Lake Malawi Species • First time Cichlid Tank - 75g

[KBCoggin]

I have a 75g tank I want to stock with Cichlids for the first time. I have kept freshwater for years. Even bred Marble Angels for a while. But I moved to the mountains of Arizona and our water is ROUGH. PH of 8-8.5, and hard as a rock. I don't want to invest a ton of money for a blood bath. Cichlids are like french to me... I am trying to figure them out but want the advice of experts!

This is what I am thinking:
6x - Red Peacock (Aulonocara sp.)
8x - Yellow Lab (Labidochromis caeruleus)
8x - Acei (Pseudotropheus sp.)
8x - Maingano (Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos)

I would reduce these numbers one I know the sex of the fish. Advice? Comments? Criticism? Enlightenment?

[DJRansome]

Welcome to Cichlid-forum!

I would swap out either the peacock or the maingano.

Swap the maingano for a hap like Placidochromis electra.

Swap the peacock for maybe 1m:7f Labeotropheus trewavasae Mpanga to get something else with a red male that would work with the maingano.

[KBCoggin]

DJ I knew I came to the right place. Thank you so much!

[KBCoggin]

So I was reading up and Acei and Labs require LOW protein foods, where the Peacock and Hap do not. My plan was to feed Northfin 1mm at first and move up to 2mm. Will this food work for these 4 species?

[DJRansome]

So you are keeping the peacock and losing the maingano?

Northfin 1mm cichlid formula will work fine for all of them and throughout their lives. No need to go to 2mm.

[KBCoggin]

So you are keeping the peacock and losing the maingano?

That is my current train of thought. You have any feedback on that?

[DJRansome]

No it's fine. I do like mixed gender peacocks and haps.

[KBCoggin]

Tank in finally all setup. Put two cycled sponge filters in the tank and I am dosing with Dr Tim's to about 2-3ppm daily. Ammonia goes down about 50% every night so I boost it with 5ml in the morning, nitrites are at 0.5ppm, and nitrates are at 20ppm. tick tock. tick tock. tick tock. Slower than watching water boil