[vasylr]

Finally i have decided to get started with cichlids.

picked up this 29G locally for 50 bucks with stand and some extra cleaning and scraping equipment (so the price was not as bad)

got 50lb of Pool Filter Sand cleaned it and filled the tank it has about 2in base

added some heaters to get it to the temperature and filter from established tank

now i have a question would this Fluval 404 be sufficent ?

 

[Cich of it all]

The 404 should be a good match for the 29. What kind of cichlids are you thinking of keeping?
One thing you may or may not already know - Adding an established filter is a good way to seed the tank, but without any fish in the tank the beneficial bacteria will not live very long. This is unless you are cycling with ammonia or by feeding the fishless tank.

 

[vasylr]

OK thanks Cich

i knew about cicling tank with old filters and some fish but what are you talking about amonia? is that just regular amonia for baking or something else? I will have to pick up a test kit do they sell it at pet stores?

for the size of the tank by looking at cookie cutter i want shelldwellers or Tanganyika Mini-Community

What about a light do i need alot or just regular shop light will do

 

[rgr4475]

If your baking with ammonia I'm not coming over for dinner. :lol: Here, check out this article on fishless cycling. It tells you exactly what to do.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/fishless_cycling.php

 

[Cich of it all]

It's the same ammonia that's used for household cleaning (I wouldn't use it for baking though ) Just make sure it does not contain perfumes. Here is an article about it:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/fishless_cycling.php

If you already have an existing aquarium, the easiest thing to do is just leave the "established" filter on the existing tank until you are ready to add fish to the new tank. It's not a bad idea to put some of the gravel / sand from the old tank into the new one too. Old nylon stocking / pantyhose works well for a media bag so the sand / gravel doesn't get mixed in with the new stuff. (Unless its the same, then just dump it in).

Unless you're going to have plants in your tank (which usually doesn't work too well with Africans --- they eat 'em opcorn: ), the lighting is not very important. I have used regular shoplights before and they work just fine. One thing you can do to bring out the colors in the fish is to change one or both of the bulbs out for one from a pet strore. A bulb with a higher "K" rating will add more blue and give the tank more of a deep water look. An actinic blue bulb really brings out the blues in the fish.

 

[vasylr]

thanks for info

i am going to put some fish from my established tank and some decore until i am ready for cichlids with 2 HOB filter with used filterpads it should give more than enough good bacteria.

you said use a stocking go get gravel into this tank should i just drop it or hang it on the side

by the way here is my first tank 3 years and running

 

[vasylr]

sorry

 

[vasylr]

sorry for double post

 

[Cich of it all]

you said use a stocking go get gravel into this tank should i just drop it or hang it on the side

Either way is fine.

 

[vasylr]

as you may noticed the tank came without canopy and lights so i am building a canopy myself.
will make a post later

 

[vasylr]

bad news today.
in the morning i have noticed that about 1/8 of the water was gone so i did not pay much attension maybe evaporated, but it turns out to be FLUVAL filter was leaking.
so now i am back to start cycling.

got one Gurami in there and some driftwood, rocks and plants.

 

[vasylr]

I finally got 2 filters one rated for 20-40 gallons with original filtration and one rated for 10-20 gallons and filled with prefiltered media stones. it has been running for past 10 days and i am noticing alge on glass and sand. I still have one gurami and 3 red tetras. looking to stock it this saturday