# rate the the tank above you!!!



## cichlids _killer

scale for 1 to 10 ..rate the tank above you....then post the pic of your tank for the next one to rate and keep this post going... :thumb: 
[/img]


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## mittzgame

I am assuming 10 is high...

I would rate cichlids _killer's tank a 7.

Love the style of the rock, sand, use of depth, black background. I think the height of the tank could be better used though, there is a lot of empty space since the rocks barely make it half way up the tank. Also, don't see many fish, other than the few yellow labs and some peacocks, are there others in there? If not, up your stocking, it looks like you have plenty of room!

Here's the next tank to rate:


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## blairo1

Both great tanks!

I'd have to say the tank above is a good 7. I really like the choice of rock and the hardscape. It's just me but I'd want a little more randomization in the rock pile placement. But I understand this may well be as-is due to territory requirements. I think the way the rock piles are built up are fantastic, nicely done!

I'll go for one of mine from the other end of the spectrum now:


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## jbacker7

I like it, very natural looking, I give it an 8 because I think it really captures the fish's natural habitat. The cover is great and there is still plenty of open swimming room.










Not the best I know but I'm looking for suggestions on how to make it better so your ideas and critisizm are very appreciated!


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## Hoosier Tank

I'll give it a 5, kinda plain and bare. First it needs a background, either a painted back or a stick-on. That will help hide the filters. Also without knowing what is stocked in it, if it's mbuna you need tons more rocks. Now, I like the sand substrate and it is so clean looking I think you are doing a great job in the Maintenance dept.


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## CICHLUDED

Very nice Hoosier,

I give it a 7â€¦

Very clean looking tankâ€¦ Nice rock workâ€¦ Substrate looks goodâ€¦.
I would rate this tank higher, but I think the greenery looks a little out of place.


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## terd ferguson

I'll give this one a 7. I'd give it an 8 with darker substrate.

Here's mine full of whoppers. You can see my sig line for stocking. Click on the image for a larger version...


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## cc_woman

I'll give your's an 8. I love how the driftwood looks, and either those are some darn big fish, or the tank is small lol (im guessing darn big fish)

Here is mine, still sort of under progress, I personally think mine needs more slate, sorry about the cloudiness, just got finished with a water change and sand tossing lol.










PS, and any non african cichlids you see in there are going into my 125 I am getting today


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## h0nkzz

I'll give yours a 6 due to it still being under progress. higher stack of uniformed slate might just do the job.

Here's my shell dwellers set up. 4' 20 gal with some rasboras in top water.


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## terd ferguson

cc_woman said:


> I'll give your's an 8. I love how the driftwood looks, and either those are some darn big fish, or the tank is small lol (im guessing darn big fish)


Yeah, they're pretty big, lol. Albino Oscar is about 14" for reference. The tank is 190g, stocking is in my sig line.

For h0nkzz, I'll give you an 8. Very nice shellie set up. You might have gotten a 9 with more plants. But really, really good job. :thumb:

Africans in the 54g bowfront...


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## Ravenatnm

easilly an 8, the driftwood and plants look amazing. If you had more rockwork behind the wood I'd rate it higher.

Here is my 75:


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## cichlids _killer

first to say thanks everyone to share their tank and keeping this post going......c'mom people join in let everybody see your tank 
Ravenatnm u got a 8 ..really nice setup .love that river rock stacking up together
well here's my 75 gallon tank ..i know the background gotta go but i just dont have the times for it yet ..when i do its wil be black like the 210gallon on my 1st post


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## cc_woman

I'll give you a 7, I like the rock work in your tank, but you are right, that background is just too busy 

Here is another tank, don't have a current pic which it looks much nicer now than without all the cloudiness. Once the plants fill in it should look nicer. Another one of my tanks that is still under construction lol. This was a few hours after setting it up, 40 gallon tall.


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## cichlidNub

I always loved the plant themes but could never get them to grow. Here's my 75.


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## cichlids _killer

uhmmm cichildnub you didnt rate the tank above you....


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## NeoAlaska

I will dive in here and rate cichlidnub so the post doesn't die there. I like the rock choices and how the colors are separated, but still look natural. Contrasts nicely with the sand. I give it a 7.5. 
(now I have started trouble with the decimal )

So here is a blurry pic of my new tank:









Stocking list is: Cyps Blue Flash, Xeno Bath, White Calvus, Multies. They are all juvies so they don't show real well in a picture.


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## josemaria

7.5 for you neo... very clean and and nice black substrate, I wanted to rate you 8 if you have bits nd pieces of rocks on the other side... still very nice!

here's mine.... 52G Frontosa









Thanks!


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## blairo1

I give the tank above a 6.9 

I think it's a 7 for intention - the scape is really good and although it's ordered it's not too structured, however it would have scored more with me it there were more shape to it - a lot more height and perhaps a break or two in the gradual slope. Some more rocks scattered in the foreground and it would be a 7.5-8.

:thumb:

So I'll jump in with a tiny tank now - a 10 gallon shell-dweller set-up:









:fish:


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## mccluggen

I'd give that a 10. Perfect placement of hardscape. Great looking rocks and very natural.

Here's the 29 gallon I put together with DIY background and DIY holey rock. Going to stock it with p. saulosi soon, right now there's just a small severum keeping it cycled.


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## blairo1

:thumb: Wow thanks! Awesome background!

Anyway, I'm not jumping the line to rate or post a new one (just yet), I just wanted to add that all the tanks so far have been brilliant. Nice to see so many participants, and it's great to see so many different tanks in one thread!!

:thumb: :thumb:


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## jkop

Love the above background too! 10!

oh well hear goes! Not the best picture as not all my lights were working (rear ones)

Sand is normally flat - My Frontosa was playing move the sand :lol:










I'll have to take some more recent ones!


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## terd ferguson

This is fun.

That's an 8. I like the sand.

Here's my old 55g growout.


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## jkop

you get extra marks for being in the photo :lol:


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## zazz

damm....now i am going to have to take a new shot of my tank......


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## venustus19

ok... time to participate in this game 

i give the above tank a 7... 
i like the black sand and the driftwood peice on the right... i think the left should be the rock quarters, but i guess that depends on what fish are in there.

ok, here's my tank... let me have it.


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## amiricle

Nice tank venustus19, i think yours is an 8.

I like all the space the fish have to swim, i would maybe put some fake plants in there if your sand is deep enough to get some color in there if you like. I like the all the caves you have in there, nice job.

This is my 55 gal mixed tank


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## chc

blairo1 said:


> I give the tank above a 6.9
> 
> I think it's a 7 for intention - the scape is really good and although it's ordered it's not too structured, however it would have scored more with me it there were more shape to it - a lot more height and perhaps a break or two in the gradual slope. Some more rocks scattered in the foreground and it would be a 7.5-8.
> 
> :thumb:
> 
> So I'll jump in with a tiny tank now - a 10 gallon shell-dweller set-up:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :fish:


That tank is DEFINITELY a 10!


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## maxim240sx

Amiricle, nice tank. I give it an 8. Gonna have to get a bigger tank soon though.

Here is mine. I had a great selection of fish until the fronts grow big enough to eat all the others


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## tonyh67

Maxim - Nice fronts! Rocks are a little too organized for me, but I'll give you a 7 for the beautiful fronts.

Here's my African rift tank. It's only been up for a short time, so only a few juvies right now. Forgive me for the tiger barbs... I cycled the tank with 'em and can't get my wife to let 'em go - yet  They are working out pretty well as dither fish tho. This is a 72 gal bowfront.


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## Matt B.

I'm gunna say a 7 for that tank....its a nice tank....but the plants look a bit too fake to me

here is one of my smaller tanks......just a small, simple 35g.......I'm just looking for a little feedback


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## ffarmer

I would rate the set up above mine a 6, need to get some kind of back ground going to help hide the plumbing

This is a shot of my 180 gallon mixed hap/peacock/munba set up. I have some "tank" busters in here so I need to keep plenty of open water for them.









Frank


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## porksnorkel

i'll go 7. would like to see a darker tank overall. the fish are very colorful and would awesome on black.

125g SA tank


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## Hoosier Tank

Boy , I'll give this one a 9. Very nice planted SA tank. It looks really natural and love the stand / canopy. I don't know what it would take to be a 10, maybe just turn out the room lights for the photo, but then you wouldn't see how nice the stand / canopy is.
opcorn: 
Here is my 29 Tang tank. Rocks for the calvus / julies, shells for the occies and plants hide the powerhead / heater.


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## Fishfeind

i'll give it a 9. I really like the natural layout.

here is my 30 gal tang tank. just set it up, current inhabitants are:
1 lamp. leleupi
2. julie trans.
1. tiny synodontis
3. zebra danios

Enjoy


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## cholile

Great thread!

Everyone seems so generous recently so I feel bad, but I'm going to buck the trend. Like most of the tanks here it is hard to find anything wrong per se and it's undoubtedly nicer than 99.9% of the tanks owned by individuals.

But we're enthusiasts here so having said that it is great I'll now be overly particular (and hope the next person will do the same with mine  ).

I'd rather the filter either be hidden or the lines all be black on a black background. And the stacked rocks seem kinda bulky and too similar to the background (kind of when you wear two blues that 'almost' match). I love the background though and the sand with the shell.

7.5

As for mine, the 'plant' in the front obviously needed to be fixed prior to the picture being taken and a bit of algae on the front right should have been cleaned (shame on those BNs for not doing their job!) so if you can ignore those and critique the rest I'd greatly appreciate it.

Have at it.


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## jorgy

Built for war.

Your tank is sweet I give it a 8. I like the rock work all you need to do is hide some of the mechanical stuff :idea:


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## cholile

Thanks. It's actually surprisingly peaceful though I'm hoping to remove one or two fish to give just a little extra room.

And yes you're right!! How I wish I could make that blue overflow just disappear! I'm going for a deep tank with black overflows next time so hopefully I'll be able to hide those monstrosities.

Now, bring on the next tank!!


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## fishyfishyfishy

Nice tank! Agree with the ratings! Blue sticks out, but I love the bow and wood color!!!

Here's mine:


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## Hoosier Tank

cholile said:


> Great thread!
> 
> Everyone seems so generous recently so I feel bad, but I'm going to buck the trend. Like most of the tanks here it is hard to find anything wrong per se and it's undoubtedly nicer than 99.9% of the tanks owned by individuals.
> 
> But we're enthusiasts here so having said that it is great I'll now be overly particular (and hope the next person will do the same with mine


Good point, but I think we are all being fair to some extent, only one "10" has been thrown in and I think it was well deserved. On the average the tanks seem to be getting 7-7.5 (darn decimals  ). Plus the suggestions on how to improve have been spot on, even with my own 40g tank. OK maybe my 29g rateing was a little too high, but hey maybe I struck a cord with *Fishfeind* who judged it ... luck of the draw.

Oh, and I guess I can't judge anymore till my 180 is done, you sure don't want me to post my fry tanks :wink:


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## fightingfish

this is my new tank i just set up!


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## BurgerKing

Post a fry tank for fun

fishyfishyfishy's tank gets a good ol nine(9) i really like how there is like two levels in the tank.

slug away at mine now


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## BurgerKing

well that didnt work


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## fightingfish

what about rating mine?


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## troyhoot

Fightingfish- I'll say 7.5. It would be more it just looks almost hospital sterile to me. I like the more lived in look.

Here is mine. The new fish just came today from Dave's. 3 yellow calvus and 4 stapps to go along with my poop factory pleco.


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## 12pointer

troyhoot
I'll give you a 6.5. I like the background but I'm not crazy about the 5 hole cave you have built in. I'm a fan of large rocks and more rocks in the substraight. Overall it looks good!

Hers a pic of my 90 gal. Unfortunlly its a pic of the tank before the water and fish are in it. My wife dropped our camera in the water and its shot. I took pics with our video cam, but I'm still trying to figure out how to download the pic from a disk. The sand is lighter in color than it looks. Theres a young breeding group of Cyp Kitumbas and a group of Xeno Flavipinnis Katalambas in there.
[/img]


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## troyhoot

12pointer said:


> I'm not crazy about the 5 hole cave you have built in.


Thats my Pac-man ghost rock/cave  Its not attached. completely removable. Im still debating if ill keep it in there. It took a month or so to grow on me. Im really waiting for the green algea to start growing on it. Or I may put some moss of one sort or another on it to cover it.


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## crotalusfan

Looks nice. I love the red rock and sand. I'll say an 8. I thought about red for my tank, but went with black. I think your tank needs something, though. More smaller rocks, maybe? Plants? I don't know. Overall, great job.

Here is my 46gal. It isn't done, and this pic was before I added any fish. This will probably be the home of my P. loiselli, until I can get something bigger. I am adding some driftwood. I might add some plants , if I use my 65 for the loiselli. Sorry if it's a little blurry, and I need to hide that little filter in the corner. I will take some more pics in the next day or two. Thanks for any suggestions.


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## 12pointer

troyhoot
Like I said overall it looks good  . If it was me I would put a few larger rocks along the background in the substraight. If you do that I would give you a higher rating :thumb:


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## cichlids _killer

OMG more than a 1000 view but only 47 post...lolz this not good people  ..dont be shy 
crotalusfan i'll give u a 7 cause that the big tank but im not felling the rock and please losse the fake plant...anyways im gonna cheat so here's same tank on the 1st post just with alot of fish and new lay out .


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## cichlidNub

I rate it a 6


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## cichlids _killer

cichlidNub said:


> I rate it a 6


lolz thanks


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## 96firebird

Since cichlidNub didn't post one to rate I'll show you mine.


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## BurgerKing

ok this isnt working for me, how do you get your picture to show up???


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## cichlids _killer

96firebird said:


> Since cichlidNub didn't post one to rate I'll show you mine.


dude really nice tank very nauture looking


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## fightingfish

troyhoot said:


> Fightingfish- I'll say 7.5. It would be more it just looks almost hospital sterile to me. I like the more lived in look.
> 
> Here is mine. The new fish just came today from Dave's. 3 yellow calvus and 4 stapps to go along with my poop factory pleco.


Can i ask how my tank looks hospital and sterile? here is a my tank again.


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## digs27

cichlids _killer I love the mixture of rocks driftwood and plants. It has a very nice natural look, Ill give it a 9.

Here is my 10 gal shelldweller tank.


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## troyhoot

fightingfish said:


> Can i ask how my tank looks hospital and sterile? here is a my tank again.


Hospital = where Doctors work.

Hospital sterile = Everything very neat and tidy. Nothing out of place. Walls, floors steralized daily. Basicly i was saying it was too clean and tidy for me. probably the perfectly white looking substrate thats doing it to me.

More greenery or more fish would look better to me im sure. Just being honest I meant no offense fightingfish.


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## tonyh67

fishyfishyfishy said:


> Nice tank! Agree with the ratings! Blue sticks out, but I love the bow and wood color!!!
> 
> Here's mine:


I'm probably breaking the rules of the thread, but I hafta give this one more PROPS. It's a beautiful tank - my favorite so far! Very nice work Fishy!


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## SeaSide

cichlidNub- I love the rock formation...nice work. Redwood on the tank looks great to. I am not a fan of the two little plants (but hey I am new so what do I know).

Here is my tank. I just got it a month ago and am trying to learn all about these little fish. I bought it at an estate sale for $50 including all pumps and w/d. Not sure how many gallons.


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## TExotic08

Where's the light and fish ?


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## SeaSide

TExotic08 said:


> Where's the light and fish ?


I just set it up...got some mollies in there now acclimating the tank. Light will come as soon as i get some more $$. Any tips on the type of light I should get?


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## gbleeker

Well, there seems to be a break in the ratings here, so I'll post my tank and try and get the thread back on track.


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## Zack2112

*SeaSide*
Overall i like you tank, with lights i would expect to give it a 7, i like the rocks and i like the plants. I do suggest you add a background, black usually looks good, especially for making your fish and plants stand out while giving the tank depth. Im unsure about the substrate but the addition of lights may be all you need. Also, if those are live plants i would advise you to try to get some lights realitivly soon, you dont want your plants to die. I would suggest finding a light strip that is meant for plants, i found one at my LFS the other day for a 4' tank. it was a compact dual flourecent, the bulbs in it were meant for planted tanks, i would look into that.

- Allright, on to my tank, I really wanted to wait until i was done but im impatient and wanted to post it up here, i was having some problems with equipment and it will be at least another week before i get fish in it. Ill post later with an update possibly...

60g SA
will be stocked with 5 or 6 bolivian rams, 15 cardinal tetras, 10 rummynose tetra, and a few corys or ottos.

I also plan to add more plants in the back and a few more up front.


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## josemaria

gbleeker said:


> Well, there seems to be a break in the ratings here, so I'll post my tank and try and get the thread back on track.


Sorry I cant help to say this to gbleeker, love your tank for me its the simpliest tank I ever seen.. just simple and clean...


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## gbleeker

josemaria said:


> Sorry I cant help to say this to gbleeker, love your tank for me its the simpliest tank I ever seen.. just simple and clean...


Thanks!


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## fightingfish

troyhoot said:


> fightingfish said:
> 
> 
> 
> Can i ask how my tank looks hospital and sterile? here is a my tank again.
> 
> 
> 
> Hospital = where Doctors work.
> 
> Hospital sterile = Everything very neat and tidy. Nothing out of place. Walls, floors steralized daily. Basicly i was saying it was too clean and tidy for me. probably the perfectly white looking substrate thats doing it to me.
> 
> More greenery or more fish would look better to me im sure. Just being honest I meant no offense fightingfish.
Click to expand...

no you didnt offend me in anyway i enjoy constructive critisisum thank you very much! anyway i have added some drift wood and i just started the tank up 3 weeks ago and i have hardly any fish and they like to hide so seeing them is very rare.


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## crotalusfan

I'm not really sure which tank(s) haven't been rated, but here's mine. Like gbleeker said let's get back on course. This is a fun post.

So about this tank...Got as much free stuff off craigslist as I could, and just threw it together. Including the fish, food , and filter parts which I had to buy, I spent less than $30 on the whole set-up. I have since done many improvements (same tank as earlier in the post). Please be nice. There is no way this tank is worth less than 1.5. The fish alone is worth 1.5.


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## crotalusfan

I know, I know..the pic is awful and the outside of the tank is dirty.


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## Zack2112

What about my tank! I need some criticism here! :lol:


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## gbleeker

Zack,

I like the look of your tank. What would make it amazing would be some nice black sand!


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## Zack2112

*gbleeker*
thanks, i really like your tank as well, i didnt rate yours cause i was in the middle of rating the one above yours when you posted and didnt see your post until after i was done, i would rate your tank a solid 9. I love the overall look of the tank. the only thing that would make it better is if you were to hide equipment somehow. Great work!

Im not going with black sand because i think it looks kinda out of place in an SA tank, at least one with bolivians and is not densely planted, i know gravel substrates are not very natural eather, but its all about preferance


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## crotalusfan

Sorry Zach. I think your tank is awesome. One of the best on the post. A solid 9.


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## Zack2112

*crotalusfan*

since no one has rated yours yet i will. but first of all. did you really get most of the stuff free!?!? only $30 into the tank! That is incredible. The fact that you got it all that cheap deserves a high rating. I think the pic would be better if the room lights were off and everything was dark but your tank. i think it looks like a nice tank and your fish looks great. im gonna rate it a 6.9. a few things look a little out of place to me, and im not a huge fan of the background either. but thats just me. great tank. im very impressed at your low budget tank. nice work.

and kudos to *cichlids _killer*
thanks for starting such a great thread.

Now someone post a pic of their tank! Lets keep this going!


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## noj33

This was my old set up, i really liked it... 









But for this thread I'll use the new set up...  
:fish: :fish: :fish:

Man, the color was so much better in the first picture.


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## blairo1

I liked it before on account of it seeming somewhat more irregular in structure (and therefore 
more of a natural look), it's just my taste but I'm not into the flat slate stacks. However I still give 
it a 6.9 because it is one of the nicest slate stacks I've seen. I particularly like the left hand side 
with the smaller rocks as it's a nice touch. It would be a solid slate seven if it weren't for that 
slap bang in the centre plant and vertical rock, but in terms of a slate scape I think it really is one
of the better ones I've seen.

:thumb:


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## Hubbynz

**** Blair you are truely a freak with the quality of your tanks. How many tanks do you have now?

I'll give yours a 8.75. Very simple but yet effective, nice and sharp, clean and an orginial idea....definately very natural....also love the fishes head hiding behind the driftwood.

I am definately not in the same league as any of these tanks but I'll put my first attempt at a planted tank up for a laugh and hopefully some useful feedback. It is a 15gallon and only my 2nd tank and still very much a work in progress.
It will be home for a pair of Apistogramma Cacatuoides and a bunch of dithers.


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## Senseitom

???


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## Jonz'n

I can't see the image to rate it, but here's my tank.










Thanks


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## Hubbynz

sorry the link comes and goes...don't now why


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## addicted2cichlid

ill rate the last two so we can keep this thread on track...

hubbynz: that tank seems way bigger than a 15 gal... i think it looks awesome, u utilized the space in there grat with the lush plants and driftwood. i give u a 9. nice tank man!

jonz'n: great natual looking rock work... i give it 9 also. if thats a white lab in the forground im jealous.

here is my 75 gallon Central American tank. home to my 6.5" Jack Dempsey and 7.5" Jag, bristlenose and 4" CAE for cleaning crew. CLICK for much bigger pic!


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## ArcticCatRider

addicted2cihlid, Your tank is amazing! It's so clean, and very natural looking, and the plants just seem to set off the tank, along with the rocks and driftwood.I have to give you a 9.5! Sweet!

Here's my 150, Central/South American setup. Just cleaned it out a few days before this picture.


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## TailorO

I think i will give your tank a 6.5. I like yout rock set-up but i am not a very big fan of the blue gravel and i think you should really consider adding a background 

Here's mine. What's the score?










Oh! and the green thing in the front is not usually there...it's clip of lettuce they were munching on


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## Jonz'n

*addicted2cichlid* What kind of plants are those you have in there? I would like to find some broadleaf plants that grow pretty large for my tank as well. Very nice...And as for yours *TailorO*, I would like to see a picture from the front, but looks like a nice tank. Both kinds of rockwork set the tank off nicely, definitely a 7.5...maybe better with a diferent view! :thumb:


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## mainelycichlids

I'm usually more of a "reader" then a "poster" but that was before I came across this thread. After reading through the 6 pages of comments and beautiful cichlid tanks, I couldn't help but feel obligated to post one of my own. Unfortunately for me, the last response on the thread left a rating but no picture for ME to rate... So I suppose I will add a picture of one of my tanks and let someone rate it. I don't give my scaping a rhyme and reason, I just sorta throw everything in my tanks lol... This is my 100gal with a 12+inch pleco, a texas and about 5 juvenile convicts. I know it's really understocked but I will soon be swapping the fish in this tank with the fish in my 80 gallon african tank(which is getting pretty crowded). Anyway, I look forward to your comments! I may even post one of my other tanks.. who knows....








Be NICE!!!


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## addicted2cichlid

Jonz'n said:


> *addicted2cichlid* What kind of plants are those you have in there? I would like to find some broadleaf plants that grow pretty large for my tank as well. Very nice...And as for yours *TailorO*, I would like to see a picture from the front, but looks like a nice tank. Both kinds of rockwork set the tank off nicely, definitely a 7.5...maybe better with a diferent view! :thumb:


oriental sword. they are huge!, and grows out of the small gap in the back of the tank. i love it, very hearty for my two big guys to not ruin it. EASY to maintain (i run no CO2, just flourish once a week)

Mainleycichlids: ill give it a 7.5, awesome driftwood piece, mabey some more rock work in the open corner and taller plants to fill in all the blue. nice plec too.

here is another of mine, 20 long, home to my neolamprologus pulcher daffodil breeding pair and about 25-30 fry. once again CLICK for MUCH bigger picture


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## blairo1

Very nice and clean set-up, great use of complementary colours, not such a fan of the way the rocks are stacked, but it has a great atmosphere and for that I give it a strong 7.9 - 8 for sure if the rocks were a little more irregular. :thumb:


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## porksnorkel

EZ 9 blairo. i'd go 10 if the rocks were a bit higher in at least one area. very simple and natural looking. the depth u've achieved is amazing. i like the way the light shines down too. great work!!

my 125g malawi tank. no cichs yet. just my cycle barb, who is homeless otherwise and 3 syno cats. 3 emperor 400's and 1 280. 48" 10k bulb and 48" actinic. million-air pump.


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## mainelycichlids

Now I'll actually rate one lol ... I'll give it a 7... I like a little more variation and color, but maybe thats just me. Anyway, here is my 80 gallon african that is really overstocked in this picture. But since then, I've taken out a couple of the breeding groups, so the tank is less full. Here you go...


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## mainelycichlids

oops... i dont know how to delete this one!!! :-? :-?


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## kingpoiuy

I think you are on the right path *mainelycichlids*, I'll give it an 8. Something looks unnatural but I cant put my finger on it. Maybe it's the shell?

I shouldn't post this one cause it's a horrible picture considering I am somewhat a camera geek but it's the only one I have here at work that's not a closeup.










Edit: After saying that I just realized I had a shell in mine! My Yellow Lab LOVED that shell and it's the only reason I left it in there. It's gone now


----------



## slimbolen99

I like the fact that this tank is setup as a see through between two rooms (I believe it is, anyway). I'm going to go with an 8 -- would like to see some more plants and rockwork.

This is a pic of my 75 gallon Lake Malawi tank. I've actually since added a black paper background, and the CO2 is actually making my vallesneria grow much more than this picture shows -- but I'm too lazy to upload a new one right now.


----------



## blairo1

Healthy plants, great rock placement. Only "criticisms" are that the (taller) plants seem to be almost in a straight line and that the rocks could occupy more of the tank in terms of height.

With the background envisaged, I give this an 8.9 - with some more irregularity to those taller plants, and higher rockpiles, it'd be a solid 9. The rock choice is excellent. :thumb:


----------



## kingpoiuy

Blairo, you never cease to amaze me! All your tanks are 10 )

I'm not actually rating it cause my camera is broke and in for repair. I just had to complement blairo.

Sorry for the interruption, keep them coming!


----------



## SLIGHTLY STOOPID

Slim's tank beats yours blairo because it's not a look we see everyday. Sometimes that holds more value. There are plenty of pics from the rift lakes that look very similar to his display. Look at where those tall plants are placed. There is nothing straight line about it. And I believe his rock piles are taller than yours :lol:  :dancing:


----------



## blairo1

:lol:

Want to post pics of your tanks for me to rip on, no!? Have you actually taken a positive or useful role in this thread? I can't find any of your tank pics in here. If you can't play nice, go away. :thumb:

I made friendly observations based on my tastes. This isn't a "who's is better thread".

His rocks higher than mine!? Even though mine go half way up the tank and his are about 1/3 of the way up!? :lol: Are you blind!?

And yes, a straight line, from the front left corner, to the back right (straight lines can run diagonally too!)

:zz:

(Slim, I think your tank is great, I hope you have the maturity and intelligence to realise that my comments were based on my personal preferences and opinions, based on your set-up, rather than to take it harshly and as a comparison or in thinking that mine is "better" - mine is a completely different type of aquascape. :thumb: )


----------



## SLIGHTLY STOOPID

Yes his rocks are higher than yours.

And no, a diagonal line within the confines of a recatangle can not be called straight. Nice try.

And now I shall lay a double snooze on YOU for not keeping it positive :zz: :zz:


----------



## kingpoiuy

Wow, this is Stoopid. Someone post a pic before it kills this thread!


----------



## blairo1

So you're saying that it's impossible to draw a straight point to point line within the confines of a rectangle.

Wow.

If objects are in alignment between two points along a single line, they are in a straight line. It doesn't matter what shape surrounds them, a straight line is a straight line, whether it runs in parallel or diagonally.










That arrow is still a straight line, it is irrelevant that its course is a diagonal one, it is still straight.

His rocks come 1/3 of the way up the back glass of his tank, in my African tank the rocks come halfway and a couple go slightly above that. You're arguing against picture proof. I don't know how you can keep arguing this. (Either way it is irrelevant, I was not making comments in comparison to any other tank, simply on the tank "at hand".)

I'm not the one who tried to turn this into a "who's is bigger and better" competition, that was you. I'm not the one who jumped in a thread to discredit someone's aquascaping in such an impolite manner, without adding anything constructive or useful. I'm all open to constructive criticism, that's the whole idea here, but downright rudeness.....

:roll:

Can we please continue with what was a nice and friendly, ego free thread.


----------



## SLIGHTLY STOOPID

You are trying to get technical and that wont help your cause. When it is a piece of art or composition the straight line must be visual when viewed from the front.

Even by your definition his plants are not in a straight line.

I stand by my posts and please stop whining, no one attacked you.
8)


----------



## nick a

I haven't contributed anything to this thread, but have enjoyed watching it progress. Appears to be slipping in an undesired direction.
SO it can,


> please continue with what was a nice and friendly, ego free thread.


I'll rate the last tank as a 9.5---nothing is ever perfect --but that's quite close.

I don't usually take pics of tanks (usually zoomed in on the fish) and my tanks are all set up with the purpose of breeding vs viewing. I need easy rock removal etc... for the quickest/least stressed snags of females. With function over form in mind :lol: , here's a 40BR on my desk


----------



## blairo1

Thanks *nick a*! That's actually one of my first planted tanks from a while back, grow out home to a bunch of P. taeniatus fry.

:thumb:

Slightly Stoopid, whatever dude, I really don't care. Enjoy your opinions, you're entitled to them. No bad feelings here :thumb:.


----------



## coopercichlid

Nick a, I actually think your being hard on yourself. Its alittle hard to tell by the angle of the picture but it looks like you have a nice peice of holey rock in there. one thing I think could really improve the look of the tank is doing away with the "rock" background. we would all love to have those actually rocks as a background but when its just a sheet of paper it looks forced. A black back ground would also help hide your filter. overall though I would give it a 7, mostly due to the back ground and I don't have a straight veiw for more accurate rating.
But if your successfully breeding any fish, they'll give a 10 for the tank  and its the fish's opinion that really matters.


----------



## blairo1

Awesome rocks *coopercichlid*, those are some really nice boulder-like pieces.
:thumb:


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## coopercichlid

blairo1 said:


> Awesome rocks *coopercichlid*, those are some really nice boulder-like pieces.
> :thumb:


Thanks, found them at the local cement yard, sitting in a pile. owner told me for $5, I could get as much as I want for the next year's worth of new tanks ($28/ton) its a soft limestone so it is leaching in the tank wonderfully but my water is still crystal clear


----------



## cichlids _killer

coopercichlid said:


> Nick a, I actually think your being hard on yourself. Its alittle hard to tell by the angle of the picture but it looks like you have a nice peice of holey rock in there. one thing I think could really improve the look of the tank is doing away with the "rock" background. we would all love to have those actually rocks as a background but when its just a sheet of paper it looks forced. A black back ground would also help hide your filter. overall though I would give it a 7, mostly due to the back ground and I don't have a straight veiw for more accurate rating.
> But if your successfully breeding any fish, they'll give a 10 for the tank  and its the fish's opinion that really matters.


this's what im talking about....nice tank dude....


----------



## Guest

SLIGHTLY STOOPID said:


> You are trying to get technical and that wont help your cause. When it is a piece of art or composition the straight line must be visual when viewed from the front.
> 
> Even by your definition his plants are not in a straight line.
> 
> *I stand by my posts and please stop whining, no one attacked you.
> 8)*


I really don't want to get involved, but you did say this:


SLIGHTLY STOOPID said:


> Slim's tank beats yours blairo


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## coopercichlid

oh come on? no one wants to rate it? I know no other tanks have been posted i was just trying to get some ratings from anybody.

but in all serious, thanks for the compliments. alot of planning went into this tank. its now 1 month old


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## blairo1

I'd rate it but I was going to let someone else go first! I've posted quite a few already....

I give a 9, 9.5 FWIW. I think the choice of rock type, shape and colour is perfect, nicely arranged (in that they look natural) and a good use of the depth in your tank. I'd prefer a darker substrate, but that's just me .

:thumb:


----------



## F8LBITEva

*coopercichlid*

very nice tank I like the natural looking placement of your rocks and the gray contrasts well with your fish' colors. 8.5 only because your plants look new but once they are grown in it should be a 9.5 :thumb:

here's mine 50G breeder Occies,Julies,Calvus' and rainbows.


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## CICHLUDED

Looks pretty good F8LBITEva,

Iâ€™ll give it a strong 8â€¦

I think it would look better with a darker background, and maybe some smaller rocks around the bases of the front plants.

Clean looking tankâ€¦

Just started this one tonightâ€¦ thought I would post the work in progress









.


----------



## mackeralman

looking good cich, nice background. Its gonna look good when its finished i can tell :drooling:

at the moment i would say a 4 due to the great background, but im expecting that to skyrocket 

heres my 36x24x24, housing yellow labs and a few acei, the demasoni go in in a couple of weeks

Dont mind the big gray powerhead, that comes out in a week :?


----------



## blairo1

Once that powerhead (read distraction) is out of there I give this a solid 9.5. Excellent rock choice, great stacking that doesn't look unnatural - the slope will look a million times better without that powerhead reducing it's impact.

The background is fantastic (DIY?), only thing I'd say is that if the background and substrate were a little darker, to match the rocks, this would be a very strong 9.5.

:thumb:

As CICHLUDED has posted an "in progress" tank shot, I thought I'd follow suite. Mine has just been re-planted so it's further along, the plants need to grow back in, a lot. It will look very different as it progresses, be interesting to see what people thing of it now and at the end, see if you can envisage it - this IS the same tank as the one posted earlier with the lily pads, in case you were wondering, new fish = rescape:


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## mackeralman

:lol: thanks blairo. the camera washed the colours of the rocks out, some of the rocks are actually more or less exactly the same colour as the background (yes it is a DIY) and some almost bluish red ones for contrast. I havent seen dark sand over here yet, but then again i hacnt looked very hard 

ill repost it in a few weeks with all the fish and no powerhead to see what people think.

I also think your tank looks great. i wont rate it though as i dont have pictures of my other tanks at the moment :zz:

carry on


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## blairo1

Sorry bro I thought I'd added that in an edit - I thought a couple of the rocks had a strange hue to them and meant to ask if it was just the lighting throwing the colours off. :thumb: Gets my 9.5 especially as you DIY'd the background - always nice to see that extra effort being put in!

I can't find dark sand here either, black, but I don't want black, I want grey (in my Tang tank)! So I mix it in with my light sand 3:1 - Lightark ratio, but it's still not the same.

Righto!

:thumb:


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## squiggly

Blairo, I'll give you a 7 as it is a work in progress and sure to improve with time/growth.

Here is mine....

GREAT thread by the way :thumb:


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## jimmie

yeah man I like your tank nice lava rocks I'll give you in 8







225gl


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## mackeralman

oh how i love inwall tanks...

Jimmie i give yours a 7, the tank has a nice look to it, yet i feel that you are letting so much room go to waste, maybe try building your rockpiles up a bit? and all the heaters and intakes ect are really drawing attention away from the main features of the tank. if you built the rocks up higher at each end to cover the heaters it would look grouse 

heres my 4 footer tropheus tank









(the heater is a bit cut off but you can imagine it is there, detracting from the overall look of the tank :zz: )


----------



## fishyfishyfishy

Mackerlaman, I'll give yours a 7 as well. I like what you have so far, but it looks a little unfinished...maybe it's the top.

Not a great pic, but here's my in wall. It was Africans before I switched my 450g, now it's Australian Rainbows.


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## SonnyBunz

WOW very floral. A looks very lady like are you a she? I like the originality and give it 8 plus it's better then mine :lol:


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## blairo1

SonnyBunz I give yours a 6.5. It's different and the colours go well together, but I'm not into ornaments/pots in tanks which lowers my score, but each to their own!

Ok I'll see if this stays alive and post up my "in progress" scape now that the hardscape is complete. Just letting the plants grow in.


----------



## addicted2cichlid

blairo, very nice ill give u a 9.2 and for every inch the plants grow in it'll go up .1

im out of show tanks... all i got left are scary looking breeding and fry tanks, clean water, but nothin to bark about.

here is my 33 long (4ft), was set up as a local fish tank, i caught blue gill and a bull head and small 1.5" largemouth, has a koralia 3 fan in there (850gph) to simulate creek/river environment.

rescaped for easy maintanence: now its just a simple growout for my africans, fan is in back middle and turned on 15 seconds a week to push debri into emp 4 and ac70.

click for BIGGER pic


----------



## mackeralman

addicted ill give yours an 8, i like the colours and the rocks, but the plants (fake?) and the way the rocks are stacked give it an unnatural feel. Still a nice tank though

this is our last tank, 4x3 discus / community


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## jimmie

give you about a 7 tanks still need just a little work..I see the post is till alive updated pic on the tank


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## jar

jimmie i rate urs an 8. maybe more plants?

sry guys mines not as great as ya'lls im trying to make it better tho lol idk abt the sand and rocks u guys get lol cuz i know im flat broke lol any idea are always great lol

ugh if i have to









55g mixed africans sry they are tiny so u cant really see them


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## nick a

jar, I can only give yours a 4. You still have a lot of opportunities for improvement. Go to your local landscape supply shop and find some more rocks. They don't *have* to be expensive to look nice.

These are limestone rocks from a landscape supplier that cost about 10 cents a lb. This 72BF has been set up pretty much exactly like it is for many years. It's my mixed (don't know where else to put them :lol: ) Mbuna tank. It sits in the dining room so I can watch fish while I eat 8) It's just about the only tank I have that doesn't have a painted BG--it's kinda grown on me over the years :lol:


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## jar

what landscaping place? because i dont think there is any around here.


----------



## CICHLUDED

jar said:


> what landscaping place? because i dont think there is any around here.


Look in your local yellow pages under â€œLandscapingâ€


----------



## nick a

Surely _somebody_ in PA has a landscape & needs supplies?


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## jar

surly i live in a business area where we are run by malls and shopping centers and i cant drive therfore i can travel to look for it


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## Guest

Love the first two tanks. I would give them 9.5. I would also give Blairo's 9.5 as well.

The tank above: 6.5 because of the fake plants and background with prints on it. May be there is no print on the background, but at least it appears that way.

Here is my discus tank. Not great quality pics, but that's the best I can do.


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## mackeralman

im not rating it because im out of tanks, but i just need to say dnt , that is a stunning tank


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## TylersDad

I got to say I am enjoying this forum and love all your tanks.
It's interesting to see how we all have different styles and tastes.
I stopped reading the scores (which makes it sound like a pissing contest),
and Im just scrolling down enjoying each set up.
Sorry for commenting and not showing mine, but in a couple of days I'll figure out my camera and share.

I got to say again, thanks for sharing, this is enjoyable.


----------



## mccluggen

Beautiful discus tank. I'd say it is a solid 9. I love the layered look of the substrate colors. It's hard to put my finger on what it needs. I think it has something to do with the plants. They look just a tad too arranged. It's beautiful though.

This is a little 29g that I am using to grow out some SD's and a little oscar while I set up a 90. After they move out I plan on doing a revamp with some more low-light type plants. I have been experimenting with a "blackwater" look.

This will probably house a pair of firemouth and a school of dithers when the oscar moves out.


----------



## blairo1

TylersDad said:


> I got to say I am enjoying this forum and love all your tanks.
> It's interesting to see how we all have different styles and tastes.


 :thumb: This is all about sharing, complimenting and adding constructive criticism to benefit other aquarists. I look forward to seeing your tank!

Remember, darken the room, IMO it's easier to view the photos of aquascapes if the photo is taken at a point no higher than midway, preferably looking either straight on at it, or if anything, angled towards the surface ever so slightly. Avoid taking the shot at too strong an angle or the image will be distorted by the glass!


----------



## Joels fish

I give *mccluggen* an 7. I might rank it higher if I could see it better :lol: .
here's my 125g , still a work in progress.


----------



## nick a

I'd go a 7.7----embrace the plasticus decorus and go allllll the way with some much fuller & taller 'specimens'. :thumb: I realize some tanks work well with real plants, but others can look very nice (and be functional) with fakus artificialis style aquascaping. Your fish look fantastic 8)

Here's the previous version of a 40BR on the lower level of the double decker in the living room.


----------



## Guest

Thanks for the compliments. "Tad too arranged?" :lol: That's real funny because I think my tank looks so unorganized and messy.


----------



## pamer

Great tanks! all of them. My fav is the discus dntx. Nick I love the rocks, I give it a 7.5 due to missing something... maybe some of those fakus, lol. Also is that background painted? it's kinda cool. Well here's mine, an older pic of 55 gal. mixed malwai. I rearranged it a couple weeks ago adding a fake root thing and now all my fish hate eachother. The meanies took one of each of the lace rock all to themselves and are harsh. My poor female socolofi can bearly swim any more she is so stressed and worn out from being chased!. Which has led me to totally redoing it this weekend with sand, slate, other rocks and more caves! I'll post the changes next week. So critique away! Thanks :wink:


----------



## pamer

Found pic of rearrangement: ignore falling down background, redoing with slate tile








see the poor baby where her hiding spot use to be  
Any ideas from the next or future posters how to get the aquarium glass free from smudges, streaking & junk? Have tried glass plus and windex, over and over to no avail. Thanks


----------



## BurgerKing

newspaper and warm water on the outside, usually works believe it or not.


----------



## eccwannabe

Pamer ill giver your tank a 6.5 it would be better if you got some different more natural looking gravel. I don't know about the smudges.

Here is my 50 gal. 2 Yellow Labs, 1 Venustus, 1 OB Peacock, 1 Jacobfreibergi, 1 Electric Blue, 1Grommie, 1 Pleco, and 1 black shark.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] ... 7/sizes/l/


----------



## pamer

Thanks for the newspaper tip burger. Ecc I agree, changing to sand this week, your tank is beautiful simple, what's with that backgroud??? it has depth to it and is great. maybe more rocks??


----------



## Hoosier Tank

Whoa *eccwannabe* Where did you get that Back-ground?!  You gotta post a pic of that tank here instead of a link. I'm all out of decent tanks to post so I can't vote on yours :x


----------



## CICHLUDED

Hoosier Tank said:


> I'm all out of decent tanks to post so I can't vote on yours :x


Lets see that 180...

:drooling:


----------



## jar

here is my tank im working on i added some more rocks next week im adding live plants new light/hood , and i hope a backround i like and anything else i can afford lol


----------



## John_Auberry

I will play, um Id say a 4 for jars, The tank isnt even fill up with water. Good start though








with the plastic plants


----------



## Hoosier Tank

CICHLUDED said:


> Hoosier Tank said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm all out of decent tanks to post so I can't vote on yours :x
> 
> 
> 
> Lets see that 180...
> 
> :drooling:
Click to expand...

It's in place, and now plumbed but it's still empty!!!


----------



## blairo1

*Hoosier *I believe that is made by aqua terra:
http://www.aquariumhabitats.com/Amazontree.html

I may be wrong, there are a couple of pangea backgrounds that look similar.

:thumb:


----------



## Hoosier Tank

blairo1 said:


> *Hoosier *I believe that is made by aqua terra:
> http://www.aquariumhabitats.com/Amazontree.html
> 
> I may be wrong, there are a couple of pangea backgrounds that look similar.
> 
> :thumb:


I dunno, you can see the rear silicone and the hardware on the back, I think it is 2 dimensional... as in a sheet applied outside of the tank to the back glass. Looks so REAL


----------



## blairo1

Ah didn't see it in that much detail - my browser does link previews so I don't have to click through everything, that is an excellent flat background, had me fooled anyway :lol:. A friend of mine has started his own business making sticky back high resolution prints like that, probably what makes it so 3d - if you fit the high resolution prints to the back with some oil they really pop like that. Most printed flat backgrounds seem to be pretty pixellated and low res, I bought a special foil type one with a high res print once and that looked insanely real too, not quite like this though.


----------



## jar

haha its not filled cuz i did a water change during that pic lol its full now lol


----------



## Shellectra

Well I don't really have a tank above to rate as there is chatter above me :lol: so I'll just go ahead and post my tank to keep this thread going.

This is my new 6' 80G African cichlid tank, it's been running just over 2 months and is all juvies pretty much. I can seriously sit in front of it for ages and watch the fish doing what they do lol.


----------



## a82allison

Shellectra, I would give yours a 7. I like the rocks and I like your substrate. I'm not to keen on the tiki head and some of the plants. The light is interesting, how you have it only lighting up the middle part.

Here's mine/hope the pics turn out okay - I'm not a wiz with the camera LOL  This is my 125 hap/peacock tank and has been running a couple months. It is not fully stocked yet.

















Allison


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## jimmie

tanks ok I give it a 5....need a blue background are something...also I recommend a blue bulb .Tanks to dark. :roll:


----------



## Alisonj

If mine would hurry up and fully cycle I will post. I have no patience! :roll:


----------



## a82allison

jimmie said:


> tanks ok I give it a 5....need a blue background are something...also I recommend a blue bulb .Tanks to dark. :roll:


A 5?  Ah well. I know I want to add some plants - but I'm not doing a blue background, I just don't think that would look too great.


----------



## Alisonj

Ok very new to the whole world or cichlids so go easy!! This tank has been set up since Thursday. It houses some very awesome fish all of which decided to hide for the picture. So let me have it?? It is still a bit cloudy from being newly setup, and my camera sucks!


----------



## Alisonj

I am thinking the plastic plants in the front look like ****.


----------



## Toby_H

I'm not a fan of fake plants but I like your stacked rock


----------



## Alisonj

three are fake rest are real. You are suppose to give it a number!! LOL

Yours is nice. I would add a few real long plants to hide the filters but looks good. 7


----------



## jimmie

a82allison said:


> jimmie said:
> 
> 
> 
> tanks ok I give it a 5....need a blue background are something...also I recommend a blue bulb .Tanks to dark. :roll:
> 
> 
> 
> A 5?  Ah well. I know I want to add some plants - but I'm not doing a blue background, I just don't think that would look too great.
Click to expand...

msn I think you mite have a problem with haps and peacocks unless the haps not going to be predators


----------



## Toby_H

Alisonj said:


> You are suppose to give it a number!! LOL


Yea but who am I to judge... 

Here's one with some vegitation in it... but you can still see some intakes...


----------



## Fiaman

I give you a 7.5. Heres mine. http://www.speedyshare.com/833361784.html sorry but i cant upload any where else. Also its vga.


----------



## terd ferguson

Fiaman said:


> I give you a 7.5. Heres mine. http://www.speedyshare.com/833361784.html sorry but i cant upload any where else. Also its vga.


I'm going to give that one a 6.5. I don't care for all the rockwork. Better pictures may help your cause. Also, with all those rocks, you could think about hiding your powerhead behind some. Just a little constructive criticism. :thumb:

Here's my new one. Size and stocking info are in my sig line.

Full tank shot.









Left side.


----------



## Moutralewn

I'll give it an 8, just because personally I don't like these pots and I'd prefer more "woodwork"


----------



## jbacker7

Very nice....I'll give it an 8, really like the rock work! Maybe a little more sand though?

Here's mine, made some minor adjustments....let's see what you think.

20 Gallon Long.....Home to 2 kribs, 4 emerald cory cats, 6 red eye tetra, 2 otos...










My female krib (Vivian)










Male krib (Clarence)










Clarence and some of the tankmates...the red eyes (The Silver Bullet Band)










Please critisize and give suggestions on how to better my setup please! Thanks!


----------



## Koestby

Hey all, id give jbacker7 a 5...

Personally i dont like pots in a tank, im more into natural habitats for the fish.
And dont like fake plants, but i like the substrate and the rocks, just think u shud have more of it 

Ok, here is my Mbuna tank (350l) 
Gimme a shout if its sumfinn u dont like or like, whats wud u have done different? Always on the lookout for a better looking tank =)


----------



## pamer

I'll give you an 81/2, more if you had more rocks and fish - where are the fish :wink: The background and sides are rockin :thumb: , did you do it your self?

Well here's my newly refurbished tank from which I posted a week or two ago. 55 gal. Malawi all male except for a group of acei. A lot of new fish too! Female M. red zebra and P. socolofi and r. zebra babies are gone. The male red zebra went nuts when I took her and changed everything around then killed my male M.lombardio (sp?). That came out of no where, he never noticed him before. I still have him, a male p. socolofi, a male M. zebra unknown, 2 male aulonocara masoni or hap of some sort mix?, and just aquired juvi's, two auloncara-german red and rubescens(?), possibly 3 other aulonacara (looking for id's under mystery fish) and 4 p. acei luwala reef, one p. elongatus unkown type, 2 clown loaches and the most agressive fish in the aquarium - a 10 in. leopard plecos which I've always had, the only one who can keep my beautiful, mean as a snake, socolofi in line. The socolofi "Romeo" leaves the juvies, haps and peacocks alone but thinks he owns the whole tank! :? 
We'll see what happens when they grow up! :dancing: I think I'm happy now  
























If you can ID the white one I'll give ya $10! :wink:
(The tank actually looks most like the top pic. - flash sure does distort colors)


----------



## eroc23

Pamer, I'd give your tank an 8.15. You're right about the flash distorting the colors, with the flash it looks almost like the rocks have rust in them. I like the nice blend of natural looking rocks while trying to still maximize hiding spots. But it _almost_ doesn't look natural just because rocks don't fall in the water like that on a consistent basis so I docked 0.5 points  . Almost all of the rocks seem to just teeter-totter on each other. Have any issues with the fish moving them through digging?

Well, here is mine. 55 gallon. Only 4 cichlids in it now. Waiting for it to be more suitable for a species tank. The sand actually isn't as much as shown, but the fish seem to always move the sand back to this position no matter how many times I try to flatten it back out.


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## jcollette3

What a neat thread... eroc23, I would give your tank 8.25 out of 10. It is nice, but I like a more natural placement of rocks.

Me...








front









side.

The pants are changing. I had quite a few vals in there, but they don't seem to like something. They are growing too slowly. So I'm going to try filling the thing with tiger lotus. The one you can see well from the side view above is quite spectacular.


----------



## terd ferguson

That's a solid 8.5. I love the background. I like the substrate too.

Ok, last time I got an 8 with no plants. How about now with some swords and java moss added?  Tank and stocking is in my sig line.










Right Side...


----------



## cichlids _killer

terd ferguson said:


> That's a solid 8.5. I love the background. I like the substrate too.
> 
> Ok, last time I got an 8 with no plants. How about now with some swords and java moss added?  Tank and stocking is in my sig line.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Right Side...


my friends for the size of your tank alone ..u got a 10 on my list....i got a 210gallon now but i'll die for your 360gallon ...but with the stock list sorry bud im not down with SA


----------



## blairo1

*jcollette3*
Wow very nice tank and background. I thought I would add my thoughts on this one. The only things that put me off the almost biotopic scene is the red lily and the tall grass, it's just my taste, but switch that grass for some vallis and then a few dwarf vallis scattered here and there, remove the red lily (I love them by the way and yours looks nice and healthy) and you'd get a solid 10 from me. Great tang atmosphere.

*t ferguson*, I'm with *cichlids _killer*, that tank is simply awesome in terms of dimensions, what is it, 3ft width? Just awesome. Only one comment, to me the large sword looks quite central, maybe just offset it slightly. Hardly a major change is it :lol:.

It gets a 10 for sheer coolness.

8)


----------



## terd ferguson

blairo1 said:


> *jcollette3*
> Wow very nice tank and background. I thought I would add my thoughts on this one. The only things that put me off the almost biotopic scene is the red lily and the tall grass, it's just my taste, but switch that grass for some vallis and then a few dwarf vallis scattered here and there, remove the red lily (I love them by the way and yours looks nice and healthy) and you'd get a solid 10 from me. Great tang atmosphere.


I was thinking the same thing. The red lilly looks a little out of place. But his tank looks so good otherwise, I didn't mention it. 



> "blairo1"]*t ferguson*, I'm with *cichlids _killer*, that tank is simply awesome in terms of dimensions, what is it, 3ft width? Just awesome. Only one comment, to me the large sword looks quite central, maybe just offset it slightly. Hardly a major change is it :lol:.
> 
> It gets a 10 for sheer coolness.
> 
> 8)


Thanks a lot for the compliments and the tip. I'll move that sword over a little and see how I like it. Thanks again. :thumb:

I also still need to paint my UV return PVC black. I just noticed this in my pics. The white sticks out like a sore thumb.


----------



## Wvack

Hi, I'm new to this forum, but will start out fast, by posting a pic of my tank... it's been running for approx. 3 weeks



















Be gentle, it's my first post! :lol:


----------



## opie877

:thumb: great tank setup i give you an 8 solid im sure it will be great when u get it stocked with some fish what are you going to put in it?

I am also pretty new here not sure how to post a pic but heres a link could any1 help me to do so? here goes what you all think? my 150g setup not a big fan of fake plants and never tried to grow real ones how hard are they to maintain? and do they help the eco system of the tank as far as keeping toxins lower?

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/tanks/images/18658a.jpg
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/tanks/images/18658a.jpg


----------



## nycsk8r

[/code]


----------



## madzarembski

Definite 8.75. Nice rock piles. Heres my Multi tank. Algae and all.

Front









Side


----------



## Wvack

opie877 said:


> :thumb: great tank setup i give you an 8 solid im sure it will be great when u get it stocked with some fish what are you going to put in it?


I've got 9 Ocelattus' and 7 Paracyprichromis Nigripinnis so far...

They're quite small and therefore not easy to spot in the photo...

I'm want a 3. kind aswell but i'm not sure which one yet...

I've been suggested: A. Compressiceps or N. Leleupi... But i'm not sure wether the Leleupi might be too agressive and i'm afraid that the A. Compressiceps might eat the small Ocelattus...


----------



## tmcbride67

madzarembski,

I'd give your tank a 7. It has a nice, simple, natural look to it. I like the sand and the shell placement. It does look a little bare for my taste though. Maybe add one or two medium sized plants in the back to give it a splash of color?

Here's mine. It's a pretty standard Demasoni/Yellow Lab combo with a S. Freyeri, 2 Bristlenose plecos and 4 S. Lucipinis cats. Fire away.


----------



## tmcbride67

Wow,

Three days and not one comment? Is my tank that bad or did I come to the party to late? :wink:


----------



## PhillyzCichlidz

Nice tank i would give it an 9 good use of colors in your rocks and substrate and matching your background :thumb: 
























This is my on going 90gal setup i am not happy with the background but still havent decided if i am going to do anything or save it for my new tank


----------



## blairo1

I would play but I'm still waiting a bit - for the before and after type, otherwise it'll look like, well, before and before....


----------



## 5-O Cummins

I give PhillyzCichlidz an 8. I like your use of space, the rocks, plants, substrate, looks great!

Heres mine, just a start, from what I've seen most of you have sand for your substrates. Personally i've never used sand, but they all look really good and I may just have to switch. Like I said much more to come with the layout and fish but here it is.


----------



## skools717

cool tank looks a little un-natural to me though (no offence) i say 7.5

heres my 20 with a diy









and my 65


----------



## Alisonj

I cant figure out the 20 but the 65 is an 8.
Here is mine after new substrate etc, pic isnt the greatest though. I am not a fan of the plastic plants but before the fish decided to uproot them they were covering the filter etc.


----------



## 5-O Cummins

skools717 said:


> cool tank looks a little un-natural to me though (no offence) i say 7.5
> 
> No offense taken. How do you think I could make it look more natural? I think I'm starting with a black sand substrate but what else could I do?


----------



## Alisonj

I think it looks pretty good, black sand would make it look really good. I am not a fan of fake plants even though I have them in mine, Maybe a few small real ones? Bit more rock?


----------



## skools717

5-O Cummins said:


> skools717 said:
> 
> 
> 
> cool tank looks a little un-natural to me though (no offence) i say 7.5
> 
> No offense taken. How do you think I could make it look more natural? I think I'm starting with a black sand substrate but what else could I do?
Click to expand...

yea i would go with black sand like you said mabey some real plants and driftwood

but thats just my 2 cents


----------



## 5-O Cummins

skools717 said:


> 5-O Cummins said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> skools717 said:
> 
> 
> 
> cool tank looks a little un-natural to me though (no offence) i say 7.5
> 
> No offense taken. How do you think I could make it look more natural? I think I'm starting with a black sand substrate but what else could I do?
> 
> 
> 
> yea i would go with black sand like you said mabey some real plants and driftwood
> 
> but thats just my 2 cents
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Yup I'm ordering the black sand and have a piece of driftwood soaking as we speak. I'll have to look into the plants, thanks for the ideas and input.


----------



## skools717

Sweet :thumb: 
post pics when you set it all up


----------



## Alisonj

Back to the task at hand! I need a rating! Come on criticize me!


----------



## PhillyzCichlidz

I will rate you Alison I will give you a 6.5 I think if you are using that slate you should increase the amount of it so it covers the tank a bit more. IMO you are on the right track
Sorry I didnt post a pic but my tank hasnt changed too much yet :wink: Sooon.......


----------



## Ssssssspit_Fire

*I give alisonj's tank a 5.

This is my tank
400 gallons:*


----------



## blairo1

^^ Hey bud, so did you get rid of the parrots etc and decide to stick to salousi?

AS always I think it is a great tank and a very impressive dedication, what a lot won't realise is your age and devotion to get a tank like this.... Do you have more recent pictures?

9.9 from me, easy 10 if the vallis was a little more random, even as is it's a very pleasing tank visually.


----------



## Alisonj

A 6.5 and a 5? OUCH! I dont see the purpose of going higher up with the slate. And ssssppit fire why only a 5?
Please explain so I can figure out what to fix etc.


----------



## Ssssssspit_Fire

Alisonj said:


> A 6.5 and a 5? OUCH! I dont see the purpose of going higher up with the slate. And ssssppit fire why only a 5?
> Please explain so I can figure out what to fix etc.


*Well, it's kinda small, the picture is kinda foggy. There are many plastic plants, a thermometer floating in the middle of the tank, a wallpaper background and the rocks that are piled not naturallly...*


----------



## Alisonj

I dont think it should be rated on size? If it was a 35 would I get a 2?? There are a few plastic plants yes but real ones as well and the rocks are piled that way to create caves for the fish which they love. And the thermeter? LOL Alittle picky arent we.


----------



## Ssssssspit_Fire

*that's my taste, if it'll make you happy I'll give you an 8* :wink:


----------



## Alisonj

No thats great thanks


----------



## mccluggen

I couldn't get a decent picture that was squared up thanks to a glare, but here is the new (temporary) oscar tank. Down the road as I get my 6' set up this will become a tang community:


----------



## Hoosier Tank

Love it! give it a 9.
I like the color as well as the uneven rocks with the way that it angles left to right. 
OK here it goes, here is my new 180. I realize it is a tank with rocks and a black painted background ONLY so far. Please provide suggestions!


----------



## Ssssssspit_Fire

*I give hoosier an 8

here is my 75:*


----------



## CICHLUDED

Hoosier Tank said:


> Please provide suggestions!





Ssssssspit_Fire said:


> I give hoosier an 8


Oh that was soooo very informativeâ€¦.. :roll:

Nice tank Hoosier!
That being a 6â€™ tank (I think)â€¦ I would add some larger rocks, and stack them at different heights with maybe a gap here & there.

I think it would give it a more natural appearance, and create territories for your fishâ€¦ Just my opinionâ€¦

I would have given it an 8 alsoâ€¦. :fish:


----------



## Hoosier Tank

CICHLUDED said:
 

> Nice tank Hoosier!
> That being a 6â€™ tank (I think)â€¦ I would add some larger rocks, and stack them at different heights with maybe a gap here & there.


Thanks for your suggestion. I realized after posting about liking *mccluggen's* irregular taper slope on his rocks, mine seem to be all one level across the whole back of the tank (yes 6'). The cut-outs in the top of this acrylic tank are 22" long but only 7"wide so I am limited to this size of rocks :x I used both Holey Limestone (light) and Lace rock (dark) so probably 2 or 3 _long_ pieces of Lace rock added will help.
Maybe I'll morph what I liked about *mccluggen's* and your suggestion by putting a tall pile on the left, break, a medium pile in the center, break, and a shortter broken pieces fry pile on the right. 
Course there is always the couple of 20" plastic plants along the back idea... :?


----------



## cc_woman

Hoosier Tank said:


> CICHLUDED said:
> 
> 
> 
> Nice tank Hoosier!
> That being a 6â€™ tank (I think)â€¦ I would add some larger rocks, and stack them at different heights with maybe a gap here & there.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for your suggestion. I realized after posting about liking *mccluggen's* irregular taper slope on his rocks, mine seem to be all one level across the whole back of the tank (yes 6'). The cut-outs in the top of this acrylic tank are 22" long but only 7"wide so I am limited to this size of rocks :x I used both Holey Limestone (light) and Lace rock (dark) so probably 2 or 3 _long_ pieces of Lace rock added will help.
> Maybe I'll morph what I liked about *mccluggen's* and your suggestion by putting a tall pile on the left, break, a medium pile in the center, break, and a shortter broken pieces fry pile on the right.
> Course there is always the couple of 20" plastic plants along the back idea... :?
Click to expand...

If you break the rock work up too much it doesn't look as nice, but definitely going for a larger pile on one side then having it decrease in size as you get to the other side would look nice.

Ssssssspit fire, I will give your tank a 9......I love the different colors of fish you have in there, and the rocks, plants and sand look awesome.

Ok, here is a newer pic of one of my planted tanks....it was earlier on in this thread but here it is again and tell me what you think of it now......it is a 40 gallon tall, I was thinking of removing the sword from it and putting another type of plant in it's place (just don't know what yet) And I did try to move the intake tube so it was covered, but it won't really fit in behind anywhere else


----------



## yhanavan

I rate the above tank a 7. I really like what you've done with the plants. It looks like you're recreating the fishes' natural habitat. Very nice looking. My only suggestion would be maybe a darker substate to bring out the colors in some of the lighter fish a little more. Are the blue & yellow ones Rainbows?

Here's a pic of my 55 gal African tank. Sorry the picture quality is really poor. I have an old cheapy camera.  . I'd like to eventually get a background to cover up the cords showing in the tank.


----------



## CICHLUDED

Hoosier Tank said:


> Course there is always the couple of 20" plastic plants along the back idea...


I bought a couple of theseâ€¦ (Asparagus Fern 36" ) and cut them to sizeâ€¦
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... atid=12124

They donâ€™t look too bad for a fake plantâ€¦










.


----------



## Riderintraining2

Ill give the above tank a 6.5 nice set up i like the plant i really cant see the rocks but i bet they look good.

Here is my 75 gallon set up. I just set it up 2 weeks ago and there is 8 fish in there now hiding. tell me what you think

Here is it with my coralife 48" light with 2 65 watt 50/50's and 2 65watt actinic's










And here is my tank with just the 2 actinics's i call it chill mode  haha


----------



## Brevcom

The tank above ...I'll give a 8.5. Very clean look with great lightning. :thumb:

Here's my 300 gallon in-wall.


----------



## CICHLUDED

Sorry yhanavan, I wasnâ€™t trying to cut in front of youâ€¦.

I'll rate yhanavanâ€™s tank a 6â€¦
It definitely needs a background, and I would stick to one color rockâ€¦



Riderintraining2 said:


> Ill give the above tank a 6.5 nice set up i like the plant i really cant see the rocks but i bet they look good.


 Thanks :thumb: I canâ€™t wait to see what the other 5â€™ of my tank ratesâ€¦ :lol:

.


----------



## Bannoch

Brevcom I love your tank. It is a nice setup in the wall. I especially like the shelving underneath the tank. The tank I would give an 8! I like your rock formations.

I am new to this! Criticism/ideas needed!

I plan on setting up a mix African tank. (55g Tank) I have 3 zebra danios in the tank right now cycling it. They have been in the tank for about 6 weeks.

I know I need a background! Also less plants more rocks??


----------



## traumatic

Bannoch

5-6

comments: very clean water, not sure what type of aura or aesthetic feng shui action you got goin on with the fake autumn colored plants but... for a biotopic type aquarium, I say 0 plants, lay the rocks down flat, and possibly more of a pile with open areas to swim, black background (you said that)...
you can do wonders with just a pile of rocks...

Heres' mine (soon to be torn down)

75g, SA/CA cichlids


----------



## PhillyzCichlidz

Alisonj said:


> A 6.5 and a 5? OUCH! I dont see the purpose of going higher up with the slate. And ssssppit fire why only a 5?
> Please explain so I can figure out what to fix etc.


 Sorry no offence i just noticed that there is barley any 10s and was judging accordingly i think IMO you need more height on the right side but thats only my opinion and if your fish are happy i guess it doesnt really matter I have found that if i build the rockwork and plants higher rather than lower it not only creates more territorys but also keeps the fish all around my tank rather than only on the bottom which means less territory disputes and less stress in general but hey I am no expert i only know what i read and my own experiences its only my opinion


----------



## Bannoch

Traumatic that is a cool tank. I would give that a nice 8!!

So I did some changes since my last post...

Water is still a bit cloudy because I just got done about 5 minutes ago! And yes I know I still need a background (hopefully tomorrow) but just wondering if I am improving or getting worse for an African tank! Let me know, more comments ideas criticism!!


----------



## traumatic

Thanks for the comment!

Bannoch, you've done well :thumb:


----------



## cc_woman

yhanavan said:


> I rate the above tank a 7. I really like what you've done with the plants. It looks like you're recreating the fishes' natural habitat. Very nice looking. My only suggestion would be maybe a darker substate to bring out the colors in some of the lighter fish a little more. Are the blue & yellow ones Rainbows?
> 
> Yes they are rainbows, they will be going in with my nicaraguan cichlids though once I get them in a 90 gallon. Only a 7 though? I figured it would be at least an 8. The substrate is a dark grey color, don't know why the camera made it look so light, don't know how I would switch the substrate out now haha. Eventually I will be getting some ground cover plants to cover the entire bottom where you won't really see the substrate. Thanks for the input
> 
> Bonnach, I would pile the rocks a little lower down and just even it out along the entire tank some more, just looks a little awkward with it piled up so high on the one corner. But it is looking more like an african tank


----------



## remarkosmoc

I like Bonnach's rock pile. Its slope is kinda neat and I like taller rock piles, it encourages the fish to swim in the upper reaches of the tank more. I would suggest some kind of background.

Here's my 150 African in-wall:


----------



## Oscar Madison

It's hard to rate all these fine looking tanks!


----------



## Cruiser

I'll give tannable75's an 8.5. Needs a background to hide those wires and 2x4's. :wink: I'm not a fan of the darker gravel with the lavarock (too much red/brown for me) but still looks good overall. :thumb:

Here's mine. Been set up for about 2 months now. Just added 4 3/4-1" yellow labs yesterday. 3 Buenos Aires (cyclers) and a 12" pleco (bought years back by well meaning parents :lol: )


----------



## Sammich Bite

it looks pretty cool. interesting effect how you have the wood/rock elements in separate halves which also creates a triangle (driftwood shape) vs rectangle (rock mass), or random (wavy driftwood silhouette) vs straight edge (rock silhouettes). the only thing i personally would prefer is if the driftwood was reversed, so that the angle is / instead of \ like it is now. that way it could maybe mask the heater behind it and not "fight" against the heater's angle. i dont know if that makes sense.

but overall i give your tank an 8. :thumb:

this is my current 180 gallon "wet pet" flowerhorn tank.


----------



## velocilraptor

i rate that tank a 9 it looks really natural and soothing

This is my 210 gal setup i built the stand canopy and background myself.


----------



## aTrueAfrican

All very nice tanks guys,Ravenatnmgeting my highest with a 9 although blairo1 is also amazing.Hoosier tank and terd ferguson also award winning setups,cc_woman with some nice slate work and on your 40g looks like a good start add some more swords and some wood and you will definitly be in the race


----------



## Demasonian

I give that tank a 6.5. Great work on the stand and background. I'm just not partial to the stacking of the red lava rock. Creating more natural piles of rock and switching to a rock that matches your background would go a long way in improving it.

Here's my work in progress 75. Working on finding a small group of xenotilapia and a school of cyp. Utinta's. Will swap out the Synos at that point. Can't decide on plants or no plants:


----------



## Hubbynz

Hi Velo....I'll give your tank a 6.5....I love the cabinet and the background looks good espically all considering it is DIY....however my major gripe is the the red rocks which are stacked really unnaturally and contrast too strongily with the background. Maybe a more random ruble stakc would look better???

Anyway I thought I would put up a few pics of my 5 gallon/20 litre fry grow out tank which I have given a recent face lift too. Its a pretty simple layout and my first attempt with sand as there is probably too much.

Currently houses one blue ram and three rummy nose.


----------



## Sammich Bite

> Here's my work in progress 75. Working on finding a small group of xenotilapia and a school of cyp. Utinta's. Will swap out the Synos at that point. Can't decide on plants or no plants:


demasonian - good to see a fellow Aqua-Terra user in here. i love the background and the rocks in the foreground, and i suggest going with no plants like it is now. outstanding setup!


----------



## BurgerKing

hubbynz, thats a nice looking growout tank, better than mine. It gets a 7 from me.

Here's mine: Its a 75 gallon mixed malawi tank. The photo isnt all that recent but i havent changed much.


----------



## keg75

The previous tank above is a 6. Your colours are a bit unatural and you have limited area for territory building.

Here's my tank, a 36'x14"x24" (LxWxH) Malawi mbuna tank. This is still a work in progress until I get my big tank setup and sort out stocking in this one.

Hopefully you like it.


----------



## Hubbynz

Keg I'll give yours an 8, nice looking backdrop is it DIY? Overall a simple but effective design that doesn't look too busy. Only thing I'm not sure of is do the fish has some places to hide.

Nice work.

Here's a pic of my 20 gallon cub Convict tank. I had to go for robust plants which still take a beating. Any ideas of ways to make a bit more interesting would be appreciated.


----------



## blairo1

Hey bud, personally I'd just remove the plants and probably just replace them by tying a load of java fern to the driftwood pieces and I'd want to get some moss growing up that back wall, that'd look awesome!

At the moment I give it a 6.5, it's good but it has a lot more potential IMO.

Here's my current Multi scape until they get moved into the 20:


----------



## Timkat4867

Blairo, that tank looks natural. Id give it a 9.

My tank here is an 80 gallon with mostly mbuna. Id appreciate any tips to make it better.


----------



## Hubbynz

blairo1 said:


> Hey bud, personally I'd just remove the plants and probably just replace them by tying a load of java fern to the driftwood pieces and I'd want to get some moss growing up that back wall, that'd look awesome!
> 
> At the moment I give it a 6.5, it's good but it has a lot more potential IMO.


yeah its a tricky one .... I would love to have a tank full of big tall plants but the male con destroys everything....I have had moss before but he just ripped it to pieces.......java fern might be a good option but I don't really like the look of it that much....kinda tatty and rough.

Every the anibubias in there gets a pretty bad beating.


----------



## joedafrog

I give u a 9.5. I think you need to hide the pipe for a perfect 10!Be nice to me guys. This is my FIRST tank. It's 6 weeks old. I only have baby cichlids in it right now.


----------



## blairo1

*Hubbynz*, Fair enough bro I've not kept cons so I didn't realise they were that bad, in which case I give you a 7 for having any plants in there at all :lol:.


----------



## djl1

My 55 gallon mixed Malawi tank


----------



## BurgerKing

joedafrog, since djl1 didnt score yours i'll give it an 8, i really like how busy it looks.

djl1, i'd give you a 6 i think the one skinny plant looks lonely, i'd say get some more plants to make it look better, from what fish i can see they look good too.

heres my 28 gallon bowfront, it has a pai of bolivians, 6 harlequins, a bushynose pleco, a couple catfish and a flame tetra. Im going to add more live plants if these ones are successful, aswell as a pair of germans, or balloon rams. Hope you like it.










Heres my male ram









The big picture is a little blurry, sry


----------



## Sonny W

I like everything other than the skull. so i give it a 7.

my setup, its about a week old lol. vvv CLICK vvv


----------



## dankev

I like the bottom half, but the upper feels a bit desolate. Some kind of background would be a huge improvement. 7, with lots of potential to improve.

