danilada Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 I posted a 3rd pic, I was wondering myself, I have 11 E.Yellows and not 1 in the photos??? They were all hiding not joking either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danilada Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 I still have to add some demonsoni I think! TinyTawnyKitten, E.Yellows and Demonsoni and Peacocks make a awesome tank feature Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 Yeah I think you need to add some more fish to give them some confidence to come out and about Maybe its just the flash from the camera.. IMO dem's, yellows and some peacocks is the most colourful and easy to source setup you can have for a smaller tank. I think im going to have to pull all my demasoni and yellow breeders out of the big tank and set them up in their own tank at some stage I have been considering it for a while now because its so annoying pulling a 540L tank down to catch one 1" holding female to strip every few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danilada Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 I have had 2 yellows females hold, and I just let them spit (only 1 ever survived) I dread having to pull apart my tank and its tiny compared to a 500L. I think you have beautiful fish ryan so a breeding set up would be wonderful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ktttk Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 I haven't had the need to strip mine yet but when the time comes, I think it will be relatively easy to pull out the bricks and then re-stack them back in again.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted April 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 Ooh Danielle the tank looks good. I have begun the process, taken out a lot of plants so far and the driftwood and now my son's tank is looking wicked damn it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 With buffering you can keep the driftwood in your african tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted April 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 With buffering you can keep the driftwood in your african tank Yay I'm gonna take it back! Or maybe I'll get one better. Yeah. Should I be competing with my 3 year old? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 If you get a new piece it will leech more tannins and make ph drop lower. Will you be posting pics of the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 Yeah it may leach stuff, I would stick with the old one I have some bits in my african tanks only small ones just as a token for the bristlenoses really.. If you have descent buffering coral sand or argonite or oyster shells or even adding baking soda it shouldn't change the ph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted April 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 Oh ok. Yes I will post a pic. Sorry this thread has been very self-indulgent on my part. And also, what's buffering? :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 lol its your thread you can talk about what you want and its stayed more or less on topic Buffering is basically something that gets your kh and usually ph up keeping the ph stable. This can be done by adding baking soda and stuff with water changes (see cichlid-forum recepie for buffer) or by having crushed coral, limestone, argonite, oyster shells or any number of things in your tank. While the africans don't need a high ph and hard water to live they do prefer it higher and also all fish prefer it stable so adding these things is a good way to keep them happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanut2110 Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 Hi there, I have a 400ltr tank filled with a large piece of driftwood, several large pieces of pumice and all the fish listed below. The substrate I used was part aragonite sand and part crushed rock with two pieces of coral all of which help keep the ph stable at 7.8. In my old 200ltr tank I had all aragonite sand as well as the driftwood and that was enough to keep the ph stable. Buffering is just increasing and maintaining the ph at a given level so it doesn't impact negatively on the fish and as you know, cichlids do like a higher ph. In that 200ltr tank I kept 1/2 dozen male peacocks from different strains. They were pretty but there really wasn't enough of them and I have found that when there aren't enough they can be a bit shy. I think the E. Yellow, Demasoni and Peacock mix sounds great. My most awesome peacocks would have to be the Red Empress (a rainbow of colours!), the Chilumba (an awesome blue) and the Dragonblood (bright yellow). I also really like my P. Electra who is black and white but with a greeny violet sheen that has to really be seen to be appreciated. Whatever you end up with, you won't regreat it - cichlids are so colourful and they are real characters and anyone whoever comes in your house and sees them will always be very taken with them! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanuts Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 if you like the look of limestone - we got ours at Whakatiki Soil and Sand of course on Whakatiki Street, Upper Hutt. that of course was a while ago - so not sure if they still have. When we got it we searched around all their piles as it was mixed in with other rocks. they also had limestone chip - can't remember what we paid though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted April 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 Ok so once I get my substrate and some limestone rocks , can I take out my substrate, wash the new, and put it in? Will that raise the PH slowly if I make daily water changes or something like that? I went out to see some cichlids last night at the house of someone on TM (ziggy / blazic - maybe he is on the forum?) and I really liked them. Of course he has an 8ft tank, but at least I got the gist of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 What other fish are in there mystic? I can see hoplo,tiger barb,clown loach, big plattie? What else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted April 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2008 Hey Mystic, you are too generous, I will see what I can buy first. I love the look of that tank. Are they real plants? If so what real plants are compatible with my (hopefully) Peacock/Demasoni/E.yellows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted April 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2008 Cichlids are fantastic, once people get into them, they normally turn away from Community Fish & Tanks. Calcite I have found to be the best Substrate so far (about $40-50 per 30-40kgs?) and can be bought from Remus's shop in Paraparam. Limestone Rock and Dolomite Rock can be expensive - Limestone can be bought from a few Garden Centres (one in Plimmerton has some normally) not sure about Dolomite Rock, mine came from down south. So that top picture, what kind of rocks are they? Can one just use river rocks (if they are scrubbed/boiled etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 24, 2008 Report Share Posted April 24, 2008 I just went to the river and grabbed some rocks and drift wood and chucked it in my tank The reason for using those other rocks is to buffer and raise the ph.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted April 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2008 Ok I might be keen on some rocks Mystic ! I am still a little undecided about substrate, was thinking about a mix of crushed coral and silica sand cos I love the bright white look, but worry about being able to siphon during a water change, will the sand go up the siphon? Or can you get courser grades of silica sand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted April 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2008 Email we how much rock you need, and if you want Calcite. I have given away lots of Limestone and Dolomite rocks to a few people on here, and happy to help you also. Ok cool I would love some rocks and calcite. My tank is about 1100m by 50mm so I don't know, how muc do I need?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 24, 2008 Report Share Posted April 24, 2008 Awesome always good to get stuff cheap or free.. All the buffering substrate is white anyway so don't worry about that Thats a random mix of fish you had there mystic it looks cool! The fronts have grown though.. As mystic said sand isn't a problem to clean just hover over it and be careful not to suck too much up you can syphon into a bucket and chuck it back in if that happens anyway. Sounds like your getting everything sorted now lol have you decided on any fish yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinytawnykitten Posted April 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2008 Sounds like your getting everything sorted now lol have you decided on any fish yet? Well I will go with your suggestion of yellows, peacocks and demasoni. Sounds cool. Now how many do I add at once and when and where do I get them from??! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted April 24, 2008 Report Share Posted April 24, 2008 You get them from ryan if he has any atm lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 24, 2008 Report Share Posted April 24, 2008 lol whos that? I will have dems and yellow's coming up for sale but only babies they will look tiny in your tank... I may have peacocks trying to get the baenshi and jacob's to breed at the moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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