# setting up my tanganyikan tank with pics, lots of pics.



## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

i will try to make this short and to the point.
my plan was to start a more aggressive type of tanganyikan community, the first fish that came to mind was lepidiolamprologus kendalli.
the tank was purchased on craigslist with the footprints of 72"L18"D12"H which is about 68 gallons.
the next step was to paint the back plus the stand.
got it all set up in my room with the fx5 and the sand now it was time for water, got 6 danios to cycle the tank. the tank has 60 pounds of black lava rock which i think looks awesome.
the best part of the process came and i ordered my fish from anthony's fish, he did a great job packed everything great and i would highly recommend. if you want his email i can give it to you. the stock list ended up with:
4 f1 lepidiolamprologus kendalli
4 f1 lepidiolamprologus mimicus
2 WC neolamprologus sexfasciatus
3 WC synodontis dhonti.
im hopeing to end up with a pair of both the kendalli and mimicus in the long run.
i also want to add another species i was thinking a pair of lemairii but some color would be great, all suggestions are welcome, any questions im willing to answer.
enjoy


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## bubG (Jan 24, 2010)

That is a very cool tank. For my money it has shellies written all over it. I do like your idea too, however i am not the person to ask about your stocking. You've done a nice job setting it up, keep us posted on your progress


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

That is an awesome footprint for a tang tank - I love it. You did a great job aquascaping!

Fish look great too.

Did you make that stand?

My only suggestion, at this point, is to add something to create surface water disturbance on the left side - perhaps a powerhead. Ordinarily, an FX5 should be great for a 68 gallon tank; however, with a six foot footprint it seems like you should have something on both ends.

Looks great!


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I wouldn't add another species of cichlids, perhaps a VERY fast moving dither fish... nothing else. As it is... once the mimicus or kendalli pair up, there is the risk they claim the whole tank as their own.

btw, love the choice of fish, and tank size.


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

bubG: 
shellies were my original plan, the things that held me back were i didnt want to have only one species in such a tank, then i considered putting in dividers and thought maybe it would hurt the beauty of the tank so i decided on something a little different from the typical juli, lelupy, calvus which i used to have. i was out of the hobby for about a year and getting back in it feels nice, im sure i will set up a couple more tanks in the future and they will also be tang tanks.

razzo: 
thank you for the kind words man, i did not make the stand it came with the tank i just painted it.
i agree i was thinking of buying a powerhead, or adding an ac110 as much of an overkill that would make it on this tank i dont think you can have too much filtration if the circulation is right, you think adding an ac110 would work?

Fogelhund: i know what you mean these are both pretty dominant species, i guess ill wait and see if they try to eliminate all other fish, if so then another species wont be added. i feel like i need another tank already to fulfill my vision lol.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

When my nkambae spawned, they took out some pretty tough customers. I had a fairly packed tank... the only thing left standing was a pair of Lepidio. lemarii... that managed to find a hiding spot, and didn't dare come out.

This was in a 72" x 18" tall x 24" wide... and lots of rocks. Literally fed the tank at night, everything fine, in the morning most of the fish were dead.


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

what kind of tankmates did you have in with them besides the lemairii? lets hope that doesnt happen to me/ so far in the tank the sxafaciatus mind their own business but punk everone, the mimicus boss the kendalli and feed really aggressively (litteraly splash me and theyre about 3in.) maybe its because they are a bit larger, the kendallis seem pretty laid back, and the dohntis act like everyones invisible and are a blast to watch especially now when theyre coming out of their shell more. i appreciate the advice :thumb:


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## larry.beck (Jul 31, 2009)

That is one crazy footprint for a tank, I love it!


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

I love the choice of fish!


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

sapir7 said:


> what kind of tankmates did you have in with them besides the lemairii?


I had four Neolamprologus nigriventris WC, Four lemarii (two survived), pair of breeding savoryi, and a bunch of Aulonocara dithers.


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

> or adding an ac110 as much of an overkill that would make it on this tank i dont think you can have too much filtration if the circulation is right, you think adding an ac110 would work?


First let me say I absolutely love that footprint and the aquascaping is top notch!. I have the smaller cousin of your tank, a 33XL with a 48x12x12 dimension, that was originally intended as a shellie tank, but know has other purposes. Its filtered with 2 AQ70's, and one problem I have is that the current from the output of the filters travels across the top of the tank and down the front glass and digs pits in the sand.

The other problem I have is that the inlet tubes are really uncomfortably close to the sand. I messed around with prefilters for a couple weeks, but didn't like that everytime I tried to remove them to clean them, they expelled waste all over the tank. You can't really modify the straight inlet tubes to make them shorter, but I cut an inch or so off of the U-tubes to get them off the sand a little more while still being able to easily remove the utubes with the straight inlet tubes attached for maintenance. You'll know what I mean if/when you use AQ filters the method to remove and reattach the inlet tubes.

