# My 700 liters(185 gallons) Malawi Tank



## pomi

The video:






and some training pictures:






























































PS: Can anyone tell me a way to hide the hardware, cause I couldn't do it with the rockscape. Thanks!


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## electyellowdude

i really like your tank. :thumb:


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## pomi

Thanks!

I did a few more pics to share.










































































Hope you enjoy! As I do


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## Malawi_Marc

Very smart setup opcorn:


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## crys

:thumb: =D> love it!

the contrast between the colour of the rocks and the sand is good...
we wait green green grass on the rocks for the mbunas


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## pomi

Come to my place someday and see it live


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## ddarden90

very nice rockscpe and nice fish too, a good way to hide all the hardware if u have any money left and any room is tho make a sump that way all the hardware will under the tank and the hoses will be hidden behind that black background, just a suggestion that i did.


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## Melanochromis

Looks great, well done! :thumb:


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## pomi

Thanks for advice ddarden90, but the sump is not an option for me.

I think I'm gonna make 2 pieces of 3D background to hide the hardware or use 2 black plastic pieces. I didn't decided yet.


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## Isis24

Wow, I'm surprised! I really like this tank. I'm usually not a big fan of rock scape tanks because they always look so unnatural. I'd have to say though, that this tank looks amazing! There's something visually pleasing about this tank. It's calming. Really nice job


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## pomi

Thank you very much!

Check out what I've noticed in the morning.






When I came back home in the afternoon, he was still there. Every now and then, the big fish see him and try to eat him, but they can't fit into he's little crevasse.

This is my first time when I let a female spit the fry into the tank, I will enjoy see this little guy grow, if he's lucky enough to survive.


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## Isis24

soooo cute! I hope the little guy makes it! Keep us updated on him


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## pomi

after 2 weeks ... algae is starting to grow


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## iplaywithemotions

Wow! I love the layout of the rocks. It looks so natural! Great contrast between the rocks, the sand, the background - makes your fish colors really pop, too! Awesome tank!


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## pomi

Thank you !

It was really hard work to build this tank, furniture, light system etc.


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## pomi

New pics!


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## englishfishyman

Very Nice Love It!


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## TheBanker

looks nice, rockscape looks natural.


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## MattyP

Great Pictures! Great Tank! I Love It! Cant wait to get my 200 Gallon tank!!!


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## Antuni

Nice rocks and Tank!! Fish too!! I like it. :thumb:


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## pomi

Thanks for comments and rating :thumb:


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## holjofish82

really like a the tank I am new to malawi cichilds. I am not used too not having live plants but I believe you pulled it off nicely tank of the month for sure !! I opcorn:


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## non_compliance

Great looking tank... great looking fish!! Thanks for sharing... I really love the rockwork...


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## SCARF_ACE1981

awesome tank. looks so natural


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## ox777

wow, this looks great. I'm not usually a fan of malawi tanks, but probably because not many of them look like this. The stocking, the proportions, the composition.... ... man.


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## pomi

Thanks!

I like it too :lol: and I'm very severe with myself. I tried to replicate the rocky habitat in the lake, not just throw some rocks and :fish: in it.

Some nights, I just grab a bag of opcorn: and watch it until I fall asleep. :zz:


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## pomi

Here's the video update 2 months from initial setup.


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## pomi

Can someone identify females Acei in this pics? I started with 8, a while ago I given 3 of them, that looked like extra males to me, so I remained with 1 big male and other 4 smaller ones, hoping they will be females.

Now, I am afraid I only have males, mainly cause I had no spawning within 1 year of keeping them.

Here are the pics.


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## Franceschi

Congratulations on the tank!! Really nice setup!!

Perfect rockscape in my opinion!!!


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## larry.beck

My male acei gets a leading white ledge to his dorsal fin when he's ready to spawn, whereas the females stay yellow. This isn't a hard-and-fast rule, but I've heard of it being true in a number of cases.


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## bou

my opnion = all male acei
if you look the dot on fin (many and clear)


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## Morpheen

I had to register to tell you that your tank is one of the best Malawi setups I've ever seen. So natural looking. I love the contrast of the fish and the rocks against the substrate. Great lighting!

Might I ask what your current stocking is?

Also, how do you go about getting the algae to form on the rocks? Is it just a matter of lighting? if so what kind of lights do you use? Is your substrate just pool filter sand? What sort of filtration do you use?

I will be definitely using your setup as inspiration for when I start my big tank setup.


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## pomi

After 3 months:









































































Answers for Morpheen:

My current stocking is 4 adult Caeruleus, 4 adult Elongatus Mpanga, 3 subadult Pulpican, 5 adult Acei, 9 juvenile Daktari and a lot of fry scattered through the rocks.

Algae on the rocks is mainly from heavy lighting, using 4 JBL Solar Marin Day tubes from 7 AM till 23 PM. The substrate is simple sand bought from LFS.

Filtration consists of one Fluval FX5 and one Hydor Prime 30.


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## iplaywithemotions

I love your tank, Pomi! Great looking labs! Your rock layout and the algae which covers the rocks looks very natural and truly beautiful.


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## pomi

Thanks!

I'm thinking of adding another species, for color variation. Any tips?


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## bou

my suggestion for more color add a group of metriaclima estherea minos reef...


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## ridley25

pomi said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I'm thinking of adding another species, for color variation. Any tips?


Labeotropheus!

