# Setting up my 125 in pictures



## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Finally got my 125 cleaned up and my stand built (well at least the framing). I still need to put the cabinet grade plywood, doors and such on (my wife will make sure of of that. But in case anyone cares, I wanted to follow the set up in pictures and if you guys see problems or have suggestions please let me know.

















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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

These will be my first haps in the 125. They are in my 70 gal with my mbuna right now.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

looks great so far cichlidpastor :thumb:


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## wickidchap (Feb 27, 2009)

Real nice!


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## emptyhead (Apr 16, 2007)

The tank looks great in that location!

I bet you'll end up buying some really comfortable dining room chairs. opcorn:


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## Cheffish (Aug 2, 2009)

I'd pull the dinner table and the chairs and replace it with a u shaped comfortable couch, black-out the ceiling and add pin lights and let the wife pick out a nice old fashion set of French Doors 

Just kidding - looks great! water changes with the kids eating mac & cheese ftw!


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

I don't know cheffish, I think you might be on to something. I'll talk to the wife about it


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Filling it with water, sand and some rocks I found for 5 dollars!


























Got my daughter in the action cleaning rocks.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

She's cute she looks really excited! Make sure you clean your sand over and over till the water out clear. I did this when I switched from gravel to sand. And also totally up to you, I put the cleaned sand in large ziplock bags and put it directly to the bottom with my water in the tank. Keep us posted and good luck!!! :thumb:


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Yeah she was. I try to include them in the hobby as much as possible. My wife homeschools them and will use it for marine biology. I wonder if i could get a tax break on that . . . hmm.

Here is the tank with water, sand and three of my cheap rocks. No filters, just a few bubble screens and a powerhead to keep the water moving. I need some advice on how to arrange the decor. I just put the rocks in, that's not necessarily where and how and I want them. All advice welcome.


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## TheBanker (Jun 14, 2008)

nice progress, what other haps are you considering?


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Dj823cichild said:


> She's cute she looks really excited! Make sure you clean your sand over and over till the water out clear. I did this when I switched from gravel to sand. And also totally up to you, I put the cleaned sand in large ziplock bags and put it directly to the bottom with my water in the tank. Keep us posted and good luck!!! :thumb:


Yeah I'm pretty particular about my sand. I use pool sand, pretty clean already, but I do clean it pretty thoroughly. I didn't do your ziplock thing, never heard of that before now. you must be really particular huh?


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

TheBanker said:


> nice progress, what other haps are you considering?


I've got a guy that has offered to give me a couple eye biters and couple rostratus. They are about 4-6" and my venustus are about 2.5" so I hope they don't become food

But I'm also considering some red emperess, blue dolphins, and red and sunshine peacocks (I know they aren't haps, but i like them). Any thoughts?


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## Cheffish (Aug 2, 2009)

Maybe paint the back? especially since it's in a stylish room for all to view? It may not be too late 

Check out the speckled rock paint?

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=198721


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

That looks really good, especially with the black speckled sand. I was actually planning on getting a black background that you tape on. I don't really like paint, because it limits what you can do in the future. Your video is cool too


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

I'm actually thinking about taking out the 2 biggest black rocks from 125 (above) and keeping the low, long one in the middle, and then putting the 2 big ones in my 70 gal (below) and taking some of the sand stone out of that one and putting it in the 125. I just think that being a hap tank I need to keep the rocks a little lower and my mbuna tank needs more rock and more diverse rock. What do you guys think? I am not very artistic when it comes to this stuff.


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## Cheffish (Aug 2, 2009)

cool -


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

okay, my wife and I are trying to think outside the box and here is what we have so far. Any suggestions?


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## emptyhead (Apr 16, 2007)

I like the last setup, but I also like the first with just the 3 large rocks. The rocks you have are great. I like the look of some large vertical rocks.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

the last one was my 70 gal. I took some of the vertical pieces of sandstone from the 70. The I took the biggest bolder and put it in the 70. It looks bad with the sand stone. I need to try something else in that one


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

cichlidpastor said:


> Dj823cichild said:
> 
> 
> > She's cute she looks really excited! Make sure you clean your sand over and over till the water out clear. I did this when I switched from gravel to sand. And also totally up to you, I put the cleaned sand in large ziplock bags and put it directly to the bottom with my water in the tank. Keep us posted and good luck!!! :thumb:
> ...


