# First Post !



## Cichlid209 (Nov 29, 2012)

Hello All ,

My first post here on CF. Just wanted to say hi and tell you about my tank and post a few videos . Right now i have a 55 gallon with 1 male red devil named ralphie .
I have a 135 gallon he will be going into in a couple of months or whenever it gets finished ..


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

Welcome to the forum!! Im an african guy, but have fun with that 135. I know how fun it is getting a tank just like you want it as im 6+ weeks right now finishing the stand for my 220. Its rewarding to do it right!!! Just noticed your not terribly far from me lol


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## Cichlid209 (Nov 29, 2012)

Mschn99 said:


> Welcome to the forum!! Im an african guy, but have fun with that 135. I know how fun it is getting a tank just like you want it as im 6+ weeks right now finishing the stand for my 220. Its rewarding to do it right!!! Just noticed your not terribly far from me lol


thanks Mschn99 i had started with africans about 2 years ago, had all kinds even a dedicated frontosa tank, mbuna haps etc .I loved them even had fry from multiple fish . But this time i decided to try just a single fish and love it . Wow a 220 that sounds awesome got any pics or videos of it ? yea where about are you ? sucks all the best lfs are about a hour away from me lol


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

Cichlid209 said:


> Mschn99 said:
> 
> 
> > Welcome to the forum!! Im an african guy, but have fun with that 135. I know how fun it is getting a tank just like you want it as im 6+ weeks right now finishing the stand for my 220. Its rewarding to do it right!!! Just noticed your not terribly far from me lol
> ...


I dont have any pics or vids yet.....except it sitting outside my house lol. When i get it set up i will be sure to get some up though. It was a horribly degraded metal stand that i had sand blasted and i sanded down and primered. then i built the frame and doors of the cabinet around the metal. I hope it looks as good with the tank on it as i envisioned. Im painting it all with automotive paint so it hopefully will look good! its an 8' tank, but im going to have to live with a 72" 6 bulb t-5 light on it till i can come up with the $450 for the LED setup i want on it. BTW i am in watsonville, in between monterey and santa cruz. I work in hollister.


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## Fish on Fire (Dec 13, 2012)

Nice, welcome to the forums. Wet pets are awesome.


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

Welcome Cichlid209...I love the colors in your guy especially against the black substrate. And he has quite the attitude... coming right up to the camera like that and claiming his cave. Very nice and he will probably love that bigger tank when you get it ready for him.


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## Cichlid209 (Nov 29, 2012)

[/quote]
I dont have any pics or vids yet.....except it sitting outside my house lol. When i get it set up i will be sure to get some up though. It was a horribly degraded metal stand that i had sand blasted and i sanded down and primered. then i built the frame and doors of the cabinet around the metal. I hope it looks as good with the tank on it as i envisioned. Im painting it all with automotive paint so it hopefully will look good! its an 8' tank, but im going to have to live with a 72" 6 bulb t-5 light on it till i can come up with the $450 for the LED setup i want on it. BTW i am in watsonville, in between monterey and santa cruz. I work in hollister.[/quote]

im sure once you have it up and running it will be a stunning tank. i didn't know they made 8 foot led lights ? 450 wow thats alot ! right on watsonville pretty close by 2 hours just like from here to Sacramento


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## Cichlid209 (Nov 29, 2012)

Fish on Fire said:


> Nice, welcome to the forums. Wet pets are awesome.


i agree thank you


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## Cichlid209 (Nov 29, 2012)

cichlid-gal said:


> Welcome Cichlid209...I love the colors in your guy especially against the black substrate. And he has quite the attitude... coming right up to the camera like that and claiming his cave. Very nice and he will probably love that bigger tank when you get it ready for him.


thanks cichlids-gal much appreciated . Yea that was my vision when i first got him was he would pop against a all black tank . funny thing though is my phone makes his colors washed out from what they really are he has more intense vibrant colors in person . and oh yea his personality has been coming along rather nicely . just this week was the first time he came out while doing a water change and attacked my python gravel vac lol usually he would just be in his log until it was over . yea i can't wait till i get the bigger tank up and running just need a stand and a extra heater , fx5 and glass tops and it will be up.