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/r ... ?genus=104

kevin


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## pomi




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## pomi

I added some small rocks to enhance natural look ...

The video:






The overview pic:










Left side pic:










Right side pic:


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## bou

wow... great work.... really natural...


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## Manoah Marton

Absolutly amazing tank. You've really inspired me with your rock work. It's stunning. Your fish nicely compliment eachother, and your tank, on a whole, is absolutly one of the top 5 tanks I've ever seen. There would be no contest if you entered your tank into TOTM. =D> 
Again, amazing tank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Manoah Marton


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## Morpheen

Like a fine wine this tank just keeps getting better with age. Liking the additional rocks.. fills it out a little more. Some of those rocks in there are huge... did you have trouble lifting them into the tank initially?


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## pomi

Thank you! I'm really glad you like it.

Yes I did have problems with some of the rocks initially. First, I put a table near the tank, put the rock on the table then I climed on the table, lifted the rock with both hands and put it nice and slow on the bottom, while my knees were stuck against the front glass, to keep me in balance and not drop the rock in the tank 

I remember these were very tense moments.


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## Morpheen

I bet! I'm planning on adding some big rocks to my tank eventually as well so I appreciate the insight into how you did it. Best idea I could come up with was having a friend help me and one of us being inside the tank to "hand off" the rock and lower it in. Now that I think about it though not sure I like the idea of passing a huge rock off above a glass tank. Sounds.... risky! lol

I like the table idea though. I imagine that the weight of all the rocks in there must be massive, so is your stand custom built to hold the combined weight of the rocks + water + glass? Did you use eggcrate below your sand? Also, has there been any problems with vacuuming the sand with all rocks?


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## FloodXL

Pomi, I have to say this tank is tremendous and easily one of the elite cichlid aquariums out there. I am always on the hunt for examples of tremendous cichlid aquariums and there arent' too many at this level in my opinion.

Everything about it is awesome, fish selection, layout of the tank. It's very nice!

Ironically, I am sitting on an empty 165 gallon right now that I am setting up in the next few months (hopefully) to transfer my mbuna into. Your tank has raised the bar for me now. I hope to come up with something this good.

Cheers! =D>


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## pomi

The stand is custom built from metal bars welded togheter. It can hold 5 tons of weight.

This is the "making off..." the tank.

The stand:










furnitured:










The glass:










The lights:










Overview:










Note the girl to the left, just for realizing the size of tank 

After that came the sand and rocks, as you see in the first post of the topic.


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## Dj823cichild

Very nice! :wink:


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## NoiR

This tank is just stunning!  As the algae started to grow on the rocks it's even better! I also like your sumatra biotope tank in youtube channel. Ooh, and the angelfish Amazon biotope. Looks very very atmospheric and natural. Thanks for sharing these great tanks.


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## pomi

Thanks!


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## jbr230

=D> that is definately one of the best looking tanks *** seen  goodjob on the scaping and stocking :thumb:


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## Phenomena

pomi said:


> ...
> 
> The glass:


Are those silicon dots purposely applied to hold the rocks?
Fantastic looking tank!!!


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## pomi

Nop, they are the silicon dots between the 2 sheets of glass on the bottom.


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## Phenomena

So, did you put anything under the rocks? 
Did you put the rocks first then sand so they sit right on the glass or the sand first so the rocks sit on the sand?

I'm always wary to put that big & many rocks.

Thanks.


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## pomi

The rocks are set directly on glass. Glass on the bottom has double sheets, 1 of 12mm and 1 of 8mm, totaling to 20mm. After adding the rocks I dropped in the sand.

You must never put sand in first, then rocks, cause fish like to dig under rocks and may unsettle them, causing cracks in the glass or dead fish.


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## cantrell00

pomi...

Are you doing anything special to stimulate the growth of the velvety, green algae?

Have a recipe?

Just saw this and it will serve as reference point for my mbuna 120.

Great job, Brah!


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## pomi

I keep the lights lit from 7 AM till 12 PM, everyday. And I use 4 JBL Solar Marin Day tubes, in total 120 Watts. This forms and maintains the green algae around the tank, but there is a downside to this, I have to clean the front glass every week, cause it turns green.


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## cantrell00

Ok... No chemical fertilizers are being used to stimulate it?

Do you allow nitrates to build to feed it or do you keep the nitrates really low. The lush, green texture implies that it is fertilized alot, thus the question, re: nitrates.


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## dielikemoviestars

Keeping this in mind for if/when I finally get around to setting up another tank!


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## pomi

Yes cantrell00, I don't use fertilizers.

Last time I checked the nitrates, about a month ago, they were untraceable to my Dupla Test, so they were under 1 unit. Maybe the algae consume them all, I don't really know.


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## cantrell00

Very well could be... Is the tank heavily stocked or are you doing frequent water changes?


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## pomi

I have about 40 fish in there, I do weekly 40-50% water changes.


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## cantrell00

ok...

Sorry for all of the questions.. Just really curious about how to duplicate it..

You water source ultimately could be the deciding factor...


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## pomi

New pics to share

Alpha male Daktari










Brother and sister Elongatus Mpanga










Zoom on right side


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## pomi

and the video


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## J.B.

Absolutely superior! :thumb: Certainly one of the nicest, big tanks I've ever seen. Your placement of the rockwork appears very natural and lacks symmetry, which in this case, is a good thing.


