I hate how my tank looks - I need some inspiration please!

[tinytawnykitten]

I have a lovely big tank which is around 65cm tall, 50cm deep and 140cm wide. In it I have around 14 demasoni, 3 electric yellows, 6 tropheus duboisi, 2 male peacocks (one is OB one I am not sure), around 15 lionheads (Steatocranus casuarius), 3 GBA, 1 Dimidiochromis compressiceps, 1 pictus cat and 1 featherfin synodontis.

Here is the tank:

3 by tinytawnykitten, on Flickr

I have black substrate.

I am running an Aqua One CF1000 filter on it.

My lighting is one of these: http://www.thefishtank.co.nz/webapps/p/83799/179802/456831

I did some have some of that white shell rock for my rocks. But it always ended up completely green with algae. In the end I took that out ad have started putting rocks from the beach in there instead but I have stopped as I don't really like it and am thinking of going back to the shell rock as I have a lot of it and can make a good wall of rocks with it.

I was thinking of buying one of these as I know someone selling one http://www.aquaristikshop.com/e_Produktinformationen/Arcadia-Over-Tank-Luminaire-OTL-T5-100-cm.htm which will fit alongside the existing lighting I already have, but I don't know whether it will make my tank any brighter or whether it will make the algae accumulation worse.

I regularly clean the glass on the front and sides with a razor thing but I can't reach the back pane so there is a lot of algae on it and it definitely doesn't look good against the blue background.

So basically i just am a little lost as to where to begin with redesigning my tank but I do know that I don't like it and I want it to look awesome.

Would more lighting help? The tank always seems a little dull despite the 4 t5 tubes.What's the best way to sift out the little gray and white etc pebbles that have found their way onto my black substrate? I want to get rid of them so the black looks more, well, black.

Should I buy a UV sterilizer - ie would that inhibit algae growth on the rocks and glass?

Should I think about moving back to white sand substrate? I did have it but I found it played havoc with my filter and was hard to keep clean.

Or should I just build a better rock wall with my old shell rock and cop on?

Please any advice you can offer I would be grateful for!

[Adrienne]

Here's my list of suggestions -

Your filter is not big enough for your tank so that will not be helping keep your algae down. A tank that size with cichlids in could easily handle an fx5 and your water quality would improve heaps.

Have two sets of rocks and swap them around at water changes or take them out and scrub them.

I find standing on a ladder helps me reach the back of the big tall tanks.

A uv steriliser will only work if the algae is in the water and passes through the sleeve. It will do nothing to the algae already on rocks etc.

White sand - do you mean the silica sand or beach sand?

What colour bulbs are you running in your lights? Certain colours bring out fish colours more. For that depth tank you will need at least high output bulbs to penetrate to the bottom of the tank.

[DennisP]

Personally, I would go with light sand. Have a look at your local hardware store for some. Most sand they have is fine.

Then I would go to a landscaping shop, have a look for a whole lot of interesting yet appropriate rocks (like you would imagine could be laying on the lakebed). Then I would simply arange 2 or 3 feature rocks in a position that looks appealing - try the rule of thirds, or the golden ratio. Then scatter other smaller rocks around the feature rocks to make it appear natural while also creating lots of hiding places.

But that is just what I would do.

[tinytawnykitten]

Thanks heaps. I didn't know my filter wasn't big enough although I hadn't actually looked into it!

The white sand I did have was silica sand. It was lovely but high maintenance and it freaked me out how it got into every bit of the filter.

What are high output bulbs? Can they be run on a t5 fitting like mine? I have two blue and two white lights on the existing unit.

[smidey]

for african filtration i recommend having 6 times the tank volume so if its 400l that would make 1600lph, i have found that to be plenty even when over feeding.

the tank at the moment looks quite dark to me, i would lighten the background to a pale blue or navy blue perhaps and have a white substrate. I have crushed white marble as a substrate with a navy blue background and it shows up the duboisi and black pemba very well. I also have leleupi which are bright orange, they add a great colour dimension to the tank.

i would also add more rock work at either end, the tank looks tall from the pic so would be trying to make the tank appear longer.

i have tried plant and sunlight bulbs on either half of my tank at the same time, the sunlight ones made the tank look far better.

[tinytawnykitten]

Thanks Smidey. Where did you get your crushed marble sand from? Is it courser than silica sand which is very fine?

Any tips on cleaning the glass? I have one of these jobbies duct taped onto a long wooden spoon! Presuming I won't be able to afford an FX5 any time soon, could I get away with a second cf1000?

[smidey]

if your going to add a CF get a CF1200, they are little more than a cf1000 and do a better job.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/pets-animals/f ... 178725.htm

It's much larger than sand, like fine gravel more than sand. I got it through my LFS, it is also called aragonite i think. Not cheap but the best substrate i think.

i use a magnetic glass cleaner, too easy.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/pets-animals/f ... 990592.htm

[SamH]

I wouldn't go with silica sand myself, it's too fine and gets really dirty. Something like play sand or construction sand is a little more forgiving and natural looking. Anything that's not black really. 4 T5 is heaps for a plantless tank, I'd suggest changing the tubes to something a little whiter, maybe 4000k-6500k (cool white-daylight).

