# 165G In-Wall Malawi Aquarium From Build to "Completion&



## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Finished 165 Gallon In-Wall Malawi Mbuna Aquarium










This tank is what I would call my "realistic, dream aquarium". If money allowed, it would be something MUCH larger, but this is a great tank and I couldn't be happier.

I purchased my first house last year and began working on this project around January of this year with the assistance of my uncle, "the architect". The project took 2-3 months to complete. As you will see in later photos, this tank is located "in-wall", in my basement. It is the centerpiece of what will eventually be a bar that surrounds the tank and my wall mounted lcd tv. The fish were all transferred from my 75 gallon tank which is now a live planted, community tank. I have had the majority of my cichlids for many years and just recently lost my 9 year old Metriaclima callainos "cobalt blue". He seems to have died from old age.

Current Inhabitants:
7 Psuedotropheus "Acei" (3 born and raised in 75 gallon tank)
7 Hybrid (Metriaclima Estherea/Electric Blue Hap.....I'm told)
1 Lab. Hongi
1 Tiger Loach

Plants: Java Fern

Equipment:
1 Large Rena Canister Filter (Unknown Model, was purchased with tank from cousin)
1 Marineland H.O.T Magnum Filter
2 Marineland Powerheads with 1 Optima Air Pump injecting O2.
1 T8 Shoplight (running 2 bulbs).....would like to upgrade to LED in future.

My fish are fed primarily with Tetramin standard flake food and are extremely healthy.

This tank was fishless-cycled using pure ammonia from local grocery store. Took about a month to cycle. I don't think I used enough ammonia, it was my first time trying a cycle like that and was nervous. Worked out great, just took forever.

The Hybrids were purchased from a fellow cichlid keeper that I worked with, he told me upfront that they were hybrids. I got 10 of them for $15, and while I realize hybrids are controversial in this hobby, I willingly took them because they are gorgeous fish and I have no intention of breeding them. Even if they did reproduce (which they never have), I don't interfere. If they survive the early stages, then I just keep them and let them grow as I did with the acei. They are a bit aggressive, but not overbearing and the males have amazing color.

The Build

Tank at Sale Day (From Cousin)









Day 1 of Build

Location Where Tank will Reside









Breaking Ground.....I mean, wall.....









Rectangular Hole Cut









From Other Side









Day 2 of Build

Beams Removed









Frame in Place









Tank in Place For Sizing and Fitting









Day 3 of Build

Pine Frame Installed









Full Tank Shot with Pine Frame









Day 4 and Beyond

Tank in Place









Wall Being Painted









Wall Finished









Aquascaping and Finished Product

Aquascaping Begins









Aquascaping almost finished (IPA on left of tank)









Tank Wall with LCD TV









The Room as it is Today (Bar to come this year, will be finishing the room)









Fishroom









Some Fish Shots (done with Iphone4)


















Thank you very much for checking my thread out. I hope you enjoyed. I appreciate any kind comments and/or questions. I will try and get some good DSLR photos of the tank and fish up soon.


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## dillon0990 (Jun 11, 2011)

awesome tank i love it. My dream is to turn a whole bedroom into a fish tank when i buy a house but doubt my wife to be would go for that haha


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Thank you. Given that it's in my basement, my wife doesn't even care about it. If it were in the living room, I think it would be another story. But this aids in her being able to watch talk shows and soap operas, and I am more than happy to retreat to the cave.


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## JoelRHale (Apr 22, 2011)

Very nice!


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Thanks Joel! I Appreciate it. :fish:


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## JoelRHale (Apr 22, 2011)

No problem, thanks for giving me more inspiration for doing something like this when I am finally a homeowner. I'd love to have a sexy, inwall tank behind a bar.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Simply AWESOME - I _love_ threads like this


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## loganloganlo (Jun 9, 2011)

Nice setup with your computer next to the tank! :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: Game hard and enjoy the fish


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## Norm66 (Mar 3, 2005)

Very nice! Thanks for sharing.


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Thanks for all of the compliments!

loganloganlo: you have no idea how true that statement is. :lol:


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## Norm66 (Mar 3, 2005)

The color on the wall is really cool too. I would have liked to paint our living room a similar color after we remodeled it, but my wife picked a nice green. Maybe someday if I get a man-cave of my own...

I wonder how many trips around the wall to check your aquascaping you made while placing rocks from behind. I know I would have.

The more I look at this the better I like it. Computer and HD TV all strategically located. Then there's the comfy chair with ottoman placed for prime fish viewing with a cold IPA in hand. Yea. Very nice.


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Norm66, you are starting to see my vision. The computer is in a temporary location until the bar is built, I like being able to see everything while I am chilling out down there.