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## ZackG

Wow! I know you probably get this alot, but this tank is absolutely stunning! :thumb:


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## zimmy

pomi said:


> Nop, they are the silicon dots between the 2 sheets of glass on the bottom.


Your tank is an inspiration! Really beautifully done. =D>

Just wondering why you siliconed the two sheets of glass together. Could the second sheet have been put in without siliconing?


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## pomi

I used it that way to give extra strenght to the silicon joints in the tank and also, was easier to join the walls on the first bottom glass, with the second one(smaller) glued to it, fixed so it wouldn't move as I was glueing the walls.

To give you a better ideea, here is how it looked, before gluieng the walls.










The walls are glued on the bottom with the first sheet and on the sides with the second sheet.


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## zimmy

OK. I didn't realize you had built the tank. I was wondering if I could put a sheet of glass down in my tank but it's already built and has walls. It wouldn't be as effective.

Thanks for the PM also.


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## Franceschi

Just wanted to say one more time that your tank is definitely one of the best I've ever seen!

Hope you don't mind I did it, but I even inspired myself on your tank to rebuild my rockscape!

Since my tank is only 300L, I wouldn't be able to get the whole rockscaping of yours, so I chose one piece of your tank and tried "redoing" it; I did it 3 months ago, and only now I got some algae on the rocks; I based myself on the original picture, and then I "resized" that picture to fit on my tank, and this is the result:


























The only problem is my rocks are totally white, and therefore even with the algae on them, they still are super bright!! Although the picture don't do justice, because they are a lot greener than on the picture;

Hope you like it!


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## Manoah Marton

looks better...but Pomi is also a really good photographer...so there's something to be said about that (not that your bad at all...but he's just really good . See if you can move the pipes to the side of the tank (so their less noticable), add a couple handfuls of smaller rocks, and finally, if you want really good algae growth, add a little plant ferts. And a lot of light.
Best of luck...looks very good (and I'm sure Pomi is enjoying being a role model)

Manoah


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## pomi

Franceschi, you did a very good job with that tank, I like it and if you want more algae listen to Manoah's advice.

Also, check your NO3 levels, maybe they are too low, so algae have limited food source, that's why they don't develop more.

I played around a bit with your photo, cause it was way too bright and it was "killing" the tank. Maybe your tank looks more like this ?










I've put on extra-green to imagine how it would look with more algae.

Cheers!


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## cantrell00

Pomi...

What are the dimensions of the tank & glass thickness?

I am contemplating building something similar myself but need to know just how difficult it was to build.

Any pointers or other info would be greatly appreciated...

Again - awesome tank!

Thanks-


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## Snoopdaggydag

Morning Pomi,

your tank really looks great! Nice colours, the stones are fantastic! How did you make that the algea donÃ‚Â´t grow on/in the Sand? I got problems with that!


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## pomi

cantrell:

The dimensions are 200x70x50, measured in centimeters(cm), glass thickness is 12 millimeters(mm).

It's not so difficult to build, if you know what you're doing. I made the furniture for it myself, the lid with the lights also, but I needed help when the tank was glued with silicone. One guy was applying the silicone, while me and my cousin were holding the big sheets of glass in place.

You need to apply lots of silicone with this size of tanks, cause you don't wanna have a pool in your room, in case something goes wrong 

Snoop:

I got algae on the sand in the beginning, but it started to disappear after a few months. If you can, try to dim the lights in the sand area in front of tank.


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## cantrell00

Thanks - Great!

That was pretty cool the way you did the floor. It provides an extremely strong bottom joint doing it that way.

It seems to me that the bottom joint is key. You basically have two.

My biggest concern is holding the glass in place while the silicon is being applied. I have an idea for a jig that I will build to do just that.

I would also have the glass professionally cut. I can buy a 72" X 130" (1/2") pane for $400.00. Untempered glass.

Was the glass you purchased tempered?


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## pomi

Sorry, but I don't realize what tempered glass means. Could you say it in other words ?


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## ridley25

From Wikipedia:
Toughened or tempered glass is glass that has been processed by controlled thermal or chemical treatments to increase its strength compared with normal glass. Tempered glass is made by processes which create balanced internal stresses which give the glass strength. *It will usually shatter into small fragments instead of sharp shards when broken*, making it less likely to cause severe injury and deep lacerations. As a result of its safety and strength, tempered glass is used in a variety of demanding applications, including passenger vehicle windows, glass doors and tables, refrigerator trays, as a component of bulletproof glass, for diving masks, and various types of plates and cookware.

*Bolding *is mine - the issue being that one can't drill tempered glass as it is designed to shatter in such situations. Some tanks are made with some tempered panes and some not to avoid this issue.

kevin


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## pomi

Ok, I understand now. In my country that is called secured glass.

I used normal white float glass for the tank, not tempered.


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## cantrell00

Sorry about that pomi. You write in english so well that I just assumed that "tempered" would translate.

Thanks for the wiki info ridley..

The tank I have in mind will be drilled on the floor & the back glass for the drains & return so I need the panes to be standard, non-tempered glass..

I was also concerned that pomi may have had to use tempered glass because of the 1/2" (12 mm) thickness he specified for the 6' span across the front.

Juat an FYI but a 180 at the LFS with drilled overflows would be roughly $900-1000.

I can't afford 1000 but I can swing 400 and my time. I just want to make sure that I am covering all of the safety details that could be easily overlooked...