55g. 2 pairs German Blue Rams, cardinal tetras, porkchop rasboras, otos, cories. The tank is pretty new, so the plants still need to fill in. It doesn't quite look right to me, though. I'd appreciate any suggestions.









One of the Rams:


----------



## cc_woman

I give your tank a 9, I love how natural it looks. 
Here is my 5 gallon planted killifish tank, inhabitants are 1 otocinclus and 2M/2F lyretail killifish, tank is about 1 month old.










Male killifish


----------



## why_spyder

I gotta get in on this.



cc_woman said:


>


I'm gonna give this one a 7. Looks pretty natural for such a small tank.

Here's mine (air pumps off).










*Presently Stocked*

_Aulonocara _sp. Lwanda

_Copadichromis geertsi _Gome

_Cynotilapia _sp. black mbamba Lupingu
_Cynotilapia _sp. hara Gallireya Reef
_Cynotilapia _sp. lion Lion's Cove
_Cynotilapia _sp. mbamba Mphanga Rocks
_Labeotropheus fuelleborni_ Katale
_Labidochromis chisumulae_
_Metriaclima fainzilberi _Makonde 
_Metriaclima _sp. red top Galilea/Gallireya Reef
_Pseudotropheus _sp. "perspicax orange cap" Ndumbi

_Synodontis petricola_


----------



## cc_woman

why_spyder, I give you a 7 for creativity, although I find looking down at fish all the time is not as nice as seeing them from a side view. I am sure the fish could care less though haha.

Here is another of my tanks, a 90 gallon discus....excuse no substrate, I had issues with them and removed it, but eventually I will be adding sand back in and actually planting the plants lol.


----------



## Misfit702

Ok I'm new at this first tank post and all, but I'm going to give you an 8 CC_woman. Very natural looking and I like how your background blends in with the tank structure. Add the substrate and do something with that big green stick in the background to get a higher score hehe! 

Here's my first tank! Let me have it!


----------



## cc_woman

Yeah I have to get new suction cups for that filter intake tube lol. That would be the main eye sore haha. Substrate will come in a month or so. Thanks for the comments


----------



## skools717

umm i would say a 6 looks a little un-natural to me and needs a backgroung


----------



## blairo1

skools, nice tank! I'd love to see a front on shot with a bigger resolution! Are those trophs? Can't quite make out on my screen resolution. Either way interesting background. Very cool.


----------



## fmueller

I'd give skools717 an 8 for his tank. That background is fantastic and very natural, and it also looks like a nice stand and cabinet. In my opinion the background would look even better if overgrown partly by plants like Java fern, Java moss and Anubias sp., but then I am a sucker for life plants 

Here is my 240G Lake Tang tank. I hope two images are not against the rules!


----------



## skools717

can we get afull shot of the tank a little closer instead of across the room :thumb:


----------



## Hubbynz

the last two tanks look amazing


----------



## Guest

Fmueller, is that some sort of a bear you have in the foreground!? :lol:


----------



## BenHugs

These all look great so far can't wait to finish my 250g so you can tear me apart :lol:


----------



## fmueller

That in the foreground would be a Border Collie. He comes from the pound though, and is unlikely to be a pure breed. I don't exclude the possibility of a bear being involved 

Here is the full tank shot. There are lots more photos of this tank here.


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## Guest

Wow! 10 for fmueller. :thumb: By the way, you have cyps and fronts in the same tank? Wouldn't the fronts eat the cyps once they get bigger?


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## chris777

10 for fmueller. Very Nice 

Heres my 75g. Sorry for the poor quality of the picture.


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## fmueller

Thanks for the generous rating everybody! 

Chris777 - I really like the way you stacked to rocks so high up wit plenty of caves! I think it looks good and also encourages the fish to use more than just the bottom of the tank. It would probably look more natural if you had used just one type of rock. Also, full tank shots are notoriously hard to take. You might do a lot better with some detail shots of the tank.

As it happens, I just came back from Euclid half an hour ago from a meeting!

Regarding the Fronts eating other fish - there is no guarantee they'll never do it, but in that tank so far they haven't. I bought 50 fronts when they were about 1", and have thinned the herd down to 3 males, 11 females. The biggest male is about 1' now. They have always lived with the smaller fish. I am not very worried about the cyps, since they are lightning fast, but the tank also contains 2 pairs of Brevis and losts of Leleupi fry. As far as I can see, the Fronts have never touched them, but I keep them well fed 

When about a year ago I sold what was my biggest male at the time, he swallowed a 5" clown loach on the first night in the new owner's tank. I am on standby to remove other fish in case one day the fronts go on a carnage, but so far so good! I am still trying to get a shot of a Brevis male facing off a Front at his shell. He does it all the time, and they'll stand facing each other, both with the mouths wide open. The Brevis would fit in the Fronts mouth like a wheelbarrow in a double garage, but for some reason the Front always backs up 

Greetings

Frank

PS: One more for the bear fans:


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## Hubbynz

fmueller best tank so far.....easily 10.....love the fronts too!!!


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## Sammich Bite

wow fmueller, really love how the BG has plants growing all over it. looks great


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## chris777

fmueller said:


> Thanks for the generous rating everybody!
> 
> Chris777 - I really like the way you stacked to rocks so high up wit plenty of caves! I think it looks good and also encourages the fish to use more than just the bottom of the tank. It would probably look more natural if you had used just one type of rock. Also, full tank shots are notoriously hard to take. You might do a lot better with some detail shots of the tank.
> 
> As it happens, I just came back from Euclid half an hour ago from a meeting!
> [/img]


Thanks, Yea i plan on moving the lava rock out once i am able to get some more rock. However i will more then likely keep the two others i have (the river rock and the other type of rock you see)However moneys kinda tight at the moment and i still want to get a canister filter first. The river rock i have i used mainly as a base since they are heavier and am less worried about them shifting cause of the weight above plus was able to stack the other rock above pretty decently to form the top which was a lot easier to do then how i had it just before i took the picture before i had the river rock. One thing i do want to do is On the right side stack it up more but due to not buying enough river rock i wasn't able to do that another thing i was thinking was stacking it up to the top all the way across and make more caves etc but would kinda be tricky to do.. But who knows we will see what happens i guess.

Any other suggestions would be great 

Yea it is surely not the easiest getting a full tank shot however with my old cam i had it came out more clear etc.

Oh and do you happen to know of any good places to get river rock in my area by chance? As i'ved called a couple places i saw that had it but they only sell in bulk.


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## fmueller

How about a river? The price tends to be unbeatable that way! :lol:

Honestly, if money is tight, why not pick up some rocks from the roadside and give them a good scrubbing? They'll be fine to go in a tank no problem. Most of what you find in NE Ohio is sandstone, and that's great for a tank. You can also drill holes in it very easily using a masonry bit, and attach it to wood to weigh it down. What you see in my tank is called 'Ohio top rock', which is the cheapest stuff I could find at a local stone yard (south of Akron, so a bit far for you). If I hadn't done a 240G and needed so much rock, I would have picked it up from a creek. I did that for my 29G. The wood I have in this 125G is from the local forest, and weighed down with sandstone.


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## chris777

Yea i tried doing that before but couldn't find decent sized stuff mainly all really small pieces. May have to try looking somewhere again.


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## Neb

keep an eye out for construction sites. They're always littered with rock. I lucked out when they were redoing some hwy and had to blast through solid rock, I just filled up the trunk of my car and I'm set!


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## chris777

fmueller said:


> How about a river? The price tends to be unbeatable that way! :lol: [/img]


Well i was gonna go look today for some rock instead ended up going and picking up some sand to switch from the gravel i had to sand. So ended up redoing all the rock work and some how had some rock left over from doing it this time. It's a tad cloudy since i just got done with doing everything so gonna let it settle over night and will post a new picture of what it looks like now.

At the moment I'm wondering a bit if the HOB filter is picking up sand from the bottom.... If its not cleared by tomorrow i will have to check that.


----------



## Guest

fmueller said:


> How about a river? The price tends to be unbeatable that way! :lol:
> 
> Honestly, if money is tight, why not pick up some rocks from the roadside and give them a good scrubbing? They'll be fine to go in a tank no problem. Most of what you find in NE Ohio is sandstone, and that's great for a tank. You can also drill holes in it very easily using a masonry bit, and attach it to wood to weigh it down. What you see in my tank is called 'Ohio top rock', which is the cheapest stuff I could find at a local stone yard (south of Akron, so a bit far for you). If I hadn't done a 240G and needed so much rock, I would have picked it up from a creek. I did that for my 29G. The wood I have in this 125G is from the local forest, and weighed down with sandstone.


You should put that tank shot picture of your 125g on your website...


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## chris777

here is my 75g mixed again after changing over to sand yesterday and redoing the rock work.


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## fmueller

Marduk said:


> You should put that tank shot picture of your 125g on your website...


Yeah, I need a new one. I just snapped this shot for this thread. The tank is right next to me, as is the camera. Before I take one for my web site, I'd like to re-arrange the plants a bit. Those _valisneria_ in the foreground are starting to block the view into the tank...

I should really take new shots of all of my tanks for my site. The 240G looks completely different these days. Not that I have done much on it, but the plants have matured so much since I last took pictures.



chris777 said:


> here is my 75g mixed again after changing over to sand yesterday and redoing the rock work.


Looking good. I bet your fish love the sand! Cichlids always love to dig around in sand. I guess it gives them something to do 

Frank


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## chris777

thanks. Yea I'm sure they like it as much as i like how it looks :lol:


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## Hubbynz

Chris is that a pair of Cons in there?....uh oh :roll:


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## chris777

Yes, there are two cons in there. why?


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## Philg

best tank so far- fmueller


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## fmueller

chris777 said:


> Yes, there are two cons in there. why?


Because there aren't going to be just two of them for very long :lol:


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## chris777

Well... Well the one is a male and the pink con I'm guessing is to. As they have been in the same tank together for quite some time without making any little ones. :lol:


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## cichlidiot75

chris777 said:


> here is my 75g mixed again after changing over to sand yesterday and redoing the rock work.


Nice tank Chris, I'll give it a 7. The rockwork looks nice, really sculpture-like.

Here's my tank, 35G with a pair of Thorichthys Ellioti in it, here's the pair guarding their fry. It has a selfmade styrofoam rock background that I use to stick Java Fern into, and some driftwood.


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## fmueller

Wohoo - I think I'll give that one a 10. I love those big established plants of Java fern, and I also like that reddish substrate - what is is? The color seems to be about the same as the background, which I think is great. The whole thing almost has the look of a dutch planted tank to it - and then a breeding pair of these fairly uncommon Central Americans! How can you beat that? Would love to see more photos.

After my largest (240G) now some shots of my smallest tank - a 5G, or rather a 1/2 10G because of the dimensions. It's my only tank that has no plants.


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## F8LBITEva

thanks for ruining it for everybody Fmueller. Game over :lol:

*Awesome tanks dude!*


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## why_spyder

Okay, that tank is not allowed on the 1-10 scale..... :lol:

Not only is it a sweet tank - but it looks like you get to work *and* enjoy your fish in one area..... opcorn:

:thumb:


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## BurgerKing

thats crazy! This page is off to a good start with two amazing tanks already


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## CICHLUDED

NICE little tank fmueller....

Really like the white background...

.


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## xdustyj

That small tank is awsome 8.5

This is my 55, mixed mbuna, still gotta fix the lights so they don't leak out so much light. and maybe get some more rocks.


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## Hoosier Tank

I like it! solid 8.5 the only things that kept it from scoring higher to me were the lighting you mentioned and the Tang in with Mbuna. If you'da cropped the pic to show just the tank it would have probably been a 9... really nice look.

Ok this is a repeat entry of my 180 but I asked for advise last time so I rearranged the rocks into a cresent shape higher on the ends, mixxing the lights and darks. Plus added the plants... hope it scores better not worse


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## bac3492

fmueller said:


> After my largest (240G) now some shots of my smallest tank - a 5G, or rather a 1/2 10G because of the dimensions. It's my only tank that has no plants.
> [/img]


*** been looking for a tank just like this so i could do some shellies. Where did you find it?


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## Ofir

Hoosier Tank - I give your tank 8, just because I personally don't like the fake plants.
However, the colour composition of fish-substrate-rock is great! 
I much preffer your new rock formation.

Regarding my tank:









Ofir


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## Hoosier Tank

Ofir said:


> Hoosier Tank - I give your tank 8, just because I personally don't like the fake plants.
> However, the colour composition of fish-substrate-rock is great!
> I much preffer your new rock formation.
> 
> Ofir


I'll take that as a good thing, thanks! Hopefully when the plants get some algae on them they wont look so "plastic".
I am not thrilled about fake plants either, but I have not luck at all with live ones... I guess you could say I have a wet thumb, not a green one


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## vinny.dtw

8.5, but I'm a newb. Just feels like there should be more rocks and plants.

Here is the tank I inherited. 120 gallon full of random Cichlids that I dont know the names of... And lots and lots of fries...


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## madzarembski

It's nice. I rate it a 7. Maybe have the substrate rocks match the rock pile rocks...
Here's my entry # 2. 20 High 








FI have Caucatoides, Curviceps, and Red Platys in here.


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## Guest

*Fmueller*
Do your shellies enjoy watching their view? I'm sure being able to see what land looks like is a real treat for them...! :lol:

Also, what camera do you use?

~Ed


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## Guest

*madzarembski*
Where's all the fish? I only see two platys in there. Do your fish get lost/hide in that plant bunch or something? I do like how the tank looks though. Do you have any side view shots, or pics of the cichlids in there?

~Ed


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## madzarembski

Hi 
Sony CyberShot. I'm not very good with it. 
Heres one of the 2 Curviceps








Here's one of the Apistos


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## bitteraspects

nice apisto :thumb:

my fry tank


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## Neb

I like your fry tank, very 'clean' looking
Sorry for the big pics, but here's a couple of my tank. Hoping to switch over to sand and a 3D background in the next month or so..


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## bac3492

Platy and fronts huh? Interesting combination


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## rwolff

you ppl were suppose to rate!

not pointing any fingers at bitteraspects and Neb...nice platys, i really like those


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## bitteraspects

...


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## Neb

rwolff said:


> you ppl were suppose to rate!
> 
> not pointing any fingers at bitteraspects and Neb...nice platys, i really like those


haha well I rate the tank above mine at 7 because there's no background and I don't like how you see those 'baskets' at the base of the plants.. I like how simple it is though


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## bitteraspects

the one before mine was a repost, so im not going to rate it again.



Neb said:


> haha well I rate the tank above mine at 7 because there's no background and I don't like how you see those 'baskets' at the base of the plants.. I like how simple it is though


its just a plain black background. brings out the golds in the jaguars. (cant really see them in the pics though), as for the baskets. the plants came like that. im not burying them till i finish aquascaping the tank. 
thanks for the rating though.


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## jbcincy44

I'd rate the one above mine a 7. Mine is a 90 gallon that I just set back up after I moved. I only got a few fish right now but enjoy.


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## fightingfish

The tank above i would rate..... 5 i like the rocks and substrate however to me there is nothing that stands out that gives it a wow factor it needs a backround.

anyway i have already posted my tank before however i wont to do it again as i have added fish and changed the layout of my rocks in my tank.


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## Hubbynz

fightingfish said:


> The tank above i would rate..... 5 i like the rocks and substrate however to me there is nothing that stands out that gives it a wow factor it needs a backround.
> 
> thats a little harsh I would give it a 7 for a nice clean look with lots of potential


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## fightingfish

ok? tell me how that was harsh? I was telling the truth and my opinion, if your opinion of that tank is different to mine that is normal not everyone thinks the same and has the same tastes. I apologise if I offended that person I didn't intend to sound rude or harsh I was just trying to give some constructive criticism. And how do you know what a person sounds like on a forum? You donâ€™t know the sound of there voice on a forum and what there intentions are.

I will rate the tank once again. I will give it 6 at the moment you should add a black backround this will make everything standout and grab peoples attention while hiding the cords and filter at the back. If you rearange the rocks or add some more i will give it a higher rating of 8! good work :thumb:


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## jbcincy44

I don't mind the opinions. I actually had a black background on it before but I think all the black and white annoyed me for some reason. I like that it hid the chords but I'm still undecided. Hers a pic


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## madzarembski

I give it a 7 I like the background.
Heres my J Transcriptus Kissa Bemba Tank. They are hiding








Thanks for the feedback


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## iceblue

I'll have to give it a 5. It's hard to tell what your trying to achieve for a look. Maybe it's just the angle the picture was taken.

I really like the stone textures and color. Perhaps a little rearrangement with groupings of your tank decor leaving some open area would help.

Here's a couple of pics of mine..........Go ahead, I can take it. :lol:


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## iceblue

Madzarembski, after reading through the entire thread I'll change my rating to a subjective 6.5. I think it looks better then others that were rated higher.

The 5 was my objective opinion based on a 10 knocking my socks off and a 9 being really good.
A 1 would be an empty tank. (Have to give them something for potential) and a 5 is an average looking tank with potential for being better.


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## blairo1

iceblue, I'd have to give yours a 7.5.

Personally I like a little more irregularity in terms of the rock size, shape and placement, don't get me wrong I think yours has a great look and decent piles. It's just to my taste but the rocks are pretty uniform in size and that puts me off a bit. With some variation in rock size (think boulders through to pebbles, all nicely irregular) and a bit more shape to the scape- ie bring some of those rock piles further to the front pane, I think this would take it that step further from being a very cool tank, to being really stunning.... But that's just me.

Well I posted a while back when it was first set up so it's time for the update as it's looking more like I'd intended, needs a clean though:


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## new2cichlids08

I'll give yours a 9.5. I like the plants and your sand. I'd like it more if it had more rock. I also like the driftwood. 
Here's my tank. It's only a couple of weeks old and I just got the plants last night. My former tank had gravel for substrate and I decided to switch to sand because of your site. I love the sand as do my fish.They have already dug out lots of spots for themselves.


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## cmcpart0422

I like it alot i give it a 8.5. Mine is a little childish but i like all the bright colors. The background needs to be flattened too. click to enlarge it.


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## crotalusfan

Well, I have to say, normally I don't like the bright colors. However, I will rank your tank a 7. You have just enough natural looking rocks. It looks like a place where your fish can be happy, and that's what really counts, right?

Well, here's mine.I am not happy, at all, with the picture. I took about 50, and can't get a good one. Oh well. I am re-aquascaping it tonight, and may repost here later.

I got this tank free on craigslist, and the second picture shows the original occupants. This is not the original aquascaping, however. The third pic shows what was in the tank when I got it, along with pea gravel.


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## iceblue

blairo1 said:


> iceblue, I'd have to give yours a 7.5.
> It's just to my taste but the rocks are pretty uniform in size and that puts me off a bit. With some variation in rock size (think boulders through to pebbles, all nicely irregular) and a bit more shape to the scape- ie bring some of those rock piles further to the front pane,


My scape was made from rocks I collected 6 years ago on the Arizona side of Boulder Dam and I had glued them into 4 structures that were very uniform and boring. Last year I tore down the tank and rescaped and I definitely agree it needs more of them. I'll keep in mind to pick up some different sizes the next time I'm over that way and yes I do plan to bring the piles forward in some areas. I just didn't have enough of them to make it look right and we don't have any granite here on the Vegas side of Hoover.

Thanks for the score and the constructive critique. I'll be picking up some smaller and larger pieces of stone next time business takes me over to Boulder City and will post the results if the thread is still going by then. :thumb:


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## blairo1

Sorry bro I meant to score you 8-8.5 not 7.5.

Either way, I look forward to seeing the update! :thumb:

*crotalusfan*
Turn your flash off, it will make a huge difference and instead of washing out the tank colours and casting reflections everywhere, you will get the nice colours of your aquarium lighting (flash is cold and harsh in those pics).


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## fmueller

Sorry, I have been distracted for a few days, but still wanted to answer the questions there were about my 1/2 10G shellie tank that's pictured on page 19 of this thread.

*1. Where to buy a 1/2 10G tank?*

I got that tank from site sponsor Dave Hale (www.somethingfishyinc.net), who happens to be local to me. He has had lots of people asking for that tank since I started posting photos, and I believe he has had difficulties getting more in. It's a very unusual size tank, but I believe www.glasscages.com also had them on their list for a while, and if not, they can custom make any size tank for you. It might not be that cheap though. If memory serves, I paid about $15 for mine.

*2. How about the white background?*

:lol: That background is courtesy of the Ohio winter, and I am not liking it very much myself. Come to think of it, it's just around the corner again now :roll:

*3. Do the Occies enjoy the view?*

Well, there is no way to know for sure, but I have been wondering that myself. I have never seen fish look out of the window though. They always seem to look into the room. The occies certainly look at me when I am at my desk - as do pretty much all my cichlids when I am near the tank. Mostly they seem to be hanging out for food. Maybe fish are short sighted, so the view out of the window is wasted on them? 

*4. What camera do you use?*

Photography is one of my other addictions. I have long been an enthusiastic user of the Minolta manual focus SLR camera system, but have now switched to digital. Especially for fish photography where you need to take lote of pictures and pick out the good one, Fuji slide film was getting a bit expensive for me, so a one time investment in a DSLR seemed worth it. Plus the low light capabilities are astounding! Most of my fish pictures I shoot at ISO1600 and that's plenty good enough for web publishing.

My camera is a Canon Rebel XT. As for lenses, I have far more than any sane person would need or even want to have. The full tank shots are old and were probably taken with the Canon EFs 18-55mm kit lens, which I since replaced with a EFs 17-85mm IS. Having more reach at the long end plus having IS is great, but the kit lens is certainly very capable as well. For the macro shots I used a Canon EF 100mm 2.8 macro, and that's simply a dream of a lens. I am not sure that I even used flash for those photos, but I have a 420ex Speedlite with ST-E2 wireless transmitter, which is great for taking pictures at fish shows. You just lay the flash with the face down on the glass top of the respective tank and it gets wirelessly triggered by the camera - nice!

Anyhow, enough photo babble.

Greetings

Frank


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## Aquanist

No pictures above but I've seen pics of fmuellers tank and I'd give solid 9 for it.

Here's a couple shots of my 66 USG ram tank.


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## blairo1

*Aquanist*, beautiful to see such a nicely aquascaped home for the Rams. My compliments! Awesome driftwood pieces. :thumb:


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## alexrex20

Aquanist gets a 9.5 for his tank!

here's my naturalist 55gal Neo. savoryi breeder tank:


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## crotalusfan

No one ranked my tank.  
Blairo, I tried with the flash off and it was even worse. I have a light in there that is specific for plants, and I think it doesn't show up well.


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## xdustyj

Alex i give ur tank a 7.9 it looks pretty natural, and i like the K&N sticker.

This is my 55, i posted it a while back but moved the rocks since then.

What can i do to make it better people????????????????


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## Aquanist

Xdustyj. I'll give 6,5 for your tank. I'm not a fan of plastic plants and you don't seem to be too happy with it yourself either. Everything is in neat line (bush-rocks-bush). How about putting the filter/powerhead as back as possible and lots of green to cover it. Then move rocks slightly to left. Maybe add more rock and make the pile slope down to some direction. Leave some freee area and again a few rock to the right with plants coming from between the rocks. Also I'd get some taller plants as they currently leave the top third of the tank a bit too open. There's loads of potential though.

Here's a picture of my malawi tank and pictures of my aulonocaras



Aulonocara stuartgranti (Chiloelo)


Aulonocara stuartgranti


Aulonocara jacobfreibergi (Otter pt.)


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## blairo1

Ah I believe it is *Aquanist* who is to rate your tank *crotalusfan*.

As for your tank pic *crotalusfan*, with the flash off take one from the front dead on so it's all nice and square in the frame (make sure the room is dark as possible too - I always shoot in evenings), PM me the original and I'll colour balance it for you, if you like.....


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## fightingfish

I dont think anyone rated my tank again so ill post it again!

This is my 385 litre (100 gal)


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## jbr230

fightingfish: thats a tall tank  id give yours a 7, the left side seem too artificial, maybe you can switch the flat slate type rocks with rounder ones. i like the rock on the right side though 
nice lab btw 

heres my 100g. african cichlids with some tiger barbs.
not really good at taking pics 




















- jb


----------



## BurgerKing

JBR, i really like the look of yours, great rocwork. I'll give it a 9, i would like it better without the driftwood just because i'm not a fan of rock and wood, others would feel differntly.

I posted a picture of my tank earlier getting a 6, i think it was a little generous.

Here is my new setup, i swapped the putrid blue gravel for some grey sand and bought some more lavarock. Hope ya like it.


----------



## Hubbynz

Burgerking I'll give you a 7.2 love the sand and the rocks which contrast in a cool way...the plant to right looks good but the other rainbow one looks a bit wierd. Nice simple but effective presentation.

Well here is my new tank which I setup today. It is a leaking 2ft 20 gallon which a work mate gave me.

I'm having a go at a low tech planted tank with loads of moss anubias and java fern attached to driftwood. It looks a bit cluttered but its partly intentional as I am attmepting to have two pairs of dwarfs in there and all the driftwood and plants are to break the line of sight and hopefully get them to establish territories in each end.

Its still a work in progress so I hope to tweak it alot.


----------



## gtphale

To new to do this and my tank is probably just awful for cichlids.

But I'll give a shot.

Hub really like the background. Like the decor setup very nice for a small tank. Something about it though is kind of awkward might just be the tank its self or how dark it is. 6.5 More rock would be nice.

This is a 55 gallon tank I got from my father inlaw. It sat for two years, and wasn't going to be a cichlid tank until I went to the LFS and fell in love with the cichlids. So the setup is way off, but I didnt' have to drop a dime on the tank except for the 5 cichlids in the tank right now. Going to pick up a black background tommorrow and start working on a diy background from this site. Be critical and hopefully I can make a better african tank soon.


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## Hubbynz

yeah the tank doesnt seem to come out well in photos and is a bit dark and lots alot better in person......but I agree there is something about it that I'm not entirely happy with but I'm not sure what it is???

I'll try to get a better pic


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## Hubbynz

GT I like your setup but it looks a little more American than African, the plants look good but are they real? Some look fake some look real.....but the real looking oones look really nice.

If you swapped the gravel for white sand and added more rockwork it would look really great.

I give it a 6.75 but would give it a 7.5 if it had white sand and much higher with more rock work and a nice background

Well after some tweaking I'm having another go.......

Well I was having issues with the background bowing out in the middle around 5cm and eating up tank space. I have fixed it by pinning it back and have rearranged the tank layout slightly trying to get rid of the cluttered look. I have went for an arc look in the middle with semi open central area......the centre looks a little bland so I'm tring to think of something suttle to spice it up.....any ideas

I also removed one plant off the small drifftwood on the right as it was looking a little to busy.

I have added a little amublia to fill the background a bit and hide the filters and add some height hopefully it won't grow like crazy like in my other tank.

I'm pretty happy with the layout on this one now.

What do you think ....any tips?


----------



## blairo1

Just to add my opinion Hubbynz - I think what looks "off" about this tank is that there is almost no blending of height, the background is very striking and so becomes less of a background and more a part of the scape, then there is this visual drop to the substrate and plants which all share a similar height - there is no merging of heights. I think you'd find that having some taller plants at the back and into the sides, working progressively toward the stockier, shorter plants in the foreground, it would really blend the different aspects together and tie it in as a whole.

The other aspect that catches my eye is that if you have a wall/bank of that colour, the substrate would naturally reflect that - the substrate in effect represents the eroded rock - ie black substrate and brown rock, although nice and not apparent, is just quite unnatural to our subconscious mind. I bet if you put a closer matched (not exact) substrate to the background, got some moss growing on the background, put some plants of varied heights in to progressively merge down to the foreground, this would be a really neat little tank.

As it is I think it looks great, it only really needs tweaking. You're getting the hang of this now, of course the plants have to fill in too and that makes a difference.

Just my thoughts.


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## Hubbynz

Cheers again Blair with the good advice as per usual.

I have some ambulia in there and a banana lilly so they should add a bit of height ......any ideas of some low light tallish plants that would work??

I get your point in regards to the background/ gravel contrast and the unnatural look in that sense.....I didn't really consider it at the time I just really liked the black gravel (sets off the greens of the plants and colours of the fish) and I really liked the background.....so thought what the hey. So in hindsight you are probably right but I can't source any brown coloured gravel round here plus I have also blown my budget on the tank already (not to mention I really like the bakcground and gravel contrast despite how unnatural it looks :wink: ).

I think I will have a go at growing moss on the wall too.


----------



## blairo1

I'll PM you bud so as not to divert this thread from it's original intention. Check your inbox later today :thumb:.


----------



## jenandcoffee

i give it a 7, and i agree with blairo1 that a lighter substate would look great. i do think that you would need more of focal point maybe a nice piece of texas holey rock? would love to see complete with fish(maybe thats whats missing, lol!) if you enjoy your set up thats all the counts :thumb:

heres mine: still debating if i should change gravel to sand substrate.
btw kudo's to whoever started this post!


----------



## J.B.

That looks nice Jen. In particular, I like that the placement of the rock-work does not look intentional (read: symmetrical), which in my opinion is where a lot of us falter when putting together an ARLC tank.

*I rate this tank an 8*

Here is my entry...My 75g and 55g which sit adjacent each other in my living room. The 75g, on the left, presently holds Keyholes, Convicts, a Dempsey and a Firemouth. The 55g, on the right, currently holds my M. estherae fry and the hybrid spawn from my P. lombardoi and M. zebra.


























[/b]


----------



## Hubbynz

wow J.B love your tanks stunning

I'm not meant to rate them but Ild give the 75g a 9.75 and the other a 9.2. The planted tank looks superb.


----------



## wylie125

I like the duo setup you have there J.B. I would rate it an 8 or so.

Now on to my tank. Its a 90gal and my first African tank. I use to keep Discus, but Africans are alot more active and "cooler". I made the stand myself out of 2x4's and oak paneling and will be building a nice canopy here soon. I am going to get about 100 more pounds of holey rock also in a few weeks. And, I might take out the plastic plants after all the rocks are in for those of you that dont like that kinda stuff :lol: Be easy on me, remember I came from keeping discus in a barebottom, barebones tank to this! Thanks for any constructive criticism though. Here's some pics of my favorite fish out of the bunch too.


----------



## cichlids _killer

jenandcoffee said:


> i give it a 7, and i agree with blairo1 that a lighter substate would look great. i do think that you would need more of focal point maybe a nice piece of texas holey rock? would love to see complete with fish(maybe thats whats missing, lol!) if you enjoy your set up thats all the counts :thumb:
> 
> heres mine: still debating if i should change gravel to sand substrate.
> btw kudo's to whoever started this post!


jen ..whats kind of rock is that in your tank ??? its look like live rock in the SW tank ...looking great


----------



## cichlids _killer

jenandcoffee said:


> i give it a 7, and i agree with blairo1 that a lighter substate would look great. i do think that you would need more of focal point maybe a nice piece of texas holey rock? would love to see complete with fish(maybe thats whats missing, lol!) if you enjoy your set up thats all the counts :thumb:
> 
> heres mine: still debating if i should change gravel to sand substrate.
> btw kudo's to whoever started this post!


jen ..whats kind of rock is that in your tank ??? its look like live rock in the SW tank ...looking great


----------



## cichlids _killer

jenandcoffee said:


> i give it a 7, and i agree with blairo1 that a lighter substate would look great. i do think that you would need more of focal point maybe a nice piece of texas holey rock? would love to see complete with fish(maybe thats whats missing, lol!) if you enjoy your set up thats all the counts :thumb:
> 
> heres mine: still debating if i should change gravel to sand substrate.
> btw kudo's to whoever started this post!


jen ..whats kind of rock is that in your tank ??? its look like live rock in the SW tank ...looking great


----------



## sirmo

I'm a noob, so all above looks great to me. They're all 10's!!!!

Can't wait to hear some suggestions for this...


----------



## jenandcoffee

hi cichlids_killer, thanks for your comment on my tank. the rock i have is plastic with cave holes  i let the algae grow so it would look more realistic. so do you think my set up would look better with sand?


----------



## cichlids _killer

jenandcoffee.....man i couldn't thought that rock is plastic...its looking so real ,and yea IMO sand always look better ...and nice job with that tank ..
CK


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## jenandcoffee

thank you! i have to say without the help of this forum i never would of imagined to have a tank so awesome, i should post a pic of before and after, you would laugh your ass off with the major difference. :lol:


----------



## cichlids _killer

jenandcoffee said:


> thank you! i have to say without the help of this forum i never would of imagined to have a tank so awesome, i should post a pic of before and after, you would laugh your ass off with the major difference. :lol:


jen and your coffee  ..cant wait to see the pic opcorn: opcorn: opcorn:


----------



## jenandcoffee

ok but don't laugh too hard, i was very proud at the time until i found this site then all **** broke loose 

this was my first set up......









2nd set up (ok not much of an improvment, but i was trying!)









and now the final result after many hours on this site & lots teaking:









btw- coffee is my cat & he enjoys waching the fish too, although i think hes a little jealous @ times!


----------



## cichlids _killer

jen and MR coffee.   the middle pic i thought im at disneyland lolz j/k .no one starts is out with a nice tank ...we live and we learn you know. trust me i wish i still got some pic of my 75 when i just set it up .( worse than your) anyways when you gonna switch to sand? :thumb:


----------



## Hubbynz

Sirmo I think you tank looks really good apart from the skull....replace the fake plants with real plants and it will look even better

jen thats an amazing improvement...my first tanks were really lame lol


----------



## gaqua

edit: whoops


----------



## gaqua

Much better, Jenandcoffee, I like the faux coral rock look.

Here's my 75G:









Stocklist:

Msobo Deep (1M, 6F)
Cyno Afra "Cobue" (1M, 5F)
Crimson Tide (6) (too young to sex)
Ps. Elongatus "Chailosi" (6) (too young to sex)
OB Peacock (1 - donated from a friend)

Syno. Multipunctatus (4)
Syno. Petricola (2)
Bushynose pleco (1)
Garra suckerfish (2)

There might be too more than 1 msobo male, but they're about 6 months old now and only one has colored up. The Cobues haven't colored up much either, one of them is definitely male but his colors aren't too bright yet.

The Elongatus are also too young to color up.

I'm pretty excited about the Crimson Tides, even though they're not a Malawi fish. I got them at the auction last month, 6 for $6. I've always wanted some red, so let's hope these guys color up.

Here's a bonus shot of the big dominant male, a Msobo Deep:


----------



## gaqua

Let me try this again:

75G tank:










Msobo Deep Dominant Male


----------



## cichlids _killer

gaqua looking good ...love the rock work :thumb:


----------



## chogs89

*blairo1*
Hey I'm interested in getting a pair of bolivian rams and was wondering if you think i could fit them in a 10-12g tank and if so what would be a good setup, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated (filter lighting plants substrate etc....) Thanks


----------



## Zack2112

*chogs89*

I suggest you check out the BRC thread, you will find loads of info there. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=138543&start=1380


----------



## eccwannabe

I added some new rocks and fish. :thumb:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3195/2951611423_87e25d7df3_b.jpg


----------



## cichlids _killer

eccwannabe said:


> I added some new rocks and fish. :thumb:
> 
> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3195/2951611423_87e25d7df3_b.jpg


 :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:


----------



## StillaZilla

Ok, I'm not going to post a pic of my tanks , cause they would be in the 4 or less catagory. But I think, after going through this whole thread, the the lilltle 10 gallon tank of blairo is the best yet. Great looking tank.


----------



## cichlids _killer

why not ?? its not gonna kill ya


----------



## gtphale

Well here goes my second attempt, see if I score any higher

Old setup









New setup









still fake plants trying to decide if I want togo with real ones now after reading how they will be moved and ate and destroyed.


----------



## cichlids _killer

new set-up forsure is way better than the old one :thumb: :thumb:


----------



## gtphale

Well after a day of watching my Cics I have to say they like this new setup a lot better. They are loving the tunnels and caves in this setup. In and out all the holes, now just have to work on getting all the loose bark off the sand. Guess after a couple weekly water changes(vacuuming) it should clean up some more.


----------



## StillaZilla

Ok, killer, your right. Its not going to kill me. Perhaps some constructive criticism is good. 

The tri-mac is not here permanently, too small a tank. I have a 55 gal for him, but am in the middle of making a stand for it, he will have to live here another month or so.

and gtphale, the new setup is great. Love the larger rocks. I'm not a big fan of sand though, liked the larger gravel of first setup.


----------



## cichlids _killer

what are you taking about?? its awesome ..but whats up with the light ?? yellow? or that just your camera? opcorn: opcorn: opcorn:


----------



## StillaZilla

I tried to take a picture without the flash to avoid a reflection. Its a white flourescent bulb, looks good in person, but camera did it no justice at all. Its a little 3.2 megapixel thing.


----------



## StillaZilla

:lol: I just found a button on my camera that says 'flourescent lighting'. It has taken some of the yellow out, here are my other two tanks. I do think I am under-lit however. Are expensive aquarium flourescents any better than the cheap ones you can by in a hardware store? :-? I use cheap ones, perhaps I should switch.


----------



## cichlids _killer

:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: love the look of the top pic...


----------



## cartman

StillaZilla I think you're a bit hard on yourself there, 4's??? Think you can nearly double that on the last two tanks & probably go even better on your first post with a better photo...BTW, there's plenty of good advice on taking photos of your tanks in this forum if you search around.

If I could offer anything to you, I'm not a fan of the pots & plastic tubing, as practical as they are, their unnatural look takes away from the tank IMHO.

As for my tank below, it's work in progress...I just got rid of one tank as I'm going for a new 650 litre (170g) tank shortly :thumb: - but this is my 65g Malawi tank, full of juvis atm destined to become a secondary/grow-out for the new tank when it arrives. It's changed a little since the photo, I've taken out the air lines & plants and I'm just about to convert the substrate to sand (thanks to all the great threads on this forum on the subject helping me make an educated decision on that), at the same time I've got some more of the same rock I'm going to lay on its back and stack for a more natural look, hide the heaters etc etc...will post a comparison photo when completed.








BTW - great thread cichlids_killer


----------



## Steve St.Laurent

Just getting back into the hobby after 20 years away (used to keep salt water tanks). Just finished setting up a 90 gallon (48x18x24) for mostly Mbuna and may add some haps down the road which is why I left some open space. Also going to have a few Sedontis and pleco's which is why I have the driftwood in there. The rocks on top of the driftwood will go away once it stops trying to float. Although not really a part of this thread I'm running an Eheim pro II 2028 cannister filter and a 15 gallon sump pumping ~350 gph for filtration. The only hardware visible inside the tank is the intake for the Eheim which I tried to hide next to the internal overflow box and behind the holey rock - everything else is down in the sump. The substrate is Eco complete cichlid sand. No fish in there yet but there will be soon. Please let me know what you think and any suggestions you have since I'm just getting started.


----------



## fishyfishyfishy

I'll give that a 7. I've always liked the white texas rock with green plants look!

Anyway, here's my 54 Corner Bow. It's not a cichlid tank, but what the heck....it was my last saltwater tank and now it's fresh. Africans will just remain in my 450g...that's my big pride and joy. Anyway, I love fall colors and this year had the idea to do an Autumn themed tank. It's swarming with tons of tiny fish....mostly various tetras.

I lucked out big time on the piece of wood I found. It looks just like a tree trunk...reminds me of the one on those 3d rock backgrounds that you can buy.

The rock is all picture stone from Feller Stone. Basically like Rainbow Rock but in brown hues instead of red. The colors go well the the plants and the large holes provide places to swim through and anchor plants as well.

I love the way it came out and whether it's your cup of tea or not, I think it certainly qualifies as unique!


----------



## gtphale

Very sharp tank defiantly a very solid 9.

Love your 58 gal in wall tank that thing is a beast. By far the best tank I have seen.

Well here is my 55 gal. with live plants now and stocked. I might add more rock to the left side. I think my mbuna's love it.


----------



## gtphale

Very sharp tank defiantly a very solid 9.

Love your 58 gal in wall tank that thing is a beast. By far the best tank I have seen.

Well here is my 55 gal. with live plants now and stocked. I might add more rock to the left side. I think my mbuna's love it.


----------



## snoop

very clear, i like the simplisty (sp?) of this tank i give it an 8 out of 10.
here is my 55g


----------



## snoop

sorry about the 2 posts, just wanted to add a pic of the tank with the lights in the room off.


----------



## Alexcescr

I will give you a 9... really good looking tank!

Here is my 55gl Mbunas tank...


----------



## the_shedding_reptile

I will give your tank a 9. Maybe if you hide the equipment on the left...

Here is my tank, I just started it. It's a 55 g. I already have the first 5 inhabitants: 3 Aulonocaras and 2 Haps. 4 more to come in the future.


----------



## i980311

I give your tank a 6, because I think that you should add more rock and maybe some plants.

Here is my tank, it's a 32g.

Fish:
2 Ancistrus
4 Pseudotropheus Saulosi (1M+3F?)
3 Cynotilapia Afra Cobwe ( 1M + 2F)
4 Pseudotropheus sp. "Elongatus Usisya" (4M?)


----------



## ercnan

7
I like the plants and if they are real, will grow to cover the equip. even more.

125


----------



## Oscar Madison

65 gallon mixed African.


----------



## snoop

i'll rate both tanks above me as a 6. *ercnan*: a better pic of the tank would probably get you more points, can't see the tank very well, more plants would be good, fish look nice from what i can see.
*Oscar Madison*: cause you have a pretty high tank add more rocks build it up higher, so the fish use the height of the tank more, fish look very nice and healthy, maybe sand, mine love digging in my sand. 
but thats just my opinion everyone has different ones.
well here is my 55g communtiy








by the way *i980311* i really like your tank


----------



## zenobium

Snoop Tank = 9/10

I really like the background and I'm a big fan of live plants.

My tank is currently in transition mode. It is a planted sand tank with a couple left over inhabitants that survive a fish kill a couple months ago. It will likely get some N. Brichardi or a group of Psuedocrenibulus nicholsi this week.


----------



## Hubbynz

Overall Zeno I like your tank and will give it a 6.5.

The strengths are the nice white sand substrate and the rock formations on the right and also some nice plants.

I am not a fan of the submerged pot as it does not come across very natural to me and the formation in the left corner is kind of strange I don't really know what is going on there. Your tank looks good and has lots of potential.

Here is my recently revamped tank

I very very reluctantly returned my large male convict to the LFS (he killed my prize female about 2 months ago). So this freed up an extra 20 gallon high (78 litre) tank which I decided to give a revamp and move my Bolivians into.

Here are pics of the previous setup which I was not happy with as it did not take advantage of the tank height (48cm) and had limited plants as the con would destroy them all.










I am trying to create the environment of tree roots growing up through the water and they extend about 8cm out of the top of the water. I have attached anubias, java fern and some moss to the roots.

Anyways I'm really stoked with the new look but I am still looking for more ways to improve it.


----------



## BurgerKing

I like how the wood, it looks like tree trunks, nice job


----------



## scuba20v

Hubbynz
i give you an 8. even though its small it looks really good. the low level of light intensifies the look. nice :thumb:

here is my 75g
i have had this up and running for about 2 years now. i used large lace rock because there are tons of places to hid in and under them. i also used sand and o man they love to dig and through that around. don't mind the dangling power heads i need to find some more suction cups









bad pic but i can never seem to get a good one :?


----------



## Tirral

I rate scuba20v tank a 7, Reason being it you can see power head, filter, etc.
Would look nice with some plants. :thumb:

____________________________

Here is a pic of my 30g new setup.

Its a slate bakground and you can read more from this link:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=180796

Not much in there at the moment as the tank is cycling.
what is in there is 2 guppys and 1 glowlight tetra.

Looks a bit bare in there at the moment but am planning on getting more plants this week!
Will post some pics as and when i have put new plants in.

Click image for larger picture.









Anyway what do you think so far?

Thanks

Tirral


----------



## SLIGHTLY STOOPID

That's not bad. Whats that piece of equipment? I would just change the plant location.

7.25


----------



## lexi73

Here is mine finally, although i've been following this thread since the start.

I know i need to get another color for the tubing on the skimmer but its already done and working fine....










































more here: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=1239995#1239995


----------



## Junebug76

Nice, I'll give it a 7. I love the electric blue... I miss my Cichlid tank, we just moved and here is what the tank looked like and what it looks like now since I'm switching it over to community freshwater.

Keep in mind that my Red Zebra liked to move the rocks, which is why they are piled so high in the middle. I fixed them every few days and the process began again...


















and now before most fish...


----------



## lexi73

Tirral,
Forgot to rate yours.
I really like the way it looks. i would say at least a 8.5. now cycle that thing and get some fish in there!!!!


----------



## Steve St.Laurent

I'd give your old one a 6 mainly because I don't like how some of the rocks were just "floating" up in space. I do like how you had the plants "framing" it.

Here's a better picture of my tank now that it's partially stocked. It's a little cloudy right now because I had all the rock out of it yesterday catching a few yellow labs that I traded in and I stirred the sand up. Currently in the tank:

1m/4f Pseudotropheus saulosi
1m/4f Cynotilapia afra (Cobue)
1m/2f Pseudotropheus polit
5?? Metriaclima estherae (Red)


----------



## fishnoob

Steve i really like your tank, i give it a 8.5.

Here is my 150g Tall, I really dont like it, its hard to reach the bottom, going to sell it and buy a 220...soon.


----------



## cybercom

Steve St.Laurent said:


> I'd give your old one a 6 mainly because I don't like how some of the rocks were just "floating" up in space. I do like how you had the plants "framing" it.
> 
> Here's a better picture of my tank now that it's partially stocked. It's a little cloudy right now because I had all the rock out of it yesterday catching a few yellow labs that I traded in and I stirred the sand up. Currently in the tank:
> 
> 1m/4f Pseudotropheus saulosi
> 1m/4f Cynotilapia afra (Cobue)
> 1m/2f Pseudotropheus polit
> 5?? Metriaclima estherae (Red)


peaceful & calm...i rated 9.0...good jobs...


----------



## BurgerKing

Steve St.Laurent; What kind of substrate is that? A small gravel?


----------



## Steve St.Laurent

It's Eco complete cichlid sand. Here's a closer picture of it:


----------



## CichlidLover2

h0nkzz said:


> I'll give yours a 6 due to it still being under progress. higher stack of uniformed slate might just do the job.
> 
> Here's my shell dwellers set up. 4' 20 gal with some rasboras in top water.


WHOA! A 4 foot 20 gallon tank?!! Never seen anything like it!

Anyways... Steve I would rate it a 7 just because it seems to me there is a kind of imbalance, the rocks are all on one side then a couple plants kinda outta no where. I think if you used more width and not so much height it would look great, But I do like how there is a rock ofrmation and then next to it an open area for fish to swim.

Here are a few pics of my 55gal...



















STOCKLIST:

3 Yellow Labs
1 Clown Loach (other clown loach is in hospital tank)
12 Demasoni
1 Acei (Yellow tail)
7 Cyno. White Top Afra


----------



## CichlidLover2

Oh and I should probably take some newer pics I just remembered I kinda moved some plants and rocks around...

Newer Pics....


----------



## BurgerKing

Why are there two colors of light??


----------



## nathan3b

CichlidLover2, id give an 8! Love the rock formation, its giving me some ides of my own! although im not a fan of the mixed moonlight.

here is my 130g tank, brand new setup! very new to Cichlids so the below setup will change once I get more ideas. Have very little stock for now.


----------



## CichlidLover2

BurgerKing said:


> Why are there two colors of light??


Usually I don't have them on at the same time. I only put both on because I was taking a picture. However the reason for them is because I use the actinic during morning and night and the fluorescent only 2-3 hours a day. Its in my office so the moonlight is pretty cool when it's night time in the office when I'm up late doing homework and such.

But yeah there's no REAL need for it, I switch back and forth between fluorescent and actinic whenever I feel like it. Plus I got it for free so no harm done 

Oh and Nathan, nice tank! But what I would do is try to thin out the rocks a little, theres a little too much going on in the right hand side in my opinion. Cool volcano though! And also that driftwood looks nice also. ever think of laying it down and putting some plants coming out from behind it? Change isn't always easy but once you mess with stuff in your tank for a while like I do you will come to really like what some things look like when they're different. My tank basically changes every time I do a water change!  I just can't stand it looking exactly the same all the time. Also try and hide the heater behind some rocks, anything to give it a more "the ugly heater is there but you just can't seen it" look, I just can't stand my filter and heater showing! haha

I would give it a 7!


----------



## BurgerKing

I figured it'd be something like that, the blue looks sweet. As well as the tank of course.


----------



## Regalis




----------



## CichlidLover2

Nice tank! I really like the sand and the rock work but one thing I was never a fan of is unaturally colored fake plants. I like plants but usually stick to green but I guess its all opinion!

I give it an 8 

PS Very nice to see that you take such good care of your tank! Its spotless!


----------



## cntphzme

heh same tankand stand as mine i think cichildnub gonna go with a 7

Heres my 55 
texas rock with black moon sand and the always nice 83" white Marline to Boot above the tank 
video if you interested in looking. Sorry not handy with the pics yet. Will soon get the hang of it





[/img]


----------



## PaulineMi

I've gotten a lot of good advice from my LFS. I've learned tons from reading and reading and reading this forum and lots of the articles. So now I will ask for your opinion of how things look with my 8 month old 90 gallon tank. I'm open to advice............. :thumb: And yep, Malawi and Tangs are mixed in here. So far so good (says the newbie).

I can't rate the tank prior to my post as the link doesn't work.


----------



## FloodXL

PaulineMi, I will rate your tank an 8. I for some reason don't think the photo does the tank justice, I bet it is a lot nicer in person!

Time for me to throw mine in here. 3 Photos to show some different angles:




























Please give your honest rating. Thanks!


----------



## clgkag

I give it a 7 only because the plants don't look right to me. Here's mine:


----------



## abl1111

I was very inspired to see such great looking tanks. Cool to see how many different styles there are and everyone has such different taste.

After seeing all the "aquarium porn", I had the need to expose myself too 

Here's my 55 gallon - always a work in progress. No matter what I do, the fish breed like rabbits !

The tank before mine, a 7, was really nice and natural, the lighting is not my taste, but who am I ???


----------



## RAUL GILES

I'm going to give you a 9- love that you have plenty of rocks for the fish to hide and play.
I gave you a nine being that Lake Malawi in Africa is "10".

Here's my tank-120gal (dont like backgrounds,dont know why that is)
Stock_ phenos,fossorochromis rostratus,blue neon hai reef,ngara,lwanda,maleri,ruby red,copad borelyi.


----------



## abl1111

Thank you ! I too prefer no background. You get a nicer, more natural light. But, for me the background helps hide all the filtering. I've always thought of using a very light, almost wax paper to let light through and still hide the 'stuff'. I really like the simplicity of your tank. It's clean, literally and figuratively...


----------



## FloodXL

Hope I am not breaking "protocol" by participating so quickly again.

Raul Giles, I give your tank a 6 because of the great fish selection you have going in there, but I would rate it a 10 with a black background and some more rock. I just added the black background to mine, I wasn't going to do it but man did it make it better! Your Fish look spectacular though.

I wanted to show my live plant tank also. There is a dwarf cichlid in there!


----------



## Eric C.

FloodXL, nice tank! :thumb: I love planted tanks, and Rummy Nose are one of my favorite tetras. I'll give you an 8.5 only because I wanted to see a pic of your dwarf cichlid. 

Heres mine. 60 gal. with various africans. I don't have the time or patience to do planted tanks anymore. :lol:


----------



## mystic.bertie

eric c i will give you an 8, its nice and natural and uncluttered

heres my effort lol, i bought this full african setup a few weeks ago and the decor consists of a load of limestone which i quickly stacked, i could probably do a better job but im looking for inspiration on what to do, i am looking to use rocks but keeping in nice and simple, attractive and cheap.

i intend to hide or diguise the powerheads and filter tubes and heater.


----------



## Lesley

Here's my 45









and my 35 - these guys are just waiting for me to get their new 90 gallon bowfront set up:










Oh, and mystic bertie, your tank is lovely and clean I'd say at least an 8.5


----------



## ademb

ill give it a 8 nice amount of rock in there, looks like they have plenty of caves and hideouts!

Here's my new tank, has been setup for 2 weeks now and the pics were taken mid cycle so go easy on me for the cloudiness. Its looking a million dollars now after i got some filter medium from my friends est. tank. 
Its going to be a single species breeding tank, but *** got some maingano in there at the moment till i find a colony of the johanni or interuptus as they are called here in Australia now


----------



## jschwab45212

I'm no expert on tank set-ups. Everyones tanks look awesome in their own way, a lot of different styles out there. That being said I rate the tank above an 8.5 it has a nice balance of rock and plants with good layering.

This is my 125 mixed malawi, it has been up and running for a little over a month.

I am open to any suggestions as what you think and what I could do to make the tank better.

Thanks.


----------



## cartman

Nice tank jschwab, in my humble opinion it's a solid 8.5 - no doubt it's a great looking tank in your home, although as a recent convert to the no-plants club, I'm no longer a fan of plants in African tanks even though it probably helps break up the white rocks/white sand in your case. But nice & clean and not much I can offer you to improve it, well done.

Also good to see a fellow Sydney-sider on here with ademb on the previous tank, I like the contrasting colours of the red & green, would be nice to see a pic with it all cleared up 



cartman said:


> As for my tank below, it's work in progress...I just got rid of one tank as I'm going for a new 650 litre (170g) tank shortly :thumb: - but this is my 65g Malawi tank, full of juvis atm destined to become a secondary/grow-out for the new tank when it arrives. It's changed a little since the photo, I've taken out the air lines & plants and I'm just about to convert the substrate to sand (thanks to all the great threads on this forum on the subject helping me make an educated decision on that), at the same time I've got some more of the same rock I'm going to lay on its back and stack for a more natural look, hide the heaters etc etc...will post a comparison photo when completed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW - great thread cichlids_killer


Well I finally took the plunge and converted my substrate from gravel to sand, a bit of work sure, but well worth it in the end I think, and the fish love all the new caves & tunnels as well as digging through the sand etc
As above, here's a comparison shot of the tank as it stands now.


----------



## willny1

Cartman, I give you a solid 9. I really like the sand. Looks better I think. Nice pieces of rocks.

Here was my temp. 29 gallon.
Some of those fish are now in a 55 that I am currently trying to decorate.


----------



## padlock 08

id give that tank a solid 8 but i think the driftwood is out of place

ok here goes my 60g mixed malawi


----------



## padlock 08

well that didnt work lets try again


----------



## boy_scorpion08

i will give an 8..looks nice..hres my 75 gallon tank w/ 2 tiger oscars..i hope its good for everyone..thanks..










im carlo from philippines.....


----------



## boy_scorpion08

i will give an 8..looks nice..hres my 75 gallon tank w/ 2 tiger oscars..i hope its good for everyone..thanks..










im carlo from philippines.....


----------



## boy_scorpion08

i will give an 8..looks nice..hres my 75 gallon tank w/ 2 tiger oscars..i hope its good for everyone..thanks..










im carlo from philippines.....


----------



## Mike Mirto

Water is a little cloudy but I like the rockwork and the dark substrate. Get a UV or carbon filter and I'll give you an 8. :wink: Here's my 75gal with the dorky decor my wife insists I put in! :roll:


----------



## Mike Mirto

Ooops. I didn't realize we were up to 28 pages and rated the last pick on page 1!  I'll give the tank above me a 7. Needs a little more.(then again, mine's pretty busy) opcorn:


----------



## madmax666

Sorry for the bad pic of my tank. It has changed a bit but w/e. 
7.5 I like the plants.It is a bit busy but nice. I LIKE THE FISH TOO!


----------



## madmax666

grrr lets try it this way... http://i354.photobucket.com/albums/r406 ... ure204.jpg ...


----------



## Mike Mirto

I like the tank but I love the wall!! Awesome! :thumb:


----------



## Kevin007




----------



## ademb

that looks awesome dude, well done!


----------



## kmh280

54 gallon corner unit. I only have 2 yellow labs at the moment. More to be added this week.


----------



## cichlids _killer

kmh280 said:


> 54 gallon corner unit. I only have 2 yellow labs at the moment. More to be added this week.


real nice ..!! i like at alot :thumb: opcorn:


----------



## blairo1

*kmh280* 7.5 - 8 without the fake plants (only because I can't stand them, but that's my taste).

Nicely done - it doesn't look too structured, a few area's look a bit unnatural but as a whole it is very well done, with the shape of the majority of your rocks you did well to steer it away from the "shelf" type stacking. =D>

Well I said I would post mine when it had filled in, so:


----------



## Hoosier Tank

Even though I ran out of tanks to post here a while back I still love to check out what our members are showing. Some are simply stunning...


----------



## StillaZilla

Nice planted tank, what are you putting in there fish wise, that won't eat or tear them all up?

My new setup, 160L with three Jewels and soon a tri-mac. I just finished this stand last month, posted pics in the DIY section. The fake plants are there just to hide the filter.


----------



## blairo1

Thanks,

I have, an 8" Rotkeil, 7 juvenile _M. altispinosus _(will be 5), 2 _Laetacara dorsigera_, an 8" pleco and a trio of _Corydoras arcuatus_, in this tank. Heh that's how dense the plants are. The Rotkeil is well trained to leave my plants alone and the other obviously pose no threat.

:thumb:


----------



## cichlids _killer

my new tank ( NOT)


----------



## Alisonj

Beautiful tank. Defintely a 9+

Here is our 90g-I have a ton or air running right now for a couple fish that were sick and on the mend and mind the christmas light refection!)


----------



## pmac

Here's my 115G. I really need to get a better camera if I'm going to get some decent pictures of my fish tank, but here's the best I could do with the camera I've got (The pictures really don't do it any justice compared to how it looks in person):


















I plan on switching to a sand substrate eventually, but I already had this gravel from my old tank, and after spending $40 on it not too long ago, I figured I should use it until I want to redesign my aquarium. Once I get some money together, my next revamp will be a 3d background, and i'm ditching the spaghetti rock and plants then going with some lace rock, to give it a more natural look.

P.S. The goldfish is only living in there until my pond is no longer frozen...

This will be his new home in the spring (Hopefully his friends made it through the winter...):


----------



## moi_eater

pmac said:


> P.S. The goldfish is only living in there until my pond is no longer frozen...
> 
> This will be his new home in the spring (Hopefully his friends made it through the winter...):


I want that pond!!! It won't ever freeze here!


----------



## cichlover_mel

I would rate the tank above at a 6.5. Once the gravel is changed out to sand and the goldfish is gonei i would prob give this about a 8.5 the black and white gravel is really taking away from the fish and rest of the tank.

Here is my 55 gal that is going to be upgraded to a 75 gal in the next few months. Currently running a T5 fixture with a 10000k and acintic (was going to switch to salt) and I find that this combo is not doing the estherea any justice as least not for the females the male looks great. Thinking of going to black background with the 75.


----------



## cichlover_mel

I would rate the tank above at a 6.5. Once the gravel is changed out to sand and the goldfish is gonei i would prob give this about a 8.5 the black and white gravel is really taking away from the fish and rest of the tank.

Here is my 55 gal that is going to be upgraded to a 75 gal in the next few months. Currently running a T5 fixture with a 10000k and acintic (was going to switch to salt) and I find that this combo is not doing the estherea any justice as least not for the females the male looks great. Thinking of going to black background with the 75.


----------



## cichlover_mel

I would rate the tank above at a 6.5. Once the gravel is changed out to sand and the goldfish is gonei i would prob give this about a 8.5 the black and white gravel is really taking away from the fish and rest of the tank.

Here is my 55 gal that is going to be upgraded to a 75 gal in the next few months. Currently running a T5 fixture with a 10000k and acintic (was going to switch to salt) and I find that this combo is not doing the estherea any justice as least not for the females the male looks great. Thinking of going to black background with the 75.


----------



## cichlover_mel

site was acting up and not loading so ended up posting a few times it seems


----------



## cichlover_mel

anyone?


----------



## cmcpart0422

I give you an 8. Its a very nice looking tank. Fish seem happy i only gave you an 8 because i like plants in tanks and you dont have any.

This is my newest 30g ruby green only tank. There are six 1.5 - 2in fish in there but they are shy so when they saw my camera they swam for cover. I also have a 4in L018 in there now. Click to make the pics bigger.


----------



## cmcpart0422

I give you an 8. Its a very nice looking tank. Fish seem happy i only gave you an 8 because i like plants in tanks and you dont have any.

This is my newest 30g ruby green only tank. There are six 1.5 - 2in fish in there but they are shy so when they saw my camera they swam for cover. I also have a 4in L018 in there now. Click to make the pics bigger.


----------



## cichlover_mel

ya i am thinking of trying live plants again when i switch to the 75 had some in the 55 but don't think i had enough light but got alot more now so we will see.


----------



## Marconis

I give the tank above me a 5. In my honest opinion, there really is nothing appealing about it. I think it needs a background, some sand, and some more time in scaping and I think it could be lovely. Sorry for the harsh criticism.

Here is my 72 gallon bow Acei/Lab. I recently added pants. I think it gives the tank some more coloration. If you're wondering why they are all at the top, it's because I just took it when I got home from school and that's when I usually feed them. Be brutally honest please.


----------



## cichlids _killer

nice !!! love the rock work ...btw whats kind of rock is that?


----------



## pmac

What kind of camera did you use for that? I can't seem to get a good picture of my tank to save my life :-?


----------



## Marconis

Canon A710 IS


----------



## Fisherman89

I am going to give that a 9. I the filter didnt stick out so much.

Here is my 55 gallon. I do not think i have seen any decorations like mine yet so you all will probably not like this one so much. This is My first fish tank sense i was like ten years old and it was a beta so i am still new to the hobby!









[/code]
/Users/peterdesantis/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Originals/2008/Roll%2047/PC080189.JPG


----------



## Fisherman89

If this does not work can someone tell me how to post a pic on here


----------



## Fisherman89

One more try!!!! I am sorry!
There you go! well let me know what you think!


----------



## pmac

Really nice water quality, what do you have in there for lighting?


----------



## Fisherman89

> what do you have in there for lighting?


I am Pretty sure it is Eclipse natural daylight. I will double check when i get home and let you know!


----------



## cichlover_mel

bump


----------



## Biguzas

I would give a tank above 6, I am not big fan of plastic plants and artificial castles, but the water is A+ crystal clear, give you credit for that.

Here is my 55 gallon aquarium with DIY background, Demasoni and Yellow lab, and Angelfish cichlids. Tell me what you think.


----------



## Isis24

I'll give that one a 8. The background is AWESOME!! But there isn't much else in there. Some rocks would be great. I always thought that you couldn't put African Cichlids and American together, but I'm not experienced, so could be wrong.

This is my 30g. Go easy...I'm new at this! I will be leveling the tank very shortly. I know it's horrible for the seams. I also know that the tank is too small for the sevs and angel. They'll have a new home soon! I know the water doesn't look clean, but it really is pristine. It's the camera that's horrible. Ok, here goes:


----------



## BurgerKing

Biguzas, nice backgroundbut i have to agree with isis24, the foreground looks far too bare. Since you look pretty artsy(cuz of the sweet background) you should try making little rock modules, fill up the front of the tank. Keeping mbuna and angels is a recipe for disaster. The angels will get destroyed, plus the two fish have different needs with water and feeding. Removing the angels would be best as your tank looks like a true mbuna tank.

Isis24, looks pretty good, a lot better then my first tank did. I cant tell if your plants are all fake, but your fish might like some real ones in the new setup. It looks like their natural habitat and plants help remove garbage from the water. Good start though, post pics of the new tank when its ready.


----------



## Biguzas

Yes, I agree with you guys. I know that Angels and my Mbuna do not go well together, not only because of water parameters, but they are also from different habitats but I bought those angels almost 5 years ago, and I don't want to give them away. So I placed my angels with Mbuna. No other choice.


----------



## blairo1

If you've had the Angels for 5 years, what happened to the tank they were in before you put them in with the Mbuna!? Or did you add the Mbuna to their tank...

Can you not set up another small tank to house the Angel fish - you say you've no other choice, you've put these fish together for whatever reason, thing is, if you don't do something about it then eventually they will make a decision for you :? .

Nice background! Good effort. I agree with the others, put some of that artistic talent into creating 3D rock modules that can build (visually) onto that background, giving you more depth and not to mention a more appropriate aquascape (in terms of territory).... At the moment I don't see any and these fish sure do like a *lot* of rocks!

:thumb:


----------



## Biguzas

Thank you for feedback guys. I am going to look for some rocks that match background color. As you said, it will give more depth to it. Itâ€™s hard for me to take pictures of moving fish with my old camera, thatâ€™s why you can't see them, but I have 22 Demasoni and 17 Yellow lab cichlids in there. When they grow a little bigger I will put them in my 125. Those two Angles where in a first 20 gal planted tank. And that tank is full of Yellow lab babies. I would set up another tank for the Angels, but I already have 3 running.


----------



## DanDee

Great start! I'll give it a 7.
Here is my 180g.
What do you think?


----------



## maddyfish

^^Big tank with a bunch of tetras in it?


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## DanDee

You don't like tetras?
7 Pseudotropheus Acei
5 Labidochromis Caeruleus Lions Cove
3 Otopharynx Lithobates- Red Blaze
3 Protomelas Steveni Taiwan Reef
3 Aulonocara Red Top Lwanda
6 Protomelas Super Red Empress
12 danio - my cycliers
Dan


----------



## Tirral

Hi all.

Realy liking all your wonderfull tanks.

A quick update on my tank. (first post on page 26 on this thread)

Added Some plants anf fish.

Plants:
Amazon Sword, Java Fern, Hair Grass and Echinodorus tenellus

Fish:
2x Kribs(m/f), 6x Cardinal Tetra, 2x ottos, 2x Guppys from cycling which have now bread and i have about 20 fry!!!
Also I have just seen that the Kribs have got fry hiding in behind the root 

Here are some pics:


























Night Shot with single LED moon light:









A few inhabitants:

























Well let me no what you think.

Thanks


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## clgkag

Tirral, that tank rocks. One of the best natural looking tanks I have seen. I would rather see it full of big cichlids  :wink: , but it is outstanding.


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## casti1wj

tirral, I rate the tank an 8. Only reason being: with the amount of time and effort to put it in the wall, paint the trim, set up the awesome aquascape, etc... you just put some fishbowl fish in it. High quality tank = high quality fish. Otherwise, amazing dude. Truely amazing.


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## jontwhale

some quality tanks in here guys! 
7 fir the above one because I can't see any fish.
here's mine.... go easy


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## pmac

looks pretty good, I'd say a solid 7.5-8
How do your Clown Loaches and ID Shark get along with those Oscars?
Also, what are those other 2 fish in there?


----------



## jontwhale

The clowns and silver shark (biggest *** seen at about 10") get on fine with the Oscars - they are gentle giants! there are 3 green terrors in there - the male in the middle of the pic is getting aggressive! just below him is a Polypterus, and hidden somewhere is a large Plec. thanks for the score!


----------



## ademb

tank is finally up and running, got some saulosi, 2 mainganos and a bristlenose cat in there who was brilliant at clearing out the brown algae  eventually planning on turning it into a straight out saulosi tank. Just finding it difficult to source any at a decent size!


----------



## F8LBITEva

*ademb*

Nice tank, I give it a 7 it would look alot better and more natural if all the rocks were the same.

Heres my 125G :


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## AjaSage

Wow, this is fun!! I'm really getting jealous of some of the tanks. . .and I want MORE. . .BIGGER. . .TANKS. . .NOW 

I'll give the tank above a 7- I'd like to see a more stacking, or something taking up some of the mid/top space of the tank. I'd say plants of some kind, but I do like the solely rock-scaped tanks, too. I like the contrast of the decorations/background, however. Very nice.

Alright- I've always had fish, but this is my first "planned" tank that I've really put money into. . .The plants are still growing, and will need to be re-arranged a bit, I know. I'd like it to be perfect, so suggestions are welcome.

75gal-
6 Discus (of different color varieties- I don't intend to breed)
16 Rummynose
1 Guarami (she was relocated from another tank b/c she was being beat up)
2 Blue Rams
4 Green Corys
2 Albino Bristlenoses










Thanks!


----------



## Ssssssspit_Fire

*the one above me, 6

My tank:*


----------



## casti1wj

^^^^ one million. you win. thread over.


----------



## MonteSS

Wow Spit. That looks great. 9.5 from me. (I dont give 10's )

Heares my 75 I just set up. Been out of the hobby for 15 years or so.

Still cycling so go easy on me.

....Bill


----------



## Mikey13

No pics yet for me, but my 2 cents worth say honkzz is just amazing to me.


----------



## cichlidChad

I give ya a 7.

Here's my 125.


----------



## njpiranha

still messing around with all the rocks and everything while its still cycling


----------



## cichlidChad

you didn't 'rate the the tank above you!!!'


----------



## mthigpen_02

I give the one above a 7.5


----------



## jbacker7

My new 55 gallon.... no fish yet but I plan to do an all male peacock setup when I get it cycled. Suggestions and critisizm are appreciated!


----------



## bac3492

If i had a bigger room, or just got around to moving the computer.....i would have a nice big tank in my room. I'd use it to fall asleep.

As a little kid, i would sit on my aunts couch and watch the livebearers all day.

I dont think there is anything more relaxing than watching my fsih.

I Like your tank alot. I would stack the rocks a little higher.

give it a 7.5 for now.


----------



## pescoloco

This is my home made 150 gallon tank in my basement.


----------



## pescoloco

Heres more pictures of my tank.


----------



## pmac

Awesome variety of fish, I'll give your tank a solid 8.5, I love wall tanks like that! Is that a venustus in the close-up picture? (I think that's how you spell it..) If so, are you worried about the combination of venustus and frontosa's out growing your tank?


----------



## pescoloco

Thanks Pmac for the complimants. The Venutus and the Fronts are the largest fish in the tank. I bought them 4 years ago with all the other cichlids, example Red x Red Zebras. There hasn't been any issues yet, I believe its because the Zebras can get quite aggressive. The Alpha male of this tank is a Male Red x Red Zebra.


----------



## traumatic

Give it a 7 for the in-wall effect and that it's homemade, also you have some beautiful fishes. Decorations leave a lot to be desired. The printed background takes a point away automatically. I'm all for the natural look so....

Here's mine:

Full tank shot









Left hand side









Right hand side


----------



## Nicolas Rodriguez

I give the tank above me an 8, i really like the driftwood, and it could diffidently become a nine or even ten with plants in there you know, to vary the color a bit.

Here's my tank, the gravel will be going soon, and i will be putting in live plants as well as rocks, out with the castle and orange rock.

Im just posting so i can see how the rating differs after i do the re-work of the setup.


----------



## TheBanker

i give it a 4.5, you pointed out all the flaws i think are in there, can't wait to see the change.


----------



## elgu3ro88

i give it a 9 i like it! take 1 off only, i think it could use another piece of wood and it would be perfect...


----------



## pescoloco

I would give yours a 6.9, but I think it could easily jump to an 8 or 9 if you add more rocks and maybe add different plants to the ones you already have. Other than that it looks nice, nice fish also.


----------



## Jeff W

I give this tank 9. the background is excellent. the scheme on the bottom for rocks,I would have a few more in there. The fish selection looks good. Looks active but not overcrowded.
Background will be changed out to black some day soon.
This is a 55 set up for breeding

Has 3 Crytocara Moorii's one female holding
3 Black Masked Brichardi
1 10 in. Common Pleco


----------



## Bannoch

Jeff W, Nice breeding domain, Black background would make it much better. A nice 5-6.

I had posted my tank on here around September (page 15) and I got a 5-6 Just wondering if i've upgraded!










Tank on the bottom is for my Zebra that is holding.


----------



## noobdood

Bannoch I give you a 7.5. Your water looks nice and clear and the fish look happy, but I think it would be better if the rock pile was taller.

