Tank update

[YamNato]

Hey everyone!

So my tank is finally up and running as of 3 hours ago. Let the cycling start  . I can't wait to get some fish in it.

Link to my original post http://aquariumworld.nz/forums/topic/44485-new-setup-is-underway/

I went ahead and had my floor reinforced so I can sleep easy at night. The stand I ended up building was smaller than I had planned, I went this route as the space I have is cramped as it is. The build still follows the same design concept structurally, but is shorter. It also turned out a bit rougher than expected but its my first stand and its not 100% finished yet (will add a floor and doors, but I was excited to get it up and running). 

The tank has been re-sealed but the guy said the joins are showing their age, so possibly in the next 6 months Ill have a tank built to the same dimensions as the current one and replace it, but for now its okay.

In my original post, I mentioned that I got 2 Aqua One style filters when I bought the tank. After finding out how much new media would cost I decided to just buy a new filter instead. Its a Fluval 206, I will be buying another 206 in 2 months and run both on the tank. 

I am currently soaking some coral to remove the ammonia and that should cover me for rocks. 

All up its been a really big learning experience and going forward I will improve on things, but for the most part I am happy with how it turned out. 

I will post pics when I get my first stocking, will only be about 4-5 fish to begin with and once I get my second 206 I will add more.

Let me know your thoughts.

Cheers 

[JJWooble]

Looks nice and smooth/tidy, I'm looking forward to seeing it with stocking  

[bigfishhead]

Nice looking setup! Good move on the floor reinforcement. Cannot wait to see when its fully setup

[YamNato]

Starting off with 4 Electric Yellow  

[JJWooble]

Naw they're so nervous. What other cichlids are you going to stock it with or is it just going to be full on yellows? 

 

[YamNato]

In a month or so I will add another 4-5. What type, I'm not sure. I have a list of some I have seen online but I'm not sure if I can get them in NZ and what species will go together and not fight. I only made the list this afternoon, I have not had time to research anything yet. 

• Red empress (protomelas taeniolatus)
• Protomelas sp (Steveni Taiwan)
• Metriaclima sp (elongatus chewere)
• Copadichromis azureus
• Protomelas spilonotus (Mara rocks)
• German red peacock
• Tropheus duboisi
• Electric blue ahli
• Red top colbolt zebra
• Albino dragon blood

I will go to my LFS and have a chat with what they stock and what will work together. On that note, I am in Auckland, what Fish stores would people recommend for African Cichlids?

[JJWooble]

New Pupuke Aquarium Centre has been getting some cool Africans in recently  

[gligor]

Ikola is a pretty cool looking african cichlid, not sure it's available in NZ though.

[YamNato]

Ikola are really nice looking. 

I'll have to take a drive to New Pupuke and have a look  

[bigfishhead]

In a month or so I will add another 4-5. What type, I'm not sure. I have a list of some I have seen online but I'm not sure if I can get them in NZ and what species will go together and not fight. I only made the list this afternoon, I have not had time to research anything yet. 

• Red empress (protomelas taeniolatus)
• Protomelas sp (Steveni Taiwan)
• Metriaclima sp (elongatus chewere)
• Copadichromis azureus
• Protomelas spilonotus (Mara rocks)
• German red peacock
• Tropheus duboisi
• Electric blue ahli
• Red top colbolt zebra
• Albino dragon blood

I will go to my LFS and have a chat with what they stock and what will work together. On that note, I am in Auckland, what Fish stores would people recommend for African Cichlids?

Very nice selection.

Most of your listing are "available" in NZ. Its just some of them are quite rare to see. So it may take some times to stock up your tank.

The only two that I dont think we have in NZ are Copadichromis azureus and Protomelas spilonotus. The Copadichromis azureus looks pretty similar to Electric blue ahli which we do have.

Good luck on stocking up the tank. Photos update please 

[camtang]

C.azureus are here. New Pupuke is well worth a look for high quality Africans. Every time I am in Auckland I make sure I go there, in fact I put it on my itinerary so I do not forget.

[YamNato]

I will be going there on Sunday!!!!

[YamNato]

Hey guys, just a quick update. Sorry once again for sub par photos  . 

Stocking is now:

3 x Electric Yellow
3 x Cobalt Blue Zebra
3 x Tropheus Pemba (very tiny, can not wait to see them colour up)
4 x Unknown Peacocks (Got them from a friend)
1 x Golden Algae Eater 

I put some coral in today but I'm not really feeling the layout. I will redo it when I next do a water change. 

I bought a 306 to go with my 206 but had problems with it, as mentioned in another post. My LFS was very helpful, they gave me the option to take a replacement 306 or go with something else. After having issues with the 306 it left me with a bitter taste for Fluval so I went with a Eheim 2217  to go along side the original 206.  

And that concludes the update  

 

[bigfishhead]

Very Nice! 

You could always add some Demasoni to form the classic Yellows and Demasoni Malawi tank. The colour combination still my top favorit among many Africans.

Hard to say what those peacocks are considering too many hybirds out there. But one of them (peach colour one) does looks like some forms of dragonblood to me.

Keep us posted on your progress ：）

Edited June 6, 2016 by bigfishhead

[smidey]

I think you need to think about getting more tropheus, a lot more. Ideally they need to be kept in a group of at least a dozen or more but you could get away with 8 or 9 as long as they have grown up together from an age before breeding becomes an option.

tropheus are very specific in their requirements of setup and particularly food. They are dead easy to keep as long as you setup correctly, if not the chances are you'll either end up with one dominant male that kills all the others or you'll lose the lot due to bloat, usually from feeding the wrong foods.

Basically, filtration needs to be at least 5 times the tank volume per hour with 30% WC weekly. Feeding, i have had good success with NLS cichlid formula and JBL novorift although the novorift seems to foul the water more than other foods so feed sparingly. The group of each species of tropheus needs to be as I posted above. this is because they are conspecific aggressive which means they will bully their own kind primarily. They will chase other species but hammer their own kind. Adding more of other species does not spread the aggression enough to help the other tropheus.