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## pomi

For extra safety, I have glued 2 streches of glass(5cm wide) on each long side of the tank, similar with the double bottom glass, meaning 1 part on top of tank walls, and the other underneath it, which fits inside the tank walls.


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## cantrell00

The glue (silicone) bead is 5 cm or an additional strip of glass at 5 cm ?


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## pomi

The strips of glass are 5 cm wide I meant. I found a photo of them.










And I did a little sketch of the whole thing.










Hope it helps.


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## cantrell00

WOW! Thanks.. this helps.

Yes, you left nothing to chance & I can't blame you.

I know the top is "rimless" (has no non-glass/silicone supports at the top). Based on this image. Also a better view of the glass supports..










Did you put any on the bottom?


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## phorty

You have excellent tanks, Pomi!


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## pomi

Thanks phorty!

I have no rims on the bottom cantrell, cause I have the double bottom. Rims are only on top, on the long sides of tank, just like in the sketch.


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## jchild40

Very natural; impressive.


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## pomi

Watch how this crazy Pulpican bites the hand that feeds him 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHJLZu_u ... ture=feedu


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## zimmy

pomi said:


> Watch how this crazy Pulpican bites the hand that feeds him
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHJLZu_u ... ture=feedu


Great video! :lol:


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## FloodXL

That pulpican doesn't realize his size. :lol: Man, that is one gorgeous fish.  Was that an LFS pickup? How is he with your other fish?


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## dielikemoviestars

That video just made me add Met. pulpican to my wishlist. Gorgeous male.


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## GTZ

Made me want to watch Lord of The Rings again


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## FloodXL

So I just watched your Malawi Biotope Tank 700 liters (8 months) youtube video. I am simply in love with everything about this aquarium. In my eyes, this is very possibly the most perfect Mbuna setup I've ever seen.

I'm going home to improve my 165 tonight because of this. Thanks.


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## Cuddy

I feel so inadequate...I think I have tank envy.... :lol:

I fell like I am looking at an exibit. Your tank is breathtaking.


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## typo

im not sure if you've ever been told, my friend you have an amazing tank!


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## pomi

FloodXL said:


> That pulpican doesn't realize his size. Laugh Out Loud Man, that is one gorgeous fish. Surprised Was that an LFS pickup? How is he with your other fish?


I got him and his 2 females, from a fellow some time ago, when it was 2.5 cm long. When it grew over 5 cm, it took over the tank, including 1 male Elongatus Mpanga(9 cm), 1 male Caeruleus(11 cm) and 1 male Acei Msuli (13 cm) and some times including me, during water changes 

This tank is the main attraction in my house, when I have friends come over. Even at partys, half of the people sit on the couch and watch the tank, instead of dancing 

Thanks everyone for your nice words, they mean a lot coming from members on a cichlid forum of this scale.


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## cantrell00

Pomi...

This image really can't compare to what you do but here is my first attemp at "simulating" the same look that you pulled off.. Has only been up & running for 48 hrs so there is no green - yet.

I think I am on the right path but need some more larger rocks arranged slightly differently. It is tough to pull off "looking natural & random" while being strategic with the placement at the same time. Non symmetrical is the goal... Anyway, thanks for inspiring me.










Build Thread:

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=225411&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0


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## biglove

Pomi,

Just found this thread and I must say that your rock/sand setup is AMAZING! Makes me want to redo my 125 gallon to try to emulate it.

If I may ask, what type of stone is it you are using?


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## pomi

You definitely need more rocks *cantrell00*, even larger than the ones you have now, if you can find them. I too started with fewer rocks, but added more as time gone by.

Overall, your tank looks good and I like it.

Thanks *biglove*! I found my stones on the banks of a mountain stream, but I have no ideea what type are they. If it helps, they were blueish-gray and very heavy when I got them.


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## cantrell00

I am adding some more tonight but i don't think they would be considered larger. I am afraid of tempting fate with a rock heavier than what i have already put in there. One slip & you know the rest.

Thanks for the kind words..


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## dtune21

biglove said:


> Pomi,
> 
> Just found this thread and I must say that your rock/sand setup is AMAZING! Makes me want to redo my 125 gallon to try to emulate it.
> 
> If I may ask, what type of stone is it you are using?


biglove, they are granite and you can find them all over the place around here around ditches and canals. If you ever go to the north shore/Mandeville area you can find them in ditches as drainage rocks. I have my tank full that I found on the south shore/Metairie area, but they are more of a white color as opposed to a grayish color you can find on the north shore. When they start to get some algae on them they look amazing, almost emerald in color.

Edit* I agree Pomi has one of the best looking tanks that I have ever seen! It also helps that he is a great photographer! I have been trying to get some good tank shots of mine, but they never look as good in photos as it does in person.


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## pomi

I shot some pics last night with my old Canon S3IS. The camera begins to show it's age and I really must upgrade to DSLR. Till then, here are the pics:


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## cantrell00

pomi...

Are you using a slave flash above the tank? I assume you are using a really fast shutter speed as well?


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## pomi

I use the camera's flash, but I try to take the shots at an angle above the fish, to avoid reflections.

Depending on the flash setting (intensity power) and aperture I use shutter speeds between 100 and 1000.


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## pomi

Yesterday I purchased a shoal of small Acei Msuli, to add to my current ones. I now own around 30 of them and I like it 

Here's a short clip with the little ones shoaling in their new home:


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## bou

wow...


