T5 Lighting?

[aqua monster]

I have 2 tetra tec ex1200 filters and have them both ends of the tank with the spray bar pointing down the centre of the tank from both ends and 2 large air stone balls near the centre. I found this makes enough movement around the rocks. plus the fish are always in and around them any way so the water is always moving. 
 
Yes Malawi fish are nice to watch  I keep my temp at 28 and feed them once in the morning with Spirulina  flake and then pellets at night.
I buy all my food from this place http/www.zmsystems.co.uk/ there food is really good and the fish look will on it
No I don't have any shell dwellers in my tank..
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[baker360360]

I will get a wavemaker as I can see I have dead sports in there probably because it's a corner tank. I'm using jbl cichlid pellets for small fish as my cichlids are little at the moment but want to try and give them the best possible diet to keep them really looking good. Have your fish ever had babies? I wonder if I can get a pair to breed. Would be nice to achieve this

 

[aqua monster]

Yes I always have 3 or 4 of my fish holding babies, I let nature do its work and leave them in the tank.

 

[baker360360]

Are these lights better then juwel bulbs?

Thinking of replacing my juwel bulbs ( high lite day x2) for 2x iquatics 50/50 bulbs

Will these be better

 

[aqua monster]

I really like them and I am happy that I made the change from standard lights. have you thought about marine white and a 50/50 as just 2 50/50 might be a bit blue on there own

 

[baker360360]

Yep,
Having too much blue was a worry because I have white sand and light rocks so I don't want them to look unnatural.
Your bulbs you got, were they made by juwel or iquatics ?

 

[aqua monster]

I got the ones from iquatics, if I was you I would go one marine white and one 50/50  or keep one high light day and go 1 50/50, 

 

[baker360360]

I got 2x 50/50 and 1 marine white they we're buy 2 get 3rd free

 

[aqua monster]

perfect you can play about with them now until you get the right colour, I put my 50/50 at the rear of the tank as it does make algae grow a bit faster and I don't mind it growing on the rocks and rear of tank but not front,   I got 2 50/50 at rear and 2 marine white at the front.

 

[baker360360]

perfect you can play about with them now until you get the right colour, I put my 50/50 at the rear of the tank as it does make algae grow a bit faster and I don't mind it growing on the rocks and rear of tank but not front,   I got 2 50/50 at rear and 2 marine white at the front.

I will probably put them that way too as it's better to have algae on the rocks than glass., also I'm sure some of my cichlids are green eaters so will treat them on that. Only worry is I have white colour stones. Not sure if they will go blue lol . We will see tomorrow .

Before and after pics coming tomorrow .
Also my current juwel tubes are only about 3 months old so it should be ok to store them for a long time as back up right?

 

[aqua monster]

I think your coral will be ok as I have no stress with mine and I have 2 50/50 in there.
 
Yes store your old tubes as they still have many light hours in them.
Cant wait to see pics  you going to buy any more fish any time soon?

 

[baker360360]

Yeah was thinking of getting 2 cichlids Wednesday if the shop has them , might have to drive about to find the right ones.
My tank looks empty with only 4 juveniles in it.

The plan so far is to have pairs of 6 different species , but I bet it changes half a dozen times by then lol

 

[baker360360]

I tried both 50/50 lights and it was way too blue so I put 1and1 but still not too sure what do you think?
Before
After
...

 

[fm1978]

I definitely think the one on the right is much more natural - the rocks have a yellow tinge on the left as does the water itself. It makes it look quite dirty but a very clean bright white on the right!

 

[baker360360]

Yeah it does look cleaner. I really need more fish, looks empty lol.
I can't wait to see it tonight when it's dark.