# 220 Malawi Hap/Peacock build



## Dieselfool (Aug 11, 2010)

Well....been out of Africans for a few years now, and haven't paid much attention to this site for a long time.. Decided to forgo my first venture into the darkside (Marine),because my work schedule just doesn't allow enough time to set up, learn and look after a salwater tank. Hmmm....what to do? I know, why not my first real aquarium love, African Cichlids.
Sold off all my Africans a few years ago and went the route of Discus. Well, turned out they just wern't for me. Lots of color, but not a whole lot of movment. So I decided to go marine. After a few months of collecting marine equipment.....and a brand new 220 to set it all up in, I've come the realization that it's just not feasable. I'm a driver and I'm sometimes out on the road for 3 or 4 days at a time.
So with my new 220, I'm starting my venture back into Africans. Decided that my next tank was going to be my show tank, I wanted brand new, no scratches. Every tank I've bought up till now has been a used one. Even the best used ones still have some little scratches. 
I hope that some of you will tag along on this with me, offering up sugestions, opinions, criticisms and general pats on the back for me doing such a great job. LOL. This thread will be pic heavy, just cause I like taking pics. And will also be slow at times due to my work schedule.
So, without futher adieu, lets get started.

My new 220.



















My DIY stand and canopy.



















Left over scrape out of what I remember as being 10 or 12, 2x4x8s. Usualy I have alot more waste than this. LOL.










Starting to come together.
This is the canopy sitting on top of the stand.



















Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics. The camera went for a dump after just a few pics. 
The last pic is the actual color. The other pic was getting some sort'a weird flash thing goin on. It's kinda greenish/olive color.
Thanks for looking.
Al.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

OOH, I love shiny new aquarium setups! I'll be keeping my eye on your build.

Very nice job on the DIY stand. Nice set of carpentry skills you have there.

Oh, welcome back to the Cichlid family!


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

VERY nice so far!


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## Dieselfool (Aug 11, 2010)

Thanks Mods.
Getting the final trim done.










Finished, sanded and ready for final paint.










A carpenter I'm not. LOL. 
A weekend carpenter's best friend, Woodfiller. Liberally applied of course.










Might even get some more paint on it tonight.


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## S14Swap240sx (Jan 3, 2011)

is that a single 2x4 or is it 2x6 spaning the full unsported length of the front of the stand?


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## S14Swap240sx (Jan 3, 2011)

figure i would post this as well.. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthrea ... id=1169964

just a guide i used making my stand. i guess figuring out the actual breaking strength of a 2x4 has way to many varriables to do it easily enough.. id hate for some sort of bow to develop over time


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## Dieselfool (Aug 11, 2010)

S14Swap240sx said:


> is that a single 2x4 or is it 2x6 spaning the full unsported length of the front of the stand?


 It's suported. That pic was taken before the vertical suport was put in. The two center doors are hinged to it.










I even made two removable vertical suports.



















They'll be left out while loading my gear into the stand. Then put in before filling the tank. Once the water's in, theres no way these will come out.


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## Dieselfool (Aug 11, 2010)

S14Swap240sx said:


> figure i would post this as well.. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthrea ... id=1169964
> 
> just a guide i used making my stand. i guess figuring out the actual breaking strength of a 2x4 has way to many varriables to do it easily enough.. id hate for some sort of bow to develop over time


Thanks for the reference S14.
I did acually read most of that post before building my stand. I did alot of reading before building. Last thing anybody wants is 2500lbs. of water and glass to come crumbling down. 
Al.


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## S14Swap240sx (Jan 3, 2011)

Noo problem! I would hate to see a disaster over something so simple. good luck with the rest of the build!


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## Dieselfool (Aug 11, 2010)

Time for an update.
Well, it's been about a month or so since I really did anything about this empty tank sitting in my living room. Well.... I did manage to get the final coat of paint on the stand, and did manage to slop it all over the hinges. LOL. Lazyness rears it's ugly head again. I told myself "just go slow and you won't have to remove all the doors and hardware", yeah, right. So now I have to remove all the doors anyway to put the new hinges on, easier to buy cheap new ones than to attempt to clean the 1st. ones. Oh, I also managed to p/u another used FX5 for $100.
It seems dirtbiking takes up most of my free time in the summer. Gotta make the best of the good weather while living up in the north. But I tweaked out my back, as well as the front end of my bike, so there's no riding for a couple of weekends. Those darn trees just don't get out of the way.  
So, on the agenda for today was starting the carving of my 3D background. I had glued it all up about a month ago, so it was more than ready to be carved.

In the 1st. pic you can see all the big hunks I had glued on, but then decided I didn't really like the way it looked. and tore them off. Decided I wanted to keep it fairly thin, as not to take up too much swimming space.