So, just letting you know you can probably expect those same problems with an AQ110 on your tank.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I love the footprint of that tank and very nice job with the setup. I have no experience with the fish you selected but I would make your rock piles higher to allow more hiding places. I think it would also look much more natural.


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

That's what I did with the fx5 tube, I had to saw off a few inches. I was thinking I can do the same with the ac110. The rockscape right now will stay for a while but I will change it up every couple of months, I have around 20 more pounds of lava rock I haven't used. Thanks for all the replys guys


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

Fogelhund said:


> sapir7 said:
> 
> 
> > what kind of tankmates did you have in with them besides the lemairii?
> ...


 I was considering some nigriventris, wicked looking fish. Do they act like the sexfaciatus? I never owned them before.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

sapir7 said:


> Fogelhund said:
> 
> 
> > sapir7 said:
> ...


They act like more aggressive leleupi... which they are really. The aggression becomes more pronounced when they get ready to spawn, which is fairly difficult with sexfasciatus. I sent you a PM as well. I have a bunch of F1 nigriventris now, and they have started spawning activity, but are being hindered in finding a place in the tank so far. The WC buescheri Mbita Island and F1 cf. "Congo leleupi" are taking up too much territory. (In particular the buescheri)


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## emptyhead (Apr 16, 2007)

I think if you just moved your filter outlet further to the end of the tank and pointed it straight down the long part of the tank, instead of toward the front of the tank, you would have plenty of water movement.

I would not add an HOB to your setup. Your low profile tank looks cool as is.


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

So basically move the outlet to the middle of the tank?


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

sapir7 said:


> So basically move the outlet to the middle of the tank?


I have to say it again, I love the footprint of that tank and your aquascaping is top shelf!

I just don't like one FX5 for that tank (no matter what direction you point the supply nozzles). I am a huge fan of FX5s; however, that is a challenging foot print for just one. Here's a couple ideas:

*A) FX5 & AC110*
I would put both the supply & return from the FX5 on one half of the tank (maybe cheat a little towards center) and I would put an AC110 on the left (AC have a low profile too). I would make sure your supply for the FX5 is positioned closer to center (vs your return). I would also use prefilters on both your FX5 and AC110 returns (jehmco has a kit that fits both perfectly)

OR,...

*B) FX5 & Power Head Option*
Have your FX5 supply/retrun on the right half of the tank with the supply more center and I would put a power head on the left half (with a sponge filter). Angle all supply nozzles dramatcically at the surface (agitate that surface 

One other thing I would do, is to add a second heater and put one heater in the left side (center) and right side (center of the right half).

Here's a pic of the prefilters for an FX5 and AC110, also, you can see the arrangement of my heaters. Granted, this is a 265 with an FX5 and 3 AC110s:










That's kinda dark, here's a better pic of the prefilter kit on a couple fry tanks


















Same prefilter kit has adapters to fit just about any size round tube. If interested, let me know I can give you the jehmco part number. I am a big fan of prefilters - if you clean them weekly, you'll never have to change your bio media.

Keep the pics comming :thumb:


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

thanks for the great advice razzo i might pick up an ac110 in the next couple days, im very interested in the prefilters, but will they replace the bottom plastic pieces on the fx5 and ac110 completely? because i dont have much height to work with, if you can please send me the link for both that would be great. your fronts tank looks amazing! crystal clear water but i cant really see the filtration and how you set it up. as far as the heaters go one 300w will do just fine in Las Vegas where the only time the heater even turns on is after water changes. i was running the tank while it was cycling for a month with no heater and the temp was a steady 80. thanks again for the help


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

sapir7 said:


> thanks for the great advice razzo i might pick up an ac110 in the next couple days, im very interested in the prefilters, but will they replace the bottom plastic pieces on the fx5 and ac110 completely? because i dont have much height to work with, if you can please send me the link for both that would be great. your fronts tank looks amazing! crystal clear water but i cant really see the filtration and how you set it up. as far as the heaters go one 300w will do just fine in Las Vegas where the only time the heater even turns on is after water changes. i was running the tank while it was cycling for a month with no heater and the temp was a steady 80. thanks again for the help


Your good. The sponge pre-filter kit will replace the intake strainer of the FX5 (which is about the same size). It will mount/fit directly onto the same round tube that the FX5's strainer dodad hooks onto. Also, witht he AC110, they give you two drop tubes for deeper tanks. you would only use one drop tube and use a hack saw to cut it to the desired depth. They will work perfectly in you tank 

Since JEHMCO is a long time sponsor of this site, I am sure the mods won't mind a link to their site: http://jehmco.com/html/hydro-sponge_filters.html

You want the Hydro-Sponge Pre-Filters section - two choices:
1) Filter Max III Pre-filter (Item #: HS-PF-FM3)
2) Filter Max II Pre-filter (Item #: HS-PF-FM2)

The difference between the two is the pourosity of the 4" sponge filter (coarse Pro Series sponge vs standard fine pored sponge). They also have the same kit but with a 2" sponge:
3) Filter Max I Pre-filter (Item #: HS-PF-FM1). I'd recommend the 4" sponge filter, you've got the room for it. Also, with these kits, you can turn the sponge filter any direction you want it (ie. horizontally if you like).

