5m long and some of the bigger cichlids with good peripheral vision see the big pellets or lumps of frozen shrimp and leg it (or should I say "fin" it...) down to the other end! Some hits the bottom but thats the stuff that usually then gets picked up off the tank floor. The syno can hold his own if he gets to it in time but the loaches just get pushed out of the way. Maybe I will just feed more at both ends of the tank and see how that goes... Cheers guys!

Hi all, May be a dumb question but what is the best way / device of getting food to the bottom of the tank and keeping it there long enough for the bottom feeders to get at it? I have 2 clown loaches (about 4cm) and a synodontis catfish (about 20cm) and a BN (about 5-6cm) that often don't get the food as my greedy cichlids eat it on the way down! Or if it is fortunate enough to land on the bottom of the tank, it doesn't stay there for long as the cichlids sniff it out and eat it off the tank floor! It doesn't seem to matter that I feed the cichlids first, drop it all in together or put the food in after lights out! I know these bottowm feeders aren't getting their fair share and I would just like to make sure they do! Ideas please? :roll:

NLS = New Life Spectrum - it's an awesome food and all you need to feed they reckon altho everyone seems to like a bit of variety! I feed mine NLS Cichlid formula, JBL Novo Stick M, Nutrafin spirulina algae flake food, Feeze dried plankton, Brine shrimp flakes, Wardley cichlid crumbles, Wardley sinking pellets and a generic flake food occassionally. Once a week they get frozen shrimp and a hunk of cucumber. Have had no trouble with bloat or anything. I only feed twice a day and only ever enough that it is all consumed within 1-2 minutes. They always look at me like they NEED more but we all know what cichlids are like when it comes to their food!

Thanks for that Ant N. I saw your earlier comments about this model filter. How long have you had it now and are you still very happy with it? I do quite like the idea of two filters just in case one has a problem... Similarly I think I will probably go with two heaters for the exact same reason. I like the FX5 as well but even on special at $485 it's $100 more than 2 of these and I still have to buy all the media which would have to be a fair few bucks worth! :roll: As I get nearer the time, I might check in with you again, just to see how your filter is doing and if you still think they are good value for money. If so, I think I'll end up going the same way...

Thanks Ryan - I was wondering about the FX5 as well but with only one uptake tube, I wasn't sure just how much rubbish they would suck up. Where is yours positioned in the tank exactly? I saw blueandkims comments on an earlier thread about their FX5 and they seem really happy with it as well altho I seem to recall them running an additional filter to the FX5 as well. Up to what size tank are the FX5 rated for? ANd what filter medium do you have in yours - I seem to recall they don't come with any media and you have to get that yourself... I think I saw HFF advertising a special price on their FX5 - maybe I will go and check it out when I am in Akld next!

Hi there, Just wondering if anyone out there has one of these and whether they can tell me if they are any good or not. :roll: I am researching all the cannister filter options at present to find out which will be the best option on my new 580litre tank that I will be putting in our new house in a few months time. :bounce: Dimenions of the tank are 1.6m long x 0.6m deep x 0.6m high. Fish will include those listed below plus an A. Jacob, A. Baenschi, A. Rubescens, C. Azureus and 4 pairs of rainbowfish (red, blue, gold and boesmani). I want to ensure I have really good filtration and a good water flow rate. Don't know whether I am best to go for 2 x cannister filters or 1 x monster filter. Any advice on what you have found works best for you would be appreciated. Cheers!

The guy on TM sells it but it's not strictly sand - more a crushed rock. His TM name is oceandose and he couriers it everywhere. A 25kg bag will set you back about $35 - $40 and will cover a 1 - 1.2m long tank no worries.

Thanks Ryan. Sorry David R - like Simian said, I didn't think it worth repeating when my signature states what I have in my tank... As for the rainbowfish I am looking to add - golden, reds and boesmani. Do you have any helpful advice for me now?