# 65 gal cichlid setup



## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

it's been a while since I've posted a tank set up on here so for kicks and giggles I thought I would start a thread for a joinal for the newest tank set up I'm working on.

Its a 65 gallon tank I've had laying around for a few years. I decided it would make a good home for the inhabitants of the 55 gallon i recently moved out of my son's room.

plans are for a rock & sand scaping theme.
here is what we're starting with plus there current home and some of the stock.


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

btw i should point out that I'm a "cichlid newbie". They had always been "those" fish that friends were into that my eyes would glaze over when they would start talking latin names. I had always assumed there was some magic formula for figuring what could go with who etc. It wasn't until my son lost interest in his tank and I took it over that I became fascinated with them. Fortunately we also have friends that are into keeping and breeding them ( ie 80 tanks plus) that made looking and picking a simple matter of " ooh, i like that. can it go with...?" and while i am still new to them , the scaping part of my brain took over and i found myself not just excited about the fish, but the building and planning the rock/sand tank ( my other tanks have been planted)


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

the rocks I'm using came from a ravine behind one of our branches. i had originally planned on using drilled lava rock, but when i stumbled across these they appealed to me because i thought they had a more "natural" look. Also, since they've been nestled and rubbing together for years many of them already have natural smooth flat, curves and grooves worn into them making for more stable piling. My plan is to pile them along the back of the tank and since they are more rounded it shoukd provide the required nooks and crannies for caves


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

here are some of the rocks I ended up with. Soaked in hot water and a mild bleach solutikn, scrubbed, and them soaked and rinsed in fresh water with triple dose of Prime


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

since cichlids are notorious for sifting and digging, my intention is to stack the rocks in the tank first and then add the sand. That way there are no worries about them digging the sand out from under them and causing a collapse. Also there are a number of flat stones that I want to put on the base of the tank in the forefround and then cover with the sand and just allow whatever portion of them to become exposed as they dig, again lending to a natural scape look


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Can't wait to see the end result


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

step two of the set up is done..or at least ready to go. 
As mentioned I had planned on doing the back of the tank with the rocks above. I realized I didn't have enough to do the entire back. I could have gone and got more, but I was concerned partly about weight, and more so that I would be giving up a lot of volume just to have all those rocks. Most of my tanks I do the back with plain black vinyl, but decided I would do this one with an actual background and went looking for something that was just rocks. Turns out I couldn't find one to my liking. Lots with rocks and plants, and the one I did find was a half height pile of rocks with deep blue ocean behind it, which wouldn't match the look I was going for. The solution? I made my own.

I stacked up the rocks I had and after wetting them down with a spray bottle, I took a series of hi res pics with my camera. then using photo stitching software (you can download it free on the web) and a little cropping in a paint program, I ended up with the scene I wanted. then printed it ( I admit I had the advantage of a huge ptinter at work that normally does blueprints so i only had one seam) and then $20 at staples to laminate it, which is what I would have spent on a store bought background anyways. the picture below is the result. Granted I have to clean the glass and seaview it in place, but it should blend well once that's done and there's water in the tank. Plus it'll match the rocks int he tank pretty well since they ARE the rock in the tank ( just slightly enlarged)


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Great idea! I hope once its all setup it gives you the look you want.

I am currently working on the very slow process of making a moss wall. It will take me many months to grow enough for all my tanks but its a fun project. I payed 10 bucks for a little bit of taiwan moss and tied in on cross stitching stuff and almost have the first sheet half full.

I really hope that after all the months of work that I actually like the end result.

At least your background project is relatively easy and fast and not too much of a loss if it doesnt to be what you want.

It's hard to tell from a pic of an empty tank how your's will turn out but I see great potential.


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## seamusm (Oct 8, 2012)

If you're staking rocks put some egg crating down first, protects the glass, Spread the weight over the bottom of the tank and also absorbs impact if the cichlids do manage to know a rock over with their digging. I learnt the hard way.

Also if you buy rock go to betz cut stone. They sell a type of rock for $0.18 per pound that helps maintain the ph, can remember what they call it... Kingston something. Cost about $30 to fill your tank


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

seamusm said:


> If you're staking rocks put some egg crating down first, protects the glass, Spread the weight over the bottom of the tank and also absorbs impact if the cichlids do manage to know a rock over with their digging. I learnt the hard way.
> 
> Also if you buy rock go to betz cut stone. They sell a type of rock for $0.18 per pound that helps maintain the ph, can remember what they call it... Kingston something. Cost about $30 to fill your tank


Cool. I'll look them up.
Thanks for the heads up.
I do actually have eggcrate to put down first, I just haven't cut it to size yet.


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

hey all. It's been a while since I updated. Mostly because I haven't really done squat with the tank. Been busy with other stuff. Also i decided to shoot another background that would wrap around the end of the tank. had it printed on vinyl but really not happy with it. long story but it came out not nearly the resolution i wanted or the colour so going with the original and will just black out the one end with black vinyl.

so it opinion time. spent the day setting up rocks and need opinions on the set up before I finalize it. Put down eggcrate and filled it with sand, the set up the rocks. everything is stacked in a manner that's (pardon the expression) rock solid. Nothing tippy or precarious. Too much? Anything stick out or look "wrong"? Mostly peacocks going into the tank, but read recently that they don't inhabit the rocky areas other cichlids do, so and experts out there let me know it if it's TOO many rocks? 

