# Need help turning a 55G into a centerpiece



## Halo_003 (May 7, 2014)

Disclaimer: my parents started this tank when I was at school.

To give some background, I've had a 10G reef setup for about 4 months, so far going really well, its in a 20L right now, love that size for a pair of clowns and corals etc. I've never had FW except a betta, I got straight into SW with a really nice pair of Gladiator clowns and various corals.

Anyways, my parents many years ago had a community tank, under gravel filter etc. Had to get rid of it when moving, the whole nine yards. They decided they wanted a tank again this year and picked up a 55G from the Petco sale. It has currently:

An Aquatech HOB on it rated for 30G I think
50lbs of pool filter sand
Maybe 15lbs of small river rocks
Basic T12 lighting
Air pump rated 30-60G iirc.

Current fish in it:
Bushynose pleco
Synodontis petricola
7 various cichlids, will have to get pics for ID but 1 I know is a yellow lab, and 1 I think is a kenyi maybe

Now, the tank is in the sitting room. I would love to get it to have major "wow" factor for when people come over, to the level that my 20L reef does (which is located near the door). I knmow most of the gear will need to be replaced, and I would like to replace the cichlids at least I think. I like the catfish, no feeling either way on the pleco.

I got referred to come here from NanoReef. From what was said there, I think I want to do mixed mbuna or peacocks, something very colorful and active. Presently, the cichlids all hide whenever someone gets close to the tank. Kinda is annoying for me as a clownfish owner (who I can handfeed etc, very social). Is that normal behavior for mbuna?

A potential issue is that I really dig demasoni, I just love the colors.

For equipment, what's recommended for this size? I was thinking either 2x AC 70 or one with a good canister filter. Cost is a factor to consider though.
Lighting I was thinking the currentUSA LEDs look nice. It doesn't have to be LED, could do T5HO like on my 20L but unsure what's best in FW. I'd like it to be able to run plants.
Heater I have a general idea, I was thinking a 250W eheim jager. I have a 75W on my 20L.
For flow I was thinking about a Jebao WP25 or a Koralia 850(?) Not sure how much flow would be needed.

With adequate flow, the air pump could be removed, no? I'd like to keep noise down since it is in the sitting room, and the house has a very open design so sound carries really well.

For right now that's all I have, but I will doubtless have more questions soon enough.


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## hose91 (Mar 5, 2014)

Welcome to the forum. Great idea for your folks. You're on the right track. Either filter upgrade would work. I like canisters, 2 Eheim 2217 on a 75G. Quiet, nice flow into the tank from the ends. I had to paint the green piping black though. Heater is spot on, I think. I have a current Sat+ and like it quite a lot. I think it would do OK for some plants, though plants with Mbuna will be a challenge as they quite like to rearrange the tank. The remote for the light is a nice selling point, and the dynamic "rolling cloud" modes keep it interesting. I wish it had a timer, but that's minor. The air pump can go, and depending on filtration, an 850 would be nice for the flow. I have an 1150 but havent seen the need to put it in the tank yet.

A big group of Demasoni (like 15-25) with a group of 6-8 yellow labs would be spectacular, active, entertaining, and has been/is being done by a few folks here who will chime in over the next 24 hours, surely. Only other thing missing would be the good rockwork. A google image search for "Mbuna tank" will give you lots of examples, and you can find the rock at most any good landscape/rock supply yard. Stacks and piles on Pool filter sand work really well. You didn't mention the background. I like a black painted one, but YMMV. Demasoni and Labs would pop nicely against that though. The cats will fit right in, not sure you'd want to keep the rest of the existing stock.

Lastly, I think Mbuna can be skittish, especially in the smaller numbers you are describing. I have 30 1.25" juveniles, and they bolt for cover when I approach or walk by, then they come flowing out looking for food about 10 seconds later. They do have pretty good personality, imo, foerever darting around, rearranging the sand, exploring the tank, and mixing it up with each other. Good luck with the build, fire away with questions!


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## Halo_003 (May 7, 2014)

Thanks for the advice. It doesn't have to be a demasoni dominant tank but I'd like a group of them breeding ideally. I had heard the catfish were good, they can be quite pricey though. I only have one now so I'd likento get a few more since it's a schooling fish, how many would be good for that? I was thinking 4-5 more to get a nice little group of petricola. Along with a big set of mbuna or peacocks, I'm leaning toward mbuna though to get breeding groups.

What kind of rock would be best? I know there's a few good options like tufa, lava etc. I'll be looking for a few big rocks for some towers, and a bunch of small/medium ones to stack and make caves etc.

For SW I know a controllable pump is nice, is it worth it on a FW tank? If so I'll see if they can go with a WP25(800-2000GPH).

Background I'll need to find a black vinyl background, I'd rather avoid painting it if I can.

Do you think the pleco would be okay in the tank? I heard the nose with spikes etc can help them defend themselves.


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## shelbynjakesdad (Mar 13, 2013)

Welcome, you've come to the right place for cichlid advice!