Here is my Jack Dempsey tank. The only other plans I have for it is to add more variety of plants.


----------



## CRUZ CONTROL

looks a little empty but very clean 6-7
hows mine ?


----------



## ILikeStripes

i give the tank above mine a 7. mainly because of the thor sticker. =-p. the rocks and driftwood are stacked pretty interesting. i'd like to see some live plants with that sand.

here's my tank. its a 75gal. i've got about 18 assorted africans. a few of them are starting to get some awesome coloring. black gravel, grey round lanscape rocks. i have two sets of live plants for now and I will eventually add more plants, it may be a fully planted tank. i have an emperor 400 and a c series marineland cansiter. powerhead i dont remember the heater. the fish are pretty young but are starting to grow quite nicely...



















i have a 4' shop light painted black for now and the stand was home made. i just noticed now how blurry the fish are and my background is falling on the left. ahh. pictures dont do it justice. hope you like it.


----------



## B&amp;K

Oops! I couldn't get a picture on.


----------



## califjewls

I give the tank above me an 8, I like your rock choice I might even stack it a bit higher. I would add more plants it looks a bit sparse. You are already going to fix your background. I like the way the dark rock and black gravel show off your fishies colors. Nice job. 

So here is my very first African Cichlid tank. They will soon be moving to a 65 gallon tank but for now this is their home and they love it...
2 Electric Yellow, 1 Blue Kenyi, 2 Cynotilapia afra, 2 Giraffes, 2 Powder Blue Pindani, 1 Synodontis, 1 Spotted Albinus Pleco

37 Gallon, Bio-Wheel and Rena XP1 filter 500gph, Marineland Stealth 250 watt, 60lbs lace rock and 30lbs coral sand..

Daytime









Nightime with Lunar White Moonlight Bulbs, the photo doesn't do it justice, I love the white moonlight bulbs, this is when I get to see my clean up crew at work!


----------



## overleaf

I give the tank above an 8, no background (even if solid) or plants. Very nicely done.

Here's mine, waiting for the honeycomb limestone center piece to arrive, and researching plants for it. At some point in the future the blue gravel (chosen for contrast for my child) will be swapped out for some sand.


----------



## califjewls

Thank you overleaf..  My tank has a mirrored back and I didn't want to take up floor space with a DIY background although I would like to try creating one in the future for another tank.

This is a Mbuna tank and they eat vegetables regularly and would make a meal out of any plants I added....lol So I save my plants for my smaller non-Mbuna tanks.. 

I really like limestone and I think it looks great with sand! I look forward to your updated photos..


----------



## overleaf

califjewls said:


> Thank you overleaf..  My tank has a mirrored back and I didn't want to take up floor space with a DIY background although I would like to try creating one in the future for another tank.


Aha! A mirror, that's neat. I thought I was looking at the wall behind!



califjewls said:


> This is a Mbuna tank and they eat vegetables regularly and would make a meal out of any plants I added....lol So I save my plants for my smaller non-Mbuna tanks..


Looks like yellow labs in there? I hear 2 plants work well: Java fern, Anubis sm.

Have you any experience with yellow labs and those plants? I'm looking to pick some up in the near future knowing full well it may be a waste of money ;/



califjewls said:


> I really like limestone and I think it looks great with sand! I look forward to your updated photos..


Yea it does.


----------



## elipsius

I give the tank above a 6 since you will be replacing stuff, but currently not much for rock work.
Can't wait to see it with sand, center piece and plants.

Here is mine just finished it a few weeks ago, currently 4 brevis in it with some J. Trascriptus coming, and will be working on some plant work, just not totally sure what to get.


----------



## fishEH

Unfortunately ELIPSIUS I can't see your pic. Maybe you can try to post it again?

Here's my recently set up 29gal. It has Danios in it now to help it cycle but will be home to Saulosi in about a month. 








The appearance of smoke in the middle is actually the fish swimming with the the slower shutter speed. The moonlights are kinda bright and I want to get them on a dimmer.









Mag float and air stone in the upper left.


----------



## elipsius

Not sure what happend but here it is again, I can see it, when I log in, I have it hosted on picasa well here it is again this time from photobucket.

Next person just remember rate the tank above this post, or fishEH log back in and rate mine if you can see it now, then we will be back in sink.


----------



## murcat

I give you a seven would like to see some plants.
[/img]
heres my new 240 which just got going 2 days ago, obviously i need to finish the woodwork on stand and light. I also need to wait for the snow to melt and ground to thaw so i can find more rocks.


----------



## fishEH

I can see your pic now Elipsius but it looks like I'm too late. Nevertheless I'll give it an 8. The tank has a very clean look. Could use a couple plants I think.

Murcat I'll give yours a 7. Could use kore rocks as you stated. There's also a lot of equipment visible. This could be fixed with the adition of a background which would add to the look as well. Very nice tank, though. It makes me anxious to get my 225 up and running.

For now though I have my 29 gallon. I tcurrently has Danios in it for cycling but will be home to Saulosi in about a month. 
Lights on:









Lights off(moonlights):








The moonlights look a little bright but I have yet to hook up the dimmer switch. The smoke just above the rocks is actually the fish swimming while the shutter was open. 
Thanks


----------



## cichlids _killer

murcat said:


> I give you a seven would like to see some plants.
> [/img]
> heres my new 240 which just got going 2 days ago, obviously i need to finish the woodwork on stand and light. I also need to wait for the snow to melt and ground to thaw so i can find more rocks.


whats the dem of this tank ?? looking like a real long tank and its nice . :thumb:


----------



## murcat

it's 96 x 24 x 24... it's a 240 long. thank you, have lots of work to do yet. its only been 2 days and i'm very limited as to supplys in my town...no LFS. have to drive an hour and a bit to get to LFS.


----------



## millphoto

I'd give that monster 240 gallon tank a 7 right now but I bet it will be a ten when you get done with it!

here's our 36 gallon bowfront with six 5 month old saulosi.


----------



## millphoto

whoops!


----------



## millphoto

John_Auberry said:


> I will play, um Id say a 4 for jars, The tank isnt even fill up with water. Good start though
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> with the plastic plants


definitely a 9.5!! I love the tank and the fish!!


----------



## cichlids _killer

murcat said:


> it's 96 x 24 x 24... it's a 240 long. thank you, have lots of work to do yet. its only been 2 days and i'm very limited as to supplys in my town...no LFS. have to drive an hour and a bit to get to LFS.


man i love those dem ...what your stock gonna be?? i hope you stock the tank up with some hap and peacock ,but with more hap than peacock ,hap will love the long tank like your ..keep it up man even if you have to drive a hour or two ,i am sure that its worth it once you get home and sit and looking at that nice tank..myself i just love the long tank than tall ..my next tank will be 96in long too but with 30H x 30W ,wish me luck hope my wife and my lil girl let me get my dream tank soon


----------



## LIVINGLIFE

I give the above a 7 nice rock work.
Here is mine. What can i do to make it better?


----------



## toot2008

I give you a 8 for the nice earthtones and the look that is comfortable to look at and not too much going on in the tank. Keep up the good work


----------



## Kevin24

I give yours a 7.5, looks a tad bit dirty/brown..may just be the lighting.









(dont mind all the reflections from stuff in my room)


----------



## fish kid

*millphoto*
hey, i love your tank!! one of the best, i love all of the rock work- very nice! great use of plants also. THere is only one thing i would change, i would recomend moving the three small plants in front to different locations, they look kind funny all in a row. maybe but them up against the rocks and group two really close together? it might look more natural


----------



## kaNUK

Kevin: I'll give yours a 7 for the tank, and a 4 for the photo :wink: 
I'm not a huge fan of artificial plants and the exposed equipment visible in your tank. I do like your holey-rock and substrate though.

Here's mine:









Oh wait! ...it's a Cichlid site 

Here's the Cichlid tank. This is a fairly "young" picture of the background. The algae is slowly taking over to the Mbuna's delight.









Cheers
ka NUK


----------



## BenHugs

Hey Ka NUK put an angel fish or similar cichlid in that top tank and you will pass for sure. Both tanks are looking good. 
I need to put a pic up so I can rate and get rated :lol:


----------



## Robchester_2000

hmmm non cichlid is a 9, looks really natural, cichlid is a 5, just cos its so new, i'm sure it will become really great once its got a bit of algae, maybe a few more rocks?

heres mine, its been set up for three days, i'm still waiting on the water to clear up so be kind...


----------



## Pilgrim

Rob,
Nice little tank. What size is it? I like the natural look of this tank and good plant placement.
I rate it a 9 and when the water clears it will be a 9.5. Good job. Like to see more pics when it is stocked.

Here is mine, recently set up. Juvenile Dems, White Scolofi, 5 Petricolas hiding, have Acei on the way and I am growing up some labs to be added later. 75G. Fishless cycle, water is great.


----------



## Robchester_2000

thanks for the good feedback,
it's a three foot 50 gallon, gonna be stocked with afra cobue and yellow labs, i will definitely post when it has a few more fish and some older plants!


----------



## iceblue

Nice Pilgrim I'll give it an 8.5 The rock color is awesome and the centered pile looks good. The only thing I can add is to maybe put a couple of larger stones the same color for some size contrast.

I just recently found some new stones and redid mine.


----------



## kfig7

I'll give the tank above me an 8. I like the rocks but I sure hope they are sturdy hehe!

Here is some pics of my new set up. Not done yet but I'm almost there.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g76/t ... CF2204.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g76/t ... CF2202.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g76/t ... CF2199.jpg


----------



## iceblue

kfig7 said:


> I like the rocks but I sure hope they are sturdy hehe!


No worries here. They were stacked with care. :thumb:


----------



## cichlids _killer

iceblue how big is that tank bro??


----------



## kfig7

iceblue said:


> kfig7 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I like the rocks but I sure hope they are sturdy hehe!
> 
> 
> 
> No worries here. They were stacked with care. :thumb:
Click to expand...

 

Hey, is that pool filter sand in your tank? If so what brand is it? I like the color.


----------



## iceblue

It's a 6' long by 18 " high 84g. The substrate is bagged washed plaster sand that I picked up at Lowes.


----------



## klumsyninja

Kfig I love it! but I give you a 7.5 for lack of fish.. with a big bunch of select fish it's an easy 9.

Here's my 55G Cyno white tops and lab. Caeruleus


----------



## sleepy09

Hey klumsyninja your tank looks great. The rocks look really nice. I will also give you a 7.5. It looks like you could add some more fish too.

Here is a pic of my new tank. It is cycling right now and it doesn't have any fish in it yet. I was going to wait until I got my fish before I jumped in on this thread but figured I would, just to keep this thread going. Thanks


----------



## ry05coupe

Sleepy, id give your tank an 8.5 or 9. I love the simplistic look of it, and it just seems very upmarket.
I also read the thread you wrote about the craigslist find, and i know how much work you put into it, so well done!

Heres mine, its by no means a show tank because im in college, so this was on a budged, and the tank was free 

55g with rena xp3 and eheim 2026, rena smartheater and tetra UV sterilizer.
I took the picture after a water change so things are a little stirred up, plus my phones baad :roll:


----------



## Guest

I'll give ry05coupe a 5 for his tank, it's a little plain for my taste but still is nice.

Hope my pic posts. I'll try.

My 75 gallon Malawi tank


----------



## Guest

Ok, I got it. Here you go:


----------



## Guest

ok, I got it...a couple of posts back


----------



## brianmccord2001

I rate the tank above an 8. Great looking tank, and nice plants, too! Here is mine...


----------



## clgkag

What kind of background is on that tank? It looks great!


----------



## ry05coupe

I think he made it himself.


----------



## JBGC

I rate the above tank a 7.8, the slate background is great however i'd prefer some more open sand swimming area at the front.

This is my mixed african 5 footer, im pretty happy with it atm.. the fish seem to be getting along fine.


----------



## sleepy09

The only thing I can say is WOW :drooling: =D> . Very nice tank JBGC


----------



## jenandcoffee

wow is right! i love it! my score is a 9 - i like how you have different shades of rock( very natural) the only one i find that looks out of place is on the right hand side of the tank, you have a yellowish one, i find keeps drawing my attention, other then that beautiful!

heres my new addition 75 gallon


----------



## Agnag

Very nice JBGC, I bet you get people asking if it's a salt water tank.


----------



## edoc

The tank looks a nice environment and very clean but let down by those two orange things
*7*

Heres my 96"x24"x24"


----------



## tbraddy

I would give it an 8.5. Nice and natural looking, but a bit sparse on the root structures/plants imo.

Here's mine
29 Gallon
Current Residents: 
1 7" Common Pleco
11 Yellow Labs .5" to 5" that are always in hiding

http://picasaweb.google.com/TBraddy/Fis ... 1797803730


----------



## Marconis

I give it 6. Not to be harsh or anything, but I hate the gravel, not a fan of the clay pot look and the rocks don't look naturally stacked.

Here's mine:
72 Gallon
5x Acei
8x Yellow Lab


----------



## Totalimmortal363

^^I like that tank a lot. 8.5 from me. Here's my 55g.










Haven't had a chance to get the algae off the glass in the corner, nor move the sand back from the constant excavation that takes place. It's like they expect to find something down there besides glass every time.

Either way it was shot with a D40, but I'm far from a professional.

Yellow Lab x2
Yellow Tail Acei x3
White Tail Acei x2
Ice Blue Zebra x1
Red Zebra x2
Rusty Cichlid x1
Unknown Female x2
Syno. Multes x2


----------



## non_compliance

I rate you a 7.5.. It looks decent, but I don't care for that lava colored rock. The plants that you have don't add much... you should consider something that will fill out a bit more. 3-4 floating leaves just don't look like much but an ill plant. I"m no expert though, so don't take my opinion too harshly...

Now, here's a 10 gal. that I had as a hospital tank... apparently it was the hospital tank of death, because sick fish never made it out. Sooo.. I threw some stuff in there and turned it into a barb tank. I've got 6 pentisona barbs and 3 gold barbs and a bristlenose. I"m looking to add some glow danios (my son's favorite color is PINK.. but that's another discussion lol) and maybe some tetras or something.. maybe more barbs... who knows.

Anyways, I know it's nothing special, so do your worst! hehe...


----------



## Totalimmortal363

Yea, I just added the plants that day. I'll be filling it out with more anubias and java fern in time. The rock is quite a bit lighter in person, I'm still learning the D40. Thanks for the input 

You're tank isn't too bad


----------



## reptiler13

i give your setup an 8 i like the way you set up the rocks and the color variations
mine is a 220 work in progess


----------



## non_compliance

you are too kind... thanks... I need to get a background on it, and move the heater and thermommeter.... but like I said, I threw it together in 5 min..


----------



## siklid88

I rate the tank above a 6.5 it has potential, all you need is a background and lots of rocks to make it look more natural.

Here is my 70 gallon its my first cichlid tank I just set it up about a month ago, tried several rock layouts this was the one I like the best so far and the fish seem to love it. I tried hiding the heater and intake from the eheim with plants in left and right corners but it just did not look right.

6 juvenile electric yellow labs 
1 Adult male Aulonocara rubescens 
1 Adult male Otopharynx lithobates (Zimbawe Rock) 
1 Adult male Aulonocara Baenschi Benga 
1 Adult male Aulonocara Hueseri 
1 Adult maleAulonocara koningsi Mbenji

current layout

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk91/jamesm029/Picture3611.jpg

earlier versions

[img]http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk91/jamesm029/Picture3604.jpg

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk91/jamesm029/Picture3597.jpg


----------



## siklid88

having trouble getting th epicture to show sorry

current










[/img]


----------



## siklid88

okay last try

current










other attempts


----------



## cjpcola

:fish:[/quote]

I've been off the boards for a while but this is just awesome... it may have been asked aready but what did you use for your scaping? it rocks!! I can't ever find rock to work a small tank like this.


----------



## edouthirt

siklid88, I give yours a 7. It has a very nive clean look to it. I think you should add some more rock perhaps... make it go higher in the tank. Also, try hiding the heater by setting it horizontal behind the rocks and you can paint the eheim intake and outake black to help it blend into the background. Also, try moving the lights as far forward as you can in the tank and the hardware in the background won't be as noticable.

Here's one of mine:

60 gal mbuna tank


----------



## blodhi74

Since I'm new here ... Wont step on any toes and rate a tank .... but here is mine.

http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll243/blodhi74/?action=view&current=fulltank.jpg


----------



## siklid88

I will rate edouthirt tank so the thread does not get screwed up/

I really like your tank edouthirt i would say a 9 for sure I love the way you arranged the rock it gives great depth, i think the whole set up looks really natural and the fish look great.

Gives me a few ideas really well done!!

I am going to go to a different rock in my tank really dont like the ocean rock and white sand it looks to sterile to me.

someone please rate blodhi74"s tank so this keeps going their must be other people that can share their ideas/talent


----------



## LowCel

Not the best pictures but here is my 210.


----------



## jldean78

Screwed up


----------



## jldean78

Lowcel, I will rate your tank an 8.

Here is my 55 gallon Mbuna


----------



## Robchester_2000

i think a 7 at the moment, an 8.5 with a different background, though it could just be lighting aswell. but i like how your rocks are set up.

my tank is not cloudy anymore, so i thought i would resubmit it.


----------



## LowCel

Rochester, very nice. I'm giving it an 8.

Here is a picture of my old tank, unfortunately it's no longer around.


----------



## blackgloves

LowCel I give a high 8 to 9. Very nice. Love the color and height of the coral


----------



## HighVoltageSG58

Very Nice. I bet your fish are happy. I'll give it an 8

http://cichlid-forum.com/tanks/index.ph ... er&u=53454


----------



## CJB

I'll give those an 8.5 I like them.


----------



## chrisFewell

tank above me i would give a 6, nice rocks but I think adding some plants would make it a little more attractive.

well here is my 56G set up.



















btw i just painted the back with black latex, here is a before pic


----------



## MPC

Tank above me I give 7. Like the black background. Not a fan of fake plants with mbuna. More rounded rocks stacked would it give it a natural flavor.

My 75G


----------



## Mussin

I'll give it a 9... I like all the rock work!

Heres mine.. A 75 gallon Housing a Red devil, Hybred CA, and 7 tetras...

















My red








My hybred









Jeremy


----------



## edouthirt

I'll give it a 6. I have never liked clay pots in tanks so that took a few points off for me right away. I understand the purpose that they serve, but I think it's more attractive to give them caves and hiding spots with a more natural feel. Also, 99 times out of 100 I would rather see some sort of sand rather than gravel for substrate. That being said, I love the stand and canopy, and the water looks very clean. And you also get points for the black background.

Here is my 29 gal planted brichardi tank:


----------



## madmax666

sorry i already posted my tank but i wanted to say that your tank is VERY CLEAN!!!! :drooling: . They are very natural bright green plants. and Very white honeycomb limestone rocks (texas holey rock)!!!!!!!!! i may get a pic of my brothers tank but not yet. There are many others that were great but i noticed this. :dancing: :fish:


----------



## zenobium

9/10

I really like the rockwork and the plants, not a huge fan of blue backgrounds anymore *see my tank transformation!

I think my tank has come a long way:

Old setup:










New setup:










Plants are all living, fish inhabitants are fry. I have a thread at http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=189687 about this tank.

-Zen


----------



## fisherman91

The tank above 7. Like the second most. But it will get better in time

My tank


----------



## Isis24

WOW!  I give you a 9.5  If you had a couple more plants, I would've given you a 10. Wait a minute...where are the fish?

Now....not that I can compete with the tank above, but here's my 40G (that Sev will be in a bigger tank in 6 months!). I'm very open to suggestions!


----------



## fisherman91

Thanks!

I have 1.2 borelli and 4 dorsigera and 6 checkerboard. But they dont show on the picture. :fish:

I have done a remake today and will post the new scape soon 

Thanks for the cheering words.


----------



## Sulander

Not bad at all mate. Ummmm, hmmmm, errrrr.... 7.5 from the Australian Judge! 
The plants look great, particularily that Anubias.

Here is mine. 240 litres which has been running for about 4 months. 3 Geophagus 'Tapajos Orange Head', 13 Buenos Aires Tetra's, 2 Angels. Pic was before the Tetras and Angels were added.


----------



## leopio

very nice i give u an 8. where are the fish??
my 45 gallon planted tank with pair of platinum angels and some tetras enjoy!!


----------



## Scuttle

Hi Guys,

I noticed the big rocks that you put in your tanks. Did you put any egg crate before setting up the rocks? How about techniques in piling up the rocks? I am afraid the rocks might break my tank.


----------



## Neb

Scuttle said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> I noticed the big rocks that you put in your tanks. Did you put any egg crate before setting up the rocks? How about techniques in piling up the rocks? I am afraid the rocks might break my tank.


yeah I went to home depot and got that plastic mesh that goes over lights on the ceilings. about 1" thick and works perfectly for putting the rock on. :thumb:


----------



## belladee

Leopio, love your tank. I give it a 9.0. I love the plants and the random rocks, looks great. you could always add some tall plants along the back for a background.

Here is my 35g. Actually it is just thrown together since I am moving everything to a 75g in a few weeks, but sill some feedback will help me scape the new tank.


----------



## Scuttle

Thanks Neb,

I am very excited to setup my tank. 



Neb said:


> Scuttle said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Guys,
> 
> I noticed the big rocks that you put in your tanks. Did you put any egg crate before setting up the rocks? How about techniques in piling up the rocks? I am afraid the rocks might break my tank.
> 
> 
> 
> yeah I went to home depot and got that plastic mesh that goes over lights on the ceilings. about 1" thick and works perfectly for putting the rock on. :thumb:
Click to expand...


----------



## Sshhyguy

Belladee, Ill give you a 8, i like the plants. I would love a planted tank but have no idea where to start! Here is my 55g Community Tang tank . Hopefully its ok to post more then one pic, tough to get it all in just one.


----------



## Fishfeind

Sshhyguy, you get a 8! I love that big rock on the right side of your tank, and the shells are cool. W/O that Submariner, I would have given you a 8.5 or so. Good work.

Here is my 55 gallon planted tank, no CO2. The full tank shot has a blanket covering the light to get better pics... Inhabitants are: Angels, breeding pair of curviceps, B-Phantom tetras, gold tetras, dwarf neon rainbows, flag fish, aneus cories, and a yoyo



















A little blurry, but here are the curviceps and their eggs on the leaf below them.


----------



## MoroneSaxatilis84

Im not really a fan of planted tanks buy your tanks looks good as it replicates tha fish's natural environment. Id give it a 8 for looking so natural.

here is a pic of my 40L maliwi tank.
Some fish include Demasoni, kenyi, red zebra, yellow labs


----------



## Sshhyguy

Fishfeind said:


> W/O that Submariner, I would have given you a 8.5 or so. Good work.


Thanks Fishfeind, Submariner? are u talking about the Fluval?


----------



## Malawi Mad1

Nice tank id say an 8 :thumb:


----------



## leopio

fishfeind you dont use co2? how do u keep ur plants from dying and growing?


----------



## deus

not bad, I would just remove the plants  7 is my rate  also, I wouldn't mix tanganyika and malawi (if I'm not wrong, I see tretocephalus in there...also, I would keep only m'buna cichlids, so I would remove those Aulonocaras, if I'm correct)


----------



## Fishfeind

Sshhyguy said:


> Thanks Fishfeind, Submariner? are u talking about the Fluval?


JBJ makes the same thing called a submariner. I didn't know Fluval made one.

As far as no CO2 goes, it is all about choosing the right plants, keeping up w/ good water changes, high lighting and dosing the proper fertilizers. Keep in mind, it took me over a year and a half to get my tank where it is. 
Thanks for the kind words


----------



## raggs715

Deus Great tank, i love the natural look, its not flasy but its a piece of art...your fish are very lucky!!! 9.0 definatly!

This is my 1st African Cichlid tank...so far so good, i havent overstocked it yet i wanted to see how the fish are before I load it up, so far they are great! most acitve tank i have ever had and when they ignore me and swim in and out of the caves its very entertaing to watch!!

Any suggestions are welcome!


----------



## Murky

nice tank raggs.. I like all the different areas that the cichlids can stake out territory.. lots of nooks and crannys 7.0

heres a pic of my tank I'm in the process of working on. may add some rocks and order a plastic back strip for my glass lids instead of the polyfill that you see drooping down into the tank.. but it's all I could think of at the moment to keep fish from jumping out.


----------



## jbacker7

I think your tank has a lot of potential if you would add some rocks and plants that would definitely help. Right now I'll give it a 7.5 but with the right plants and rocks I think it could be a 9.

Here is my 55 gallon all male hap/peacock tank.


----------



## dspranger

jbacker7 said:


> I think your tank has a lot of potential if you would add some rocks and plants that would definitely help. Right now I'll give it a 7.5 but with the right plants and rocks I think it could be a 9.
> 
> Here is my 55 gallon all male hap/peacock tank.


shoulda made your bed lmao


----------



## jbacker7

Jee thanks for the RATING  You're probably right!


----------



## dspranger

mhm well i would move your heater to the side add some color rocks not just brown and more fish like dithers maybe 
6/10


----------



## dspranger

:-?


----------



## Baraccus

Hey Seaside...Tank is looking good...I gotta say though...You NEED a light. It'll make all the difference. A lot to learn I know.Here is a link to figure out how many gallons you have. Just measure the tank and input the dimensions. 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/calculator.php

I'll have to give you an 8. :thumb: I really like it. I just gotta save those 9's and 10's for those absolutely amazing ones.

Here is my Cichlid only tank...Just re-aquascaped


----------



## Baraccus

Ok...not sure what happened here...I must have been looking at the wrong page....thinking it was the last page....SORRY 

DSPRANGER....I LOVE your tank. Really awesome :thumb: I give it a 9.....the one small critique I have is the flat rocks on the right side seem slightly out of place. Other than that the rocks,plants,bubbles look awesome. I like the contrast between rocks and substrate...GOOD JOB


----------



## Baraccus

yup I'm a JackA$$...  I was looking at page 4 and rated the last tank on that page...sorry. Anyways I fixed it so this can keep going.....


----------



## TiAgMC

Beautiful tanks


----------



## dspranger

Baraccus said:


> Hey Seaside...Tank is looking good...I gotta say though...You NEED a light. It'll make all the difference. A lot to learn I know.Here is a link to figure out how many gallons you have. Just measure the tank and input the dimensions.
> http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/calculator.php
> 
> I'll have to give you an 8. :thumb: I really like it. I just gotta save those 9's and 10's for those absolutely amazing ones.
> 
> Here is my Cichlid only tank...Just re-aquascaped


i like your tank alot but i would switch the boulder on the top right with the driftwood in the middle 8/10- before you do that


----------



## edouthirt

dspranger,

you aren't supposed to rate unless you post another tank. :thumb:


----------



## Hoosier Tank

Yea, It's been killing me to not add my 2 cents but I'm outta tanks to post! :lol:


----------



## edouthirt

> Yea, It's been killing me to not add my 2 cents but I'm outta tanks to post!


An excuse to get another tank? :lol: :lol:


----------



## Baraccus

dspranger

Thanks buddy... :thumb:


----------



## dspranger

edouthirt said:


> dspranger,
> 
> you aren't supposed to rate unless you post another tank. :thumb:


hah oops welllllll this 20 gallon juvi tank then


----------



## LowCel

I give it a six, would be higher if the picture was clearer. Sorry. 

Here is my new 75 gallon tank. Nobody said the tank had to have fish or water in it. :lol:


----------



## butter_fly382

high tech... Since Im assuming it works like a charm (considering its custom) I'll give it an 8... love the colors 

and... first and formost I know its not a cichlid tank... but considering the post above I dont think we're being that strict... and my boyfriend keeps pestering me to post this.

this is the tank belonging to my Florida softshell turtle.



















and despite how it looks...he isnt a ham... hes just extremely aggressive and if I'm anywhere near his house he tries to eat me. So... whats you're seeing is him stalking me, not hamming it up for the camera.


----------



## dspranger

LowCel said:


> I give it a six, would be higher if the picture was clearer. Sorry.
> 
> Here is my new 75 gallon tank. Nobody said the tank had to have fish or water in it. :lol:


your so happy about that thing lmao


----------



## LowCel

dspranger said:


> LowCel said:
> 
> 
> 
> I give it a six, would be higher if the picture was clearer. Sorry.
> 
> Here is my new 75 gallon tank. Nobody said the tank had to have fish or water in it. :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> your so happy about that thing lmao
Click to expand...

Why yes, yes I am. :dancing: :dancing:

I just can't wait to see water running through it. :fish:


----------



## butter_fly382

Dspranger:I'm pretty sure the point of this is to comment on the tank _directly_ above you.... And rate it and post another tank. Not to post on a tank that's two up that's already been rated and in turn cover up the new tank (which happens to be mine) up so nobody can see it to rate it.

I don't think you should be commenting on tanks if you can't rate or post another tank... It kinda messes up the flow.


----------



## Dru

butter_fly382 said:


> this is the tank belonging to my Florida softshell turtle.


Nice Setup (as you say not a cichlid tank but still)

I'd give it an 8.

Nice to look at altohugh its hard to see what you've got as a background on the tank.

Turtles aren't my strong point but he seems happy and certainly its a good clean set up - Well done mate :thumb:

Ok,

onto my tank, a 260Litre Hap/Peacock setup with a few Calvuses and Lucipinnis to boot.


----------



## dspranger

i like your tank it is a little plain though i love your boulder i would add more male peacocks though and maybe some plants your background makes up for it though besides the cut in the middle 8-10

i just got back from Georgia and picked up some rocks so i redid my tank


----------



## Floridagirl

I know how hard it is to get a good pic. I give it a 7.....Maybe more light? Can't tell if it's the pic or tank. And, Im a fan of one type of rock per tank, so as not to distract form the fish.

Here is my new Brichardi species 29 gallon tank. They just had their first spawn. They are microscopic behind the cave on the left.


----------



## jdgambler111

I give you a 5.5 where are the fish?The tank is a little plain.


----------



## jdgambler111

Forgot to state this is my 125.Soon to be all hap peacock.


----------



## Floridagirl

The paired fish are in the middle top of the aquarium.


----------



## jfly

i like the tank above, but it looks a little cluttered.. you have all the right materials.. id play with rearranging.. i give you a 7
this is a tank my buddy and i are redoing.. we are doing a 3d background which is in the diy posts..


----------



## jdgambler111

I like your tank but it's to crowded,maybe it's the backround.I give you a 6.75.








Here is my youth tank.


----------



## jfly

wow 6.75 ouch :x


----------



## jdgambler111

Yea I really don't like the broken pot.looks tacky.And not enough rocks.


----------



## Phonetic Diabetic

I bet the fish love it


----------



## jfly

jdgambler111 said:


> Yea I really don't like the broken pot.looks tacky.And not enough rocks.


haha lmao yea ..... ummm... thats sand there buddy..and over 3 inches of it.. tacky... . ask my frontosa what he thinks of it ,, i bet he'd disagree. and btw its not broken its a strawberry pot. anyhoooo opinions are like a-holes everybody's got em' and nowadays most all of em stink


----------



## narhay

If you didn't want an honest opinion, then don't post your photo.


----------



## BRANT13

*jbacker7*
Nice rockwork :thumb:


----------



## ademb

ill chuck mine in the mix, go easy on me. Welcome to any tips or hints on improvement!
this is my 40 gal, currently holds 4 red fin kadango, and 2 female saulosi (my male saulosi and the previous head of the tank jumped out of the tank 2 nites back unfortuntely) Tank also has a bristlenose cat in there

Anyway here is is, newly rescaped and changed from gravel to sand


----------



## edouthirt

> If you didn't want an honest opinion, then don't post your photo.


No kidding... jeeze. And I don't think he was talking about your substrate when he said rocks. He was actually talking about your rocks. I'm not sure how that got lost in translation...


----------



## Pilgrim

...and probably the broken pot that is to the left of the strawberry pot.


----------



## jfly

those arent broken pots the left, although i do see how it looks like that.. anyhooo its one thats being redone with 3d background. its all good he's pm'd me 4 times and no hard feelings.. although .. why he asked me on a date ill never understand


----------



## edouthirt

no, he said rocks. you even quoted him.


----------



## edouthirt

whoa... did you just edit that real fast? becuase I swear when I read it the first time you said that he had called it gravel.


----------



## edouthirt

maybe I'm just going crazy?

And also, *ademb*,

I really like your tank. I can't rate it because I don't have another tank to post, but I really like it. Normally tanks without a background bother me but this one doesn't. The only downside is seeing the tubing of the eheim running down the back, but the clear background I think almost makes this tank look cleaner. Also, a way to hide all of the equipment in the tank itself would be good. The tank looks crystal clear and healthy. Good job! However, you never gave the tank above you a rating...


----------



## TheBanker

ademb, i give your tank a 8, the only thing i don't like is the flat rock up top, i think it would have look better down at the bottom somewhere.

Here is a pic of my 75g, Sorry about the glare. Just wanted to keep the thread going.


----------



## jdgambler111

Nobody has rated my 10 gal yet.javascript:emoticon('')


----------



## jdgambler111

Oh and thebanker i give your tank a 7.In my opinion it needs more decor.More rocks .


----------



## Phonetic Diabetic

jdgambler111, I'm not posting a pic, therefore I can't rate your tank. Just wondering if you knew what type of rock that is in your tank?


----------



## jfly

couldnt edit my snide remark there. just so all knows jdgambler and i are just kinda pokin at each other. and no he didnt ask me on a date.. im way outta his league lmao  nah its all good .. tank is clear, sand looks nice, and i rate it a .....6.75


----------



## TDSapp

jdgambler111, I give ya an 8. I would have said 9 but I am not a fan of the plant in the back.

so here is mine... It's my first tank in over 20 years and my first cichlid tank.










I know that there are no fish in the tank in the photo. We just put fish in for the first time this week. We have added 10 fish since this photo.

Here are a few of the fish.



















We did have a couple Neos but we took them back. We have picked up a couple Ahli's and 3 Peacocks in their place.









Tim Sapp


----------



## jdgambler111

Tdsap.I like your tank.I give you an 8.5


----------



## jdgambler111

Here is my 55 hex.


----------



## jdgambler111




----------



## jbacker7

gambler I can't see your tank. The link must be messed up or something . However, nice looking fish! :thumb:

Here's my 55 gallon all male peacock/hap. Just rescaped it a couple days ago. Hope you like!


----------



## jdgambler111

I give your tank an 8 and your bed a 3


----------



## SoDakJeep

ill give you a 7 its a great looking tank and I like the rock work. I think it is a little bare but offers plenty of swimming room. Maybe a background of some sort but otherwise it looks great.

Here is mine its a 46 gal bow front currently stocked with mixed mbuna. Plants are hornwart and some plastic ones. How do you like it?


























Thanks,


----------



## stephen87

This is my first post here. This is an awesome site so much information.

I give the tank above me an 8. I really like the substrate (what is it?) and floating plants.

This is my tank. I've been keeping fish for 12 years, but got my first cichlids a little over a month ago.










I'm not very happy with how the tank looks right now any suggestions would be very much appreciated.


----------



## @nt!x

Ill give you a 7 the plants look nice. I would remove some of the substrate. It seems a little thick. All in all I think it looks nice for a smaller tank.

Here is my 135g Mixed tank.


----------



## zinn250

I absolutely LOVE your 135. Gotta go with a 10 on that one...gorgeous!!

Here's my new 105 gal...forgive all the goldfish lol, it's still cycling  It will be Mbuna's when it's all done.


----------



## pmac

@nt!x, What kind of fish is that in between one of your silver dollars and that peacock? Also, how do your Clown Loaches (I think that's what they are) Get along with your cichlids? I'm always looking for different species that are compatible to mix up my tank a little bit.

Thanks

Great looking tank, by the way!


----------



## @nt!x

pmac said:


> @nt!x, What kind of fish is that in between one of your silver dollars and that peacock? Also, how do your Clown Loaches (I think that's what they are) Get along with your cichlids? I'm always looking for different species that are compatible to mix up my tank a little bit.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Great looking tank, by the way!


It is a Lepidiolamprologus kendalli (Nkambae). Besides the Frontosa the kendalli is king of the tank, really aggressive. He is about 6 inches long, maybe 5 years old. I used to have a cylindricus that would lock lips with him. Unfortunately he finally killed it..

The clowns get along great with cichlids. They gang up and together and take over territory. There a fun active fish to watch.


----------



## jfly

sorry for posting,, but the clown loaches are great with my cichlids.. id advise anyone to get them .. they are very very funny fish to watch.. hence the name.. they do crazy figure 8's and for some reason cichlids seem to ignore them........in my tank anyway


----------



## F8LBITEva

45G Tang tank. Excuse the flash


----------



## cichlids _killer

wow 43 page ...keep it going all ya cichlids lover  :thumb: opcorn: =D> :fish: :dancing:


----------



## cyberhog05

This is my first post here..Great tank above.Ill give ya a 7. Love the rocks.. Heres my 180 gal Hi tech planted discus tank. Its getting a rescape in the next few days.


----------



## Zack2112

*cyberhog05*

I would give you a 9. You have a great looking tank and it will look even better as the plants continue to fill out. I will be setting up a high tech 55 relatively soon myself. I think the only criticism I have for this tank is that there is not a lot distinguishing your background and mid ground plants. I think as they continue to grow and the background plants occupy the tanks height a little more they will look better yet. It also seems a little off balance with the right side so bare, kinda throws off the focal points, but it still looks great.

You say you plan to rescape your tank within the next few days, I am looking forward to seeing it after the rescape. If it were my tank I think it would look better with a black background as well. Your plants will really look great with a black background, although, I do like the look of many planted tanks with a white background that I have been seeing more often....

Anyway enough babbling. Awesome tank!

Here is a little 20g with a DIY background I have set up recently for some multies.
I wish I had some pictures from after they really started digging alot.


----------



## Manoah Marton

I've never done one of these threads before but here it goes...

Zack2112 I really like your tank abd especially the background. I've always wondered how those are put together. Can you tell me? Your pictures are pretty good too. The only thing I would add is some live plants and possibly some driftwood. If you did that, I'd give you a 9. Right now, Id give you an 8 because the way it's aquascaped right now look great too. 
Here's my 5 gallon corner (I'm getting a 29 gallon convict tank soon.) with a Gold Mystery Snail, a Kuli Loach, and a Male Kribensis.
Here's the tank...










And here's my cool kribensis...



















Keep this thread going!

Manoah Marton


----------



## FishGraves

8/10

Nice tank, looks real and the fish looks nice and healthy. I'm not the biggest fan of flower pots in the tank but you have made it work. I like the authentic look of the overall tank. I think some small driftwood would look cool in your tank.

Alright, this is my first Cichlid tank and my first real set up, I had fish as a kid but nothing special so take it easy one me.

Sand bottom, 55gal, 6 Red Zebra, 5 Yellow Lab, 5 Demasoni(started with 15)

I couldn't decide on which rock to use, so I have gone with both so far. Eventually I will probably take out the holey rock, I kind of like the grey and the fish seem to prefer it. My first DIY project was the moon lighting, went great. Can't decide if I love the blueness of it but I'm getting used to it and its growing on me.


----------



## LowCel

8/10 Nice looking tank.

Just a temporary set up until I find some driftwood that I like and some rocks that I like. I'm not a big fan of the clay pots but they will work for now. Just started taking fish out of the 210 and putting them in this tank (300). Hope to have everyone transfered in the next week or so.


----------



## Manoah Marton

FishGraves I'm not to crazy about flower-pots, but other caves I had took up too much space, so I settled with the pot. I really like your tank.
Thanks,
Manoah


----------



## jjleetest

big tank, not much in it. 5/10

here's mine, needs more rockwork...suggestions on middle?

also floating plants, which ones look the best and are the easiest to maintain?


----------



## rgordo

5/10 still in the works, maybe a piece of small drift wood?

its not a close up but here it is,its a 75 gal.


----------



## SoDakJeep

6/10 Good rockwork but needs more plants or height. I think it looks to open at the top.

I redid my tank let me know what you think.


----------



## Manoah Marton

I love the huge rocks!


----------



## JohnB_2

I like, 7/10.

Here's my 90 gallon mbuna..









[/img]


----------



## kimismenos

8/10
I love the rockwork and fish colours, i would hide the heater behind the higher rocks and let a little more algae grow.
As you can see on my 90g Mbuna tank I like green stuff, after a little re-aquascaping im waiting for it to grow back on the top rocks.


----------



## JohnB_2

I'm with you on the algea. Just got the rocks recently and I've been running my lights from morning till night trying to get a little growth....only seems to want to grow on my front glass though  :lol:


----------



## kimismenos

cool yeh I can see the green coming in ontop there, most annoying for me is my background seems to grow brown algae.


----------



## Manoah Marton

I noticed that some of you used lava rocks in your setups. Can I use the ones from home depot?

Thanks,
manoah marton


----------



## CruelSun

I like the natural look of the algae covered rockwork. I'm sure it'll be worth more when the algae fills in, but for now, I'll give it a 7.5.

OK, Mine is an experimental Multi tank. I posted a buildout pictorial on EastCoast Cichlids (see URL below). A friend and I wanted to see what would happen in the long term if a starter colony of Multis had a deeply layered overabundance of shells to grow into. I am starting with an adult wild caught male, and 7 to 8 juvies and young adults. The Filter, a very large sponge&powerhead, is buried underneath the 1100 sharkeye shells.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b...WcNHDRkD28-BA/cC/f=0/ps=50/r=0/rx=550/ry=400/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b...WcNHDRkD28-BA/cC/f=0/ps=50/r=0/rx=550/ry=400/

I don't know if these pix will post... they don't show up when I preview the post.

****... They won't work. I turned them into links.


----------



## jaked1985

I'd give it a 7, really like the look of the shells!

Here's my 72 bow front after taking out the community fish, and all the nasty looking fake plants.

Please forgive the pic quality, I sometimes have trouble holding the camera still :roll:


----------



## mel_cp6

not bad. i'll give it 7/10.

here's my 1st finish set up but i still need more rocks.

its a 125 with black background and black pvc overflow and behind one of
them is 3 airlines that were zip tied in black so you cant really see them.
i really tried to hide all the equipments so they dissapear and blend with the background.

dont mind the blurry pic and the breeder net, im using this as a quarantine for new fish.
2nd pic is my pride and joy an 8" gibberosa mabilibili.


















be gentle pls.


----------



## Maddog

I give this a 7/10
that is a huge/beautiful front front!
love the subtrate, I;d chang emy decoration to more of the same type, it kidna loosk liek you have bits and peices of different ideas. 
also, you shoudl jsut make your caves out of rock, Not a fan of hiding a pot with rocks, unless you can't see it at all.

here is my newly finished project


----------



## pmac

mel_cp6 said:


> 2nd pic is my pride and joy an 8" gibberosa mabilibili.


What's the difference between the gibberosa and frontosa? I looked them up in the species profiles, and there's a whole bunch of different types of Cyphotilapia that all look the same to me... ??


----------



## kfig7

Maddog I will give you a 9. Really nice setup. Its clean and simple but looks great.
This is my new Male Peacock/Hap tank.


----------



## clgkag

pmac said:


> mel_cp6 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 2nd pic is my pride and joy an 8" gibberosa mabilibili.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What's the difference between the gibberosa and frontosa? I looked them up in the species profiles, and there's a whole bunch of different types of Cyphotilapia that all look the same to me... ??
Click to expand...

They are all just varients of Frontosa, collected from different locations.


----------



## MikeM

kfig7, love the rockwork and background..fish look very happy! Very natural looking..9/10

Lets see if I can put this on here correctly...this is my new 90Gal setup..no fish yet, waiting until I'm home from University to add them - Polits, BluexRed Zebras, Cyn. Afra "Chimate"

Thinking about building the rockwork higher, but will only have ~3 males in the tank, so hopefully aggression won't be too bad.


----------



## MikeM

k..picture didn't work..any tips on how to get it on there?...


----------



## PhillyzCichlidz

6/10 Cant wait to see it with stock! IMO you should add a black background it will help bring out the colors of your stock in photo's. Stacking the rocks higher will look good make sure they are all stable on the bottom to prevent cave-ins I slightly push down and twist/wiggle to make sure it is seated properly, also making sure to have my other arm ready to catch it if it does cave in or shift.

Here is my 300g Mixed African tank
































PM Me any comments or questions


----------



## Sshhyguy

PhillyzCichlidz that is one beautiful tank. Awesome rock work and crazy fish selection against that rock and sand , ill give ya a 9.5 out of 10. Nice Work! Well from one extreme (300 gal) to another here is my 10 gallon


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## blairo1

Cool modules, that'll look awesome with a little algae on it. What a neat little 10, well used! :thumb:


----------



## mncherie1

how do I post a picture, I would love some input on my tank ?[/img]


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## josmoloco

This thread sucks.....


----------



## edouthirt

> This thread sucks.....


Your comment sucks. If you don't like a thread then stay out of it!


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## pugwash

mncherie1 said:


> how do I post a picture, I would love some input on my tank ?[/img]


Host the image on a website and paste the image tags in the thread - I use imageshack, which has the tags ready to copy/paste.


----------



## mncherie1

Ok here it is...if the upload worked. 55 gal with 2 bloodred Jewels. Have fry all over the tank. Any input would be appreciated. [/img][http://img168.imageshack]


----------



## mncherie1

ok now it worked =o)
cruddy camera phone pic, but a start


----------



## mncherie1

Oh yeah....rate the tank above me. =D> 
allof your tanks are sooooo beautiful and profesional looking, I am very impressed. I can not believe you managed to make a 10 gallon look that good. I am giving it a 9.5 IMO
What are shell dwellers?


----------



## kevin1488

Here is mine its got 2 ac70's a powerhead and mixed Acei, Fulleborni, Electric Yellow, and Flamebacks.


----------



## PhillyzCichlidz

I will give ya a 7 it could be higher IMO if you added a black background and different substrate here is my 120g tang/shellie setup .


----------



## kevin1488

that is funny you say that cause the background and new Coral crushed rock is on its way from ebay.... I will post pics of mine when i re do it. I give yours a 7 also..


----------



## Malawidolphin

I give it a 7, a backgroudnd would help and maybe color or black stone to make that beautiful white sand pop. Has a nice spotless look to it.

Here is my 46 g bowfront. I have a terrible time photographing it as it is in a dark corner. The sand is from a local lake.


----------



## string

I'd give the tank above an 8/10. I love the natural look to it, but maybe a black background would be nice.

This is my new 125G Mixed Malawi setup. I've been in the process of building the stand, canopy, and filtration for the last 2 months and finally got it all together last week.










[/img]


----------



## Kevin007

string said:


> I'd give the tank above an 8/10. I love the natural look to it, but maybe a black background would be nice.
> 
> This is my new 125G Mixed Malawi setup. I've been in the process of building the stand, canopy, and filtration for the last 2 months and finally got it all together last week.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/img]


9/10, there is something about the tank that makes it look awsome.


----------



## jschall

string said:


> I'd give the tank above an 8/10. I love the natural look to it, but maybe a black background would be nice.
> 
> This is my new 125G Mixed Malawi setup. I've been in the process of building the stand, canopy, and filtration for the last 2 months and finally got it all together last week.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/img]


Like the rockwork and plant placement. The fish are nice too!









Turtles and yellow labs.
More images at http://jon.pmtech.com/~jschall/turtlegallery


----------



## PhillyzCichlidz

Malawidolphin said:


> I give it a 7, a backgroudnd would help and maybe color or black stone to make that beautiful white sand pop. Has a nice spotless look to it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is my 46 g bowfront. I have a terrible time photographing it as it is in a dark corner. The sand is from a local lake.


 There is a black BG Just too much reflection in the pic sorry I will get a better pic soon


----------



## DaneOlayres

8/10 for the turtles and labs. Must be fun to own turtles. Do they get along with the labs?

Been up for 2 months now.


----------



## jschall

Very nice, lighting's a bit high color temp for my tastes but it looks great!
The turtles "get along" with the labs, yes. They don't show very much interest in them as a food source, but who knows... they may catch one some day, but I'm willing to take that risk.

Sorry, only have one tank. Nothing else to be rated!


----------



## mncherie1

I like your tank a lot, it is simple and very clean. I'll give you an 8 out of ten. I do not like the colored plants, but that is a preference and taste thing.

Here is my 29 gal after I convinced my husband that blinking lights and air powered skeletons do not belong in an aquarium. I added all the stone and was thinking about sand instead of gravel. Have at it guys.


----------



## mncherie1

:zz: where is everybody? All full of easter ham?


----------



## Brevcom




----------



## klc9100

i can't rate the tank above me. for some reason, i can't see brevcom's picture. i will rate mncherie1's instead.

i give the tank a 7. i also give you a 1pt. bonus for convincing your hubby to take the skeleton out. :wink:

here is mine. it's a 75g. the picture is terrible (old cell phone).


----------



## Dj823cichild

Wow for a cell phone pic that's **** good! I give your tank a 7 I'm still working on getting the picture of my tank up here. I need something in the corners to hide the heater and bubble line tubing any suggestions? I have Lots of rock work in the middle and in the corners cati cornered that is. It's a 60 gallon tank. Thanks for any ideas.


----------



## cichlids _killer

bump


----------



## salukicichlids

Well I know I need a background to hide the filter and such. But just wondering what some of you more experienced guys would say.


----------



## mncherie1

I love the rockwork, but I would honestly get rid of almost all of the plants. They seem to clutter the tank. I agree with you on the background though, I tried both blue and black and personally I like blue better. If you keep the plants I would use black though. 
giving you a 5.5 for now solid 6.5 with a background


----------



## mncherie1

Forgot to add another. Here is my 55 gal in need of a makeover. Background and hiding all the suff are on the top of my list. It is currently a luxury condo for 2 baby happy jewels. :roll:









Check out the dotts...aka fry


----------



## Woundedyak

JBGC said:


> I rate the above tank a 7.8, the slate background is great however i'd prefer some more open sand swimming area at the front.
> 
> This is my mixed african 5 footer, im pretty happy with it atm.. the fish seem to be getting along fine.


What light system is this and what type of bulb.
Thanks!


----------



## Woundedyak

JBGC said:


> I rate the above tank a 7.8, the slate background is great however i'd prefer some more open sand swimming area at the front.
> 
> This is my mixed african 5 footer, im pretty happy with it atm.. the fish seem to be getting along fine.


What light system is this and what type of bulb.
Thanks!


----------



## Comic Sans

Not sure who's to rate, so I'll do the last two.

mncherie1, I'd rate yours a 6 right now, mostly because I agree about the background and i'm not a fan of high contrast mixed gravel, personally. Lots of nice fry though! congrats!

The other tank (with "the lights") I'd give a 9, something about that white smooth sand, very relaxing.

heres mine:









I know it's a little dark, partly underexposed. I'm new to cichlids so any advice on structure, etc. is appreciated!


----------



## studmuffin

Comic Sans

Very nice! i wouldnt change a thing! 10! you say its underexposed, but i like how its all dark!


----------



## Comic Sans

wow! thanks!

Since i have no other tanks to post I'll withhold a rating to keep the chain going, but thanks for the kind words!


----------



## niccomau

I give the tank a 6.5, 7 if you changed the background. I think the rocks would look better if you stacked them up a bit higher. I can see all the nice caves you made, so maybe you can just add to rocks to the middle, make a little mountain :thumb:

So here's my 46 gallon bowfront. I've since added 6 White Calvus and 6 Caudopunctatus. I would take new pictures but they are so tiny I wouldn't matter :lol:


----------



## studmuffin

Thanks niccomau! yeah that background is older then time! im thinking about just having a solid black or blue background.

the rocks, i just found those laying around in the backyard, i need to find more before i can stack them higher!

thanks though, opinions are always welcomed!


----------



## csnake

I'll give you a 9.5 for the "gorgeous factor." However, I'll give you an 8.75 for bending the rules with your inclusion of non native Tanganyikan plants (anubias and java fern). The layout of your slate is fantastic (though I might scatter a few more smaller pieces of it around to ease the man made look). I'll say I'd be hella proud to have that in my home!

Here's my 90 gallon mixed malawi setup! All my fish are still young, specially most of my peacocks, but everyone's getting along great so far.


----------



## BradS7535

I would rate csnake's tank a 8.5. Very clean and nice looking fish, but the rocks seem a little too organized. Would like to see more randomness. But that is just me, I would be happy with that tank in my living room.

Here is my 50Gal freshwater. All live plants, tetras, bolivans, clown loaches, bristlenose pleco. They all got together for a "group shot".


----------



## BRANT13

lol love the group shot...love the rams


----------



## mncherie1

that is stunning, put a blue or black background on it and you will have yourself a 10. Love your fish, absolutly stunning.

Here is my 15 gal @ the office. Sorry for the cloudiness, I just set it up 1-2 hors before the pic. Also my first try with sand, I love how it looks. Will be a home for some rams eventually. Currently houses 6 flame tetras to cycle.


----------



## LowCel

Giving it a 6, once it clears up and the fish are out in the open it will be higher

Here is a current picture of mine. It's still clearing up as well. The tank is a 300 wide.


----------



## cichlids _killer

LowCel said:


> Giving it a 6, once it clears up and the fish are out in the open it will be higher
> 
> Here is a current picture of mine. It's still clearing up as well. The tank is a 300 wide.


lowcell why did you get in this thread man  ....now thread close cause lowcell is a winner .his tank and all his equiment is top notch


----------



## Norse76

I give LowCel a solid 9.

My 75g Mixed Malawi


----------



## LowCel

cichlids _killer said:


> LowCel said:
> 
> 
> 
> Giving it a 6, once it clears up and the fish are out in the open it will be higher
> 
> Here is a current picture of mine. It's still clearing up as well. The tank is a 300 wide.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lowcell why did you get in this thread man  ....now thread close cause lowcell is a winner .his tank and all his equiment is top notch
Click to expand...

LOL, thanks, I really appreciate the compliment. :dancing:


----------



## mncherie1

Norse, love the rockwork...have to hate on the fake plants though...not a lot, just a little. Nice overall look and superclean, I like it and give you an 8.5 :thumb: :thumb:

Here is my bedroom tank redone with sand, have a go at it. I am so happy that after adding sand, everything cleared up overnight and that with only 2 HOB filters.


----------



## LowCel

Have to give it a 9. I really like the way you have it decorated and it looks great with the sand. Nice job!

I know this tank appears boring but I really don't have a lot of options. I can't put decorations in there since she has a way of ruining them. I don't want to put anything too big in there because I want her to have plenty of swimming room. Her happiness and health is more important than my desire to put a bunch of goodies in her tank.


----------



## Buckeyereavis

judging by the fact you have a 1 man wrecking crew in there lol!!! i like it! 8 and you took into concederation the fishes happyness over yours!!!


----------



## tlspmm

buckeyereavis
very nice setup but you should fill your tank up because the low water level takes away from pic. I'm giving it a 7 but would change it to 8 if tanked was filled and you cleaned algea off tank.
Here is my setup.


----------



## theBIGone2087

wow, tispmm, that tank is great. Love the simple approach, but still gives you a kick in the teeth with pure style. 8.5 our of 10! Can't tell if those are real plants or not... but I am a big fan of real plants. Otherwise the tank is great :thumb:

here you go:

75 Gallon. Single tiger oscar, when I move in the next month I am putting a second Oscar in there that has been in a smaller tank. Going to add a background then, another piece of driftwood, and some under gravel jets


----------



## Dizzcat

*theBIGone2087* I like that! I know Oscars are pretty rough on things, so that is nice and simple. He doesn't beat anything in there up? I give you an 8, a 9 if you had a background on it.

I just redid my 55 last night. I had them in an old acrylic tank that I really didn't like. It was so scratched up and the lighting was horrible! I didn't like the black I painted the back and the dark sand. So I got a glass tank, used blue instead of black on the background (it came out lighter than I wanted), Still not sure about the blue, but it gives it kind of an open feel. I used medium sized river rock instead of my lava rock and am trying to decide if I want to go back to the lava rock. I like the way it makes arches and caves, but my fish always had scratches on their sides from the rough surface. Plus, I don't care for the redish look it gives.

So, what do you all think? Keep the river rock or go back to lava rock?

*This is the dark acrylic tank with lava rocks:*









*The new glass tank with river rocks. Excuse the heater, have to put it where the fish cannot knock rocks over into it to be safe. *


----------



## jfly

no tank to rate, looks great with background but imo , which doesnt count for much, youre lava rock looked great and the rough texture is great for youre bio's  way to go..


----------



## Isis24

I prefer the lava rock, but I think that's because you've chosen too many different colors of river rock. If you could get a bunch of river rock that's within the same color palette (palate? no, i think it's palette), then i think it would look really great. But then again, that's just one opinion! I love the new sand, but I kinda liked the black background. You didn't like your old tank because it was too dark, but the sand lightens it up quite a lot. BTW, I really like your Bolivian tank, but then again...I'm really biased  Oh...for a rating, I'll give your tank an 8.25

Here's my 25 gallon:










2 Bolivian Rams
1 Keyhole Cichlid
8 Dwarf cories
5 Guppies


----------



## jstntlvr

I say 8 I like the changes you made. The blue back ground dose improve the feel of the tank but I am in agreement that it is to light. It really make the heater stand out maybe try a back ground that fades from a black at the bottom to a lighter blue at the top

Edit: oops I was a little slow for the 25 I give it a 8.5 I love the plants

now for mine it only had 4 fish in it at the time of photo but I have re-arainged and added 2 new ones so new pics coming soon


----------



## tlspmm

Can't rate this tank because I rated one early in this page but I'll give the cute kid a 9.


----------



## jstntlvr

Thanks that's Thomas my 3yo he loves Quintilius (the pleco)


----------



## bigcatsrus

I'd give the tank pervious page a 7 only becase I'm not into the colloseum and orange plant, other than that, very nice indeed.

Here's mine


----------



## briansbelle

i give your tank a 7. i am not a fan of fake plants, but love the big cat :wink:

here is my 75 gallon, flavus,demasoni,afra hai reef,and polit juvy tank.


----------



## mncherie1

Bigcatsrus- I do not agree with the previous rating. I LOOOOVE your tank minus the fake plant. The driftwood and rockwork are awesome. Youâ€™ll score a 9 in my little world. 10 if you yank the plant on the right.

Briansbelle, nice lookig tank. great rocks. Must be hard to keep clean. 8 from me...it would be higher with a background on it.

ok here is a horrible cellphone pic from my redesigned 55 gallon. I had to divide the tank to keep parents with new fry from older fry, that's where the blue line comes in. :lol:

Will get a better pic posted soon, just trying to keep the chain going


----------



## briansbelle

the back of the tank is painted black.

hard to see b/c of the glare. and i have a powerhead on there(800gph) plus one of the outputs of the fx5 pointed behind the rocks. to help the poo get to the intake. :wink:


----------



## Buckeyereavis

*briansbelle*
you painted the backs of the tank with what type of paint does it matter?

well I Updated tank today!!!!! i was rated earlier on here a 7.5 or something so i been redisignion!!!! lemme know!

i like that tank i give it an 8.... nice job....what type of fish are in there?

ok here is mine!!!!!










my fish:
Cynotilapia Afra: Hai Reef:









Zebra Obliqedens:









Cynotilapia Afra: Cobue:


----------



## Buckeyereavis

BTW....briansbelle....


O_H.......


----------



## bigcatsrus

mncherie1 - thanks very much, i's taken me a while to get it the way it is, considering its a 32 gallon (us) tank its limited space and I think I done rather well. The fake plants are there only due to my loaches eating them and I don't want to keep going to the lfs to keep them stocked but again thank you.


----------



## briansbelle

buckeye,
i used latex paint that i got from walmart. :wink:

and a roller and painted the backs of them.

...... IO!!!!


----------



## mncherie1

ok, so here is the better pic. You see 2 mo old fry on the right and mom and dad with 6 day old fry on the left. So much fun to watch them grow.

Sorry proud fish keeper/mom I had to share since somebody asked


----------



## purple66sbc

very nice mncherie1, i give it an 8.5.

here is mine, its a brand new 125g setup, no fish yet, but hopefully some to come soon. my plan is to get some kind of stump or driftwood ornament to replace the fake plants hiding the filter off to the right and a black background. let me know what else you think it needs.


----------



## Buckeyereavis

*purple66sbc*

i give it a 7 make the rocks look lil mor natural... then the fish and it wuld be nice!!!


----------



## fyre-of-the-dragon

I agree with Buckeyereavis - has potentential for a really nice tank though.

Here's mine 120Gal Mixed Malawi - changes will be coming soon


----------



## Dj823cichild

I'd give your tank a 9 dragon very natural looking great job, here's mine below it's still in the beginning stages and I'm experimenting my options. I hope this works below.


----------



## Dj823cichild

I know I'm going to get some heat from people cause of the fake plants but like I said I'm up for suggestions and ideas, my picture doesn't show the true potential of my tank it's better seen in person.


----------



## jfly

this is my new re-scaping of my 150 tall.. Still in the works but DETAILED/CONSTRUCTIVE comments are appreciated










this is two different lighting set-ups that im working with



















i realized something today.. im a really bad photographer


----------



## briansbelle

jfly i give your tank a 7.
you are not a bad photographer :wink: 
what are the dimensions of your tank? reason for asking is that frontosa will outgrow that tank soon.
also i say ditch the fake plants and put more rocks in, but that is just my opinion.
also what is your stocklist, you have quite a mix huh?  with the mix you have, i think i see a crabro and also an aratus you will def. need more rocks those 2 fish are evil! :wink:

here is my other 75 gallon, sorry about the glare and reflections, but it was sunny here yesterday, and i am not going to complain about the sun... :wink:


----------



## jfly

the crabro is the sweetest fish *** got in there aside from the frontosa.. its 7 inches long and its partner recently died

4 aurauts
4 maingano
5 yellow fin borleyi
1 frontosa
5 yellow labs
1 dragons blood peacock
3 haps
2 pleco
1 interruptus
2 johanni
4 ice blue zebra
2 angels
2 blood red parrots

i know in the books it says that some of these fish cant get along, aside from the angels im giving away all get along great, no nipping no chasing.. OVERSTOCK is the key and trial/error. cant stack anymore rocks i have over 400 lbs there..and may tumble, its just hard to tell from the pic... aside from that too many "stacked" rocks looks like its been done with the human hand.. IMO but thanks for the view and reply


----------



## Buckeyereavis

i like the second lighting set up better btw... *jfly*


----------



## Dj823cichild

You guys skipped my tank guess you didn't like it on page 49 LOL!!!! JFLY I'd give yours a 7 and brian I give yours a 7.5. Please tell me what you think of my tank on 49.


----------



## briansbelle

Dj i give your tank a 5. i am not a fan of blue gravel, or any gravel really for cichlids, i would take out the gravel and put in sand. also get rid of the blue background and go with black, your fish will stand out more against black rather than blue. IMHO! :wink:

and can i ask, what i should do with my tank to get higher than a 7.5? :wink:


----------



## Dj823cichild

Ouch a 5, but your entitled to your opinion. I was thinking on switching to a black background, I'm a beginner and as I stated it's in the process. Thanks for the constructive criticism. Sand is in the future for my tank. As far as your tank goes, you need something else to make it stand out. The rock formation is rather boring, I'd suggest some plants or a different color of rocks and formation. Love the stand and canopy though.


----------



## briansbelle

thanks dj. i had plants in there before but took them out to put into my planted tank.

i just gave you my opinion, i know about being a beginner i was there too, but you will love this site, it has helped me come a long way too. i will look into some plants for there but with my fish i will have to go with silk b/c they eat anything i put in there.... :lol: :lol:


----------



## Dj823cichild

Np I'm taking criticism as a way to improve my tank so no offense taken. Trust me I'm learning a lot from this forum!


----------



## jfly

thanks buckeye.. i like the first better myself.. the second is the bulbs that replicate sunlight..(planted lights) and it just looks yellow to me thanks for chiming in ... i appreciate it


----------



## tikva18

Nice! I am not good at rating tanks, but I'll call it an 8 because i'd prefer it if the tubing etc. were hidden.

Please disregard the plant that has been uprooted
hmm, can't figure out how to put my pic directly here... here's a link

__
https://flic.kr/p/3527455058


----------



## josmoloco

I give you a seven, the backgroung needs a change and the rocks look a little unnatural, Nice rainbows though.

Rate this, please go easy on me... http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/for/1166977443.html


----------



## jfly

<<<agreed 7 :thumb:


----------



## gmoney1585

what do you guys think?? its a 55 with 13 africans. mostly malawi mbuna


----------



## gmoney1585

sorry for the double post, dont know why it was that small


----------



## werbs

I give that a 6, but thats mainly just cause I cant see it that well. I like the rock set up though.

How about mine? I just got it set-up. There's a couple golfish in it now just to get the cycle going. But soon I will start adding some tangs.


----------



## gmoney1585

ouch, a 6. can i get a second opinion? nice rock selection werbs. and the plants look like they belong exactly where they are. just looks a little to wide open to me. give it a 8


----------



## SoDakJeep

^^
I really like how you have the slate in the background but it seems really open in the front now. I like it though reminds me of my 10 gal set up though haha. 7.5

Here is mine crappy phone pic.


----------



## Art_SouthFlorida

I don't like number rating systems. Its hard to judge someones tank cause they decorate to whatever they like. It doesn't matter what other people think so long as you enjoy it.

gmoney, I like your tank. Love the clarity and the rock structure. I wish you included a close-up shot so we could see a little more of the detail and some of the fish.

SoDakJeep, little dark for my taste but that could be the cell phone camera and you seem to have a run-away plant on the surface 

Here is a pic of mine...

















Oh, and my GF loves wizards... castles... if it was my chocie, it would be all rocks and plants


----------



## jstntlvr

since I love wizards and castles I give it a 9 :thumb:

This is the new one I am setting up for my boss at work

**** ok so I cant say that how about, Merde forgot to load it on photobucket just a min and picks will be up

OMNG the language filter one here is aggressive

here we go no fish in it yet I just started cycling it this week. just added the petrified wood about half an hour ago


----------



## jfly

wow wizards 9 and mines a 7  to each their own.. i just wish i had you rating mine


----------



## Art_SouthFlorida

haha! I thought for sure I'd get a 3


----------



## josmoloco

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeB_q5A3 ... annel_page

Kinda foggy due to moving all the rocks to catch a holding female.......


----------



## jstntlvr

what can I say I am partial to fantasy themes after all my tank at home has all of the fish named after characters in a book and a coliseum we call Elua's temple

jfly per your request

I would get rid of the plant sitting front and center of the tank and ad some sort of shelf rock to that aria not much just a little. I like the 2nd lighting better it looks more natural witch seams to be the look you are going for. Over all I give you an 8, loos the plant add a shelf rock or 2 to the front and I call it a 9.

Edit: I take it back no extra rock its not as big of a spot as I initially thought just take that plant out it distracts the eye to much


----------



## jfly

okay thanks.. most importantly thanks for the imput on the lighting... one is a single unit 36 in , and one is a double unit 48 with the daytime t5 , but it just looks yellow to me.. that being said ill take the 3rd party advice and run the second lighting.. thanks so much.. and off the record,, when i started here i had a pirate theme :wink: but after all the bashing i went with natural and enjoy it a little more.. i do like the castle though =D>


----------



## SoDakJeep

Art_SouthFlorida said:


> SoDakJeep, little dark for my taste but that could be the cell phone camera and you seem to have a run-away plant on the surface
> quote]
> 
> Thanks I think it is my new phone though and its not the same quality as my last. Here is an old set up with my other phone.


----------



## BrooklynReef

-soda your first tank 7.5 8) 
-art south florida tank 7.9 woulda been an 8 if it wasnt for your girl friend :lol: 
-jstntlvr gets a 7 opcorn: 
-soda your phone pics r gettin better =D>


----------



## Hthundar

So I guess I'm doing SoDakJeep's tank

I'll give it a 7


----------



## gmoney1585

hopefully these are some better pics for ya guys. 

































what do you think????


----------



## Buckeyereavis

*gmoney1585*
is that foil background lol, or just reflection?

i like your rock work...i give it a 6.5.....i would give it a 7 but your from michigan...

GOOOOOOOOo BUCKEYES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :thumb: !

BUT I DO LIKE IT...LOL :fish:


----------



## Aquanist

I'd better rate gmoney1585's tank then. Very clean looks and crystal water. Maybe add a little artistic touch to rockwork and voilÃ¡. I'll give it a solid 8. :thumb: And one tip: try not to use flash on your camera when shooting fish. ANd darken the room if possible.


----------



## gmoney1585

it was too dark without the flash, and the fishes didn't really show up on camera without it. ill mess around with it some more. DID I MAKE MY FISH BLIND???? lol...its a mettalic blue background.


----------



## Raschael

I'm new at all this, but I would rate that tank (from what little I know) about an 8. I personally don't like all the plants, but if thats natural for the fish, then it makes sense! Just looks a little crowded to me. My husband and I just set up this tank over the past week and stocked it with pretty young Malawi's. Any suggestions you all have to make it better, we are open to your advice!










[/img]


----------



## klc9100

i would give it a 6. i think your rock work looks a little UNnatural. a plain black background would make a huge difference. it would automatically become a 7.5, IMO.

i set up another tank this weekend. it's a 38g i had in storage. this is my 1st attempt with sand. i put a few mbuna "troublemakers" out of my big tank in here. they really love the sand. i'm thinking of putting sand in the other one now too.


----------



## luvmyspoiledfish

I dont like to put a number rating on someone elses art, so I'm just going to give my opinion. I like the sand look ALOT!! :thumb: The rest is simple, clean, and natural looking. If I had to suggest anything i'd say maybe add another plant closer front off center, and possibly another branch for height. But, very nice over all.
So, here's some pics of one of my tanks, sorry about the glare!


----------



## Matt1986

Hi all, thought it was about time I joined in.

I'm not really one for unrealistic decorations, but I'll try to put that aside when judging luvmyspoiledfish's tank. If that's the look you're after you've done it well, the positioning is pretty good and I think the plastic corkscrew val compliments your rocks nicely. If I were to give any advice it would be to move some objects out of the foreground and create an open swimming area at the front. 7/10

As for my tank, I've only had fish in there for a few days now and it's not fully stocked yet. The lack of plants is intentional, as I'm trying my hand at creating a mbuna biotope. I'll be interested to see what you think.


----------



## ryan13mt

ohhh very nice setup. it give it a 9/10 for the simplicity and pure perfection.

this is my tank in progress. hope you like it. i dont have any fish in yet but next week im gonna buy some yellow labs or electric blues


----------



## alanrichie

8/10

looks very volcanic! i like the air bubbles also!

hears mine, going to hold mbunas, im thinking about adding some giant vallis, i need a black background badly!


----------



## Dj823cichild

ryan13mt said:


> ohhh very nice setup. it give it a 9/10 for the simplicity and pure perfection.
> 
> this is my tank in progress. hope you like it. i dont have any fish in yet but next week im gonna buy some yellow labs or electric blues


Be careful with the electric blues ryan, I'm saying this from expierence lol do not get more then 1 male or you will have big time problems!!! I have only 1 male with 6 yellow labs and one peacock and I'm doing fine but good luck. I give your tank an 8.5 as well.


----------



## jbr230

*alanrichie*, im giving your tank a 6.5. i really like the sand, but it still lacks a background and larger rocks for height. round rocks are fine and safer for the fish but i find it harder to make caves with round rocks than with irregular sized ones.

here's my 100g front tank 



























- jb


----------



## jbacker7

I love your tank. I don't have a picture of mine right now but I just wanted you to know its great but could be made better by one change. I would switch out all the round rocks for rocks of similar size but more jagged like your bigger rocks. Overall 8/10 :thumb:


----------



## rollin75

I love your tank.

I love the two biug rocks and the Fronta's.

Very nice tank...

I give it a 8.5

Here is my tank...

Please let me know what should stay and what should go...

I am new to this and taking all advise...


----------



## armthehomeless

I'd give it a 7/10. It you like it... keep it. I tend to favor darker colors for decorations. It makes the fish stand out a bit more...


----------



## chrispyweld

I say and 8 little dark for my taste.

