A 125 liter tank for shell dwelling cichlids

[flarix]

I've made the jump from my trusty 90 litre Roma to a shiny new 125 Aquamanta Bio tank - Maidenhead Aquatics is the only place you can get these in the UK. The tank comes with a powerful external EFX200 Aquamanta Filter that's capable of an 800 LPH turn over, but I'm expecting around 500 in real-world use.

I've been tinkering with my shelf unit and managed to squeeze the tank in:




The shelves are rated for 175 kilos, so it's a bit of a squeeze, but I've put the tank at the bottom to avoid any leg-bowing disasters.

My initial plan is to stock the tank with a dozen Multifasciatus - I'll start with six and see how things go - and a pair of Neolamprologus copteranthus. I've got a breeding pair of copteranthus on reserve at a local store, but they've just had a surprise batch of free-swimming fry, so I'll have to wait a few weeks. Gives me time to get everything ready. I've also got first dibs on six Multifasciatus that are currently in a display tank, which is due to be broken down soon.

I've picked up a box of snail shells and some black Unipac limpopo sand, but that's about it for now.

The tank's getting a couple of coats of gloss black paint today - I'm not a fan of backgrounds, they always end up looking grimy. Gloss paint is the way to go.

My mature sponges are currently soaking in a tub of water while I get the tank painted. Once that's done, I'll fill 'er up, get the external filter going with the mature sponges, and dose a bit of ammonia to revive the bacteria for a few days until I can collect my fish.

More to come!



....


Just had a thought - I could probably squeeze a couple of nanos onto that printer shelf... but that's a project for another day.

[kento4]

Always had a thing for multifasciatus, actually planning on stocking a dozen in my new 125 Aquamanta Bio tank.

[ridera]

I'm keen to see how your setup progresses and if you ever get around to sharing updates on your Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi harem.

One thing that caught my eye - I'd consider swapping the position of your electrical components and the tanks. Having the electronics on the top shelf and the tanks below seems like a safer bet, just in case of any water spills.

[flarix]

I'm not planning on updating anyone on the Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi - I returned them on Friday. They just didn't work out for me; pretty fish, but I found them dull.

NAS will be relocating soon, thinking of setting up a brine shrimp hatcher. As for the printer, I just chuck a towel over it when I'm working on the tanks - easy to replace if anything goes wrong, given my IT background.

[bolt9x]

I'm guessing you're referring to the tank's back being painted gloss black. I'm not a fan of backgrounds, they get grimy over time, so I figured a couple of coats of gloss paint would look better and be easier to maintain.

[flarix]

Just got the first coat of gloss black paint on the tank's back, leaving it to dry overnight for a second coat tomorrow morning.

[zeniko]

You're in for a treat with the multifasciatus, they've got bags of character. Gloss paint on the back's the only way to go, backgrounds just don't cut it in the long run. Looking forward to sharing more pics as I get the tank up and running.

[bolt9x]

Just had to join the shell dwellers club, can't resist the charm of those Multifasciatus.

[flarix]

Tank and filter are all set. Had a right old trek around the Maidenhead Aquatics stores today, hunting down those elusive Multifasciatus - let me tell you, they're like gold dust.

[zeniko]

Considering the alternatives, Brevis seem like a viable option, I've heard they're quite good. The black on black scape is growing on me, I must say. As for the shells, they're still in the box, waiting to be added once I've got everything else sorted.