2nd pic you can see some of the pieces still attached.










Got out my trusty rotary tool and went at it. This 2'-3' section took me about 2.5 hrs to do.



















Once again, sorry for the crappy cell phone pics. I don't see a new digital camera in my near future. Hey, there's always Christmass, right?
Al.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

I'll be watching.


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## PaNiK (Dec 10, 2003)

Yeah another tank build to follow! Good luck!


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

Nice texture so far, I like it. Lookin forward to seeing how you progress!

Steve


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## Dieselfool (Aug 11, 2010)

Thanks guys. Spent another 4 hours at it today. Got the big main section done. Just have to finish carving the sides that will hide all the hardware, then it will be time to Dryloc. But it's back to work tomorrow so I'll be out on the road for at least a few days so I don't foresee any real progress till next w/end.
Al.

P.S. Vacuumed 3 times and I'm still finding styro pieces all over the house.


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## Gags (Mar 23, 2012)

Looking great so far keeps updated


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## PaNiK (Dec 10, 2003)

Lookin good. When working with the drylok mix it in appropriate size batches. Make sure you mix enough for your first coat so that it's uniform in color, and smaller batches for detail. Seems like common sense, but in the excitement I lost sight of that.

Yeah, I feel like I'll never get all the styrofoam out of the house. It doesn't help that my dog tracked it everywhere either lol


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## Dieselfool (Aug 11, 2010)

Well it's that time of the year again. Dirtbiking is almost finished. Can only get out when the weather co-operates. So it's hit and miss right now. Still hoping to get a couple more rides in before putting the bike away for the winter. But....that means it aquarium time again. :dancing: So I did manage to get this thing filled this week. Although after looking at my pics it all seems somewhat anti-climatic. Decided not to go with the DIY b/g. After spending many hrs carving it, I decided I didn't like it. So I busted it up and chucked it out.
So on to my anti-climatic finish up of this tank.

Got it all leveled out. Was quite suprised that my floor wasn't that far out of level after having a 125 then a 180 on it for a couple of years. Maybe there's something to be said for older houses eh?










Got eggcrate on the bottom and some eggcrate painted black across the back and up the side a little to protect the glass.



















Sand in.










Rocks and some water.



















The finished product. Full :dancing:



















But who's kidding who? 
We all know they're never finished. :lol:


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## jchild40 (Mar 20, 2010)

The set up is fantastic! I can't wait to see what you stock it with!


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

How come you decided against the BG you were workin' on? You had a real nice look to it going in those last pics back a couple months ago.


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## Dieselfool (Aug 11, 2010)

Steve C said:


> How come you decided against the BG you were workin' on? You had a real nice look to it going in those last pics back a couple months ago.


Can't explain it. Just didn't like it. So instead of spending another week carving, and another week coating and curing, I just decided to go with the standared black painted glass with rock look. I have access to unlimited amounts of the black(ish) rock, (although I can't pick it once the snow is down) and I had this in my old 125 and it really made the color of the fish pop.
Pics of the old 125 below.



















So right now I have it up and running with just one of the two FX5s that will be on it, with all the bio-media from a Ehiem 2217 off my Daughter in-laws tank thats been up and running for a couple of years now. I also added 50 gal from her tank when I filled it up. Timed her water change with my fill-up. I know water doesn't add that much bio-mass, but hey, every little bit helps right? Besides, who wants to wait and do a full cycle if they don't have to? So right now I have 3 Monos in just to keep the cycle going till I can go Cichlid shopping.



jchild40 said:


> The set up is fantastic! I can't wait to see what you stock it with!


As far as stock goes, it's going to be filled with the standared Male Peacocks, and some of the larger male Hap predators IE: Commpressersip, Fusco, VC10, Livingstoni, you get the idea right? And I'm sure by the end of it all it may be somewhat overstocked, but hey gotta spread the aggession around right? Only thinking of my fish's heath ya know. :lol: 
So next week I'm on vacation, then it's Child shoppimg time. :dancing:


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## Dieselfool (Aug 11, 2010)

Time for an update.



















Got a few small Peacocks and some predator Haps. Don't pay any attention to the few oddballs(Monos and such) They are up for sale.

My Sunshine and Alhi.








Milomo.









And I even have one big Tang. This guy was a rescue that I coudn't turn my back on.
8" male Frontosa. Yup, he's no Hap, but I'm gonna keep him anyway.


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

Tank and stand look great. I think you might want to put a small piece of wood or something inside the hood along the seam on the side where the hinged part and the stationary part come together just to cut out the light bleed there. also on the pics, that doesn't look like a milomo to me (lips are too small), looks more like a placidochromis johnstoni...


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