Hers mine poor quality panorama shot...










It's not foggy like that that's just my phone :x


----------



## Hthundar

chrispyweld from what I can see it looks good. I give it a 7. Try to get another picture so we can really see it :thumb:





(maybe I'll get a rating this time)


----------



## MonteSS

Hthundar gets a solid 8.

Heres my little 46 bow on my desk with the Chanchitos. Considering trying live plants.










....Bill


----------



## F8LBITEva

MonteSS wish I had a desk big enough for a 46G!! I give you an 8 only because of the fake plants.


----------



## josmoloco

I give you a 3.5 because I am partial to Discus............  Very nice, 8, It would be nice if you could hide some of the equipment and a dark background...

Here is ny very first setup I ever had for tropical fish, now it is my growout.....


----------



## alanrichie

i like that looks very natural jos, 8

My mbuna tank, currently cycling.


----------



## k9crusaders

I'd rate yours a 7. I like how clean it looks, but I like a more "jumbled" style look to the rocks.

Here's my 55 gal. Lava rock w/gravel.


----------



## jbacker7

Your fish are very nice! To improve your tank I would switch out the gravel for sand first. I think you'll like how much less maintanance it is. Also I would try to make your rockwork look a little more natural. It takes time but you'll get it! As of now I'd say 6/10 that could be easily improved.

Next up, my 55 gallon all male hap/peacock tank. Removed some hardware recently and built a canopy for it. What do you think?


----------



## Morcs

Heres my CA/SA 40g 3ft long.
it has a big cave on the left and 2 big bits of driftwood forming the arch to dominate the tank.
2 java ferns and 2 vallis give a splash of green.

Feedback appreciated as im wondering if ill have to rescape as the fish get bigger.


----------



## jbacker7

Too good to rate mine eh?


----------



## Morcs

jbacker7 said:


> Too good to rate mine eh?


I forgot. my bad. :lol:

8.5 for simple and understated done well.


----------



## Buckeyereavis

cool tank i give it an 8!

here are my updated tanks....
55 mixed africans:








30 fronts:








10 Breeder:









let me know what yall think!!!


----------



## klc9100

i will give your 55 a 7. i think it needs some higher stacked rocks &/or some big plants. it needs some height to be visually pleasing.

i know alot of people don't use plants in their african tanks, because it's not "natural" to their habitat. i think that's BS. the fish don't care. my tanks are the focal points of the rooms they are in and i want them to look nice. i have lots of plants in all my cichlid tanks and the fish love them.

here is an example. i picked this 55 up at a yard sale for $25 the other day. i resealed it and put 15 of my "bully" mbunas from my big tank in it. i think the plants make it look alot better (even though they're fake) and the fish really enjoy them. several of them wedge themselves up in the branches/stems and sleep there.


----------



## Buckeyereavis

i put plants in and they rearrange it with in the niht!!! its agrivating lol


----------



## klc9100

i went through that too. now, i just silicone the plants to the bottom of the tank before i add gravel and water. if i add a plant after the tank is filled, i just remove the plastic base from the plant and silicone it to a rock in an inconspicuous manner and then put it in.


----------



## Riceburner

I'll give yours an 8. The rock piles looked too arranged to me.

I had live plants in my African tank and most weren't disturbed...until the snail ate em.

I guess it's only fair to post a pic of it...








..gonna replace the gravel at some point.


----------



## mezzy

I really like your tank riceburner ill give it a 9 
Heres my mbuna tank. I dont have as many rocks in my mbuna tanks as i find there is less aggression
[/img]


----------



## jontwhale

I like your fish, I dont think your photos are doing your tank justice. i give it a 7.
heres 2 of mine..... excuse the gravel in the first one.

Jon


----------



## victorylane1982

well no coment on the first tank ..... the second tank Beautiful!! i give it a 8.5 nice colors as well.... here is my 180Gallon tank







pic probebly wont work.. o well


----------



## victorylane1982

ok maybe this will work http://s569.photobucket.com/albums/ss13 ... g&newest=1


----------



## jontwhale

here - you copy the img bar from photobucket, sorts it all out for you 










thanks fot the score...  why no comment on the first?


----------



## Jab240

Nice tank Victorylane! I give it an 8! Can't tell from the pic, what kind of fish? Well here's mine. A 135g all male peacock\hap with a couple of Labs.


----------



## DBOSHIBBY1

i like the simplicity of it but i would add some more rocks up a little higher, i give it a 7

here is my 55g mixed african set up.
let me know what you guys think
crushed coral substrate
rocks are lace and coral


----------



## Dakuan

id give it 7, cool rocks!


----------



## Jab240

Thanks for the input DBOSHIBBY1. I like your tank. 
The reason I don't have more rocks up higher is because peacocks and haps naturally prefer the open water. They don't need the rocks as much as mbuna do. Don't worry when they're full grown you won't even notice the rocks. :thumb:


----------



## Tusker

DBOSHIBBY1 nice i'll give you a 7

The angles and sharks are out now..........








[/URL][/img]








[/URL][/img]


----------



## MattH

very cool i really like rock formations you got going in there, very intricate, i give it an 8!

here is my first cichlid tank:


----------



## frank1rizzo

Not bad for your first tank! Blows away my first 10 gallon tank. :thumb:

I'll give it a 7.

Here is my living room tank.


----------



## DeadFishFloating

*frank1rizzo* I'll give you a 7. Your aquascape idea is very good, but the different tones and colours of the rocks in your tank let it down in the photo. This is not to say it doesn't look good in real life.

This was my very first tank and aquascape, long since sold.


----------



## DeadFishFloating

I hate to be pr!ck, but these scores definately illustrate the lowering standards of the American education system.

Seriously guys, most of these tanks are in the the 4 to 6 range, there are a couple of 7's and an 8 or two at best. Most of the well scaped tanks I've seen here at C-F aren't even in this thread.


----------



## Dakuan

DeadFishFloating said:


> I hate to be pr!ck, but these scores definately illustrate the lowering standards of the American education system.


we dont have fish studies lectures in pom land :lol:


----------



## DeadFishFloating

:lol: *Dakuan*.

We don't have them here in Oz either.

My comment was meant to reflect the fact that as standards drop, poorer quality material recieves a higher mark as the bar for a pass mark is lowered. This then filters through society
in general.


----------



## Dakuan

Tbh mate, i think your connection between a perceived drop in educational standards and fish tank grade inflation might be a bit tenuous :lol:

back on topic, i was going to give you a an 8, but in accordance with the new spirit of tank rating rigour its getting 0


----------



## MattH

its based on OPINION man there isnt really a standard, theres no check list or guidline to follow, so get over it, its just for fun... not really sure why youd take the time to make a negative post about this thread, its entirely for fun, we arent in a contest or fighting for grades... *** eprsonally really liked this thread, have got to see a lot of cool tank setups


----------



## frank1rizzo

I say we start giving out all 10's and really tick him off.

:lol:


----------



## DeadFishFloating

Dakuan said:


> Tbh mate, i think your connection between a perceived drop in educational standards and fish tank grade inflation might be a bit tenuous :lol:
> 
> back on topic, i was going to give you a an 8, but in accordance with the new spirit of tank rating rigour its getting 0


0...oh ****... 

:lol:

I was hoping for a 2 atleast.


----------



## CartmanN

I give it a 7, I like the shade in the middle. Here is mine 37G


----------



## Dakuan

Awesome tank, simple and effective, 8.5 from me - hope those labs dont eat all the plants tho!

Here's mine, now featuring more rock!


----------



## non_compliance

I give the one above me a 6. Need stuff higher in the tank IMHO.

Here's some pics of my tanks with the crazy vic/malawi/tang mix.... (plus some barbs!) These are somewhat reposts, but I've got them finished/rearranged...

46 bow










75 gal.



















Everyone's gone to bed:


----------



## Dakuan

did you read the title of the thread at all :roll:


----------



## non_compliance

Dakuan said:


> did you read the title of the thread at all :roll:


NO, I haven't read it in like 2 months... was I only supposed to post one tank? whoops.

Don't take things so seriously chief...


----------



## Dakuan

^^lol cheeky edit!

Its annoying people posting their tanks without commenting on the one above, its happened twice to me now. Its not fair to expect people to comment on your tanks without taking the time to do the same for others!


----------



## non_compliance

Dakuan said:


> ^^lol cheeky edit!
> 
> Its annoying people posting their tanks without commenting on the one above, its happened twice to me now. Its not fair to expect people to comment on your tanks without taking the time to do the same for others!


I actually realized I omitted the RATING before I read your post... I clicked submit and said "son of a...." then edited and included my rating.


----------



## bigcatsrus

non-compliance, I'd give the 46g a 7, only because I think a black background would make the fish's colours pop. The 75g I'd give a 9...

Here is a pic of my bf's 450L bow fronted (not the best of pics)


----------



## non_compliance

You know, the other side of the background is black, and as I was looking at those pictures when I was posting them, I was thinking to myself "that should be turned around".... great minds think alike I guess... hehe....

I'll post a pic when I flip it and we'll see what is better.

Thanks for the 9! Wow.. I didn't expect that!!!!


----------



## jfly

non compliance .. is that a diy background , real rock??


----------



## bigcatsrus

It looks stunning non_compliance, so your welcome.


----------



## non_compliance

Yeah... it is a rock that I found at a local place.. it is somewhat flat... so I was able to stack it in there... it is all leaning against the glass... there is an area behind the rock where the fish can go (as shown in the night picture) and several caves, and ways in and out from the back. Sort of annoying when they all hide, but they dont' ever stay back there for too long.

I'm considering putting some sort of rockpile on the end with teh big plant... we'll see.

and thanks again bigcats... *blush


----------



## binro01

BigCats,

Beautiful Bow front you have there. I like the color of the substrate and how it matches the rest of the decor. Looks very natural. I'm like the russian judges and like to leave room at the top that drops my jaw, so I give this tank a Well done 7.5. I would add a bit more aquascaping in the same motif that you have..Not much but a tad to balance the tank a bit. As I said, Im a tough judge and I personally rate my 40 g tank Im posting a solid 4, but I like to get peoples opinions on what they like and what they would suggest.

Well here is my first ever Mbuna Cichlid tank. It is home to 12 demasoni, plus some sort of power blue (lightly striped) cichlid that a buddy gave to me because he didnt know what he was doing and placed it in a tank that it didnt belong in ( thanks to PetCo) Thats the fish poking his head out in the middle. The demasoni are shy, but spawn like rabbits... You can make out one behind the plant on the left at the bottom (A bit of the stripes are showing)

Sorry for the scotch tape LOL... My kids post up pics for the fish on a daily basis.


----------



## mncherie1

Binro01 great layout, lots of hiding spaces and open waters for them to play in. I am not a fan of the multicoloured rocks so I'll give you a 6.5. I like the shape of them, just not the jumbled colours. 
Here are some pics of my first ever planted tank. Also my first try with angels and I recently got a Gymnogeophagus Norte, he is a hoot to watch. 
I tried to create, plenty of hiding spaces, but had to leave some open sand, since the Geo loves to sandsift. 
Sorry for the poor quality pictures....I need a new camera. :lol:









Shot of my Geo zipping around


----------



## bigcatsrus

*binro01*

Thank you very much . I shall let the bf know that he has done a good job. I feel I need to explain that 4 of the inhabitants will be moving to another tank, which are, shovelnosex redtail, giraffe catfish, salfin plec and the oscar as it is a bit overstocked. Once they are in their new home the JD's will have their natural habitat, with some more rocks and wood.


----------



## LowCel

I give your tank an 8, I like what you did with it. I believe the camera is probably keeping me from giving you a higher score. 

Here are a couple of full tank shots I just took of my 300. I can't seem to get a decent one for some reason but they aren't terrible. Click on the pics for a higher quality, larger picture.


----------



## FishGraves

Very nice tank, I like how it looks natural and your lighting system is great!

9/10

My 55gal tank, 6 Yellow Labs, 6 Yellow Tail Acei, 2 Demasoni


----------



## **CHRIS**

9/10 i like the all natural setups alot....

this is my 55 gal i just set up the other day with a asortment of diferent species, all pairs.... no backing yet....


----------



## chris777

6.5 not a fan of fake plants and i think it could use some more rocks.


----------



## adam92

too much rock personally but still a great tank 8


----------



## Toby_H

To Chris:

7 out of 10...

It looks to new...

I don't care for the background...

I do like the blend of rock & wood work creating many many crevices for the fish to cruise through and hide in...

I could see the rating go up even if left as is once the tank matures a bit...

To Adam:

Sorry, you posted yours as I was writing my review on Chris' tank 

It's a simple little tank... cute... 5/10...

^In my opinion of course  ^

Full View:









Left Side:









Right Side:









More Pics and info regarding Stock : http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=197262


----------



## cichlidfeesh

Lets see, I'd give the right side of your tank a 9.5. The left side seems a little too "straight" to me. seems kind of uniform, i dont think it matches the natural look of the right. Your stocking is great! I am thinking of doing a tank like that when I get my own place and have room for a tank that size.

well here is a tank i did for my parents.... its still new so the plants have some growing to do.










Here is a darker view that looked kinda cool.










And just for kicks and giggles here is a shark I caught yesterday. Someday I'll have a tank big enough for him


----------



## chris777

Toby_H said:


> To Chris:
> 
> 7 out of 10...
> 
> It looks to new...
> 
> I don't care for the background...
> 
> I do like the blend of rock & wood work creating many many crevices for the fish to cruise through and hide in...
> 
> I could see the rating go up even if left as is once the tank matures a bit...


It is i guess you could say "new" i had to move from where i was living and set it back up here a couple days ago. :lol: However most the rock/driftwood in there are from 4-5 different tanks i had to break down into one tank..  I have about 3-4 rubbermaids full with rock and driftwood from the other tanks still as well. I don't like the background on the tank either to be completely honest :lol: but when i was moving the old one got ripped up so the one on there was from another tank that my wife picked out it out for. :dancing:


----------



## **CHRIS**

Just put some new rock in.... might change it around a few more time until im completly happy with it... i know fake plants suck but its all i have for right now until i can do some live ones :thumb:


----------



## cichlidsandmore

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/photo.php?pid=69197&id=100000005266969&ref=nf

My "new-used" 180 Malawi aquarium in it's 4th week. Chemical checks at zero with the exception of nitrates controlled with 2x 25% water changes per week. Alot of fish at 4 weeks. So far, all appears well-balanced and under good control.

The above aquarium's large rocks and natural plants look very nice. Good proportions, hiding places and plenty of free water space for "Liberty Call" swims throughout the tank. I'd go about a 7 and add that it would be bumped up quickly with a natural background.

If you may want to paint any high gloss finishes to match, Sherwin Williams makes a oil based primer that's safe for both water or oil top coats. It's guaranteed to even stick to glass. It's called XIM Sealer-Primer 400 White. SW can tint it darker for easier top coat coverage.


----------



## dr2391

could not see the tank above since i dont have a facebook

heres mine


----------



## pupdawg

First post here. 

I rate the above tank a 7 for its background/ rock-scape alone. Dont really care for fake plants, and the inhabitants will most likely out grow that in a year or so. It wouldve been nice with some shell dwellers (L. Occellatus) IMO. Still a nice little piece you have there.

Here's my 125g.


----------



## RYANMCCANNA

i rate the tank above a 7, IMO it need some live plants, i like the rock and sand

here is my 55 gal. it has a jack dempsey right now but im going to add some other cichlids and a bunch more live plants.

any feed back is welcome i just set up this tank and i would love to here some idea to do with it.


----------



## Buckeyereavis

thats a big fish!!! cool colors 2


----------



## RYANMCCANNA

Buckeyereavis said:


> thats a big fish!!! cool colors 2


Are you talking about my fish?


----------



## vaypourus

I give the above tank a 5. I love the JD, but the rocks and rockwork look too manufactured.

Here is my overloaded Tang community. It is a 55 with 25 juvies


----------



## lamster

I give the tank above a 7. The rockwork is great and habitat is very natural-looking. 3 points off for dull-looking fish and exposed equipment.

Here's my 72 gallon mbuna tank:


----------



## Shaina

Wow that is beautiful! Did you make the background yourself? If so, how? (And if not where did you get it lol)

My *one* gripe is that the plants in front look very plastic. They are placed well but they are just...well very plastic lol.

*9.5 out of 10*

Here's my 29gal Bolivian Ram tank...though when the pic was taken I had a bunch of platys in with the Rams for a few days due to a problem in another tank...


----------



## jfly

i know i dont have one poster here .. but NICE Tank above .. really gorgeous plant work


----------



## dr2391

lamster that is now officially my favorite tank *** seen on here. i love it


----------



## barrem

Shaina, I give yours an 8. I like the off-center placement of the driftwood and the open space you've created at the front. I have never had a planted tank, but it looks like yours is doing well. Good job.

Here's my 55g soon-to-be mbuna tank. Right now, there's only a pleco in there - keeping the algae under control while I'm in and out of town for the summer. Do you guys like the blue background or should I go with black? Anything I could do better?


----------



## Oscar Madison

dr2391, nice tank!


----------



## JennKS

Beautiful! What kind of what rocks is this and where is a good place to find it? I think I prefer the look of it


----------



## Hthundar

JennKS - I really like the rock work you have. Solid 9


----------



## Bwell79

I like the natural looking rock in your tank, Im not crazy about the roman pillars or the large dark gravel. Good looking tank though I give it a 6.5.

I am new to the hobby and very addicted. This is my very new Mbuna tank 100g. 31 young fish inside, this is second tank I've put together in the last 3 months. Enjoy!


























:fish:


----------



## barrem

Aw, nobody rated my tank or gave any comments. I guess I got lost in the shuffle.

Oh, I'll rate the one above too (don't know if I'm supposed to). I give it a 7. I like the hefty rocks you have in there, but it seems a little too structured for me. Maybe if the rocks on the left were more scattered throughout the tank. Also, I'm not sure what to think of the right side. Were you going for an effect in particular?

Here's mine again...



barrem said:


> Shaina, I give yours an 8. I like the off-center placement of the driftwood and the open space you've created at the front. I have never had a planted tank, but it looks like yours is doing well. Good job.
> 
> Here's my 55g soon-to-be mbuna tank. Right now, there's only a pleco in there - keeping the algae under control while I'm in and out of town for the summer. Do you guys like the blue background or should I go with black? Anything I could do better?


----------



## a_small_cichlid

Aw poor barrem; here's my rating for yours then  :

I think it looks pretty good, i like the pile look, but i think it's too tightly packed for my tastes. I would try to make some of the holes bigger and make it look less dense and tight.
All around: a 6.9


----------



## barrem

Thanks, a_small_cichlid. I agree, it does look a little tightly packed in the picture. Its more porous from the sides. Oh yeah, I had to make it a little tight to make sure you couldn't see the river rock that's boosting up the coral pile 

Thanks for the feedback!


----------



## RYANMCCANNA

So i love the blue background. it gives the tank more depth. and i also think it will bring out color in your fish when the come. i give your tank a* 7*. it will be a *8.5* when you get it stocked... what do you plan on stocking your tank with?

So i updated my tank, I got 2 yellow labs, little alge eater, i got a pacu then read they grow supper fast and very large and i dont want to have to get rid of it later and its not a very good looking fish so i took it back. and thats when i got the yellow labs. i had this big yellow snail in the tank but the puffer fish tried to eat it so my ladie moved the snail to our little beta tank till i can get the puffer out of the tank. she loves snails, so the puffer goes. so hopfully the snail lives he has not come out of his shell in like 2 days and it did tonight and the puffer got it imediatly. and on top of that the puffer was the one getting my JD's back fin... i also added about 25 more lbs of rock and my plants are doing great. well i would love any pos. or neg. feedback. this is my first cichlid tank and i want everyones opinions. also dose anyone have any good ideas for more tank mates? thanks oh and can anyone tell me if my JD is a male or a female?


----------



## barrem

RYANMCCANNA said:


> So i love the blue background. it gives the tank more depth. and i also think it will bring out color in your fish when the come. i give your tank a* 7*. it will be a *8.5* when you get it stocked... what do you plan on stocking your tank with?


Thanks for the feedback. I've been trying to decide if I want to keep the blue background or go with black. I'm going to stock it with mbuna. I'm not sure exactly which species yet. It'll probably depend on what's available at the LFSs when I get back in town.


----------



## a_small_cichlid

RYANMCCANNA, i like the tank with more rocks in it! but i still think the rockwork is a little too level on the top for my tastes. one neg. is that i dont like the kinda random piece of coral on the far right. But love the plants! cant wait to see them all grown in.


> I've been trying to decide if I want to keep the blue background or go with black.


Id definately go with black. :wink: I think that sometimes with blue, depending on the fish you get, blue can wash their colors out. But if you just get the cheap tape-ons from the LFS, id go ahead and get a black too so you can trade it out for a couple of days and decide.


----------



## ladybugzcrunch

No tank above me so I will just post


----------



## Oscar Madison

ladybugzcrunch.......Sweet looking tank! :thumb:


----------



## ladybugzcrunch

:dancing: TY


----------



## **CHRIS**

ladybug.... definaly one of my favorite tanks *** seen on here.... good work 9/10


----------



## matt-the-geek

Chris, I'll give your tank a 8/10, I think your rock work is very good but I'm not a huge fan of the coloring of the rock, I tend to prefer darker colors.

Heres my freshly stocked tank.


----------



## matt-the-geek

Sorry the picture didn't work, heres just a link. 
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k116/ ... 091943.jpg

And on a side note can someone tell me how to get pictures to show up via photobucket?


----------



## **CHRIS**

matt-the-geek said:


> Sorry the picture didn't work, heres just a link.
> http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k116/ ... 091943.jpg
> 
> And on a side note can someone tell me how to get pictures to show up via photobucket?


after you upload to photobucket you copy the whole IMG link and paste it in your comment/reply, thats what i do....

thanks for the input, yea i would prefer darker rocks but they were free...cant complain to much.... i like yours, alot goin on in it.... 8/10


----------



## morfeus077

6

Here's my 75


----------



## Oscar Madison

Nice selection of fish.


----------



## non_compliance

morfeus077:

I give your tank a 6 out of 10.

Looks like you built a retaining wall in your fish tank. I like lots of rock in tanks, but this is just far too linear and stacked looking. If you could make that rock look more like it just fell there, I would give it an 8.

fish look great.

Here's a picture of my 85 gallon that I just set up. I ran out of rock (just used leftovers from my 75 gallon...) so I've got to get some more to make some real piles. I don't have all my fish in there yet either. Taking suggestions!!!


----------



## morfeus077

That's a shame... cause I have restacked the rock with a little less and it looks more like it fell into place - just have not taken another pic.

Give yours a 7.5, looks good. I personally don't like all of the empty space on the left.

Rate this one, built the background myself...


----------



## non_compliance

Thanks, I still have to do some fixin on it, and that left side is first priority for me. I switched to sand, and I really like it a lot better.

What are you waiting for? Get some pics of the rearranged tank up. 

I won't rate that one, cause I don't have anything to post right now, but I saw your "build thread" on that tank. Really sweet dude. My only suggestion for that is to find some rock that is really chunky and squared off so it matches your background. I like the way you put that little stack there to cover that grate... but you need some rock sort of like this..

http://www.rivardstone.com/products/lan ... 20Tall.jpg


----------



## gilberbt

here is my first cichlid tank, morfeus077 what did you use for the background? That looks sweet and I will rate the setup as an 7.5. I would give it higher if i saw some fish.


----------



## Oscar Madison

morfeus077 said:


> That's a shame... cause I have restacked the rock with a little less and it looks more like it fell into place - just have not taken another pic.
> 
> Give yours a 7.5, looks good. I personally don't like all of the empty space on the left.
> 
> Rate this one, built the background myself...


Very nice work :thumb:


----------



## morfeus077

gilberbt said:


> morfeus077 what did you use for the background? That looks sweet and I will rate the setup as an 7.5. I would give it higher if i saw some fish.


Thanks!!! I used styrofoam & concrete, made it myself...


----------



## a_small_cichlid

non_compliance said:


> morfeus077:
> 
> I give your tank a 6 out of 10.
> 
> Looks like you built a retaining wall in your fish tank. I like lots of rock in tanks, but this is just far too linear and stacked looking. If you could make that rock look more like it just fell there, I would give it an 8.
> 
> fish look great.
> 
> Here's a picture of my 85 gallon that I just set up. I ran out of rock (just used leftovers from my 75 gallon...) so I've got to get some more to make some real piles. I don't have all my fish in there yet either. Taking suggestions!!!


I LOVE your tank: 9/10 What kind of rock is that?


----------



## Cichlidaevid

I like the tank above, but it looks a little bare on the left side for my tastes. I give it a 6 out of 10.

Here is my 3' long demasoni/lab tank I just changed the rocks in a few days ago. (I used to have river rock and slate, but grew tired of it).

There are actually plenty of fish in there, they are just hiding! :roll: The holey rock and limestone was obatained by looking around in fields close to my home. (I didn't pay for it!) Crushed coral is the subsrtrate, and I am filtering with a Rena XP3 canister. Let me know what you think! (Sorry for the crappy cell phone picture....)


----------



## non_compliance

LoL.. that's so awesome that you just step out and find some holey rock laying around.. hehehe...

a_small_cichlid....

that rock is called "aqua marine granite" by the local landscape yard. The first time I saw it, I knew I had to have some in my tanks.. it really looks sweet because of the coloring... browns... blacks...blues....etc... it is actually all sparkly when it is dry, but the effect is lost in the water. It is strange stone... I am a tiny bit worried about there possibly being heavy metals contained in it... because of the rust color, and the fact the rock is HEAVY AS ****, as well as making a "tink" sound when hit together... sounds more like metal. But oh well, I'm not THAT worried. But the shape and texture of it makes it a great tank stone... I"m really glad I found it.


----------



## Demasonian

Cichlidaevid - I give your tank a solid 7.5. Nice colours, clean, contrasts well. The fish will really pop in there.

Here's a refresh of a tank I posted near the beginning of this thread. The tank now houses Tropheus Bemba and Cyp. Utinta's and the background has a healthy growth of algae on it. Pretty happy with how it's turned out so far, but always looking for ways to improve it.

Now if only the bloody fish would hold still long enough to get a decent shot...


----------



## Electrophyste

beautiful tang tank 
hers my American tank


----------



## adam92

Nice loooking tank but you need a background. ill give it a 7-8

here are my two

20gal









10gal








dont mind the fry net btw


----------



## bigcatsrus

Adam nice tanks for what you can do. The 20 gal I'd give a 7, only because of the boat and plants (not a big fan). A little more rock work might help.

The 10 gal I'd give the same, if it were my tank I'd changed the gravel to sand and change the background to black. They are your tanks and as long as you are happy then thats all that counts.

I previously put my tank up but it has changed and here it is, now all tang. Juwel RIO120.


----------



## adam92

thanks for the feedback. i will be getting more rock for the 20gal but holey rock is 12 per kg (approx $5.50 per lb) here in aus so abit expensive. your tank looks really good. that piece of driftwood makes it along with the nice rock work. ill give yours a 8 only thing would be to add a couple of small plants for some colour.


----------



## cichlidpastor

Nice tank, but I agree with adam, needs some color it has an almost "industrial" feel. But it is creative and so I'll give you an 8.

I feel outclassed on here but here's my 70 gal in my office. Too much light too


----------



## bigcatsrus

Thank you for the feedback. As far as plants are concerned, there aren't any on the lake bed in lake tanganyika, hence no plants in the tank.


----------



## cichlidpastor

Oh I totally agree with you there, that's why i have "unnatural" plants in mine, I don't like the way lake Malawi looks (not enough plastic plants), so i make my own. :lol:


----------



## Floridagirl

Cichlid Pastor. I give you a 7. I'd like to see rocks a bit higher and equipment hidden. Here is my rescaped 29 gallon with Similis.









Similis


----------



## cichlidpastor

You are kind with the 7. But the thing that I don't like about my tank is the symmetry. 2 tall greek plants one on each side with the odd one in the middle and 2 small ones in the front, spaced evenly apart. It drives me nuts, but I just can't get it random.


----------



## cjacob316

lot of amazing tanks guys still haven't seen them all, my malawi tank isn't very natural looking, it have a pritate ship lol, but my tanganyika tank is going to look more natural, but i have some out of place rocks from my malawi tank to help cycle it so i'll post a picture once i get it cycled, if it ever cycles that is...


----------



## moi_eater

Very nice Floridagirl, 8.5

Here's my 125, I know the equipment isn't hidden, and no background cause tank is viewed from both sides (left end against wall)


----------



## cichlidpastor

Floridagirl, do you have your hardware behind the slate? And if so, does it interfere with waterflow?

Love your set up, really simple, but cool as heck! And thanks for the PM on randomizing my plants. I am a little OCD, so it's really hard for me to get random


----------



## non_compliance

Here's a couple of updated shots of the 85 that I already posted. Added a couple of rocks, moved some stuff around....

Still planning more of a rock pile... also may add some live java fern....



















didn't rate the tank about since mine is somewhat of a repeat.


----------



## cichlidpastor

Non_compliance, I already had my tank rated, so this one doesn't count. But I couldn't resist commenting on your tank. I REALLY like your set up. SWEET!

2 questions: What is that dark gray rock? And second what is the brown stuff on the gray rock on the left? I just got some rock that looks like that. But i had a question about whether it might have iron in it.


----------



## cjacob316

if the rock itself is red it has iron


----------



## eddy

I give an 8 on the above tank. Simple and natural.

Here is my 46 gallon bowfront with my big ugly heater...all rocks and wood collected from local creek.


----------



## Floridagirl

cichlidpastor said:


> Floridagirl, do you have your hardware behind the slate? And if so, does it interfere with waterflow?
> 
> Love your set up, really simple, but cool as heck! And thanks for the PM on randomizing my plants. I am a little OCD, so it's really hard for me to get random


My heater, filter, and carbon dixide doser are behind the slate. I lean the slate forward to vacuum behind it, when I do water changes. It works pretty well!


----------



## Floridagirl

Moi eater. 7.5..again the hiding thing, I'd build rock piles on each side and leave the middle open
eddy 8.0 Nice random stacking of the rocks

Again, these are all just my opinions, so take them for what they are worth. I think we build a tank that make ourselves happy!


----------



## non_compliance

I got them at the local landscape yard.. I don't know if they have metals in them or not.


----------



## Bootz0913

I'd say a 8.5 because the anubias are well suited for your style of tank. Nice job with the rock work i really love it!

No one said SW couldnt be rated, but i will have a cichlid tank to have rated shortly!


----------



## vaypourus

SW tanks are fine, but you get disqualified for the frag rack in the lower left hand corner! Those are strictly forbidden here!

:lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## Bootz0913

LOL, yea i know that they are very unappealing, but frags kept on falling from the turbo snails and i was tired of it! Egg crate solves everything.


----------



## Zion Lion

Heres my attempt. 









-55g
-3M color quartz sand (white/grey mix)
-Lava rocks
-Artificial plants
-Aquaclear 110
-Aquaclear powerhead 70 with filter
-topfin heater
-Aquatic Life Dual bulb T5 light


----------



## Hthundar

*Zion Lion*

I like it. Solid 9

What do you have stocked in their?


----------



## pmac

lamster said:


> Here's my 72 gallon mbuna tank:


Just curious what kind of lighting you use for your tank. I'd love to get that "dark, but still bright look" but I'm kind of lost when it comes to which lighting to look for.

Thanks.


----------



## Zion Lion

Thanks. Its overstocked with 9 yellow labs, 3 Red top ice blues, 6 Rusty's, 2 Acei's, and 2 Butti Koferi's (will be moved into another tank once they grow). This is my first Cichlid tank, before this I've only had community fish and betas. :fish:


----------



## Demasonian

If I were to hazard a guess, it looks like lamster is using a three-foot fixture on a four-foot tank to create shadows at either end. I've done this myself from time to time and it works pretty well.


----------



## non_compliance

pmac said:


> lamster said:
> 
> 
> 
> Here's my 72 gallon mbuna tank:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just curious what kind of lighting you use for your tank. I'd love to get that "dark, but still bright look" but I'm kind of lost when it comes to which lighting to look for.
> 
> Thanks.
Click to expand...

also you can just move the light to the front.. still lights the fish in front, but shadows in teh back...


----------



## pmac

Yes, I understand this, but I was actually more interested in brand/type of lighting. I like the color temp of the light the OP's using. Sorry I wasn't more clear lol. I've got a fixture mounted toward the front of my tank that just lights the entire tank up imo too bright. But at the same time, I think if it was darker it would be hard to see anything.... basically, I'm looking for something that will illuminate my fish and sand while keeping the background dark. You can see in the op's picture that the light must be quite bright due too how much the sand is illuminated, but the background looks nice and dark, so the fish really stand out. (Unless it's all just photoshop haha)


----------



## illinikc33

I'd give pmac's tank an 8. Looks really nice and clean, but it seems to need more caves/rockwork. Love the background though; looks like it took a lot of work.

Here is my initial attempt at a cichlid tank. I am going to get a black background to replace the "greenery" background I have right now. Also I want to find some nice, big dark blue or black river rocks to stack on the far right hand side. Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.


----------



## Electrophyste

thats the way my first tank looked if you want my opinion, dont place the rock so nicely, just kinda drop it into place


----------



## pmac

illinikc33 said:


> I'd give pmac's tank an 8.


Sorry, I don't wanna steal anyone else's thunder here, that's not my tank in my last post. It's from an earlier post in the thread. I was just asking about the lighting in the tank.


----------



## Tiberian

My newest tank. 215 gallons of fun.


----------



## Oscar Madison

Sweet looking tank!


----------



## Morcs

10/10 for the one above!

Heres my new 65G for an Oscar and Datnoid. Tinted glass and black silicone. Vals and Javaferns. Poolfilter sand. Running a 1200lph canister and 800lph HOB.


----------



## robertw

9/10 for the tank above, love the setup, looks very natural.

Here's my temporary tank 20g tall, getting a 40g long, and turning this one into a shellie tank for a pair.


----------



## cichlidpastor

very nice Robert. I love real plants. And by putting the real ones in front and the fake ones in the back, they make the fakes look better. I'd do real plants if it weren't for the fact that my mbunas are morons and destroy everything nice I try to give to them! I'll give you 8.9/10

Now here is my rearranged 70 gal mbuna (moron) tank. Please be as unkind as need be. I really do respect the opinions of you aquarium artists and learn a lot for you.



















I know I need more rock, I'll be getting more this week.


----------



## robertw

cichlidpastor said:


> very nice Robert. I love real plants. And by putting the real ones in front and the fake ones in the back, they make the fakes look better. I'd do real plants if it weren't for the fact that my mbunas are morons and destroy everything nice I try to give to them! I'll give you 8.9/10
> 
> Now here is my rearranged 70 gal mbuna (moron) tank. Please be as unkind as need be. I really do respect the opinions of you aquarium artists and learn a lot for you.


Your tank looks great, I'd give it a 9.5/10. Looks like you could stack those rocks to make some more caves but that ruins the natural look you have going lol. Love the white sand, and great looking fish to boot. And I have to complement you on the photographs, you're definitely doing something right, I can't get my photos to look that nice.

Well I got sick of the fake plants, and just bought some more live ones. Same setup just more live plants to keep the fish happy :dancing:


----------



## cichlidpastor

Well Robert you are too nice. Reminds me of the old Fleetwood Mac "tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies . . ." if I deserve a 9.5, then you deserve a 11.9. Like the new plants btw


----------



## velocilraptor

i redid my tank. took the old background out, did a black background and rearranged everything. pics arent the best quality there from a cell phone but here it is

water is actually crystal clear but in the pic it looks foggy



click on image to view larger size


----------



## cichlidpastor

Is your rock glued together?

Looks very nice and really clean. However, i would maybe try to bring the rock all the way out to the edges, might have a more natural look to it that way.


----------



## velocilraptor

thats what i want to eventually do but this rock is getting expensive. its not glued just stacked


----------



## eddy

velocilraptor said:


> thats what i want to eventually do but this rock is getting expensive. its not glued just stacked


 Is that red lava rock? If so just go to a landscaping yard or even ace hardware and buy 20-30 pound rocks and break them with a sledge hammer..........where safety glasses. That is probably 50$ or less worth of rock you have in there if you do it that way


----------



## infotech

EDIT: I rated the wrong tank. The one above mine is an excellent aquarium! 9/10. Your setup looks great velocilraptor.

This is when I first got the tank:









This is today, about a year and a half later. Is it too cluttered looking? My Bolivian Rams seem to like it. Each one of them have claimed a side of the tank as their own.









The only two plants that are still the same is the Java Fern and the one in the long grassy one in back right corner. It has grown quite a bit! It has some leaves that go all the way to the other side of the tank.


----------



## rarefaction

Yay! I love this thread! I give the tank above 7.5. I liked the clean setup but it has become cluttered, -2 points, And if bigger is better, -1 point. And you can keep your plants alive and I can't, -.5 points  . The diversity of plants is really cool +.5 points Final score 7.5!

My turn!  :lol:


----------



## non_compliance

is that yoru overflow box? Dude... desguise that pronto... that background is nice.. love the algae growing on the slate...


----------



## infotech

rarefaction said:


> Yay! I love this thread! I give the tank above 7.5. I liked the clean setup but it has become cluttered, -2 points, And if bigger is better, -1 point. And you can keep your plants alive and I can't, -.5 points  . The diversity of plants is really cool +.5 points Final score 7.5!
> ]


Thanks for the review.

You aquarium is freakin nice! =D> That's the type of setup I envision setting up but never quite get...


----------



## rarefaction

non_compliance said:


> is that yoru overflow box? Dude... desguise that pronto...


Dude, I know.. 8) . Gonna buy a spare so I can glue more slate to this one... Stupid money, always slows things down.


----------



## curtis_miller

rarefaction i give your tank a solid 8-8.5 i like the substrate and background, will be a higher rating when you disguise the overflow

here is my 72 gallon bowfront, no fish yet though.


----------



## curtis_miller

nobody wants to rate my tank????


----------



## LowCel

I like it, I give it an 8. It would be higher if you could hide your equipment behind the background and if it had fish in it. 

Here is a newer picture of my 300. I don't believe I've posted this photo in this thread. Click the photo for a larger version. The compressed version looks terrible.


----------



## curtis_miller

thanks LowCel, i dnt have enough room behind the background to hide my equipment but iv been thinking of taking the tubes out and painting them


----------



## rarefaction

I like it, but I already had my turn... I'll photo my 20 if no one rates you, and go again...


----------



## non_compliance

someone has to post a pic of their tank to rate yours. Sometimes it takes a few days... hang tight....


----------



## Oscar Madison

curtis_miller said:


> nobody wants to rate my tank????


Be careful what you wish for, there are some pretty tough critics here 

I like it....what kind of fish are you planning to put in?


----------



## curtis_miller

thanks oscar, im not quite sure wat i want to go with yet..... any suggestions?


----------



## rarefaction

How bout a cichlid?


----------



## curtis_miller

id like to do a mixed african tank but im not really sure what is ok to put together


----------



## rarefaction

look for the cookie cutter suggestions in the forum library.


----------



## cichlidpastor

hey LowCel,

Awesome tank! If i could rate it, I'd give you a 9/10 for sure. but i have a question: What kind of light are you using? I'm trying to pick lights for my hap tank. I like the way yours looks. What are you using?

I want something a little lower than what i have, but i also want a light that will really make the colors of my fish pop.


----------



## LowCel

cichlidpastor said:


> hey LowCel,
> 
> Awesome tank! If i could rate it, I'd give you a 9/10 for sure. but i have a question: What kind of light are you using? I'm trying to pick lights for my hap tank. I like the way yours looks. What are you using?
> 
> I want something a little lower than what i have, but i also want a light that will really make the colors of my fish pop.


Thank you. I am using T5's but those aren't what you are seeing. For the photo I'm using three remote flashes over the tank. That is what is giving the appearance that the photo is giving.


----------



## Cheffish

Looks good but fake plants suck - big time... Go big or go home. But...I'm diggin you landscape albeit zero places fro our lovelies to hide - Great Discus tank :wink:

8 but on the way to the top...I can shoot mine in the dark but that's not clean...

My 120gl mixed all male


----------



## LowCel

Thanks but live plants would not have a chance in my tank. Also, suprisingly enough most of the fish in there have their own "homes" or hiding spots.

Here are a couple of short videos from my tank.


----------



## Cheffish

looks good - I'm not a empty pot fan either - does nothing for the integrity of the scape other than look like a pot in a tank. Just my opinion and is as fake as plastic plants but I'd go all natural including holding spots. I'm a chef so my world is all about edible art. I already am not liking my own scape and am buying a 400g to fix it...

Great effort though


----------



## LowCel

Thanks, I'm not a big fan of pots either so I can certainly understand where you are coming from. I put them in there for the fish though, not for me. I'll probably do some more work on it this winter but for now it will have to do. The other problem is getting in there to work. For some reason some of the fish don't like me messing around their homes when they have fry.


----------



## buffro

my 150 mbuna tank they weren't all in yet in yet


----------



## mattstevens

DeadFishFloating said:


> I hate to be pr!ck, but these scores definately illustrate the lowering standards of the American education system.
> 
> Seriously guys, most of these tanks are in the the 4 to 6 range, there are a couple of 7's and an 8 or two at best. Most of the well scaped tanks I've seen here at C-F aren't even in this thread.


I am pretty disappointed with this attitude. A tank is in whatever the range the viewer rates its, and I think its more important to encourage someone's interest in the hobby then it is to put it down. In my opinion my tank looks great, and so do a lot of these. However, I have not posted my tank on here on the grounds that I like it, and that I am not open to the criticism of negatives members like yourself. The reason my tank is not perfect is due to the my limited budget, not an inability to have adequate interest in the hobby, or aquascaping skills. What I believe to be most important is sharing your tank and your ideas with others so as they can gain inspiration from the great tanks that this forum, and its members have to offer.

With respect to this, I have started another thread we can share what we have created with the intention to encourage, not discourage each other -

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=200001


----------



## Demasonian

> I am pretty disappointed with this attitude. A tank is in whatever the range the viewer rates its, and I think its more important to encourage someone's interest in the hobby then it is to put it down. In my opinion my tank looks great, and so do a lot of these. However, I have not posted my tank on here on the grounds that I like it, and that I am not open to the criticism of negatives members like yourself. The reason my tank is not perfect is due to the my limited budget, not an inability to have adequate interest in the hobby, or aquascaping skills. What I believe to be most important is sharing your tank and your ideas with others so as they can gain inspiration from the great tanks that this forum, and its members have to offer.
> 
> With respect to this, I have started another thread we can share what we have created with the intention to encourage, not discourage each other


I agree that negative comments aren't helpful but I would say that they are the exception on this thread, not the rule, and therefore easily ignored. In 64 pages of tanks, almost all of the comments offer praise and constructive advice/opinions on how to improve the aquascaping of our tanks.

I revisit this thread on a regular basis for inspiration and ideas and I'm always impressed by the quality of the tanks on here...Someone recently pointed me towards a website devoted to "rate my tank" and I have to say, the majority of tanks in this thread are far superior to the top ten lists on that site.

Don't toss the fry out with the tankwater!


----------



## DrgRcr

Well I'll keep this going....
Buffro, I'll give your tank a 7. Overall its a nice tank, but if it were mine I would vary the rock types and go just a bit higher. But to each his own  !

Heres my 125 Mbuna, recently stocked.


----------



## buffro

DrgRcr said:


> Well I'll keep this going....
> Buffro, I'll give your tank a 7. Overall its a nice tank, but if it were mine I would vary the rock types and go just a bit higher. But to each his own  !
> 
> Heres my 125 Mbuna, recently stocked.


I agree I want to add some more rock as well and I don't really want to add differnt types of rock but as you said to each his own.
On that note I give yours a 7 as well but only because you don't have a back ground and I can see your eqipment and the couple of fake plants. as a pro for the tank I think it is extremly clean and neat looking very nicely done


----------



## Cheffish

Lowcel -

Looks good though and they do have a sweet home that you built for them... :thumb:


----------



## buffro

mattstevens said:


> DeadFishFloating said:
> 
> 
> 
> I hate to be pr!ck, but these scores definately illustrate the lowering standards of the American education system.
> 
> Seriously guys, most of these tanks are in the the 4 to 6 range, there are a couple of 7's and an 8 or two at best. Most of the well scaped tanks I've seen here at C-F aren't even in this thread.
> 
> 
> 
> I am pretty disappointed with this attitude. A tank is in whatever the range the viewer rates its, and I think its more important to encourage someone's interest in the hobby then it is to put it down. In my opinion my tank looks great, and so do a lot of these. However, I have not posted my tank on here on the grounds that I like it, and that I am not open to the criticism of negatives members like yourself. The reason my tank is not perfect is due to the my limited budget, not an inability to have adequate interest in the hobby, or aquascaping skills. What I believe to be most important is sharing your tank and your ideas with others so as they can gain inspiration from the great tanks that this forum, and its members have to offer.
> 
> With respect to this, I have started another thread we can share what we have created with the intention to encourage, not discourage each other -
> 
> http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=200001
Click to expand...

I agree with this. I have seen allot of tanks across the web not jsut here that look pretty ****ty to say the least but to each his own. I mean if someone wants pink fake plants in their tank thats them. I don't see a need to bash someone for that at all. Allot of people take allot of pride in their tanks it's kinda like walking up to someone and telling them their kid is ugly. Keep it nice if you don't like someone's tank suggest to them what could make it better or just not say any thing.


----------



## Cheffish

Simply put...it's ones individual art and the interpretation of what they "see" through their lens and what they have built. I'm a 5 star, 5 diamond chef and one of only 14 other restaurants in the country with this designation yet if a chef cooks with frozen food or opens cans it makes no difference to me because it's their expression of art not mine...

This dig was merely a dig on "The American Educational System" if you read through the lines... :? which in theory has no bearing on his comments therefore the system has clearly failed him...

WTF does education and appreciating art have to do with each other? I guess you have to be able to read to understand art? =D>


----------



## madmax666

Ill give yours an 8. I like how you ahve all of the caves but still have the natural look of the rock arrangement 
Here is my new 55 gallon Semi-Planted SA. For more info/pics go to 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals-photo-album/92370-55-gallon-sa-semi-planted.html I know i need a bg..i am getting new filter as well.


----------



## rarefaction

I'm out of turn but mini stone henge is cute, substrate change is cool too... (needs BG)
edit:2 men enter, 1 man leaves...


----------



## jfly

buffro said:


> mattstevens said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> DeadFishFloating said:
> 
> 
> 
> I hate to be pr!ck, but these scores definately illustrate the lowering standards of the American education system.
> 
> Seriously guys, most of these tanks are in the the 4 to 6 range, there are a couple of 7's and an 8 or two at best. Most of the well scaped tanks I've seen here at C-F aren't even in this thread.
> 
> 
> 
> I am pretty disappointed with this attitude. A tank is in whatever the range the viewer rates its, and I think its more important to encourage someone's interest in the hobby then it is to put it down. In my opinion my tank looks great, and so do a lot of these. However, I have not posted my tank on here on the grounds that I like it, and that I am not open to the criticism of negatives members like yourself. The reason my tank is not perfect is due to the my limited budget, not an inability to have adequate interest in the hobby, or aquascaping skills. What I believe to be most important is sharing your tank and your ideas with others so as they can gain inspiration from the great tanks that this forum, and its members have to offer.
> 
> With respect to this, I have started another thread we can share what we have created with the intention to encourage, not discourage each other -
> 
> http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=200001
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I agree with this. I have seen allot of tanks across the web not jsut here that look pretty bad to say the least but to each his own. I mean if someone wants pink fake plants in their tank thats them. I don't see a need to bash someone for that at all. Allot of people take allot of pride in their tanks it's kinda like walking up to someone and telling them their kid is ugly. Keep it nice if you don't like someone's tank suggest to them what could make it better or just not say any thing.
Click to expand...

Just so you know this is a friendly continuous forum.. it has nothing to do with our education system, but as a whole maybe we are just nicer people who cares about the feeling of other more than yourselves, dont judge us as a whole you do not know us


----------



## Zack2112

*madmax666*

You have done a great job on this tank and that wood on the left is awesome. As it stands I would personally give your tank a 7. With a background or if you paint it black your tank will look much better. Also, I personally am not a fan of white sand, however if thats what you like, then by all means, use white sand. Its a great scape and I checked it out on a planted tank as well. You have done a great job with your layout, I however am still not sold on the piece of wood in the middle of the tank. Part of me likes it, while the other part of me feels it interrupts the flow of the scape... maybe its the "roots" going up and being cut off abruptly while the other piece has the "roots" going down and flows gracefully towards the top of the tank. I do really like that peice of wood in your 10gal however. You have done a great job and I think the addition of a background will make a world of difference and bring you up into the 9 range. I would like to see updates on this tank, it has great potentential! :thumb:

Heres my little 20g multie tank. It has become one of my favorites. Sorry for the poor quality. 









and a quick video.


----------



## HawaiianRubyKing

Quality tank, multies hard to care for? Ide say an 8. :thumb:

55g Main tank. Eureka Red breeding 1 male 3 female.









Ruby Red breeding tank 40g


----------



## aandfsoccr04

First tank: 7.8
Second tank: 8.4
I really like the second tank because thats just more my style. Both tanks do look nice though and seems like you know what your doing and have a good ration. My tank is in progress because I just switched from south american cichlids to africans and didnt know there was this much involved with africans..

Right side:









Left side:









Fish:


----------



## Zack2112

someone can rate mine if you want haha. I seem to have been skipped over, it happened to me way back on page 5 too haha


----------



## non_compliance

MadMax,

that tank is awesome.. I LOVE the substrate change, and the mini stone henge is hilarious.. I don't know what you were going for, but I think it turned out great. Really creative.


----------



## robertw

Zack2112 said:


> someone can rate mine if you want haha. I seem to have been skipped over, it happened to me way back on page 5 too haha


Sick background, nice substrate, just an all around great shellie tank, 9/10.

My 55g









I just put an AquaClear mini on the left side of the tank, I wanted to get a bit more water movement on that side.


----------



## Harkinstein

That is a great looking tank. Very natural, but a background would add so much to it. Without a background it's a 6.5 because I have to leave that much room for how good it could look. I love all of the plants. I'm not ready to take care of real plants yet. 










Here's my first tank, the fish are very shy. Don't hate it just because it has six sides.


----------



## PaulineMi

Not being a fan of unnatural colors I have to give your tank a 5.5. Things look a bit too cramped for my tastes. However the clarity of the water is great and the slate is nice.

Here's an updated picture of my 90 gallon. I had previously posted a picture of it last year. Have since rearranged the rock and added some greenery.


----------



## Harkinstein

PaulineMi said:


> Not being a fan of unnatural colors I have to give your tank a 5.5.


When I bought the grass, it was a deep red. Then I put it in the water and it was pink all of the sudden. I felt the same way, so I replaced it with all green. Thanks for the input.










Sorry the fish are blurry, I didn't want to use the flash. Any better?

Very nice aquarium. My brother just got me started and I am curious. What are the red ones?


----------



## PaulineMi

The green looks MUCH better. The red fish are Odessa Barbs. They're in there as dithers. Thanks for the compliment on my tank.


----------



## HawaiianRubyKing

Is that a Red empress too?


----------



## PaulineMi

Yes, it is.









Now we have to get back to rating the tank. :thumb:


----------



## jbr230

PaulineMi: Id have to give your tank a 7. for me it would probably look better if you used uniform substrate like sand. oh and a 9 on the Red Empress pic 

here's my 100g front tank with some swords as dithers and food.


----------



## cjacob316

9 jbr, here are a few rough shots of my 29 gallon tang


----------



## cichlidpastor

*aandfsoccr04*
I have to be honest. I'm totally not into the castles and other assorted architecture, but that's just me. And the gravel is kind of unnatural. But you said it was a work in progress and so for now I'll give you a 5.

Here is my 125. It is a work in progress but it's getting close to what I am after.


----------



## ladybugzcrunch

Really nice! 8/10. What are the blue things, valves of some sort? I love those big black rocks!! The one light colored rock sticking straight up looks a little out of place but over all the tank looks great. Can't wait to see the end product if this is the work in progress! Here's my 40g; it is a little blurry but you get the idea. I tried to crop the photo to get rid of the stand but it did not work out quite right. I got a yawn and everything!


----------



## cichlidpastor

ladybugzcrunch said:


> What are the blue things, valves of some sort?


Those are my mid-level intakes for my emperors. I usually just keep them closed.


----------



## infotech

Nice tank LadyBug. I like the big rocks and the plants mixed in. I'll give it a solid 8.

Here is my first cichlid setup. I found the holey rock at a local land scaping supply store. I haven't been able to find any suitable taller ones, but I'm going to check back at the place periodically.


----------



## cjacob316

what no one has any input for mine?


----------



## infotech

cjacob316 said:


> what no one has any input for mine?


Since it said "rate the tank above yours", I rated the tank above mine. I assumed every one else did the same.. but I'll rate it.

I'd give yours a 6

I'm not a big fan of plastic plants. I'd also move the pip from the center of the tank to one side. I like your rocks.


----------



## cjacob316

yeah i just don't like keeping up with real plants, and i can't move the filter because it's the only open space in the hood but thanks about the rocks, I plan to add more


----------



## eddy

I would go 7 on the last tank with 8 being the highest possible with equipt showing or without a 3d background. I gotta save 8 and 9 for those with no visible equipt and/or 3d backgrounds.

Here is mine.......ignore the yellow lab he is my wild caught and just visiting until a get another African tank going.........He tries to breed my Dempsey and the Dempsey does actually play along.

The oscars are about 10 inches for size reference.


----------



## rarefaction

Hey eddy, nice... :thumb:


----------



## biggcountry

Eddy, Looks very nice, dark and evil almost... 8.8/10

Here's mine...


----------



## mightyevil

biggcountry said:


> Eddy, Looks very nice, dark and evil almost... 8.8/10
> 
> Here's mine...


Love the nice clean look of this tank, like the white sand and the sweet rock work!

I rate it 8.5 :thumb:

I guess I'm next!


----------



## mmz3

ill give it a 6. very nice 3d background but little plain else were.

here is mine getting overhauled tommorow so ill post new pics when done


----------



## mightyevil

mmz3 said:


> ill give it a 6. very nice 3d background but little plain else were.


  Wow, lower than I expected!

Bottom is plain but I want to make some caves out of some type of rock, I have not found any that will match my background but I think that slate wont be too bad. I also want to put real plants and a section with shells in case of fry. Definitely a work in progress.


----------



## mmz3

mightyevil said:


> mmz3 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ill give it a 6. very nice 3d background but little plain else were.
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, lower than I expected!
> 
> Bottom is plain but I want to make some caves out of some type of rock, I have not found any that will match my background but I think that slate wont be too bad. I also want to put real plants and a section with shells in case of fry. Definitely a work in progress.
Click to expand...

don't get me wrong it is very nice just not my style i guess


----------



## mmz3

no one rated my tank so ill give it a 4 and here is my new set up. not perfect but my fish seem to like it better


----------



## Oscar Madison

mmz3 said:


> no one rated my tank so ill give it a 4 and here is my new set up. not perfect but my fish seem to like it better


I don't "rate" a tank with a number. It looks very nice and if you are happy with it and your fish are happy with it then that is all that matters!!!

:thumb:


----------



## Riceburner

mmz3,
the re-do looks much better...more natural and less "constructed". Needs a background. I won't rate it as I don't have a pic of any of mine to post....but it's up there.


----------



## NOLACLS

mmz3 said:


> no one rated my tank so ill give it a 4 and here is my new set up. not perfect but my fish seem to like it better


Much better after the revamp...id say a 7...id also put a background on it.

I dont have any recent pics...but I do have some vid's...hope thats ok 

8' 240gal all male hap/peacock with a splash of Mbuna tank...2 x 400w MH for lights...the quality isn't the best so you loose some of the shimmer from the MH lights (can see it some in the closer vid). I wouldn't mind trying a plant or two (java fern really) but the wife prefers it without...sooooo lol

opcorn:

Full view






Closer so you can see the fish better


----------



## Comic Sans

Beautiful fish! And I envy your driftwood.

Great tank, only critique would be that the rockwork seems "placed," I'd make it a little more random, maybe pile some. All in all very minor though, I give it 8.75.

Mine has changed quite substantially sinc eI last added to this thread, so let's give it a second spin around...


----------



## NOLACLS

ill take that...as for the rocks they are kinda just placed...but I wanted to keep the rock work very simple like that so poop doesnt settle in the rock piles and some of these fish will get 10-12" so I will need the room. As it is now when I do water changes I really only have to drain and fill...the sand keeps the poo on top and the current and 2 x xp3 help suck it out along with the overflows.

and yeah The big wood on the right is pretty killer I think...I had it for probably 2 years before it went in a tank...when I saw it in the lfs I had to have it for one day. Hard to tell in the vid but it makes a Y not only from left to right...but on the left side of it its split to the front and back.

and thats a sharp 29gal u have there. Is that how the lighting is or is it from the pic....


----------



## Comic Sans

All valid points, and I totally hear you. Just speaking from aesthetics.

You got that wood at an LFS?!?! Wow I'm jealous. Mine only has smallish pieces and nothing super exciting. Do you know what type of wood it is? And I have the opposite problem from you. When I got the slate I removed the plants (thought it looked great) and the GF's first response was "what did you do! Put the plants back!"

And thanks on my tank, that is the lighting. Currently the light is masked off with a piece of tin foil, with three holes to create the effect you see. Tomorrow that is going to be replaced with a laminated piece of black posterboard. In person the shadow isn't quite as pure black, but it's a pretty accurate photo.


----------



## NOLACLS

Comic Sans said:


> All valid points, and I totally hear you. Just speaking from aesthetics.
> 
> You got that wood at an LFS?!?! Wow I'm jealous. Mine only has smallish pieces and nothing super exciting. Do you know what type of wood it is? And I have the opposite problem from you. When I got the slate I removed the plants (thought it looked great) and the GF's first response was "what did you do! Put the plants back!"
> 
> And thanks on my tank, that is the lighting. Currently the light is masked off with a piece of tin foil, with three holes to create the effect you see. Tomorrow that is going to be replaced with a laminated piece of black posterboard. In person the shadow isn't quite as pure black, but it's a pretty accurate photo.


lol...then your really not going to like that I got it for free along with another piece that didnt fit in the tank but is pretty cool too. The guy at the lfs owed me some $ and I took it in trade lol. I knew I would have a big tank for it one day...tank is 8x2x2 so the one on the right is BIG. On the slate it was called monster swamp cypress...and I dont have tannin problems that I have ever been able to tell so win win.

I dig that kind of lighting. The next tank I setup I might do that too...but this one I had the MH laying around and you cant beat the shimmer effect you get from them.


----------



## Comic Sans

****. I thought it might be cypress. I've never seen it really available here in the great white north.

I like the dim lighting, fish gliding in and out of shadow. Fake plants though, I really need to replace mine with some nice silk swords or something.


----------



## NOLACLS

lol...and im in way south Louisiana...tons of cypress here 

yeah the dim lighting is very cool...next setup will be something like that.


----------



## **CHRIS**

breeding pair of jd's.... camera sucks and they were hiding srry... yes fake plants suck but these two will shred anything live so im stuck with the fake for now...


----------



## S&amp;T

Nice tank and great looking fish. I don't really want to rate it but if I have to I'd give it a 8

The water is a bit cloudy from adding some new rock and I have yet to make a background, but here's my 55 gal.










Here is is with the flash for a clearer shot of the inside. I have yet to master the picture taking :lol:


----------



## rpc07

I'll play along

I give the tank above me an 8 its very clean and i like the free swimming space in the middle good spot to show off some fish :thumb:

Heres mine, 55g with a diy 10g wet/dry and fluval 304









Left side








Right side








Diy wet/dry


----------



## bertolli

mmz3 ur original set up was so cool, it looked like a super sick fish city even if it looked unnatural, I give the old one a 9 and the new a 6.

Tank above mine I give a 6.5 it is nice i especially like the colors but there is so much unused space on the top, easily can be a 9 with a bit more rock work, very clean look tho i like it.

horrible photo but here is my tank....


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## Fishbulb2

I rank the tank above as a 7. I really like the use of different rock shapes and particularly the large flat rock the left. Try to hide the airlines though.

My tank below.










Another view.










Closer up










Rock column










And sump/filter









Fishbulb


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## Oscar Madison

Fishbulb2, nice tank!

Interesting piece of holey rock.


----------



## Fishbulb2

Thanks Oscar. I just added the vertical column this weekend and really like how it turned out. It brings the fish all the way up to the surface where it projects out the top. It's also been a nice conversation piece with company. People seem to like it.

FB


----------



## bertolli

its like a stripper pole for fish.... how did u get it to stay together?


----------



## Fishbulb2

bertolli said:


> its like a stripper pole for fish.... how did u get it to stay together?


Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen them wear any clothes.

I used reef putty and then used 5 minute epoxy. I didn't trust the putty too much but the combination worked really well. The top is strapped to a dowel outside of the water.


----------



## iCichlid

Impressed! I love how uncluttered and simple yet very sophisticated!

You filter on the other hand, intimidates me! One day I'd love to know what all the pieces are and what they do! You water looks great!

10 out of 10 Fishies for you!


----------



## iCichlid

Here is mine

Below are a few photos of my tank...

Full Tank View









Close Up Views

























I'm very new at Cichlids, this is week 3!


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## Oscar Madison

bertolli said:


> its like a stripper pole for fish.... how did u get it to stay together?


HA!


----------



## Oscar Madison

iCichlid said:


> Impressed! I love how uncluttered and simple yet very sophisticated!
> 
> You filter on the other hand, intimidates me! One day I'd love to know what all the pieces are and what they do! You water looks great!
> 
> 10 out of 10 Fishies for you!


Yeah I think you hit the nail on the head.


----------



## Oscar Madison

iCichlid said:


> Here is mine
> 
> Below are a few photos of my tank...
> 
> Full Tank View
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Close Up Views
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm very new at Cichlids, this is week 3!


I think it looking great. The critics may come out about the lack of a background.


----------



## iCichlid

There's a background; solid black. What you're seeing is the reflection off the background. Forgot to turn the lights off in the room first... oops 

Thank you for the feedback!


----------



## Oscar Madison

Ooops, yeah I see it know.

Sorry


----------



## justinf67

i give it a 7. im not a fan of the rock, but it does look very functional for the fish....

been trying to get my own tank up to snuff, and I added some stuff again. heres before:









rescaped....

























now, i just need my sisters camera for a bit to get some decent pics of it....


----------



## mcpingeton

I give the one above me a 8.5. It looks so peaceful
Here's my 75g this is my first tank so all opinions and suggestions are much appreciated!


----------



## kfig7

I'll give your tank a 6.

Not sure I like the colored gravel and a black background would also help a lot.

Heres my 75 Gallon Saulosi tank. Pics are from my phone so quality is pretty bad.


----------



## calebjimz

I like the tank, i just dont think that the rocks match. everything in the tank should look sleek and either smooth, or straight, if you can understand what im getting at. the rocks just look jumbled and the look of the rocks just look too.... holey? i do like the grass and the sand to go with a black background though. ill give it a 6.5

speaking of backgrounds... WHAT DO I DO!


----------



## mmz3

> I like the tank, i just dont think that the rocks match. everything in the tank should look sleek and either smooth, or straight, if you can understand what im getting at. the rocks just look jumbled and the look of the rocks just look too.... holey? i do like the grass and the sand to go with a black background though. ill give it a 6.5


i disagree completly i LOVE the look of the rock :drooling: it looks like he made if from hot lava the way it flows together i give a 9.5 i just posted my tank, but i had to saysomething so he wouldn't go change it drasticly!


----------



## Comic Sans

calebjimz said:


> speaking of backgrounds... WHAT DO I DO!


Personally not a fan of blue, so I'd switch to black, but thats it! A floating plant might be nice too...


----------



## barrem

When you say "what do I do," what kind of suggestions are you looking for? My first suggestion would be a black background. I think it would contrast well with the rock, substrate, and plants. If you're thinking about a DIY background, I'm not sure. I've never made one. The rockwork looks a little planned, but not over-the-top. I like the placement of the plants, too. I'll give it a 7, but think it could be higher with a darker background.

I rescaped my tank a little bit, but I'm not entirely happy with it. I'd like to create some bigger openings into the rock pile, but it is hard to do with the relatively small pieces of coral. The fish are able to disappear into it pretty easily, though, especially since they're all about 2" or less right now.










Closer picture of my dominant Maingano (and some smaller Rusties and a Cynotilapia sp. Lion).


----------



## calebjimz

barrem said:


> When you say "what do I do," what kind of suggestions are you looking for?


can i stick the black background over the blue while its underwater??? i dont think i can and if not, should i take apart everything and start from scratch?


----------



## barrem

Your background is on the inside of the tank? I think most people put them on the outside. I would slide the blue background out (if you can) and then put the black on the outside, sliding it underneath the filter. Or is your background painted on?


----------



## calebjimz

its an acrylic tank with a blue acrylic sheet as the background


----------



## dig_it2

"Barrem" - I give you a 7. Maybe add something to the right side of the tank. Also, use the height of the tank. I need to do this more as well I think but just starting out. 

Here is my tank to rate:


----------



## chris777

dig_it2, I give yours a 7.5 As you stated i would like to see you use the height of the tank more as well 

Here is one of my other tanks. 125g.


----------



## cichlidpastor

Chris, your camera does your tank no justice. But I can see through it. Tons of caves, cichlid paradise. But it needs some color. Maybe a few big fat labs or some plants (I know malawi doesn't have plants). I'll give it 7.5, an 8.5 with some color.

This is my new 75 gal. I replaced my 70 with this one. I like it a lot more than the 70. Same sand, rocks, filters and fish, just different glass. Don't mind the heater, my submersible went on the fritz, so I put that in for the time being. Pretend like its not there, it won't be for long.










Hope you don't mind, I really wanted to share this pic of one of my new Acei's. Not the maingano in the center, but just above and to the right.


----------



## chris777

yea i know my camara sucks plus not very easy to get the whole tank in the picture. I don't like labs there to common for my taste.. Plus not a big yellow fan lol. This tank is still fairly new compared to all of my other ones. Plus i'm looking for some specific fish to add to it which is taking a bit longer to find then expected. Right now all there is in there is a WC white top hara male, WC orange back male, 1M 3F Paralabidochromis sp. "red fin piebald" And 1 Cyrtocara moorii.


----------



## Stellaluna

I would rate the tank above at about an 8 - I'd prefer less symmetry, and the tall plant at the center would do beautifully placed towards the back more to hide the heater. Very clean, though - I know the fish love the rockwork.

Here's the 150-gallon Angel tank:


----------



## ladybugzcrunch

Wow  9.5 at least!!! The only part I dont like is the cabinet handles but that is just personal preference. Heres mine which houses 3 ottos, 9 neon tetras, 2 blue rams, 3 bumblebee goby, 2 blue/2 violet mystery snails, 14 cherry red shrimp, a bamboo shrimp and lots of different kinds of plants. The only thing left that I want to add is a couple FW clams.


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## Raschael

I would give your tropical tank an 8.5. It is very beautiful! I just personally like fewer plants just cause I like to see fish!  Here is our 75. I know most people aren't fond of the "organized" rock work, but it works great for us and our fish love it!


----------



## Comic Sans

Stellaluna said:


> I would rate the tank above at about an 8 - I'd prefer less symmetry, and the tall plant at the center would do beautifully placed towards the back more to hide the heater. Very clean, though - I know the fish love the rockwork.
> 
> Here's the 150-gallon Angel tank:


I hate you. Seriously though GORGEOUS tank  =D> :thumb:


----------



## aFinFan




----------



## aFinFan

Sorry forgot to rate tank above me,Stellaluna's is amazing I give it a 9.99,Raschael and cichlidpastor nice work 8.5,ladybugzcrunch like your little hex give it a 9.So many nice tanks on this thread you guys have inspired me


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## cichlidpastor

*Stellaluna*

Very nice set up. Plants and placing are phenomenal. You have a real eye for what looks good. I have to admit I've never been a fan of angelfish. My Dad used to breed them so I think I must have gotten burned out on them, lol. If i had to rate it (I know I'm not supposed to, leave me alone) I'd give it a very strong 9.6, but a 10 if you had some real cichlids in there :lol:

As far as symmetry in my tank, I have come a long way, I am totally OCD about everything so my tank is actually chaotic for me! Thanks for the advice though


----------



## Stellaluna

cichlidpastor said:


> *Stellaluna*
> 
> I'd give it a very strong 9.6, but a 10 if you had some real cichlids in there :lol:


Well, c'mon - these are wild caught *P. leopoldi* angels - nobody's breeding them, and how often have you seen them available? That oughta coun't for sumthin... :wink:

I've been in the hobby a long time and I went through my angel "phase" many years ago, and had totally crossed them off my list, but these were gorgeous and interesting, so I went for it!


----------



## cichlidpastor

*Stellaluna*

I actually went to your blog. You have some very nice "real" cichlids!


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## Stellaluna

cichlidpastor said:


> *Stellaluna*
> 
> I actually went to your blog. You have some very nice "real" cichlids!


I realized that I don't even have any pics up of the fabulous N. leleupi colony, or the N. pulcher, either - those could improve my reputation, right?


----------



## dwarfpike

cichlidpastor said:


> I'd give it a very strong 9.6, but a 10 if you had some real cichlids in there :lol:


This from someone that keeps malawi tetras???!?!?!??!?!?!? :lol:

*Stelluna* - No, don't admit to keeping those pseudocichlids, it would only harm your reputation, not improve it. :thumb:


----------



## cichlidpastor

dwarfpike said:


> cichlidpastor said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'd give it a very strong 9.6, but a 10 if you had some real cichlids in there :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> This from someone that keeps malawi tetras???!?!?!??!?!?!? :lol:
> 
> *Stelluna* - No, don't admit to keeping those pseudocichlids, it would only harm your reputation, not improve it. :thumb:
Click to expand...

Malawi tetras, that's good! But i do have Haps too, big ones! REAL CICHLIDS!

Oh BTW, good win over USC on Saturday, I watched the end of it.


----------



## Oscar Madison

Comic Sans said:


> Stellaluna said:
> 
> 
> 
> I would rate the tank above at about an 8 - I'd prefer less symmetry, and the tall plant at the center would do beautifully placed towards the back more to hide the heater. Very clean, though - I know the fish love the rockwork.
> 
> Here's the 150-gallon Angel tank:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I hate you. Seriously though GORGEOUS tank  =D> :thumb:
Click to expand...

I have to agree :thumb:


----------



## cichlids _killer

Oscar Madison said:


> Comic Sans said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stellaluna said:
> 
> 
> 
> I would rate the tank above at about an 8 - I'd prefer less symmetry, and the tall plant at the center would do beautifully placed towards the back more to hide the heater. Very clean, though - I know the fish love the rockwork.
> 
> Here's the 150-gallon Angel tank:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I hate you. Seriously though GORGEOUS tank  =D> :thumb:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I have to agree :thumb:
Click to expand...

me too :thumb: opcorn:


----------



## robertw

Didn't know whos tank to rank, Stellaluna, your tank easily a 9.5. Love the plants, and the drift wood, great tank.

Here's my current setup. I will apologize for the plants now, the africans just love to destroy them lol.









And the new residents, the other two were hiding.


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## mel_cp6

robertw, i give your tank an 8.
your water is crystal clear and very nice fishes.

here's my tank after my 3rd attempt at aquascaping.


----------



## 007Rick

Sweet set up! Your fronts look great. I'll give it an 9 on 10. I think it could use some rock in the middle.

Here is my 100g


----------



## chris1187

8.5 - Beautiful Stocking, great background... but if it were me i'd have all the same colour or rock in there... but i think its a personal preference thing...

This is my new Tang Community setup its a 35 US Gal, probably a bit premature for me to be here as i'm still cycling and working out my stock - but I'm very proud this far.


