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  Thanks for that advice. Sounds like that will help improve my water considerably in place of the carbon. Just been checking the stuff out online. So I should place that in the last two trays at the top where the carbon should've been, after the ceramic media, or instead place it before the biomax?

  I've got the Fluval 305, so it's got six trays, two each on three levels. From memory, I think it's carbon in the bottom trays and biomax in the top four.

  Big and very messy, because it's going to be a 270-litre cichlid tank after it's cycled, so it'll be overstocked with 20 fish minimum, possibly up to 30.   The biological part of the filter already uses the ceramic rings, so should I just turf the carbon out and double up on the biomax?  ...

  Ah, cheers. That will save a lot of hassle. Just wondered if there's something I could put in there to aid the filtration process even further after taking the carbon out?

Just read the same advice in a couple of places - namely that carbon is only necessary in a filter after medicating. But is that correct? As the carbon needs replacing at least once a month, that would be a convenient excuse to get rid of it. What would I replace it with that would improve my...

  20 seems like a sensible number. Always understood, though, that they had to be added in one go to stop the new entries being picked on?   No pic of the tank yet, because still sticking the caves together before adding them.

Blimey, I'm monopolising this board a bit now. Sorry, it's just that I'm setting up my new tank and have loads of questions...   The latest of which is: how do I stick my cichlid caves together? Stupidly went and bought some superglue, before realising it's not water-resistant. Doh. Is there...

  Thanks. Yes, they do look like fascinating fish. Blimey though, 20 as a start! I was thinking of that as the top figure. There are 11 species in that list, so maybe I should be thinking of two or three of each?   There will be lots of rocks and hiding places, just sorting that out now. In...

I'm cyling my new 270-litre tank at the moment and, with four or five weeks to go until that's finished, have been thinking about how to stock my first cichlid aquarium. I'm going for Africans, and was thinking of adding 20 in one go to obey the overstocking rule for cichlid aggression. That...

  Thanks. Yeah, Googled it, but not sure how that helps me fit a secondary external filter? Been looking and some of the internal filters are up to 200litres which, as it's only a secondary filter, would be fine. Some of them aren't too bulky, also.

  Sounds like a sensible way to proceed. Thanks. Was minded that way, so will give that a go. I'll be adding the fish in one go when cycled, and a second filter seemed like a good way to avoid the initial spike, especially as there might be 20 new fish going in. But as they'll all be smaller...

I'm setting up a cichlid tank in my 270-litre aquarium as soon as it's cycled and, as I'll be overstocking the tank in the usual cichlid tank way, wondered if I'd need another filter? I already have a powerful Fluval 305, but as there could be up to 20 cichlids in there, I was thinking of adding...

  It's a good point, the one about how the stores get their own stock in. I'd never thought of it like that. I know lots of them do tank-bred specimens too, which is what I'd prefer, but I've no specific objection to wild-caught ones.   I think you've more or less convinced me...   Thanks for...

I didn't want to buy my fish online at first but, as I've decided to keep cichlids, I can't see any way to avoid it as I need to stock them all at once when my tank is cycled. None of my local stores stock enough, as I understand I have to fill the tank to capacity to prevent territorial...

  Thanks. I'll put them on a timer for eight hours a day and see how I get on with that. I notice some people suggest longer, some shorter, so it seems like a decent compromise.

Hello everyone. Just got my new tank and will be having lots of live plants in there, but have realised I don't know which lights I should leave on a timer? I've got the more powerful PowerGlo T5 lights and the weaker LifeGlo ones. Looking on the back, they're apparently both good for...

  Was thinking of a blue, gold, opaline, chocolate, Indian or pearl gourami. Researching elsewhere as well as here, a consensus seems to have emerged that keeping just one gourami is a good idea, so think I'll do that. Unless anyone knows different, and can recommend a type of gourami peaceful...

Thanks for all your replies. Interesting stuff. I suppose the main reason we come on forums like this is to get opinions or, as in this case, things we thought were facts exposed as mere opinions. I'd checked the mix of fish on various respected sites, including here...

Been researching stocking a 230-litre aquarium and wanted to run my initial choice by you all, in case you see any potential problems. I'm thinking of four angelfish, four rainbowfish and four gouramis with, potentially, a couple of clown loaches too, although I might just stick with the...

Thanks for your reply. Looks like a few people have viewed the post, and no-one's reported any horror stories about the Italian-made one, so looks like that could be a good choice because of the lower cost. The only thing is, that line's now discontinued, so maybe spare parts could be an issue...

Hello. I'm a new member, as of about five minutes ago, and wanted to get some help on which of two aquariums I should buy. I've narrowed down my selection to a Ferplast Dubai 120 (240 litres) or an Aquatlantis Ambiance 120 (255 litres). The thing is, there's a big difference in price, £400...