My concept for the bar is one that wraps around the front of the tank, is unorthodox in that it will be low, maybe 4 feet high, and will feature comfortable office chairs instead of your typical uncomfortable bar seats. The end goal is to make this a bar/theater/game room for ultimate chill and fun. The tank was just priority 1. :lol:

I was going back and forth quite a bit while scaping. :dancing: I actually completed it once and sort of reconstructed the rockwork a week or so later cause I just wasn't happy.

The plants have been a bit of a struggle thus far. I love the look of having some nice java fern scattered about and to add some green to the tank. But I've been attaching the plants to some tufa rock using rubber bands and will probably have to switch to zipties or something cause the fish keep pulling them out and they end up on my filter intakes.

Oh and the wall color was my wife's idea. I as skeptical, but I love it now.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Over all, very nice. However, I think there should be more sand available in the foreground. I do like that you have lots of rockwork and that it goes quite a ways up the walls of the tank. Just my opinion.


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Hey BillD. I don't disagree with you on the sand, I should add more to the front. what you don't see in my photos is that there is actually a much deeper sand bed on the right side of the tank. I was playing with different concepts when putting this together.

Thanks for the advice, it is something I will probably do at some point. I do like watching the fish dig around and spit sand all around.

I will throw this question out there. What would you add to this tank? I have though about adding Cyno. White Tops, but fear it could cause an issue with my Hongi. I also love yellow labs and never owned any.

Would any of you try any peacocks or haps with my fish? I am not sure I am going to add anything as it is quite stable right now, but just wondering.


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## Norm66 (Mar 3, 2005)

The bar sounds cool. I like the concept.

It's my experience that cichlids generally dig up sand from wherever and put it in the front of the glass. So it's most likely a self correcting problem. :?


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

yeah, I am pretty surprised that they haven't moved it around more in this tank than they have. My bed is a little shallow in most of the tank though.


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## Chunkanese (Feb 4, 2011)

Nice build and a nice touch with what appears to be a Battlefield 3 poster. Im waiting on that too.

One day i will have to do something like this too. I will have to replace my scratched up 125 and get a brand spanking new tank of a larger size.

Are you able to get a closer shot of these hybrid zebra/haps? They appear whitish in the photos if im not mistaken.


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Thanks Chunkanese. It is actually Bad Company 2, but yes I am waiting anxiously on BF3.

Here are some pics of the hybrids. They are more a mix of Orange and Blue. But you are right, a couple of them appear white.





































An Acei









R.I.P Cobalt Blue "Frosty" as dubbed by the Mrs. for years









The 75 Gallon they came from


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Some more old pictures










75 gallon









My Planted Tank in it's prime


















Just really like these 2 shots


















One of my all time favorites that I've owned


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## loganloganlo (Jun 9, 2011)

What color is that red on the wall? I like it a lot haha.


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

loganloganlo: It's Geranium. Glidden Base:GL6213 - Satin. Purchased at Home Depot.

Hope that helps. It's a great color, If you like the pics, you will love it in person. I did 3 coats.


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## loganloganlo (Jun 9, 2011)

Very nice. I am thinking of going to a soft green to a bright red. It will match better with my darker floor along with a dark stained stand I am doing.


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## sunny231 (Aug 21, 2010)

do you play steam games? add me if u do. my id is achahal08. im pretty sure battlefield 2 is based off valve. I am a pretty hardcore gamer. love crysis series, tf2 mw2 etc.

besides that and gaming. you tank is just STUNNIN. I love the set up and how you have your get away area to hang out and just play games or watch tv. I am planning on putting my 125 gallon tank in my new house wall. Debating whether to put it at the entrance or in the living room. Still plan under going construction. Love to see more pictures as u update ur basement .

peace!


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

That cobalt blue was beautiful =D>


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Hey Sunny231: I do play Steam games, Username is FloodXL. I have battlefield 2 but need to figure out my password cause I just got my PC fixed and can't remember it. Been playing Bad Company 2 and it's Vietnam expansion a lot lately. I also play Xbox, same username. Currently playing Crysis 2 on there.

Thanks for the compliment, really appreciate it. I would vote for the living room. I am a believer in putting tanks in areas where they will actually be viewed. I know a lot of people who put tanks in hallways or behind where they sit in a room and it just doesn't make sense to me. I want my tank as viewable as my TV. That way if there is nothing to watch, or during commercials or something, there is always the fish.

Even though I don't currently have a marine tank, I frequent reefcentral.com more than I do this site, I just admire reef keepers dedication to the hobby and have been inspired by many of the large tanks on there. There have been several Cichlid tanks on this site that have inspired me as well. I tried to gear my thread in the vein of someone on reefcentral, with a detailed log with plenty of photos. That being said, I intend to keep this thread going as a log of anything new to show or anything I have to say.

I plan to put up a youtube video in the next couple days. I just need to film one that I think would be worthy to show.


