# New Member, Blank Slate 90 Gallon Tank Questions



## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

Hello everyone! New to the site, and somewhat new to the topic...

I've got a 90 gallon 48" long tank, that I want to use as a display. I kept some Jack Dempsey's in the past, but that was dare I say a few decades ago, so most of my knowledge is gone (or worse...)

Anyway, I am looking to do something that seems to be atypical with cichlids... I want to keep just a few fish, and NOT have them breed, at least not right now. If they do breed, they will be at the mercy of the Eheim 1500xl canister monster...

I am leaning towards South American because I like driftwood, and some live plants. But I am open to all advice.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Welcome to C-F!

I'll let others comment on fish suggestions for your new 90G tank.

Is this your 1st time with the Eheim 1500xl? I have a few of these formerly 2260/62 filters currently running and can offer some suggestions both for media and if desired, rotating the pump so it should fit under your stand if there is enough clearance for this monster canister.


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Oh wow... you have, _THE BIG ONE_ for a 90 gallon tank?
Cool!
So..... blank slate? My goodness! that opens up a huge amount of possibilities!
For ideas, here is a nicely built, 90 gallon 'Central American' themed tank.








CA Cichlid Tank


At the suggestion of Auballagh I wanted to set up a short journal for my 90g tank set up. It's not a Biotope but will mostly focus on CA cichlids, with a couple odd balls thrown in. I've traded in a few fish since my last post and lost one to a "decoy accident". The current stocking is 2...




www.cichlid-forum.com




A 3D background piece mounted to the back glass, plus a huge amount of rocks and bogwood make for a pretty nice look on this one. (I do suspect the OP in that thread is going to discover with his recent - impulsive? - stocking choices, that he may soon need a six foot tank).
Otherwise, something kind of off-beat and pretty cool could be based off of an individual, _Paratilapia polleni_, (Starry Night Cichlid) originally from Madagascar.








Males of this pretty species can get up to almost 11 inches, while the females average usually half that. That one could be a pretty cool, centerpiece Cichlid for a community set up.


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## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

It is my first foray with this filter. I’ve already got media figured out (three progressive foam layers, rest filled with 'biohome') and the pump rotated and padded for quietness. Got a killer deal on a barely used filter and unused media. No such thing as overkill. If the pump is too aggressive, can always pinch it off!

I also plan on a HOB refugium for the sake of growing some pothos.


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## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

May be skipping the HOB refugium for a 3D background...


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## SenorStrum (Aug 14, 2020)

jherbicide said:


> May be skipping the HOB refugium for a 3D background...


Let the pothos roots grow behind the 3d background...?
Also, be careful restricting the flow out of pumps, it can stress them and cause them to fail. I prefer still flowing as much water, but reducing the flow with spray bars and impinging it against the back wall.
Otherwise, you earn nearly full Strum marks. I also am a fan of huge over-filtration. The only thing I would change would be to skip the biohome in favor of something more useful like K1, or better yet, more foam. I've killed that horse around here though, so that's all I'll say, lest @Auballagh yell at me for jacking your thread


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## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

SenorStrum said:


> Let the pothos roots grow behind the 3d background...?
> Also, be careful restricting the flow out of pumps, it can stress them and cause them to fail. I prefer still flowing as much water, but reducing the flow with spray bars and impinging it against the back wall.
> Otherwise, you earn nearly full Strum marks. I also am a fan of huge over-filtration. The only thing I would change would be to skip the biohome in favor of something more useful like K1, or better yet, more foam. I've killed that horse around here though, so that's all I'll say, lest @Auballagh yell at me for jacking your thread


Yes, pothos behind the 3d background, roots bagged in cheesecloth (or whatever the correct term) to keep out of the filter intake. I think with the 2262 pump and the head of about 3' (1m), plus a spray bar its probably 'restricted' enough for a 90 gallon. 

I don't want to overstock, for ease of care. I'm mostly doing this for my two young kids, they love seeing fish at the doctor and elsewhere. So far my research has brought me back to Jack Dempsey's or Salvani's, or back to various Africans I believe. In other words, my research hasn't gotten me anywhere!


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## Aussieman57 (Dec 18, 2021)

I think we need to start a 90 gallon tank club.


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Jeeeze man, the 90 gallon thing is definitely getting some mileage on C-F these days, hmmmm? And well, if anything... I seem to have convinced our OP to invest in a 3D background, at least!
(And El' Hefe: Keep slinging 'em bro', te amo Hemano!)
-
And this place definitely DOES recommended stocking schemes. Yep. So, some good info here - keep coming back with those ideas! :Likes. Dreams. Whatizits. Etc.... Heck man, along the way you'll probably even get in a few technical tidbits for good measure.


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## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

Update after many months... 

Due to a few reasons I won't bore anyone with, I decided to go with a reef style tank, 48x24Wx20H; External overflow, 40b sump using poret foam as media. (4" 10ppi > Refugium > 3" 20ppi > 3" 30ppi) Eheim 1262 pump.

The tank is 'almost' cycled, Nitrates are finally showing up after a long wait. For those interested, I do believe high nitrites (estimated 10ppm or higher) does indeed stall/delay out the nitrite to nitrate phase.

