# Yet another Hardscape Critique



## digitallinh2 (Dec 29, 2012)

Hey guys,

My first time with African Cichlids, started in the hobby about 18 months ago with full on planted tanks. I'm running a 2217 in this 55 gallon, I have been running the filter (with half old biomedia) in one of my planted tanks for 1-2 weeks now, decided to fill in the tank and finish up the cycle with some feeder goldfish (which you see.) I guess stocking plan is important:

6 yellow finned 2 inch Calvus (picking up in a week)
10-12 Cyprichromis non-jumbo
1 x leleupi
xx - shell dwellers

1. Does the tank look good? I stumbled upon a scene that looks like a House/Fort (stairs going on the right side) on a hill with a moat/river running in front of it, and a broken bridge towards the second pile of rocks. I'm probably the only person who sees this, so does it look good? Should I connect the two piles with a platform?

Should I move anything? Add plants?

2. Functionality-wise, do I have enough rock for the 6 Calvus + other fish? Do I need more rocks? Should I pile the rocks higher? both piles? More accent rocks?

Do these fish need caves or just plain rocks?

Any insight will be much appreciated!


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## halffrozen (Sep 24, 2011)

IMHO, looks pretty **** good!

Specially if keeping some colorful Africans...


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## MSUDawgs56 (Feb 1, 2005)

Looks good. Cyps will be open water, no more rocks for them. The calvus will use rock piles, shells, or breeding caves you can order online. I would def. add some shells around the tank for calvus and shellies.

Overall I like the look. The Texas Holey Rock has plenty of hiding spots and as far as the looks, as long as your happy that's all that matters. The fish will be fine.. add some shells.

:dancing:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Cyps do like some resting place up high. Some lean slate against the background. My 3D background ledges seem to make them happy. Plants can help too.

Put your shells in a big pile in a section separated by a swath of open sand.


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## digitallinh2 (Dec 29, 2012)

Thanks everyone! So a 3d background, and more shells/nooks.

I was planning to use the far left for a shell bed.

What type of background do you have? Diy? Brand?

Thanks!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Pangea.


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

I saw a texas holey rock background that looked pretty good, though I would want paint it a little darker before using. It seemed to have some nice relief to it that fish could actually hide in.

I like the rock you have, and with some litter/shells spread around it should be great. I would go black sand though (or the cichlid sand that has some black white mix), too much white.


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## digitallinh2 (Dec 29, 2012)

This is what it looks like in its current state. Probably going to add a shellbed to the left, though I'm not sure how that will actually look. We'll see if I follow through with it.

I may invest in getting a good 3d background, the tank is a bit shallow (standard 55), so we'll see there too.

6 yellow finned Calvus!
2 S. Petricola
2 BN Plecos


























Thanks everyone!


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## Shahlvah (Dec 28, 2011)

Very nice....really like it. Very serene. Congrats. :thumb:


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## NJmomie (Jan 17, 2013)

Very nice digitallinh2. Are those plants real or plastic?


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## verbal (Aug 16, 2011)

It looks great.


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## iridextr (Feb 8, 2013)

I like it a lot, I'm actually in the process of stocking my 55 Tanganyika tank too! One thing that will help you, go to a stone yard when you buy rocks, buying lace rock from the fish store is what, 3 bucks a pound? At my stone yard it's 25 cents. The tank looks great though, what kind of catfish is that? Native to tanganyika?


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## rodriguez20 (Nov 27, 2012)

whay type of substrate do you have?


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## anthraxx4200 (Aug 16, 2012)

imho id swap the two rock piles. idk why but after reading up on "the golden ratio" *** always kinda built my tanks around it. give it a look see and think about it. its about where your eye tends to look first. think amano design type stuff . just my opinion but its a GREAT start for some tangs.

PS: SHELLLIES!!!!!!


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

anthraxx4200 said:


> imho id swap the two rock piles. idk why but after reading up on "the golden ratio" I've always kinda built my tanks around it. give it a look see and think about it. its about where your eye tends to look first. think amano design type stuff . just my opinion but its a GREAT start for some tangs.
> 
> PS: SHELLLIES!!!!!!


Regarding the Golden Ratio, the bigger rock pile doesn't always have to go on the left. As long as it's left or right of the center it will be following the Golden Ratio.


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## live bait (Mar 2, 2007)

metricliman said:


> anthraxx4200 said:
> 
> 
> > imho id swap the two rock piles. idk why but after reading up on "the golden ratio" I've always kinda built my tanks around it. give it a look see and think about it. its about where your eye tends to look first. think amano design type stuff . just my opinion but its a GREAT start for some tangs.
> ...


What's the Golden Ratio?


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