# One year office tank update and evolution..



## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

It's been almost a year since I decided to add a tank to my office. Looking at some old pictures, it doesn't even look like the same tank. I've changed literally everything in it except a couple of the original rocks and one of the filters. It's funny how you go through phases with a tank,..plants no-pants, lighting, etc. but the more tanks and pictures that I see, the more I settle on the 'more natural the better' approach. Let the fish be the show..and the colors.

Here is a new picture after I changed the old dual T-5 light out to a new Current USA LED+. I love all of the different settings and lighting combinations you can get,..much better than the one bright setting of the old one.



Here's one of the first pics with new fish..



Here us one a few months later,.with too much sand, too many rocks, bad lighting,.plants (hate this look)



..and then a few months later after I started making major changes..


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

Edit: (should read) no-plants..not "no-pants" HA!!


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## TTUhouston (Jul 22, 2013)

How are the fish doing? Didnt you start with 11 of each or soemthing like that as well?


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

TTUhouston said:


> How are the fish doing? Didnt you start with 11 of each or soemthing like that as well?


This fish are all doing great, no problems at all in months. I started this tank with 6 each unsexed juvies of White Top Hara, Red Zebra and Lab Mbamba. I had to rehome the first alpha male Red Zebra,..after 2 females died,..the "Hara" turned out to be Pulpicans!..and the Lab Mbamba have all done fine. I since gave away the Pupicans and added 8 Cyno Hara (Gal Reef) and 1m/2fm Rusties

I love the stock as it is right now with..(all from Dave's)

1m/3fm Red Zebra
1m/6fm (1 possible subdom male)
1m/2fm Rusties
2m/3fm Lab Mbamba


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## TTUhouston (Jul 22, 2013)

Any closer pictures of the mbamba? He doesnt look very colored up in these. I always thought about getting those guys.


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

TTUhouston said:


> Any closer pictures of the mbamba? He doesnt look very colored up in these. I always thought about getting those guys.


Here are a couple but they are not so good. I like them alot,..but the females are really dark with slightly yellow fins, so they really fade into the background. The males are awesome looking,.aggressive for their small size. I would recommend them as a 3rd species in a smaller size tank (like my 55g)..but they are not neccessarily a wow fish.


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## boomer92 (Apr 17, 2013)

Liking the current rock scape :thumb:


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

TTUhouston said:


> Any closer pictures of the mbamba? He doesnt look very colored up in these. I always thought about getting those guys.


Here is one more I found, that is some better. These guys are hard to get a shot of,..super-quick and constantly moving.


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## 7mm-08 (Jan 12, 2012)

Looking good. I miss my mbambas. If they ever breed I'd be down for buying some from you. 

Cheers from another Kevin keeping cichlids at his office in Lex.


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

7mm-08 said:


> Looking good. I miss my mbambas. If they ever breed I'd be down for buying some from you.
> 
> Cheers from another Kevin keeping cichlids at his office in Lex.


Wow,..cheers!..and love the avatar!! I've had a couple born and make it in this tank..but I haven't set myself up yet to breed and keep fry..but I can see that happening soon. I have 3 F1 Hara holding right now,..so if I had a place to seperate them, I could have plenty of those if you like them!

PM me sometime. I've only been at this for a little over a year now..and don't really know anyone around here in the hobby or clubs, breeders etc...and as you know the petstores around here aren't much on cichlids.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Nice job Kev!


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## workharddieproud (Nov 7, 2013)

Looking good, I've changed my tank about 5 times since I've had it in 18 months.


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## Eric_S (Feb 27, 2007)

Looks great! By far the best version thus far.


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

Thanks for the nice comments guys! This tank definitly gets alot of attention with me sitting 3 feet away from it 9 hours a day. I finally got a really good shot of my male Hara. He has 3 holding ladies right now, so he is showing off non stop.



Maybe one of these days I will invest in a really good camera..but for a phone, this one doesn't do too badly


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

He looks awesome!


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

Thanks guys. Here is a new Mbamba pic that is a good one..and the first really good pic that I've gotten of my male Rusty in this tank. He's adapted now and starting to really color up well.


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## boomer92 (Apr 17, 2013)

Nice pics :thumb:


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## Manifest (Mar 8, 2015)

Very nice, now I must ask if I can have a tank in my office, I don't think our administrator would mind! lol

Nice fish! I stocked my 90g almost similar. : D


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

Thank you! I'm getting overrun with Cyno Hara fry, so going to have to start selling some soon.


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## Manifest (Mar 8, 2015)

Since we have a similar stock, and from same breeder do you mind if I ask a question or nine?

What are your tank params? Temp, ph etc. I seen on the sellers site "Our tap water has a pH of 8.0 to 8.3 and a hardness of about 240 ppm."

I am at 78-79 degrees, 8.2ph, little lake malawi salt buffer (not much)- and no method of testing hardness yet. I haven't added any salt for the duration of the cycle though.


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

I definitely don't mind a bit. To be honest I haven't done any water testing on my tanks for the last several months.
After a while, it gets to a point where you are in such a routine with your water that it's not as necessary after you get things right and stable...which is to say, you almost get a feel for the water conditions being perfect just by looking at it and watching the fish. I think the 2 most important things are frequent and consistent water changes (I do 15-20% or so 3 to 4 times a week),..and not over-feeding (twice a day max) along with good filtration of course. I think the frequent smaller water changes does better than 1 or 2 larger ones per week.

Other than that...I keep all heaters on 79-80 and shoot for a ph of 8.0. I add a couple of small scoops of 'Seachum' Cichlid Lake Salt maybe once a week,..though I'm not sure it's neccessary. It's just another one of those "routine" things that seems to work for me, so I keep using it. I'm sure there are all kinds of other methods and routines..that others can add but this is what works for me. Our tap water here is approx 7.7 ph and good quality , so I'm sure that helps. I also, use 2 power-head pumps in each tank to keep plenty of water circulation and surface movement,..which really seems to help also.


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## pelphrey (Apr 9, 2014)

Tank is looking great! Sounds like you are about to have a ton of small fry!


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## Manifest (Mar 8, 2015)

Thanks!

I understand about the water etc.. I think I will do a couple changes a week too, until I know my filters are dialed in. I am using 20g sump, fx6. (have purigen in bottom basket of canister) I've only had these fish for 30 hours and they seem very happy, so I will probably continue as I am. I will be adding the lake salt weekly too, but not as much as the bottle says. I also have some buffer on hand too.


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