I read it in someone's thread it worked like a charm for me my water didn't cloudy up what so ever. What kind of filters are you thinking on using canister, emperor, aqua clear hob?


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

I'm going to stat with 2 emperor 400's


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Nice!


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Okay, everything is set up as much as it's going to be. But still no filters and no heater. I expected them to come in UPS yesterday or today, no such luck. I was going to pick up a bunch and feeders and let them get the cycle started, but with no filters it's kind of futile. So I wait.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Well the filters and heater arrived! And now they are all in and running. Off to the LFS to get some feeders for cycling. And then when the Haps get there, they'll have "some food in the fridge" waiting for them. I love getting new fish stuff!


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Awesome keep us posted Pastor.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

I have the feeds in and the tank is cycling. I bought about 15 comet feeders, all about 1" long. But I have already lost 2 in 2 days. The water is about 78F. Is the warm water what's doing them in? I don't really want to make it colder because that slows the bacteria growth.

So far i am not reading any A or Ni. Do you guys think 13 1" comets are enough bio-load for 125 gal?


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Okay here is a working version. Just needed some color to draw my eyes away from those wretched goldfish. Please advise


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

I would say just give it some time and see what happens pastor. I've always done a fishless cycle and then put in some established media in the filter and bottled bacteria, but that's just me. I'm sure you will be fine and other's will give you better advice then I can. Just my 2 cents lol. :dancing:


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I would get another plant of the same type as that larger one, only smaller and put it to the left and a little forward. It will look more realistic and appear to be 'growing'. The same works for the other plants as well.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

yeah, I also use bottled bacteria, but i was going to go with just used media from my other tank this time.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

dwarfpike said:


> I would get another plant of the same type as that larger one, only smaller and put it to the left and a little forward. It will look more realistic and appear to be 'growing'. The same works for the other plants as well.


If you're talking about the one in the center, there is one shorter and it's right next to to the tall one. It's just hard to tell in that picture, but I think I'll move that shorter one forward like you said.

I really don't want any plants at all, but i don't really know what else to do really. The tank needs color and it will have a lot of it with mature haps, but until then I guess I'll have to settle with plastique


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Yeah, I always put plants in tanks to add some green unless the fish will actually eat them. Luckily few cichlids will eat or mess with anubias and they do well with low lights ... and attack to rocks, no worries about being dug up.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Here is the latest picture on my 125 hap tank. I've been buying it's inhabitants. Today picked up a really sweet sunshine peacock, his colors are coming in nicely. Also picked up 2 Copadichromis chrysonotus, a Bristlenose pleco. Those are in addition to my red peacock and 2 Nimbochromis venustus


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Looks great pastor, I guess you didn't have any problems cycling?


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Well not sure. I really couldn't get much of a spike. I registered a hair under .25 on Monday morning and then that evening it was 0. No nitrites either. I was going to test nitrates this afternoon, just to see if maybe I missed the cycle.

I was losing feeders at a pretty rapid rate and so I am sure that wasn't helping the cycle any. Those feeders aren't very sturdy I won't use them again. So I put in a small peacock that i had to replace what i lost as far as bio-load. And then I introduced a few more. Still no ammonia spike.

I did seed it pretty well (or at least as well as I could), that might be easing the ammonia a little bit. I have never really seeded a tank before, I always cycled cold turkey, so I'm not really sure what I'm seeing at this point. Also never have cycled such large tank, I'm sure things move a little slower with all that water.

So now I have about 5 fish total in the tank. I also dumped a big bottle of Safestart in to bombard it with bacteria. I figured it couldn't hurt, and might just help. I'm testing once in the morning and once in late afternoon to stay on top of things. I have some other larger fish that will be going in, but I want to wait and see how the cycle goes and make sure that i am really on the other side of it.

If things get hairy or out of control, I can always move my stock over to my mbuna tank.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Well, I am still dead zero on ammo and nitrites, but my nitrates are rising. Seems that I got through the cycle. That was about a week. It was no doubt the seeding and the safestart that moved the cycle so fast.