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

Cichlid209 said:


> im sure once you have it up and running it will be a stunning tank. i didn't know they made 8 foot led lights ? 450 wow thats alot ! right on watsonville pretty close by 2 hours just like from here to Sacramento


Its not an 8 foot LED fixture, its four 12.5K white LED spotlights and four 6.5K blue spotlights that will sit on eggcrate on top of the tank. Much more energy efficient than the T-5 bulbs im running on everything now.


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## Cichlid209 (Nov 29, 2012)

Mschn99 said:


> Cichlid209 said:
> 
> 
> > im sure once you have it up and running it will be a stunning tank. i didn't know they made 8 foot led lights ? 450 wow thats alot ! right on watsonville pretty close by 2 hours just like from here to Sacramento
> ...


right on! my 4 foot led i have now only using 11 watts loving the energy savings


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

Cichlid209 said:


> Mschn99 said:
> 
> 
> > Cichlid209 said:
> ...


lol....mine wont be quite that efficient, as they are spotlights but im looking at about 240 watts total for all the fixtures. The 6' fixture i had with all six lamps on was 480 watts so its half anyway with just as much light.


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## Cichlid209 (Nov 29, 2012)

i bet that it will get alot of shimmer effect though spotlights do that i think or was it floodlight LED's although those might be the same


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

Cichlid209 said:


> i bet that it will get alot of shimmer effect though spotlights do that i think or was it floodlight LED's although those might be the same


They are the same. I hope it looks as good as i think its gonna!!!


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi Cichlid209,

Thank you for posting some videos of your amazing Red Devil. One of my favorite fish and yours looks great. How big is he?

Thanks,
Matt


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## Cichlid209 (Nov 29, 2012)

mlancaster said:


> Hi Cichlid209,
> 
> Thank you for posting some videos of your amazing Red Devil. One of my favorite fish and yours looks great. How big is he?
> 
> ...


thank you , he is pushing 8 inches and is a beauty even since the video looks even better . do you have a red devil ?


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## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

Nice RD and I am sure he is going to enjoy that 135 gallon once it's ready.

And, hey, you're right down the highway from me too! I'm just north of Lodi.


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## Cichlid209 (Nov 29, 2012)

jeaninel said:


> Nice RD and I am sure he is going to enjoy that 135 gallon once it's ready.
> 
> And, hey, you're right down the highway from me too! I'm just north of Lodi.


thanks  I'm sure he will feel like he is in a mansion with him being the only fish in it lol ...ohh nice! that is pretty close , have you ever been to sacramento LFS's ? There are a few nice ones around . I love your 135 gallon very nice looking and natural .


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Thats an awesome looking young devil! Welcome aboard!


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## Cichlid209 (Nov 29, 2012)

mok3t said:


> Thats an awesome looking young devil! Welcome aboard!


Thank You mok3t ,much appreciated .


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

helli. i too new to this forum, but not the hibby. i had a red devil that i got at about 2". he was a beautiful fish with a lot of personality. unfortunately with size cam e aggression. i grew him to about 7". he got to be so nasty i couldnt even work in the tank without netting him first. he was in 75 by himself. he drew blood every time i put my hand in. he would rip huge chunks out of scrub brush when i would clean tank. I'm not saying every single redDevil is like this. That was just my personal experience. I hope you have better luck have fun


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Cichlid209 said:


> do you have a red devil ?


Hi Cichlid209,

Unfortunately I do not have a RD/Midas. Currently my 125g is a community set up. But once that tank starts to wind down, it has some pretty old fish in it, I hope to set it up with a RD or Midas and perhaps a pair of salvini.

Thanks,
Matt


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## Cichlid209 (Nov 29, 2012)

mlancaster said:


> Cichlid209 said:
> 
> 
> > do you have a red devil ?
> ...


that would be a awesome tank myself i just bought a brand new 135 gallon and stand that my fish will be going into in a day or two . if and when you do have room in the 125 i know a midas or rd would be happy in that tank .


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