# Any comments on this Neolamprologus brichardi setup?



## BjÃƒÂ¸rgvin (Feb 18, 2010)

Hi!
New to the forum.
This is my first "big" tank. Just 50g (180l) But a big step up from my first. 
I have 8 young burundis ready to go in this tank when its cycle is complete. 
Filter is a eheim 2075 hidden behind an empty Juwel box with more intake holes. I cut out the back of the box. So it now just sit snug in place by rocks at the bottom.
The reason I did this was that the green eheim filter became realy visible when I painted the back black.
Still cloudy water. Sorry for the 5 post rule before you can post images


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## BjÃƒÂ¸rgvin (Feb 18, 2010)

test


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## BjÃƒÂ¸rgvin (Feb 18, 2010)

test


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## BjÃƒÂ¸rgvin (Feb 18, 2010)

test


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## BjÃƒÂ¸rgvin (Feb 18, 2010)

test


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## BjÃƒÂ¸rgvin (Feb 18, 2010)




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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Very nice looking, natural setup, can't wait til the water clears up.

Are you going to be cycling the tank using the fishless method?


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## BjÃƒÂ¸rgvin (Feb 18, 2010)

Thanx! 
The tank has been cycling for 3 weeks without fish or plants. But with some fishfood now and then. Not sure if it was a good idea to not have plants in from the start?
I have a smaller tank I can use some filtermedia from. 
So not sure if I`ll wait another week or two, or just kickstart it and see how it goes.


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## mrs.som (Nov 14, 2009)

Still cloudy like that after 3 weeks? Have you been moving the decor around or...? I'd do some water changes to get that cleared up. You can use a heavy ceramic bowl in the tank when filling the tank back up to prevent substrate scattering (and further cloudiness).
Other than that, I love the setup...very serene! The brichardi are gonna look amazing in there!


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## BjÃƒÂ¸rgvin (Feb 18, 2010)

The 3 weeks cycling were done without the rocks. So this picture is just hours after putting them in. In order to get the rocks all the way to the bottom, I had to do some sand shuffling
Thanx for the comments. Thinking of laying out some shells or something in that open field.


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## Chris2500DK (Feb 15, 2006)

A few shells here and there will just add to the result. It's looking great, good luck with the bricardis


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

the tank looks great, i'm not sure how well food works for cycling a tank, have you been measuring for ammonia to see if it's actually climbing?

using pure ammonia is the easiest way to fishless cycle


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

cjacob316 said:


> using pure ammonia is the easiest way to fishless cycle


Agree. Food is going to be slow because first you have to wait until it rots and turns into ammonia.


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## Chris2500DK (Feb 15, 2006)

I guess that's one of the big differences in fishtank keeping in the US compared to in Europe, I've never heard of anyone around here cycling a tank with ammonia. Most of the time people I come across just seed the new filter from a running filter and feed lightly for the first week or two.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Using an established tank is great if you have one. If not, then what?


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## BjÃƒÂ¸rgvin (Feb 18, 2010)

Thanx.
Adding some shells and change plant postition and rocks on the right side will be next. Also thinking of making some kind of stone modules to hang from the top. 
I dont have an ammoniatester. But I am reading nitrit now. Doesnt that mean that things are happening. Will be 4 weeks cycling this thursday. 
Also never heard of cycling with added ammonia before this site. But I guess it could speed things up.


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## Chris2500DK (Feb 15, 2006)

DJRansome said:


> Using an established tank is great if you have one. If not, then what?


There are several "filter starter" products on the market here that people use with good success. Like this for instance http://www.aquaristikshop.com/e_Produkt ... astart.htm

I don't disagree with the ammonia cycling method at all, it's definetely a good way to go about it, it's just not used here.

But we're getting a bit off track 

Looking forward to seeing the tank with shells (and fish!)


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## BjÃƒÂ¸rgvin (Feb 18, 2010)

Hope you can clearify this for me.
After about 3 weeks of fishless cycle I am now reading an orange color on my tetra nitrit test.(0.3-0.8 )
What should happen next? Just let it go and it will decline when the good bacterias build up in the filter? Of course no fish in before its 0.
As I have said. I have a smaller tank up and running. But this tank is 3 times bigger and the eheim 2075 is a huge thing compared to the small juwel filter in the small tank.


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## Chris2500DK (Feb 15, 2006)

Yeah, no fish until you measure 0 nitrite or ammonia.
You can help things along by squeezing the filter pad from the smaller filter into the intake of the Eheim on the new tank.


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## CoolCichlid (Feb 12, 2010)

BjÃƒÂ¸rgvin said:


>


wow, looking good..


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## BjÃƒÂ¸rgvin (Feb 18, 2010)

Hopefully next photo will with fish in the tank. Nitrite are still high at the moment. But water has cleared up some.
Put in some slate in were the filter box. Just to see if I like the color/look. Maybe I`ll cover the box and some area around it with that.
Also still thinking of ideas of what could look good to fill out more on the top part of the tank. Any suggestions?


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## mrs.som (Nov 14, 2009)

I'd go for the slate thing to cover the filter but other than that, I think I like the simplicity of it....very calming


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## CoolCichlid (Feb 12, 2010)

Yes it's true, it's very calming


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## MNCproductions (Feb 27, 2010)

dont do anyhthing! i wish my tank was still that "clean" and simplistic! over the years mine has become a collection of everything i've ever wanted in my tank. 
K.I.S.S
Keep It Simple Stupid


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