----------



## Zack2112

*chris1187*

I really really do like your tank. Its very simple, but well put together. My only suggestion is to add more shells around the left side of the tank and be prepared to keep adding shells as your colony grows. I have a little 20 high shellie tank that started with 4 multies. It now homes over 30. I cant wait to see some fish in this tank. I will give you an 7.5 for now, it can only go up once you get it stocked. great job so far and I cant wait to see it once its up and running :thumb: .

here is my 55 blackwater tank.I still need to tweak a few things but im happy with the direction its going thus far.


----------



## Benaiah

Time for this lurker to hop in on this thread.

The tank above fits the blackwater type very nicely. I especially like the leaves on the substrate. I think it could still use something else for visual interest -- not sure exactly what. As a result I give it a very solid 7.

Here's my tank, 55 mixed malawi, newly re-scaped:


----------



## Oscar Madison

Benaiah, nice tank and not overly crowded :thumb:


----------



## iCichlid

I agree! Very nice, Benaiah!

I've made a few changes to my rocks. I'm going to replace the white tufa next to the Texas Holey rock as soon as my LFS has a nice slab of Lace Rock to bring it all together.










Most of my fish are still hiding in all the new caves!


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## Oscar Madison

iCichlid, I love the substrate.

Is it a mixature of sand?


----------



## iCichlid

*Oscar Madison*,

It's CaribSea Eco-Complete African Cichlid Sand; 80 lbs.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/reviews/view_product_details.php?id=994


----------



## adir25507

Mixed malawi 200 liter 26 cichlids and 1 pleco


----------



## sasquatch-exists

I love the TX rock, it has a nice effect. Watch out for that chipokae, **** get aggressive! :wink: 
i give it 6-7.


----------



## infotech

Coinsidering it's unfinished, I'll say yours is a solid 5. You really need a background. Is that a heater standing vertical on the right of the picture? You could probably hide that by lathing it down. The gravel looks a bit tick.

You have a lot of good swimming space for the fish. The rock work and plants look pretty nice. A little more work and you'll be there!

Here's my 75 gallon mbuna/hap. 4 yellow labs and two Tawain Reef fish so far.


----------



## Strohs58

Infotech,

Very nice...I give it a solid 8. Add some additional colorfull cichlids, and you'll be set.

I'm still trying to find the right background for this...


----------



## dig_it2

I'd give it a 6.5. Nice fish! I would have a black background and even change to a light sand subtrate but that's just personal preference. 

Here is my first tank (so far), I would love to find some decent priced Holey Rock or Lace Rock for this tank instead of the huge range of rocks I have so far.


----------



## sasquatch-exists

*Strohs58* u have an amazing tank there!!!
Thanks for the comment about my tank, i'll get a pic of my new one soon.


----------



## Strohs58

Thank you. I appreciate the comment. Im trying to achieve a flooded swamp look with a lot of broken tree limbs and live flooded treee leaves at the top. I think I stll need some more wood, and I did put a black background on it. So I'll have to update the pictures once I get that accomplished.


----------



## sasquatch-exists

yea, sure! I'm looking forward to seeing it! I still need to get some more pics of my new tank!


----------



## Isis24

dig_it2, I give your tank a 6. The water looks cloudy, but I don't know if that's the water, or if it's the camera. My camera always makes my tanks look a bit cloudy, when in reality the water is quite clear. The placement of rocks and wood looks unnatural, which is the major reason that I gave your tank a 6. I prefer my tanks to have a more natural look, but what's most important is that YOU like your tank, and that your fish like it too! I'm sure they don't mind the extra caves  Lastly,there are also the fake plants there that brought down the rating.

Here's my 125:


















There are 18 red eye tetras that fill out the top, but I had just rescaped when I took that picture so they were hiding from me!


----------



## bfg112

Isis24 said:


>


What is that fish in the front? Looks like a severum, but I've never seen a red one. Beautiful fish.


----------



## mightyevil

Red Head Severum!


----------



## dwarfpike

It's a rotkeil sev ... often shortened to rottie or called a red shouldered sev. Sometimes called a redhead, which is confusing becuase a redheaded sev is a differant species all together.


----------



## fish_addiction

Isis24 said:


> dig_it2, I give your tank a 6. The water looks cloudy, but I don't know if that's the water, or if it's the camera. My camera always makes my tanks look a bit cloudy, when in reality the water is quite clear. The placement of rocks and wood looks unnatural, which is the major reason that I gave your tank a 6. I prefer my tanks to have a more natural look, but what's most important is that YOU like your tank, and that your fish like it too! I'm sure they don't mind the extra caves  Lastly,there are also the fake plants there that brought down the rating.
> 
> Here's my 125:
> 
> There are 18 red eye tetras that fill out the top, but I had just rescaped when I took that picture so they were hiding from me!


I'd give it a solid 8. A little bit of work with the lighting would be nice as well as the exposed filtration, but overall, it's very impressive. I love the amazon look. You have definately achieved the natural look.

My 110 is still in progress, but here it is.


----------



## dig_it2

Isis24 said:


> dig_it2, I give your tank a 6. The water looks cloudy, but I don't know if that's the water, or if it's the camera. My camera always makes my tanks look a bit cloudy, when in reality the water is quite clear. The placement of rocks and wood looks unnatural, which is the major reason that I gave your tank a 6. I prefer my tanks to have a more natural look, but what's most important is that YOU like your tank, and that your fish like it too! I'm sure they don't mind the extra caves  Lastly,there are also the fake plants there that brought down the rating.[/quote
> 
> I have since purchased and installed an FX5 so my water is crystal clear now!!  Best purchase EVER!! Also, I thought the fake plants looks to cheap in the tank as well. What should I do with height in the tank? I used the corners to help build a stack of rocks but what about the middle? Thanks!!!


----------



## Danzx6r

I havent got my tank up and running yet but just want to say, well done to all of you on amazing tank set-ups!

Dan :thumb:


----------



## justinf67




----------



## justinf67

double post, sorry


----------



## fish_addiction

justinf67 said:


> double post, sorry


Nice, but nobody has rated my tank :-? The 6 was for the tank that was 2 spots above me.


----------



## justinf67

fish_addiction said:


> justinf67 said:
> 
> 
> 
> double post, sorry
> 
> 
> 
> Nice, but nobody has rated my tank :-? The 6 was for the tank that was 2 spots above me.
Click to expand...

Okay, I did not notice that. I'd have to give you a 6.5... things that were not to my liking were:
it seems you are using two different lights. left and right look way different... you have a couple pieces of holey rock which are nice, but dont flow with the smooth rocks u have on the left. I also think you need more rocks to set it off. depends on what u stock i guess...

I do like your tank, but like you said, its in progress. my opinion is similar rocks flow better than mixing two or 3 different kinds. I had the same thing in my tank. I had holey rock and another rock, and i can say now, it looks much better with one kind... only my opinion, if you love it, thats all that matters 

PS, You didnt rate mine, lol...


----------



## fish_addiction

justinf67 said:


> fish_addiction said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> justinf67 said:
> 
> 
> 
> double post, sorry
> 
> 
> 
> Nice, but nobody has rated my tank :-? The 6 was for the tank that was 2 spots above me.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Okay, I did not notice that. I'd have to give you a 6.5... things that were not to my liking were:
> it seems you are using two different lights. left and right look way different... you have a couple pieces of holey rock which are nice, but dont flow with the smooth rocks u have on the left. I also think you need more rocks to set it off. depends on what u stock i guess...
> 
> I do like your tank, but like you said, its in progress. my opinion is similar rocks flow better than mixing two or 3 different kinds. I had the same thing in my tank. I had holey rock and another rock, and i can say now, it looks much better with one kind... only my opinion, if you love it, thats all that matters
> 
> PS, You didnt rate mine, lol...
Click to expand...

Yah, i had broken one of my 50/50 bulbs at the time of the pic, so I had one 50/50 and one 6700K  . It looks better now with two 50/50s. I had all holey rock, which kinda looked like a fake reef setup, so I rook some out and have half and half. I may try all river rock :-? I don't know. I have about 150 lbs worth in there right now and still li could use more. But If we were "finished" with our tanks, then it would be time to move on to a different hobby right :lol:

I'd definately rate your tank at least a 6.49  I really like the lighting and the live plants (what kind are they btw?) I'm not much of a fan of the stacked rock look, kinda looks man made,but it's perfect for Mbuna. That's been my problem, trying to fill a 30" tall aquarium with rocks without it looking like bricks and mortar. :?


----------



## iCichlid

I'll give you both 8's based on functionality -vs- design.

This section would be great it was like a real "star" rating. Kind of like how you-tube does it.

Here is the latest shot of my tank...


----------



## justinf67

> Yah, i had broken one of my 50/50 bulbs at the time of the pic, so I had one 50/50 and one 6700K  . It looks better now with two 50/50s. I had all holey rock, which kinda looked like a fake reef setup, so I rook some out and have half and half. I may try all river rock :-? I don't know. I have about 150 lbs worth in there right now and still li could use more. But If we were "finished" with our tanks, then it would be time to move on to a different hobby right :lol:
> 
> I'd definately rate your tank at least a 6.49  I really like the lighting and the live plants (what kind are they btw?) I'm not much of a fan of the stacked rock look, kinda looks man made,but it's perfect for Mbuna. That's been my problem, trying to fill a 30" tall aquarium with rocks without it looking like bricks and mortar. :?


I appreciate your honesty, lol. for me i need the stacked rock. theres 24 mbuna and 5 syno petricola in my tank that need their crevices. on the right side of the tank, I got it a little more natural looking. I will never be done changing mine,  The plants in my tank are corkscrew val and anubia.

For your tank, in my opinon, more river rock would look great. it doesnt have to be stacked huge or look manmade. just let them form natural crevices. right now looks a little empty is all...fyi, I have probably 120-150 or so pounds of rock in mine. and mine is a 55 gallon.

icichlid, yours is very functional looking. I give it a 7.75.only downside to me is the slate pieces dont mesh and the fish can hurt themselves on the sharp edges...the holey rock will look better with some algae, but that will happen soon enough  good job otherwise!


----------



## iCichlid

You're right about the slate! It's sent one to the hospital already! He's appears to be recovering. He's on Pima and Mela fix.

[link to injured fish] http://gallery.me.com/chrisyencer/100016/IMG_3358/web.jpg?ver=12561389800001

The holy rock is new and i'm waiting for the algae! I leave the light on for 12hrs a day!

I'll be removing it this weekend when i do my cleaning. I saw some new holey and lace rock at the LFS to swap it out with! But not bad for less then 2 months  Thanks for the feedback!


----------



## Electrophyste

got some new drift wood from the beach cured it all up and drilled slate to it. here is the 75 gallon Sevrum, FM, bichir tank


----------



## Floridagirl

I give the tank above me a 7.5. It has serious promise...I love the driftwood placement. I would like to see a background (black would be nice) and real plants. :thumb:

My 5 ft 100 gallon WC Mikula Quad


----------



## Electrophyste

Floridagirl said:


> I give the tank above me a 7.5. It has serious promise...I love the driftwood placement. I would like to see a background (black would be nice) and real plants. :thumb:


*** been looking into getting a BG, as for live plants, i would love to but the FM and the plecos dig all over. if my royal cant fit under to get where he wants to, he just wiggles till he can, making a big dust clowed and sand piles..... EVERYWHERE. they would be up rooted in a day. i so wish i could though.


----------



## sasquatch-exists

Floridagirl, Amazing set-up! i give it a 10, it'd be a 9.5 at the least, given someone else may find fault with it. Clean and simple! :thumb:


----------



## tsmi031

I've been looking into getting a BG, as for live plants, i would love to but the FM and the plecos dig all over. if my royal cant fit under to get where he wants to, he just wiggles till he can, making a big dust clowed and sand piles..... EVERYWHERE. they would be up rooted in a day. i so wish i could though.[/quote]

Go with plants live java fern and java moss that dont require special lighting and prefer to be attached to driftwood and rockwork (as apposed to being planted in the substrate) ... just an idea


----------



## Floridagirl

sasquatch-exists said:


> Floridagirl, Amazing set-up! i give it a 10, it'd be a 9.5 at the least, given someone else may find fault with it. Clean and simple! :thumb:


Thanks!

tsmi031,

I agree hard to have rooted plants, but Java Fern would be awesome. You can also pick up Anubias already attached to driftwood. Both of these work well with about 1-1.5 WPG.


----------



## Neogenesis

Florida,

I would have to agree with the above comments, and I rate you as a 8.5 as you have a incredible start.

Here is a current shot of my tank. I just moved into this 125G and still need more rock and for the plants to grow out, but that's all I've got for now.

Regards,

Scott


----------



## cichlidhopper

Neogenesis,

I like the rock, but stacked to high for my liking. I prefer to leave swimming room if they want it.
Very clean tank, and appears well kept. In my opinion much more important than structure.
Very nice job over all.

I will give you a 8









1-Kenyi
1-Red Zebra
1-OB Zebra
1-White Tail Acei Ngara
1-Yellow Lab
1-Msobo
1-Albino Greshaki
1-Chinese Algae Eater
1-Aquatech 30/60 Filter
1-Aquatech 20/40 Filter
1-Large Sponge Filter /W Powerhead


----------



## supapoopa

Nice tank! I'd give it a 9.

Here's my new 55g. Just one mystery cichlid, 6 pictus catfish. Camera gave out so i only have cell pics.

Still a work in progress. Next step is to had a whole assortment of anubias, some african fern, and taiwan moss. Probably adding a few more pieces of driftwood.


----------



## myfirstgixxer07

I give that tank a 6. Needs some rock work

This is my 55 Gal that I only had for a few weeks. Still need to get a background. Still new to Cichlids any advice would be appreciated. Had another Tiger Oscar but he decided that he didn't like his old home before I got this one.


----------



## Acorn27

I'll have to give it a 5 in it's current state. You are right about the background and you definately need more rocks (and fish....).

Here's my latest variation (changes with each cleaning). Lots of hiding spots with the flat rock but I need something to give it more height. Also still working on the stocking in the tank.










And with the moonlights:


----------



## D.T.M

^8, love the moonlights, like the contrasting colours of stone, but it looks a little 'arranged'


----------



## Lalib

I love the colors of your fish and the rocks. I give it an 8!


----------



## sasquatch-exists

Ssssssspit_Fire said:


> *the one above me, 6
> 
> My tank:*


HOLY *&%!$!!!!!!!!


----------



## pmac

Here's my 115 gallon mixed tank. Pardon the blurriness, I still can't figure out how some of you people get such nice, clear pictures without using a flash.
[/img]


----------



## sasquatch-exists

Lalib; where did you purchase your tank?


----------



## NetStalker

Pmac, nice tank, I give it a 6.5, I like the look but imho it needs more rocks. More condos for the kiddies. 

Okay be nice its my first go at a Cichlid tank, and I just got my fish in it this week. :thumb:


----------



## Electrophyste

i think that tank woulda looked nice with some tang rock dwellers.


----------



## sasquatch-exists

NetStalker, I'll give you a 6-7. I am picky about tanks being natural looking.  
My unfinished BR tank. 








my rams.


----------



## cjacob316

nice i give it a 6


----------



## sasquatch-exists

Can I get some feed back?

I know it needs a background and some more plants, but what type of plants could I add and how about rocks?

I also know that's not what this tread was made for but it would really help me out.


----------



## cjacob316

yeah i think black paint makes a huge difference on the back

also just adding more plants to create for cover for the fish, maybe some rocks


----------



## sasquatch-exists

Thanks!
Do you know of any good plants I can use to cover a intake for a HOB filter?

Sorry for being off topic, I wont continue asking off topic questions so the rest of ya'll can get back to the point of the tread. :wink:


----------



## ladybugzcrunch

To hide your intake, try a nice tall Amazon sword. Also, I would turn that wood upside down so that the T is in the sand. Or even lay it down flat. That is a really nice piece but it looks odd like that. If you really like the wood like that you should put big slanted rocks on one side of the base. It just looks too symmetric like this wood is what we are to look at when we look at the tank instead of looking for fish Rams like plants as do neons. You should add many more. Any high temp plant should do great just remember to fertilize. It is lovely though. Good job so far :thumb:


----------



## Matt1986

cjacob316,

I'll give your tank a 7 - I like the minimalism and the biotopical correctness, but I think you could do with a few more rocks to make a backdrop for those shellies!

I've just finished re-scaping my 60 Gal into a similar setup for my Similis - please excuse the glass cleaner!










Matt


----------



## sasquatch-exists

Thanks for the responses for my tank. And Matt1986, great set up!


----------



## cjacob316

i was thinking about going across the back with some val


----------



## Matt1986

Yeah, val would look good too :thumb:


----------



## Yajna

Matt1986,
Looks Great! I really like the size, shape and proportion of your rocks.

Here's mine...
It's my first mbuna tank. Experimenting with java fern and corkscrew val as well. Took some impromptu pics and thought I'd learn how to post them by joining this thread....


----------



## Malawi_Marc

*Yajna*

I give it 8/10....good look a bit more natural but still very pleasing on the eye :thumb:

Here's my late 6fter malawi setup


----------



## Malawi_Marc

Click the pic


----------



## Matt1986

Marc, what a great tank!

9/10 for sure, I love the stocking, lighting and natural/minimalist feel - in fact, the only change I'd make would be to have a uniform rock type over an assortment, but that's just my taste.

This prompts me to post my other recently established tank, I think it has some similarities at least










Matt


----------



## OceanDevil

I cant see much lol, but its very clean and pleasant. 8/10

here is my 300 gallon CA tank


----------



## non_compliance

D.T.M said:


> ^8, love the moonlights, like the contrasting colours of stone, but it looks a little 'arranged'


This is one of the coolest tanks I have seen in a while. It really REALLY reminds me of what lake Malawi looks like... nice job.

Just so everyone can see, watch this video at 50 seconds in...






Also, malawi marc did a real nice job.


----------



## Sulander

Matt1986 said:


> This prompts me to post my other recently established tank, I think it has some similarities at least
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Matt


Great natural looking tank Matt. Do you have any more pics of it?


----------



## mrs.som

Yours looks cool but not sure about the moon lights either...would like to see with regular lights. I'd give it about a 7.

Here's mine below
[/img]http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs099.snc3/16646_1126903942320_1518835223_30295236_5790980_n.jpg[/img]

Main attraction: Bolivian Ram Quartet (though hiding when picture was taken).


----------



## Matt1986

Sulander said:


> Matt1986 said:
> 
> 
> 
> This prompts me to post my other recently established tank, I think it has some similarities at least
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Matt
> 
> 
> 
> Great natural looking tank Matt. Do you have any more pics of it?
Click to expand...

Not yet, the difficulty is that it's a big tank (6x2x2) with not much space opposite it, making it hard to get a full tank shot. Also, being a Frontosa tank it's not lit very brightly so I've had a hard tme properly exposing it. I might take a tripod to it and see what I can do..

Edit: Here are a couple more pics taken using the tripod, though I'm still not happy with the photos under actinic lighting, it looks much better in reality..

With Actinic:









Without Actinic:


----------



## myfirstgixxer07

Matt1986 I give it a 7.5. would be higher but I think it needs something tall in there like a nice peice of driftwood. I like it though

I reworked my 55 by adding a background, more rock work, a peice of driftwood, some fake plants and a few more fish. Please give me some suggestions on how to make this better. I just got back into aquariums a few months back and looking to get a nice little setup. Thanks


----------



## SharkSSM

hmmm, i give a 7, i love the back ground, really looks like rippling water

and heres mine: (a soon to be Tanganyikan tank)


----------



## NetStalker

Looks really clean and sharp. I give the tank a 6, primarly cause it has no fish in it.....but when it does, repost. Im sure it will get a higher score.

Repost of mine after adding 200lbs of additional rock on the left. Few more plants to add in the back, but you get the feel for what Im going for.

Credit the great picture to my wife, she is a wiz with the camera.










Regards,

NS

:fish:


----------



## Oscar Madison

NetStalker said:


> Looks really clean and sharp. I give the tank a 6, primarly cause it has no fish in it.....but when it does, repost. Im sure it will get a higher score.
> 
> Repost of mine after adding 200lbs of additional rock on the left. Few more plants to add in the back, but you get the feel for what Im going for.
> 
> Credit the great picture to my wife, she is a wiz with the camera.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> NS
> 
> :fish:


 :thumb:


----------



## mrs.som

Beautiful!!! 8/10 for me...I would have rated it higher if not for the background


----------



## NetStalker

I would give it a 7, interesting on using different substrate on each side of the tank thats something I have not seen before, Also, I like your background, its a picture of you... :thumb:

Always remember boys and girls to be fully clothed when taking pictures of your tank for posting... :wink:


----------



## sabertstxvii

that looks really cool!


----------



## mrs.som

Haha
I was fully clothed thank you very much! 
Yeah, that is the tricky part of taking pics of my tank. The mirror-back makes it virtually impossible not to get your own reflection...ah well....


----------



## lv8pv

sasquatch-exists said:


> Ssssssspit_Fire said:
> 
> 
> 
> *the one above me, 6
> 
> My tank:*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HOLY *&%!$!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

What light are used here. Would love if the tank owner could elaborate about what lights he/she use.

I love the lighting in this thank (and of course the overall setup)


----------



## Matt1986

lv8pv,

It's a very photo heavy thread, but if you check out http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=184519 there is a great story about the origins and design of that tank, and there is a glimpse of the lighting. I'm no expert but it looks like a lot (512 Watts according to the owner) of actinic and white (10,000 K maybe?) T5 lighting.

Either way, check it out, it's a great thread; that tank has quite a story behind it!

Matt


----------



## lv8pv

Thank you very much Matt1986

Edit. Ah I have seen that thread before. Nice tank, but the dud was hard to like =)


----------



## LILJAY




----------



## robertw

Acrylic tank ftl.


----------



## cjacob316

turning off the lights in front of the tank will get rid of that mirror effect

edit: or painting the back black or blue! although i wouldn't complain if a girl forgot her clothes while taking a pic, it would make a great background and win tank of the month imo


----------



## mrs.som

Yes, that would work for most tanks, but not mine 
The mirror-back is actually "painted" on and I bought it like that from the store.
It looks awesome unless I'm trying to take a picture...lol.


----------



## robertw

Forgot to rate the tank above me, LILJAY that tank definitely gets a 9.5. To be honest I don't know how much better that tank can get, other than a few more live plants. Love the background, substrate and rock layout. All looks very natural. Plus the fish don't look half bad either lol.

Nice setup man.


----------



## LG0815

my first tank 
i know that the plants are plastic waiting to get plants when i have the cash

55 
Fish 
1 gold severum 
1 parrot fish 
1 segnel bichir

filters 
1 350 marineland bio wheel 
2 fluval 405s 
and 2 aqua clear 70 running ugf 
NOW THE TANK

veiw from my couch 

















the bichir trying to hide for a bichir he is really active 









my sev and parrot fish


----------



## LG0815

another tank the 10 gallon

fish 
8 neons 
6 cories 
2 rainbows 
lots of ghost shrimp

before 









after


----------



## [email protected]

i would add some wood and a back ground, to complement the plants. still a bit to go!


----------



## pugwash

LG0815 - 5/10 Your half way there, and would have to echo Tom's comments. Prefer your 10G to your 55G too, looks more natural :thumb:

Do I get to rate Tom's tank above me :drooling:

Anyway, here's mine:


----------



## bmweiler09

pugwash I give yours a 8 I really like the driftwood on top really looks unique!
I usually prefer bigger/different shaped rocks but the ones you have work well.
nice job =D>

heres mine:


----------



## SharkSSM

Ill give it a 6 just personl prefernce but i prefer a black backgroun and rounded rocks,

hjere is mine, re jigged and with fish: Neolamprologus Brciardi Tank


----------



## jagz

very nice!! I'll give it a 7....


----------



## kmuda

To keep it going, here is my Oscar tank.










For me, the tank is almost secondary, what is under and beside the tank is important. :lol:














































To think... this hobby is about the fish. :lol:


----------



## Strohs58

You need all that? 

Whats the long PVC pipe do for you?


----------



## kmuda

Strohs58 said:


> You need all that?
> 
> Whats the long PVC pipe do for you?


Do I _need_ all of that? Probably not. :lol:

But "all of that" is allowing me to maintain zero nitrate creep in that tank, which is what the long pipe helps with. It's a Denitrate Tower. I'm about to replace it, I've built a new one I will be replacing it with in the next few weeks. It's even bigger. My daughter calls it "King Kong's Bong" and my wife calls it "the ugly green thing", as in "where is that ugly green thing going?"


----------



## Strohs58

So if you don't need all those canisters why have them all running?

My wife would never accept a huge tower like that in the Living room. :wink:


----------



## cjacob316

you're going to have to explain how that thing works


----------



## kmuda

Each canister serves a different function. The 2217 is filled with Matrix, for biomedia and denitrification. The C-360 is filled with mechanical and biomedia, primarily with nitrification in mind. The 2215 is primarily mechanical, but does contain lava rock, again with denitrification in mind. The Magnum Hot on the sump is filled with SeaChem Matrix, again with denitrification in mind. The "sponge bed" in the sump serves the same function as a remote deep sand bed on a salt water tank, again, denitrification is the thought. The Micron filter is a prefilter for the Denitrate tower, to prevent clogging of the internal pores of the SeaChem deNitrate media contained within the tower, so that denitrification can occur. There is also a Penguin 350 on the main tank, for mechanical filtration, to limit the accumulation of gunk on the biomedia in the fitlers (which is also the primary function of the 2215), again... with limiting nitrates in mind.

I change out (recycle) about 1/3 of my biomedia per month, which having all of the excess allows me to do without concern of a mini-cycle.

Whatever I am doing, it's working. I'm maintaining this tank with zero nitrate creep. So I don't intend to change anything.

I did remove a Magnum 350 that was on the tank also. I figured that one was overkill.


----------



## Strohs58

What ever makes you happy, :thumb: but I wonder if you have enough of a bioload to keep all those filters colonized with bacteria?

:-?


----------



## kmuda

cjacob316 said:


> you're going to have to explain how that thing works


I'll start a new thread on it sometime tomorrow. I don't want to hijack this one.

EDIT:


Strohs58 said:


> What ever makes you happy, :thumb: but I wonder if you have enough of a bioload to keep all those filters colonized with bacteria?
> 
> :-?


This much I know, the tank can survive a 9 hour power outage and not get a hint of ammonia or nitrite following and I can loose a filter and not get the slightest resulting hint of an ammonia or nitrite spike (recently lost a Fluval 404 and replaced it with a 2217, tank ran for a week minus a filter).

And it's running with zero nitrate creep. The excessive filtration plays it's part in this regard, both in sheer volume of media and the fact that the detritus is spread out between them, preventing clogging of the internal pores of the media.


----------



## scales77oi

holy moly!!! im not even gonna get started on what i think of that.....

rate my new refugium.... :lol: 









itll do everything all that does..... :wink: :fish:


----------



## msleber

Holy cow, that's a 11 on filtration and water quality, but I am going to have to go with an 8 on tank setup. Really good assortment of stuff in the tank for Oscars and the fact that it doesn't get removed by the Oscars is a plus. Would like to see a different background though, kind of ruins it for me.

Here's my 55 corner tank that was just redone. I have an 8" Syno. Angelicus, a couple of Yellow Labids and some Rusty/Yellow mutts. There are always fry in the tank, but the Syno. keeps the numbers of survivors low. The background is plexi with textured spray paint on the side that faces the glass. I use it on all of my tanks and it blends right in.

Sorry for the mirroring, it is a problem when photographing a corner tank.


----------



## tsmi031

msleber .. the tank looks great, I give it an 8. Like the rock stacks

This is my newly established Lake Tanganyika community tank. Most fish are still babies but will grow into great looking fish. Pics aren't the best but I did the best I could. Any comments/suggestions are appreciated.

Full Tank shot









Left side









Center









Right Side









Stocking list:
6- lamprologus brevis " zebra" mtoto 
6 - Eretmodus cyanostictus "Blue Spot"
19 - Cyprichromis leptosoma (Utinta)
3 - Bristlenose plecos


----------



## mlancaster

The piece of drift wood on the left is so cool, making me crazy. What type of plant is on the top? Java fern? Also how big is the tank?

Thanks,
Matt


----------



## tsmi031

Thanks ... it is java moss on top of the driftwood and the tank is a 120 ... old tank, new setup


----------



## Guams

*tsmi031*: I give your tank an 8. I like the piece of the driftwood on the left, with the green "hair."  I would rate it higher if there were a background in place to either conceal the hardware, or blend it in a little more (paint/tint/black paper the back wall). I also like the downward slope you have going. A taller plant on the right side would look great, so that it matches the height of the left side... but doesn't take away the slope.

Overall, though... great tank! The rock pile is killer... looks natural. :thumb:

Here's my 46 gallon bowfront Mbuna tank.

10 - Pseudotropheus demasoni
4 - Labidochromis caeruleus
3 - Ps. acei
2 - Cynotilapia afra "Hara"
1 - Synodontis something...
1 - Java Fern (not doing so well, probably not enough light - test plant anyways...)
DIY background
Granusil Silica sandblasting sand
DIY moonlights
Penguin 200B HOB + TopFin 60 HOB
Hydor 150W heater

I'd like suggestions on whether or not to remove the driftwood ornament I have currently and replace it with rocks. It was supposed to blend in with the background... but I didn't really accomplish that. It's only real function is to hide the intake hole for the Penguin HOB.


----------



## arci

I give an 8 of the tank above.

Here is my tang multi tank


----------



## firenzena

9 out 10.
I'm sorry arci I had to dock you a point because fish weren't conveniently centre in shot. 

love the lighting- how is blue done?

My 140g mixed African tank


----------



## krix08

8

very balanced, yet natural.

10g growout.


----------



## scrubjay

Here is my tang multi tank







[/quote]
Gorgeous! What size is it? I want to live there in Shellie Town.


----------



## arci

firenzena said:


> 9 out 10.
> love the lighting- how is blue done?


Nothing special are the standard fluorescent tubes of a Juwel Rio 125



scrubjay said:


> Gorgeous! What size is it? I want to live there in Shellie Town.


125 Liters 81 x 36 x 50 cm about 33gal.

Thanks guys


----------



## J.B.

krix08 - The whimsical colors of your grow out tank are not what I'd chose, but the layout of the plants and rocks is well balanced and gives your fry plenty of areas to seek shelter.

I give it a 5.5

Here is my newly set up 20gL Lake Tanganyika biotope housing a small colony of Neolamprologus multifasciatus.




























These are the pictures that were my inspiration when I was setting up this tank...


----------



## cjacob316

what are those fish in the last pic?


----------



## jrf

I think two of them are Brevis Katabe. The one with the orange spot above it's eye (above the big fish), and the one on the far right. No idea on the others.


----------



## cjacob316

i was reffering more so to the big guy up front


----------



## briansbelle

J.B.- i give your tank an 9! i like it alot :thumb: only thing i would suggest is maybe add a little more rocks to the rock piles... to create a deeper look to the tank 

i have 4 other tanks that house my tang cichlids, but those are mostly breeding tanks and arent really anything to look at  i will take some pics of them later today 

here is my 75 gallon planted tank, sorry about the bad pic.


----------



## mightyevil

cjacob316 said:


> i was reffering more so to the big guy up front


Funny...it looks like a skinny and long Jack Dempsey!!! :lol:


----------



## briansbelle

cjacob- the fish in the pic up front is a 'Lamprologus' callipterus of some sort. :wink:

here is the link to one

http://www.cichlidforum.com/profiles/sp ... hp?id=2263


----------



## cichlidpastor

I really respect people who are brave enough and committed enough to do a planted tank. It is nice, but the picture doesn't really do it justice. But I will give it an 8. Also if i could make just one suggestion: maybe try to hide some of the hardware in the back, maybe with some big leafy plants across that back?

Here is my 125. I had some slabs of sandstone and some of this black rock. I took out the sandstone and added the black rock. The tank has Haps and Peacocks. Any advice on what i can do to give it "something." To me it's missing "something."


----------



## cjacob316

i want those rocks!! lol solid 8 man


----------



## J.B.

cichlidpastor - It's tough to pull off a rock-scape in a 6-ft tank, but I think you've done it well. :thumb: I'll rate yours a 9.

I too have a 125g with a rock-scape. Mine houses frontosa, calvus and petricola along with some Ausie Rainbows as dithers. Initially I had lace-rock, but wanted to go with something a little more like what you'd find in the lake. These river stones, albeit devoid of algae and mulm, are the closest thing I could find. My substrate is a mixture of primarily pool filter sand, eco-complete, tahitian moon sand, flourite and two different grain sizes of inert aquarium gravel, along with lots of MTS and Ramshorn shells...I think it's pretty natural looking.


----------



## scrubjay

cichlidpastor, what exactly are those rocks and where did you get them? They are really nice!

In terms of "missing something," I'm going to guess it is a "focal point" for the viewer. The sand and rocks and fish are all beautiful, but your eye tends to wander all around. How about a really large rock or rock pile to one side, and an open area of sand? I bet that would make a difference.

Apart from that, it is really beautiful!!


----------



## cjacob316

*cichlidpastor*

try some corkscrew val in the background to brek up all the black and maybe hide the intakes a bit, i think it would do some wonder in adding some lines to the upper parts of the tank


----------



## cjacob316

*J.B.*
i like your rocks too man, those are easier for me to find around here so it makes me feel better seeing how good they can look, very nice tank man, love the lighting you used to drowm out all of the back wall of the tank


----------



## cichlidpastor

I thought you might want to see a video of it. I agree I need to add a focal point. You guys (and gals) are such artists. My tanks have come a long way just from getting ideas for you, especially Florida girl.


----------



## Electrophyste

cichlidpastor said:


> You guys (and gals) are such artists. My tanks have come a long way just from getting ideas for you,


took the word right out of my mouth, the same goes for my tanks.

but i agree a rock pile and some open sand or even a rosk pile at each end and open sand on the middle


----------



## Floridagirl

Cichlid Pastor,

Thanks...Your fish are coloring up sooo nicely. Another trick with rocks is to vary sizes, shapes and placement. A bunch of smaller rocks really pull things together. Flat rocks also look great buried in the sand, like they are much larger underneath. Insted of going across the tank in a stright line, you can form a few semicircles or s shapes, with open sand in between, and scatter some pebbles for a more realistic effect. And by breaking up the piles, you create more territories for the fish. Having a 6 ft. tank gives you so much more opportunity than many of us get. My biggest is my 5 ft 120. I'm jealous!! Part of the enjoyment for me is tinkering with the tanks. They never get done, and my hubby is happy, because if I'm redoing the tanks, I'm not redoing our house...lol


----------



## scrubjay

great ideas about the smaller rocks and the buried flat rocks. no wonder I like your tanks floridagirl. :thumb: I will be using some of those tips myself.


----------



## Floridagirl

JB..9!

Here is a before and current on my 1m, 3F..WC Mikula tank. 
Before.. I liked the simplicity, but my hubby didn't. 








Now. I'm not entirely pleased..perhaps more plants?? Couldn't get my beautiful male to pose.
I threw in my extra male Borleyi, because he was getting beat up by my Dominant male in my 120.


----------



## J.B.

The addition of the wood and plants really brings it all together, Floridagirl...well done! :thumb:

If I were to make any changes, it'd be to add some more rock work. I rate yours a solid 9.

Okay, this is my last one. It's a 75g planted tank, which houses two Heros severus as the main occupants.


----------



## cichlidpastor

Okay, I put a little empty space in the middle to break it up. The problem is my rocks are kind of large and the others are quite small. so my options are a little limited. I had a larger opening in the middle, but that left me with only 2 caves, by adding a few rocks to the left side of the middle it closed the gap a little more, but added an additional cave. Let me know what you think. JB very nice planted, new world tank?


----------



## cichlidpastor

I was asked what kind of rock it is. I don't know, I picked them up at a landscaping place, they called it zebra rock. It is kind of like slate. Its very dense and heavy and kind of brittle. Its laced with something white. Sorry I couldn't be more help.


----------



## Floridagirl

Cichlidpastor,

For what it's worth...I like it better. You could even build a little taller, IMO.


----------



## cjacob316

could be slate, just larger chunks and not broken on it's plan, and since it tends to form around techtonic areas i would say it's probably quartz that recrystalized in stress fractures, it's beautiful rock


----------



## cichlidpastor

cjacob316 said:


> could be slate, just larger chunks and not broken on it's plan, and since it tends to form around techtonic areas i would say it's probably quartz that recrystalized in stress fractures, it's beautiful rock


cjacob, I think you're right, the white rock is quartz now that i look at it.


----------



## cjacob316

that's the most common mineral in stress fractures

calcite is the second most common secondary mineral, but occurs from exsolution and would not be as common in that type of rock, but it's also white


----------



## cichlidpastor

Floridagirl said:


> Cichlidpastor,
> 
> For what it's worth...I like it better. You could even build a little taller, IMO.


Thanks Floridagirl. I don't really want to go very high because I have some large haps and i want to give them as much wide open swimming space as possible. My original intent was to be super sparse and low, but they need a little bit of hiding space.


----------



## cjacob316

ime the haps and peacocks just need cover to briefly escape if being chased, i think the height it fine, i do like it with a little more space in between, i currently keep all my rocks to one side


----------



## cichlidpastor

Okay, I moved some of the rocks from center left to the left front and created another cave there. How about that?


----------



## Floridagirl

=D> =D> =D> =D> =D> Doesn't look Manmade, but created...


----------



## cjacob316

is that your dining room, or are those viewing chairs


----------



## cichlidpastor

cjacob316 said:


> is that your dining room, or are those viewing chairs


They are viewing chairs, but also dining room chairs :lol:


----------



## cjacob316

=D>


----------



## larry.beck

cichlidpastor - looking excellent! love the rock, and your new 'scape really sets it off. :thumb:


----------



## Electrophyste

A+


----------



## scrubjay

cichlidpastor--I really like what you did, looks beautiful. :thumb: 
And yes, I have heard of zebra rock, thanks for that info


----------



## biggcountry

Beautiful tank...9! I can't wait for my fish to get to that size! Here's what I've been working on...


----------



## Liam_Doherty

I give the tank above me an 9. I think it looks great. I really like the contrast between the light and dark rocks, and I like the "natural" look to them.

Here's my 55 gallon Malawi setup. This is my first big tank, so be nice, but I know it doesn't look natural. I've got some ideas of how to change it, but is it absolutely nessesary to get the rock work really high? The only way I was able to achieve that is by stacking them like I have. Thanks for your time.


----------



## cichlidpastor

Liam_Doherty said:


> I give the tank above me an 9. I think it looks great. I really like the contrast between the light and dark rocks, and I like the "natural" look to them.
> 
> Here's my 55 gallon Malawi setup. This is my first big tank, so be nice, but I know it doesn't look natural. I've got some ideas of how to change it, but is it absolutely nessesary to get the rock work really high? The only way I was able to achieve that is by stacking them like I have. Thanks for your time.


Liam I think you did a great job. I'm not putting a tank up so I can't rate you. As far as height I think you've got a good height. Very nice.


----------



## cichlidpastor

Okay, rearranging my 125 made me want to do the same thing to my 75. So I went outside and got a bunch of rocks, put them in the bathtub and gave them a good wash. And took out the old sandstone and the new ones in. I wanted to show you the before pic and then the after, but i realized i don't have a before pic. So i gave you a before video instead. So what do you think?















Here's the after video:


----------



## Floridagirl

I like the after much better, but would lose the rock on the right for the same type of rock on the left.
Cichlidpastor, how many tanks are you up to? 3 on the profile...but, I suspect more of an addiction..lol


----------



## cichlidpastor

Floridagirl said:


> I like the after much better, but would lose the rock on the right for the same type of rock on the left.
> Cichlidpastor, how many tanks are you up to? 3 on the profile...but, I suspect more of an addiction..lol


Well thought having a different kind of rock off to the one side might make it a little more varied.

Just 3 tanks. But if my wife wouldn't kill me I would get more. I also don't have much room for any more. She has said that I could set up some breader tanks in the garage, but that would take insulating and heating and cooling the garage and I'm not about to do that. I could add a tank in my office, but not sure yet. But yes it is a very dangerous addiction :drooling:


----------



## aandfsoccr04

I'd give your tank an 8.3 I like the idea but like another member said I would also match the rocks in the tank.
my lake tang tank










with moonlights:


----------



## TangTango

Well with the pics ya posted it hard to rate ya tank
cuz I can't really see enough of it.
It looks like ya got a lot of Calvus and Brichardi fry in there.
It does't look like the tank is very big. Ya may run out of room for all 
those fish when the start get'n bigger.
Goin by the pics ya post'd I'd have to give ya a 6.5

Here's my 125 Tang tank with 3 Fronts, Two Calvus, one Compressiceps,
two Julies, two, Brichardis, and one Leleupi.


----------



## dig_it2

I would rate the tank above 9/10. Looks very natural. What kind of plants do you have in there?

Here is my tank. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated by all.  Just started out. Whether it be stocking suggestions or just tank layout suggestions. Thanks.


----------



## Matt1986

I'll wait for someone with a tank to post to give you a rating, but I do think some of your rock piles are too precariously stacked for what appears to be a Frontosa. When they get spooked they will recklessly lunge forward with great speed, often colliding with decor etc.

In my opinion they really should have a relatively uncluttered tank with very stable rock formations.

What is your stocklist exactly?


----------



## cichlidpastor

dig it, what size tank is that? Its hard to tell. It looks longer than 4 ft but not quite 6.

I agree with matt. Do you have any fish that really need rock piles that high or is it more for looks? I have everything very low in my Hap tank for the purpose of stability.


----------



## dig_it2

Here is my stocklist:

2 Cyphotilapia Frontosa 
2 Labidochromis Caeruleus "Yellow Lab" (1 male, 1 female) 
2 Melanochromis Cyaneorhabdos "Maingano" 
3 Sciaenochromis fryeri "Iceberg" (1 male, 2 female) 
2 Plecostomus 
1 Cyrtocara moorii "Blue Dolphin" (Male) 
2 Cichlasoma Octofasciatum "Jack Dempsey" (1 male, 1 female) 
1 Aulonocara Rubescens "Ruby Red " (Male) 
1 Aulonocara sp. Ngara (Male) 
1 Aulonocara sp. Dragon Blood (Male)

They are all doing great with no aggression at all. Which makes me extremely happy for this mixed group. I am also looking at getting a couple more Male Peacocks and possibly some calvus or comps to add to my stock.

It was suggested to me before that my rocks were not stacked high enough for Cichlids so I tried to stack them higher. I'm confused on what would be best for my stock I guess. Do they really need stacked rocks that have large opening for them to get in or should I just kind of scatter drop them (lightly) in the tank and let it look the way it's going to look. Like the rocks would only be a quarter of the way up the tank.

It is a 125 that is 6' long as well.

Thanks


----------



## cichlidpastor

dig_it2 said:


> It was suggested to me before that my rocks were not stacked high enough for Cichlids so I tried to stack them higher. I'm confused on what would be best for my stock I guess. Do they really need stacked rocks that have large opening for them to get in or should I just kind of scatter drop them (lightly) in the tank and let it look the way it's going to look. Like the rocks would only be a quarter of the way up the tank.


In my opinion, its not so much a matter height, its just making sure that your dominant males have adequate territories. Your Fronts and Blue Dolphin don't need anything like that. But your yellows do. I'm not a tang dude so I can't comment on what they need. But your Malwi mbunas are really the only ones that need territories. If it was me, I'd cut those rock piles down by half and maybe spread them from the back to front of the tank on each end and then leave the center open for your biggies.


----------



## Matt1986

Yep, you have a lot of open water fish - practically everything bar your 4 Mbuna. Which means you should really aim to have much more unobstructed swimming space. cichlidpastor has some good advice, you really don't need many rocks in there at all.

Also, I think your stocking would be much better if you pulled the two Frontosas (they should be kept in groups) and the Jack Dempsies (Central American cichlids really shouldn't be kept with Africans). I know you'll probably not want to break up your mix but I think you'd get more enjoyment longterm if you pull those fish and add some more Malawi Haps - maybe try some Venustus?


----------



## cjacob316

4, sorry i can't see the edges and not a fan of ballancing acts with rocks, looks like you have some bamboo in there as well

here's my 90 i just set up last night, planted soem live jungle val, hoping it will spread and cover most of the back, the heater is temporary until i get one big enough to replace the two i'm running (the second is inside the dyi cover with the intake for my XP3)


----------



## dig_it2

I will give you an 8. Looks natural but what is the rock looking thing in the back?

I scattered around my rocks piles to be spread low across my whole floor of the 125gal aquarium. Those are bamboo in the tank as well. Would any of you suggest any other plants that would look great along the black background? I also only have a Home Depot lighting fixture that is only 4ft and the tank is 6ft. So the bulbs are even shorter than that. Any suggestions on fixtures that I can purchase to make the tank pop?










Thanks!


----------



## cichlidpastor

You need a bigger pic there dig it


----------



## cjacob316

it's a diy intake/heater cover, it looks a little odd being small for the back of the tank, but i'm hoping my val will grow and cover most of the back filling in the space, i didn't feel like going witha full bg


----------



## dig_it2

How do I take a bigger/better picture. I think my camera sucks.


----------



## cichlidpastor

its fine now. When you first posted it it was tiny, now its a decent size.


----------



## Matt1986

dig_it2,

The tank looks better with the rocks as they are now

You could try some Val running along the back, it'll look better than the bamboo and is actually well suited to hard water. There is even a species endemic to Lake Tanganyika.

Re: lighting, in many ways I like the subdued look you have right now. However, if you want to make those colours 'pop' I'd buy a double reflector and use a combination of an actinic bulb and a 6,000 kelvin bulb.


----------



## mentallylost

dig_it2,

Don't stress the length of your lights. I actually covered the ends of my lights with aluminum foil for a while to give it that look. Matt1986 is right with the double reflector fixture and combination actinic bulb and a 6,000 kelvin bulb. It really does bring the colors out in a tank.


----------



## krix08

10g juvenile mbuna


----------



## Liam_Doherty

Tank above me looks great. I give it a solid 8. I'm not one to critisize other peoples likes, but it has too many plants for my taste. However it does look really good. I like the rocks and the contrast they bring to the tank.

I decided to redo my tank so it looks more natural. I'm WAY happier with this setup then the one I had before. Here's my 55 Malawi tank.


----------



## Oscar Madison

cichlidpastor said:


> Liam_Doherty said:
> 
> 
> 
> I give the tank above me an 9. I think it looks great. I really like the contrast between the light and dark rocks, and I like the "natural" look to them.
> 
> Here's my 55 gallon Malawi setup. This is my first big tank, so be nice, but I know it doesn't look natural. I've got some ideas of how to change it, but is it absolutely nessesary to get the rock work really high? The only way I was able to achieve that is by stacking them like I have. Thanks for your time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Liam I think you did a great job. I'm not putting a tank up so I can't rate you. As far as height I think you've got a good height. Very nice.
Click to expand...

Nice tank :thumb:


----------



## Oscar Madison

Liam_Doherty said:


> Tank above me looks great. I give it a solid 8. *I'm not one to critisize other peoples likes, but it has too many plants for my taste. * However it does look really good. I like the rocks and the contrast they bring to the tank.
> 
> I decided to redo my tank so it looks more natural. I'm WAY happier with this setup then the one I had before. Here's my 55 Malawi tank.


I agree, the hobby is for enjoyment. I don't rate tanks with a number. Just a nice comment and a :thumb:


----------



## sasquatch-exists

*Oscar Madison*
HAHA! Awesome! :thumb:


----------



## cjacob316

did i ever put my brichardi tank up?


----------



## sasquatch-exists

My not so complete 29gallon Labidochromis caeruleus/peacock without the peacocks...or a backgroud. :roll: 
I know the filters and the heater is showing! I really just want an opinion on the rock work.
I'll have more pics soon as it's complete.


----------



## Hthundar

*sasquatch-exists*

Like it so far :thumb:

55g mixed tank.


----------



## sasquatch-exists

Haha, Nice! 
I have a:
55g CA
29g soon 2be Mbuna/Peacock
20g SA
5g endler's/shrimp

We got the same gallonage! :lol:


----------



## Hthundar

Rate or comment please

55g mixed tank.


[/quote]


----------



## sasquatch-exists

I like the point Oscar Madison made about not rating with a number, so I'll say that the tank looks good on a scale of terrible - excellent. :thumb:

I prefer a more natural look so I would say use more of the rocks on the right and mix them with the ones on the left. :wink: 
As for some positive feedback. I REALLY like your fish! They look verry nice and seem happy!


----------



## DeadFishFloating

Not sure if I should rate the tank two posts up or not.

Photos of and from my 3 foot Apistogramma agassizi low tech planted tank . It's lightly stocked as I don't generally stock many fish.

Full tank shot









Male agassizii









One of two female agassizii









A couple of the marbled hatchetfish









Also in the tank are some otocinclus catfish and a peppermint bristlenose pleco.


----------



## Carmine

I give the tank above me a 8.5!

Love it very much, the driftwood in the corner with lots of plants does it for me. the only thing i could think of is making a background for the tank, but thats just taste.

Also love the Marbles, when i had my first tank i had those and loved them. Great job!

Heres mine:

















It should look like a creek/river kinda thing with lots of yellow.

Greetings,


----------



## Oscar Madison

DeadFishFloating said:


> Not sure if I should rate the tank two posts up or not.
> 
> Photos of and from my 3 foot Apistogramma agassizi low tech planted tank . It's lightly stocked as I don't generally stock many fish.
> 
> Full tank shot


Wow! 


I'm impressed! :thumb:


----------



## DeadFishFloating

Thankyou *Carmine* and *Oscar Madison*.

I hunted a long time for this bit of mangrove root.


----------



## tommm70

the picture is gone


----------



## 6footer

@deadfishfloating nice set up.. 
would appreciate what you think about my tank...

i know shipwrecks arnt most ppls thing but i like it. 
and with the sand stone underneath it allows me to hav more fish without it looking overstocked
[/url]


----------



## 6footer

[/url]
not sure how to make the photos bigger but you can click on them to see them bigger


----------



## Carmine

New update from my tank.

All Malawi's now and new lightning that gives the water a very nice clear look.










Comments?


----------



## JimA

The tank above looks great a solid 9 IMO!

here's my 30 gallon mixed. I am up grading to a 46 bow front soon and the only fish I will keep is the yellow lab and add to it. I only added the fake plant and wood to give the smaller guys there own space.

Current mix in there now
1 yellow lab
1 kenyi
1 bumble bee
1 arutus
1 ? not sure what it is looks like a gold fish but its a Cichlid.

Also will be doing different rock set up, black painted background and going to pool sand as well.



















Need to work on the photo skills, I notice when I get the camera out the fish hide. :lol:


----------



## Carmine

> The tank above looks great a solid 9 IMO!


Thank you, it does much in a person! 

Your tank looks also good, but cant give rates anymore


----------



## Electrophyste

JimA said:


> Current mix in there now
> 1 yellow lab
> 1 kenyi
> 1 bumble bee
> 1 arutus
> 1 ? not sure what it is looks like a gold fish but its a Cichlid.


theres a couple fish you mentioned in your stock list that dont match your mix.


----------



## JimA

Electrophyste said:


> JimA said:
> 
> 
> 
> Current mix in there now
> 1 yellow lab
> 1 kenyi
> 1 bumble bee
> 1 arutus
> 1 ? not sure what it is looks like a gold fish but its a Cichlid.
> 
> 
> 
> theres a couple fish you mentioned in your stock list that dont match your mix.
Click to expand...

 Which ones?


----------



## Electrophyste

one in the first pic is not in the list he is on the right i think he might be a Labidochromis sp. "Hongi" aka Red Top Kimpuma

but in the middle on the second pic looks l=to be a Astatotilapia latifasciata, or common name is Zebra Obliquidens

also i think your "goldfish looking one" is a Metriaclima estherae (OB), or aka a OB red zebra or OB RedxRed

not sure of the other fish though cuz well there not in the pics but mabee you could take some pics of what you have and post them in the unidentified cichlid section and we could help you out, all of us here know that pet shop sell fish with wrong names all the time.


----------



## sgwn73

Here is my African setup...what do you think?


----------



## partsrep

I give the tank above a 9. I really like the use of rocks, plants and sand. The plants have different textures adding dimension. There's plenty of free swimming space and lots of hiding places. Your Africans must be happy!

Here's mine from about a year ago. It still looks the same, but the rocks aren't all white anymore and have taken on a nice natural look. All my fish are hiding.










Oh wait, here they are....


----------



## aussy612

I'd give it an 8 for sure, but it would be nice to see some real plants in there, but im sure it looks better in person. The flash is always no good for showing off what tanks look like in real life









Im going to be getting much more plants in the near future. The rock structure use to be covered/filled with sand, but the male jag excavated it all out when hes in the mood :thumb:
I will also get a bit more driftwood to fill out the open water on the left side of the tank.


----------



## justinf67

I give the poster above me at least a 9. Great looking tank. Lighting is spot on for that type of setup. I love the driftwood and the rock on the left. Very nicely done!

I haven't posted my setup for a while. I just got some new lighting that I love, so I took a few new pictures. I had just resetup my rockwork on the left as I had to catch 2 holding female demasoni, so i just threw it back together, but u get the idea. anyway,


----------



## bmweiler09

Justinf67:

I'd say your tank is an 8. I really love the new lighting, really complements the fish, sand, and the rocks. I also love your fish selection they're colors blend together beautifully. The only thing im not a fan of is the overall rock work... I think it would look better if you gave it some more depth by using the corners of the tanks or breaking it up a little bit. other than that great looking tank!

Here's mine again with new background and rearranged rocks:


----------



## DLLN

8.5, i love the dark look with the off set of white sand! Great Job  rock work look really nice and natural.

Here's mu brand new 70 gallon!


----------



## middlearth

tonyh67 said:


> Here's my African rift tank. It's only been up for a short time, so only a few juvies right now. Forgive me for the tiger barbs... I cycled the tank with 'em and can't get my wife to let 'em go - yet  They are working out pretty well as dither fish tho. This is a 72 gal bowfront.


Beautiful tank!! I love the way the color of the smooth rocks shows up against the black background and grass. The plants could use just a little more natural look. I'd give it a 9. :thumb:

(Sorry, no tank pictures yet.)


----------



## brianmccord2001

I don't have a tank directly above mine to rate, so... *DLLN*, looks great! I have always really liked all-rock Malawi setups, similar to their natural ecosystem. I rate your tank a 9. Great work!

Here is my 75 gallon rimless-


----------



## DeadFishFloating

I'm sorry, but I'll say it again. Some (most of) of you people have really low standards when rating other peoples tanks. I don't know if some people are thinking, that by giving others a high rating, that others in turn will give your tank a high rating.

Seriously people, if we are going to rate tanks, lets be honest and subjective about it. And yes I have a tank a couple of pages back, so feel free to go to town on it. My own personal rating for my own tank is a 6, maybe a 6.5.

If you want to set a standard, follow this link, Aquarium Design Group, and consider these tanks as 10's.


----------



## 6footer

oi deadfishfloating. go back a couple pages to mine. its under yours...
go town on it n give me some feedback please... positive or negative


----------



## cjacob316

i just try to be nice even if i hate the tank because i know that usually it appeals to the owner's taste, but i like nautral looking tanks and i feel if someone has accomplished that then they deserve a great rating, they don't have to have tons of money poured into it to look good, 3-d background do not a top notch tank make


----------



## cjacob316

*brianmccord2001*
what is your substrate?


----------



## DLLN

DeadFishFloating said:


> I'm sorry, but I'll say it again. Some (most of) of you people have really low standards when rating other peoples tanks. I don't know if some people are thinking, that by giving others a high rating, that others in turn will give your tank a high rating.
> 
> Seriously people, if we are going to rate tanks, lets be honest and subjective about it. And yes I have a tank a couple of pages back, so feel free to go to town on it. My own personal rating for my own tank is a 6, maybe a 6.5.
> 
> If you want to set a standard, follow this link, Aquarium Design Group, and consider these tanks as 10's.


Whats your reasoning for giving your tank only a 6? This might be only my opinion but I feel like your giving yourself a lower mark to make ours seem even lower. Your tank is GREAT and a congratulate you on that but it seems like your degrading our work as well. I totally agree with what cjacob said, everybody has their own style and more importantly budget. (for example, I'm 18 and going to university so my budget is probably on the lower end, hence all the free rocks from outside that are in my tank a few posts above :lol: ) I don't see the point in comparing our tanks or making the "10" standard for that matter a standard that is impossible to achieve for a fees-able and practical cost of time and money. The tanks in your link are worth close to five figures i'm sure.

I don't know I might be alone on this its just my opinion.

Dillon


----------



## cjacob316

if you look at those tanks, you can see the money in the houses and think of how little that tank actually costs them compared to the house, for me i put more money into fish then anything else and still don't come out with set-ups like those, but i do try my best to make a good looking tank as well as a great environment for my fish. there are some people who pay local companies to come in set-up and completely maintain their aquariums, they want the decor without the hastle


----------



## DeadFishFloating

Well the thread is called *rate the the tank above you!!!*. Implying that each person posts a pic of thier tank, and give the tank from the previous post some type of score. Most people appear to be rating tanks on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest score, and 10 being the highest score. This may have something to do with the origanal post;


> scale for 1 to 10 ..rate the tank above you....then post the pic of your tank for the next one to rate and keep this post going...


I'm not degrading anyone ones work by scoring my own tank a 6-6.5. I just feel people are marking many, many tanks a little or even a lot too high. My reasoning for this is when truely great tanks come along, we're all going to rate it a 10, but it's only going to be 1 or 2 marks above some pretty ordinary tanks if compared tank to tank, mark to mark.



> Whats your reasoning for giving your tank only a 6?


First of all the background to may tank. It adds nothing to the overall aquascape of the tank, in fact it detracts from it. I should have gone for a nuetral matt black spray paint, instead of darkish blue. Also the thermometre should be placed on the right side of the tank where it's hidden from a front view by the corkscrew val. If these two areas were to be addressed, I'd mark my tank an 8, leaving room for quality aquascapes tanks to recieve the marks they deserve.


----------



## cichlids _killer

^^^^^^^^WARNING: this's my 210gallon ( i delete the pic on the first post of the thread long time ago and i cant edit it now ) just wanna show you guys how the tank turn out

RATE MY 180G BELOW ..

brianmccord2001 your tank is 7.5 i love the rimless style just doesnt feeling your rock work ..

here's my other tank 180G high tech plant tank ) jungle style


----------



## cjacob316

*cichlids _killer*
i'm going to let the next person to post a pic actually rate yours, my tanks have gotten passed over before due to people getting too bogged down in conversation so i hope this does no thappen to you, but i will say :thumb: to you

*DeadFishFloating*
a scale of 1-10 is not a comparative scale, one tank may be so much better than any tank you have ever seen, but since there is a ceiling of 10 you can only rate them a 10 even though some inferior yet amazing tanks ahve been ranked 10
it's like saying a normal person doesn't deserve a 100 on a test just because a smarter person couldn't get a higher grade. you might be 100 times smarter than me, but if i get 100's on all my tests you can never get a higher grade than me.

a good/great tank deserves a 9/10 even if it's not the most amazing tank in the world


----------



## JimA

Well I rated the tank above me then posted pics of mine. All I got was someone telling my my fish were not the ones I listed. Could be, but it didn't tell me how my tank rated :-?

Sorry there cjacob!


----------



## DLLN

> First of all the background to may tank. It adds nothing to the overall aquascape of the tank, in fact it detracts from it. I should have gone for a nuetral matt black spray paint, instead of darkish blue. Also the thermometre should be placed on the right side of the tank where it's hidden from a front view by the corkscrew val. If these two areas were to be addressed, I'd mark my tank an 8, leaving room for quality aquascapes tanks to recieve the marks they deserve.





> a good/great tank deserves a 9/10 even if it's not the most amazing tank in the world


Both valid points.... but I say put it behind us and bring the thread back to what it was originally started as SHOWING OFF THE TANKS  opcorn:

Dillon


----------



## cichlids _killer

DLLN said:


> but I say put it behind us and bring the thread back to what it was originally started as SHOWING OFF THE TANKS  opcorn:
Click to expand...

seriously we had gone this far 84 pages . please dont let this thread die . let keeping it going.


----------



## Electrophyste

JimA said:


> Well I rated the tank above me then posted pics of mine. All I got was someone telling my my fish were not the ones I listed. Could be, but it didn't tell me how my tank rated :-?
> 
> Sorry there cjacob!


Sorry dude that was me
so i would like to give your tank around a 6.5, i like the rocks you chose to use now if you could get a few more in there then i think it would look much better. not to keen on the gravel im more of a sand person myself but if you were to switch to a more natural colour then that would up the rating. its got lots of potential.

not trying to be critical, just my thoughts. my tanks are far from dream tanks.
as for your fish i still think you should post in the unidentified cichlids section :thumb:

now to be honest i dont have anymore aquariums beside low decorated feeder and fry tanks so here is another tank, it has water but is not a full of water but..., my 60 gallon fiddler and redclaw crab tank.


----------



## Hthundar

Cool tank. I had a fiddler once, could never keep the think in the tank though :roll: 
Rating 7


----------



## brianmccord2001

*DeadFishFloating*

I don't see a quality difference between our aquascaping, and the aquascaping on aquarium design group page. Given, everything outside the tank is an honest 10+.

I always thought that beauty was in the eye of the beholder.

This isn't a hugging fest, it's a message board on the internet. Try not to take it too seriously.


----------



## cichlids _killer

rate my tank ?!?!? stop jumping . post your then rate the other.


----------



## Emil In Wyoming

Lets see, last tank pictured is from Hthundar. Not to my taste, I prefer a more natural setting. Looks healthy, fish are smiling (!) how about a 6.
[/img]


----------



## 96firebird




----------



## cjacob316

always hit enter between images


----------



## SupeDM

I would rate the tank above me a 6.5 maybe more with a better pic kind of dark. I am not a photographer either so heres a pic with my crappy camera.









And here is one of the center of the tank.


----------



## Malawi Mad1

8 i likeee that tank, looks really good!



















:thumb:


----------



## robn69

9 love the look :thumb: but maybe try to hide heater and stuff more. Would make it look more natural.
Now for my new tank. It needs more rock but we have 1' of snow. So no more rocks tell spring.


----------



## Dotti90

very nice looks like a less is more approach i give a 6 
now *** only just started my cycling process on this tank and i need help with everything this is my first ever tank


----------



## cjacob316

what do you plan to stock it with? and what are the dmensions?


----------



## Emil In Wyoming

So I learned to hit enter between images and that 96firebird prefers to post pictures of his own tank rather than rate mine. Anybody want to help me and *Rate My Tank*?


----------



## cjacob316

*Emil In Wyoming*

i'd say add more rocks, it looks wierd to me for all of the structure to be flat against the back and nothing in the rest of the tank


----------



## Dotti90

cjacob316 said:


> what do you plan to stock it with? and what are the dmensions?


its 45g tank
i plan to have about 4 cichlids of 4 different species most probably a white knight, frontosa, electric blue hap, and what the petshop calls dolphins i think ther moori's


----------



## Matt1986

That tank is definitely too small for those fish. I'd suggest exploring some of the smaller Tanganyikan cichlids or possibly some dwarf mbuna.

Take a look at some cookie-cutter setups in the library section, it's really worth doing the research in this hobby.


----------



## cjacob316

dimeniosn mean length and width is inches, gallons are meaningless

and matt is correct the fish get way too big for the tank


----------



## Dotti90

got some plants today for the tank and i dont mind if i dont have many fish how many cichlids would you recommend like 2?


----------



## Matt1986

It's not so much the number as the species. For example, you can't fit a single Frontosa in there, yet you could house a colony of 30 Multies if you wanted.

It's really best to read up on some specific species and ask some questions in the relevant areas of the forum.


----------



## Electrophyste

looks like a nice demisomi*(spelling) tank Pseudotropheus demasoni
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=849

if you do go with tang cichlids
mabe a sumbu dwarf comp 
Altolamprologus sp. "Compressiceps Shell" 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1740
and some julis. Julidochromis regani
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1533


----------



## stevezx2002

Dotti90 off to a great start for a cycling tank, I'll give it a 7.5


----------



## cichlids _killer

Emil In Wyoming said:


> So I learned to hit enter between images and that 96firebird prefers to post pictures of his own tank rather than rate mine. Anybody want to help me and *Rate My Tank*?


 i know right !?!? people jumping all over the thread and not rate the tank above . no one rate my 180 yet but the thread still going


----------



## cjacob316

you guys need to take that up with the people who post pics right after you and completely ignore your tank, pm them and complain don't complain in the thread, there is a chance they never come back to read it


----------



## Electrophyste

cichlids _killer said:


> RATE MY 180G BELOW ..
> here's my other tank 180G high tech plant tank ) jungle style


soooo
that was me... again... 

So i give you tank an 8.5. I LOVE hevily planted tanks. There rally appealing to me. i wish i could do it but i dont think id ever have the patience to.

I always thought it would be hard work.


----------



## bertolli

stevezx2002
Your tank has a nice clean look however not very appealing, looks like a tank for more colorful fish who just swim in open water, I would get some more driftwood and *live* plants for your SA's. I rate it a 5, your style has potential. Dont mean to sound overly critical just trying to help and give an honest opinion 

This is my tank, going 6 months strong, started with about 10 mbunas up to 28 plus a BN pleco now with a variety from all corners of the world including sa victoria malawi and tanganyika, these fish will soon be moved to a 130 from a 55.


----------



## csa dad

i would just like to say these tank pics are awsome


----------



## csa dad

i would give it a 6 let me know what yall think of mine just set it up about three weeks ago planning to go to a 125 an put this one in a wall sorry the fish were not out


----------



## BigRyFBI

Some great looking tanks here!


----------



## BigRyFBI

I'll give it a 5ish - water needs to be filled and you need a background. Also where are the fish?

Here are some pics of my 200gallon Malawi cichlid tank when I first set it up. Here are the fish I added. I'll try to find a full tank shot w/ everything in it soon.


----------



## MCHRKiller

Needs more rockwork for the africans, but it is a nice clean looking tank. I give it a 7

Heres my 100G SA planted


----------



## csa dad

there are only four fish in this tank an they were hiding an i filled the tank after the pic


----------



## bhamguyspecv

I love it! easy 9 Where did you get the plants? What kind of plant is it? I can never seem to find them locally that size or health... and cant seem to get mine to grow that well, they seem to just stay where they are forever.


----------



## bertolli

csa dad said:


> i would give it a 6 let me know what yall think of mine just set it up about three weeks


You don't even provide any criticism or advise for improvement or even why it is a 6... seems u were just to eager to have your own tank rated.


----------



## bertolli

MCHRKiller said:


> Needs more rockwork for the africans, but it is a nice clean looking tank. I give it a 7
> 
> Heres my 100G SA planted


I would agree the tank above yours needs a bit more rockwork but he has haps so they require open water to swim in... Your tank on the other hand is gorgeous, what fish are in it?


----------



## cjacob316

*bertolli*
i didn't rate it, but ill say that the cluttered look makes it looks like a garbage dump, I would have only given it a 3, maybe

sometimes people may not say why they don't like it because the words could be too harsh, or they just don't want to, people don't have to comment, just rate and move on, if you want specific critisism then maybe you should make a post asking for it under the tank decor section, or pm them to ask why they rated your tank the way you did, but don't call them out or insult them on here


----------



## Electrophyste

cjacob316 said:


> *bertolli*
> the cluttered look makes it looks like a garbage dump, I would have only given it a 3, maybe


and you thought he was insulting


----------



## cjacob316

i was making a point


----------



## HatchettUK

Well I shall swiftly get this thread back on topic. As there are no unrated tanks above me, i'll just add mine. 

Work in progress. Criticism and or comments appreciated 










Thanks all.


----------



## cjacob316

i think a painted background and some more verticle filler would go a long way


----------



## bertolli

lol at cjacob u totally fail at making a point... and for some reason you act like your talking with authority trying to shut me down for calling someone else out, maybe you should mind your own business and let him stick up for himself. You are clearly striving to become a moderator and while i'm sure many people appreciate your help you're not there yet, I think what you said would even be a bit harsh or out of place from a mod, your statement was totally hypocritical and a pathetic attempt to "put me in my place". 
The only thing i can take from this brouhaha is that tank decorations and set up are clearly a matter of personal taste.


----------



## MCHRKiller

bhamguyspecv said:


> I love it! easy 9 Where did you get the plants? What kind of plant is it? I can never seem to find them locally that size or health... and cant seem to get mine to grow that well, they seem to just stay where they are forever.


I buy my plants online from fellow hobbyists mostly, plantedtank.net is a wonderful resource for buying/selling plants with others. Also "MikesWetPets" on ebay has some wonderful plants for good prices. My LFS never gets in any healthy plants either so I just buy online. Thank you btw.


bertolli said:


> I would agree the tank above yours needs a bit more rockwork but he has haps so they require open water to swim in... Your tank on the other hand is gorgeous, what fish are in it?


Thank you for that, I honestly know next to nothing about old world cichlids. The fish pictured were lovely tho. Right now I have 3 wild guyana P.scalare, and 5 wild L010A Lizard Cats...also 3 rosey barbs that survived our 6 day power outage. I plan to buy 5 M.ramirezi from Jeff Rapps, 30 cardinal tetras, 9 Corydoras leucomelas, and 2 L182 plecos :thumb:

*HatchettUK:* I like your tank...I to think it could use a background and some tall plants even fakes to hide the heaters on either end would help it alot. I give it a 7.5


----------



## TangSteve

bertolli said:


> lol at cjacob u totally fail at making a point... and for some reason you act like your talking with authority trying to shut me down for calling someone else out, maybe you should mind your own business and let him stick up for himself. You are clearly striving to become a moderator and while i'm sure many people appreciate your help you're not there yet, I think what you said would even be a bit harsh or out of place from a mod, your statement was totally hypocritical and a pathetic attempt to "put me in my place".
> The only thing i can take from this brouhaha is that tank decorations and set up are clearly a matter of personal taste.


Wow, anger management issues?

cjacob is well respected for his knowledge so probably not the best idea to try and call him out

this is an opinion thread, he posted his opinion, your post simply makes you look childish and foolish

btw, i agree that the tank is too cluttered


----------



## cjacob316

> The only thing i can take from this brouhaha is that tank decorations and set up are clearly a matter of personal taste.


then why did you get so upset when he didn't comment



> You are clearly striving to become a moderator


not at all, thanks for telling me my intentions though

my point was simply to show that sometimes people want to keep personal opinions to themselves for the simple fact that it might hurt, i would have refrained from giving my opinion simply because it did hurt. but you pushed and wanted to hear what someone thought. but you didn't have to call him out on the forum, accusing them of just wanting to put up a pic of their tank. if you really want to hear what people think then you should have asked, most people who want critisism here ask for it, i know i would if i really wanted it

but my personal opinion is that your tank looks like a garbage dump, a poluted lake, if you don't want to hear it don't ask


----------



## cjacob316

*TangSteve*


> cjacob is well respected for his knowledge so probably not the best idea to try and call him out


i appreciate that, but most of my "knowledge" is simply me reiterating the advice i see from much more knowledgeable sources, like the moderators here. i don't have near the experience i would consider required to be a moderator here, but i am learnign and evolving. i'm starting to expanind my stock and therefore expanding my experience. but i heavily rely on what i have read here rather than on my own experience. which is also why i tend to play very very safe with all my suggestions to people


----------



## cjacob316

HatchettUK said:


> Well I shall swiftly get this thread back on topic. As there are no unrated tanks above me, i'll just add mine.
> 
> Work in progress. Criticism and or comments appreciated
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks all.


this was the last tank posted so let's move on from here, I'm looking forward to seeing more aquariums


----------



## MCHRKiller

Agreed, I rated HattchetUK's tank a 7.5....comments seen in my first post on this page. Nice tank BTW 

Heres my 150G soon to be SA/CA tank...currently only a 9" L330 Spotted Royal in now. Need to order cichlids when Rapps starts shipping out again :roll:


----------



## cjacob316

seems like you have some tallent decorating tanks


----------



## csa dad

bertolli said:


> stevezx2002
> Your tank has a nice clean look however not very appealing, looks like a tank for more colorful fish who just swim in open water, I would get some more driftwood and *live* plants for your SA's. I rate it a 5, your style has potential. Dont mean to sound overly critical just trying to help and give an honest opinion
> 
> This is my tank, going 6 months strong, started with about 10 mbunas up to 28 plus a BN pleco now with a variety from all corners of the world including sa victoria malawi and tanganyika, these fish will soon be moved to a 130 from a 55.


i like the tank but i think there are better ones out there that deserve a higher score is all. an it could use some back ground


----------



## bertolli

wow this forum is as cliquey as a highschool


----------



## bertolli

TangSteve said:


> Wow, anger management issues?
> 
> cjacob is well respected for his knowledge so probably not the best idea to try and call him out
> 
> this is an opinion thread, he posted his opinion, your post simply makes you look childish and foolish
> 
> btw, i agree that the tank is too cluttered


As a fellow hobbyist im sure you know how much time and money goes into this so when someone calls your tank a "garbage dump" of course it's going to cause a rise of emotion. But after all I don't know why I was so concerned with some anonymous person's opinion over the internet in the first place.