Good luck


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Here it is in the verticle position









And turned to a horizontal position









In my 55 fry tank, I use both AC intake tubes to get the sponge filters down deep. You could use just one intake tube and even cut it to the desired length. I did that in my 265 (I even cut the tube on the FX5. Another thing I like, is that this same kit has adaptors that will work on an AC110, AC70, AC50 and I think I used one on an AC30 once. Almost any round intake tube and your good to go (btw: won't work on Emperor filters and their square intake tubes).


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

bro i cant thank you enough for taking your time and helping me with this, just to get things straight i will make an order but which one should i get exactly? thanks


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

sapir7 said:


> bro i cant thank you enough for taking your time and helping me with this, just to get things straight i will make an order but which one should i get exactly? thanks


If it were me, I'd order: Filter Max II Pre-filter (Item #: HS-PF-FM2) which includes the 4" standard fine pored sponge. Order one kit for your FX5 and another kit for your yet future AC110. I've got them on all my tanks. I always like to order a couple extra (comes in handy when starting up a fry tank  ).

I also buy my water conditioner from them too (AquaScience Ultimate 1gallon jug), my meds (Kanamycin sulfate & metro), and freeze dried goods too. It's a great place if you need bulk for a large fish room. They also have VERY knowlegable help. If you ever have a sicknes of any kind in your tank, John is quite the expert. They are an excellent site sponsor and very worthy of our support.

Best wishes bro!


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

Filter Max II Pre-filter it is :thumb:


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## emptyhead (Apr 16, 2007)

sapir7 said:


> So basically move the outlet to the middle of the tank?


No, more to the end of the tank shooting out the length of the tank toward your intake.

Why add another filter? You already have plenty of filtration. The whole point of having that big ole FX5 is to take care of your filtration in one package.

I personally don't like the clutter of multiple filters. I used to run multiple HOB filters on my tanks, now all of my tanks are filtered by an appropriate canister filter.

I use the pre-filters on one of my tanks to reduce the intake of sand. The thing to keep in mind is that you will need to make sure the pre-filter is clean enough to not reduce the intake of your filter, especially on HOB filters.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I like multiples so I have one still running if I have a problem with the other. But both canisters, definitely. I also have in tank backgrounds to hide the intakes behind, so maybe that's why the clutter does not bother me.


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Another canister is an option.

If you don't mind the look of a HOB (which I don't), AC110 is hard to beat and is so easy to maintain (much easier than an FX5 I might add).

I clean my prefilters weekly - I have never seen a noticeable reduction in flow.

One FX5 is certainly "rated" to be more than enough for a 68 gallon tank, but it is that 6' footprint that concerns me. I don't think your gonna get good water movement through the entire footprint or enough surface disturbance. That footprint gives you a lot of surface area for the size of the tank (which I really like). It'd be a shame to not to take advantage of all that surface area and aggitate it all 

Just my two cents though.


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

picked up a used ac110 today, the guy only had it for a month its pretty much brand new. ordered 2 of the prefilter kits and 2 extra sponges which should be here by the end of the week if not then on monday. going to add the ac110 on the next waterchange because the tank will need to be moved about an inch from the wall. since im doing all that why not add more rocks and redo the scape. excpect some new pics in the next week or so :wink:


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## eugenechng (Mar 2, 2006)

Your rockscape is VERY WELL done. Excellent Job. :thumb: If you must add some more rocks, it'll be to make it higher on the existing rocks and not a rearrangement of the rocks. But who knows if you do a rearrangement it may look even better.


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

just a quick update, yesterday i got the prefilters in the mail so it gave me an excuse to do some work. i removed all rocks and fish from the tank, drained most of it and moved it a few inches from the wall to fit the ac110. i think the rocks look decent, but the best part is that they seem a lot more functional than just for looks. these pics were taken with a cell phone during the day so excuse the poor quality but it still gives you an idea, the water was a bit cloudy from all the moving around and the fish were still stressed. i will update with better pics as soon as i can. let me know what you guys think


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

a quick vid with some feeding at the end. the fx5 sounds loud because there were air bubbles from the water change still stuck in it, the noise goes away in a day or two.
some better quality pics also


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## smidey (Mar 15, 2007)

cool, that must be one quiet setup


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

looks amazing  !!