The plan from here is to fill in the rest of the sand. Will make a funnel to pour sand into the inlets and caves, and the flat rocks at the front will be covered, the idea being to let them be exposed in whatever manner as they sift and dig.
So, thoughts?


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Set ups looking great! Where'd you get your rocks?


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

from a ravine behind one of our branches


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Smart lol. I just found a bowl full of similar looking, all be it flatter than I wanted, river rocks. It sucks because it's winter so collecting is a pain right now. I'd love to get some proper branches for my tree frogs and to set up as a sort of root system for my 20gallon community tank. 

Think I can in this weather? lol


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

Ryan.Wilton said:


> Smart lol. I just found a bowl full of similar looking, all be it flatter than I wanted, river rocks. It sucks because it's winter so collecting is a pain right now. I'd love to get some proper branches for my tree frogs and to set up as a sort of root system for my 20gallon community tank.
> 
> Think I can in this weather? lol


lol, with the way the.weather has been lately, You jusy may have a chance...every other day between deep freezes...


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

small update. Not a ton more done, but did get the sand finished.

put the silver eggcrate on the top bit still have to trimit to size, and then took a couple of shot with the light on it.


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

Tank is looking really nice! I like the rock scape!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Looking good man. and no way no how I could collect in this bs snow and freeze... I think I'd freeze and be collected myself lol.


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

Set up pretty much ready to go.
Finally got around to the finicky stuff.
Cut down the Silver eggcrate and cut the glass to make a top for the tank. Put the heater in (actually moved it from the original location on the clear end of the tank under the filter output tothe other blacked out end and bought a small power head for circualtion over it). Hooked up the air pump and filled with water. Not sure how different the pre and post water pics look but here it is.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

your idea for the background really worked out well, really adds alot of depth to the tank, at least in pictures. Does it do that in person?

Nice to see an update on this as I thought your idea was very interesting and promising.


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

pyrrolin said:


> your idea for the background really worked out well, really adds alot of depth to the tank, at least in pictures. Does it do that in person?
> 
> Nice to see an update on this as I thought your idea was very interesting and promising.


Yes in person as well. Actually, it's actually a bit more visible in person than in the pictures. Still wish it has printed in bright colour, but for the amount showing it worked out well.


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## NuclearTech (Mar 23, 2008)

I just came across this thread. Looks good! On an aside, nice to see another hobbyist in Barrie!


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

NuclearTech said:


> I just came across this thread. Looks good! On an aside, nice to see another hobbyist in Barrie!


thanks !
and there are a few of us on here, you just have to keep your eyes peeled lol


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## monk21 (Dec 5, 2012)

very nice.

Just a note, you do not need to both boil and bleach stones. Just boiling will do.


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

I only did the bleach part because while I did soak them is hot water, they weren't actually boiled.

First groups of fished moved last night. so far so good. Didn't want to move them all at once and have an ammoia spike.


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## monk21 (Dec 5, 2012)

I love the blue haps. If you don't want ammonia spike you should have put only 3 inside and then 3 a week!


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

If there is a fully cycled filter in the temp tank that you plan to move to the new tank, then if you also move a bunch of the water with the filter and seed a little extra from another source, you could move all the fish at once with little worry.


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

pyrrolin said:


> If there is a fully cycled filter in the temp tank that you plan to move to the new tank, then if you also move a bunch of the water with the filter and seed a little extra from another source, you could move all the fish at once with little worry.


I've never worried much about the water as ben. bacteria populate in the filter and on surfaces ad not in the water column. The advantage of moving the water has more to do with matching ph and chemical composition. That being said it was a moot point since the new tank was filled with new water during set up. Guess I could have move water from the 55 during water changes and the topped it up with fresh but wasn't that concerned with it, plus its kinda nice to start with all fresh water. If there is a spike it shouldn't be too bad. The 55 has 2 2213's running on it. I have a 2215 for the new tank that i half filled with media from one of the 2213's so seeding isn't a problem. I'll monitor yhe levels daily but it should come up to speed fairly quickly


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Just a few days ago I moved all my stock back to my 90 gallon after rebuilding the tank and I had all fresh water in the tank, nice and clean. I moved the canister filter to the 90 which was on my tempory tank holding all the stock. I had a nasty nitrite spike that was the probable cause of the death of my mono. I quicly took out 40 percent of the water and refilled from the temp tank and seeded it some more and all was good again in a day.

Just the used filter moved to a totally clean tank isnt enough in some cases, depending on bio load and more needs to be done. There isnt alot of BB in the water but there is some. And if you add in not moving the substrate, that is another source of BB that isn't there. All these minor sources of bacteria do and can add up.

Like I said, just a few days ago I moved just the filter and it went bad. I needed more bacteria moved than just the filter.


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Well it's looking great! I'd love to see some full tank shots.


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

Ryan.Wilton said:


> Well it's looking great! I'd love to see some full tank shots.


Here you go! Need to tank some ore soon as they are starting di dig as hoped and expose the rocks I placed under the sand


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

That really turned out great


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## Newobsession (Nov 17, 2010)

pyrrolin said:


> That really turned out great


Thank You !


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Very nice, I'm in love with those Sunbursts.


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