Unidentified Africans

[PostGhosty]

Hi,

Here are some pictures I just posted of the new 75 aquarium we just set up, plus a picture of a male, and female cichlid we have but don't know what they are. We got them out of a tank that was just labeled assorted African Cichlids.


Thanks in advance,

Ghosty

http://www.geocities.com/postghosty@sbcglobal.net/AfricanCichlids.html

[tom]

Welcome, Ghosty

The only fish I can make out clearly enough for a (fairly positive) ID is in the photo, upper-left: <I> Maylandia estherae</I>, common name "red zebra."

[PostGhosty]

Thank you

:D

[matt1066]

Ghosty&lt;

Whats that screen thing in your tank?

Tank looks great, what substrate does it have?

Matt

[jonah]

It looks like a reflection of a window with venetian blinds.

[matt1066]

Gotcha,

Thought it was some new contraption

[PostGhosty]

We are using sand, with crushed coral as the substrate. Our water is very soft here, and we have a hard time maintaining a decent KH to keep the PH where it needs to be. We also have a power head connected to 1/2 inch pvc pipe under the sand with small outlets to keep water moving gently across the substrate to keep waste materials from settling, so now it will get sucked into the filter. Then we have a smaller power head on the side of the tank to aid in the adding air to the aquarium. We really wanted a natural look with this Cichlid aquarium, researched and thought it out a great deal. We are very excited about the way it turned out and the fish are really enjoying it. They all have their own territory now, there is less fin nipping going on and they all just seem to be a happier lot....lol

Yes, the glare is fromt he blinds. I will take a picture of the tank at night tonight, when the glare is gone. The stand for this aquarium was built entirely by my husband and I have to say it is awesome. It is made out of oak laminate, stands a little over 4 feet tall with a cherry counter top. Its a little oversized so there is a ledge. The advantages to having the tank stand so high are numerous. The main reason he built it so high was so you don't have to bend over or contort yourself the view all of the fish. The second reason, is with it being high, and a 2 inch overhang around, the little ones can see the fish but not put their little handprints all over the tank.

[matt1066]

Handy husband,

Does he have any spare time? :lol:

is it a 50/50 mix sand/coral? What other filtration do you have?

Thanks,

Matt

[PostGhosty]

We have a Hot Magnum canister filter with a bio wheel in addition to the
power heads. The mix is 60/40 sand/coral.

[color=blue:dc8257b27c][/color:dc8257b27c]

[WorldNation]

nice set-up. hey, did u get some of those decorations at petsmart by any chance?:)

[PostGhosty]

some at Petsmart, some at Petco, and some from another pet store. Is it that obvious? We wanted to get a lot more caves in this setup and we were wanted a more natural look. I hope we achieved that....lol

[Mbuniac]

Nice tank! Have you given any consideration to natural rock? Texas Holey Rock and Lace Rock have natural holes in them. All the pieces of lace rock in my 125 are also hollow. They vary in color, light gray/dk. gray/brown/reddish brown. Just a suggestion.

[PostGhosty]

yes, we were looking for some real rock, but unfortunatly they don't have anything but imitation up here. We are going to find some on the net, and order it but we wanted something in there temporarily. :lol:

[WorldNation]

[quote:a3e3ba0c50="PostGhosty"]some at Petsmart, some at Petco, and some from another pet store. Is it that obvious? We wanted to get a lot more caves in this setup and we were wanted a more natural look. I hope we achieved that....lol[/quote:a3e3ba0c50]


hehhe, i knew i recognised some of our stuff. I work at petsmart, lol, thats how i knew really. nice tank

[Adam]

Have you considered using the natural rocks that you can find around your area? I pride myself in never having purchased a rock, I find them everywhere. They look good when you get some nice colours like greenish and purplish rocks in there. And you don't need holes in them, you can just stack them one on top of another and it makes a very large cave complex. Just don't put the rocks on the substrate, put them on the bottom glass, just so that if your cichlids start digging they won't collapse everything and kill themselves and maybe crack the bottom and you will join the wet floor club. The very wet floor club...just make sure to boil them so that the bacteria and little organisms on it don't infect your fish.

[PostGhosty]

Thats a very good idea, the only problem is, is that I live a half a mile from lake michigan and all we have out this way is sand, sand, more sand, and pine trees....lol

:D

[Adam]

The rocks that you find in rapids work really well, and you can see how they look underwater. Are you sure that you don't have any of those near you? Even people with rocks around the drainage tubes or around the pool wouldn't mind you taking some, granted it's only a few, and it's in the dead of night :D

[PostGhosty]

lol... I will try to remember the after dark part.

Well, when the snow melts, and it gets a tad bit warmer outside I will venture out and try to see what we can find.

Thanks for the ideas!

Ghosty[color=darkblue:d516e1a950][/color:d516e1a950]

:wink:

[Boilermaker]

Post Ghosty, if you don't find any natural rock like Adam said what I do is hit the landscape retailers, rock & gravel places it costs me on average .10 to.15 cents a pound.
Last week I needed slate for the Angel tank and he just gave it to me.

[PostGhosty]

Another very good idea, thanks.

Do you boil the slate also?

[Mbuniac]

Boilermaker,
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR ROCK :?: I drive through the "Wasatch Front" every month or so going from central ca. to S/E Idaho. Do they have any lace rock? I need some slate for a new tank that Gypsy made me buy. :shock:
Thanks, Sam

[Mbuniac]

P.S.
I noticed that between Provo and SLC there are a LOT of rock sales yards.

[Boilermaker]

[quote:8312bf79e7]Do you boil the slate also?[/quote:8312bf79e7]

Post Ghosty, I should have boiled it, but being in a hurry I just ran it under hot tapwater.



[quote:8312bf79e7]Boilermaker,
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR ROCK I drive through the "Wasatch Front" every month or so going from central ca. to S/E Idaho. Do they have any lace rock? I need some slate for a new tank that Gypsy made me buy.
Thanks, Sam[/quote:8312bf79e7]

Sam, take a right at 4700south off I15 heading north your first light is 3rd west (i think) go left to hit American stone or go right to hit State Stone, the guy at American stone said he would restock in the spring no lacerock right now :( . I haven't checked State stone, but they both have a ton of other stuff tons of sandstone slate & granite slate.

[Mbuniac]

Thanks Boilermaker!
My daughter-In-Law's sister lives in SLC. I'll get her to check if they have it in stock for me before I go up again. Man is that gonna save me some $$$. I have been paying $1-$2/lb. Yeah, I know, "there's a sucker born every minute".
Sam

[Boilermaker]

[quote:b3bae23803="Mbuniac"]Thanks Boilermaker!
My daughter-In-Law's sister lives in SLC. I'll get her to check if they have it in stock for me before I go up again. Man is that gonna save me some $$$. I have been paying $1-$2/lb. Yeah, I know, "there's a sucker born every minute".
Sam[/quote:b3bae23803]
I hear ya Sam, I do the same thing, I paid 7.00 for a small piece just the other day cause I can't find the lace.

[Mbuniac]

There is a rock yard in Fillmore (not too long a drive for you) that has piles of it! They had pieces there that were bigger than my 125, stand and canopy combined. When I first asked, he said $2/lb. I said that I didn't really want to pay that much so he sold me several pieces for $1/lb. Since they were all hollow and full of holes, they are pretty good sized. I don't remember the name, but if you're interested I can get it for you and directions.