I'd add some green but thats me


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

Give me an example of what kind of plants you think would look good in my setup, nothing huge and not too many plants. Thanks


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Check DiogoÃ‚Â´s thread on Tropheus and Petros, is called "Tropheus project" Im totally in love with his fishtanks.. hehe  he uses cryptocoryne wendtii green, hereÃ‚Â´s the link to his tanks.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=182589&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=195


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

Yea his tank is amazing, where exactly would you put the plants? I'm comfortable w
scaping the rocks I just don't know where I would place the plants. I really like the simple look of his tank and he's got just the right amount of greenery.


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

video didnt work, hopefully it does this time


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Video still doesn't work.

Cryptorcorne wendtii is a good easy plant, and provides some lower level hiding places. Giant vallisneria also is a good plant, and if you grow enough provides both cover, and breaks up sight lines in the tank.


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

would the cryptocoryne wendtii work with low amounts of light? are there any plants out there native to tanganyika that can be purchased in the hobby? *** never used live plants in my african tanks any advice? i told myself if i ever put any plants in the tank they will be live. thanks guys


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

hehe idk why but my firewall at work blocks videos.. **** firewalls 

Yeah ill add the plants near the rocks, i love how they look next to them, and the clear in the middle looks great =)


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## bearded lab (Apr 28, 2010)

If you want to add plants, then of course go ahead, but I think it looks good just like it is!


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

yea the vid doesnt work for me either, i copied the right link for forums but no luck.
i dont usually feed live but i think once in a while its ok and its nice to see the natural predatory behavior of these fish, hopefully today i will pick up some feeders and get a video if it.
i know the risks of feeding live and its not an everyday thing, not even an every month thing.
what do you guys think of the new rockscape compared to the old one?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

The only plants I'd add to that setup are some anubias attacked to the very rear rocks to help hide the filters. Killer job on the rockwork, it's always hard to make it look natural but you nailed it.

I know you got the tank on craigslist, but did you look at who made it before you filled it? I love the dimensions, perfect for dwarf cichlids.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

sapir7 said:


> would the cryptocoryne wendtii work with low amounts of light? are there any plants out there native to tanganyika that can be purchased in the hobby? I've never used live plants in my african tanks any advice? i told myself if i ever put any plants in the tank they will be live. thanks guys


There are no plants from Lake Tanganyikan available in the hobby.

Potamogeton and Vallisneria species are available in the hobby, but not the same species that are in the lake. So, some Vallisneria is in the lake.

Cryptocorne does well with lower levels of light.

I keep plants with my cichlids, no CO2, no ferts, just twin aqua glo bulbs over top. I use sand in the bottom.




























Anubias barteri, Anubias gracilis, Anubias nana, Cryptocorne balansae, Crypt. parva, Crypt. wendtii, Crypt. pontederiifolia, Crypt. crispatula, Java Ferns, Dwarf Swords, Brazilian Swords, Vallisneria gigantea (Giant Val) are fairly easy.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Fogelhund said:


> sapir7 said:
> 
> 
> > would the cryptocoryne wendtii work with low amounts of light? are there any plants out there native to tanganyika that can be purchased in the hobby? I've never used live plants in my african tanks any advice? i told myself if i ever put any plants in the tank they will be live. thanks guys
> ...


hehe... now thats some serious green there


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

Fogelhund those are some very impressive tanks and thank u for the info. The guy I bought it from had it set up for litteraly a week, he was going to use it as a frag tank to hold corals for his main tank. I got a killer deal on it with a 6 foot metal halide which I sold to get supplies and fish. The tank was made by fujimojo in California.


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## kriskm (Dec 1, 2009)

> There are no plants from Lake Tanganyikan available in the hobby.


We have hobbyists in the fish club here with Tanganyikan vallisneria in their African tanks, and they say it grows like gang busters in their hard water. I'll have to see if I can find out where they bought it, but I'm pretty sure they didn't visit the lake to get it


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## sapir7 (Apr 21, 2010)

That would be awesome kriskm, please let me know. Thanks man


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## kriskm (Dec 1, 2009)

Oops, looks like I was wrong. The folks here originally got it from Chuck Rambo, a well-known speaker on African cichlids, who did indeed collect it from the lake. It is quickly spreading to other hobbyists' tanks. Maybe we could get a store to start offering it.


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## eugenechng (Mar 2, 2006)

Your scape now looks much better than the original. I'd rather you not put in plants but if you must try not to put in too many plants so as to stay true to the tanganyikan lake's rockscape. By the way the sponges from the two additional filter looks distracting in the scape.


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