Finally - New Tank!

[tenohfive]

I've been shopping around for a new tank to replace my Rio 180 and make some additions. I love the look of the Rena Aqualife tanks and after 2-3 months shopping around I finally picked one up last week. It's 120 x 50 x 70cm - 370L. I've got both tanks set up at the moment but will soon be moving my Sajica, Rainbow cichlid and 5 pim pictus over. (Side story - whilst draining the Rio to move it out of the way I forgot it was draining - came back to find less than 2 inches of water in the tank, Sajica and Rainbow on their sides gasping. Some frantic running about, refilling, reheating etc later all survived and seem healthy.) Anyway...

Following some discussion on here I'm planning on adding a Sev (probably a Rotkeil), a Nic and upping the pictus numbers to 6 or 7. Not sure if I'll get away with any dithers, if I do I'll be looking at either hatchets or some sort of decent sized rainbows - opinions welcome on that front. In either case, if I can get away with the Sajica, Rainbow, Rotkeil and Nic I'll be a very happy man - I think they'll look fantastic in the tank.

My biggest question is aquascaping. I'm hopeless at aquascaping - I can make a practical environment for most fish but it never looks good. I've popped photo's of all the bogwood and stones etc I have to play with - the table is 80cm/32" square for an idea of scale, and the ones in the Rio are available. If I need more/bigger/different shapes I'll happily go shopping. I'd also like to add a couple of plants in there for colour but they'd need to be hardy as theres not much natural light in my living room - any thoughts on adding 2/3 Echinodorus Amazonicus?

I've got a few days off work and I'm planning on using them to get the tank ready for the move over. Just before the Sev and Nic arrive (see my next question) I'm planning on moving the Sajica and Rainbow to seperate tanks, so that I can add all four fish back to the main tank together to give them all a fair shot at establishing territories. Does that sound sensible?

And can anyone recommend a private breeder for the Sev/Nic's, or if not where should I go shopping for them? I'm in Bedfordshire, and my usual LFS (stretching the 'L' somewhat) is Wildwoods, but I'm open to alternative suggestions. I wouldn't normally go much further than there but for my pride and joy tank I'm willing.

And please ignore the cables running everywhere and the dirty tank, it will look a lot tidier soon - and the internal is only temporary, I'll be running 3 externals on it:

 

[minnnt]

Firemouths or ellioti's!!

I had a pair of rotkeils up for sale a few weeks ago but both have gone now. What about jade eyed cichlids? I have a pair of juvi's that are growing fast and are a real joy to watch. You should have plenty of colour with the sajica, rainbow and a Nic.

 

[tenohfive]

I've got my heart set on a Nic and a Sev, if they don't work out I'll consider alternatives but I'm pretty happy with the stocking list as it is. Nothing against Firemouths or Ellioti (have kept the latter, beautiful fish) but ever since I first looked at new world tanks Sev's and Nic's have always appealed.

Have been having a nosy at some of the journals on here, seems a lot of people use Redmoor Wood, though I looking at the dry photo's of it I'm surprised how much darker it looks submerged. But it's so expensive - cheapest I've seen on the bay for one piece is £25! I just can't stretch that far - are there any cheaper alternatives?

Right now I'm thinking the basic design should be to use the long L shaped piece of wood the run down the centre and use the upright as the basis of one wood spire/tangle, and put another (either smaller or bigger) spire in the other end of the tank. Add a couple of plants either side of the two tangles and a couple of small bits of bogwood laying flat along the middle/back of the tank to create some depth/cover for the pictus. Then maybe at one end a few bits of same coloured slate lying flat. My only concern is that wouldn't be many territories, though I could probably use either the big pink rocks pictured or some slate to create a smallish cave, something only the smaller ones (rainbow mainly) could get into to create a safe area. Does that sound like it would work, either practically or aesthetically?

 

[MermaidMel]

Beautiful tank, it's one of the ones I looked at when I bought my Aqualantis, only the front to back measurements were too much for my alcove and would have stuck out way too much, but I would have loved the extra 100 litres and not having glass doors like I have now, which get on my nerves and they are such good looking tanks.