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Thanks Chubbs. He really was. That fish lived through a lot. He was one of my first mbuna. He was a mean SOB for a long time but then calmed down a bit the last couple of years. He had a strange shape to his stomach for a while, so I don't know if he had something. But 9 years is a long time.

Great fish, one that I will always remember. 

Ironically my 13 year old rainbow shark died in my other tank like a week or two before him. Couple of old guys.


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## londonloco (Mar 31, 2011)

I want more full tank shots!!!!


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Acknowledged! :lol: I will work on it. I promise a video and better full tank shots in the next few days.


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

As promised.......A video....






Please click 720p to view in HD. I hope you like.


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## des (Mar 30, 2011)

I had no idea how a tank is put in a wall and thought one day I could hire a contractor to do it. It does not look so difficult. I would be nervous to cut the joists in my wall. Thanks for sharing.

Great looking tank and fish. I couldn't help but notice you're a Toronto Maple Leafs fan? :thumb:


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

My uncle gets all the credit for making this happen. He is very handy and knows what he is doing. The good thing was that if we messed up the wall that bad, it was just going to be replaced. It was already in the perfect spot when I bought my house.

Thanks for the compliment. Yes, GO LEAFS GO! Man, it's been a struggle..... :roll:


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## websitevelocity (Jul 1, 2011)

This tank is amazing! I really admire what you've done with this and enjoyed reading about your project!


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Thanks websitevelocity! Glad you like it. I plan to take some DSLR photos soon after I clean the tank and straighten up my plants.


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Hey Guys,

Just cleaned up my tank the other day, thought it would be a good time to take a few more movies of the tank.

Added 4 new videos to my page: http://www.youtube.com/user/FloodXL

Hope you enjoy!


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## JT1 (Jul 5, 2011)

Very nicely done. Quick question about cleaning. Do you find it difficult to get in between the rocks.


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Hey JT1. I have a lot of flow from my powerheads in this tank. Honestly not too much accumulates on the sand, so I don't worry too much about it. With my fishload and water volume and doing 1x per month water changes with carbon, things have gone great.

Unfortunately I am not sure what is going to happen to this tank now, my marriage is ending suddenly due to some ****ty, selfish and stupid people. So I am hoping I can bring it all with me and keep it alive. I guess we will see. :roll: 

Thanks for looking.


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## ozzybear (Jun 26, 2011)

Brilliant! I think I followed one of your earlier posts... Tank looks great! 
Lucky you x


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## Pnut (Aug 7, 2005)

Luv the tank it look nice


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

WOW! It's that easy I never though of doing it that way.

TIME FOR A NEW TANK!


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Thanks for the last few comments. Glad people like the tank. :thumb:


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

How many day's did it take you to fully complete it?


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Hard to say really. It was 4 nights of working on the wall itself (framing, tank placement, etc) but then I painted the wall a few times, that took probably 3 days, and then the aquascaping and filling was done on a Saturday. Plus a month of cycle time. So the whole project was realistically over a couple months.


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

I am just talking about construction time. Like the hole in the wall and fixing it up.


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## Lewiis (Aug 14, 2011)

wow, very creative! nice set-up with your pc and tv


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

*Aulonocara_Freak*

Construction time was 4 or 5 evenings, couple hours each.

*Lewiis*

Thanks!


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Just discovered at least 2 psuedo. acei fry living in the rocks in the tank. Love when I see that. Hopefully these 2 will grow up like the others did. Pretty big already, if they are smart in hiding, they'll have a shot. :fish: :fish:


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

For anyone who has followed my thread last year, and newcomers alike, here is a slideshow/video update of my tank. I have changed the aquascape to something I really wanted to do when I set the tank up. I enjoy it a lot more now and hope you will also.


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

Very Nice, very very nice.


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

*Aulonocara_Freak*

Thank you!


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

Hello Everyone. I haven't posted an update on my tank in a while. For those still interested, I added some new species over the last few months. I got myself 4 L. caeruleus, 4 C. Moori, and 4 Pseudotropheus sp. "Elongatus Ruarwe". I am very excited to have had the opportunity to find all of these locally. My tank is now fully stocked. My Psuedo Acei are absolutely thriving in this tank. I posted previously that I had found 2 fry back a few months ago, well there were 3, but one didn't make it. The other 2 are sub-adults now and I can't even really tell which ones they are. Very VERY happy with the way things are going. My hybrids did however kill a few of themselves off, I have too many males in that group and they are ultra aggressive. But it seems to have balanced out more now with the tank being heavily stocked. See below for some new pics and a link to a new video on my youtube page.







































































Thanks for looking! :fish:


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## FloodXL (Feb 23, 2006)

If a moderator sees this, is there a possibility of moving my thread to the Lake Malawi forum? Thanks.


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