The fun part is now here (almost). My plan is to stock with juveniles all at once (or in very rapid succession) the following in no particular order:

Maingano (Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos)
Rusty (Iodotropheus Sprengerae)
Saulosi (Chindago Saulosi)*
Yellow Labs (Labidochromis Caeruleus)*
Red Zebras (Maylandia Estherae)
*The Saulosi & Yellow Labs will likely be either/or; pick one of the two and skip the other.

I'm not interested in breeding, but am interested in any advice on this list, especially head counts!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Your mbuna will breed whether you want them to or not, so you still want to avoid cross breeding. I would choose 4 species for a 48" tank and shoot for 1m:4f of each. Skip either the red zebras or the yellow labs as they crossbreed. 

I would double the rock for mbuna. And 1m:7f on the ratio for maingano as they are a little more aggressive.


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## Aussieman57 (Dec 18, 2021)

jherbicide said:


> Update after many months...
> 
> Due to a few reasons I won't bore anyone with, I decided to go with a reef style tank, 48x24Wx20H; External overflow, 40b sump using poret foam as media. (4" 10ppi > Refugium > 3" 20ppi > 3" 30ppi) Eheim 1262 pump.
> 
> ...


Curious about your sump build. Any chance you could post a few more detailed pics? Any glass baffle to wall off the pump area?


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## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

Aussieman57 said:


> Curious about your sump build. Any chance you could post a few more detailed pics? Any glass baffle to wall off the pump area?


No baffles besides the Poret foam as mentioned. Each piece is cut to 18.25” X 14.5” per recommendation from the seller.

I have a little corner filter in the refugium running carbon temporarily, to help get any residual build chemicals.


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## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

DJRansome said:


> … I would double the rock for mbuna.


By more rock do you mean vertically? I think that pic might be a bit deceptive, if I double the rock it would be close to if not out of the water.

I assume the goal is giving little caves or pockets for territories?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The guideline is fill the tank to the waterline with rock. Yes lots of territories for the males (way more than the # of males you have) and a maze for the females to dash through and escape from aggressors.

It's good to leave a width of the Python between glass and rock all the way around...but that is about it for mbuna.


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## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

DJRansome said:


> The guideline is fill the tank to the waterline with rock. Yes lots of territories for the males (way more than the # of males you have) and a maze for the females to dash through and escape from aggressors.
> 
> It's good to leave a width of the Python between glass and rock all the way around...but that is about it for mbuna.


I can probably add 50% more rock, but the domestic boss has ruled it can’t go all the way to the top.


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## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

With another 50lbs rock, 150lbs total now.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Nice, you have a way with arranaging it. Just be sure it is stable. The rocks are one of my favorite parts of fish tanks.


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## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

DJRansome said:


> Nice, you have a way with arranaging it. Just be sure it is stable. The rocks are one of my favorite parts of fish tanks.


Yes, thanks! it took some work getting the pieces stable. They all pass the wiggle, shake, and bump testing.


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## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

Stocked the tank on Sunday afternoon from a semi local LFS.

All are juveniles and unsexed:

-4 Venustus (per recommendation of owner, and yes I know now they’ll need to be rehomed.) I had not considered them before visit and therefore did not research.
-4 yellow labs
-4 what we think are red zebras
-4 albino Unknowns (smallest)
-4 blue unknowns

Not what I had intended, but we’ll see what happens. So far they all get along fine, the albinos do like to stay in the shade as expected. A bit of a challenge getting them food. 

The Venustus and the albinos were in the same tank at sLFS. The others were also all in a different tank together.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Will he take back problem fish? I would not save fry from the tank and I would add 5 Synodontis multipunctatus for fry control.


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## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

DJRansome said:


> Will he take back problem fish? I would not save fry from the tank and I would add 5 Synodontis multipunctatus for fry control.


She didn't say, but I didn't ask... (should have). Their 'local' reputation is very high, and I think the word 'free' in my community would make them disappear fast.

So far no single fish has exhibited alpha or dominant behavior. Especially when they see me or another person they (minus albinos) act as one big group.

I do love those catfish you mention, will wait until those lil' albinos can fend (feed) themselves. The other species have noticeably grown in these last four days, especially in comparison to the albinos.

Edit: about fry control, I somewhat assumed the multi-species tank would take care of that on its own


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Even the mom and dad will eat their own fry, but sometimes you get escapees and then the Synodontis take care of them whey they sleep on the substrate at night.

Behavior that looks like schooling is common in a new tank but is not a characteristic of these fish. It can and usually does IME take several months to a year for fish to mature enough to start having aggression issues.


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## marten (Jan 23, 2018)

I love the rocks, they look really great. I'd suggest cutting down your foam baffles a little bit allow water to flow over them in case they clog at some point.


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## jherbicide (Jan 11, 2022)

marten said:


> I love the rocks, they look really great. I'd suggest cutting down your foam baffles a little bit allow water to flow over them in case they clog at some point.


Thanks,

They are actually 1.5" (40mm) lower than the lip of the brace. I went with the seller's recommendation for cut size, 14.5" (368mm), lip is at approx 16" (406mm)


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