 

[tenohfive]

Thanks. Setting it up is proving to be a bit of a head ache though - I need a step ladder to aquascape and the XP2 that came with it can't have been used on the actual tank as the piping seems to be missing parts, and doesn't quite stretch to fit. I'm off out with an off cut of piping to see if a local plumbing shop has 3 L bends that will fit the piping to create an improvised outlet - replacement outlets only seem to come as part of a kit for £30. Failing that I think I'll have to get some Eheim 16-22mm tubing and a shepherds crook to go with it. If it comes to it I'll use both my 2222's and the 305 on it, but I'd rather not - the 2222's output is significantly lower than the XP2.

Be worth it when it's done though. Am keeping my eyes out for Rotkeil breeders, but I suspect I'll have to get them from my LFS - not seen any recommendations about.

 

[Davo86]

Am keeping my eyes out for Rotkeil breeders, but I suspect I'll have to get them from my LFS - not seen any recommendations about.

I think some of Stars Rotkails may still be available through Oddball Express,

Also with regard to the decor, I'd personally leave the stones out and try to make a mangrove-esq structure out of the bogwood,
If your looking for Redmoor, try searching for Sumatra driftwood which is another name it goes by,

heres a pic for inspiration

 

[tenohfive]

Overflow pipe has done the job nicely for the princely sum of £2. Next thing is to seal it up with aquarium sealant. Only down side is that it's white - hopefully I can track down some sort of black paint that will be aquarium safe.

 

[tenohfive]

Cheers Davo, should be able to order a few pieces of that - that photo illustrates your idea nicely, think I should be able to manage something similar. Any idea what the plants growing down are or something similar that I could try that would be hardy and have the same effect?

 

[Davo86]

Cheers Davo, should be able to order a few pieces of that - that photo illustrates your idea nicely, think I should be able to manage something similar. Any idea what the plants growing down are or something similar that I could try that would be hardy and have the same effect?

Thanks, tbh I've just recommended those plants on your other thread, they are called flexible bamboo and are made by a company called Rosewood, they do two sizes but IMO the XL sized one is a bit OTT

 

[tenohfive]

I had no idea they were fake plants, do they look as convincing close up?

 

[Davo86]

as far as fake plants go they look pretty convincing yes, especially how they move in the current

 

[Verminator89]

Have a look at ChilliPeppers 168G new world cichlid journal She has the same plants in. They are generally a very good manufacturer of synthetic plants. I have a few myself.


Looking forward to more progress shots

 

[tenohfive]

I can't stretch to a load of redmoor wood until pay day so I'm going to get the basic structure of one continuous root tangle going tonight and give time for the tank to warm up, the move the fish over tomorrow. Will get the redmoor wood as soon as I'm paid...then to fish shopping!

Unfortunately none of Star4's Rotkeils seem to be for sale on Oddball Express so I might take a trip to Wildwoods - they're showing as having some 2.5-3" Rotkeils in stock. Seems a bit steep at £20, is that normal? If not, anywhere else nearby that I might have some good quality ones in?

 

[Davo86]

Wildwoods - they're showing as having some 2.5-3" Rotkeils in stock. Seems a bit steep at £20, is that normal?

normal for a lfs, but very steep compared to what you can get from a breeder

 

[tenohfive]

Right, I feel like I'm getting somewhere now. The tank is far from finished but the fish are moved across. I'm currently running a 2222 and a 305 - under filtered but it should be alright for a few days, and I'm reducing feeding to compensate. Once the paint arrives to spray the inlet and DIY outlet for the XP2 black I'll be adding that.

Moved the fish across yesterday evening and they seem happy. The cichlids have always seemed to enjoy having room at the front of the tank to have a nosy at me, so I've preserved that as far as possible - and some of the pictus have ventured out and have been pelting along the length of the tank.

The photo was taken this morning with my phone (hence poor quality - apologies.) I've only got one light unit (2 x 36" bulbs) running - the other has a very sharp white and a moonlight blue bulb. Personally I prefer the look just with the one light unit - I think any more is a little over powering, but I may see about replacing them with something a little more muted. On the decor front, I want to add a little more bogwood at the ends (particularly the left) and am still thinking about getting some redmoor wood. But I had a thought - what about tying on some java fern and a layer of moss to the top level of bog wood? In addition to/instead of the fake plants Davo posted earlier?