# 100 gal



## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Just thought Id post a few picks of my tank its getting there, since I have been sick hubbys been helping and getting involved lol. Any suggestions would be appreciated just remember Iam sick so go easy on me . Oh this is my African Rift Lake Tank. Pat


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Looking good Pat! Hope you are feeling better soon! Can't wait to see the tank fully stocked!


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Pat, the tank is looking great, I love your (husband's) rock work! What's your fish plan?


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## NuclearTech (Mar 23, 2008)

Tabatha said:


> Pat, the tank is looking great, I love your (husband's) rock work! What's your fish plan?


I second that.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Right now I have yellow labs and electric blues Id like to add some red zebras,and I have 2 pleco one albino and not sure what the other one is hes always hiding and I still havent gotten a real good look at him I will when I net him though.Still researching my options.ps I said hubby helped but thats my stone work   Pat Thanks glad you like it.


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

pat3612 said:


> ps I said hubby helped but thats my stone work   Pat Thanks glad you like it.


Good job, Pat!


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Tabatha said:


> Good job, Pat!


Thanks again I feel much better today Got some new antibiotics from the hospital and they seem to be working just cant keep away from that tank though lol. Ive added some plants and Ill put some pics up once the fish are in Pat


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Very very nice pat!


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## gunnerx (Mar 20, 2008)

Tank looks great! The rock work is very well done. Can't wait to see it completed!


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

thats really good. Excellent for Malawi. I would only suggest maybe 3 or 4 larger approx 12" across, 5" deep 'caverns' where a large number of fish can congregate, ie, a dominant male and harem of 5 females, etc. this makes the tank a lot less stressed and looks more natural.

What are you filterint this with again?

*
s Id like to add some red zebras,and I have 2 pleco one albino and not sure what the other one is hes always hiding and I still havent gotten a real good look at him I will when I net him though.Still researching my options*

Pat PLEASE remove the plecos right away. You can't have a malawi tank with plecos. It's abuse to the plecos. A pleco needs a calm environment, and its own happy cave, and to be left alone.

Although the yellow labs are no big deal, everything else is, and your plecos are guaranteed not going to be happy- period. There's no way to do it. Please do not run a tank with unethical inhabitants. Please remove the plecos.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Pablo said:


> thats really good. Excellent for Malawi. I would only suggest maybe 3 or 4 larger approx 12" across, 5" deep 'caverns' where a large number of fish can congregate, ie, a dominant male and harem of 5 females, etc. this makes the tank a lot less stressed and looks more natural.
> 
> What are you filterint this with again?
> 
> ...


Even though I know alot of people on the ciclids forum keep them in their tanks with no problems Ive decieded to leave them in the 50 for now till they get bigger them might have to rehome them. Right now I have the 2215 and I picked up a used 2217 I still getting a new one just have to save a little bit of money.Pat.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

pat3612 said:


> Even though I know alot of people on the ciclids forum keep them in their tanks with no problems Ive decieded to leave them in the 50 for now till they get bigger them might have to rehome them. Right now I have the 2215 and I picked up a used 2217 I still getting a new one just have to save a little bit of money.Pat.


2215+2217 is ok just add something cheap like aquaclear 110 and you're laughing

Remember malawi has a fair bit of current.

yes please remove the plecos. A lot of people on cichlid forum keep them with loaches too-- doesnt mean they're right.

If you ran that by loaches.com or planet catfish theyd tell you not to put them with cichlids. its always good to cross reference advice


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Pablo said:


> 2215+2217 is ok just add something cheap like aquaclear 110 and you're laughing
> 
> Remember malawi has a fair bit of current.
> 
> ...


Yes your right I did crosscheck on the pleco forum. Right now I have hair algae on a couple of the plants I added so Iam not adding fish just yet. Thanks for the advice Pat.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

pat3612 said:


> Yes your right I did crosscheck on the pleco forum. Right now I have hair algae on a couple of the plants I added so Iam not adding fish just yet. Thanks for the advice Pat.


the hair algae has nothing to do with the fish.

In a malawi tank, you're going to have a lot of algae. It's not a big deal.
Its going to happen its just something that you have to accept. You're not likely going to have much success with plants in there either. Some mbuna will be fine with them but I don't know what you're planning to buy. It'll limit your choices.

