225g home show tank build

[NDsuperduty]

Tanks been running for a week or so now. So far I have added 140lbs of Carib Sea Eco-complete white sand and the crushed coral that was in my 40g. It appears to be enough substrate butay add more later.

Right now most of my filtration is mechanical with an Fx5 and power head using a sponge running, but I have an Eheim 2262 on its way which will be primarily biological.

The sole inhabitant of the tank is a 4-5" giraffe cat who is doing good but spends most of his time under the only holey rock in the tank. Originally I planned to get a group of Gnathichromis Permaxillaris as the show piece of the tank but now I'm thinking of getting an Mbu Puffer. Thinking my son and visitors will find the puffer way more interesting.

[NDsuperduty]

Made some progress this weekend on the tank but still a ways to go. First I realized that the metal canopy frame can not be used if I want to use the glass tops, which I do. So this week or next weekend I will build an all wood canopy.

Got a few more fish and added some rock and wood. Got 2 Colombian shark catfish, 4 yellow labs, and 1 other Malawi(can't recall the name). Was gonna stick with the cheaper fish to start but the last one looked too good to pass up.





The piece of wood on the right size wouldn't stay down so temporarily put the rock leaning on it.

The room this tank in is attached to our living room and we wanted to use it as a place to play cards, board games, and dominos, so this is the table we just got to put next to the tank.

[supadave]

Looking good ....Superduty !! I really like that table .

[AHP]

+1 on the setup. I like it.

[NDsuperduty]

thanks for the comments. I will probably get 1-3 more big pieces of holey rock, and still have 3 good size pieces of wood soaking. I hate that I can see the air hoses, so I will probably buy some black line later.

[NDsuperduty]

Few new fish and slight rearrangement of the decorations. I'm still debating on getting an Mbu Puffer. Will probably decide this week.

Only posting pics of the colorful ones. Some of the new fish are juvies and don't have much color or are too small to get a good pic withy phone. To name a few, but not all, I also got a blue dolphin, Malawi Eye Biter, group of OB Labeotropheus, group of clown loaches, and a few other small ones.

[NDsuperduty]

Added a few more fish today. Juvenile Livimgstonii, adult Labeotropheus (not sure which one yet), and Juvenile Buccochromis nototaenia. What's odd is that even though the Buccochromis is a Juvenile its still the largest fish in the tank by atleast an inch, and yet out of the 3 fish I added he is the only one that is being picked on. And of all things its a C. Moori that is half its size that's running him around the tank.

[Timber317]

Those Bucco's grow to be pretty big! Males are awesome on coloration for sure.

[NDsuperduty]

Ya, the profiles I read said up to 16" but I'm guessing that's a rarity. Regardless, even 12" is pretty big. The colors can be awesome which is why I got it.

[NDsuperduty]

Finally got the canopy finish, well basically finished. We are still going to add some final touches, but this gives the gist. The last pic is to give you an idea of where my card table will be, please excuse the mess. Also, the rock and wood in my tank is not all in its correct place bc I moved some of it around this weekend when I added new fish.

[Ballinxalex]

Looks good !

[NDsuperduty]

The tank has a yellow tent to the water. I believe its simply the tannins still leaching from the wood, but I'm curious if it will eventually all go away or will always have some tent to it? Currently running 8 total 36" t5 HO bulbs, 4 each side. There 2-Power Glo 18,000k, 2-Aqualite Roseate, and 4 Coralife 10,000k. I've run the 10k and 18k together before a s usually gives a really bright white with blue tent. Is the Roseate causing the yellow or think its the tannin?

[SunnyHouTX]

Use magic means to take the tint away. By that I mean purigen