Need advice on setting up large tank

[allcrazythings]

Hi all,

Im planning on setting up a 6x2x2 or 8x2.5x2.5 display tank soon, the biggest tank ive ever had was a 4ft x 18inch high.

Only used canisters and internal filters in the past, so im after some ideas on filtration, for nice clear water haha.

I hope to purchase the setups 2nd hand so its easier to set it up etc.

Any ideas on what fish i can put in together?

My preffered species are -

* Frontosa

* Electric yellows

* Blue dolphins

* Lionheads

* Clown loaches

OR

South american and american setup,plenty of small fish or a few large, confused at this point.

Id also like plenty of catfish along with fish, bristlenose (common, albino, calico, peppermint, orangespot, longfins..)

And if possible albino gibbiceps and a few L numbers.

Let me know your thoughts on setting it all up etc and whether or not those fish can all live together, or am i going to have to pick one or the other lol.

Thanks

[malawi sand diver]

Hello

From my past experience, the best filtration for a large tank involves:

- a large sump (to increase water volume)

- a single low wattage eco pump for the return (to save running costs)

- seachem matrix for the filter media combined with bio mat and finer filter wool

- 2 powerheads (one at each end) inside the tank to stir up detritus so it makes its way into the sump.

Your either/or scenario fish list sounds OK, but my own personal preference is to stick with the same lake and just have around 4 species. e.g. in my 10 foot I have malawi - red empress trio, 8 mdoka white lips, 6 electric yellows and 6 stigmatochomis pleurospilus.

Regards, Rob

[allcrazythings]

thanks.

Ill try to purchase a setup with a sump, and powerheads? Not sure how they work lol ill keep an eye out and try to read up on powerheads.

I definately want various catfish, clown loaches and some electric yellows. When the tank is fully established and running how many catfish and cichlids/loaches will i be able to put in? Was hoping lots of small fish.

Thanks

[malawi sand diver]

With the powerheads, I have one of those cheap wavemaker ones on ebay that cost about $15. At the other end, I'm running a 2500 lph one with a venturi system. In the middle, I have a T intersection for the water pumped back into the tank. All that creates current, which is what you need in a big tank.

You will find that the fish grow big in that sized tank, so the question of stocking numbers depends on their size. e..g. with my tank, 23 fish in total may not seem like many, but if each of those fish are approaching a 10 inches long as adult malawi do, those large fish produce a lot more waste than the little ones. It becomes a question of how much filtration you want to maintain. the little fish are easy to maintain, but if you get a big tank, might aswell get some large malawi haps IMO. You could keep many catfish in a tank that size - e.g. 20 synodontus as they are compatible with the rift lake fish species. But they will interfere with breeding if you plan to breed cichlids.

[allcrazythings]

Thanks.

I might breed in the future, but right now planning on having a large display tank.

Ill read into the powerheads, im still a bit confused but confident ill pick it up quickly lol, with the Malawi haps i forgot to add electric blue and the white knight colour, and maybe a colony of 5 of blue dolphins.

Will say a colony of 5 electric yellows, 5 blues, 5 dolphins, pair lionheads, 30 bristlenose, 10 clown loaches and an albino gibbiceps be ok for an 8x2.5.2.5? I would love fronts but id be pushing it wouldnt i lol.

Planning on having a 3d background, few plants,driftwood and plent of rockwork,slate etc.

[allcrazythings]

Just had a look at mdoka white lips aswell, they are beautiful, wouldnt mind them instead of the dolphins.

[malawi sand diver]

I used to have dolphins but went with the mdoka white lips instead. I like both - the good thing about them is that the females have nice colour aswell. The fish/numbers you mention sounds like a good mix for the tank except not sure how the bristlenose will go with the malawi water parameters. I've heard some people have kept them OK with Malawi, but the wood that they like to munch on might lower the PH too much for them. Thats why the synodontus are better because they like the high PH. I've never kept that many bristlenose before though I have heard people have kept them OK with Malawi.

[malawi sand diver]

These are some of my white lips, they get this intense blue colour in the morning and you can't tell the males from the females.

[allcrazythings]

Geez, im going with mdoka white lips, theyre beautiful.

Would tangs go well with them? Alto comps, fronts, lelupi etc.

If not then ill do mdoka white lips, electric yellows, one male eletric blue, one male whiteknight, pair lionheads, clown loaches and maybe a few syn catfish.

Might setup a tang 8x2x2 and a 6x2x2 malawi lol

[allcrazythings]

Might throw some acei ngara into the malawi, always liked them haha

[malawi sand diver]

Sounds good, the white lips are quite placid for haps, they go with with yellows that are also relatively easy to get on with for a malawi.

[lloydashton]

Where is the tank going at your house. You might find a sump to noisy if its inside a living area.

On my 8x2x2.5 i have 2 fx5s, clear as clear water all the time and whisper quiet.. And i have a colony of very large frontosa in there.

[allcrazythings]

Thanks, its going to be in downstairs loungeroom.

Id prefer a quiet setup, how much do the fx5 retail? And forgot one other question, on that size tank will the electricity bill jump up alot using two canisters?

Thanks.

[allcrazythings]

The mrs wants an 8x2x2 freshwater and a 6x2x2 saltwater lol i have no experience what so ever with saltwater..lol