Just wipe the glass down and keep it algae free. The rocks etc are gonna get algaed. that's the way she goes.

Remember all you have to do is plunk a really well established filter or 2 on that tank and you can add a couple of fish. Just keep the population low for awhile and always test the ammonia and nitrite for the first month to make sure its establishing properly.

http://www.championlighting.com/pics/miscpics/MagFloat350.jpg
Those things save you a lot of time and since you stay dry it encourages you to use it daily-- its expensive though- and the small ones are too weak (its magnetic) to work properly so you have to buy the big one thats kind of hard to pry open with your hands...


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Pablo said:


> the hair algae has nothing to do with the fish.
> 
> In a malawi tank, you're going to have a lot of algae. It's not a big deal.
> Its going to happen its just something that you have to accept. You're not likely going to have much success with plants in there either. Some mbuna will be fine with them but I don't know what you're planning to buy. It'll limit your choices.
> ...


Thanks Pablo I do have one of those it came with the tank and yea it is a pain trying to open it both cannisters were established so and have been running since Sat night Iam going to test the water today and see how its going. Any suggestions on what to add with the yellows and blues can I add some red zebras. Some people said to add some shellies but wouldnt they get eaten. Off to do some more research Pat


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

pat3612 said:


> Thanks Pablo I do have one of those it came with the tank and yea it is a pain trying to open it both cannisters were established so and have been running since Sat night Iam going to test the water today and see how its going. Any suggestions on what to add with the yellows and blues can I add some red zebras. Some people said to add some shellies but wouldnt they get eaten. Off to do some more research Pat


The people who suggested shellies you should never speak to again. Never put tanganyikan fish with malawi. people do it. But then people also jump dirt bikes 90 feet in the air. Doesn't mean you have to do it too.

If you already have fish in there (which you should because biofilters die after awhile if they dont eat) you should put your labs in there.

You CAN add some red zebras- but I've got a hunch you only want to do that because your local fish stores have very lame and limited fish selections, because that's not a very interesting fish.

I really strongly emplore you to get on Price Network, and go to Bradley's house and Darius' house. You can buy the rest of your fish from them and you'll get WAY better fish WAY cheaper. I personally sugest you get yourself some nice pseudotropheus of some sort. You have relatively mellow fish so the choice is up to you--Remember if you add mean fish you change the character of the tank.

You could add maybe some Pseudotropheus Acei (remember add big groups- its 100 gal.) you should have like 10 yellow labs and about 10 acei. I'd also add about 3 or 4 nice male peacocks for color. For example, A malauna, a firefish, maybe an albino peacock, etc. With that, and your iceberg, and maybe 2 females for him, you've got your tank done


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Pablo said:


> The people who suggested shellies you should never speak to again. Never put tanganyikan fish with malawi. people do it. But then people also jump dirt bikes 90 feet in the air. Doesn't mean you have to do it too.
> 
> If you already have fish in there (which you should because biofilters die after awhile if they dont eat) you should put your labs in there.
> 
> ...


Thanks Pablo thats a good idea could I pick up and put all the fish in at once.

Yes I have 5 yellows and 2 blues though Iam going to rehome one of the blues.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

pat3612 said:


> Thanks Pablo thats a good idea could I pick up and put all the fish in at once.
> 
> Yes I have 5 yellows and 2 blues though Iam going to rehome one of the blues.


Not so much with the all the fish at once. Thats a huge increase in bioload. You need to increase fish populations slowly.

You are testing all water parameters daily still right?

Get atleast five more yellow labs. In a 100 Gal, you could even get 10 more and have that be your main fish. You wouldn't regret it- especially if you got top quality ones (N.E.Fish/JoeA have the best labs). its a fantastic fish

Another thing you might consider is not having too many kinds of fish- to have more of a 'natural' look.

You could for instance just get 10 more yellow labs, and buy 10 pseudotropheus acei (again make sure this is all nice stuff from breeders and only use super high quality foods and do tonnes of good water changes and your fish will look so much better you'll thank yourself) and that'd be a really nice tank. very little or no aggression.

Another fish you might really enjoy is Pseudotropheus demasoni. Its a really nice black/blue fish and you could put like 20 of those in there and 10 more yellow labs and that'd be nice but the demasoni can be nippy if you combine them with the wrong other fish.


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