Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

[fishlady]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

8O ....you sleep with the fishes????
haven't i heard that somewhere before????

[SteveCGG]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

OK everyone....I did it (and with the wife's approved!)...ordered the 215g with black oak stand. Reef ready with an eheim 2260...but i gotta wait 3 weeks

I wanted instant gratification....and now I have to wait to get it cycled    

What would be a good looking cichlid that is hardy enough to use to cycle the tank? I don't want to put crappy fish in and then have to catch the darn things later.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

Use seeded filter media.

[SteveCGG]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

I also heard about using gravel from another tank? Do they both work well? Which is faster?

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

Do you have the Eheim already or do you have to wait on it too? If you have it already you can set it up on someones tank and it'll cycle by the time you get the tank delivered. You can run one on one of my tanks if you want. I dont have an eheim so i cant give up my seeded media. Thats another option for you though.

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

Gravel doesnt work very well IMO. It might work better if it came from a tank with an UGF.

[SteveCGG]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

Thanks for the offer, but I had to order the eheim too...I told him I didn't need it if I don't have the tank yet...guess I was wrong. He is matching the online pricing so I can't complain!

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

Yeah gravel is not gonna help much.....You will probably need to buy media for that 2260...I will trade you my dirty media for your clean media.  

[SteveCGG]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

Gee thanks. Actually, it is coming complete with all the media. He does maintanence for tanks all around the Spring/Woodlands area. I'll ask him for some media and/or gravel from a similar tank.

[Fire_chair]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

You could buy a whole bunch of Bio-Spira

[SteveCGG]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

Tank and stand are officially ordered...will come with biological jump start stuff so I can add fish within a couple of days!!!

Now for substrate. I see most of you like sand, but I'm kind of a gravel guy, it seems to be easier to siphon. The fish in my old 55g had no problem moving the gravel all around. I want some small sized gravel or very coarse sand, and some nice sized river "boulders" with some color to them. Anyone know of a good rock/gravel yard on the north side? I'm almost to Conroe...I drove past Weisingers tonite on the way to Shooter's Station. Has anyone been there?

Holey Rock vs. Stacked slates? Both?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

dang, I haven't been out to Shooter's Station in like forever! They still let you shoot your own rifle ammo and rifles indoors? First time I called on a whim to see if I could find a place to shoot my AR inside (raining outside) and they were the only ones to say yes besides Top Gun but with SS they let us use whatever ammo we brought with us unlike TG which required frangible ammo.

As for the THR vs. Slate....I think slate is ugly.

[SteveCGG]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

We have been going to Shooter's Station for a couple of years, but I have never seen anyone shooting a rifle in there. I just picked up the new Sig 250c, 9mm, and had to try it out. The only nights they are open late is Wed & Thurs. There is some kind of "League" on Thursday nights, but only on one side of the range. Sundays are always crowded, and I work on Saturdays, so we usually go Thursday.

I have always used Holey Rock, just wanna see what else is out there!

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

Take trip to a nice rock yard and you will be amazed at what you find.

I went a few times to SS and shot rifles....loud as Phuck in there though but we stayed dry. :wink:

[SteveCGG]

Re: Hi everyone! Question about mixing African Cichlids...

That's what I want to do. I am looking for suggestions of rock or landscape places on the north side up to Conroe. Has anyone found a really great one?