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## pomi

It has been 1 year since this tank is running and I enjoyed it all the way. I've kept some of the fish from day 1, sold others, but also brought in new fish. Now, the tank houses 4 species with around 50 fish of various sizes, like Labidochromis Caeruleus, Metriaclima Daktari, Pseudotropheus Elegans and Labidochromis Hongi SRT.

As a reminder, this is the tank at day 1






and this is the tank now


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## CrazyCichlid

That is a very nice setup, and contrast of colors. Thanks for sharing.
cc


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## xiaochun3612

looks great !thank you !

That was pretty cool the way you did the floor. It provides an extremely strong bottom joint doing it that way.

It seems to me that the bottom joint is key. You basically have two.

My biggest concern is holding the glass in place while the silicon is being applied. I have an idea for a jig that I will build to do just that.


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## pomi

We were 3 guys when we applied the silicone, 2 guys holding the glass while 1 was adding the silicone.


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## Irish Johnny

pomi said:


> I shot some pics last night with my old Canon S3IS. The camera begins to show it's age and I really must upgrade to DSLR. Till then, here are the pics:


I only wish I could take pictures that good. Your videos are awesome too.


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## pomi

My little Hongi SRT male is growing out. Here is a short teaser video.


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## dielikemoviestars

That's a SRT?! WOW. Never seen one like that.


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## pomi

It's a special selection of SRT, with the red body instead of blue.


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## JimA

" Pomi, you still have one of the nicest most "natural" tanks I have yet to see here!!


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## bobesku

Pomi, my friend, that Hongi is starting to look nice! I guess I should grab a beer and come over one of these days to get to see him a little bit closer :lol:

Jim, you are right. His tank is a jewel. Before starting to keep african cichlids I saw his tank over the internet and I was impressed. After some time I realised we were living in the same area and country and we met. By that time I knew I wanted to build an african tank with a natural realistic look, Malawi style. Several months here I am, and although I did not planned to copy his tank, by going to the open-spaced, black background and natural rocks direction I admit that they are similar. Therefore one more reason to praise his tank :lol:

On the other hand I am really impressed by the 3D backgrounds and other malawian tanks around here. Yours, in particular is a great tank, Jim.

Cheers


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## JimA

bobesku said:


> Pomi, my friend, that Hongi is starting to look nice! I guess I should grab a beer and come over one of these days to get to see him a little bit closer :lol:
> 
> Jim, you are right. His tank is a jewel. Before starting to keep african cichlids I saw his tank over the internet and I was impressed. After some time I realised we were living in the same area and country and we met. By that time I knew I wanted to build an african tank with a natural realistic look, Malawi style. Several months here I am, and although I did not planned to copy his tank, by going to the open-spaced, black background and natural rocks direction I admit that they are similar. Therefore one more reason to praise his tank :lol:
> 
> On the other hand I am really impressed by the 3D backgrounds and other malawian tanks around here. Yours, in particular is a great tank, Jim.
> 
> Cheers


 Thanks, and I have to admit I got a lot of my inspiration from his tank after I saw it :lol:

After many a rock change and countless rearranging I found the look I wanted. I like so many here want and desire the 3d background look, but I knew I would never have the patience to build one. So the one I have was an idea I came up with on my own and the supplier was able to make my idea work for what I thought was a very affordable price considering most are in the 2 to 300+ range mine was considerably less.

Cheers :thumb:


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## pomi

Say hello to my little friend


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## phinexswarm35

hello to the new friend,do is he hybird fish? he got in his face some spots im familiar this with hybirds


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## facefree08

great aquascaping :thumb: 
the algae only makes it look better IMO


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## Daxx

The movie on your youtube page the Malawi biotope, wich kind are they and are they all male?
looks like u have manny of the same kind?

The tank looks AWSOME tho good job man one of the best tanks *** seen sofar appart from dannyGirl's tank thats just the best one! but yours comes verry close to that one i love it!


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## jonathansruelas

how you grow the algae? gives the tank a very natural look... nice tank :thumb:


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## martin4ever

nice tank :wink:


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## pomi

Algae grows due to intensive lighting and NO3 around 15-20.

In the last weeks I kept the lights off most of the time, because of high temperatures, so the algae is barely visible now. I'm waiting for colder temperatures so I can start the lights again, to restore the green carpet of algae on rocks.


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## pomi

Video update, with new species added:


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## DIAMOND_CICHLIDS

This tank is so nice :drooling: :drooling: One of the most beautiful one i have seen. Keep up the good work! :thumb:


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## vann59

pomi said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I'm thinking of adding another species, for color variation. Any tips?


Haplochromis dayglow http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1576 would look nice with your other fish.


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## pomi

Nice fish vann59, but it's victorian and I don't mix lakes.

Last night I had a photo session with my fish.


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## pomi

The Protomelas Taeniolatus has grown to 12 cm and colored up nicely.










Young male Labidochromis Hongi SRT showing off










Male Acei Msuli sifting sand










Young males Hongi SRT dominance display


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## Sub-Mariner

You take great pictures, your fish look amazing!



pomi said:


> and this is the tank now


WOW, thats the most natural looking cichlid tank I've seen. I love it, GREAT JOB! :thumb: :thumb: I see a little fry at 5:14. 

