General Help on a new tank - Fish & New Pics Added !

[kidslikefish]

I have searched posts, and read a lot. Cichlid-forum seems to have a lot of good information.

I am buying the 48X10X10 tank from h0nkzz and want to try my hand at Cichlids.   I don't plan to use the play sand that comes with the tank.  I was just thinking plain gravel, some larger stones, some slate, holey rock and shells.   Will that work, or should I get acutal substrate ?     I plan to add some plants, but think I'll just use potted plants so that I don't need to worry about how they do in the gravel and I can move/hide them in the rocks.

Is a Fluval 303 enough filtration for that size tank, or should I put some type of surface filter on the other end of the tank to help water movement since the tank is 4 foot long ?

When I'm ready for fish, what suggestions for maybe 2 or 3 species that will get along and work very well for a novice to Cichlids ?  I am thinking one or two types of shell dwellers and then maybe a something that hangs out a little higher in the tank (though at 10 inches tall, I don't have a lot of column to deal with).

Any thoughts from the "experts" ?   Am I on the right track, or totally off.   Biggest concern right now is the gravel/setup.

[armthehomeless]

Re: General Help on setting up a new tank.

You can definitely do the gravel/ stones/ slate/ holey rock/shell thing -as long as tha is what you want. Keeping the plants in pots is not very good for the long-term success of most types. Thew types of plants that you can add depend on what fish you choose. With that said, most Anubius sp. are a pretty sure bet.

A Fluval 303 should suffice, but you'll find that most people on this site like to over-filter their tanks (including myself). I would try it out as it is... and determine later if you want to add something.

You mentioned getting shell dwellers... most shell dwellers are from Lake Tanganyika. Choose whichever ones you like. Two species of shellies should be able to coexist in a 48" long tank. I'd divide the shells and put them on both sides of the tank as opposed to the middle. As far as a type of fish to go in the upper part of the water column, does it have to be a cichlid?

[armthehomeless]

Re: General Help on setting up a new tank.

You've definitely chosen a unique tank. I put a star by what I would do... I may need to set up another tank...

Tang Shellies  (compiled from Cichlid Forum):

Altolamprologus sp. "Compressiceps Shell"
Lamprologus brevis  
Lamprologus callipterus (gets big for a shellie)
Lamprologus calliurus (get big for a shellie)
Lamprologus multifasciatus
Lamprologus ocellatus
Lamprologus similis    
Lamprologus speciosus  
Lamprologus stappersii *
Lepidiolamprologus hecqui
Neolamprologus kungweensis
Neolamprologus signatus
Telmatochromis bifrenatus  
Telmatochromis brichardi
Telmatochromis sp. "Temporalis Shell"
Telmatochromis vittatus *

Malawi shellies

Metriaclima livingstonii AKA Maylandia livingstonii
Pseudotropheus lanisticola

[CichlidFan]

Re: General Help on setting up a new tank.

Good Luck with your new tank, and I hope all goes well with your initial set up.....

One thing I would consider, since you have so much space (in length anyways) consider putting in a small sand bed in one corner or maybe one end, most shellies love sand and would really appreicate the chance to construct their own living space.  

CF

[kidslikefish]

Re: General Help on setting up a new tank.

armthehomeless,

Thanks for the imput.  I'll start researching those that you listed.  

Fish for the upper part of the water doesn't have to be a Cichlid, just something that will get along with the shell dwellers. Any suggestions ??   Maybe a small school of tetras ??  

Where's a good place to get the shell dwellers ??  Is that a LCS that has a good selection, or do I need to get them from an on-line store ?

What about cleaning crew down the road ?   Will Corey's co-exist ?  Maybe just a few Nerites later ?

[armthehomeless]

Re: General Help on setting up a new tank.

There isn't a store the carries a large variety of shellies with any degree of consistency in the Houston area that I am aware of, but I don't get out much. Others would probably have a better idea of what is available locally.

