160Gal W/100Gal Sump Lake Malawi

[bullit]

Coming along well. The rockwork looks ok, If you tried to make more loose then you might loose some authenticity. What i did with mine is have perpex against the back wall so i can lean my rocks against it. I had some larger ones aswell to get the height and im not far off the 2ft height of the tank. You might be able to hide your overflow a bit more aswell. cheers

 

[zoopkamol]

Ya i rescaped once again and will still do again to hide overflow a bit more.
And i still have rocks to add

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Pics!!!!!

 

[Awilcox]

Nice looking tank so far! I have 9 juvenile Africans now, they're in a 20 long until I move and then they're going into a 75. Love them. They're awesome fish.

 

[zoopkamol]

will post pics tonight once home.

 

[zoopkamol]

ok as promised a few pics.

First attempt..rocks too "tight" i thought

2nd attempt ..rocks were "looser" however i failed to hide overflow

Tonights rescape after i got home. hid overflow for the most part and rocks are "loose" and there is large cave at base of rockpiles(slate slabs then other rocks stacked.
just seems to missing that "something" maybe after i add sand it'll look better.

some shots of rockpiles

shot how overflow hidden
need another rock in front of large black one at top i think

bit of seperation of rockpiles ...wanted at least 2 seperate piles prefered having 3 but with three would of looked to "fake"
 
Think its day 4 on cycle and ammonia dropping and nitrites off chart so few more days till possible low ammonia and reducing nitrites....
thats the wishful thinking me but i know im still 4 weeks+ away from stocking...still need to steal media from my other tank, but been busy at work.
by saturday ill have media switched.
 
critiques and comments welcomed.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Love the new rescape! I'm sure the fish will appreciate it too once they're in there!

 

[zoopkamol]

Ok after a bit of research and checking if my fish guy would carry fish i want i think i have my stocking list.
 
12 yellow labs
12 red top afra(jalo reef)
12 cobalt blue zebras
12 red zebras
6-8 cuckoo cats
 
total cost including shipping/taxes $412
 
this group of fish will add lots of color and activity to tank.
this look like a good combo of fish

 

[zoopkamol]

After speaking with my supplier to confirm fish...he added a few changes to my list
 
His suggestion is
12 yellow labs
6 cobalt zebra
6 red top afra(jalo reef)
6 albino socolofi
6 syndontis multi's are all F1
 
still gonna cost around $400 online
 
with room to add few more females as need be @ a later date.
 
shoul equal alot of color in tank

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Looking forward to the finished product on this one.

 

[Awilcox]

Nice choices of stock. Can't wait to see the finished tank.

 

[zoopkamol]

Whoops made a mistake tonight.....took wifey too LFS to look around at fishes and tortoises (has 1 and wants a "playmate" for him).
Anyhow she starts looking at cichlids and turns too me and says and i quote "I think you should do a speices tank only, but add some of those cuckoos also"
so heres my dilema what wifey wants she gets ..... but i still want my stocking also .... but if i should give in too a species only which species too get.
Choices are as she says:
yellow labs
red top afras
demansi
cobalt zebras
albino socolofi
red zebras
white top afras
 
Which would be the best species for species only in your opinion and why?
the way i see it also ...if she gets her tortoise ..i'll prolly get my way wish stocking.

 

[Becks1985]

Hey just seen this post I would prob go wit demasoni r labs from ur list...

But if it was my tank an I had to do a species only tank I would prob go to tanganika species an go for some sort of tropheus type I find them to be lot more social an look great in a colony...

 

[zoopkamol]

Just checked ammonia and its practically  zero and i dosed yesterday to about 4ppm. took about 20 hours to do.
Nitrites are through the roof now but thats a good sign instruction say wait 2 min for color too develop..by the time i close drop bottles and shake its a DEEP purpple so why would i wait 2 min lol.  gonna give a "snack"  amount before i goto work about 2ppm.
 
another week or so and nitrites be down to zero. I love having a tank to steal media from makes cycling so much faster and easy peasy.
Still working on wife though for stocking....damn tortoise gonna cost me more then my fish.

 

[bullit]

Species only as above- tropheus. Just dont let have way her way, its your tank lol