I have a question for you. I've always wanted to use real rock and have them piled up like you have yours but what do you do about debris (food, poop etc) getting stuck between the rocks? Do you ever remove the rocks once-twice a year to do a thorough cleaning of your tank?

EDIT: I think I just found how you clean between the rocks.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHJLZu_u ... ture=feedu


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## pomi

I was doing a water change earlier and I noticed the next generation of fish in the tank


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## pomi

Fresh pics to share:


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## zimmy

pomi said:


>


Cyrtocara Moorii?

Beautiful photos and fish (as usual)!


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## Fatal

Awesome tank, it has basic features yet it works so well and complements the fish greatly. I reckon the fewer things you add to the tank the better, crowded tanks just make hardship to clean and they look more messy. When i get my 8ft tank I'm going to have a similar setup. By the way i love the algae look despite you not intending that to happen. It brightens up the tank and looks more natural. Keep it, just make sure it stays short cut.


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## pomi

Well, new fish arrived yesterday. I've ordered 5 Lethrinops marginatus red fin, 3 Aulonocara Eureka and 3 Zebra Chilumba.

The eureka hide behind some big rocks and the Chilumba still have juvenile coloring, so I only took a few quick pics of the Lethrinops group:




With the new additions, I had to rethink the rockscape, in order to give the non-mbuna a space of their own. Getting out some rocks, I also had to give away some mbuna, especially males, in order to minimize territorial conflicts. This is the new look:


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## pomi

My juvenile Zebra Chilumba Luwino Reef is growing up....






Here is a pic of him, from the first days, when I got him:


Metriaclima Zebra Chilumba Luwino Reef juvenile


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## jchild40

He's a beauty!


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## Riceburner

nice fish and shots.


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## zimmy

That's a great photo! I didn't notice the little one in the other's shadow at first.

Amazing transformation too.

Thanks for posting the photo and video.


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## pomi

My group of Lethrinops marginatus are starting to color up, I think.


Lethrinops marginatus juvenile


Lethrinops marginatus juvenile


Lethrinops marginatus juvenile


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## Gags

wonderful tank  
You got there


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## pomi

Two years have passed, since I have this setup, so here is the video update.






Stay tuned...


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## Guest

pomi said:


> My juvenile Zebra Chilumba Luwino Reef is growing up....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is a pic of him, from the first days, when I got him:
> 
> 
> Metriaclima Zebra Chilumba Luwino Reef juvenile


man, he colored up beautifully! he seems to be taking charge of the tank as well haha!


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## pomi

Look at him now :fish: Pics have been taken yesterday.


Metriaclima Zebra Chilumba Luwino Reef sub-adult


Metriaclima Zebra Chilumba Luwino Reef sub-adult


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## JAyliffe

pomi said:


> Look at him now :fish: Pics have been taken yesterday.
> 
> 
> Metriaclima Zebra Chilumba Luwino Reef sub-adult
> 
> 
> Metriaclima Zebra Chilumba Luwino Reef sub-adult


I'm blown away by the fish and the incredible photography! You have a magnificent tank :drooling:


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## Guest

what are you feeding him?

i'm hoping to get my Hongi and Maingano to color up brightly like your's!


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## Gags

Yes would like know what are you feed them ?


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## pomi

Thanks guys, I appreciate it.

I feed them NLS Cichlid formula, Tropical Spirulina Super Forte, Tetra Discus and frozen mysis from Ocean Nutrition.


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## Guest

pomi said:


> Thanks guys, I appreciate it.
> 
> I feed them NLS Cichlid formula, Tropical Spirulina Super Forte, Tetra Discus and frozen mysis from Ocean Nutrition.


dang, we don't have Tropical Spirulina Super Forte in america, well at least i can't find it at all...

but his coloring is amazing :thumb:


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## pomi

Anything with large amounts of spirulina in it will do just fine.

For nice and bright colors, there are a few things to consider:

fish quality
water parameters
water quality
light spectrum
food quality
size of tank and tank mates


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## JSI

Amazing as always, watch the new video too.


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## JimA

Not sure I like it as much since you opened that left side up. But I am sure it will grow on me  
Still a fantastic tank.

How you diggin the open space from what you had and have you ever considered a 3d background, not saying a complete one but with all the BTN parts and psc available to you, and with your cretive design I am sure you could come up with something!!


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## vann59

phister said:


> pomi said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks guys, I appreciate it.
> 
> I feed them NLS Cichlid formula, Tropical Spirulina Super Forte, Tetra Discus and frozen mysis from Ocean Nutrition.
> 
> 
> 
> dang, we don't have Tropical Spirulina Super Forte in america, well at least i can't find it at all...
> 
> but his coloring is amazing :thumb:
Click to expand...

Nutrafin Max Spirulina flake has 40% spirulina, and is very dark green in color, you can really see the difference versus ordinary spirulina flakes.


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## pomi

Jim, I had to create some open space, for the Utaka species added to the stock.

In the old scape, I saw a rocky shore filled with mbuna. With the new scape, I just moved the view a little further away from the shore, where rocks meat sandy areas.


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## mina904

very nice tanks :fish:


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## mayagrasi

Silviu,nothing new ?


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## chillout

Not sure if you said it already or not but what type of rocks are those? Beautiful tank by the way.


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## littleolme

Absolutely gorgeous, must be a pleasure to watch.

With your new rockscape, do you find that the rocky area becomes overly crowded?


