Doc_Polit

Like they say...........Not pretty, but effective. :thumbs: Thanks for sharing the tip. Alot of others have likely been caught in the same situation. The Doc

:welcome: Welcome aboard! The Doc

:welcome: Welcome aboard Mbuna Ron! Nice to meet another courageous "Demansoni" keeper. The Doc

:welcome: Welcome aboard! Good luck with that 3-figure tank. I'm planning the same. Nice to see a husband-wife fishkeeping tandem. The only thing my wife knows about this hobby is that it costs too damned much. -roll- The Doc

Try the link in the opening thread.

Bug away! That's why we're here. -roll- Welcome aboard. The Doc

:welcome: Welcome aboard deanis. Gotta agree with dunl. Mbuna rule. The Doc

:welcome: Welcome aboard Ellie! It is great to see a Fish Department Manager in that store who finally cares what matters to the customer. Nice change of pace. As along-time customer/critic, I'm looking forward to seeing the changes and improvements. BTW, getting fish from Spencer Jack is a grand way to start. :thumbs: The Doc

:welcome: Welcome aboard Becky! Enjoy the forum. I'm sure you'll find a wealth of knowledge here, as you plan your next tank. The Doc

In planning my next tank, I am trying to decide whether to use wet/dry or canister/HOB. The tank is 120 gallon (48"x24"x24"). If I go wet/dry, the sump will be DIY. My problem is this. My wife absolutely hates :mad: water noise. She is very fussy about the noise level because the tank is going in our livingroom. I keep hearing (mainly from LFS staff) that sumps are noisy and very disruptive. Are they really that bad? How do they compare to more conventional filtration? Too much noise = divorce. :chair: Although........that would leave room for more tanks.......LOL!! Help me out. The Doc

Welcome to the forum finaddict! Enjoy the site. The Doc

:thumbs: Welcome Little_Ben! Nice to see another member from Red Deer. The Doc

Welcome aboard Larry! :welcome: The Doc

:thumbs: Welcome aboard! The Doc

I personally place little faith in these tank cycling shortcuts (Cycle, BioSpira, etc). If a person is diligent in "seeding" their tank with established bacteria, the cycle should go quite quickly. Trust me.......I went from an empty 75 gallon tank to fully stocked in 8 days. In addition to the daily doses of ammonia, I added several bags (made from nylons) of gravel donated from a friend's established tank. As well, each time maintenance was done on his Aquaclear HOB, he squeezed the sponges into my filter before he rinsed them. The addition of active bacteria makes a HUGE difference! IMO, this method is a lot more reliable than pouring in some substance that CLAIMS to speed up your cycle. Please keep in mind, these manufacturers are smart. They know that the success of such products is difficult to quantify, and they also know that some people will buy anything. The Doc

Back to the original topic of this thread.............. I'd still like to hear from other members. The Doc

Hey all, Just an interesting little query for my fellow African fans. You know, something to make you go Hmmm. :eh: Numerous people have made DIY styrofoam/concrete backgrounds for their tanks. These tanks look awesome and provide a somewhat natural looking backdrop, but often have a minimal amount of actual rockwork in the tank. So....thinking in terms of the fishes (Mbuna) best interests, do these set-ups provide any/enough territories for rival males? Would an arrangement of real rock be of greater benefit to the fish as compared to the aesthetically pleasing background? Yes or no? What are your thoughts? If it were your tank.........what would you do, and why? Your opinions are greatly appreciated! The Doc Degrassi, Rahim101, any input???

Do many of you use wet/dry sumps on your set-up? I am trying to decide whether to go sump or canister filtration on my next tank. Both have pros and cons so I thought I'd solicit your input. I'm looking to go 90 gallons minimum. I'd like to make DIY styrofoam background, but that could prove to be a real bugger with canisters. Any suggestions? The Doc

Hey fishfinger! :welcome: Welcome to Canada and to Alberta Aquatica! Depending on the type of fish you are interested in keeping, Calgary has some excellent retailers. I like Gold Aquariums, Riverfront Aquariums, Chums, and Pisces (just watch out for hybrids). With a tank the size of yours, I'd definitely go Africans (Haps and Peacocks). Anyway best of luck with your tank. The Doc

Welcome aboard from a fellow fishkeeper and hockey fan in withdrawal. :cry: The Doc

Awesome fish lists gang! I don't have a tank running at present, but thought I'd pitch in my $.02 if that's OK. Previously, I have kept Saulosi, Acei, Yellow Labs, Perlmutts, Mbamba, Rusties, Lanisticola, Cobalt Blues, Placidochromis Phenocilus, Trewavasae, Moori, Ahli, OB Peacocks, Freibergi, Auratus, Lombardoi, Msobo, Syno Petricola, and Syno Multipunctatus. That's all........really. Can't wait to get my next tank up and running! The Doc

:welcome: Welcome aboard Rhonda! Nice to hear from Rob's better half. The Doc

Hey FishManTy! I'm not sure about this one, but I will take a stab at it. It appers to me that it could be a (Pseudotropheus?) Aurora male that has not yet fully colored up. What do you think? The Doc

I tend to agree with many of the other opinions regarding "fish soup". One other factor to keep in mind is that in such a tank, there is a very delicate balance in regard to aggression and balance in the tank. You would be amazed how drastically things can change with the death or addition of just one fish. If you're looking to add a "unique" color that is somewhat neutral and makes a nice contrast with most Mbuna, don't overlook Iodotropheus Sprengerae (Rusty Cichlids). They are usually somewhat passive toward other species, yet tough enough to hold their own against some of the more aggressive choices. I had a large group at one time. The playful sparring between the males is really entertaining. Lots of charges, short chases, and false attacks but never any damage. Good luck with your choices! The Doc

I've got to agree with FishManTy. I use the Target play sand in my set-ups....... and yeah.....dustier than hell. The Doc