I have a 55g mbuna tank and a 29g reef tank (just in the cycling phase), so we have quite a lot in common there. My mbuna are not shy at all, in fact they are quite the opposite. Any time I approach the tank, they all swim to the top begging for food - there are a couple fish in there I could catch by hand if I wanted! It can actually be annoying at times when I want to watch their natural behavior... have to sit very still for them to go about their business. They are very active and have huge personalities once settled in, so you won't be disappointed there.

Rocks really don't matter what kind... Go to a landscaping yard / rock quarry and pick out some that you like and that stack well. Mbuna love rocks, mine are stacked about 2/3 of the way to the top of the tank. The same goes for sand, pool filter sand is popular, but any kind will work. Don't get caught up in the buffering properties as this will have minimal effect. Pick out what looks nice to you... I prefer darker colored sand.

The WP25 is a great pump and I think it would work great for your 55. I have a WP10 on my 29 and like it a lot. On my 55 I have 2 canisters and a Koralia 850, but I'd probably go with the WP25 if I were doing it over. The random flow is not really necessary but I like it, and I like a lot of flow in my tank to keep the sand clear of detritus. Many people run their tanks with much less water flow (no powerhead), but I'd guess coming from a marine background, you probably will appreciate more flow like I do.

Any lighting is fine as the fish really don't need much. I personally like very bright white/blue colored lighting as I feel it makes the fish look better and the tank a "cleaner" look. Maybe it's the marine similarity again.

Do some research on the fish species. Dems are great looking fish, but often thought of as the "extra work" cichlid because they are very hard on themselves. They usually do best in large groups and you'll have to weed out some of the males or they will be killed. Not trying to persuade you not to get them, just pointing what most people think of them. There are other blue barred fish that are very nice looking. Research, research, research... nothing good happens fast... (sure you've heard that before!)


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## Halo_003 (May 7, 2014)

In terms of extra work, how much is there to do with demasoni if I went that route, dems, yellow labs and petricola would be pretty sweet I think. Unfortunately, this is a tank at home and while I'm at school my mom will be maintaining it, so I'd like to keep the workload down as much as possible to make sure she gets it done. I understand pulling the ones that will be picked on and rehoming them.

As far as livestock... If I did go with the demasoni+yellow labs+petricola, how many of each would be good? My thinking was to get another 5 or so petricola, 8-10 yellow labs, and 20+ demasoni.

If I didn't because that would be too high maintenance etc, what else would be some livestock options that really bring a nice amount of pop as far as color and activity? I want it to be very drawing to the eye.

May just end up using the PFS and lighting it has right now, could do nice LED later on. I figure I'll get heaters and the filtration up and running before anything else, then rehome current fish(if in Jacksonville, FL for anyone on here LMK.). After that I think I can add rocks, won't need to cycle... So I theoretically would be good to go.

Where can you order large number of cichlids online? I know liveaquaria is good for SW fish, but unsure about FW.

Is there a good index of cichlids online anywhere to look at their pictures? Like I said I'd like maximum pop factor in color and contrast.

And yeah, "nothing good happens fast" - because if it is, she's probably too expensive.


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## Halo_003 (May 7, 2014)

Grr, also meant to ask if the BN pleco would be okay?


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## shelbynjakesdad (Mar 13, 2013)

I'm no demasoni expert, but my understanding is that the extra work is because its usually recommended to start with a large group and weed out the trouble makers or the ones getting picked on. I've also heard that they are very vulnerable to "malawi bloat", probably because they are often stressed from aggression. Again, I'm no expert, so I'll let others give you more info there.

I have a group of 5 Synodontis petricola (actually lucipinnis) in my 55 and it works out nicely. 6 would probably be good too. The pleco should be fine, I have 2 in my 55 and they are healthy. I do leave the lights on 14 hours to grow as much algae as I can. Between the mbuna, the plecos, and the nerite snails I have in there, the algae has a hard time keeping up! I think you are on the right track with stocking numbers, usually buy about 10 juveniles of each species and weed them down to 1M/4-6F. Since dems like a large group, consider them 2 species, so 20 juveniles. Check out the site sponsors for online vendors. I would not consider liveaquaria the go to place for cichlids like it is for marine.

There is a "library" here with species info:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/

It sounds like you want species with colorful males and females, which is most common in Malawi mbuna. Here are a few common species with colorful females to check out that should be ok in a 55g:
Metriaclima sp. "Msobo"
Cynotilapia sp. "Hara"
Iodotropheus sprengerae
Pseudotropheus saulosi
Metriaclima estherae
Metriaclima callainos
Metriaclima sp. "Membe Deep"
Pseudotropheus socolofi
Labidochromis caeruleus
Pseudotropheus demasoni

Those are just off the top of my head... I'm sure there are more!


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Search around for a local cichlid club. There you'll find inexpensive fish.

Demasoni may not be the best choice if you're not going to be around much. They need close monitoring, which is difficult when you start out with 20 of them.


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## Halo_003 (May 7, 2014)

Thanks, I'm still looking into the demasoni setup, will see if its feasible but this is what I have for now..