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## pomi

Thank you!

These rocks are river rocks, which I've gathered from the shores of a mountain stream.

Since I have a mixed malawi-hap stocklist, I didn't notice the rocky area becoming overly crowded. The haps still roam the entire tank and the mbuna kinda stick to the rocks, just like before.

Here are some of my alphas, in these fresh pics:


Copadichromis borleyi male


Cyrtocara moori male


Protomelas taeniolatus SRT male


Pseudotropheus Elegans (Acei msuli) male


Labidochromis caeruleus male


Cyrtocara moori male

Your feedback is welcome.


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## vann59

Just beautiful.


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## 4RSo

i've admired this tank for a while now, and i've tried to model my 125gal after it many times, but those rocks are impossible to find in the city. Sorry i'm lazy and I haven't looked but what kind of lighting grew that algae? It's an infinite supply of food for your fish!


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## pomi




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## vann59

Living Art.


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## pomi

And here are some pics.


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## Sandz

This is just beautiful. I strive to produce results half as beautiful!


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## theswede

Stunning fish and tank! :thumb:


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## littleolme

What is your actual stocklist for your tank? I'm just curious about the numbers.


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## pomi

Thanks for your positive comments. I'm glad you like it.

Current stocklist:

7xLabidochromis caeruleus
3xLabidochromis hongi SRT
5xPseudotropheus acei Msuli
3xMetriaclima sp.Daktari
2xMetriaclima zebra Chilumba "Luwino Reef"
2xIodotropheus sprengerae
2xCyrtocara moori
2xProtomelas taeniolatus Boadzulu Red
3xCopadichromis borleyi Kadango red fin
1xLethrinops marginatus red fin

30 fish in total, ranging from 3 to 6 inches. It's lightly stocked.


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## cantrell00

pomi said:


> Thanks for your positive comments. I'm glad you like it.
> 
> Current stocklist:
> 
> 7xLabidochromis caeruleus
> 3xLabidochromis hongi SRT
> 5xPseudotropheus acei Msuli
> 3xMetriaclima sp.Daktari
> 2xMetriaclima zebra Chilumba "Luwino Reef"
> 2xIodotropheus sprengerae
> 2xCyrtocara moori
> 2xProtomelas taeniolatus Boadzulu Red
> 3xCopadichromis borleyi Kadango red fin
> 1xLethrinops marginatus red fin
> 
> 30 fish in total, ranging from 3 to 6 inches. It's lightly stocked.


What is the disposition of the Zebra Chilumba? I have read that they can be pretty nasty..


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## littleolme

Thanks for the reply on your stocklist, your fish are truly stunning.

C. Borleyi Kadango and Protomelas Taeniolatus are absolutely beautiful fish, I have always wanted to house them with some mbuna, not all that different than your tank but it's generally regarded as less than ideal due to the aggression of the mbuna. Have you had any issues between your haps and mbuna?


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## pomi

The Zebra Chilumba is acting good, for now. It climed up the mbuna ranks with just some flarring and intimidations. I've never seen him beating up another fish. It even tolerates the other male Chilumba, just flarring and chasing him a bit, from time to time. I'm guessing he is so mild, cause the other mbuna males are very different colored and they didn't stood up to his intimidations. They are probably smart to stay away 
The other important thing that keeps him chilled is probably because I lost his female, a few months ago.

The matter with haps and mbuna is very related to tank size, decorations and personality of individuals. In my case, I've never had any trouble housing them together. For the most part, mbuna chase other mbuna and the haps chase themselves. My male moori and the taeniolatus absolutely hate each other. They fight 2-3 time per week, going round in circles, splashing the water and biting scales off. The funny thing is, that their females also hate each other and fight.


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## cantrell00

pomi said:


> The Zebra Chilumba is acting good, for now. It climed up the mbuna ranks with just some flarring and intimidations. I've never seen him beating up another fish. It even tolerates the other male Chilumba, just flarring and chasing him a bit, from time to time. I'm guessing he is so mild, cause the other mbuna males are very different colored and they didn't stood up to his intimidations. They are probably smart to stay away
> The other important thing that keeps him chilled is probably because I lost his female, a few months ago.
> 
> The matter with haps and mbuna is very related to tank size, decorations and personality of individuals. In my case, I've never had any trouble housing them together. For the most part, mbuna chase other mbuna and the haps chase themselves. My male moori and the taeniolatus absolutely hate each other. They fight 2-3 time per week, going round in circles, splashing the water and biting scales off. The funny thing is, that their females also hate each other and fight.


Nothing wrong with some occasional fighting.. Makes for a more interesting tank IMO. A larger tank certainly means a greater margin of error...

Cool.. Chilumba have been on my list for some time now..


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## littleolme

pomi said:


> My male moori and the taeniolatus absolutely hate each other. They fight 2-3 time per week, going round in circles, splashing the water and biting scales off. The funny thing is, that their females also hate each other and fight.


 :lol: opcorn:

Thanks again for your quick response.

Cheers.


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## cichlid-gal

Resplendent...takes your breath away. Thank you so much for sharing.


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## pomi

*Protomelas Taeniolatus Boadzulu growth:*




























*Metriaclima Zebra Luwino Reef growth:*


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## cichlid-gal

Gorgeous...your photos and fish are stunning !!!!