----------



## justinf67

*bertolli*
I agree, the tank is a bit cluttered, but looks to be very functional, with plenty of hiding spots. Not my cup of tea, but I am sure the fish love it. I give it a 7. The mix is also not what I would do, but each to their own.


----------



## bertolli

thanks justinf67, i enjoy watching the fish weave in and out of the rocks and I need all the hiding spots cuz there are 30 fish in there...

MCHRKiller, the new plants do wonders for your tank and it looks like a new light, it will especially look great with some fish and more dense planting, the wood looks like tree roots which make it look like a window into the bottom of an SA river. Good job

On with more pictures, this is my 20 long which houses a pair of lamprologus callirus and 4 polka dot synos, the shellies have just bred so they are rather agressive toward the synos. It sits underneath my 43 gallon which house a breeding group of 5 pseudotropheus polits and 10 yellow lab fry were just added to grow out.
















The flash makes the tanks look a bit dull especially without a BG and I'm too lazy to wipe the algae :thumb:


----------



## cichlidpastor

Bretoli,

Nice 20. But you need to take the picture straight on instead of down. Can't see it very well. But What i can see is nice and Ill give it a 6.5

The top one, needs to get that algae cleaned off. You could have done it for the picture. But if you'd put a background on it, it could be a good 7.

Well I just set up a new Tang tank with Calvus and Brichardi. I really need some advice on this one.


----------



## cjacob316

brichardi will kill the calvus once they start breeding, but i would sugest more rocks


----------



## cichlidpastor

I know, but I have different plans for them. Just don't have the tank yet. The Brichardi are just there to give the tank some life while the Calvus are small


----------



## JimA

Cichlipastor, give you a 6 suggestions would be, build rock pile higher on right side to hide the heater,maybe a taller plant in the center to hide filter intake. A few more smaller rocks here and there. To be honest I don't know a lot about those fish to really be help full.

Here's the final on my 46 gallon bow front, in other words I am done messing with it. :roll: :lol:


----------



## cjacob316

solid, the hairgrass is a good choice for that corner to give good verticle element to that side of the tank, provides great depth and dimension


----------



## Electrophyste

if the previous tank is the tank I think it is, looks 100% better


----------



## bmweiler09

JimA: Good looking tank Ill give yours a 6 as well. Nothing really eye catching to me but a good set-up.

Here is my 75gl Dem/Lab tank:


----------



## angeljin17

bmweiler09: You have a very nice tank. I also like the rockwork as well as the contrast of colors of the the dem and lab. I'll rate yours an 8. :thumb:

Btw, here's the previous set-up of my 100g All-Male Malawi Haps and Peacocks Show Tank..


----------



## decoy562

I give your tank a 9 Angel, it looks awesome! The only thing I would say it could possibly use is more hiding spots? Do you have any problems with that?

Here is my 55 gallon:


----------



## Hthundar

decoy562 I like what you've done. 8 =D>

Please rate and feel free to add any comments


----------



## Oscar Madison

Hey Jim A.

:thumb:

Beautiful tank.


----------



## cjacob316

functional, but not a big fan of certain rock mixes


----------



## bertolli

htundar i like your tank especially the dark look because it brings out the fish


----------



## cjacob316

are your light different on each side?


----------



## grommeckdr

Hthunder,

Too much color variation in the rock for me personally (looks unnatural - strictly personal preference), but otherwise looks good. I agree with cjacob, the two sides look different? I'll give it a 7.

Here's my new 125 gallon set-up. No fish yet (still cycling - fishless). The center open section will eventually have driftwood or more rocks (depending on the type of fish that I decide on - either mbuna or all-male hap/peacock). Sorry for the poor quality pictures - I haven't yet figured out the art of aquarium photography...


----------



## cjacob316

great rocks


----------



## bertolli

agreed, i think you should leave it as is especially if you go hap/peacock


----------



## sasquatch-exists

I want rocks like that!!! :drooling: 
Ok heres my...OLD, 55g set up.








BTW: don't rate it because quite frankly I DON"T CARE! hahahahahahaha! (evil laugh!)


----------



## cichlidpastor

Okay I won't rate it. But you might want to put a background on it. I am sure you already know that though.

Here is my 40 breeder Tang setup. I had it up a few posts back, but I've provided the old picture to compare with the new. Tell me what you think

Before:









After:


----------



## cjacob316

better


----------



## dg32

here's mine - 46g bowfront:










I wish my water would clear up already


----------



## cichlidpastor

What are you going to do with that Venustus? Things are going to get a little cramped real soon


----------



## dg32

either give him back to the store or get a bigger tank


----------



## justinf67

dg32 said:


> here's mine - 46g bowfront:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wish my water would clear up already


really like your rocks... looks nice. rate it a 9...

and cichlidpastor, I love the changes you made. looks awesome. 9 as well!


----------



## csa dad

justinf67 i give your tank a 6 could use ome sort of background. other tan that its a sweet tank 
here is my 125g i just setup


----------



## gtphale

Wow how did you get those dog bowls in your tank? :lol: Really nice looking tank, I would lose the gater head and fake plants. Add some real plants, I'm not a huge fan of the two differant type's of rocks. I would stick with one and go from there. What is your background I really like it.

I'll give it a 7 but with a few changes it could be a strong 9. I'd be proud to be the owner of that tank. Can tell a lot of hard work and thought went into it.

Well here's mine.










Its a 125 gallon 6 ft. mbuna tank. Still need to find time to finish up the canopy.


----------



## csa dad

i kinda like the croc skull an i would like to do real plants. but from what i hear the africans will destroy them. plus i just started doing fish less than a month ago. i like yours too. plus the rocks all came out of my local river. so they would all be found together. i got the back ground from my dad its probly close to 30 years old


----------



## gtphale

croc skull will probably look better once the algea starts growing on it. Won't stick out as much. Is the background foam or rock?


----------



## csa dad

rock .yeah the skull hadnt been in a tank for less than a month.


----------



## Oscar Madison

justinf67 said:


> dg32 said:
> 
> 
> 
> here's mine - 46g bowfront:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wish my water would clear up already
> 
> 
> 
> really like your rocks... looks nice. rate it a 9...
> 
> and cichlidpastor, I love the changes you made. looks awesome. 9 as well!
Click to expand...

I agree, I wish my 46 bowfront looked that good!!!


----------



## Oscar Madison

gtphale said:


> Wow how did you get those dog bowls in your tank? :lol: Really nice looking tank, I would lose the gater head and fake plants. Add some real plants, I'm not a huge fan of the two differant type's of rocks. I would stick with one and go from there. What is your background I really like it.
> 
> I'll give it a 7 but with a few changes it could be a strong 9. I'd be proud to be the owner of that tank. Can tell a lot of hard work and thought went into it.
> 
> Well here's mine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Its a 125 gallon 6 ft. mbuna tank. Still need to find time to finish up the canopy.


WOW :drooling:

I love that background!

Really nice tank :thumb:


----------



## velocilraptor

220 gallon Discus and stingray tank!!


----------



## khs2424

:drooling:  =D> =D> =D>

Don't have a pic for this thread yet but I just had to give a big W  W for the tank above me.

AWESOME!


----------



## ikuzo

velocilraptor said:


> 220 gallon Discus and stingray tank!!


i give 9 for the tank, great background. easy 10 if you add more rocks in the middle. well probably it's just me.

i tore down my old 100 gallon aquascape tank.









and turn it into a frontosa / julidochromis tank


----------



## Pali

velocilraptor said:


> 220 gallon Discus and stingray tank!!


Very nice looking tank taken from a display view, but from the discus view id say there is no places for the fish to hide.

IMHO the tank needs alot more rocks and some big roots!


----------



## velocilraptor

if you give them places to hide they will and also become skittish. my discus are comfortable with movement and are not shy.. and if i add more things it will become crowded for the rays, the 3d background takes up some tank space also. i enjoy the open water look.


----------



## sasquatch-exists

I do too! Great tank! :thumb:


----------



## ikuzo

i agree lots of swimming space is great it's just the tank looks too empty for me. i suggest adding some branching driftwood or tall plant like vallisneria on the sides there. it will give more depth feel. something like this


----------



## victorylane25

all nice pictures i cant bealieve this post has lasted this long here is my tank


----------



## victorylane25

180 Gallon..FX5 And 2 Emperor 400's ..250lbs of rocks..130lbs of pool filter sand .. 300w heater


----------



## Malawi_G

I rate that tank 7 out of tank....nice and clean set up....it could use more fish..... :thumb:

Here's my 120 gallon 4x2x2 community tank...


----------



## sim_plic_i_ty

Great tank, I'd give it an 8. Great use of colors, great placement of rocks and a good mixture of plants.

Here's mine. I know most people on here will not like it too much because of the decor. I shouldve used rocks, but it was a little hard finding them in Toronto during the winter. Hopefully later on this year I might change it.

So far I like how it looks though.

And don't worry, some of the fish in there are only there temporarily. :fish:


----------



## solgood

I will give your tank a 5. But know what its like stating out a tank, some times you dont get what you like at first. Im in the same boat.

Here is my 225 gal. acrylic. Its been set up for 2 weeks and still needs some finishing touches like a black background and more fish. All thats in there now is a trio of small Otopharynx Lithobates and one large Dimidiochromis compressiceps.

http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac31 ... 1264834838

http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac31 ... 1264834958


----------



## Oscar Madison

solgood said:


> I will give your tank a 5. But know what its like stating out a tank, some times you dont get what you like at first. Im in the same boat.
> 
> Here is my 225 gal. acrylic. Its been set up for 2 weeks and still needs some finishing touches like a black background and more fish. All thats in there now is a trio of small Otopharynx Lithobates and one large Dimidiochromis compressiceps.
> 
> http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac31 ... 1264834838
> 
> http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac31 ... 1264834958


 Looks good :thumb:


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## bosco0633

I think you tank will be really nice once complete. I think once you get it finished, it is going to look really good. For now ill give it a 6.5, but once completed I have no doubt at least a 9.

Well looks like it is my turn to throw one into the mix. Here is my 150gal. tank. I call it a work in progress, let me have it!!!!


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## mightyevil

7.5 I think it needs a black background so the rocks don't look arranged, it has a lot of potential!

Here is my 110 gallon


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## Malawi_Junkie

Superb set-up, I give a solid 9.5. Only deducting a half a point because I like some greenery but that's just me. Outstanding BG with great color.

I'm very pleased with my new 220gal mbuna setup (84" x 24" x 24"). DIY stand & canopy,DIY BG and DIY 55gal. sump system w/ Durso stand-pipes, 250w heater, Mag-12 pump. Stocking is still an issue but so far I have added
1 Metriaclima Greshakei Albino 6" Male
2 Metriaclima Long Pelvic Gallireya Reef 3" male 2" Female
2 Melanochromis Johannii 4" Male 3" Female
1 Labidiochromis Kimpuma SRT
Neolamprologus Tretocephalus 4" Male
common pleco
I also have a 2.5" Flavus, 2 juvie Flavus plus 2 more Kimpuma SRT in grow out tank.


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## JimA

bosco0633 said:


> I think you tank will be really nice once complete. I think once you get it finished, it is going to look really good. For now ill give it a 6.5, but once completed I have no doubt at least a 9.
> 
> Well looks like it is my turn to throw one into the mix. Here is my 150gal. tank. I call it a work in progress, let me have it!!!!


 :thumb: Looks great Bosco!! I know your adding a background.


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## Malawi-Man

Heres my male peacock 75g


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## Malawi_Junkie

Funny, I thought you were supposed to rate the tank above you and then post a pic of your own. Must be too complicated for some.


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## Malawi-Man

oops sorry I totally forgot your tank looks superb junkie! I'd give it a 9 very clean and well put together i love the background. I had an aquaterra background for my tank but ended up taking it out because it cut the depth of the tank in half. Any plans on stocking that tank with some more mbunas? you definatly have the room!


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## Malawi_Junkie

Thanks, that JimA fella jumped in with no offering of his own. By the way your tank looks really good, IMO your rocks look a little to placed but overall goodjob.
More Mbunas? Absolutely, looking at some Afras,Gold Kawanga Zebra and Polits


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## Shorty5198

Nice I had a real nice Gold Kawanga in my old mbuna tank. Yea its my initial setup for the tank i need about twice as much slate for the look I want and then it will be perfect. I forgot to add a stock list for my tank also - 
1x Sunshine Peacock
2x German Red
1x Eureka Red
2x Stuartgranti Usysia
1x OB Peacock
1x Ruby Green Peacock
1x Red Top Lwanda 
3x Blue Ahli Hap
1x Lemon Jake
1x Blue Azerus
1x Blue Neon Chiwindi
1x Makonde Yellow
1x Tawian Reef Hap
1x Albino Taiwan Reed Hap
1x Bi-Color 500
1x Ngara Flametail
1x Pictus Cat
1x Clown Pleco


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## ikuzo

victorylane25 said:


> 180 Gallon..FX5 And 2 Emperor 400's ..250lbs of rocks..130lbs of pool filter sand .. 300w heater


you didn't rate my tank...
where's the love? :lol:


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## Shorty5198

how did you do your background junkie?


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## Malawi_Junkie

> how did you do your background junkie?


Here is the thread.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=204698&highlight=
PM me any ?'s you might have and I would be happy to help.
I don't want to tie up this thread.


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## Malawiman999

I am a big fan of male peacock tanks and give your tank a solid 8.5. I like the variety of structure and color combination of your fish.

Here is my 120 mostly male Hap/Peacock. I have a pair of 5" clown loaches that were unfortunately not out for the pic. Terrible picture quality... maybe I will stop spending money on my tanks for a little while and buy a better camera. :wink:










Iceberg Hap Ahli









Protomelas Taeniolatus (Likoma Is.) "Tangerine Tiger"


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## cichlidpastor

Very nice tank. I love rockscapes. Wouldn't change a thing and i give it a strong 9.

Now I know my new 30 gallon long Brichardi species tank is not much to look at, but I need some advice on what it needs. Please help. thanks


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## mdaniel84

Looks good I like the formation of the rocks in the middle I would give it a 7 I would personaly like to see maybe a few plants in there "dark" or drift wood, I wish I got a bigger tank myself so I can do stuff like that but theres always next year  .

This is my tank this is the first tank I have done in over 15+ years I wanted to go with a more colorful look because I feel African Cichlids are very bright in colors, hopefully next year or so I will goto a 150-200gal if the misses likes what she see's with this one.

We all have to start out some where.


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## zlenhert42

I give the tank above me a 5. I prefer an understated tank decor and let the colors of the fish pop.
Here's my mixed Mbuna tank.


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## Matthew Gabrielse

I'll give it a five as I'm not really a fan of fake plats and blue sand. The rocks look good but might look better if piled a little higher.

I just finished planting my 55 the other day, only a couple cory cats in it for now. It's sort of a room divider so it's visible from both sides.


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## mr.species44

I give this tank a 7 very well put together i jus wish i could post my tanks for you all to judge but pretty solid tank


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## cichlidpastor

okay i took the gray rocks out and put red lava rock in to give it a little more color. Now give me some ideas guys. I need input. Before and after shots.

Before









After


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## scrubjay

cichlidpastor said:


> okay i took the gray rocks out and put red lava rock in to give it a little more color. Now give me some ideas guys. I need input. Before and after shots.
> Before


I was just going to post and say how much I really liked the original  I love the grey and white stones on the black substrate and background. Things I might try: I would make the rock pile a bit higher and wider (front to back) to add more three-dimensionality and shift the whole pile more to to the back left. Then the holes in the rock pile should blend with the black background to make it look like they are really deep. Adding one large rock of the same type and a few smaller ones to scatter around might look good too.

Plants (real ones of course) could look pretty cool against that very grey and black monotone...or not. It would definitely be worth seeing what some vals look like--maybe 3 or 5 small clumps, maybe hiding the intake (and move that thermometer!). Regardless, I really love it. And I like species tanks.

Don't you love back-seat aquascapers? 8)


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## cichlidpastor

thanks for the input scrubjay. I went with the red rock, because there was no color. And with Brichardi there's no help from the fish. Also it's a 30 long so its only about 12" deep and not easy to arrange the rocks in anything more than linear (18" makes all the difference in the world!). But I will probably try out some of you ideas about moving the wrong pile over.

I do value all the input i get. All my tanks have been designed by the opinions of people on this forum, believe it or not. Thanks jay


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## bmweiler09

attach the moonlight cord to the back of the intake?


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## jeaninel

Cichlidpastor, I actually like the red lava rock better. A few pops of greenery such as some java fern, anubias or vals would look great.


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## Dotti90

ok since no one gave you an actual ?/10 ill give you a 7 i like the setup but i think fish choice needs to be extremely colourful.

heres my 40gal just stocked


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## ~Firefly~

I think 7 for the tank above. The decor is really natural and the plants add some nice colour without looking out of place.

This is my new Tang set-up. I have 3 x L. Occelatus, 6 x Julies "Kipili", and 3 x N. Pulcher "Daffodil", all fairly juvenile at the moment.

Photo is a bit fuzzy due to lack of light (so slow shutter speed!) sorry


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## josmoloco

lighting ruins it


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## ~Firefly~

josmoloco said:


> lighting ruins it


No suggestion of how it ruins it? Or a suggestion of how to improve it?


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## cichlidpastor

~Firefly~ said:


> josmoloco said:
> 
> 
> 
> lighting ruins it
> 
> 
> 
> No suggestion of how it ruins it? Or a suggestion of how to improve it?
Click to expand...

Firefly, I think Josmoloco is saying that the half white half blue looks bad to him. I kind of agree. Are those incandescent bulbs or do you have 2 separate florescent tubes?


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## ~Firefly~

cichlidpastor said:


> ~Firefly~ said:
> 
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> 
> josmoloco said:
> 
> 
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> lighting ruins it
> 
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> No suggestion of how it ruins it? Or a suggestion of how to improve it?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Firefly, I think Josmoloco is saying that the half white half blue looks bad to him. I kind of agree. Are those incandescent bulbs or do you have 2 separate florescent tubes?
Click to expand...

Oh right, no it's just two light bulbs. One is a white day light on the right and one is a blue evening light on the left. They're not tubes. I put both on to get enough light for the photo but I see you're point. Is the decor ok otherwise? Although not new to cichlids or fish keeping in general, this is my first Tang tank.


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## josmoloco

Decor looks nice, just add a background. I thing # ratings are really pointless. :roll:


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## scrubjay

Dotti90 said:


> heres my 40gal just stocked


I really like your aquascaping! Rocks and sand look very natural together, plants are nicely scattered, rock work is very appealing because the rocks are not all on one plane, and are also all the same type of rock. Good depth of field. I think too many people go for strong contrast between rocks and substrates. It sometimes looks good, but I really like the warmth of these colors with the plants. Great job :thumb:


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## Oscar Madison

Dotti90 said:


> ok since no one gave you an actual ?/10 ill give you a 7 i like the setup but i think fish choice needs to be extremely colourful.
> 
> heres my 40gal just stocked


Very Nice!!! :thumb:


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## flygremlin

Yeah, I like the rock placement, fish color, plants and sand. I'd put a background in but that's just me. looks awesome I'd give it an 8

This is my tank, 75G 7 swimmers in it but they were all hiding this am.


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## cichlidpastor

Dotti90, I really like your setup. very natural and almost perfect. a black background would take it into the stratosphere. Good job


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## mr.species44

The tank above me is invisible but here is mine a 90 mixed tank im on this site through my cell phone so bare with the pic for now please. http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy31 ... ge0157.jpg


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## csnake

mr.species44's tank is a bit tough as it's sideways and a bit blurry. I'm not a big plant guy, let alone fake plants so for me that's a ding. Another ding would be the different kinds of rocks, I'd pick one type and stick with it. I'd also recommend painting or slapping a BG on the back. However, the activity of the tank is through the roof. In my opinion, I'd rate this a 6. I've definitely seen worse, but you could make it better also.

Here's my 90 gallon Demasoni/Yellow Lab/Lithobates aquarium. As you can see, these guys are all still pretty young. Honest feedback?


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## mg426

My 125


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## Dotti90

csnake since MG didng rate yours i will if thats ok i like yours alot puts alot of emphasis on the fish while still keeping somewhat of a natural theme by not structuring your rocks too much, i like plants but i think yours would look silly with them so overall i give you a solid 8 the only thing i would change is that i would have very high rocks on one side and slope it to give a different depth but thats just my opinion


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## mg426

I think all of the tanks are pretty darn Nice !!!!


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## flygremlin

Did anyone see my tank on the previous page? No one rated it. I'd like to know what ya think


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## mr.species44

Ill admit my last pic was junk to say the least sorry for that im workin with a cam phone so here is another not as close but its not sideways lol. Fake plants are the only ones that work for me. http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy31 ... ge0263.jpg


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## csnake

Flygremlin... I like a bit more of a natural theme in my aquariums, but a wise man once said, "to each his own." I do have to say however, the bridge is quite a nice looking decoration.

Here's another aquarium of mine... 75 gallon with Cyno Hara, Ps. elongatus Chailosi, Yelow Labs, and ablino Socolofi.


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## jduke

csnake...both the tanks from the last few posts look great this 75 ill rate an 9...here is my 125..


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## cjacob316

*csnake*
big :thumb: to your tanks i love them man


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## Pali

jduke said:


> csnake...both the tanks from the last few posts look great this 75 ill rate an 9...here is my 125..


I'll rate your tank 6

IMO the gravel and ther odd placed and out of color lava rock really pull it down

Here is a micro tank - for L. Bulengeri snaildweller fry untill they join the grow out tank.

2.5 Gal tank with 0.5 gal home made external filter (turn over 22 times/hour)










:thumb:

I find the micro tanks are alot of fun, it's a challange to make em work. Now the placeing in a window is not the best option, but it's faceing north so it's not getting direct sunlight and there where room for it.

:lol:


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## grommeckdr

I do like micro tanks - I will eventually set one up in my office. Yours lacks interest IMO, though (understanding that it's just a fry tank). I'll give it a 5.

I posted my tank a while back before fish. Thought I would re-post now that I have fish (stocked today)...

























































And finally, a video:


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## HondaKid

grommeckdr - I give you a solid 7. I love the rocks and how you have them set up. I'm partial to sand and think it would look great with your rocks. BTW - the new fish look nice!

Here's a shot of mine. I just added the java fern (my first attempt at plants). I'm going to be changing the rock set up, but let me know what you think.










Thanks!


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## LG0815

*Ill give it an 8 i love the rock pile *

update on my 55 got it planted and everything

light 2x54w t5 HO
fluval 405 
aquaclear 70 
60 pounds of flourite

fish 
2 angelfish 
5 gold rams 
4 neons (hope to have a school of 20 soon waiting for some $$$$$$$$)
4 otos 
1 neon rainbow 
6 cories 
hope to get 20 other schooling fish any suggestions

ok to the tank

*Before *









*After *
before plants 








after 
































My rams 
























My new veiw from the couch 








*and today 2/2010*


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## Oscar Madison

grommeckdr said:


> I do like micro tanks - I will eventually set one up in my office. Yours lacks interest IMO, though (understanding that it's just a fry tank). I'll give it a 5.
> 
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 :thumb: I really like the rocks set up. Are they from the mountains?


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## solgood

LG0815, I will give you a 8 for your tank. Would be higher if you had a black background. But thats just me. Overall nice tank. :thumb:

OK on to my tank and yes this is a repost. 225 gal. planning on housing only haps. Tank has been up and running for about 6 weeks so it still needs some things like more fish and the water is a bit cloudy yet. Pics are kinda grainy but its the best i can do at this time. The white dots you see are micro bubbles in the water, working on getting them under control.









Bigger pic http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac31 ... 1266209748








http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac31 ... 1266209846








http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac31 ... 1266209872








http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac31 ... 1266209893
Dimidiochromis compressiceps








http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac31 ... 1266209937
Not Sure ?








http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac31 ... 1266209996
Otopharynx Lithobates (zimbawe rock) Just a little guy








http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac31 ... 1266210030


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## james786

These are really nice tanks I am interesting in these and wanna to buy. I wanna to know its price? Where i can get the list of it.


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## solgood

james786 said:


> These are really nice tanks I am interesting in these and wanna to buy. I wanna to know its price? Where i can get the list of it.


4000$ US and its all yours.  Shipping might be a big hit.


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## jduke

he's in india... im sure he can go fishing and catch some pretty fish


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## tokyo

solgood said:


> OK on to my tank and yes this is a repost. 225 gal. planning on housing only haps. Tank has been up and running for about 6 weeks so it still needs some things like more fish and the water is a bit cloudy yet. Pics are kinda grainy but its the best i can do at this time. The white dots you see are micro bubbles in the water, working on getting them under control.


I think this is a good start, but it just looks kind of plain to me. I think you need more rock, and maybe spread it out a little more to make it took less uniform. Just my opinion, thats what looks good to me. Also, it will look alot better once you introduce your fish. Very nice tank and stand too. For a rating I'd give it a 7, but with the fish in it and more rock work It could easily be an 8.

Ok, here's my latest setup for my 30g saulosi tank. There are no fish in it yet, as my p. saulosi are en route.

I know its kind of a small tank, but I'm happy with how it turned out. Oh, and sorry for the poor quality image, the only camera I have is the built in webcam on my laptop.


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## grommeckdr

Oscar Madison said:


> grommeckdr said:
> 
> 
> 
> I do like micro tanks - I will eventually set one up in my office. Yours lacks interest IMO, though (understanding that it's just a fry tank). I'll give it a 5.
> 
> I posted my tank a while back before fish. Thought I would re-post now that I have fish (stocked today)...
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> :thumb: I really like the rocks set up. Are they from the mountains?
Click to expand...

Yes, it's Colorado sandstone. I purchased it at the local stone yard.


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## solgood

tokyo said:


> solgood said:
> 
> 
> 
> OK on to my tank and yes this is a repost. 225 gal. planning on housing only haps. Tank has been up and running for about 6 weeks so it still needs some things like more fish and the water is a bit cloudy yet. Pics are kinda grainy but its the best i can do at this time. The white dots you see are micro bubbles in the water, working on getting them under control.
> 
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> 
> I think this is a good start, but it just looks kind of plain to me. I think you need more rock, and maybe spread it out a little more to make it took less uniform. Just my opinion, thats what looks good to me. Also, it will look alot better once you introduce your fish. Very nice tank and stand too. For a rating I'd give it a 7, but with the fish in it and more rock work It could easily be an 8.
> 
> Ok, here's my latest setup for my 30g saulosi tank. There are no fish in it yet, as my p. saulosi are en route.
> 
> I know its kind of a small tank, but I'm happy with how it turned out. Oh, and sorry for the poor quality image, the only camera I have is the built in webcam on my laptop.
Click to expand...

I would agree it needs more rock. I already have 250$ worth of lace rock in there and it gets to be costly.  On the same note I dont wont to much rock because im planning on housing large Haps that require lots of swimming room. Thanks for the rate. :thumb:


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## tokyo

solgood said:


> I would agree it needs more rock. I already have 250$ worth of lace rock in there and it gets to be costly.  On the same note I dont wont to much rock because im planning on housing large Haps that require lots of swimming room. Thanks for the rate. :thumb:


Yeah, I think the appropriate fish could really make the difference for your tank. For instance I don't think it would look very good if you stocked it with mbuna, but Haps I think will really make all the open space look great. Kind of stating the obvious there, but oh well. I look forward to seeing it stocked! :thumb:

Also, I am very jealous of tank/stand setup. :drooling:


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## Oscar Madison

grommeckdr said:


> Oscar Madison said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> grommeckdr said:
> 
> 
> 
> I do like micro tanks - I will eventually set one up in my office. Yours lacks interest IMO, though (understanding that it's just a fry tank). I'll give it a 5.
> 
> I posted my tank a while back before fish. Thought I would re-post now that I have fish (stocked today)...
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> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yes, it's Colorado sandstone. I purchased it at the local stone yard.
Click to expand...

Mini Flat Irons :thumb:


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## mrs.som

>


I really like this tank, I'd give it a 7 only because if think stacking the rocks higher on one side would look cooler 

Here is my 20 gal...the water is still cloudy because my nanoluteus are always digging or poking at something! (the sand itself had clay in it )


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## tokyo

mrs.som said:


> I really like this tank, I'd give it a 7 only because if think stacking the rocks higher on one side would look cooler
Click to expand...

Thanks for the rating. :thumb:

I agree about piling one side higher than the other. I was having trouble keeping the rocks stable while piling higher. I also ran out of rocks and the landscaping place I buy them from is 45 minutes away. Next time I do a major tank cleaning I will buy some more rocks and have another go at making a tall pile. I would like to be able to hide the heater on the left with a rock pile.


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## Malawi_G

I'd give that 7 out of 10, just because the pics is a little blurry....other nice looks nice for a small tank....
Here's a rescape of my 120 gallon


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## mrs.som

Malawi_G, I'm assuming your rating applies to my tank.
I (like most posting here) would appreciate more criticism than just "it's blurry so...".
I realize it is cloudy (only temporary) so the rating is not very beneficial for me or others looking at it.

As for your tank...I must say it is very beautiful! I especially like the arrangement of the rocks, grass and plant on the right side, very clean looking. For contrast though, I would suggest piling some more driftwood on the left side. Also, I can't tell from the pic but your sand depth looks a bit shallow (maybe it isn't?)...overall, 8.5/10!


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## Malawi_G

Now that you pointed it out I totally didn't realize that your tank was after that tank you replied on sorry about that....As for your tank it looks really nice I like the wood and rock setup, but If I could suggest something: maybe moving your plants behind that driftwood and leaving the right side open with the rocks, I'm assuming that they are all live plants and when they fill out it should look great......thanks for the comments on my tank more driftwood is the plan for me, just don't have the $ for it yet...big pieces of wood are so expensive....lol.....the sand actually isn't that deep it use to be a bare bottom tank and I decided to try sand, at the time I only purchase a hundred pounds and thought that it was enough, but It wasn't and I just didn't get the chance to add and now with fish on it, i don't wanna bother anymore....


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## 1Tlew0

Awsome tanks!!!! :thumb:


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## ozzkoz

Very nice tanks. I like the driftwood in the tank above, I'd do something similar if I had a second tank. I'll say an 8.

Here is my 75 gallon tank. I've got some yellow labs, socolofi, red zebra, acei, and a single johanni in there. I'm not sure if my rocks are set up correct or I have enough since I have a few fish hanging out up by the filter. Any thoughts?


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## mrs.som

I always suggest stacking rocks higher on one side than the other but that is just my asthetic 
If you do have fish hanging about the filter it is very possible you don't have enough rocks/caves. I'd give it a 7/10 though.


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## zorans83

Great tank.I dont really like those plants.Are they fake.The type of rocks are always nice to see but they overshadow the red/orange coloured fish .I give it 8 out of 10


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## mightyevil

I am not a fan of the color of rocks so its a 7 for me, for you, I think that black colored rocks would bring out the colors of the fish a lot more and make your hole tank nicer.

Here is my recently remodeled 55 gallon tank which is now a grow out tank for approximately 26 Acei, 1 Pearlmutt, 1 Pleco and 9 guppies who I am assuming will become dinner eventually.


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## bosco0633

For the tank above me, the 3D background is nice, but I think the stones contrast with it. I also think that the tank lacks color without plants. I would change out the orange stone personally and maybe add better lighting, it is really dark. I would give it a 6.5 but with the 3D background at 7. Nice work!!

Anyways, I have done some work to my tank and thought that I would give it another shot. I have added a thicker bottom to the tank and the plants. I still have not put a background on, but I really like the clarity without it. So...........


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## Liam_Doherty

The tank above me I'll give a 9. The only thing holding me back is the lack of background as you noted. I love the contrast between the rocks and the sand. I also like the use of live plants. Very nice tank.

Here's my current setup. It's got real rocks piled up and yes fake plants. I would love to move to real plants, but my local lfs's plant stock was full of snails. Not something I want in my tank.


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## cjacob316

:thumb: nice tank, but i don't like the extreme man made look of the stack on the right otherwise nice job, very clean, good rock choice and plant placement and minimalism


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## stouty109

well since they didnt rate ya ill give ya 8.5 i personally like the rock work and im not a big plant fan but i think it fits your tank and i love the sand.

Here in my 75 gal mixed Cichlid and a tiretrack eel tank. Pic kinda suck but what do u expect from a phone right. Ill get some better ones for yall soon.


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## mightyevil

bosco0633 said:


> For the tank above me, the 3D background is nice, but I think the stones contrast with it. I also think that the tank lacks color without plants. I would change out the orange stone personally and maybe add better lighting, it is really dark. I would give it a 6.5 but with the 3D background at 7. Nice work!!


Thanks,

I am going for the Malawi biotope look so I don't want any plants in it although I do think it will give the aquarium a lot of color. I may move the lighter rocks to the back of the aquarium so they don't look as bright and I will put the darker ones in the front, that should help to even the color out. I plan to change the lighting down the road sometime but not now, I think it is too purpleish...

7? A tad bit lower than I expected but I will take it.


----------



## sgwn73

Here is my 90 Gal Mixed Hap and Aulonocara set up


----------



## tyxpx

I give that one a 9. I love the fish selection and the rocks!

Here is my tiny tank, lol. Only has one golden mbuna in it. Hopefully I can upgrade soon


----------



## bigcatsrus

The tank above me I'd give a 7 only because I like the natural look e.g bright orange rock. Other than that pretty good.

Here is my 210L with tangs 









Hope you like

Charlene


----------



## sasquatch-exists

sorry, double post.


----------



## sasquatch-exists

mightyevil said:


> I am not a fan of the color of rocks so its a 7 for me, for you, I think that black colored rocks would bring out the colors of the fish a lot more and make your hole tank nicer.
> 
> Here is my recently remodeled 55 gallon tank which is now a grow out tank for approximately 26 Acei, 1 Pearlmutt, 1 Pleco and 9 guppies who I am assuming will become dinner eventually.


That is an incredible background! I'd give you a 8-9 if I HAD to rate it. People who know what a biotype is will apreciate it! :thumb: If you could get more square rock aposed to the river stones, that are the same color as your background, than your tank would be a sight to see!!! 

As for the tank above me I'd give it a good 7.5-8! I'd try to combine both the wood with the rocks to give it a more natural look, and you could also try to randomly stacking the rocks, I found that I liked that better when I did that in my tank. I know how hard it is to decorate a big tank so i'll give you a 10 for effort! 

OK, here is my 29g S/A, (soon to be torn down to make room for a new 130g!!!! :dancing: )


----------



## bigcatsrus

sasquatch-exists said:


> As for the tank above me I'd give it a good 7.5-8! I'd try to combine both the wood with the rocks to give it a more natural look, and you could also try to randomly stacking the rocks, I found that I liked that better when I did that in my tank. I know how hard it is to decorate a big tank so i'll give you a 10 for effort!
> 
> OK, here is my 29g S/A, (soon to be torn down to make room for a new 130g!!!! :dancing: )


I understand what your saying. The slate is there for a temp measure (hopefully). The pile on the far right came out of another tank and has fry amongst that pile. The near left pile has another breeding pair and have laid eggs, so can't do anything at the moment but thanks for the advice.


----------



## sasquatch-exists

Haha, I kinda figured someone with two tanks that size probably knew what they were doing!  
Good luck with those babies!


----------



## 1Tlew0

Ill give the one above me a 8/10...Imo I would paint the background black...

Heres my setup that I purchased yesterday afternoon!. It's a pretty big upgrade from my 30 gallon so I had to throw some more rock in the tank. After going to every store that carries rock I finally found black slate that I think would go best with the white sand! Plus, I think black would make the color of the fish pop a little more. Anyway, I would love for you guys to put your input about the tank and what I can do to make it look way better!!


----------



## stouty109

ill give you a 8 b/c i like my tanks with more stuff going on like more rocks it looks bare. Id get some more of that white coral stuff u have their and pile it up in the corner just my 2cents. But over all not to bad


----------



## jenandcoffee

I'll give you 7 - right now the rocks just look like they were put in, i think you need more of a focal point. i really like the slate rocks, i would do i center pile like you have but more in the middle and get more for the sides. seeing as this is a new set up, im sure some tinkering will be in your future :thumb:


----------



## zorans83

The plants the pottery and the root looking stuff on the right are saying u.re trying too hard.The pile of rocks on the right side is perfect for this tank.Get a lot more of those rocks and some shorter plants if you must have them.Real plants. Don't use fake ones they are just not good enough for your fronts.I give your tank an 8
And here is mine.Any constructive criticism is welcomed. http://www.aquaticacentral.com/smfboard ... 231.0.html


----------



## red-eye

I couldn't view zorans83
so, I give jenandcoffee an 8.5 
I think it's a nice looking tank, and I've always had plastic plants in mine and think they look fine. I will post mine as soon as I have 5 posts.


----------



## red-eye

I have 6 tanks total, but will only show my 150 and 55 g tanks.
I used to breed cichlids, but got out about 10 years ago. Just picked up
the 55 about a month ago and the 150 about 2 weeks ago.

150 with misc africans









55 with african albinos


----------



## mightyevil

sasquatch-exists said:


> mightyevil said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That is an incredible background! I'd give you a 8-9 if I HAD to rate it. People who know what a biotype is will apreciate it! :thumb: If you could get more square rock aposed to the river stones, that are the same color as your background, than your tank would be a sight to see!!!
Click to expand...

Thank you!

I am keeping an eye open for better rocks.


----------



## zorans83

[/img] http://www5.snapfish.com/slideshow/Albu ... 313314025/


----------



## HondaKid

zorans83 said:


>


I'll give you a solid 8! I love the background, plants and the contrast of yellow on the rocks. I think it would look even better if you had more darker colored fish in there as the yellow is pretty overpowering. One of my personal favorites as you'll see below, but I think some Ngara White Tail Acei would look great in there.

Here's a shot of my 20g long fry grow-out tank. I just did a water change so still have some floaties and bubbles. Pretty plan and simple, but for whatever reason, I really like the way it looks. I currently have it stocked with about 20 F1 Ngara White Tail Acei. :thumb:


----------



## HondaKid

Oops - double post.


----------



## gt eunuch

HondaKid said:


> Here's a shot of my 20g long fry grow-out tank. I just did a water change so still have some floaties and bubbles. Pretty plan and simple, but for whatever reason, I really like the way it looks. I currently have it stocked with about 20 F1 Ngara White Tail Acei. :thumb:


I love the symmetry and the attempt at covering up those huge sponge filters 

I just wish I could see the fish more.

I will give it an pi*2.5 (~ 7.85398163) :thumb:

//will post mine once i have 5 posts!


----------



## justinf67

Haven't posted mine in a while as I do not have a good camera. I have changed mine around each time I have to catch a fish, so its been a few times, lol...

*HondaKid*
I love both of ur tanks. The background is amazing and the fish mix is perfect! 9.7....

For a growout, the 20g is awesome as well. I don't put much effort into my growouts, lol. Puts mine to shame. 9 for the growout...

Heres mine with a cell phone pic, but u get the idea....


----------



## Cichlid Junkie

I like the pile of rocks on the left, but I'm not a fan of the stair stepped rocks on the right. I think a more natural rock formation would really make this tank stand out, especially with the colorful selection of cichlids you have in there. 7.5.

Here is my new tank that I set up a few days ago. It is a 20g long that will house 6 (2m/4f) Lamprologus Meleagris (Stappersi) once it is done cycling.


----------



## gilberbt

Cichlid Junkie I really like the contrast of the white sand and black background and the rocks and shells make it really stand out. I would say that once you get it stocked I would rate it atleast an 8.5. Very Nice!


----------



## gilberbt

Here is my first African Cichlid tank its a 75 G Mixed tank that I have been switching over to more colorful male tank lately. I am looking to add some more fish so any suggestions would be appreciated.


----------



## iCichlid

So here is my new 120! I went from 55 to this...


----------



## Fevz

I think tank above is a beauty. Only thing that bothers me is those tubes from filters and that fake plant. It kinda distracts from whole scene  
I would give it 7. Otherwise, your filers are monster machines :drooling: 
This is my Geophagus tank. I really love biotope aquariums and i kinda hope this tank looks like part of amazon river


----------



## Fevz

Ah, double post :x


----------



## J.B.

Very nice tank, Fevz...I'd say you have done very well at re-creating a little piece of the amazon. I'll rate your tank a solid 8.75 :thumb:

My only constructive criticism of your tank would be the blue background and the driftwood with the perfect cuts on it.

Here is my 30-gallon Neolamprologus multifasciatus biotope.


----------



## cjacob316

:thumb: =D>


----------



## cjacob316

10, i just love the scape, perfect for the stock. do you pull the filters out before the pic? not a bad idea

here is a 55 gallon tank i just set up two days ago, it was supposed to just be a temporary home while i resealed my 90, but i am thinking about keeping as is and doing something different in the 90, i'll try to get a better pic, but what do you guys think?


----------



## sasquatch-exists

*iCichlid* Holly %$#@$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Has any other threads made it to 100 posts?


----------



## cjacob316

> Has any other threads made it to 100 posts?


you mean 100 pages?


----------



## mlancaster

Amazing *Fevz*


----------



## Markito

fevz i really like your plants what are they? fake? real? i like that tall grass sweeping over the top of the tank look


----------



## Pali

Markito said:


> fevz i really like your plants what are they? fake? real? i like that tall grass sweeping over the top of the tank look


Now I can't be shure, it's not my tank. But given the guy mention he's into biotope tanks, id say it's a given you have real plants or it would not be a biotope.

*@Fevz* Lovely amazon tank, personaly I would add a spagnum filter or something and get the water tan a little darker. I would not worry about background, the most awsome amazon tanks I have seen, have just had a planted BG, often of mangrove roots, small anubias and other small plants. After a good time you will have a liveing killer BG, where u don't see the glass, wall and plumbing.


----------



## Gliven

I would rate cjacob316's tank a 7.5 I'd personally move the rock pile more towards the center but that's just my opinion. Here is mine I'm looking for some rocks to put in for a cave but I'm waiting for landscaping stores to open around me to find something to suit my tastes.


----------



## cjacob316

thanks *Gliven*, i keep them so one side so i can have more open space, putting them in the center reduces open area. that and the heater is behind it and next to a filter intake

i'll give yours a 7, it's kind of brightly colored for being a north american set-up, and the fake looking caves aren't my taste

here is another tank of mine, my 29 gallon brichardi


----------



## Bkeen

Cjacob316- I'll give it a 7- Somewhat plain, but i prefer the simple look, and the rockwork looks great and is super functional. The substrate is gorgeous as well.

Here's my recently setup 46 gallon bowfront. It has a slimline background with a rock module ot hide the Eheim 2026 canister intake/outlet and heater. I need to trim the moss, that stuff grows like crazy!


----------



## LSBoost

Bkeen I'll give you a 7 but that's only because I don't see any fish :lol:.


----------



## Bkeen

LSBoost said:


> Bkeen I'll give you a 7 but that's only because I don't see any fish :lol:.


Thanks! (I'm working on getting some for it.  ) Hoping for HRP's!


----------



## JimA

LSBoost said:


> Bkeen I'll give you a 7 but that's only because I don't see any fish :lol:.


 LSBoost give you a 8 looks nice and simple.

Not the best photo but here's a revamp of mine that I posted back on page 87 I think? Just helping the thread along.


----------



## knotty dreadlocks

Not the best photo but here's a revamp of mine that I posted back on page 87 I think? Just helping the thread along.








[/quote]

ill give yours an 8. tank looks nice but it seems like its missing something though

heres mine the pic sucks cause its from my camera phone


----------



## Superbowlbound

Nice tank, i would say around 7.5, but thats irrelevant - each person may have different preferences.

For me, I'm more of a rock person so i would rate this higher if there was slate/boulder type rocks instead of this holey rock(?). Love the substrate and awesome fish.

One more thing, maybe you could try hiding the spray bar and intake tube? Paint the tubing black and they will blend in more.

Now onto mine, im in the process of doing up a 75gal Mbuna so i thought i should post my 15gal community:









I really dont mind how you rate it, but feedback on how to do better would be great!


----------



## nhra_20

nice looking tank. I give it a very strong seven.

This is my first african tank. It's a 54 bowfront corner tank, Still in the works. Any ideas?[/img]

OKay I guess I can't post up a pictuure yet. The five post deal. Please forgive the new guy.. lol. But if anyone would care to look at mine otherwise I would appreciate all comments


----------



## jagz

Nice tank. I would use more live plants. How can I improve mine?


----------



## YelowLab8706

I give the 15g a 7.5 for being well planted giving it a better look.... but I'm not much of community tank kinda guy.

Here is my recent setup with the holey rock and Sand substrate..... SAND FTW!!!!

Picture is not good due to it being from my 3.1 mega pixel camera phone...... but you get the just of it......


----------



## Munchie1010

yellowlab ill give you a 7 you need a background and i like the holeyrocks but that that 1 lava rock throws it off

heres mine


----------



## adam79

*Munchie1010*
I'm gonna say 7. I would prefer not to see the equipment. Also, I think an asymetrical balance would work nicely. Maybe a large rock pile center-left with a few rocks to the left and a smaller pile far-right with an open area inbetween.

Here is my planted 75. I don't feel I got the best pic, but it is what it is.


----------



## LG0815

ill give the tank above a 8.5 its a little to wierd looking lighting for me but looks natural

here is my 10 gallon multi tank


----------



## afr..cichlids

Want to rate the tank above me, how do I put my tank pic here, have it under my tanks here, can you help? Sorry to break thread but will I would rate this tank above me a 6 looks like a work in progress, much like mine.


----------



## tokyo

> *afr..cichlids*


I'll give yours a 6, just because I personally prefer a natural look. I would never put a castle or a ship(I think thats what I'm seeing) in one of my tanks, but to each his own. The background is also not something I would use, I prefer a flat color. But thats all preference.

For some more constructive criticism, I think you need to add some more rock for your, what looks like, mbuna(?). You might also try building up your tank vertically to make use of some of that heght.

Just some ideas

Here's mine. Its my new(to me) 55 gallon tank that I just set up. I have 13 juvenile saulosi in it now, although the stocking is not yet complete. You can't really tell in this terrible picture quality but some of those rocks have really interesting textures. I also have some red jasper from my original 29g tank.

I would rather wait until I could get a decent picture, rather than the poor quality webcam pic I've posted here. But I am getting some multipunctatus soon and would like to do any work on my aquascaping before/when I introduce them.

Any suggestions on both asthetics and how to make the tank more "multi friendly" would be great!


----------



## solgood

I think your tank looks nice. The saulosi will be great in a 55 gal. Over all nice tank but, you might need more rock in the future if you plan on housing more mbuna. I will give you strong 7.

Here is my 225 gal. all Hap. tank still in the workings. Its been set up for about 2 months so im still adding stock and removing "anyone need females, this tank has become a breeding factory"


----------



## LG0815

tank above ill give a 9 nice work i like it :thumb:

*** got some updated pics of the 10 gallon shell dweller tank 

















and of my 55g planted


----------



## Sshhyguy

Tank above ill give a 7, you cant go wrong with shellies!

Heres my newest 20 gallon. Housing 5 gold occies, and a recovering juvenile Julidochromis gombe.


----------



## iCichlid

*Sshhyguy*
Nice shelly tank! I'd give it an 8!

My 120:


----------



## burntfish

Very nice 8. No plants or a few more might help.

Here is my new 90 in the works.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt21 ... N10651.jpg


----------



## demoniac

Nice tank iCichlid, I'd give it an 8.

Here is my 150 gallon tank.


----------



## tokyo

Been a while since theres been a new post on here. Thought I'd add my new aquascaping and new fish in my 55g.

But first, I'll give *demoniac*'s tank a 7. The only thing bringing it down for me is the man made look of the Holy Rock's arrangement. If you rearanged the rocks a bit to make it look more natural it would be a solid 8. I really like the low level of stocking in your tank. I know alot of people overcrowd their tanks to help with aggression or just for looks, including myself, but I think a stocking level like this, with a few choice fish, is very attractive, atleast for an all male tank.

Ok, here's my new setup. Once again I apologize for the quality of my pictures. I will buy a camera some day, I promise! :lol:

The stock list is in my signature. Everything but the saulosi are new.

Also, my pics are mostly close up, but here's a vid of the whole thing. The water is a little cloudy because I took the vid right after rearanging the tank and adding the new fish.

Click the pic for a vid:


----------



## Isis24

I'd give your tank a 7.5. I really like the clean look of the tank, but the pile of rocks on the right looks too 'placed'. I think it would look even better with fewer but larger rocks on the right. Also, we didn't get a real FTS!

Here's one of mine:


----------



## tokyo

I agree about the rock pile, but it was the best I could do without leaning the rocks against the glass and still keeping them sturdy. Those are also the biggest rocks I can fit in there without cutting them. I tried to place the rocks in the least uniform way I could, to give it a more staggered natural look, but 55 gallon tanks are so thin, its very limiting.

What does FTS mean? Full Tank Shot, maybe? I didn't want too much of the stand and canopy in the shot, so I brought it in a little. There is about 3 inches cut out on the right and 6 inches on the left. Not much to see where its cut off. The rock on the left is lifted up with smaller river rocks to create a nice shallow and wide cave for the synos, the opening is in the shot.

Thats a very nice tank by the way, but I'll let someone else rate it.


----------



## nhra_20

I'd give the last one a 7/ I agree about the rock work on the right side. But I know what ya mean about stacking them up. This is my tank. I just re-did the background and substrate. Want to change some other things in the future as well.


----------



## AElliott

Id give the previous tank a 6.5. Only because I prefer more natural decor. Room for improvement though.

Here is a recent photo of my 72g Tang tank:


----------



## cjacob316

i'll give it a 9, great background, no shellies? I like rocks to match the background, but it's all nice none the less

this was just a quick shot i took of the newly set-up 90 before i killed the lights for the fish to relax after the move, i feel like i need to move some rocks around, plants may come out in the end, and a Koralia will replace that powerhead with the sponge. the stuff on the glass on the right side are tiny bubbles


----------



## K-ROK

How do I post a picture.


----------



## tokyo

copy and paste the picture's address into your message body. for example:

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/imag ... imming.gif

You can find this by right clicking a photo and selecting "Properties" if your using Windows. The picture must be hosted somewhere online. You can't use a photo from your computer without uploading to a hosting site like Flickr or PhotoBucket first.

Then you highlight it and hit the Img button right under your subject. ^^^

and you end up with a pic embedded in your post:


----------



## fishnmaine

K-Rok I pm'd you earlier about that....did you open.


----------



## K-ROK

I hope this works. This my new setup. Its a 90 gallon tank. It is stocked with yellow labs, rustys, cobalt zebras and maingano. there are 4 of each. Id give the tank above mine an 8.


----------



## Isis24

I'd give your tank a 8. The background is beautiful, and you've chosen nice rocks. The only main complaint I have is about the two horizontal rocks on the left. They look to flat and square, and that makes your tank look un natural. The rest is nice though! Your tank also looks very clean 

Here's another of my tanks--I just rescaped it yesterday and it's waiting for my Apistogramma trifasciata trio to arrive  I'm really excited.


----------



## HeatherLuvsFishies

Love the Tank above, I give it a 9. Love how natural it looks and clean  very nice, Heres my new 75 gallon. before fish were added


----------



## rarefaction

I haven't posted on this thread since page 62 and I wanna go again! :lol: 
I give the tank above a 7.5. Minus points for no fish, I like the plants but I'm not a fan of bubbles. Also I think that real rocks would look better... But all in all a nice look.

Here's my new rock work


----------



## Evan805

I give the tank above me a 7.5 I like the background. I'm not usally a fan of all rock tanks.










Here's my newly setup 46 Gallon bow front.

This is my first attempt at a planted tank. I added a real nice bunch of java fern to the driftwood today.

Just stocked it with 4 Bolivian Rams, 3 oto dwarf suckermouth and 8 tiger barbs. I'll get some updated pics.


----------



## simon.li

blairo1 said:


> Both great tanks!
> 
> I'd have to say the tank above is a good 7. I really like the choice of rock and the hardscape. It's just me but I'd want a little more randomization in the rock pile placement. But I understand this may well be as-is due to territory requirements. I think the way the rock piles are built up are fantastic, nicely done!
> 
> I'll go for one of mine from the other end of the spectrum now:
> 
> very beautiful very.......... very .....................


----------



## Evan805

the newest addition... Bolivians.


----------



## pomi

I rate the tank above 7, cause I don't like bubbles and visible hardware.

Here is mine:


----------



## Evan805

pomi said:


> I rate the tank above 7, cause I don't like bubbles and *visible hardware*.


I know! I wanted to put the ruffle plant in front of the heater to hide it, but my girlfriend wanted the plat on the left side for some reason. ...what can ya do?


----------



## cjacob316

be a man and have control over your own stuff :lol:


----------



## pomi

Yeah, be the man in the house  Let her know who wears the pants and arrange your tank the way you want to.


----------



## LSBoost

Hide the heater behind the big driftwood in the middle. Maybe put the bubble back there too. :thumb:


----------



## cjacob316

*pomi*
great looking tank, very well done, 9

here is my 55 Mbuna I just redecorated


----------



## manjelly2

i like the rocks heres my 55


----------



## Cvurb

I can't see the picture of the last post so I'll rate the Tank two posts above a 8. I love the rock choices, and the wood. Very Natural Looking.

Here is my tank, I know it is a bad shot, but I will re post later on once I get a better camera 
It is a South American Planted tank with as much driftwood as I can put in there. The really odd placed piece of driftwood is there because I'm trying to water log it, so please try to ignore that. I will be adding another smaller piece of driftwood later.










The current inhabitants are:
-3 Bolivian Rams (Will get another this week)
-7 Wild Discrossus Filamentosus 
-Will get a pair or trio of Cockatoo Apistogrammas (In two months)
-5 Rummy Nose tetra (Will get 3 more)
-7 Pygmy Corydoras
-2 Peppered Corydoras (Fry)
-2 Endlers (And about 30 fry...)


----------



## jbgd99

Nice tank....I guess 9...like the natural look

here is mine


----------



## Rhinox

1500th post?

Tank above: 8. I like the subtle combination of plants, rocks, and driftwood. could be improved by a more natural looking pile of rocks.

hmmm... I really just wanted to be post 1500, so I don't really have any good pics of my tanks. I'll post both that I have, but keep in mind that both are currently temporary as the 55 will go away when I set up my 125 in a couple more weeks, and the 33XL will be rescaped.

55g:









33XL:









Sorry for no clear view also showing the inhabitants. These pics were mainly taken to show the rocks.


----------



## manjelly2

for both tanks i give them a 7
hera is one of mine

http://images5b.snapfish.com/232323232% ... 3A%3E47%3B%


----------



## whatupcichlids

Hey manjelly I cant seem to open the link.... Anyway heres my 95 gal.


----------



## OhighOmatt

sweet 95, i like the black gravel. i would like to see a bit more rockwork!

here's my malawi 75


----------



## manjelly2

8 i like how the rocks look maybe differant plants though


----------



## JCsicklidnewbie

Love the color scheme and the dinos...8

I never learned how to post on this site so here is my tank on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/

I have pvc running in the back under the sand that surfaces at each end and the fish love it!

The dragon is there because the wife said so!!!!!!

sorry but I only had 7.1m pixel camera--couldn't get the sony (12.1) card to load in my pc


----------



## whodatfish

I give your tank a 6 but only b/c of the dragon and not having a background. add those and it's a 8!

here's mine!!!!!


----------



## manjelly2

i give it an 8.5 the rock work stacked in the back lets you see all of your fish, this is my little girls dora tank with neons in it


----------



## rarefaction

lol =D>


----------



## manjelly2

she loves i, she feeds them and helps clean it if i could only get her to help with the other 5


----------



## joelmjd

Lol!!!! Thats a cute tank!!!! Its say a 6 for that.


----------



## Evan805

lol... poor neons must think they're on a LSD trip or something.


----------



## rarefaction

Ã‚Â¡hola fishes!


----------



## joelmjd

Please rate my tank 


__
https://flic.kr/p/4610118720


__
https://flic.kr/p/4610118788


----------



## Brevcom

^^^^Simple and clean, i'll give it a 7.5.

This is my 300 gallon built in.


----------



## jef9891

love the tank, looks awesome i'll it a 9 very clean looking 
heres my 75 hap/peacock tank i just switch over to sand so still a little cloudy and it really needs biggers rocks


----------



## mrs.som

I give that about a "5", sorry...but you yourself admitted it is a work in progress  definitely get some more rocks in there!

37gal tall Eclipse system....all real plants









And just for fun, cause she is so cute:


----------



## duke_B_D

WOW jungle!!! i like plants 7

My 30 tall, no fish yet...sorry please don't deduct for fish! will be Blue Johannis, electric yellows and dolphins


----------



## mrs.som

Ummm, nice tank but you are supposed to rate the tank directly above you (i.e. mine  ) The one you are talking about is a page before.

***Ooops, never mind, I see you went back and corrected it*****


----------



## duke_B_D

haha yea, one of my first times posting, got a little confused! What did you think of my tank!?


----------



## cartman

duke I'll give that a 6.5 - I like the rocks, nice colour & stacking but I gotta say I dislike the plastic plants, visible thermometer & magnetic glass cleaner, and if I have to be really picky I'm not a fan of air bubbles either - but a good clean effort, will be good to see once you stock it up, I'm sure your fish will love it

here's my 6x2x2, two shots showing the normal "daytime" lights and the one below with the moonlights although it's actually much dimmer than that I've had to enhance the light quite a bit for this photo - last count I've got something like 80 odd Africans in there - time to purge again I think :?


----------



## greg1786

Very nice tank dude. I easily give it a 10 you should be ver proud of your work im sure it took a very long time. Ok heres mine, 55 gallon mixed Mbuna tank. Rock work still in progress will be adding about ten new rocks monday. Let me know what you think!!


----------



## bhg002

I give your tank an 8!!! It does have a lot of open area at the top which makes it look real open. I would build up the rocks or put in a background.

Here is my tank...


----------



## bhg002

Sorry my above image didn't work... maybe this will.


----------



## jef9891

ok well i got a 5 the first time i posted my tank. i just got done changing it up is it still a 5 or did i improve


----------



## cartman

jef9891 said:


> ok well i got a 5 the first time i posted my tank. i just got done changing it up is it still a 5 or did i improve


dude u've got to rate the tank above you (from bhg002) before ur likely to get any rating urself...


----------



## jef9891

Whoa Dude sorry I forgot.ill give a 7 not a fan of plants


----------



## JordanRHughes

Wow! My tank doesn't even belong in this thread. There are some great one here. thanks for sharing.

Jordan.


----------



## JordanRHughes

terd ferguson said:


> I'll give this one a 7. I'd give it an 8 with darker substrate.
> 
> Here's mine full of whoppers. You can see my sig line for stocking. Click on the image for a larger version...


Now that's is what I'm working toward. Thank you all for posting these great tanks. There's some awesome ideas around here.

Cheers.

Jordan.


----------



## clgkag

Jef9891, I give it a 6. I think the rockwork would be better if it looked more naturally stacked and if you had something to give the tank more height. Some tall plants or taller rockwork.

My 210 gal 7x2x2. Fronts, Gnathochromis permaxillaris, a couple yellow labs, Telmatochromis sp. "Temporalis Shell", a common pleco that was a rescue and a couple yo-yo loaches.


----------



## Newfishlover

I would say an 8 easily im just not a fan of visible equipment.










I know i gotta get rid of fake plants just waiting for real ones to grow bigger.


----------



## ladybugzcrunch

I give the tank above me a 6 only because the photo doesn't really show much except the fake orange plants. Here's my Tang tank.


----------



## electyellowdude

i give the tank above me a 9! love the fish and the rocks. oh and also the long flowing plants! haha
here is mine:


----------



## 007Rick

I would give your tank a 7, I like the how simple it is but you should really try to hide the heaters... Try behind your rocks.

here is my 92g corner:


----------



## cjacob316

i gotta say, love the way you took reptile caves and siliconed them to the back glass


----------



## whatupcichlids

007Rick said:


> I would give your tank a 7, I like the how simple it is but you should really try to hide the heaters... Try behind your rocks.
> 
> here is my 92g corner:


Hey first of all I give your tank a 9 because it looks awesome and natural. Sorry I dont have pics of my current tank at the moment but I will eventually put them up. I was just wondering how many fish are in your tank?


----------



## Gliven

*007Rick* love the tank I think the only thing I would change is to remove the driftwood other then that it's great I give it a 9.
Here is my tank resubmitted as its set up for africans now.


----------



## cdnarcher

Gliven. 8 out of 10. I love the sand and rocks. I would try to make the rock formation look a little less "manufactured, would hide the heater better, and would add a few plants for some greenery. Other than that, it looks great

Here is my 135 Gallon Mbuna Tank.


----------



## JordanRHughes

Beautiful. I love it. Thanks for the share.

Jordan.



mittzgame said:


> I am assuming 10 is high...
> 
> I would rate cichlids _killer's tank a 7.
> 
> Love the style of the rock, sand, use of depth, black background. I think the height of the tank could be better used though, there is a lot of empty space since the rocks barely make it half way up the tank. Also, don't see many fish, other than the few yellow labs and some peacocks, are there others in there? If not, up your stocking, it looks like you have plenty of room!
> 
> Here's the next tank to rate:


----------



## JordanRHughes

I love the curve on the tank. Thanks fo rthe share.



007Rick said:


> I would give your tank a 7, I like the how simple it is but you should really try to hide the heaters... Try behind your rocks.
> 
> here is my 92g corner:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> jamaica Hotels


----------



## JordanRHughes

That looks larger than a 75g?

Thanks for the share.

Cheers.



bmweiler09 said:


> JimA: Good looking tank Ill give yours a 6 as well. Nothing really eye catching to me but a good set-up.
> 
> Here is my 75gl Dem/Lab tank:


----------



## ladybugzcrunch

Tank above me gets a 9, love the rocks, sand and plants but can not make out what kind of fish are in there :fish: 
Here's my 29g.


----------



## pomi

I give you an 8,5.... to much light for amazon themed tank 

Here's my updated 185 G:


----------



## cichliddude90

plz rate seperately lol










my cichlid tank above and below is my salt tank waiting for cycle to add some coral








[/code]


----------



## cichliddude90

btw the tank above is a easy 9.5 sorry for the decimal love the look


----------



## cichliddude90

yes i know my tank is not natural looking im italian and love the roman theme


----------



## mel_cp6

7 for the roman cichlid tank and 7 for the saltwater tank.

heres my 75g with diy stand and canopy.

















the tangs are in there but all are juvies and none has colored up yet.


----------



## manjelly2

i give it 9 a 10 if it had mor rock love the stand and canopy


----------



## sangi1a

I give manjelly2's tank a 3 because it really needs a background, and the rocks aren't very natural looking because it looks like you stacked them up yourself. I think it would look alot better with sand too because the red gravel is gay. just my opinion.

sorry guys i don't have pics of my tank yet


----------



## Gunn20

i rate manjelly2's tank a 5 because like sangi1a said its not that realistic

heres my tank


----------



## phillipatomus

I'd give the tank above a 7 only because it needs a background and image is a little hard to see. Nice set up though.

Here's my 125. Glass has some scrathes, yeeha craigslist


----------



## Gunn20

Ravenatnm said:


> easilly an 8, the driftwood and plants look amazing. If you had more rockwork behind the wood I'd rate it higher.
> 
> Here is my 75:


I give rave a 10 out of 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## chrisFewell

125g


----------



## gilberbt

chrisFewell - I love the beer bottle in there was it intentional or an accident from a party ?. I would rate yours a 7.5. I like the rock work but personally like some more color in the tanks but its a great looking tank.

Here is my 75G that I recently switched from gravel, fake rocks, and plants to white sand, stone, and real plants. Let me know what you guys think or if you have any suggestions.


----------



## wpk22

Gunn20 said:


> i rate manjelly2's tank a 5 because like sangi1a said its not that realistic
> 
> heres my tank


funny you say that.....I liked his tank FWIW

All of these tanks look great and are making me want to set up another tank


----------



## tokyo

phillipatomus said:


> I'd give the tank above a 7 only because it needs a background and image is a little hard to see. Nice set up though.
> 
> Here's my 125. Glass has some scrathes, yeeha craigslist


Well since chrisFewell forgot to rate yours I thought I would give you a rating before your post gets lost in with the 100s of others.

I give your tank a 7. It would be an easy 8 or even 9 if you hid your equipment better and removed some of the more unnaturally placed rocks, like the two leaning against eachother in the back center, the red stone and the black stone sitting on top to the right of the leaning stones, or the little egg shaped one sitting up on its own on the left.

I usually don't like river rocks because the way they stack usually looks forced in my opinion(my 55g is a good example of this :roll: ), but you used them perfectly(with a couple exceptions). Not too cluttered but still plenty of hiding spots. Nice job! :thumb:


----------



## Gunn20

i give gilbert a 9 out of ten i love the tank and the way the plants are set up

here is my brand new 55 gallon

[/img]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4741687584_6e68ec3a2a_b.jpg


----------



## Gunn20

sorry


----------



## Steve.W.

I give the tank above a 5, only because I like to see a background.

Here is my 180g Cypho tank.


----------



## Superbowlbound

Steve, nice tank. I'm digging the dull colors given off by the black background and grey rocks. I'm also liking the nice space you have created in between the two clusters of rocks. I would give the tank a solid 7.5

Would be great, im my opinion, to try cover the inlet and outlet hoses, and also to use some of that height (maybe higher rock pile, i don't know). Well done man.

Here is my newly done 55ish G Mbuna tank. At the moment i have 2 Electric Yellows and will be adding some more and two more species when i get back from skiing!


----------



## electyellowdude

Superbowlbound said:


> Steve, nice tank. I'm digging the dull colors given off by the black background and grey rocks. I'm also liking the nice space you have created in between the two clusters of rocks. I would give the tank a solid 7.5
> 
> Would be great, im my opinion, to try cover the inlet and outlet hoses, and also to use some of that height (maybe higher rock pile, i don't know). Well done man.
> 
> Here is my newly done 55ish G Mbuna tank. At the moment i have 2 Electric Yellows and will be adding some more and two more species when i get back from skiing!


what type of sand are you using and what else are you putting in there??????


----------



## Dotti90

lovely superbowl i give 8 out of 10


----------



## Gervahlt

Very nice Dotti - I give an 8 out of 10.

Here's my 55g. Sorry for the bad pic...


----------



## alanvickiuk

i give the tank above me a 7.5 really like the set up but will be higher once clears up and pic looks better 

heres my 57g mbuna acei/yellow lab set up




























love this thread too  :fish: :fish:


----------



## Oscar Madison

gilberbt said:


> chrisFewell - I love the beer bottle in there was it intentional or an accident from a party ?. I would rate yours a 7.5. I like the rock work but personally like some more color in the tanks but its a great looking tank.
> 
> Here is my 75G that I recently switched from gravel, fake rocks, and plants to white sand, stone, and real plants. Let me know what you guys think or if you have any suggestions.


 :thumb: sweet


----------



## Oscar Madison

electyellowdude said:


> Superbowlbound said:
> 
> 
> 
> Steve, nice tank. I'm digging the dull colors given off by the black background and grey rocks. I'm also liking the nice space you have created in between the two clusters of rocks. I would give the tank a solid 7.5
> 
> Would be great, im my opinion, to try cover the inlet and outlet hoses, and also to use some of that height (maybe higher rock pile, i don't know). Well done man.
> 
> Here is my newly done 55ish G Mbuna tank. At the moment i have 2 Electric Yellows and will be adding some more and two more species when i get back from skiing!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what type of sand are you using and what else are you putting in there??????
Click to expand...

Interesting background........I like it.


----------



## Oscar Madison

Here's mine


----------



## Ant-man

I have to go with 8.75, I really like the BG but I think you could have done more to hide the filter media a little better. I can't really say to much about that, I just started making backrounds and hope mine comes out that good. here's my 55, fixing to finish my 120's BG and set up to move my fish into, it so I haven't done much with this tank...










picture with camera phone, sorry if its blurry


----------



## davecshrode

give tank above me a 7.5 like the rock but am a sand guy....
This is a pic from my recently set up 55
[/img]


----------



## Tiktaalik Owner

It can't be emphasized enough: colorful fish stand out against dark backgrounds. The addition of white sand gives a tank an otherworldly effect. A solid 7, though a closer and clearer pic might raise this.

Here's my tank. Sorry about the group in front. The picture was shot during a New Year's party at my house.


----------



## Floridagirl

Tiktaalik Owner said:


> It can't be emphasized enough: colorful fish stand out against dark backgrounds. The addition of white sand gives a tank an otherworldly effect. A solid 7, though a closer and clearer pic might raise this.
> 
> Here's my tank. Sorry about the group in front. The picture was shot during a New Year's party at my house.


Wow..your tank is EXACTLY like the one at the Atlanta Aquarium. :wink:


----------



## Tiktaalik Owner

Well Floridagirl -- if that is your real name -- I'll admit I was influenced by the one in Atlanta, though I think it's obvious my basking shark (Bacchus) is a much better specimen.

This was my smaller tank. It burst in May. The new one is a work in progress.


----------



## ladybugzcrunch

Tiktaalik Owner said:


> It can't be emphasized enough: colorful fish stand out against dark backgrounds. The addition of white sand gives a tank an otherworldly effect. A solid 7, though a closer and clearer pic might raise this.
> 
> Here's my tank. Sorry about the group in front. The picture was shot during a New Year's party at my house.


 :lol:


----------



## Dj823cichild

Those are some mighty big fish there!  :lol:


----------



## Oscar Madison

Tiktaalik Owner said:


> Well Floridagirl -- if that is your real name -- I'll admit I was influenced by the one in Atlanta, though I think it's obvious my basking shark (Bacchus) is a much better specimen.
> 
> This was my smaller tank. It burst in May. The new one is a work in progress.


Nice backgtound.....was it salvaged?


----------



## Tiktaalik Owner

My fish were saved. If you want a tank with rounded glass DO NOT look for discounts. This was a 100 gallon bowfront by a Chinese company called Odyssea. It was intact for 9 months. Then the "rounded" edge seen in the pic split from the bottom to about a third of the way up. :x Disaster tips: grab your garbage can and dump out the garbage and put it under the leak. Duct tape might slow things down. Siphon most of the water out before trying to move big fish. Don't forget to save the media in your filter: warm water with a source of ammonia & oxygen.

Then I found out there's an aquarium manufacturer about 5 miles from me, a little place called Aqueon.