So my fish stocking would be like this as juvies:
25 or so demasoni
6-8 yellow labs
1 BN pleco
5 Petricola cats

I was thinking that should be okay since I'll have to remove some.

Now, hardware wise...

I was thinking about locating a 2 bulb, 4 ft T5HO fixture, or going with currentUSA LEDs.
Still looking at 2 ac70s, or 1 with a decent canister filter, not sure what yet.
Jebao WP25 + Koralia 750
Eheim jager 200W heater - will be last likely since the house is usually 76.
Might look at swapping the PFS for something black..
And need to go looking for rock soon.

Also, I think I'll be painting the tank black on the back, any suggestions on a specific paint for that? Ideally with a glossy finish.

Thanks again guys, much appreciated.


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## hose91 (Mar 5, 2014)

I have, and like, the 36" Current USA Sat+ LED fixture over my tank. I wrote a review in that section of this site, but generally I like it.

I painted mine black with standard semi gloss latex paint in a can. took me 3 or 4 coats, I think. I used foam brush instead of bristles, and it came out pretty smooth. I stayed away from spray cans, and there are some who swear by Plasti Dip, but I don't know much about it.

I like the PFS with the black background. I think black on black might be too much, but that might just be me. What do your folks think?

If the demasoni don't pan out, Maingano are a good substitute, and you don't need twenty to start! You could then add a third look like Rusties, or maybe cyno sp "Lion" or "jalo reef".

I think the Jebao and the Koralia might be a bit much. I have 2 Eheim 2217 canisters for filter and flow, and although I have two wavemakers, I have yet to one except to use it as a handheld water blower to blow stuff up into the water column so I can suck it out with a vac hose. Filter will be purely personal, I think, but you should get some opinions on those or be able to find them in other threads here if you need to.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I have a Sat+ fixture. I think it's awesome.

I've done the black BG/black sand. A bit too much, IMO. If you're going for a more natural look, go with a white sand like PFS. I've used Rustoleum Glossy Black for backgrounds, applied with a foam roller as hose mentioned. Flat Black looks a bit grey.

If you're going the AC HOB route, I'd suggest the 110/500. The AC70 is nice, but the 110 blows it away. It holds a ton of media.

Start with 8-10 labs. If you go with six, you may end up with too many males that won't play nice.


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## shelbynjakesdad (Mar 13, 2013)

Halo,

I think you are on the right track. I agree with Iggy, the AC110 is a big step up from the AC70. I think that 1 powerhead will be enough if you have good filtration, the Koralia 850 works good for me.

I also have the satellite plus LED fixture. While I do like it, I still like a bit more in the blue spectrum... just personal preference. I had an old 36" single T8 fixture with a 50/50 bulb in it laying around, so I tried running that along side the LED fixture and it looks great. Again, just my personal preference.


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## Halo_003 (May 7, 2014)

Picked up 239lbs of zebra rock today.

http://i.imgur.com/aukF1ls.jpg

It was funny being the guy in a civic where at the rock place they had all F-150s etc. Will that weigh too much in a 55G+ 50lbs of PFS?

It has a nice kinda dark grey color in the tank, should be nice.

Only have a few right now, but I'll quote the above responses in a bit.


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

If your house is at 74 all the time a 200w heater is over kill. I used a 150 Fluval in my 75 to heat it up from 68 to 75. All my tanks are at 75. Save alot of electricity that way


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## boomer92 (Apr 17, 2013)

Awesome looking rock. That will be perfect in your tank.


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## Halo_003 (May 7, 2014)

Is that going to be too much weight though? I really do not need 50G of water on the floor. I'm not worried about the amount of rock, just the actual weight of it on the glass.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

The tank will hold more rock than you can physically put in it. You'll be fine :thumb:


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## Halo_003 (May 7, 2014)

I'm just worried because it seems like a very dense rock. Has anyone used upwards of 200lbs in a 55G?


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

As for the AC 110 get two for your 55, it will keep the water crystal clear. You can find them on amazon or ebay fairly cheap. Or if you go canister API XP-L.

You will really like the Dems/ Labs combo, both are awesome fish, and very active.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

I have about 150 lbs in a 50 gallon bowfront.


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## shelbynjakesdad (Mar 13, 2013)

I had about 200lbs of granite-like rock and about 50lbs of sand in my 55. As my fish have grown, I've removed some of the rock to open up the structure a little and give them more space. I'm sure your tank will be fine! Post some pics when you get it set up, I'm sure it will look great!


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## Halo_003 (May 7, 2014)

Okay so to update.... I don't really have much of an update. I took pictures of the fish and a video too if that might help. I'll also have to show tomorrow, but I think one of the fish is holding. It doesn't go up and eat with the others, spends most of its time in or near a temporary PVC burrow of sorts.

What could I do for the background? It will be black, should go really well with the rocks which are more of a dark gray. What would be best? Paint, vinyl, plasti-dip etc? And ideally where could I get it? Either in stores or online.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

A holding fish will have an enlarged or swollen area under the chin, known as the buchal cavity.

I've used Rustoleum glossy black put on with a foam roller. Several coats. Others use the PlastiDip and really like it.


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