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## pomi

Another one, with the Zebra Chilumba:


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## cantrell00

Beautiful fish & even better photography


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## pomi

The tank is reaching the 3 years mark next month and is still going


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## Iggy Newcastle

Doesn't get much better than this... awesome.


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## pomi

It's been 3 years, since I have this tank, so I made the annual anniversary video.






And some pics, without flash.


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## Iggy Newcastle

Awesome, as always...


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## 4RSo

wow that luwino reef is amazing. Great tank.


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## SmellinFishy

Well raised fish right there!! How do you get such clean picks without speed flash? My camera snaps the photo to late and it's just a blur..


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## why_spyder

SmellinFishy said:


> How do you get such clean picks without speed flash? My camera snaps the photo to late and it's just a blur..


Faster shutter speeds will freeze the action...


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## cantrell00

why_spyder said:


> SmellinFishy said:
> 
> 
> 
> How do you get such clean picks without speed flash? My camera snaps the photo to late and it's just a blur..
> 
> 
> 
> Faster shutter speeds will freeze the action...
Click to expand...

True but would still require a ridiculously fast lens though, right?

What was the aperture Pomi? ~F2 ?


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## pomi

Exactly!

And to be able to use a faster shutter speed, you need light, lots of light, the more, the better. For african cichlids, which are very active fish and move around constantly, I've noticed that the slowest shutter speed you can use to "freeze" them in a picture, is 1/100 sec. Sometimes, you cand "freeze" them at 1/60 sec or even at 1/40 sec, if you are very lucky and catch them at a more standing posture. T

For starters, try at 1/100, with your tank lanks fully lit, with ISO setting at 200 and aperture at f/8. If the pic is too dark, first advice is to open the aperture more, like f/3.5-5.6 and see how it goes(this will narrow the focus field, so you will have a harder job at catching the entire fish in focus). If it's still too dark, raise the ISO to 400-800 or more(this will decrease image detail and add pixel noise).

Basically, you have to play around with these settings, until you are satisfied your pics.


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## pomi

The pics without the flash fired had these settings:

shutter: 1/60
aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 800

Lens is a Tamron AF 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Di II LD, which is cheap segment.


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## why_spyder

You can also shoot at a shorter focal length, which would allow you to open the aperture up to like f/4...


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## SmellinFishy

pomi said:


> The pics without the flash fired had these settings:
> 
> shutter: 1/60
> aperture: f/5.6
> ISO: 800
> 
> Lens is a Tamron AF 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Di II LD, which is cheap segment.


Hey thanks! I will try these settings later. :fish: 
I'm using the af-s micro Nikkor 105 mm 1:2.8G ED


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## pomi

Check this out:






This video was intended as a joke and should be treated accordingly.


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## ratbones86

Great tank! That borlyi is a beautiful fish! One of my favorites. You have an amazing set up!


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## pomi

Protomelas taeniolatus Boadzulu Red:


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## SmellinFishy

pomi said:


> Protomelas taeniolatus Boadzulu Red:


This is a beautiful pick!
Where's the like button? lol


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## pomi

Sorry, had to repost pic.


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## pomi

Presenting Labidochromis hongi Red:

MALE





FEMALE


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## Iggy Newcastle

Your male is very unique in that it doesn't have any barring. Both are great looking fish!


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## mike383

Beautiful fish, beautiful tank, and beautiful photography! Your tank is one of the main sources of inspiration for my 55g Malawi


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## audierou

Nice tank. Good job.


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## IanR29

love it. i need algae like that


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## notchback65

Nice tank,beautiful fish :thumb:


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## pomi

autumn tank update...


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## Iggy Newcastle

Great picture Pomi. Are you manipulating your T5 lighting to get that effect, or is it something else entirely?

Your tank is phenomenal.


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## Lushaquatics

You have really good looking Acei !!! If only the fish here were of the same quality of Europe! ugh..


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## christy_lee

your tank is gorgeous! I just looked through all the photos on this thread. it is really beautiful. I'm doing something similar to that in the tank I'm setting up now except ultimately I want a tang tank and I plan to attempt incorporating live plants. I really enjoy the algae look. Your tank gave me a whole new appreciation for it lol!


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## JimA

You never cease to amaze Pomi!!


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## cichlid-gal

Beautiful photo. Your green algae growth is amazing.


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## pomi

I'm glad you like it!

For lighting, I use the good old T8 tubes, but in this pic, that effect was achieved by using a slave flash, over the tank.

What do you guys say about this species??



They are still young and not fully colored.


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## Michael_S

Gephyrochomis moorii? I have never owned this fish, but I always wanted to. By the way, you are an amazing photographer and have an excellent tank!


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## pomi

Gephyrochromis lawsi


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## pomi

These are my country flag colors, embedded with african cichlids :lol:


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## Iggy Newcastle

Wanted to bump this thread to inquire about the tank, and to put it at the top of the forum for new members to check out...

Sweet flag!


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## tommyo717

Lushaquatics said:


> You have really good looking Acei !!! If only the fish here were of the same quality of Europe! ugh..


I am getting ready to set up a tank of Acei and Labs like Pomi did. Is it true that Acei won't color up like hers? Would F1s give the colors like Pomi's


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## DJRansome

Most acei look like that when the light hits them just right which is not 100% of the time.


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## Razzo

Impressive tank, fish, and photography skills. Very nice. Love the look of that FTS with the slave flash. Nicely done


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