----------



## alanvickiuk

well seems how my first attempt was'nt rated lol

ill try again with my re-scape

57g 38x20x20 with sand granite rock and live plants


----------



## chrisFewell

alanvickiuk said:


> well seems how my first attempt was'nt rated lol
> 
> ill try again with my re-scape
> 
> 57g 38x20x20 with sand granite rock and live plants


it should have been, I like it. IMO a 8-9

I moved my rocks around.


----------



## chrisFewell

alanvickiuk said:


> well seems how my first attempt was'nt rated lol
> 
> ill try again with my re-scape
> 
> 57g 38x20x20 with sand granite rock and live plants


it should have been, I like it. IMO a 8-9

I moved my rocks around.


----------



## Roorcichlid

8.5-9

my new set up.


----------



## alanvickiuk

chrisFewell said:


> alanvickiuk said:
> 
> 
> 
> well seems how my first attempt was'nt rated lol
> 
> ill try again with my re-scape
> 
> 57g 38x20x20 with sand granite rock and live plants
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it should have been, I like it. IMO a 8-9
> 
> I moved my rocks around.
Click to expand...

thanks mate 

is that the tank that had the bud light bottle in if so how big is it size wise and gallons it is amazing and i loved it when i first seen it


----------



## chrisFewell

it did have the bottle. I removed it when I started having some problems in my tank, Im sure it wasnt the issue but I ll leave it out for a more natural look. its a 125g tank. 72"x18x24ish


----------



## GotCichlids?

With out the bottle 8 still could use more rocks IMO and as far as the one that is actually above mine a 6.5 tank looks too small and not enough rocks could just be the picture for the size but still IMO not enough rocks! Here's mine just redone.


----------



## 12packdale

the one above me didnt show up


----------



## 12packdale

after i posted mine it showed. 6 down size that center piece and id give an 7.5


----------



## GotCichlids?

A 6 that's fun


----------



## Kerricko

I'll rate that a 7. I like the Driftwood and the Holey Rock.

Here is my 1st attempt at a Malawi tank. I know the fake plant has to go. It will when I add some more rock for height.


----------



## Kerricko

GotCichlids? said:


> A 6 that's fun


I like that monster rock. The height on that pile is impressive.


----------



## csaxe21

I rate the tank above me a 7. It's great just IMO it could use some more rock and real plants :thumb:

Here's mine. Don't mind the nursery, the fry will be out and into their own tank any day now. I've just been a little slow on getting it up and running.


----------



## Oscar Madison

Kerricko said:


> I'll rate that a 7. I like the Driftwood and the Holey Rock.
> 
> Here is my 1st attempt at a Malawi tank. I know the fake plant has to go. It will when I add some more rock for height.


Now that is a nice rock formation :thumb:


----------



## Malawi_Junkie

*csaxe21*
I would give it an 8 out of 10, I like the dark substrate and rock stack looks very natural. Your lighting seems a little uneven tho and I would spread the rock to the open up the middle a little for depth but that's just me.

Here's my 220gal. Mbuna


----------



## Malawi_Junkie

Page 107 was blank with an error saying "no post exist for this topic" so I'm adding a post


----------



## Malawi_Junkie

Well that didn't work


----------



## tokyo

It just creates the new page a few posts too early. Probably something to do with the massive size of this thread. It's been doing it for a while, I can't remember when it started. But it fixes itself so no worries. :thumb:

Edit: oh, there we go. On to the next page. I can't believe there are still tanks to add to this thing. Although I guess people are always setting up new tanks or redoing old ones.


----------



## MonteSS

Malawi_Junkie said:


> *csaxe21*
> I would give it an 8 out of 10, I like the dark substrate and rock stack looks very natural. Your lighting seems a little uneven tho and I would spread the rock to the open up the middle a little for depth but that's just me.
> 
> Here's my 220gal. Mbuna


9.5!! Sorry, nobody gets a 10 LOL

Here is my 75g









....Bill


----------



## Oscar Madison

Malawi_Junkie said:


> *csaxe21*
> I would give it an 8 out of 10, I like the dark substrate and rock stack looks very natural. Your lighting seems a little uneven tho and I would spread the rock to the open up the middle a little for depth but that's just me.
> 
> Here's my 220gal. Mbuna


Now that is one nice background :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:


----------



## Malawi_Junkie

MonteSS said:


> Malawi_Junkie said:
> 
> 
> 
> *csaxe21*
> I would give it an 8 out of 10, I like the dark substrate and rock stack looks very natural. Your lighting seems a little uneven tho and I would spread the rock to the open up the middle a little for depth but that's just me.
> 
> Here's my 220gal. Mbuna
Click to expand...

9.5!! Sorry, nobody gets a 10 LOL

Here is my 75g









Thanks Monte, I'll give yours a 9 out of 10 :thumb: . Looks very nice, a little bright for my taste but your arrangment is right on.


----------



## tokyo

I'll give you an 8.

Its a very nice setup, I like how you have the drift wood emerging from the field of plants.

I would like to see more variety in the plant life, maybe some foreground plants too. I also personally don't like the picture backgrounds, I would prefer a solid black bg for this tank. But thats just me. If I were to walk into someones house and see this setup I would be very impressed.

Here's my latest re-scape for my 55g. I may have to switch it back to something similar to what it previously was because I used to have three male saulosi colored up at all times, but now I only have one. I'll give them a few weeks to sort things out before I decide to rescape again.

Before:

__
https://flic.kr/p/4548932531
(I never took a full tank shot photo of my old aquascape so this full tank shot video will have to do. No need to watch the whole thing.)

After:
(I appologize for the poor quality picture. A nice camera is just not in my budget right now.)










In person the background doesn't get washed out like that. The fish are also more vibrant. All the colors seem to be washed out. But I guess its not terrible for a cell phone photo.


----------



## pomi

Nice 8.5 tank. Very biotope looking rocks and design.

If you add more rocks, I would rate it 9+ .


----------



## ceech

looks like a nice tank toyko would give you a 8 i would like to see more rocks also,but still very natural looking.


----------



## tokyo

Thanks for the ratings guys. I agree about having more rock. My only problem with that is that I only have a 12" depth to work with so when I stack higher its really tough to get the stacking to look natural. It usually ends up looking like a rock wall. :roll:


----------



## eternal10

Ceech I,ll give you an 8 Looks pretty good .Here's my first cichlid set up.


----------



## J.B.

eternal10 - I'd rate yours a 5.5 It seems a bit too symmetrical with the rocks separated by type, and those plants equally placed on either side of the main rock. You've done a good job, with your first go at it.

Here is my 125g Tanganyika community. I just recently re-scaped it, and this is the final iteration.


----------



## Dieselfool

8.5 J.B. Nice job.
Here's my Peacock/Hap tank.


----------



## mthom211

I give it a 7.5 
heres mine-


----------



## Dieselfool

mthom211 said:


> I give it a 7.5
> 
> I'm happy with that....LOL. 1st. tank in 25yrs. for me.


----------



## stevezx2002

I'll give it a 7, needs something in the middle like another rock formation to break up the emptieness.

Here is an updated picture of my 75 gallon Central American tank from page 85 of this thread.


----------



## mthom211

Its a tang tank and as soon as i find some shells the open area will become my shell bed.


----------



## Sshhyguy

Ill give the tank above me an 8, its nice neat and clean. Im usually not a fan of clay pots but it works here.

Heres a new one of mine


----------



## Gdad

Im new here so i feel a bit bad jumping in, but i'll go for an 8.

The background is stunning, and the lighting really catches it well, just need some more rocks in the foreground to provide caves. I think a dark slate would look awesome with the bg. But looks to be very well maintained.

Anyway heres mine. Bogwood is a new addition, its been in a different tank for over a year, so I'm hoping it wont leech much and affect the pH. Been in 2 weeks and so far so good.

Sorry for the terrible picture quality.


----------



## GotCichlids?

:thumb: Don't have updated pics for my tank yet been busy buying new tanks but this is def a 9 in my book way to go! Would be a 10 if it wasn't sooo structured and the "caves" were a bit smaller but thats just MO! Great Tank!!!


----------



## brookers

well i'll vote on the one above the one above be cause he didnt post a pic of his tank.

im a big fan of natural looking tanks, this one just looks to man-made for me im afraid. i'll give it a 7.

here is a pic of my new geo home which is currently in its cycle. not a very good picture really and the water is still a bit cloudy but you get the idea.


----------



## destinyends

brookers said:


> well i'll vote on the one above the one above be cause he didnt post a pic of his tank.
> 
> im a big fan of natural looking tanks, this one just looks to man-made for me im afraid. i'll give it a 7.
> 
> here is a pic of my new geo home which is currently in its cycle. not a very good picture really and the water is still a bit cloudy but you get the idea.


Nice. I will go with 6. coz Sand might be a little darker IMO and wood should be parallel to background.
Here is mine


----------



## mthom211

I give yours a 7.5. The background would look better black and part of it is a different colour. *Brookers* I love your tank. What is tht plant in the right corner?








This is a old picture of my 5 gallon brevis tank. I let them do what ever they want with it. The substrate is now black.


----------



## DENZIO

Mate,

yours look pretty like a breeding tank and not a show tank.
hope you could post this tank updated.

but for he purpose of trend title - i rate this tank 2 (sorry)

here's mine.


----------



## justin3p0

wow that is an awesome tank how do u get the lighting to do that???

its an easy 10.

heres mine haha....
camera is not so good...





































i know its too many fish for 55gal.... my 140 i got began leaking and i was forced to cram them in a 55.... iv gave alot of them away sadly i only have my jack(3.5in) oscar(5.5) and my angel and pleco.... =/ i plan to get a 125 to fit the 140 stand for them here soon


----------



## mthom211

DENZIO said:


> Mate,
> 
> yours look pretty like a breeding tank and not a show tank.
> hope you could post this tank updated.
> 
> but for he purpose of trend title - i rate this tank 2 (sorry)
> 
> here's mine.


This is the newest one I could find. The coral grit was just to kick start the biological filtration. This tank isn't that good either though.


----------



## DENZIO

no offense mate. thanks by the way. peace!
happy fishing :fish:

@ justin
the light setup was only a DYI combination of White and Blue LED running on a 12volts source.
and i really like your DW in the middle - was it really a wood? 

also thanks for the "10" really appreciate it..


----------



## apex82

Justin3p0, I am not a fan of large contrasts in color of rocks or very leafy fake plants... I bet the fish love the driftwood in the middle. I liked how you moved the sand around to create mounds. As of now, I would give it a 7 but that is just my opinion.

Here is my first cichlid tank... 46 gallon bowfront demasoni/yellow lab. I know the Fluval u4 filter is an eye sore but its always nice to have a backup. Maybe I should paint it like my spraybar?


----------



## apex82

More Pics...


----------



## paradigmsk8er

I'll give it a 7.5. I like the setup, and the lighting is spot on..but the planting/rockwork looks very artificial. The rocks look fine in an artistic way if you work the plants the same manner..but the plants seem like an afterthought.

I am however jealous of your aquarium nook... 

Here's mine..HDR followed by non-HDR



















I apologize for the diatoms..but my neighbors were doing us a favor by feeding the cats while we were out of town..and decided they would feed the fish too..I'm still dealing with it


----------



## KiDD

I will give yours an 8 I like the fact the background and the rocks match.










I'm in the middle of building a BG for it and going to start river rock hunting soon.


----------



## mthom211

Sorry, I was ment to post another picture. I didn't like this set-up myself but I got the fish before I was fully prepared so I have just been getting everythin I need very slowly. I still don't have everything I need. In this one the coral grit is for the biological filtration to start.









DENZIO said:


> no offense mate. thanks by the way. peace!
> happy fishing :fish:
> 
> @ justin
> the light setup was only a DYI combination of White and Blue LED running on a 12volts source.
> and i really like your DW in the middle - was it really a wood?
> 
> also thanks for the "10" really appreciate it..


----------



## Imaconvict

Being that mthom211 didn't post the picture they wanted I will go to KIDD's tank and score it a 7 for being a clean tank with a cool rock.


----------



## cjacob316

i'll give it a 6, the background and rock match, but it's way too much grey for me, way too monochromatic, but i guess fish will help that

mine is still a work in progress, but here is my semi planted firemouth tank


----------



## Imaconvict

cjacob, thanks for noticing the monochromatic look of the tank, in art sparks of color add vitality to a monochromatic scene, I'm hoping my choice of fish will do just that, if not then on to plan B,C,D, etc. you're tank has a very natural look to it, nice work.


----------



## TriniBrad

id give the one above me a 9 only b c i think theres always room for improvement i.e a 3d background maybe? but i really like the drift wood, the rocks, the plants and your choice of fish! altho i know that fire mouths like caves so i think a few of those would be helpful for the fish come breeding time

*** been looking at all 109 pages of this thread for days now and there are soo many amazing tanks.. and sum that im not a big fan of but, thats just my opinion. heres my 75Gal with my school of 18 Tropheus Duboisi. the rocks are from a local river here in Trinidad. tell me what you guys think! :thumb:


----------



## fish_addiction

I give it a 6, only because the rocks could look more natural, but it is nice. Here is my recently update 110. I have been slowly converting the tank to a more natural look which has resulted in less swimming room :-? I'll probably tear it all down again and re-work the background. What would be the point of setting up a perfect tank the first time and leaving myself with nothing else to do?


----------



## stevezx2002

I give it an 8, that background is huge and takes up alot of the width of the tank.

Here is my 45.
45 Gal: 6 German Blue Rams, 10 Panda Corys, 10 Dawrf Neon Rainbows (Praecox Rainbows), Gold Spot Pleco, Ghost Shrimp, and a Male Betta filtered by a Fluval 305.


----------



## baitfish2000

Convict and Trini - like both of your tanks - contrasting looks but both are great set ups IMO..Convict would love to see some fish in your tank.


----------



## TriniBrad

well thank you for that baitfish! :thumb: i know its not the most "natural" look but theres alot of caves and open water for them to swim and all the bubbles is just to aerate the water due to the temp in Trinidad


----------



## Imaconvict

baitfish2000 said:


> Convict and Trini - like both of your tanks -.Convict would love to see some fish in your tank.


Thanks baitfish, Hopefully the tank will complete the cycle in another 2-3 weeks and then I will be adding fish, I will repost at that time.


----------



## dark SSide

stevezx2002 I give yours a 7 out of 10 very clean and fish look great all schooling together.

This is a new pic of my 150g all male hap/peacock tank. Pic isn't the greatest. Sand is still stirred up from redoing the rock work and pic is taken from my phone.


----------



## sixstring

tank above is a 6.5: needs more rock in my opinion (I do too) , nice amount and contrast of fish though. I also like the lighting.










My fish are hiding - they're camera shy.
I want alot more height in my rock work, less fake plants, and I'm gonna paint the back black.
Just gotta get the $ first. Don't go easy on me.


----------



## TexasFishGuy

I'll give you a 6.5 *sixstring*. Could definitely use more rock for the size of your fish that I can see, but overall a nice setup.

Here is mine...I do only have one cichlid in the tank, an A. macmasteri (bought a mated pair and they spawned, but the female has since passed on  ). But this is my first tank, and decided to go plain-jane tropical to get a handle on things...have some Macmasteri fry growing out in a 10g (about 2-3 weeks old), and am going to set my other 10g up (currently has a prawn in it @ 3in.) as a shellie tank with some L. Brevis Kitumba(sp?) Just wanted to know what people thought of my setup....

Just added another Koralia 425 in place of the 240 in top right rear of tank and moved the 240 to lower left rear of tank to try and get some circulation around my larger deco....any and all comments welcome.

Oh yeah, it's a 55g. Have had the tank for about 7-8 months. Stocking is 2 Giant Danio, 3 Tiger Barbs, 2 Green Tiger Barbs, 3 Cherry Barbs, 4 Amanos, 2 BNs, 1 Albino Cory, and 1 A. Macmasteri.


----------



## dark SSide

sixstring said:


> tank above is a 6.5: needs more rock in my opinion (I do too) , nice amount and contrast of fish though. I also like the lighting.


This is my old set up with more rock, when they were juveniles(for more hiding places). But these are large preditory fish that are open water swimmers. Just trying to make it natural.

old setup


----------



## HeatherLuvsFishies

.. ignore this post


----------



## HeatherLuvsFishies

I give Texasfishguys tank a 7.5. Very vibrant and colorful. luv it. I like more rocks than plants, but thats just me.

Heres mine, I posted my old tank setup on here before when it had no fish, now its stocked and re-done.


----------



## esparzar1

Darkside- great looking tank 9, I love the colors and natural look of the tank.
Heather- Sorry i couldn't rate yours, for some reason the pic is not loading on my PC (stupid security settings :x )

Anyway, here is my tank, still needs a little bit of work. I would like to add a few more big rocks and get a better camera 

My 1st set-up (2008)









My 2nd set-up (2009)









Current set-up


----------



## cjacob316

6, i like that it's less arraged, but the problem with those smaller flatter rocks is that when you don't stack and arange them, they are less prominant

55 mbuna









the rck in the middle actually rolled off the top of the left pile and landed just like it is, and i really liked it so i left it


----------



## Rhinox

^8. Real nice aquascaping for a 55. Makes the tank look a lot bigger. Looks like a lot of wasted potential real estate in the middle though.

Here's the first pic of my 125 finally set up a few weeks ago. Stock list is in my sig. Rocks are still a work in progress. I've got more supply to clean and add. Sand is quickcrete medium, 100lbs. Filtered via previously uncycled DIY 55g sump 1200+GPH with pot scrubbers and polyfill, and 2 cycled AC110's that I haven't decided whether they'll stay on the tank permanantly or not (I've got no where else to use them).

Generally, the mbuna prefer the left end of the tank, which I think is because a male cobalt and giant demasoni both claimed territory on the right end, and the dominant rusty spends most his time in the middle pile, so this is the main reason I think I'll at least be rearranging rocks soon. A runt albino cobalt who was stressed in the tank and on the verge of bloat has been moved out and is now the big dog in the 10g fry tank with the 5 lab fry. He's got tons of energy over there, and seems to be eating ok (although I had a lab I moved over there that resumed eating, and then stopped eating again before dying, so anything can happen with this little cobalt still.)


----------



## cjacob316

thanks man, yeah i used to have tons of rock all acrosse the tank, but i wanted to define areas. there are only two species in this tank


----------



## jasien

Just started this 155 bowfront with about 200 lbs of HR. Only a few fish in right now: labeotropheus trewevasae 'Marmalade cat', metriaclima greshakei, pseudotropheus elongatus 'mpanga'. Putting another 20 mbuna from my 75 gallon in soon.

Probably going to add an external black background. Any suggestions welcome!


----------



## MeLLeR

jasion: Forgive me for I am new to cichleds and Mbuna in particular. I agree with what you yourself said. the best looking mbuna tanks IMHO have black backgrounds, which will contrast nicely with your rock structure. I would look at painting the plumbing black when you do the background too. Personally I prefer two stacks of rocks with a depression between them, but you still have a nice open area for the fish to enjoy. Your water is fantastically clear. Well done :thumb: Would also love to see it with the lights on at night to see what fantastic shadows were cast/created?

Overall, I rate a 7, with room for improvement but a solid start in what could be a great tank! Well done!!

This is my first ever Cichlid Tank. Setting up for Malawi Mbuna.
Apologies for the still cloudy water, tank remodel only completed 4 hours prior to photo.
Tank is holding holey rock and assorted Tetras and Barbs until tomorrow, when my son might unlock the door to his room and they can all go into his tank. Background was changed from blue to black yesterday. Rock is assorted local limestone, Anubias affixed to rocks may stay depending on feedback, even though I am aware it'll become Mbuna snack food. Heaters and filter inlets/returns hidden behind rockwork.

Improvement in setup is sought: Comments and suggestions gratefully accepted. Positive and more than likely the VERY negative :wink: 
I really dont know what Im doing with an all rock tank...so fire away.


----------



## alanvickiuk

thats really nice i say 8.5 different rocks and colours look really good and the small amount of plants looks really natural

heres my 7 foot mbuna set up but now homes a breeding pair of convicts


----------



## tanpogi

*alanvickiuk*

I like how you setup the rocks, I'll give you a 8.5 for that. I love your 7foot tank 

here's my 1st setup on my 40g tank with DIY BG. 








soon, I'll be posting my tanganyika setup.


----------



## Melificent

@tanpogi I like what I can see, so maybe a 7? A better pic would probably bump it up a bit! :0)

This is my newly set up tank, it's been up for almost a month, and I have more fish now than in this pic, took this the day before some new purchases arrived. I switched over from fully planted w/South American cichlids (had a pair of Mesonauta that trashed the plants) to make things more simple, I love the Mbuna setup so far!


----------



## Dieselfool

Well Meli.....I'd give it a 7. To me the rock doesn't look natural, ya know, kinda like it fell into place? And the plants kind of look, well.....plastic. But I do love the tall rock on the right, that looks great.

Here's mine. 72" 135g. Just set it up yesterday.

























Okay....let me have it. LOL


----------



## esparzar1

Diesel,

I'll give it a solid 8.5. 
Great looking tank! I love the plants and black sand, the only thing I would suggest is getting a plain background (blue or black) I think that would make your tank really stand out!

Here's mine again.....I know I just posted a wk or two ago but I added a few rocks for more feeback!










Lemmie have it.....I'm thinking about possible going to just white rocks?


----------



## Sshhyguy

Ill give it an 7.5, i like the random rock placement but i think your on the right track with all white rocks that would also make the fish pop a bit more

Heres one of my newer setups 55g


----------



## apex82

Couldnt get much better than that for shellies. I would give it a 9. Pefect background, little plant etc. everything flows well.

Here is an update for mine after adding some real plants and need some suggestions... Is there to much vallis along the back of the tank? Help...

BEFORE










AFTER


----------



## apex82

bumppppp


----------



## Jay*H

Ill go with 8.5, Ireally like the clean look of the tank, and that blue is really nice. Would like to see more fish though....

So here's me









So what do ya think?


----------



## Jay*H




----------



## fordgtmustang

very nice tank i love the rocks plants and substrate 10


__
https://flic.kr/p/8F7jcZ


----------



## KiDD

Seaclear is my next tank They look good.


----------



## duds

*fordgtmustang*, I'll give you a 7. The background is too busy for my taste and I'm not a fan of the bits of blue gravel. Nice amount of open space for the Oscar to swim around, and I like the addition of live plants.

Mine is a 75 gallon, with a pair of Nics, a school of blackskirt tetras (and one whiteskirt) and a group of 7 one-inch-or-less cons waiting to pair up.


----------



## jeaninel

duds, I'll give you an 8.5. I like the branches and black background. I think just a touch of greenery would look nice.

Here's my 135 gallon with a JD, Jaguar, and a Synspillum (all youngsters) plus a Albino Chocolate Pleco.


----------



## brokenwing

Here is my 75 gallon with african cichlids. Yellow labs, and P. Acei Ngara. Sorry for the poor quality pics, and im working on the diatoms


----------



## Manoah Marton

Brokenwing...you didn't rate the tank above you, so I'll rate both...

Jeainel, I'll give you an 8.5. I just think there needs to be more of something...maybe when the fish get bigger that won't be so apparent, but right now it just looks empty. I like the driftwood though. I can never find such cool shapes!!!

Brokenwing, I'll give you a 7.9, would have got an 8, but you didn't rate the tank above you  . But I do think the diatoms make the tank look more natural...

And finally, my tank. I really want to upgrade the lighting system, so I can have some more plants, but right now I'm stuck with just low lights. Enjoy!










Manoah Marton


----------



## limpert

Ill give yours an 8.75 marton, I like the natural look and the round river rocks... Angels are awesome too. A small school of neon tetras would be sweet against that black background.

heres my 55, i prefer an open tank with plenty of room to swim:


----------



## apex82

Looks good, but I would get rid of the fake plants and try for a more natural look with a grassy plant like vallisneria. What is the fish in the middle with blue body, black stripes and yellow dorsal fin?
Thanks


----------



## Manoah Marton

Thanks for the idea...unfortunatly, I already tried that. I added 7 neons, and by the morning 5 were left...along with a very bloated angel. Go figure. They did look go though.


----------



## david8311

Nice tank give it 8.5 :thumb: ... sorry for poor picture


----------



## pomi

Too dark, can't see it well, so I give a 7.


----------



## Manoah Marton

Thats a solid 10 right there!!!!!!!!!!!
Here's my 20L Calvus Tank. I have 2 Black Zambian Calvus (proven pair) and 2 zebra danios (dithers...)




























Sorry,but the tank is brighter than the FTS's show.

Manoah Marton[/img]


----------



## zimmy

I don't have a tank to rate yet (in process of setting up a 125 gallon malawi tank) but have to say that pomi, this tank is stunning! I love the natural (yet artfully arranged) algae covered low-lying rock pile. It's even more impressive when viewed through the video link. Simply beautiful!








[/quote]

Manoah Marton, yours looks great too! I just wish the images could be enlarged so I could see them more closely.

Inspiring stuff!


----------



## david8311

Hope these 2 are better... excellent tank BTW 9 :fish:


----------



## Manoah Marton

Thanks (I assume the rating was for my tank). How would I go about making the images larger? Everytime i try to use the larger images, they never show up as images on this site... example... here are two of the same images. One is a sort of thumbnail type thing and the second SHOULD be the larger image...










And then when I try for the larger image...








:-?

If someone could solve this for me...that would be great :thumb: 
Nice tanks BTW. I have one more, and I'll post it eventually... 

Manoah Marton


----------



## Fevz

I would give that tank 7, because i think rocks are mixed colours. And they seem like they are in some sort of a pile.
But no hard feelings eh  
Here is mine creation








(rocks on the root in the right part of the aquarium are only temporary)


----------



## tanpogi

*pomi*
 i really love it!! i'll give you perfect 10 +10 +10 :lol: great job. this one is my favorite so far. Very natural.. really looks great.. you rock!! 

@ duds, i'll give a 8.5. that kind of setup is the setup that im making for the past 5 years. but when i saw DIY Back grounds. i changed it and this is my 2nd DIY BG for my 40g tank. sorry for the poor quality of the image.


----------



## alanvickiuk

i give the tank above a 9 i love the background and looks really nice 
good placement of rocks to that match very well with the background 

heres my newest set-up amazon root theme


----------



## JimA

Give the one above a good 7+ I like the wood but it's almost is to much, not sure how you got all that together? Good job though!

Here's my 46



















one more.


----------



## benny71

I'm not worthy of posting in here, but I'll do it anyway. 

This is my first tank(besides a 20g), so go easy on me...I'll get rid of the fake plants and background once my fish color up, but I wanted something to brighten up the tank.

I'm picking up another 55g next week and plan on going with a more natural look, so feel free to give me suggestions!


----------



## daninflorida

for the reasons you noted i will give it a 6

here is mine. 55 gallon with mbunas and peacocks:


----------



## Chubbs the Jellybean

daninflorida, I'd give yours a 7.9 - i LOVEEE the rockwork on the left side and the driftwood, but I'd have to say that the plastic plants on the right kinda take away from the overall feel of the tank. Lose them and you're easily an 8.5

Well here's my 90 gallon with my oscar, silver dollars, firemouth, and bellycrawler pike. they're no joke a family... Still a work in progress


----------



## daninflorida

Chubbs the Jellybean said:


> daninflorida, I'd give yours a 7.9 - i LOVEEE the rockwork on the left side and the driftwood, but I'd have to say that the plastic plants on the right kinda take away from the overall feel of the tank. Lose them and you're easily an 8.5


thanks, the fake plants are coming out soon, got some more java fern arriving soon!


----------



## benny71

Chubbs the Jellybean said:


> daninflorida, I'd give yours a 7.9 - i LOVEEE the rockwork on the left side and the driftwood, but I'd have to say that the plastic plants on the right kinda take away from the overall feel of the tank. Lose them and you're easily an 8.5
> 
> Well here's my 90 gallon with my oscar, silver dollars, firemouth, and bellycrawler pike. they're no joke a family... Still a work in progress


Good luck with your fish, but I have a feeling one day your are going to be left with one big Oscar with a full belly. 

I don't really know how to rate, but I'd give your tank an 8-9.










Here is my tank after some renovations...Someone told me there's a chance I could keep my green terror in there if I put some driftwood or something that resembles tree roots in there for the GT to claim and put rocks on the other side for the peacocks to hide...We'll just have to see.

I also plan on replacing the fake plants with real ones that look like the back-left plant.

I also learned that my rocks look ugly in a corner, so I'm going to have to get some more and do some rearranging. :roll:


----------



## nauTik

benny71 said:


> Someone told me there's a chance I could keep my green terror in there if I put some driftwood or something that resembles tree roots in there for the GT to claim and put rocks on the other side for the peacocks to hide...We'll just have to see.


that's some bad advice lol


----------



## kyboy

I give it a 7 now, we'll have to see after you do some rearranging. Here's mine-it's a work in progress,so go easy on me.  I'm getting a dark blue or black background & some much bigger lava rocks. The sand actually used to be even-until they started digging. :lol:


----------



## Nick55G

5 I like the blacked out look black tank, stand and background so its just not my style.


----------



## benny71

Nick55G said:


> 5 I like the blacked out look black tank, stand and background so its just not my style.


That's at least an 8, maybe 9.

I have 2:

My Peacock lab tank...Feel free to picture it with real plants and sand, because it will have both by the end of the weekend.










My Green Terror/Cherry barb tank that will soon to be a Demasoni tank.


----------



## Dieselfool

Benny, I can only give them a 7 at best. Because of the plastic plants and the rocks look to placed. IMHO. Would very much like to see them again at the end of the w/end.

Here's mine. I'll give a before and after re-decorating this week.

Before









After








A little closer view so you can see how I hid the hardware behind the tall rock.








Boy...I just noticed that the background paper is comming a little loose, better get at that before someone deducts a point or two from mine. LOL.


----------



## Unclejessie1967

9.0... Looks great and would like to see more plants in there!

Here is a 55 I just put together tonight, don't care for some of my rock stacking looks a little to placed. Pump/filters not where they will stay, added a well seasoned HOB to help get my XP3 up to speed.


----------



## HerdnKnox

Rate it a 7.5

That is a "boulder" to the left of the tank. 

Here is mine.


----------



## alanvickiuk

id give yours a 7.5 as it looks too organised

this is my planted dwarf cichlid and tetra tank


----------



## Dazed

alanvickiuk, I would give it a 9. I really like how the plants have grown in.

Here's my 55gal, still a work in progress.


----------



## kered

i give it an 8 i love the natural and simple look of it but it seems like something is missing...i cant put my finger on it...maybe a background would help a little...all in all a great looking tank!

heres my 75 gallon


----------



## KiDD

I will give ya an solid 8 : )

Here is what my Tank looks like today.. Take in mind I got my plants in yesterday.. so the moss and couple of plants are tied to the Wood.. I can't wait to see it all grown in.


----------



## nick16

will give you a 7. i love angels though!

my dwarf cichlid tank, with a few dither fish (harlequins, neons and platy) 
spot the huge apple snail...


----------



## DEEPfrom1

Looks like the amazon :thumb:


----------



## noldham

Hey guys, here's my 55 Gal. Just really getting started. Please feel free to offer any advice on it!!~ I want to find some more natural river rocks and some different decorations. (And yes I know I have a brown algae problem.)

As for the tank above I give it a 7. Has a little too much plants for me. Although it does look very natural. Like Deep said, looks like the amazon!
:fish:


----------



## cldarnell

I really love the "fantasy" look you have going on...something different  You do need a background though. I give you an 8, the tank is very clean looking and organized. Nice job!

Here's my 150. I took the photos with a Blackberry, hope it comes out OK on here.

Thank you...


----------



## noldham

Thanks! Yes, i know..a background is def. in order!!~~


----------



## BOOGIEMN1

I give yours a 7 only because I'm not a big fan of false plants. Other the that it looks clean and nice stock list.

This is my first mixed cichlid tank 60gal. Couple months old . Sorry pic quality not great iPhone lol...


----------



## hbbyhorse

I like this tank, I give it an 8, will try to add mine . . . don't know how  [/url][/quote][/code][/list][/list]


----------



## Pali

Boogiemn1 I'll rate your tank a 6, coz of the fake root and the rocks need IMO more work.

The rockwork should be spred out more, so it's not a "block" of rocks in one side of the tank.



Got a snail infection im trying to work out...

Well testing different ways to kill snails in your tank with household chemicals, without harming plants and fish. Makeing a video tutorial on the subject


----------



## Manoah Marton

All you gotta do is...
1. Upload your pics. to a site ( www.imageshack.com www.photobucket.com www.flickr.com ) or a site like that.
2. Copy/Paste the URL code here onto this site.
3. Use the 'img' button like this...








And your picture should show up!
(I really need to get some pics of my tang tank. It's totally re-done, and looks better than ever! Not at home right now...  )

Good luck,

Manoah Marton


----------



## BOOGIEMN1

hate to ask but what does IMO stand for/// :-?


----------



## Pali

IMO stands for "In My Opinion"


----------



## BOOGIEMN1

THANKS I WOULD MESS AROUND WITH THE TANK BUT IM TEARING IT DOWN TONIGHT. MOVING INTO MY NEW 90GAL :lol: YOULL SEE IT UP HERE HOPEFULLY BETTER SCORE LOL


----------



## Manoah Marton

Cant wait!
ahahahahahaha, love the bg on your tank Pali. 'Pali's Test Tank' :lol:


----------



## wlyons9856

Been up and running for about two weeks. I am still trying to find some driftwood pieces to add some "height" to the aquascape. I may move things around a bit as well too.


----------



## Ron R.

I rate yours a 7 because it looks very natural and when the plants grow out it will look great!

Here's my 180g Oceanic with a wc colony of mobas.


----------



## naegling23

I'd give it an 8.

In my mind its a little sparcely decorated, but in that type of tank, the fish are the centerpiece, so the decorations should be minimal. I think some sort of a thin 3D background would do wonders though.

Here goes my attempt...I cant really get a good full tank shot, it looks much better broken up, but oh well here goes.


----------



## fish_addiction

I give it a definate 8 based on the health of the plant life alone :thumb: . What size is the tank? I can't see any fish- Tetras? Discus would be nice if you PH is low out of the tap.

Here's my 110. I haven't added the fish yet as I just re-insalled the background and changed the rockwork up. I'm thinking of a yellow and purple Mbuna look and maybe some Snow white Socolofi.


----------



## naegling23

its a 55 gal south american community...one angel, 4 bolivian rams, tetras, and a few other things.


----------



## Pali

Whoot no rate for my SpongeBob tank !?!?!?!?

Manoah Marton Thanx for the posetive feedback ! :lol:


----------



## fish_addiction

Pali said:


> Whoot no rate for my SpongeBob tank !?!?!?!?
> 
> :lol:


I give it a definate ELEVENTEEN :thumb:


----------



## Pali

YAY I got ELLEVENTEEN, beat that SEVENELLEVEN!


----------



## truckpoetry

Fish_addiction - I say 6.5 with no fish, will be 8.5 with - I WISH my mbuna tank had looked that nice. And yes, purple/yellow/blue/yellow combos would look nice.

Here's my CA tank (all the fish are tiny. They will be big one day!)









Here's my EBJD (in there somewhere):


----------



## chriscro

I'll give spondebob a 2 because i don't reall know how to rate a snail tank with nothing else in it


----------



## hbbyhorse

Nice tank, love the rocks, I give it an 8

I would love to post a pic of one of mine, but can't seem to get it right . . .


----------



## fish_addiction

truckpoetry said:


> Fish_addiction - I say 6.5 with no fish, will be 8.5 with


Haven't you heard of a FWWOF (Fresh Water Without Fish)? It's the best setup if you like to keep your water changes to a minimum   

But seriously, I will be stocking soon. Just gotta finish my sump mods :dancing:


----------



## hbbyhorse

woohooooo! finally got it right!

Here's my 75g bowfront:


----------



## Rhinox

horse: I give it a 7, I think.

I'm not really a fan of the different types of rocks in separate piles, but it doesn't look bad.

No one rated mine last time, but I've rearranged the rocks since then.

Before:










Now:










Better, no?

Except for the picture quality. The first was my cell phone, and the second was a point and shoot. I think the cell phone camera was better :shrug:


----------



## hbbyhorse

I like the 2nd one better . . . I'd say 7, 8 with a little greenery, but thats just my opinion


----------



## Rhinox

hbbyhorse said:


> I like the 2nd one better . . . I'd say 7, 8 with *a little greenery*, but thats just my opinion


Yeah I get what you mean. I've always thought a couple well-placed plants would be nice in there. Unfortunately, I don't think any live plants would survive. All those mbuna, I hear, do a pretty good job shredding plants apart. And I've got a TON of flow in there, so the current might make a mess of the plants as well.

(what I'm really waiting for is some nice green algae to grow. I think I'm gonna start leaving the lights on longer - currently only ~3-5 hours per day is all the lights are on)


----------



## BOOGIEMN1

Ya I def like it too. Ill give it a 7.5.

Here. Mine just set it up this week. Thank god only lost one fish in the transfer.
90 gallon mixed cichlid. With diy BG.


----------



## BOOGIEMN1

Realized that was a bad pick hopefully this is a little better


----------



## hbbyhorse

Very cool background! I give it a 8, pic is a little blurry, or maybe the water isnt settled yet, at any rate, its beautiful!


----------



## hbbyhorse

I was gonna ask, how did you do your background?


----------



## BOOGIEMN1

I did mine with cement with terra cotta coloring and styrofoam. I started looking around on YouTube found a really good tutorial and also found this website dramaticaquascapes.com. Btw appreciate the comment. Took some decent work and plenty of mess lol but def well worth it


----------



## hbbyhorse

LOL, I don't know if I wanna go thru that much trouble, but it sure looks nice, great job!


----------



## benny71

Looks great boogie! Are those holes in the BG big enough to be hiding spots or just it just appear that way in the photo?

BTW, I'd love to see a quality photo of that quality tank. 

(Sorry for the thread jack)


----------



## BOOGIEMN1

Thanks for the comments. Some of the holes are tunnels to other holes and the rest are caves about 10" long the cichlids, 10" pleco and my lobster spend Most of their time swimming in and out of them. Sorry about the pic but I'll find a better camera to take the pic. As soon as I do you'll see it in the your tanks section


----------



## apex82

Rhinox
I like the your original setup much better. Imo looks much more natural and appealing. Just add a few anubias on a couple rocks and its golden! Change it back


----------



## vpul

This is a 125 gallon mixed cichlid tank that I have....have it for the past 8 months...planning a change soon....


----------



## vpul

This is a 125 gallon mixed cichlid tank that I have....have it for the past 8 months...planning a change soon....


----------



## Rhinox

apex82 said:


> Rhinox
> I like the your original setup much better. Imo looks much more natural and appealing. Just add a few anubias on a couple rocks and its golden! Change it back


It'll change either way next time I want/need to catch a fish in there, but... just wondering what about the second pic looks less natural? It has less rocks stacked up on top of each other, but more rocks overall. I'm thinking that maybe the angle that I took the picture at takes away all the depth perception and makes it look like a flat rock wall, but in reality it has the same look of depth when you're standing right next to the tank. Also, the lighting doesn't look as good in the 2nd pic 

Care to check out a vid of the tank and see if your opinion is the same?
youtube link to video (shortened the link for my sig, can't get the actual link at work)

I've been considering attempting a rockscape with less rock to try to get a more natural look, but I'm worried what my fish will do because they're used to lots of rock. For example, here's a tank from pomi earlier in this thread (page 100) that I really like:


pomi said:


> Here is mine:


I don't quite have the space pomi does, but I think I can acheive similar. But it would be fewer rocks, smaller rocks, less hiding places - and I'm not sure how my fish will react to that - especially since I haven't thinned out my harems yet so I still have mutliple males for each species.

And since I've rambled so much, I better rate vpul: I'll go with another solid 7. I think the equipment on the right and the bubbles on the left detracts a little bit, IMO. I think the rocks and the substrate clash a bit too, but I do like the fish 

I guess someone can rate my video or post a new pick


----------



## hbbyhorse

I like this one! I give it an 8, if the rocks were spread out I'd give it a 9. Great pic of all the swimmers tho!


----------



## apex82

Rhinox,
I think you hit the nail on the head... Less rock can be better at times in my eyes. Your original setup really seemed to flow well with the increased space between piles and displayed the contrast from the substrate and rocks more. The second setup is nice... but it just looks like most other cichlid tanks. Your first setup was a distinguished aquascape and one of my favorites. Almost convinced me to change to more of a slate type rock at some point. Pomi's setup is similar to your original and seems like you gravitate to that as well.


----------



## baitfish2000

I really like this tank and give it an 8 - kept it basic but very natural looking - mine is not natural and does'nt actually have any fish in it yet. Just a 20 gal long will house either Caudos, Leleupi or some Heliantus


----------



## BoilerFan

I rate the tank in the video an 8. I like the rockwork, but would prefer a little open space somewhere and maybe a taller pile too. That's just my own personal taste since that rockwork makes a fair amount of sense with all the mbuna.

Here's my mbuna tank:









Here's a video link:





I'd love it if it was all rock, but I love that piece of driftwood (and more importantly so does my wife) and it acts as another piece of holey rock anyway. Gravel is relatively small grain mixed with a bit of crushed coral. It's small enough grain that they still completely excavate the tank every time I vacuum and move the rocks.

Stock list is in the video.


----------



## benny71

Looks great. I'd give it an 8 or so...Probably more with a solid color background.

Here is one of my tanks I just redid with PFS...The water was so murky after taking out the gravel, I just started tossing in rocks without being able to see what I was doing...I ended up keeping it like that.

Before:










After:










(I'm still working on getting the background to look even...If anyone has any tips on how to get it to lay completely flat, I'd love to hear it)

This is what it looks like with the flash on:


----------



## BoilerFan

I'd like a different background as well, but the boss, err wife, likes the current one. If I want to have all my other tanks I need to keep her happy :wink:


----------



## fish_addiction

benny71 said:


> (I'm still working on getting the background to look even...If anyone has any tips on how to get it to lay completely flat, I'd love to hear it)


Try removing the background and using spray paint. Flat black would look really nice (and more natural) in your tank :thumb: Or, you can get the air bubbles out of the background, but it's a pain in the butt. Try spraying some water on it and using a squeegee to get the air bubbles out.


----------



## benny71

fish_addiction said:


> benny71 said:
> 
> 
> 
> (I'm still working on getting the background to look even...If anyone has any tips on how to get it to lay completely flat, I'd love to hear it)
> 
> 
> 
> Try removing the background and using spray paint. Flat black would look really nice (and more natural) in your tank :thumb: Or, you can get the air bubbles out of the background, but it's a pain in the butt. Try spraying some water on it and using a squeegee to get the air bubbles out.
Click to expand...

Now that I added the white sand, I may try a black BG again...But I really do like the blue.

I was thinking that spraying it with water may work...I might have to try that here in a bit.

Thanks.


----------



## norden

I rate this tank an 8.5, looks really good love the sand, so much better than before. I dont really like the big bunch of rocks right in the middle, i would spread them out a little more. like a big group in the middle and then two small groups on the sides maybe?

i love the plants you have just the right amount in my opinion. i dont like a tons of plants, either a little in the front or a little in the back or a little bit of both, but not all over the place, just looks like an overgrown yard =\ but anyways....

Very nice =]

here's ours

we also just switched to pfs, i know the volcano looks tacky,my bf wants it in there lol it's his tank.
55 gallon central american cichlid tank









here's mine at the moment, my project, i'll post another once i have it set up
soon to be my 46 gallon african cichlid tank









also a quick question, should I paint my tank and the tank rims black? or keep it how it is? my bf thinks i should keep it, but we have espresso colored furniture and i wanna paint it a darker color, plus i want a black or very dark background. what do you think? black or blah?


----------



## fish_addiction

benny71 said:


> fish_addiction said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> benny71 said:
> 
> 
> 
> (I'm still working on getting the background to look even...If anyone has any tips on how to get it to lay completely flat, I'd love to hear it)
> 
> 
> 
> Try removing the background and using spray paint. Flat black would look really nice (and more natural) in your tank :thumb: Or, you can get the air bubbles out of the background, but it's a pain in the butt. Try spraying some water on it and using a squeegee to get the air bubbles out.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Now that I added the white sand, I may try a black BG again...But I really do like the blue.
> 
> I was thinking that spraying it with water may work...I might have to try that here in a bit.
> 
> Thanks.
Click to expand...

A little soape in the water helps too


----------



## Kerricko

I hope Bud Adams picks Vince Young over Jeff Fisher. So we can bring Jeff Fisher to Denver.


----------



## apex82

Definately paint it black! Trim and stand. Why do you listen to your boyfriend so much?


----------



## hbbyhorse

> we also just switched to pfs, i know the volcano looks tacky,my bf wants it in there lol it's his tank.
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure how to rate this one, 5 maybe, I personally like the more natural look to a tank, instead of the PetSmart (or wherever) decor. Show your BF how nice that tank can look with an extreme makeover! LOL
> 
> I just re-did 3 of my tanks:
> 
> 32gl grow out tank
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 45gl community
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 75gl Mixed
Click to expand...


----------



## norden

yeah, he used to have a bunch more junk in there but i talked him into getting the rocks at least lol.

i love your 32gl and your 75 gl, they are very beautiful.

the 45gl though looks topsy turvy, i love the rocks but in one big pile like that looks unnatural, try splitting it up into two piles. just my opinion though.



apex82 said:


> Definately paint it black! Trim and stand. Why do you listen to your boyfriend so much?


because that's what you do in a relationship lol, i listen doesnt mean i have to do it 

yeah i think it'll look very edgy black.


----------



## hbbyhorse

thx for the compliments, the 45g is more tall than long, hence the reason for the taller rock pile, it also allows tons of larger hiding places, the clown loach is at least 6" and the sharks are 5" or better


----------



## Gumbo_Ghost

Talking about Hbbyhorse's tanks, I like the 75g the best.
I'm more of a fan of the rounder rocks compared to the slate type.

I like the black sand though in the 45g. Maybe in the future I'll check out the black.

This is my first tank attempt:
I have 7 total Cichlids in there, but somehow they knew when I was coming in to take photos and went back in their caves, only the labs were somewhat photogenic.


----------



## wakeupplan

Nice tank. i think it has a nice clean look. ill give ya an 8

here is a couple shots of my 125g with a bit of everything in it. its still a work in progress and only been running for six months or so with fish

not the best pics. my first attempt at takin tank pics










a bit closer to some of the fish.










please criticism is welcome id love some idea how to make it better :thumb:


----------



## hbbyhorse

Gumbo_Ghost said:


> Talking about Hbbyhorse's tanks, I like the 75g the best.
> I'm more of a fan of the rounder rocks compared to the slate type.
> 
> I do as well, but with the monster fish in there, I had to have something flatter so they could hide, have you ever seen a clown loach sleep? it's a riot!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is my first tank attempt:
> I have 7 total Cichlids in there, but somehow they knew when I was coming in to take photos and went back in their caves, only the labs were somewhat photogenic.
> 
> I love this tank! I give it a 9+ Looking at all the pretty setups, I've noticed that most everyone utilizes the whole bottom for rockscape, mine is only about half way ... I could sure add more rocks in mine :wink:


----------



## hbbyhorse

wakeupplan said:


> here is a couple shots of my 125g with a bit of everything in it. its still a work in progress and only been running for six months or so with fish
> please criticism is welcome id love some idea how to make it better :thumb:


I like your tank, i give it an 8, with some kind of background, it would be a 9 IMHO, hide the equipment


----------



## S&amp;T

I give it an 8 as well. I agree though a background would make it a lot better. Perhaps an all black background.

Just upgraded from a 55 to 125gal. I think the fish love it more than me.


----------



## hbbyhorse

WOW! Beautiful tank! I give it a 9, great job, {wishing I had the space for a 125g}


----------



## shelltoez

Nice tank! I give you a 7.5, in my opinion you background is a little "busy" I think a black or blue would show off your fish more.


----------



## shelltoez

Here is my Osaka 320L or 84gal Malawi tank


----------



## benny71

shelltoez said:


> Here is my Osaka 320L or 84gal Malawi tank


I can't rate the tank since I'm out of tanks to post, but I'd just like to tell you that background is amazing and I give it a 10. :thumb:

Do you have a full shot of the tank?


----------



## hbbyhorse

10+ 
Should be TOTM IMHO

Absoutely beautiful! Great job :thumb:


----------



## rchickering

That is a tough tank to beat! Background looks awesome and I like the black sand.

Think I would have to agree with a 10 :thumb:

Here is my 220g - kind of a work in progress - aren't all tanks? 

Working on finding some peacocks and haps to fill it up!










DIY background, pool filter sand, various rocks from landscape supply store


----------



## hbbyhorse

I like this tank, but I think too many different types of rocks . . . otherwise, very nice! 7.5 maybe . . .


----------



## Oscar Madison

benny71 said:


> shelltoez said:
> 
> 
> 
> Here is my Osaka 320L or 84gal Malawi tank
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can't rate the tank since I'm out of tanks to post, but I'd just like to tell you that background is amazing and I give it a 10. :thumb:
> 
> Do you have a full shot of the tank?
Click to expand...

I have to agree....the background, black sand, plants, rocks and fish all look great together.


----------



## david8311

awesome 10.. :thumb: Here is mine...


----------



## hbbyhorse

Very nice, definitely an 8+!


----------



## Grafx

This is my very first tank as i just started in the scene about 3 weeks ago. It's still currently cycling.

tried to get a "river" look...


----------



## hbbyhorse

WOW! Very nice, crisp, clean look, I wouldn't change a thing, I give it a 9+
What kind of fish?


----------



## Grafx

Heres a better pic that is from my digi cam, and not my cell phone. I plan on keeping cichlids btw


----------



## fish_addiction

Nice tank, but why is the water level so low :-? It will end up staining the glass IME.


----------



## Grafx

fish_addiction said:


> Nice tank, but why is the water level so low :-? It will end up staining the glass IME.


I was in the middle of a PWC so i just took a pic  its full now!


----------



## FishGraves

I like the tank above me. I rate it an 8.43... it could be closer to 9 if the plants were real and the eheim jet wasn't blowing bubbles in the water like that. I also like the water level to be at the top so you don't see it.

Overall very nice tank, clean, efficient use of space. What kind of fish you going with?

Sorry my pictures aren't better quality. Suggestions???
My tank:


----------



## michelle_rutledge23

Looks good. I like the color/placement of the rocks. I give it an 8 because the two plants look so uniform that they look unnatural. Maybe different sized plants and less symmetrical placement would look better.


----------



## michelle_rutledge23

Oopsreplied to an old post! I give that one a 6.. has a lot of open space and the heater? Stands out too much I think. The open layout brings more attention to the fish though.


----------



## michelle_rutledge23

Oopsreplied to an old post! I give that one a 6.. has a lot of open space and the heater? Stands out too much I think. The open layout brings more attention to the fish though.


----------



## hbbyhorse

FishGraves said:


> Sorry my pictures aren't better quality. Suggestions???


Too much empty space ... needs some knid of background ... overall, will be nice with a few more rocks, plants . . . etc. Right now . . . I give it a 6


----------



## norden

michelle_rutledge23 said:


>


i love your rocks give you an 8.5, where'd you get them?

ok here's what my boyfriend's used to look like










here's what it looks like now, after i made it over ^^

with the new aquascape and new marineland double bright led lighting








just the blue leds on









there's a new marineland shatterproof heater too and the sand banks that you see in there are actually for a reptile tank used as a climbing thingy. i bought it new from petsmart, soaked it, and put it in sideways and put sand behind it. only thing is, it takes a lot of sand to fill it up behind it, so we need more for the left side.

mine, i didn't paint it or get a background on it yet, i was in too much of a rush to get my fishies in there because my boyfriend wanted the africans out of his tank because they are mean to his jacks =P

before









after








just the blue leds









so you dont have to rate mine just rate my boyfriends please. i think it's a huge improvement.

also i know mine's missing a lot of water, sadly i dont have a lid for it yet :[ xmas time so we are waiting until after xmas to get it.


----------



## JimmyJam101

Ok, I would have said 7 if I had only seen the after pics, but bonus to 7.5 for the improvement! I like the rock work, but it could be built up higher. The sand is nice, I wish I had gone sand, but now I am kinda commited for a while.

good overall look, Ok here is my 125 gal mixed tank, stock list is

1 pseudotropheus zebra (blue male), 1 Lethrinops intermedius (male), 1 P. Neyerei(female), 1 hap ahli(male), 2 very young uncolored red empress, 2 yellow labs, 2 a. Thomasi, and one emerald cory cat.
Please forgive the dirty glass and the shy fishies.


----------



## Havoc

JimmyJam - 8.5 very nice, i love 6 foot setups... my only suggestion would be to move a couple of rocks holding the slabs so it gives it a more natural look while still keeping the center in tack. Great setup :thumb:

Here is mine: 90 Gallon Setup - 5 C.Moori(Plan on 10) and Trio of WC Salousi(Both are Holding)
.


----------



## hbbyhorse

Hard to rate them, they are ALL beautiful!


----------



## JimmyJam101

Havoc said:


> JimmyJam - 8.5 very nice, i love 6 foot setups... my only suggestion would be to move a couple of rocks holding the slabs so it gives it a more natural look while still keeping the center in tack. Great setup :thumb:
> 
> Here is mine: 90 Gallon Setup - 5 C.Moori(Plan on 10) and Trio of WC Salousi(Both are Holding)
> .


Which rocks would you move?


----------



## Havoc

After looking at it a bit more, i take back the recommendation. It looks great the way it is.


----------



## hbbyhorse

JimmyJam: VERY NICE! Definitly a 9+


----------



## Jowlz

The tank about me looks great! I rate it a 9!

Here is mine. These pictures are the newest I have. Sorry about the filter in the shot. It's an established filter being used to cycle the tanks. The plants really need to grow alot. For size, it's 2 75 gallon tanks...TV is 56". Whole unit is about 14' long.










Tank 1: L. Speciosus & Cyprichromis Mpimbwe









Tank 2: Multies & cyprichromis Tricolor


----------



## cantrell00

Cool fire extinguisher..

I get those occasionally at work. copper/Brass/Stainless tank..

Scrap business before you ask. Ha!


----------



## JimmyJam101

hbbyhorse said:


> JimmyJam: VERY NICE! Definitly a 9+


tanks!


----------



## sasquatch-exists

Its my first time posting on this forum in a while, so *** decided to post one of my tanks that *** done after gaining a little bit more experience. :wink:

*Jowlz* Nice tanks, I'll give you a strong 8. It would be really cool to see some more fish. BTW: the sp. U have are really cool!

My 29g in my dorm. 
filters: Aqueon 30, fluval 103
lights: T5 daylight, T5 colormax
fish: 1xNanoluteus Cryptoheros, 3xAplocheilus Lineatus Gold


----------



## Gumbo_Ghost

Really nice, love the plants and the Yellow guy.
8

Are you in a dorm-suite, or do you have to run down the hall to the bathroom for water?
Where I was at, it'd be quite a chore back and forth...

I added a ton of plants this week, I'm wondering if it's too much, but I like it for the time being. (I hear the Hornwort will take over)
Somehow there's a huge chunk of Hornwort that won't float on the left side, but the air-strip keeps it spinning around in the center of the tank.
It's pretty cool.


----------



## sasquatch-exists

To tell the truth I do have to use a community bathroom but its literally 5ft from my door.

I'll give you a 7.5 for your tank just because it looks like you haven't quite figured out what you want to do with the plants. However your tank set-up is really nice, with the white sand and rocks just sort of thrown in, It gives it a really natural look.
Here's a pic of my old set-up for old times sake.


----------



## kinggreenterror

Meet King Green Terror's Castle



























lol i just started collecting again. only have 38g now but will upgrade when fish gets bigger.
let me know how i can improve :dancing: :dancing: :dancing:


----------



## kinggreenterror

p sry forgot to rate 1 above me... this is long thread.. above me. ur tanks is simple yet looks good. like a work of art. just enuff space as well as hiding place on left tank. on right tank loves of plants and wood looks like in good place. left tank gets an 8.2 right one 7. :dancing:


----------



## eeztropheus

...


----------



## eeztropheus

I like the "dark" look. Its a strong 7!

Here is my 100g...


----------



## LG0815

last one ill rate a 8.5 some plants would make it alot better imo

*my 55*
fluval 405
nova extreme 54wx2 Ho raised about 3 inches
dual stage regulator 5 pounder running through glass diffuser
play sand
1 peice of driftwood
200+ shells 
40 pounds of rock 
*plants*
amazon sword
dwarf chian sword
anubius nana another anubuis i dont know what it is 
lots of crypts
jungle val 
java moss
*fish *
*10 adult multis*
*20+ babies*
*6 black calvus*


----------



## hbbyhorse

LGO815:

Love your tank! I give it a 9, very well put together :thumb:


----------



## LG0815

thanks so much i really tried on this tank


----------



## fatcat660

I give it a 7.5 looked great very natural. :thumb: here is mine


----------



## hbbyhorse

Another beautiful tank . . . I give this one a 9 as well :thumb:


----------



## Adams2156

ill give that tank a 7.5... i like how theres alot of rocks and coverage... nice tank :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:










just a little 40g seamless tank I have setup...sorry about the watermarks on the front


----------



## Dudditz

Adams, I will give that a 7.5, I like the simplicity :thumb:



There's mine, click to make it bigger if it's too small to see.


----------



## Adams2156

:thumb: like the setup BUBBLES!!!!!!!!  haha give your tank a 7.5 also i enjoy the natural look excellent


----------



## esparzar1

Dudditz,

Nice looking tank! I love the rockwork and the bubbles. My only advice? Perhaps a little bit more rock, but it still looks good! I'd give it a 7.5

Here is my updated tank. I've recently made the switch from regular backyard rocks to Holey Rock. I love it (my fish love it as well).......I'm hoping to replace the fake plants with real ones to cover up the heater/filter in the near future. Please give me any advice to improve the tank!


----------



## iwishihadmorefish

i love this thread because it gives me ideas for my future tanks and sorry i cant post a pic it wont let me and i give the one above me a 9 i love it


----------



## alanvickiuk

this is my 6x18x18 discus tank


----------



## Nina_b

Are those real plants? They look so green. I just love the fluffy green moss you have in the middle of pic 3.

I love how the driftwood and rocks just seem to have been there forever. Really river like 
Let's give it a conditional 8, because of the naturalness. If those are silk or plastic plants, well. Just not a big fan of those.

My turn, below is my new cichlid tank. African. Now before I get scolded for the driftwood, our water here has a good 9 Ph on the best of days, so even for Africans you want to soften it. Right now it's a nice 7.8, and stable that way. (Discus people around here import peat and keep woodchips in stead of gravel/sand.)

Having said that, a natural african rift lake is pretty difficult considering the circumstances. That, and with the best intentions, my LFS sold my mom (surprise gift) two tangies as Malawians, I have given up on 'authentic'.What I really want is a happy tank, with lots of nooks and crannies for them to hide around in. My big stump (yep, it does look like two things - perhaps triceratops? - having a little rumpy pumpy) provides a good few, my little blue misc tanganyikans love the bottom cave, my mbuna's love the side hollow.

Suggestions are, of course, very welcome.


----------



## alanvickiuk

looks very nice ill give it a 7 as i like more natural although understanding your unable to do so

all my plants above are real mixture of ferns,mosses,swords,anubias and vallis

here is the tank previous as a planted community tank


----------



## Rhinox

nina_b said:


> Are those real plants? They look so green. I just love the fluffy green moss you have in the middle of pic 3.
> 
> I love how the driftwood and rocks just seem to have been there forever. Really river like
> Let's give it a conditional 8, because of the naturalness. If those are silk or plastic plants, well. Just not a big fan of those.


I think if you can't identify whether they are real or fake, then its an excellent aquascape either way


----------



## Nina_b

I agree with Rhinox. Kudos on your beautiful plants.

My little 'salad' is already struggling, although the java fern will make it and flourish. Or else :lol:

A 7? Thanks  I'm hoping to get some more rounded river rocks (they look really nice with my gravel), and add a pile. Make a part rock, part wood aquascape.

Looking forward to what comes next here. People have such epic tanks!


----------



## duds

*alanvickiuk*, how many fantastic looking tanks do you have? You should really get your "tanks" button up and running.


----------



## zimmy

duds said:
 

> *alanvickiuk*, how many fantastic looking tanks do you have? You should really get your "tanks" button up and running.


What he said. :thumb: Your tanks are stunning. Works of art.


----------



## vinnyxgunz




----------



## alanvickiuk

zimmy said:


> duds said:
> 
> 
> 
> *alanvickiuk*, how many fantastic looking tanks do you have? You should really get your "tanks" button up and running.
> 
> 
> 
> What he said. :thumb: Your tanks are stunning. Works of art.
Click to expand...

cheers guys its all the same tank though lol just like changes

as a malawi set-up









amazon root theme









slight change on that









river theme tank









1st planted go









2nd planted go









new lo-tech discus set-up









hope you all like :thumb:


----------



## our40

i like all of them set ups alot rank it a 8









any body know wat the name of the fish in the botoom left corner is the orange and blue one


----------



## Nina_b

it's some kind of peacock. Perhaps cut him out and post him on the unidentified cichlid forum?


----------



## david8311

looks like an orange shoulder peacock


----------



## hbbyhorse

alanvickiuk said:


> this is my 6x18x18 discus tank


Absolutely STUNNING! I give this beauty a 10, TOTM candidate for sure!!!


----------



## alanvickiuk

hbbyhorse said:


> alanvickiuk said:
> 
> 
> 
> this is my 6x18x18 discus tank
> 
> 
> 
> Absolutely STUNNING! I give this beauty a 10, TOTM candidate for sure!!!
Click to expand...

why thank you


----------



## baz11

Please give me some tips making it look better can not get rid of the darn rock because my wife likes it but help with mabye what kind of back round plants.


----------



## hbbyhorse

baz11 said:


> Please give me some tips making it look better can not get rid of the darn rock because my wife likes it but help with maybe what kind of background plants.


hmmmm . . . maybe white gravel, would sure make that blue guy pop! black background, and depending on the fish, definitely some greenery . . . i just received a bunch of live plants today for my mixed tank, we'll see which ones fare the best 
I love the white holey rock . . .


----------



## fatcat660

I give it a 7. 0 I like the spongebob pineapple :thumb: IMO I know allot of us try to make our tanks look like the natural environment however a purly whimsical tank is also very cool. The fish dont care as long as they have hiding spots. I would take it to that end myself. BTW I am setting up a tropical tank upstairs and am planning on doing just that. :fish:


----------



## benny71

Baz, what else do you have in there with that (blue crayfish?)?


----------



## baz11

4 hongi
2 bumble bee
4 socolofi 
2 orange fish that my wife showed up with and a blue with yellow fins
I'll be adjusting my stock of fish soon, I also have 175 pounds of holey rock it looks like there are not much holes but this rocks are pretty intricate in tunnels.
The blue crawfish has shed it's shell 3 times and eats nothing but the stuff on the bottom of the tank and algae waffers.

I went and bought a black backroumd will post picks soon and I also just bought 100 lbs of black sand in the process of cleaning it.


----------



## Rhinox

Since there's no current new tank to rate, thought I'd post a pic of the most recent evolution of my rockscape. Gets changed everytime I need to net a fish, because I don't bother trying to put them back in the same way each time.

As of last night, 1/13/2011:









Previous, 11/12/2010:









When I first set up the tank, ~9/1/2010:









Which do you guys like the best? I think I've gotten better each time. I also expect that it will change again in the next couple weeks because I plan on making some chages to my stocking.


----------



## gliebig

^^ I like the most recent one the most.


----------



## benny71

I like all of them, but I like the second one the best.


----------



## clgkag

Rhinox, I give it a solid 9. I think it just needs a little more height.

Here is my 450 gal mixed ca/sa tank.


----------



## fatcat660

solid 8 in my book very nice love the natural look. :fish:


----------



## Bo_Diggity88

clgkag- i give your tank a solid 10! I really think it captures the cichlids' natural habitat! and i wish mine would look as good as yours  keep up the good work!

this is my 55 gallon south american tank. it has 2 juvie green terrors, 2 plecos, and a loach thing...


----------



## hbbyhorse

clgkag said:


> Here is my 450 gal mixed ca/sa tank.


Very nice, definitely an 8!


----------



## clgkag

Thanks All


----------



## Adams2156

clgkag said:


> Thanks All


what did you do go cut down a tree in your backyard for your deco :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:


----------



## clgkag

Adams2156 said:


> clgkag said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks All
> 
> 
> 
> what did you do go cut down a tree in your backyard for your deco :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Click to expand...

We do have some timber on our land and I found part of the wood there. I found one piece on a float trip and the rest at a local lake.


----------



## iwishihadmorefish

here is my 55 gallon tank










stocking 
3x keyhole cichlids
3x clown loaches
3x columbian tetras
4x serpe tetras 
1x bristlenose pleco
1x rainbow shark 
1x honey gourami 
8x various platys


----------



## baz11

This is mine just redone Sunday


----------



## baz11

I give yours a 8 looks real neat.


----------



## iwishihadmorefish

i didnt get to rate one so if you dont mind ill rate yours i give it a 9 it would be a 10 if it had some larger fish which will probably be the case when the fish in there grow i love the black and the rock real simple love it


----------



## swervo513




----------



## dotbomb

I like that tank. I give it a 8. I really am liking the dark background and substrates. I'll probably swap mine out in a few months.

Here's mine, just finished cycling and I am awaiting the fedex delivery of mbuna today.


----------



## hbbyhorse

iwishihadmorefish said:


> here is my 55 gallon tank


Beautiful! 9+



baz11 said:


> This is mine just redone Sunday


Another beautiful tank, 9 also!

Sweet! My kind of tank, 10, well done



dotbomb said:


> Here's mine, just finished cycling and I am awaiting the fedex delivery of mbuna today.


Another nice tank, 9+ good luck w/new inhabitants


----------



## Cromak

Well no tank above for me to rate :lol: so heres mine.. Just recently painted the background black as i was using a 3D background and decided to just go standard black to bring out the colors more.


----------



## Bo_Diggity88

here's my 55 gallon again you guys didn't rate my tank but good thing cuz i changed some stuff )










PLEASE RATE AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

P.S.- i dont really have access to a lot of cool aquarium stuff as i do not have a background :/ it just shows my purple wall


----------



## Bo_Diggity88

here's my 55 gallon again you guys didn't rate my tank but good thing cuz i changed some stuff )










PLEASE RATE AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

P.S.- i dont really have access to a lot of cool aquarium stuff as i do not have a background :/ it just shows my purple wall soooo please rate comments and criticism appreciated


----------



## A Sneaky Fatman

2 posts above - 6

I personally love the rounded rock look but can't bring myself to pay for them.

The one above me - 7

I love the hanging branches look, but there could be more going on in the middle.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BF ... directlink


----------



## baz11

This was last week.









This is today let me know which one looks better.


----------



## A Sneaky Fatman

A Sneaky Fatman said:


> 2 posts above - 6
> 
> I personally love the rounded rock look but can't bring myself to pay for them.
> 
> The one above me - 7
> 
> I love the hanging branches look, but there could be more going on in the middle.
> 
> http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BF ... directlink


I think I figured out how to link the pics correctly:


----------



## benny71

A Sneaky Fatman said:


> I personally love the rounded rock look but can't bring myself to pay for them.


They are about 15 cents a pound.


----------



## Cromak

benny71 said:


> A Sneaky Fatman said:
> 
> 
> 
> I personally love the rounded rock look but can't bring myself to pay for them.
> 
> 
> 
> They are about 15 cents a pound.
Click to expand...

yea they are cheap, i think i paid 45 bucks for all of those.


----------



## A Sneaky Fatman

Cromak said:


> benny71 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A Sneaky Fatman said:
> 
> 
> 
> I personally love the rounded rock look but can't bring myself to pay for them.
> 
> 
> 
> They are about 15 cents a pound.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> yea they are cheap, i think i paid 45 bucks for all of those.
Click to expand...

They want $1.83 where I'm at. I got the ones I have for free.


----------



## Cromak

After seeing my tank above i realized how plain it looked. I added some Cork Screw vals and Java Ferns.

Here's an updated pic.

Looks a little more lively now.

and yea i really need to replace those HOBs.. soon as i go to my 90g ill get a Canister..


----------



## hbbyhorse

Cromak said:


> After seeing my tank above i realized how plain it looked. I added some Cork Screw vals and Java Ferns. Here's an updated pic.


I like it, HOB filters or not 
Very nice, I give it an 8


----------



## fish_addiction

I second the 8. The black BG will definately bring out the color of your fish, and the river rock is nice.

Here the recent update of my 110G Malawi Mbuna with Dems, Labs, Acei, Albino Socolofi and one peacock:


----------



## baz11

10 the back round you have is awesome.

I'm done for now buying a marineland led bubble wand tomorrow just added plants.


----------



## Cromak

Fish_addiction where did you end up getting the background? I cant find the right height. i am going to be moving to a 90 gallon so it's a little shorter then your 110.

I actually have one for my 55 current tank just removed it as i wanted to go black.


----------



## fish_addiction

Cromak said:


> Fish_addiction where did you end up getting the background? I cant find the right height. i am going to be moving to a 90 gallon so it's a little shorter then your 110.
> 
> I actually have one for my 55 current tank just removed it as i wanted to go black.


I ordered it online. The BG I have would fit a 90G tank because it's 48"x24". I just foamed in the extra space at the bottom. I had to cut it into 3 pieces to get it in the tank. Then I took it out and shaved the back so it didn't take up as much space. If I had it to do over again, I would remove the tank bracing instead. The Malawi 3D wil take up a ton of room in your tank, so be advised. I would've stuck with a black BG if my tank wasn't so tall and bare at the top.

I PM'd you the link where I ordered mine.


----------



## gilberbt

baz11 I give yours a 7. I like the look of a more open tank, but overall its very nice.

Here is my 75G tank after a redo of the rock layout.


----------



## Suken

gilberbt- i love the look of your tank i give it an 8, the dark rock in the middle of all that sand just makes it pop


----------



## dotbomb

Suken, I like the gravel color and that slate is probably identical to what I have in my mbuna tank right now. Solid 8.5.

Here's my 20g long shell dweller tank.


----------



## toubabokoomi

*dotbomb* nice set up my dude giving you a hard 9!

http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m63 ... 1296498101

72 gallon bow idk why pictues wont post for me maybe my browser


----------



## duds

This is *toubabokoomi*'s tank:










Touba, highlight the "http: ..." of your original post up to and including the ".jpeg" and sandwich that between two "Img" tags.


----------



## toubabokoomi

*duds*
thanks duds!


----------



## robn69

Not my kind of plants but looks good needs some rocks and caves 7
my 75g


----------



## toubabokoomi

*robn69*
thanks man nice tank! i know your below but i wanted to comment anyway nice labs


----------



## onara86

Dotbomb, you tank is great! Definitely agree with the 9/10!


----------



## Boytjie

Great looking tank! The fish seem happy. They don't freak out, with human movement in the room all around them?

Here's my first attempt in many years at an African tank. 55 gallon, slate rock from a local lakeshore. I'm not crazy about the salt-and-pepper substrate, but too late now!

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZHkv17zMzMEsRUAS02RRYA


----------



## fish_addiction

gilberbt said:


> baz11 I give yours a 7. I like the look of a more open tank, but overall its very nice.
> 
> Here is my 75G tank after a redo of the rock layout.


I disagree with the rating. I think gilberbt's tank deserves a 10. I know I'm only supposed to rate the tank above me, but this tank just stands out opcorn:


----------



## hbbyhorse

gilberbt said:


> Here is my 75G tank after a redo of the rock layout.


Very nice! A solid 9+ =D>


----------



## ridley25

Boytjie said:


> Here's my first attempt in many years at an African tank. 55 gallon, slate rock from a local lakeshore. I'm not crazy about the salt-and-pepper substrate, but too late now!
> 
> http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZHkv17zMzMEsRUAS02RRYA


Agree on the substrate, play sand or pool filter sand would look more natural.

I like your creativity in hiding the HOB intakes.

A few smaller rocks half buried in the substrate up front would add more depth.

