Lake Malawi Species • 200 gallon setup

[Gearheadkenny123]

Hey everyone I finally got my 200 gallon custom tank setup for my haps. Its been a rough go with this tank. Got it used about 2 months ago for 100 bucks. It's a custom steel frame tank. It had been sitting outside for a long time so the frame was rusty. After sanding it all down and painting it with krylon fusion I needed to paint the top underside of the frame to stop further rust and also prevent rust from getting into the tank water. I had it upside down masking off all the glass, just as im masking the last spot I hear this terrible sound of glass breaking. The flood light I had been using got too close to the main glass panel and shattered it.

I had tossed around a few ideas for repair like gluing a peace of 1/4" acrylic to the entire main panel but ended up finding a peace of glass large enough to cut down to size and use. What a pain to get the broke glass out. Then the prep for the new panel wasn't any easier. But success I managed it get it fitted and sealed.

I have been in the hobby for at least two years now but had never had a tank break or tried to replace a panel. What a task but valuable knowledge. Figured I'd share the struggles along the way to getting it setup.

Setup on the tank

Aquarium life support systems emerged trickle filter
2 large sponge filters
3 custom Siphon tubes for sump inlet with custom overflow boxes
10+ gallons bio balls
Chemi pure blue
Fluval zeo carb
4500gph at 5ft head lift return pump
2 imagitarium air pumps
Fluval 300w heater
Fluval 48" led lighting
Custom stand (not yet finished only framed for function)

Hope you all enjoy, scaping was done very quick and will be entirely re-done. Just got it stocked. I finished it a few hours ago after 3 days cycling.

[DJRansome]

Looks like a lot of good work. How did you cycle the tank in 3 days?

[Gearheadkenny123]

I had two canister filters on another tank I let get pretty well soiled. I took everything out of the canisters and dumped it in the sump and also transferred the water from my 72 into the 200 for the beneficial bacteria.

But yes it was a lot of work. I would estimate i spent 40 plus hours getting it to the point of install.

[Haplochromine guy]

I cycle my aquariums in three days or less as far as Certain African Cichlids go. My fish were pretty happy in there until I moved a now Isolated Jewel Cichlid down to that 36 gal. It is possible to cycle an aquarium in LESS than three days. My 36 was cycled for 2 days and I put my fish in there... they lived and are happy. It is now up and running with algael growth.
I do not think it takes a week to cycle an aquarium (the 36 gal. was used recently and had some leftover water in it as well as a bunch of pea gravel).

[DJRansome]

When running a clean filter on an established tank, I like to wait two weeks.

When transferring media to a new aquarium there is no cycle...the beneficial microbes have been moved as opposed to growing them.