Getting the tank to look "right" takes a bit of practice but will only work if you have the right materials to begin with. Some larger hardscape will provide a bit more of an impact if placed correctly. As Dennis said, stick to the rule of thirds.

And finally, here's a few tanks that might be suitable for you needs.

http://www.aquariumdesigngroup.com/data ... chlids.jpg

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2008/show53.html

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2009/show33.html

[camtang]

I wouldn't go with silica sand myself, it's too fine and gets really dirty.

Why do you think it is too fine?

I use silica in with my mixed African tank with no issues, if there is enough flow dirt build up or a dirty look doesnt seem to happen.

Anything that's not black really.

Why not black?

[SamH]

I think it's too fine because I prefer a larger grain size, something that looks natural and textured. Also:

The white sand I did have was silica sand. It was lovely but high maintenance and it freaked me out how it got into every bit of the filter.

Why not black?

Because the tank already looks very dark, black substrate that's not planted is harsh and dark.

[jackp]

I have a slightly smaller african tank (4 ft about 320L) which I run 2 cf1200s on and along with weekly water changes (about 30%) it seems to work well. I have coral sand as substrate (got 40kg for $80 off trademe but i think i may have been quite lucky there) and it looks really nice. I would recommend changing from a blue background to black (doesn't show the algae as much). I think your lighting is probably fine if you use a lighter substrate. Definitely build up the hardscape a bit more (looks cool and provides territories for the fish.

This is what i've done (not saying it's a benchmark or anything but it shows what the white substrate with dark hardscape looks like and I'm running a similar lighting set up to you)

[blueether]

I would get a cf1200 as well as the cf1000 that is in there - should do the job just fine.

I think I would replace at least one of the blue bulbs with a 6500k daylight bulb, will make the tank brighter.

I like dark substrates, I used to have black in my 430L and have dark natural river sand in the 200L and the 60L at the moment and small pebbles (darkish river stuff) in the 430L. But in saying that a lighter substrate will make the tank look brighter.

[tinytawnykitten]

Thank you all so much for your amazing input. I have decided to change to white aragonite substrate which I can get from my LFS. Unless anyone knows anywhere I might get it cheaper? Can it be bought at a landscaping or hardware store?

Secondly I will change at least one of my lightbulbs to one suggested.

And I will add a second filter and clean and replace my shell rock back into the tank.

Thanks so much!

[Hali]

Landscape supply stores are as fun as the fish shop >.< go check out the different rocks from different parts of the country sorted into different sizes, all the way from boulders down to sand! Then there's the driftwood.. :nilly:

If I'm looking for inspiration, that's where I go.

[NoFishing]

Don't forget to test the rocks before putting in your tank though. I have found that some of them alter you PH.

To test I just put some in a bucket of water for a couple of days. I also had another bucket with just water in it. After a couple of days test the PH on both buckets. You will see easily if the rocks affect your PH in this way.

[Caryl]

A quicker way is to pour a bit of vinegar on the rock. If it fizzes, don't use it, unless you want the pH to go up.

[tinytawnykitten]

Oooh thanks Caryl, good tip!

[Ira]

If it fizzes, don't use it, unless you want the pH to go up.

It's full of africans, so she probably does.

My first suggestion would be to take out the boring africans and put in a couple nice SA/CA cichlids. Maybe a bit more driftwood too.

[tinytawnykitten]

Oh Ira you took too long to reply! I was expecting your acerbic wit well before now! :roll:

And yes actually my ph levels were good when I had those shell rocks in so I probably won't waste too much vinegar on them. Vinegar is way too yummy to waste!

[tinytawnykitten]

Hi again, my bulbs are 2 x HO 54w/b and 2 x 54w/w 10000k does that make sense?

[Adrienne]

what colour are your bulbs - are they white, blue, pink?

[tinytawnykitten]

two blue two white

[Adrienne]

Blue is more commonly used in marine tanks for corals - this will be making your tank look washed out. Depending on your budget I would suggest you change at least one to a tropical (pink bulb). When you can, get rid of the blue and you should be amazed at the difference.

[tinytawnykitten]

Blue is more commonly used in marine tanks for corals - this will be making your tank look washed out. Depending on your budget I would suggest you change at least one to a tropical (pink bulb). When you can, get rid of the blue and you should be amazed at the difference.

Actually today I switched off the blue ones and left the white ones on and although it wasn't bright the difference was amazing. I will definitely do that. Thanks!

[tinytawnykitten]

Ok so I have changed back to my shell rocks, put in a new background which is dark, but I like it anyway. At the moment I have switched off the blue tube in the light and just have one white one at the moment and 3 more on the way. I think it looks better but still needs work...