Dave's Rare Fish has the following in San Antonio:
Lamprologus brevis Ikola 'Sunspot' ML  8.00 ea
Lamprologus brevis Katabe 'Orange Head' MS  8.00 ea
Lamprologus brevis Kitumba 'Orange Belly' S  8.00 ea
Lamprologus brevis Mtoto 'Zebra' S  8.00 ea
Lamprologus callipterus MS  8.00 ea
Lamprologus caudopunctatus Kapampa 'Red Fin' M  8.00 ea
Lamprologus cf. ocellatus 'Blue Stripe' MS  8.00 ea
Lamprologus multifasciatus M  8.00 ea
Lamprologus ocellatus 'Gold' S  9.00 ea
Lamprologus ornatipinnis Kigoma S rare 9.00 ea
Lamprologus sp. 'Ornatipinnis Zambia' S  7.50 ea
Lamprologus speciosus 'Black Ocellatus' S rare 12.00 ea
Lamprologus stappersi 'Pearly Ocellatus' S formerly N. meleagris 9.00 ea
Telmatochromis sp. 'Temporalis Shell' S  9.00 ea

Dane usually has a pretty good variety in the Dallas area at Rift 2 Reef.

As far as corydoras go, I wouldn't do it. The shellies shouldn't make much of a mess.

[kidslikefish]

Re: General Help on setting up a new tank.

CichlidFan,

I like your idea of sand in the corners, I thought a little about that but was concerned about keeping the sand separate from the gravel, but I guess I shouldn't be too concerned with that ?    Given that the tank is 4 foot long, I may make a "sand-bar" on both ends of the tank.   Maybe 8-10 inches of sand on each end that than gives way to gravel in the middle ?

[PhishPhreek]

Re: General Help on setting up a new tank.

If you put dividers in that tank every 4", you could keep 12 bettas.

[wesleydnunder]

Re: General Help on setting up a new tank.

Danios would work for you as upper level dither fish, IMO. I have zebra danios in some tanks. Pearl danios and leopard danios are also a good schooling fish. Danios can be disconcerting to some fish because they're always on the move but many fish use them to gauge the levels of threat in a tank, and don't mind the constant movement.

Mark

[kidslikefish]

Re: General Help on setting up a new tank - Filter Help !!!

Okay, picked up the tank and filter in the Galleria area.  Went to some of the westside LFS since I live in Kingwood and don't make it out that way very often.   Bought a bag of Aragonite to use on the ends and than scape that in with gravel and bigger rocks toward the middle of the tank.

Here's the problem, I'm putting the tank on a built-in ledge that's about 6 foot long and in front of a window.  The tank looks great up there I had to move 3 ten gallons that where up there, so I know weight won't be a problem, but.... there is just no way to make the Canister Filter work in that location.  I thought I could sit in on the ground and run the hoses up, but they'd have to go over the front of the tank and it looks horrible.   So if I'm looking to keep Shell Dwellers and a couple of other fish, would putting a Penguin Bio-Wheel on either end of the 4-foot tank (hanging the filters on the outside edges and pushing water toward the middle of the tank) work ?   They would look okay because I can hide them with some mounted ducks on driftwood that I have.   Just wanted to know if that type of filter would work ?  I have 2 on a 46-bowfront that I can swap out with the Fluval.

Thoughts ?

[h0nkzz]

Re: General Help on setting up a new tank.

I think 2 penguin bio-wheel would work cause there shouldn't be too much waste if you're only keeping some shell dwellers & small dither fish, .

[CichlidFan]

Re: General Help on a new tank - Help with Filtration Please

Is it possible to get a picture of the area your referring too?

CF

[jetchanic]

Re: General Help on a new tank - Help with Filtration Please

is the area under the ledge open or is the ledge closed in?  if it is open.  is there enough room behind the tank to possibly drill a hole with a hole saw and run the input and output hose through the hole to the back of the tank and to the canister?  im sure that two penguins would work just fine but since you already have the canister it might be easier to make it work.

[kidslikefish]

Re: General Help on a new tank - Help with Filtration Please

I took some pics as I've been putting it together. Let me see if I can get them on here somehow.  The space under the tank is a wall, no way to go through it.

[jetchanic]

Re: General Help on a new tank - Help with Filtration Please

well looks like my idea is out the window.  oh well good luck