I have 4 fish (2 eyebiters and 2 Fossorochromis rostratus) that are about 4-6" long that will also go in. I might try to introduce them this weekend if the guy I'm getting them from is available. Or I might just wait until next weekend. I could be pushing my luck with this easy cycle.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Have you had any ammonia or nitrite so far when you are doing your tests? You know from experience I'm sure this is a lengthy process. I would just hate to see you lose those fish cause your tank isn't properly cycled. I used Safestart to build up the bacteria in my 60 gallon and stress enzyme as well. Took me 2 weeks just about, I got impatient and added a second bottle of Safestart and it did the trick lol. Good luck and remain patient and you will be fine.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

I'm still reading zero A and Ni and Na is very slowly rising. I actually decided not to pick up the big fish. I'll give it another week, just to make sure. But I did get rid of the last of the feeders and replaced them with 3 very nice peacocks. I've got some pictures of them below.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

I got some new lights, because the old ones were so "yellow" and bright. Not sure where they came from, but I would like to know what you guys think. Be honest.


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## Mikey13 (Apr 1, 2008)

A bit too blue, but you're right...the old ones were too yellowish. If you can swing it, try something in between.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Yeah I agree. Those are new lights, so I'll just take them back and exchange them. I do like the blue in some respects, it's just too blue. Thanks for your feedback mickey


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

I think the blue lights look great, it gives a great clean look to the tank; I guess my only concern would be if it detracts from any of your cichlids color. I think the blue lights tone it down a bit, especially since it is in what looks like your dining area. I guess just see what your family thinks about the lights, as they will be eating by the tank. I think it looks great.

I also wanted to say I really like what you ended up doing with the rock work, very cool look to it. As time goes on I would maybe think of getting a taller rock with holes in it (Texas holey rock is great, just so expensive). That way if you have big and small fish in the same tank the smaller guys can get out of the way more easily.

Nice Tank.

Thanks,
Matt


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Well I took the blue lights back and picked up some colormax lights. They said they'd be more in the pink and white range. I got them, put them in and they are the exact same blue as the others! Of course that particular brand didn't really list numbers. I just assumed the guy at my LFS knew what he was talking about. Oh well. Back to the drawing board.

Thanks for the info. BTW my water is kind of cloudy right now. If it was clear, the blue might not be so bad. Do you guys think that would change things?


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

One of the guys on the forum gave me 2 eyebiters (5-6"), 2 rostratus (6-7") and a 5" yellow lap (Nice guy). I only had 5 peacocks (2-4"), 2 venustus (2.5"), 2 ahli (2.5"). So I put the big fish in and it really pushed my bacteria-colony. For the first time ever I actually got a solid .25ppm Ammonia. I figure I tripled my bio-load.

When I saw the A, I did a 25% water change yesterday afternoon during lunch and then did another 25% last night around 9:30. Not sure that I needed to do it, but I wasn't sure if things might get worse, so I just wanted to get a drop on it. Well, this morning I tested it, dead zero A and Ni. And my tank has only been up for 3 weeks! I am very pleased with my bacteria-colony.


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

mslancaster said:


> I think the blue lights look great, it gives a great clean look to the tank; I guess my only concern would be if it detracts from any of your cichlids color. I think the blue lights tone it down a bit, especially since it is in what looks like your dining area. I guess just see what your family thinks about the lights, as they will be eating by the tank. I think it looks great.
> 
> I also wanted to say I really like what you ended up doing with the rock work, very cool look to it. As time goes on I would maybe think of getting a taller rock with holes in it (Texas holey rock is great, just so expensive). That way if you have big and small fish in the same tank the smaller guys can get out of the way more easily.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the encouragement there. I do have some caves under the flat rocks, a total of about 4. I can add more if needed. I would love to have some holey rock if i can find some cheap. But that doesn't happen much. I'm going to try a 6700K light and see if that works. If it doesn't I'll just stay with the blue. It's starting to grow on me a little bit


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

I hope you guys aren't getting tired of these pictures, but you all have been such a big help to me i thought you might want to see the fruit of your advice and encouragement.

The water has cleared quite a bit and I have some new eyebiters and rostratus.


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## Cole1309 (Feb 5, 2006)

What are you running for filteration?


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

2 emperor 400's.

I am currently in the market for a magnum 350 canister to add to the emperors. Just can't afford one right now


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## cichlidpastor (Jun 20, 2009)

Here's a video of the tank.


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## Cole1309 (Feb 5, 2006)

haha thats funny you say that because I just bought the Marineland Magnum 350. I am in college and my 125 is at home but from what my dad has been saying the tank looks even clearer than before so I hope it stays that way. I also have 2 Maxi Jet 1200's to help with some flow. but good luck & (buy more peacocks)!!! Lwanda, Ngara, German Red, Blue Regal, & a Eureka! hah just some opinions. BTW do you have a fish list or WISH list?


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