How's a 7.5?

kevin


----------



## bcyra

I'll give ridley25 an 8 on his saulosi tank

Here is my tank

[/img]http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/bcyra/MainTankBigger.jpg


----------



## bcyra

lets try this again


----------



## JimA

bcyra Looks good, solid 7+ I would lose a couple of the plants but that's me.

Here's my new to me 110 gallon still waiting on a few more fish.


----------



## shellies215

I give Jim's tank a 9, Love the rocks standing up like pillars

Here's my 55 gal. Tanganyika


----------



## Dotti90

nice tank shellies i give a 7.5 looks very practical for your fish but i personally like some greenery and a plain black background

here is my 50


----------



## baz11

I just added marineland led so at night it gives it a nice look.


----------



## ridley25

The thread is called _rate the tank above you_. So...I'll give Dotti90 an 8 since you didn't rate it.

I find the foreground plant distracting, but the combination of rocks and wood has a nice flow.

kevin


----------



## Dotti90

ridley25 said:


> The thread is called _rate the tank above you_. So...I'll give Dotti90 an 8 since you didn't rate it.
> 
> I find the foreground plant distracting, but the combination of rocks and wood has a nice flow.
> 
> kevin


thanks =) ill probably move them into the rockwork on the left =)


----------



## baz11

Ridley I give a 1 just rate no one needs your comments.


----------



## ridley25

baz11 said:


> Ridley I give a 1 just rate no one needs your comments.


Funny you should say that since the person whose tank I commented on appreciated them.

If you have a look through the thread - apart from the seemingly obvious idea of not posting a picture of your tank without rating the tank above you - you will notice lots of people justifying their ratings with comments for changes or improvement.

If you would like to offer improvements on one of my tanks that might get them all the way up to a "2" I am all ears.

kevin


----------



## baz11

ridley25 said:


> The thread is called _rate the tank above you_. So...I'll give Dotti90 an 8 since you didn't rate it.
> 
> This is the comment I'm taking about just rate the persons tank and comment on the tank. When I was typing iPhone changed it.
> 
> I was not rating your tank but if I did I'd give it a 7 background looks dirty and the sand I think a black would allow your fish to pop out.


----------



## ridley25

My bad then. :thumb:


----------



## Mbunaaddict

Baz im not sure how to rate yours. I guess i would give it a 4 because i like the black light.

Here is my 55g Im still kinda new to this whole hobby so id like some +/- feedback









Stock List:
Maylandia estherae (1)
9 Saulosi (1m 2f, 6unknown yet)
5 spotted pictus
1 bristlenose

black background, cichlid substrate/black sand, terra cotta, free rocks, real plants


----------



## bullit

I give it an 8. Not normally a fan of pots but they give a good contrast and work with the plants. Very clean aswell. Heres mine.

my 250 litre. Stock is 2 margara shellies and a BN


----------



## cjacob316

i'll give it an 8, it's a little bare, but good for a shelly tank, so it's hard to knock the lack of rock

my new 125


----------



## Dotti90

nice tank i give a 9, just looking at it tho i would love to see a nice green algae film across the top of the rocks i think it would look nice (not that you can really make algae grow where you want it.

here is my updated tank


----------



## cjacob316

I want some to grow, but my labeos eat it faster than it can grow


----------



## bullit

cjacob316 said:


> i'll give it an 8, it's a little bare, but good for a shelly tank, so it's hard to knock the lack of rock
> 
> Should have put stocking at the mo really. The open water will get filled


----------



## adam79

I give the tank above me an 8.5. It seems a bit dark, like I'm not seeing everything. Nice contrast with oscar.

I just set this up tonight. Thought I might get some suggestions. Some of the leaves have yet to sink. I'm thinking I'll stock it with a pair of apistos and some dwarf cories.


----------



## DiQue

Nice one Adam, I'd give it a 9,it feels like an autumn, and 10 after you add in the fishes...


----------



## DiQue

here's my cichlids tank, just put in the dead 'live rock' yesterday


----------



## bft3278

looks good, i would give it an 8. its hard to get a good look at the tank since there is some glare in the photo.

thought i would post this up for some of you guys. just finished building the bg and stand/canopy


----------



## 808newbie

I give the tank above me a 9+. Beautiful stand/ background! Lots of open swimming space with a touch of green on the edges... nice
pardon the Guinness background but I do sell it for a living.


----------



## 808newbie

oops... that didn't work. try this again[/img]


----------



## shellies215

808, I give you a 7 just because the tank kooks a little small for those fish.

Here is my newest tanganyika tank. 1 pair of brevis, 3 black calvus, 1 gold head comp, most fish are hiding


----------



## sebqc

I give you an 8. Awesome rocks with sharp edges. Would like to see it with lights on.

Here's mine, my first tank ever. No background, because I'm looking for a 200 gal to set up in a month or two, and I will get rid of this one.

55g, malawi, real plants, and a nice recent algea outburst (brown). So makes the windows dirty.









And I'm sending you a few pictures of my occupants. 

dominant male Labeotropheus Trewavasae Chilumba (reproducing for the first time)

















dominant male Cynotilapia Axelrodi (reproduces every week, I've got tons of babies)

















Ps Acei Itungi (about 2,5 inches long)









Juvenile Labidochromis sp. "Hongi"


----------



## Dogtanian

Love your tank sebqc. The combination of rocks, bogwood and open space work really. Bet your fish are thriving in there... hence all the breeding! I have tank envy- a solid 9.5!

Well here's mine. It's a 64G (240L) bow front, hence may look a little distorted.


























Thoughts please!


----------



## sebqc

well actually i like yours better than mine! I think the plants and rocks look more integrated, more natural!

Nice open space up front.
Honestly a very nice setup! I will leave it to others to rate it, but definitely a 9.6 if you think mine was a 9.5


----------



## Cromak

Water is still a little bit cloudy, but you get the idea.. This is my new 90.. Will be getting a universal install kit to change that green color of the Eheim..


----------



## JimA

A solid 8+ Really like the wood in there, be cool if you could hide the blaster on the left,just not sure where it could go though. Spray bar will be better, nice tank!

Here's my 110 gallon.










4 labs,6 Acei, 4 Rustys and a Demasoni, plus 1 I am not sure of but working on a ID.


----------



## Cromak

Yea, i really have no choice because i need it in there for better circulation on the bottom. Otherwise I get a ton of debris that just sits there. I have a spray bar on the right side and as a matter of fact I was going to put one more pump on the left as i still have one dead spot. How are you getting around the issue of having debris gather at the bottom in certain areas? BTW i like your tank, I'd say solid 8 as well.


----------



## doobie27

i like above tank, looks good with the river rock. keeps with the natural look that we all are trying for....so since i don't really know th rules for grading i'll give it an 8.

my 75g was set up this way when i got so i decided to keep that way....but i added a butt-ton more fish. 4 red zebras, 4 yellow labs, 4 bumblebee's(yes i know), maingano, colbalt blue, and unknown guy.... don't forget teh pleco's hahaha


----------



## Dane559

Nice tank Doobie, I rate it a 7! I think with a finer substrate and a new background (pitch black)youd be at an 8 or so. Great stock, I love the bumblebees!

Heres mine, its under construction seeing *** only had the tank for about a week now, but its coming along pretty well in my opinion.. its a 45 long, stocked with mostly South Americans...

Substrate: Natural colored gravel.
....................................................................
Decor: River rocks and some driftwood I found out at the lake (I had a cool small stump with neet roots but it was clouding up my water and giving a black-water look so i removed it) chepo background that im going to swap out for a pitch black background
....................................................................
Stock: 3 Red eared slider turtles, 1 tiger oscar, 1 albino oscar, 1 asian upside down cat fish, 1 jack dempsey, 2 convicts (one bloched, one striped), 1 buttikofri, and 1 electric yellow (i know its african, but my daughter INSISTED. lol)
....................................................................
Lighting: as of now, just a day time uv heat bulb for turtles, but I have a 175w metal halide i used to use for indoor growing that i would _Like_ to hang from the ceiling above the tank..

well, here it is! tell me what u think?


----------



## jwsland

6. Theres a lot of space to work with there. I like to build upwards when decorating and utilize my space to find the balance between fish comfort and keeping the tank appealing to the eye. I'm not a big fans of plants so that's a plus. But you said its still under construction so keep us updated!

Here's my 55gallon. AC70, Penguin 350 bio wheel (rena xp3 now) stealth heater, mystic white pool filter sand, landscape rocks leftover from work.

2 OB peacocks (both holding :roll: ) 1 Blue Regal Peacock, large blue Hap (possibly "deep water" not 100% sure)


----------



## bmweiler09

Nice tank. I give it a 7 because I like a little more uniformity with the rocks. Here is my 20 gal long grow out tank, just set it up today.


----------



## Cromak

Well since the above is only a grow out tank, i'd assume the point is to keep it simple so it's hard to give it that high of a rating, but for what it is used for 6.


----------



## xxbenjamminxx

I would give this one an 8. Really like greens in the tank along with the multiple colors of rock and how tall the drift wood is providing plenty of cover yet alot of open water for swimming room. Nice tank!

Here is my new 75g with an Eheim 2075 and a Fluval 405, pool filter sand, cichlid stones, and some mopani driftwood. Still cloudy from setting it up but hoping it looks ok after its all settled and stuff.


----------



## biglove

xxbenjamminxx, I have never been a fan of driftwood but it looks quite nice in your 75g tank. Had considered the Cichlid Stones but never went with them due to cost. Your PFS look WAY clean. Would rate it a 7. Guess largely because I am more into symmetry and would space the stones out. You have a great deal of room to work with in your tank.









125 gallon with 150# PFS+black gravel, Red Arkansas Sandstone and Arizona Hualapai Chocolate Sandstone, 41 fish, mixed mbuna and haps, with about half juveniles, Rena XP3, Penguin 350B X3, JBJ Submariner 13 watt UV sterilizer, 4" micro bubble air stone, Aqueon Pro 250 X2, artificial plants. Black frame and stand. Sorry lighting is so dim!


----------



## monster1000s

Very nice indeed biglove (feels odd calling a guy that!) maybe a little too uniformed for me I would have to have one side higher than the other and maybe coming round the side but it's all very personal to the individual, I would rate an 8.5/10.


----------



## Oscar Madison

Cromak said:


> Well since the above is only a grow out tank, i'd assume the point is to keep it simple so it's hard to give it that high of a rating, but for what it is used for 6.


 :thumb: Sweet!.....very nice looking set up.


----------



## Cromak

Thanks :thumb: I actually finally got my universal kit in so you can barely even see the intake tubes anymore.. That ugly green color is GONE.. Ill post more pics when the water clears


----------



## brian226

HOLY HOLEY ROCK BATMAN! I'll give your tank a 7, but I'm sure at night under blue lights it would be closer to a 9.










No fish yet...Still cycling.


----------



## dotbomb

I'm not a holey rock fan normally but I like your tank brian226. I give it a 8.5 (I'm a tough critic).

Here's my newly upgraded 100g tank.










It is still a work in progress. I have 6 more live plants arriving next week.


----------



## Cromak

Great looking tank 9 easy... what background are you running? You haw a sump or filters behind it? I've been looking at a background for awhile but have to many things that stick on the back.


----------



## dotbomb

Thanks Cromak. I have a thread with all the gory details here


----------



## Swerved

Awesome job dot... 10










I'll be removing and replacing the background (probably today)


----------



## toubabokoomi

Non cichlid tank but i figured id post it anyway! ill give your tank a solid 7 i like the look of it!







i just recently fixed the hanging plants but havent posted a new pic


----------



## brodes7

toubabokoomi,i give your tank a 7 im not a fan of the coulorful plants
heres my 40gal which i just started today


----------



## DavidH

Guess I'll join in... 7 on the above... like the rocks a lot but it could use a background (painted black/blue) and I'm definitely more a fan of sand as a substrate.

Here's my 90g after I just put on my Double Bright LEDs. Currently fishless cycling but future home to many Demasoni, Yellow Labs, and Acei. 










I'm planning on re-rearranging the rocks as I don't like how uniform the height looks.


----------



## sapir7

i love your tank man, definately a 9. it would be a 10 if the rocks were arranged a bit different.


----------



## DavidH

sapir7 said:


> i love your tank man, definately a 9. *it would be a 10 if the rocks were arranged a bit different.*


Thanks. Any suggestions in that regard?

Yours looks awesome... I'd rate it really high if it were my turn


----------



## sapir7

I would try to create more depth, highs in the back and lows in the front. Or a rock pile sloping from one side to the other. Play around with it and see what you can come up with. that's the great thing about decorating with rocks, it changes every time.


----------



## davidsrego

sapir7 said:


>


Your tank looks so dramatic with the subdued lighting. Definitely one of my favorites. What kind of rock is that?


----------



## londonloco

Love the rock work in the tank above me. I'd give it a 8.5.

Here is a pic of my 75g planted rainbow tank. Still a work in progess.










I'm setting up a 29g and 125g Tangy tank. This rock scaping is a lot harder than it looks. This is a great thread, I got a lot of great ideas for my new tanks!


----------



## sapir7

davidsrego said:


> sapir7 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Your tank looks so dramatic with the subdued lighting. Definitely one of my favorites. What kind of rock is that?
Click to expand...

. Thanks man. it's black lava rock. I'm from Vegas too, what kind of fish do you keep?


----------



## hbbyhorse

londonloco said:


> Here is a pic of my 75g planted rainbow tank. Still a work in progess.


very nice, i give it a 9 :thumb:


----------



## davidsrego

sapir7 said:


> Thanks man. it's black lava rock. I'm from Vegas too, what kind of fish do you keep?


I just moved out here. I'm cycling my 100 gallon while I wait for my stand to be built. I haven't decided if I'm getting mbuna or haps yet. I plan to go back to San Diego to get my fish (I can't find any good lfs here!). So once I see what's available I'll know. Do you know of any good shops in Vegas for cichlids?


----------



## deisel10

I think the tank above me is londonloco's I give it a 9 I really like how the green plants and bright fish look against the dark sand and background.


----------



## benny71

londonloco said:


> Love the rock work in the tank above me. I'd give it a 8.5.
> 
> Here is a pic of my 75g planted rainbow tank. Still a work in progess.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm setting up a 29g and 125g Tangy tank. This rock scaping is a lot harder than it looks. This is a great thread, I got a lot of great ideas for my new tanks!


I'm not a huge fan of (densely) planted tanks, but this one is absolutely beautiful.

Very well done! :thumb:


----------



## sprakinhyt

great looking tanks and setup! very inspiring

back on topic: i really like how the rocks were setup in the middle to form some kind of a mountain. i'll rate it with 8 

here's mine. 30g tank.


----------



## Cromak

Not bad for a 30g, looks good.. I would give it a 7.5 just because I hate gravel :lol:

Here is my new 55 SA tank..


----------



## des

I feel lucky to rate this wonderful looking tank.

I'm a big fan of clean sand - check

I'm not familiar with south american tank set ups so I'm assuming green plants is normal to have. The colour really "pops" - check

I like the look of those driftwood, suites the height of the tank well - check

I'm use to seeing a lot more rocks - I'll give you half a check there

I like dark background - check

I love the stand - check

Overall, very good looking tank. I'm afraid at the end of all this, I didn't really notice your fish. 

*Rate this one 8.5*

Here's my 75gal 4' peacock/hap tank:


----------



## Cromak

yea, sorry the fish came over from the 20g long so they aren't noticeable in the 55 since the two rams are hiding and the others are so small the 55 makes them disappear :lol: I'll be adding a TON more fish Friday so the tank will be filled up.. and yes, SA tanks are usually planted setups 

your tank looks great BTW :thumb: although it's not my turn to rate  I would give it a high rating


----------



## dollunit

Really like your setup Des...looks geat. I'd give that like an 8.5. Good stuff.

Heres my 75 mbuna. Pics aren't great because the water is cloudy from a recent water change and it was taken on a phone.


----------



## Norm66

Gotta give the tank above a 9. I really like it.

Here's my 29 w/ a calvus, 2 transcriptus and two multies. Oh and 6 guppies I used as test fish in my other tank but will eventually get moved out to their own 10 gallon to please my wife.


----------



## hbbyhorse

Cromak said:


> Here is my new 55 SA tank..


Absolutely beautiful! 10+ :drooling:


----------



## Malawiman999

*Norm66*- I give your tank a 9.2... love the set up. Tank looks extremely clean and the rocks are tightly stacked.

Here is my 120 Malawi... set it nearly 2 years ago. I have spent a lot of time shopping around for fish and maintaining this tank. You can call it a hobby but it has turned into more of an addiction. :wink:


----------



## Cromak

I love your setup, looks really good and Natural 9..

Here is mine with my new 3D background.


----------



## hbbyhorse

Cromak said:


> Here is mine with my new 3D background.


Gorgeous! 9+ =D>


----------



## venustus2008

Very nice setup Cromak. Agree, is a rated 9.
HereÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s my first DIY rocks setup.


----------



## JimA

It's been awhile for this thread,nice to see it back. Tank above gets a solid 8+ would love to see another view of it.

Here's another of mine.


----------



## kunalrsingh

stunning. solid 9... is that a 3D background?


----------



## Nina_b

I like more continuity in my rocks, but that there is a gorgeous tank. Those fishies look so healthy as well  
So I second the 9 given above!

Here is mine, again, but now with so many more rocks and a completely changed setup:









Heh, also, my fish are twice the size they were


----------



## des

I get to rate your tank Nina_b!

The water appears to be clean, I like the rock layout. The size of the drift wood pieces are just right for your size tank. I'm a fan of sand or finer substrate, not so much gravel. I'm also distracted by the air bubbler... I like your fish!

*I rate your tank 8.5*

Here's my tank updated


----------



## yearmax

Love the colors and the rock work.. Looks really cool.. I would have to say a 9.

Here is my tank. Nothing speacial but it is to my liking for now.. Sorry for the bad picture quality.


----------



## des

Thank you for rating my tank *yearmax*

I rate your tank 7.
-the background you have is 'loud' and takes attention away from your fish. Especially the convicts that are black and white and almost hidden. I would try a darker background.
-I'm not a fan of gravel, but you use what you got right!
-the use of bamboo is unique

Here is my other tank:
110 gallon (6ft length) frontosa
it's a very recently new setup. I need better lighting and working on ideas for a background.


----------



## yearmax

des said:


> Thank you for rating my tank *yearmax*
> 
> I rate your tank 7.
> -the background you have is 'loud' and takes attention away from your fish. Especially the convicts that are black and white and almost hidden. I would try a darker background.
> -I'm not a fan of gravel, but you use what you got right!
> -the use of bamboo is unique
> 
> Here is my other tank:
> 110 gallon (6ft length) frontosa
> it's a very recently new setup. I need better lighting and working on ideas for a background.


 Thanks for the advised. I havnt really had someone point that out about the background. I will have to come up with some ideas now..

I tried the sand bit and was not happy with the results so gravel it is.

As for your new tank I will go with a 7 due to the lighting and background. Other than that I really like it. Looks very simple and clean. Love the rock work .


----------



## des

yearmax said:


> Thanks for the advised. I havnt really had someone point that out about the background. I will have to come up with some ideas now..
> 
> I tried the sand bit and was not happy with the results so gravel it is.
> 
> As for your new tank I will go with a 7 due to the lighting and background. Other than that I really like it. Looks very simple and clean. Love the rock work .


You don't need to change it because of my opinion. I'm sure there are people that love it and would want you to keep it the same.  I think the next person with a post of their tank will be rating my tank.


----------



## Oscar Madison

Cromak said:


> I love your setup, looks really good and Natural 9..
> 
> Here is mine with my new 3D background.


Very nice contrast of the background and yellow labs.


----------



## Oscar Madison

venustus2008 said:


> Very nice setup Cromak. Agree, is a rated 9.
> HereÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s my first DIY rocks setup.


Oh WOW! that is a very nice set up :thumb:


----------



## Oscar Madison

JimA said:


> It's been awhile for this thread,nice to see it back. Tank above gets a solid 8+ would love to see another view of it.
> 
> Here's another of mine.


I'm jealous!!! Love the background :thumb:


----------



## yearmax

des said:


> yearmax said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the advised. I havnt really had someone point that out about the background. I will have to come up with some ideas now..
> 
> I tried the sand bit and was not happy with the results so gravel it is.
> 
> As for your new tank I will go with a 7 due to the lighting and background. Other than that I really like it. Looks very simple and clean. Love the rock work .
> 
> 
> 
> You don't need to change it because of my opinion. I'm sure there are people that love it and would want you to keep it the same.  I think the next person with a post of their tank will be rating my tank.
Click to expand...

 Your just giving me the excuse to chage it. When the wife ask I can just say I am trying a new suggestion.. . I think a new backround would be a nice change.


----------



## Dotti90

I dont think there is any tanks to rate so ill just post mine =)


----------



## baitfish2000

Dotti I really like your set up and Oscars always have a spot in my heart - so I will say an 8..Lava rock is the only thing that does not go with the natural setting - like it does not fit in but it still looks good.


----------



## duds

Dotti90 said:


>


Is that a turtle in the bottom right or just an ornament?


----------



## roke28

Hi everyone! So, here's my 55 gallon. I just added the plants so the water is a little cloudy. I'm open to suggestion too


----------



## car0linab0y

^I give it 7... Venestus2008 set the bar pretty high. Might want to get a powerhead if you don't have one, or a second filter to make sure you're filtering the whole tank and not just the one side. Here's my 125 as this week.


----------



## kyboy

^ I give it an 8 - really like canopy & stand :thumb: 
Here's my 40L


----------



## Mikecacho

I say a 7, the sand gives me a terrarium feel and the rock used are kinda redundant.
This is my 72G Bow front


----------



## JFFCCUUKKiiNNM

I would give the tank on top of me a 7.5. I love the black. Very unique, but I would add some different color rocks. Also, I only see black oscars in there. All the black would make some colorful fish look insane!!

Well, here's mine just newly redone 2 days ago....Kind of bad pic that I took right after I finished, so water is still a bit cloudy..
BTW, Hey guys Im new to the forum as of today. Looking forward to learning and trying to share any of my knowledge with whoever I can help..


----------



## JFFCCUUKKiiNNM

Here you go..


----------



## mitamariana

jbacker7 said:


> I like it, very natural looking, I give it an 8 because I think it really captures the fish's natural habitat. The cover is great and there is still plenty of open swimming room.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not the best I know but I'm looking for suggestions on how to make it better so your ideas and critisizm are very appreciated!


yes, I like this one too! good job!


----------



## mitamariana

I like the tank by honkz ! clean, neat and looks very natural but modern at same time


----------



## TMF89

No fish in it yet but it's going to be a Peacock/Hap show tank, its a 75. I know standard African Cichlid decor is rocks, rocks, and more rocks! but I always thought a lot of Peacock tanks looked like just a pile of rocks that the fish swam above all the time. I wanted to give them more things to swim around, through, and below. I'm going to paint the backround but I just haven't decided what color.

On an unrelated note I just "rescued" a cichlid of sort from an LFS, but he's having a hard time, any views and help in my thread would be appreciated!
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=231412


----------



## Paulbearer

Will look better with a background of some sort TFM89, would give it a 6 for now, but sure it will improve with back 

Here is my 180 gallon I just finished the stand/hood that I built myself and just need to find the right piece of driftwood now:


----------



## gilberbt

*Paulbearer* Great stand I give your setup an 8. It will look even better once you add that driftwood.

Here is my latest redo to my setup. Switched from a fine white sand to coarse light brownish sand and added some new plants. I still am probably going to move some plants around to give it a more natural look. Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated.


----------



## iwade4fish

That's a 9. I am not good with 'less is more'........










5ft, 100g.
All Mbuna, 3 Tangs.


----------



## Floridagirl

I can thank Paulbearer for the inspiration on my stand. Here is my two tank set up. Not sure if I should post them separately..lol..

2 5 ft 120's. I just ordered fish for the left side..Ikola/Tanz...Callochromis, Dewinti, Brevis, and Julies...the male Haps are on Craigslist... the right is Petro, Troph , and Tang. Irsacae Ikolas...shooting for a Ikola, Tanzania Biotope


----------



## iwade4fish

Love the woodwork, and the side by side.
Points removed for switching away from Malawi's but, overall an 8.5!!


----------



## ssaajj

definitely an 8!

Heres mine


----------



## jd lover

nice!!! 10/10


----------



## seamist

I don't have a tank to add yet... but just got to say i love this thread... so many ideas of how to set a tank up.


----------



## Floridagirl

I need to butt in. I was informed that I forgot to rate the tank before me...  My only excuse is that I was so excited to finally get my pictures up, and I had celebrated with a few glasses of wine! 

So, I will give Iwade4fish a 7.5. I prefer the rock in a tank to all be the same, , and I would love to see more fish in the pic, but overall, a very nice tank! Lots of hiding spots for the mbuna. Please accept my apologies!


----------



## sunny231




----------



## jhale512

first tank set up. still trying to finish the first cycle so i can add some more fish. let me know what ya think.
[/img]


----------



## travisbundo

I'll give the previous tank a 7. Personally I would either add more plants or remove the 2 you have. I like how the rocks are setup, you are more courageous than myself for leaning that rock against the side.

Heres mine, sorry for the poor picture quality, 60 gallon, 2 AC110, Lots of Msobo and a harem of Rusties.


















I know I should try to get the rocks more vertical but it's hard w/ only 12" depth and the extra height. They also seem to enjoy the extra swimming room up top as you can see in the pictures.


----------



## nuecesbay

travisbundo: I rate your tank as a 6/10. I like what you have started but the heater i find to be very distracting. Hide that heater and your rating goes way up. Nice set-up.

Like most, mine is a work in progress......


----------



## travisbundo

Rate Mine!


----------



## clgkag

travisbundo said:


> Rate Mine!


It was rated in the post immediately following your tank.


----------



## travisbundo

Not originally, was editted in immediately after my "Rate it" post.


----------



## jd lover

Does it matter? Atleast he rated your tank which is more can be said about you don't spam the thread telling people to rate your tank if you Don't rate others

As for The last tank on the previous page I'd give You a 6 the stacking makes it seems like youre trying too hard

I Luke natural looking tank more that's why u got a bit of a low rating


----------



## sunny231

pls rate


----------



## warming

very new selection of those cichlids. i give you 8. would love to see high rock background
here is my


----------



## jd lover

very nice!! 9/10 cuz of the pvc pipes lol dont really like thoes also are the logs real? especially the log cave on the left

heres mine


----------



## nuecesbay

8/10. Very nice tank. I like how the tall plants on the sides of the tank work to frame the tank. I would like to see some sort of tall rock structure in the center. Well done.

Here is mys sons tank that I set up this past weekend. Still needs some work and I need to hide the heater.


----------



## kjinfrek

8/10 I love the rock work, and transition from rock to wood, would prefer to see sand, but that's me nit picking.


----------



## kjinfrek

Here's my first step into the cichlid world. The tank is currently stocked with mostly male peacock and haps. With a few Mbuna. This tank is "temporary" as I have plans to put a 200-300 gallon in the wall behind the current tank. And the fish in this tank would transfer to the new tank.










first time posting a pic, lets see if it works.


----------



## kjinfrek

hmmm..... did something wrong... not sure what.


----------



## Rhinox

you needed the link that ends in .jpg

took a little work but I found it for you

*kjinfrek's tank for someone to rate:*


----------



## kjinfrek

TY sir


----------



## roke28

9/10 =D> I really like that setup the rocks look great and everything looks really natural. Here's my 75 gallon peacock tank I finally got setup


----------



## Clink51

my tanks isnt fully set up but i want to rate anyway 

this tank is def a 9, and i only give it that because the backround is amazing but the foreground isnt exactly there

how did u get the slate back there tho? lol


----------



## roke28

Clink51 said:


> my tanks isnt fully set up but i want to rate anyway
> 
> this tank is def a 9, and i only give it that because the backround is amazing but the foreground isnt exactly there
> 
> how did u get the slate back there tho? lol


GE1 windows and doors is what I used on the slate. Do you have any suggestions for my foreground?


----------



## Clink51

personally i would do some dark shells in the from, small ones just to keep with the theme of size decrease u have


----------



## roke28

Yea, that sounds pretty cool. I'll look into that. Thanks :thumb:


----------



## lgt2323

Central Americans in a 75g
crappy cell phone pic. looks a bit different now but yeah

tank about i'll give a 7 could use more vivid colors. more fish might be in store for you.
Background looks good might throw some slate into the bottom of the tank too, the river rock and slate has a weird contrast. Keep up the good work though :thumb:


----------



## Cromak




----------



## Thewood45

Cromak, IMO that is a 10, very beautiful tank, no complaints.

My tank has only been up and running for 1 day, no background yet, and sorry for the crappy pictures


----------



## lgt2323

Rate the tank above you??? Not just randomly whore out your tank without saying anything  wtf


----------



## lgt2323

Rate the tank above you??? Not just randomly whore out your tank without saying anything  wtf


----------



## jd lover

since the last post was spam....

the 29g looks good for starters but i would rather wait till youre done to rate just to be fair


----------



## mccluggen

8/10. Good looking tank.










My new daffodil tank.


----------



## MDK419

:fish: opcorn: :thumb: :roll:  :wink: opcorn: =D> :fish: :dancing: :dancing: :drooling: :fish:


----------



## ObNixilis

> You must have 1 posts before you can post URL's/Links.


Here it is


----------



## ObNixilis

Last tank - 6/10 - I like those large rocks but its a lil bit dull.

My 325l (about 85g) tank.


----------



## ObNixilis

Sorry for double post


----------



## Valous

ObNixilis said:


> Last tank - 6/10 - I like those large rocks but its a lil bit dull.
> 
> My 325l (about 85g) tank.


8/10 I think once the fish are little bigger so you can see them and the plants fill in a bit more it will be a 10.

Still working on it but a nice start for a planted tank with jd/convict hybrids and bristle nose plecos


----------



## Emperor6825

I will give that a 6.8 out of ten. Once it grows in I think it will be closer to a 9. Love the plecos. Here is my new 75 Gal. Cycling right now so i don't have fish yet.


----------



## JimA

Tank above gets a good 8 I would lose that one psc of slate to the right.

I was looking through all pages of the rate my tanks thread and there are some absolute stunners! Would love to see some of them back and updated!! 
I will throw up mine for the heck of it.


----------



## gilberbt

JimA - Very nice setup and very natural. I would give it a 9.

Updated the layout of my tank recently and here is an updated photo.


----------



## des

*gilberbt* Eye-catching tank you have there. The fish you have are unreal. Good stuff. Nothing bad to say. 10/10

Here's mine for the next person rate:


----------



## Nwright36

des i like your tank....simple but yet very nice i give it a 9

here is my tank as of right now


----------



## chinds78

Nwright - I give yours an 8. I think it could us a little more greenery.

gilberbt - What kinds of plants do you ahve in your tank?

I would post mine, but its not quite ready yet. Should be in a week or so.


----------



## jontwhale

lgt2323 said:


> Central Americans in a 75g
> crappy cell phone pic. looks a bit different now but yeah
> 
> tank about i'll give a 7 could use more vivid colors. more fish might be in store for you.
> Background looks good might throw some slate into the bottom of the tank too, the river rock and slate has a weird contrast. Keep up the good work though :thumb:


i like your tank id give it an 8 need a better pic though!!

heres mine


IMG_3181 by jontwhale, on Flickr


----------



## chinds78

Jontwhate, I give yours a 9. I really like the contrast of the rocks, plants and fish. Hope to get mine looking close to that good someday.

Here's mine, keep in mind its a work in progress. I plan to add more rocks, fish as well as a few plants. I just got the first set of fish today.


----------



## Beardo

6.5/10....I'm sure it will look good once you add more to it.

Heres mine.....also a work in progress. 65 gallon.


----------



## venustus2008

I give it a 7 for the above setup.
Nice rocks. I would stack them high for a rock background with some short hardy plants to go with itÃ¢â‚¬Â¦just my 2ct worth.

HereÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s my Central American setup using the same DIY rocks from my first DIY Tanganyika rockscape with picture posted on page 129.


----------



## DrewHase7

Definitely give that Tank for Venustus a 9. The rockwork and plants are great. Great lighting as well. Don't know what that fish is; but seems like he needs a buddy.

Here is my tank. 120 gallon Mbuna.
Yellow Labs, Rusties, White Top Hara, Maingano, Red Top Zebras, and 2 Lemon Jakes.

Any advice on the rockwork? Thought about jumbling it up, and can't figure how to stack flagstone efficiently like that.


----------



## blackedout

above ^ i'll give an 8.5! very cool picture!


----------



## DrewHase7

sorry, had to post at least once.

Definitely give that Tank for Venustus a 9. The rockwork and plants are great. Great lighting as well. Don't know what that fish is; but seems like he needs a buddy.

Here is my tank. 120 gallon Mbuna. 
Yellow Labs, Rusties, White Top Hara, Maingano, Red Top Zebras, and 2 Lemon Jakes.

Any advice on the rockwork? Thought about jumbling it up, and can't figure how to stack flagstone efficiently like that.


----------



## steviestv8

This is now my growing out tank while my 125g is waiting to be picked up


----------



## steviestv8

.


----------



## JRo

Tank above gets an 8!










Pair of bolivian rams are someplace in there!


----------



## zimmy

Very lush! Wish I could get my plants to look that healthy. I rate it a 9.

Here's my 110 gallon tropheus (murago) tank:


----------



## JRo

You've got quite the tank as well! I don't know why the plants are growing so well- I don't really do all that much for them. No CO2, just a decent light, some sand and a weekly dose of flourish.


----------



## chinds78

Must be the flourish!


----------



## jd lover

not to derail the thread but jro you tank is amazin i tried to do that for my 125 discus tank but failed horiblely lol very well done


----------



## 4x4kayak2112

id give yours a 8.5!! just seems dark to me.

heres mine!!!! be nice i dont have cichlids yet, but gonna do yellow labs


----------



## DavidH

My 90g Mbuna

Fish coming this week!


----------



## jd lover

6 a bit blank


----------



## mlancaster

Hi *zimmy*,

Although i am not sharing a tank, I wanted to rate your tank a 9. Well done. I like the rockpiles with plants. I especially like the algea you have on the rocks.

Thanks,
Matt


----------



## DFishFox

@jd lover I'd give a 6.5 on account of no wood. I like the look, but feels like its missing something for all the space. Big fish or driftwood.. IMO










Can't see many fish because most are still hiding, just turned light on.


----------



## 4x4kayak2112

9 for above.....looks cool

Heres mine, updated with 10 yellow labs and ehiem 2217, all in a 55 gal


----------



## chinds78

I give it an 8. Could use a little more greenery.

Here is an updated pic of my 45G mbuna tank.


----------



## jd lover

id give it a 7 looks good but can use some short long plants instead of tall skinny ones

heres mine bit cloudy from feedin and lights isnt at its "best" right now so pardon that ill retake when the lighting reflect how it actually looks










since i love my fish heres some close ups


----------



## Dominateprimate

I give the tank above a 7. I think it would look a whole lot better with some more rockwork in it. I love the big fish in it though. I've always wanted larger fish like the cats and anawras but i don 't have a tank big enough! How many gallons is it?

Heres mine please go easy i'm still an ametuar photographer


----------



## calebjimz

nice tank. personally not a fan of air bubbles, flat slate like rocks, or gravel. BUT it does work for you tank, just maybe not the air bubbles. make that driftwood part of the foreground! itll make it look that much more natural i feel. overall i give it a 7.










this is the left side of my tank right now. its an 8' long tank and thats only like 4' of it, i have yet to get more wood and rock for the other side.


----------



## DFishFox

I give the one above a 4.5 because it's only half a tank LOL, if the other side looks as good we can prorate it at a 9

Since I spent the entire day yesterday swapping tanks and removing/adding fish I'll post both...
Tanganyikan









New World


----------



## JohanniMan

like that tank above its huge.. I give it a 9.. would be a 10 with a black back or some sort of background. here is my new African build
hope you all enjoy..[/img]


----------



## Z90a

For the tank above I give a 8. Your yellow fish really stick out due to background but your blue fish blend in.

My tank is still cycling with no fish. 
http://m1113.photobucket.com/albumview/ ... g.html?o=0


----------



## Louie13

pic above is too small to see very well, but I'll give it a 7. Here's my all male aquarium.


----------



## Bradyk

Louie13 - Love the background and fish! what kind of background is that? I would give your tank a 8 and only because i hate seeing filter intakes and heaters. but very good job on this tank!

Here is my tank i have been working on, i wish it was a bigger tank but my wife said no for now so the 55 gallon will have to do. its not the best on here and i can not believe how nice all your tanks are :thumb:


----------



## swrighty747

Bradyk- Love you tank it looks so good. I would say 9. LOVE the background the most 

This is my Frontosa tank it has only got one, seven bar in it for now but I am getting a Blue Zaire Frontosa soon


----------



## swrighty747

Bradyk- Love you tank it looks so good. I would say 9. LOVE the background the most 

This is my Frontosa tank it has only got one, seven bar in it for now but I am getting a Blue Zaire Frontosa soon   










p.s I know I need a new camra lol :lol: lol


----------



## Eric_S

zimmy said:


> Here's my 110 gallon tropheus (murago) tank:


Like mlancaster, I'm not sharing a tank, but I just wanted to comment on this one. I absolutely love this tank. It's simple, and natural and the green algae is a nice touch. I would maybe add a few more fish, but I don't know anything about the fish you have so perhaps that's not a great idea  . Awesome job. I would love a tank that looked like this.


----------



## jd lover

Dominateprimate said:


> I give the tank above a 7. I think it would look a whole lot better with some more rockwork in it. I love the big fish in it though. I've always wanted larger fish like the cats and anawras but i don 't have a tank big enough! How many gallons is it?
> 
> Heres mine please go easy i'm still an ametuar photographer


just a stander 125 im using a spare one i had as a grow out tank you cant tell but theyre actually around 15 insh ea of the arowana =p

same tank dont have pic of others atm.


----------



## thyshallsmite

8, looks a bit empty, though with those big guys in there i don't really blame ya for wanting to keep it to a minimum.










This will be my 1st aquarium since my high school days (about 8years ago), just bought my house so finally able to start up the hobby once more. Its pretty basic right now, but want to add in a cave system and some nice background, its a 55 gallon.


----------



## zimmy

mlancaster said:


> Hi *zimmy*,
> 
> Although i am not sharing a tank, I wanted to rate your tank a 9. Well done. I like the rockpiles with plants. I especially like the algea you have on the rocks.
> 
> Thanks,
> Matt





Eric_S said:


> Like mlancaster, I'm not sharing a tank, but I just wanted to comment on this one. I absolutely love this tank. It's simple, and natural and the green algae is a nice touch. I would maybe add a few more fish, but I don't know anything about the fish you have so perhaps that's not a great idea  . Awesome job. I would love a tank that looked like this.


Thanks! Your posts made my day 

The photo does make the tank look understocked but there are 25 fish in there. I think they were just camera shy at that moment.


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## JamesVietor

8 deffinatly one of my favorite styles of tanks im currently working on rocks for mine to do something similar.! awsome job i love the fish in the middle ob peacock?

heres mine kinda plan atm


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## Thewood45

James, I have a feeling once you get rocks in there that you will have such an awesome tank. Love the color of the sand, I give a 9

Here is my 90 gal...


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## Dominateprimate

I give the tank above an 8. love the deco. and stand. Great lighting but I fell it's a bit understocked. I'm not posting a tank atm because I don't want anyone getting angry :lol: . I rearranged my 55 and removed 8 fish. can i post it again since it's basically a new tank. 8)


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## rainshdw08

Jowlz said:


> The tank about me looks great! I rate it a 9!
> 
> Here is mine. These pictures are the newest I have. Sorry about the filter in the shot. It's an established filter being used to cycle the tanks. The plants really need to grow alot. For size, it's 2 75 gallon tanks...TV is 56". Whole unit is about 14' long.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> Tank 1: L. Speciosus & Cyprichromis Mpimbwe
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tank 2: Multies & cyprichromis Tricolor


you get a 10 for having Santa Claus is Coming to Town on that TV!! Burgermeister Meisterburger!!


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## blackedout

^ 9 points!


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## chinds78

This thread keeps on disappearing and the coming back for me. Is it getting to large for the forum?


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## jackskellington101982

I give the tank above a 8.5 looks great.










This is my 55 angel tank.


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## swrighty747

^ 9.5 Love the rock work 










My Tank I am Stocking With Frontosa and Calvus

P.S I know I due for a new camra...


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## LanceN34

8...It might be higher if I saw a group of Fronts swimmin around.


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## DFishFox

^^ 9.5 The background sand combination makes an awesome illusion that you tank is deeper. Left rock placement could look as natural as right
























Gotta wait til next payday to get more Daffodils (Neolamprologus Pulcher)


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## The King Crabb

*DFishFox*I like your tank, I give it an 8.8 :thumb:

I love the rock theme and how you've got a sort of clearing there in the middle with the plants, but the side views of the tank don't really do it for me. Great from the front, but not as good from the sides. I'm sure once you get more fish in there it will go up!

Here's mine, 29G Red Zebra fry tank, sorry for the bad pic it's on my phone:


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## Eric_S

Looking through these pages I see people are very generous with their ratings lol. I'm not referring to any in particular. I don't think this is supposed to be just a back-patting exercise.

I'm pretty sure it's been said before but try to give a legitimate review, not just, "I give it an 8, here's mine!". People put a lot of work into their tanks, give as much feedback as you would like to get in return. Just my opinion!


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## ndblaikie

The King Crabb - I give your tank a 6
Let me know what you think. There are more rocks on the way that will be added later.


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## jackskellington101982

Well Eric_5 I would greatly appreciate your input on my tank and rating . I am forever looking for honest input from exp hobby lovers.


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## Janus_dviveidis

I give 7 for your tank, because this is work in progress. I would remove red plants from the back and stack more rocks. When water will be clear you will see better, black or blue background may help.


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## gliebig

^^ I'd give that a solid 9. Tank looks really nice.

Mine...
I need more blue fish since my Dems picked each other off.


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## halffrozen

*gliebig*

Holy ****!

Easily a 9

Here is mine... IDK why I even post it because there are some truly beautiful tanks in this thread... but hey..

Its a work in progress, and just thought about trying out Clay Pots for once..


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## JimA

I will give the one above a 6 not really a clay pot guy but your's looks alright. I would add some more plants "real though" and go for a overgrown garden look?

Here's the new 165 bow



















gliebig yours is a 10+


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## Crude

Tank looks great Jim! I give it an 8, and that's gaffer after going through some 100+ pages of pics and ratings :lol:

I really like the dark rocks with the light sand and the blue/yellow fish (demos and labs?). I wish the background was more gray, and that there was a little more vertical rock work.

That being said... I wish my (newly set up) tank had more uniform coloring in the rock (I think that looks natural) and I definately need some help with rock work and vertical space. I'd likes to replace my rocks with some darker ones.

All critique and advice appreciate! Will be demasoni and lab tank. 90g.










Thanks :fish: :fish:


----------



## Eric_S

jackskellington101982 said:


> Well Eric_5 I would greatly appreciate your input on my tank and rating . I am forever looking for honest input from exp hobby lovers.


Well, you asked for it. :lol: I think I used one of the same centerpieces you had when I first started. But since then I prefer to go all natural in my tanks or as close to it as I can. I use fake plants only when real ones would get eaten and even then I try to find a natural looking fake one. So I would lose the plastic pieces and throw some rocks of varying size in there. Lose the symmetry in the tank where one side is a mirror image of the other. And when I think of an angel tank, I'd like to see lots of big real plants. I'm sure you're fish are happy and have plenty of room to swim around, but I'm a fan of natural looking tanks. :wink:

Some incredible tanks have been posted since my last post  =D>


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## gliebig

JimA said:


> I will give the one above a 6 not really a clay pot guy but your's looks alright. I would add some more plants "real though" and go for a overgrown garden look?
> 
> Here's the new 165 bow
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> gliebig yours is a 10+


Thank you. Your tank is very impressive as well. Love the background and you did a great job with the rock placement. Makes me want to rework mine a bit.


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## JamesVietor

Crude said:


>


i really like this tank i think it needs caves tho im a big cave fan

overall id give it a 7.

heres mine always open to comments and questions and ridicule and such


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## Fishy_Cichlid

James, I give yours a 7 without any bias. 
Theres no reason, why anyone's tank should be ridiculed. The look of any tank depends on so many factors like - its a new hobby i.e. 1st timers, $$ someone is willing to spend, availability of things say like sandblasting material to prepare a 3D background, quality of camera - SLR or just plain automatic etc etc.

I started off with this hobby in August this year. Made a lot of mistakes, learnt from the experienced members of this site, took a look at their great tanks ...... Initially i had a substrate of colorful (someone even called it babyish) natural 1-2" pebbles with some fake plants. Replaced the substrate last month end with black color 1/4" stone chips. Removed the fake plants though it now revelas a lot of my equipments in the background. Just persisted with the fake broken down ship since it provided an ideal place for the fish to hide. Also put in a lot of rocks to create as many caves as possible.

My 80G tank as it is now :

















The tank in August'2011 when I started with this hobby :


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## brijar

I'll give Fishy_Cichlid a 7 as well, I love the monochromatic dark tones with a pop of color here and there.

Here's mine, I've rearranged the rock again to break up an overly territorial Cichlid but it still overall looks the same


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## 13razorbackfan

Wow...brijar that is very impressive!! The natural look is amazing. Are those plants real?

Here is my 75g. I just finished pulling all my old rocks and plants and found some really nice colorado river rock. I still have to put on my black background later this evening. Thoughts?


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## 13razorbackfan

fishyfishyfishy said:


> Nice tank! Agree with the ratings! Blue sticks out, but I love the bow and wood color!!!
> 
> Here's mine:


HOLY COW!!!! If that's not a 10 I don't know what is. You could design tanks for a living. Very impressive.


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## brijar

13razorbackfan said:


> Wow...brijar that is very impressive!! The natural look is amazing. Are those plants real?


Thanks 13razorbackfan, the plants are a mix of plastic and silk. Here is an update of the current rock structure










Oh and the tank above is beautiful, give it a 9 because if you're like me, you'll always be making changes/improvements


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## rich_t

13razorbackfan said:


> fishyfishyfishy said:
> 
> 
> 
> Nice tank! Agree with the ratings! Blue sticks out, but I love the bow and wood color!!!
> 
> Here's mine:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HOLY COW!!!! If that's not a 10 I don't know what is. You could design tanks for a living. Very impressive.
Click to expand...

I concur... Excellent looking tank.


----------



## 13razorbackfan

brijar said:


> 13razorbackfan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow...brijar that is very impressive!! The natural look is amazing. Are those plants real?
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks 13razorbackfan, the plants are a mix of plastic and silk. Here is an update of the current rock structure
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh and the tank above is beautiful, give it a 9 because if you're like me, you'll always be making changes/improvements
Click to expand...

Do the silk plants look as real in person as it does online? Where did you purchase them? I agree about always making changes...I have OCD and OCD and aquariums don't really mix well but I am doing my best.


----------



## brijar

The silks look great, much more realistic than the plastic ones but they cost more. Your local fish store should sell them, I think Petsart may as well. Amazon.com also has some silks but I'm not sure of the quality, I generally by stuff like that when I can see it in person.


----------



## 13razorbackfan

brijar said:


> The silks look great, much more realistic than the plastic ones but they cost more. Your local fish store should sell them, I think Petsart may as well. Amazon.com also has some silks but I'm not sure of the quality, I generally by stuff like that when I can see it in person.


Ok...next time at petco I will see what they have. THanks


----------



## rich_t

brijar said:


> The silks look great, much more realistic than the plastic ones but they cost more. Your local fish store should sell them, I think Petsart may as well. Amazon.com also has some silks but I'm not sure of the quality, *I generally by stuff like that when I can see it in person.*


Me too.


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## blackedout




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## micks016

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/micks016/th_tank2.jpg

taken from my black berry that was droped in a lake ironically fishing lol so the quality of the photo isnt great..mix of rocks tufa, texas holey rock, dead coral rock...aragonite substrate and crushed coral..


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## al7601

Can't see micks016 but I like the look of blackedout. the rocks with sand look great. overall I'd give it a 7. Its missing something, not sure what and water looks a little cloudy but still something to be proud about.


tank by al7601, on Flickr


----------



## Cichlid_Expert

*al7601:* I like your mixture of different types of rocks, It could use a little more green. I give it a solid 8. Great job :thumb:

Heres mine, I dont have that much stock because I had to start over since I moved across the country 

Well anyway heres my 85 Seaclear:









And here my 50:









*Please rate both and tell me what you think* :wink:


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## Charden

Looks good..plain and simple.

Here is my 125 gallon


----------



## nwr2339

Love the driftwood. African?


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## Charden

nwr2339 said:


> Love the driftwood. African?


Malawi...I have added some driftwood and the fish love it.


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## nwr2339

lol i just meant...is the driftwood African?


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## Charden

Oh beats me. I bought it and dint really ask...thought it looked cool lol


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## DFishFox

gotta look close to see all the daffodils.. 6 total couple hidden


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## 13razorbackfan

DFishFox said:


> gotta look close to see all the daffodils.. 6 total couple hidden


I really like the way you have the rocks stacked at the back. It makes for a very natural looking background and something very true to real like. Very nice job.


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## Louie13

Nice tank and rocks, I give it an 8 only because I think it would look better without the plastic plants.

Here is my planted s.american


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## blackedout

I'll give the above a 9, I really like the setup!

here is mine, I've been working on water quality before putting more fish in, i think I'll be getting more fish next week!! :fish:


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## DFishFox

I give the above a 8.5; i like the contrast between rock and sand. Rock work looks good. Would be like 9.5 if had more fish.

Mine I setup today. Hard to see all the fish. Still a pinch cloudy but alot better than 2am


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## JimA

Give the tank above a 5 not really natural but not bad either like mentioned it's in the eye of the tank owner.

These tanks are freaking amazing!!! What would you rate these? Personally 10s!
















[/quote]



cjpcola said:


>


 This woul]







[/quote]

I think this thread is fantastic! But it has gotten a bit out of wack as far as rating's go. While every tank is very very nice in the eye of the beholder some stand out in the crowd way beyond some of the seven, eights and nines posted recently!! Also the goal here is to rate the tank above"YOU" Not just post your pic without a number for someone else to judge or thread jack. I am not making the rules and have posted my fair share of tanks but this thread is unbelievable in regaurds to some stunning tanks that just don't get enough credit in which this thread was started! Not playing dad and many of the original posters have moved on. But it would be cool to get this amazing thread back on track.


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## DFishFox

Amazing what a camera can do for a tank. Since nobody else posted since my work in progress.. I'll throw an update shot up

Black/white since camera phone keeps jacking the shot with a pink tint


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## nia.amy

8.


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## nia.amy

Love it. Only thing I can think of is maybe some taller things in there? Too me it just looks like everything's too low. But that's my own preference haha

I'm new here but been browsing around the forum for awhile looking up information haha. Anyways This is what I've come up with. My twenty gallon brichardi tank. There's 4 in there. Sorry for the glare, camera phone suuuucks


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## jd lover

id give the above a 7 since i wouldnt dare stack the stones like that lol needs a background thought










upclose of the discus


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## MrBump

I give the one above a solid 8.5.

My 90 gallon. The spongebob decor was a gift from my girls. Had to put it in!


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## 13razorbackfan

MrBump said:


> I give the one above a solid 8.5.
> 
> My 90 gallon. The spongebob decor was a gift from my girls. Had to put it in!


Where's patrick?


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## jackskellington101982

Ok eric_s, Here is an update on the 55g, Let me know what you think now. Changed things up a bit got some silk plants because of the loaches added some more color and got rid of some of the fake-er looking things. I now have river rick mixed with sand and some different driftwood. Let me know what you think.


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## jackskellington101982




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## merdokas

Great thread... After going through all of it... I decided to apply my tank for rating...


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## merdokas

I would rate the tank above a 7. I missed naturality... The plastic plants don't look natural. Gravel is not right size ever... Smaller stones would give your tank a better look...
Here's mine. A 540 liters with 21 malawi in it...


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## decker123

Nice...
These are the kind of tanks i could look at forever becuse of all the caves and nooks and crannys. and looks very natural i give you tank a 9 sir.
im gonna try to find a way to put mine up but im not to great with all this computer stuff


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## decker123

315691_1948327448284_1845535373_1316735_1653776134_n by decker123, on Flickr

WOOOOOOOO I DID IT

Its a pretty bad pic and small but it was the best i could do


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## decker123

315691_1948327448284_1845535373_1316735_1653776134_n by decker123, on Flickr

there we go a little better


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## limpert

I would say the tank above is a 7.5 - I can appreciate the creativity with the gravel although i'm not a big fan of that driftwood... not to mention it lowers Ph

Update of my 55 below - 16 dems 4 acei


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## hbbyhorse

venustus2008 said:


> HereÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s my first DIY rocks setup.


I LOVE THIS TANK!!! 10+


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## ssaajj

Definitely 8


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## CITADELGRAD87

I am so going to post once I get my tank up, the background sould be here tomorrow, then to install, let it cure, final tweak on the jets, and on to the fishless cycle.


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## jd lover

since there is no tank above me...


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## chinds78

jackskellington101982 said:


>


I think this tank is impressive for a 55g. I'd give it a 9.5. I agree about the substrate, get sand sand and it will be a 10. Makes me excited to get my 55.


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## KGilly20

I like the architecture you did with the tiny rocks towards the back of the tank. Havnt seen anyone do that (guessing its to keep the plants in place?) Other than that its a really clean tank. I like the discus'. Overall 8.5 :thumb:

My 55 Mbuna tank =]


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## bigcatsrus

I'd give the tank above a 7, as for me I'm not a plant lover.

Here is my tank, it's been a long work in progressÃ°Å¸ËœÅ Ã°Å¸Â


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## luvplantsnfish

I am new and give the tank above me a 7. I like it but feel like its missing something but can't put my finger on it.


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## luvplantsnfish

I had to post this in two sections because it would not let me post a link until I had one post. LOL
I am new here but have been keeping fish over 20 years now and do not have cichlids ATM but I have had German Blue Rams and currently have a male and female Kribensis on hold at the LFS that will be going into my 55 gallon community tank here was my tank before, but it is going to be going threw a big make over this week because I have lost alot of plants due to a BBA breakout that I think I have finally gotten rid of:


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## CITADELGRAD87

bigcatsrus said:


> I'd give the tank above a 7, as for me I'm not a plant lover.
> 
> Here is my tank, it's been a long work in progressÃ°Å¸ËœÅ Ã°Å¸Â


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## danieltrofa

This is my tank. 132gal, african cichlids.









































































:thumb:


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## luvplantsnfish

That's a very nice tank! I give it an 8 if it had a few more plants I would give it more. Your fish are lovely! 
I didn't get a rate on my 55 gallon above  but here is my 20 gallon:


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## Dominateprimate

Luvsplantsnfish, love the live plants snd the algae growth! I wish i could get mine to look that way! I'd give the tank a 7.5. Maybe you could add one or two larger fish like a rainbow or something of the sort to break up the pattern.

Here's my 125 hap. It's still in progress stocking but i feel like there's something missing though. Sorry for the picture quality... It's off my iphone.


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## Dominateprimate

Luvsplantsnfish, love the live plants snd the algae growth! I wish i could get mine to look that way! I'd give the tank a 7.5. Maybe you could add one or two larger fish like a rainbow or something of the sort to break up the pattern.

Here's my 125 hap. It's still in progress stocking but i feel like there's something missing though. Sorry for the picture quality... It's off my iphone.


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## nuecesbay

Dominateprimate, I give your tank a 7.I like what you have started. If I were you I would move some of the rocks so that the top line of the rocks isn't so uniform or straight across. Perhaps move some of the middle rocks to either side to make it look more unbalanced and random.

Here is my 90 gallon Tanganyika tank. I still need to work on hiding the heater and filter tubes. I hate seeing them.


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## luvplantsnfish

Dom- Are you rating the first or second tank that I posted? The first one is going to have a male and female pair of kribs towards the end of the week so it will have at least two slightly bigger fish in it. The other is only 20 gallons so not much room for a bigger fish and right now has a dwarf gourami, 10 ember tetra, 4 female bettas, 5 harliquin rasbora, 3 dwarf cory and a mystery snail. :wink: they were added after the picture was taken. All of them except the corys and ember tetra are going to be moving into either the 55 or the 44 tanks after I get my plants I ordered then I am going to add celestial pearl danios, and sparkling gourami to the 20 to turn it into a tank for nano fish. 
Oh and I give yours a 7.5 if you put some tall plants in front of the intakes on the filter I would like it better. 8) I really like your rocks.


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## Dominateprimate

plantsnfish- I was referring to the 20. I would replace the graumi with a cool rainbow,maybe new guinea or red tail, but thats just me. Since you have it stocked that full since the picture though I would imagine your tank has a lot more poersonality!


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## CichlidBreeder

Tank above I rate at a 6/7.

Good stock love the set up of rocks and its use of colors. I have always liked the natural look.

here is mine, sorry about no fish in the image they were all camera shy.

Stocked with;

Zebra Obliquidens (1 Male + 4 Females)
1x Sailfin Pleco
1x Clown Roach
1x Female Peacock... 0.o I know right... the male died 










ps: shot with a Cannon 400D (DSLR) used external flash unit ontop of the tank to create the light lines. Will be playing around with this to get it right and hopefully the fish will come out and pose... hmm feeding time might be the best bet opcorn:


----------



## bigcatsrus

CITADELGRAD87 said:


> bigcatsrus said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'd give the tank above a 7, as for me I'm not a plant lover.
> 
> Here is my tank, it's been a long work in progressÃ°Å¸ËœÅ Ã°Å¸Â
Click to expand...


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## Crude

Cichlidbreeder - I really like that set up. Great coloring! Looks like you've done a good job hiding your equipment, too. Where are the fish? 

8/10. Nice!

My 90g mixed mbuna


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## Daxx

Nice set up and colorations!
i give it a 8.5/10

here is my daughter her tank wich i set up last night.


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## hbbyhorse

Crude said:


> My 90g mixed mbuna


Very nice! 9+


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## jd lover

daxx i love your daughters tank an easy 9 lots of room yet it doesnt look empty


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## ancestral

Tank seems a bit artificial but fine, a bit blurry thou.  Just gave a 7.

Here's mine;


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## j2m2t2

First post. Nice tank ancestral. Solid 9.


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## j2m2t2

Second post. Here is mine.


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## hungryhungryNIMBO

8/10...looks awesome but I like a darker substrate I think it highlights your hardscape more.










I got bold with the rocks but they seem very comfy.


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## ramonj6047

here is mine, recently went to a 90gallon from a 55. i plan on getting rock.[/img]


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## Daxx

ramonj6047 said:


> here is mine, recently went to a 90gallon from a 55. i plan on getting rock.[/img]


dont know if u know how this topic is called?
Rate the tank above u!


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## ramonj6047

yes yes i forgot, i give hungrynimbo a 7/10 the rock set up is cool but would look better with sand. :thumb:


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## Ragincajun

I'll rate the one above a 7. Just seems a little barren. Personally would like to see more rock.










Here is my 75, I quit adding to it as I'm getting a 210 today. Have to beak this one down so I can move it.


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## Cichlid_Expert

I give *Ragincajun* a 7.5 the rock formation isn't natural....

Here is an update of my 75 gal.


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## Bradyk

While I think this is a cool thread it's funny how every tank on here is a 7??? That's like saying it's not a piece of **** but i would never want your tank... I think people are looking more for comments then actually getting a rating of what we all really think. I always enjoy looking at this thread but I have to laugh sometimes when I see tanks that are clearly a 1 or maybe 2 and getting a 7? :lol: anyways awesome tanks on here guys but maybe try and rate these tanks more realistically. It's not like someone is gonna go V.T. On you... It's just the Internet and you would probably be helping them out to make it better but to each his own.


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## lpsouth1978

Bradyk said:


> While I think this is a cool thread it's funny how every tank on here is a 7??? That's like saying it's not a piece of #%$& but i would never want your tank... I think people are looking more for comments then actually getting a rating of what we all really think. I always enjoy looking at this thread but I have to laugh sometimes when I see tanks that are clearly a 1 or maybe 2 and getting a 7? :lol: anyways awesome tanks on here guys but maybe try and rate these tanks more realistically. It's not like someone is gonna go V.T. On you... It's just the Internet and you would probably be helping them out to make it better but to each his own.


I have to agree that there have been a few tanks that were much lower in my book than stated, but most were very nice. I enjoy seeing all of the different approaches to tank design in one place.


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## lpsouth1978

As for Cichlid_Expert's tank, I have to give it an 8.5. I really like the rockwork and the way that it slopes from one side to the other. I think that the heater could be better hidden behind the rocks and I would put something on the other side of the tank to give a little more contrast. None the less, it is a very nice and clean setup. Great job.

Here is my new 90 gallon in wall. It is a little cloudy at the moment (just did a water change), and I plan on adding more rock to the right side of the tank.


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## luvplantsnfish

I give the tank above a 7. To improve I might would add a few more rocks to give more hiding places. ; ) And get a black background.

This is my first cichlid tank so be gentle everyone. LOL I set it up this weekend and its stocked with 2M/5F yellow labs, 1M/3F P. cyaneorhabdos and I am loveing the contrast of the fish colors.
Heres the front picture:








And one more from the side:


----------



## hbbyhorse

lpsouth1978 said:


> Here is my new 90 gallon in wall. It is a little cloudy at the moment (just did a water change), and I plan on adding more rock to the right side of the tank.


I love this tank! ratings are over rated, lol but IMHO I give it a solid 9, the frame tho, grabs my attention first due to the color . . . maybe a darker color?

But overall, very nice :thumb:


----------



## lpsouth1978

hbbyhorse said:


> I love this tank! ratings are over rated, lol but IMHO I give it a solid 9, the frame tho, grabs my attention first due to the color . . . maybe a darker color?
> 
> But overall, very nice :thumb:


Thank you. As for the trim around the tank, maybe this pic will show you why I chose that trim. It works in with the rest of the room.


----------



## Mike_G

The color is fine IMO, it's the poorly fitted miters on the frame that detract from an otherwise awesome tank- I'd give it a solid 9 if the frame didn't suffer from gaposis.


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## micalboon

it is very nice and i like. i like fish and i love to fish. and very nice tank.


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## luvplantsnfish

Somebody please rate my tank above. :wink:


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## jackskellington101982

luvplantsnfish said:


> Somebody please rate my tank above. :wink:


lets see if i cant get this back on track. I would rate it a 7. It just seems to be missing something. maby some more plants. Other than that I like it.

Here is one of my first tanks I ever set up a 26g 








I dont expect more than a 4 or 5 lol.


----------



## luvplantsnfish

Thank you that is how I feel about it like its missing something. I have ordered some Jungle Valls to add to it because I have read the cichlids will not eat it.

I would give you a 5 for effort. LOL I am just not big on the fake decorations. ; ) I don't have another tank to post.


----------



## Cichlid_Expert

Well, here is an update on my 75 gal....


----------



## Oscar Madison

j2m2t2 said:


> Second post. Here is mine.


 Now that is a nice tank :thumb:


----------



## j2m2t2

Thanks Oscar Madison


----------



## TrashmanNYC

My 75G. I actually just took a little bit of rock out after the pics.


----------



## hbbyhorse

j2m2t2 said:


> Second post. Here is mine.


very pretty 

did you do the BG yourself?

(this tank I give an 8 only because I like a little greenery)


----------



## JimA

TrashmanNYC Gonna give you a solid 6.9 I like the contrast of green and white looks nice. The equipment is what it is, but I would lose the Thermometer on the front. Least move it to the side out of sight. Nice work!

Here are a couple of my recent Rainbow Tropheus 165 bowfront.


----------



## CjCichlid

JimA, I'll give you a solid 8.7 :thumb:

The 3D background is awesome, along with the green algae growth on the rocks. The lighting is a bit intense for my tastes but I think we went over that in another thread, hah.  I'm sure it looks even better in person, great job!

Here is a pic of my recently setup 135gal Central American tank. Not quite satisfied with the scape, but it will have to do until I gather more rocks and driftwood. :roll:


----------



## brinkles

That's a solid 7.5! I love the driftwood, and the way the light plays off it. The rocks don't look like they belong next to each other, though. A little growth should help with that though!

Here's mine. I have too many species in it right now, so I'm going to trade off most of the mbuna.


----------



## 13razorbackfan

brinkles said:


> That's a solid 7.5! I love the driftwood, and the way the light plays off it. The rocks don't look like they belong next to each other, though. A little growth should help with that though!
> 
> Here's mine. I have too many species in it right now, so I'm going to trade off most of the mbuna.


Sorry...DP


----------



## 13razorbackfan

brinkles said:


> That's a solid 7.5! I love the driftwood, and the way the light plays off it. The rocks don't look like they belong next to each other, though. A little growth should help with that though!
> 
> Here's mine. I have too many species in it right now, so I'm going to trade off most of the mbuna.


WOW...that fish(thickskin?) on the right sure is pretty.


----------



## brinkles

This feller?


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

He's a H. Latifasciata, and one of his girlies is in the top left of the pic in the above post. 
I gave a buddy about 60 of his fry to grow out, and they just started to color up! The deal is that I'm picking out what I want, and he's selling the rest. I want 3m/10f of them, they're my favorite!


----------



## 13razorbackfan

brinkles said:


> This feller?
> 
> 
> Uploaded with ImageShack.us
> 
> He's a H. Latifasciata, and one of his girlies is in the top left of the pic in the above post.
> I gave a buddy about 60 of his fry to grow out, and they just started to color up! The deal is that I'm picking out what I want, and he's selling the rest. I want 3m/10f of them, they're my favorite!


SEND ME ONE!!!!!


----------



## brinkles

I'd love to! Cheaper by the dozen though...


----------



## 13razorbackfan

brinkles said:


> I'd love to! Cheaper by the dozen though...


Really? I will send you a PM


----------



## j2m2t2

hbbyhorse said:


> j2m2t2 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Second post. Here is mine.
> 
> 
> 
> very pretty
> 
> did you do the BG yourself?
> 
> (this tank I give an 8 only because I like a little greenery)
Click to expand...

Thx. The BG is from ebay. Modified to fit tank and flow. I spent alot of time planning this setup, the rocks are all petrified wood.


----------



## bwestgsx06

I give the tank above an 8 because it accomplishes everything very well but i can't see the rest of the tank.








Here is my 55 that is cycling for the rest of my Salvini's - I'm doing a species only in here trying to get 2 pairs. Also, the fake drift wood will be replaced by 2 or 3 pieces of real drift wood once they finish sinking and leaching out the tannins.


----------



## ldb1988

nice


----------



## jackskellington101982

I give your tank an 8 with out fish its hard to giva ny beter than that haha, cant wait to see what it looks like with the fish in there.

Here is one of my tanks that I am in the process of getting put together for angels, clown loaches and maby a few other fish 








125g drilled with sump filtration and a submersibal 1200-1500gph pump. 
It will have a lot more plants and painted back ground and a very light collored sand. But just kinda set some of the rocks and stuff in there so you could see the basic idea.


----------



## Bevo5

That's going to come out really nice when you get all the substrate in etc. What are the four tubes? Are those all the overflows?

Here's a crappy photo of my 240g moba tank. I really haven't figured out how to take good pictures yet. I also removed the powerfilter in the back...it's ugly.










It's a 240g acrylic with an EHEIM 2262 and 2217 along with a FX5. marinelad double LED's...also put on a standard dual-tube fixture in the back for some added umph...but it's not turned on now. I'm adding some clay pots in today since the females have started spawning.


----------



## jackskellington101982

yes those are the oferflows and the returnsand I just painted the back black.HAY wait where is my rating haha


----------



## Bevo5

Ah sorry...forgot the rating. I'm going with an 8 based on what I think it'll look like with the substrate and background. I really like the slate design. I tried to do some of that but got worried with the frontosa....they tend to hit a lot of sharp edges.


----------



## ssaajj

@Bevo5 => I rate it an 7.5, Reasoning is I feel like the rock work can look much more natural such as being randomly placed and stacked. Also I highly reccommend you get a canopy for your tank. I believe it can EASILY be a 9 with those two quick fixes 

Some very nice aquascaped tanks. Here are couple pictures of mine.



















Enjoy opcorn:


----------



## CITADELGRAD87

ssaajj--That is a nice tank, I like the rocks, both in shape and the configuration. I can honestly give that an 9.1
FINALLY I get to put my tank up here, I added fish TONIGHT, after a long battle to build this 100g into my family room wall documented in the DIY forum.








Right before I dropped the fish.

After everyone has moved in, sorry but it got dark before I could get everyone comfortable enough to pose, there are a ton if fish in there.










Night lights


----------



## lgw

Love the built in wall tanks, added onto my to do list, ill give it an 8. Id say higher with some fish activity  Heres my first tank, planning a 3d background and some new equipment in the near future. Sorry for the bad pic.


----------



## babarian16

I give you an 7.5 also. I say with sand and that 3d background ur planning, it wud jump to an 8.5- easily. And nice O :thumb:

Heres my 90 gal
















And my oscar.[/i]


----------



## hampton




----------



## 13razorbackfan

hampton said:


>


Any way you can make those pics any larger? Kind of hard to see. Looks nice from what I can tell.


----------



## hampton

im not sure how , i uploaded them from photobucket


----------



## 13razorbackfan

hampton said:


> im not sure how , i uploaded them from photobucket


Hmm...were they small on photobucket? If you link me to your album I will see if I can upload it.


----------



## hampton

http://s1100.photobucket.com/albums/g40 ... 1993cobra/

I hope this is what you were talking about to link it. thanks


----------



## TrashmanNYC

This is my second Malawi setup. Right now i have Labidochromis chisumulae "Clown Lab" (7 juvies) and Iodotropheus sprengerae (1M/4F looks like one is holding). I think i will be adding some Saulosi as well. Im running a Rena XP3 and an AC110 along with a hydor in-line heater. Im using a beamworks 48" LED single bright for lighting.
Here are some pics..........


----------



## whiskeyriver

Nice. 7.5.

*Julie/Brevis Tank:*


----------



## 13razorbackfan

hampton said:


> http://s1100.photobucket.com/albums/g403/boosted1993cobra/
> 
> I hope this is what you were talking about to link it. thanks


I think that is the mobile photobucket made for uploading smaller images from phones and whatnot. That is as big as that photo is. Maybe someone who knows more about mphotobucket could help.


----------



## babarian16

I rated but didnt upload the pics right. Suggestion on ways to imporove are mooooore than welcome.


















Orion


----------



## al7601

I like the nice clean look but I think maybe adding something else with height would help. solid 8!


Tank holey rock 1 by al7601, on Flickr


----------



## jd lover

get rid of the fake plant it just throws it off same with the bubble either go full bubble wall background or none give it a 5

excuse the stool and hose took it during a wc =p 









not the best pic ill take a better one once this gets rate


----------



## al7601

jd lover said:


> get rid of the fake plant it just throws it off same with the bubble either go full bubble wall background or none give it a 5
> 
> excuse the stool and hose took it during a wc =p
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> not the best pic ill take a better one once this gets rate


A 5.... really??? You might want to go full tank of water or none at all.


----------



## Malawi Mad1

Nice looking tank


----------



## halffrozen

al7601 said:


> jd lover said:
> 
> 
> 
> get rid of the fake plant it just throws it off same with the bubble either go full bubble wall background or none give it a 5
> 
> excuse the stool and hose took it during a wc =p
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> not the best pic ill take a better one once this gets rate
> 
> 
> 
> A 5.... really??? You might want to go full tank of water or none at all.
Click to expand...

Lets not get off track guys.


----------



## mambee

Tank is an 8. (the picture is a 5)


----------



## Jina

I really like your tank  I think it's a definite 8. I like the open space you have in the middle. Can you post one when it's full?


----------



## jd lover

Jina said:


> I really like your tank  I think it's a definite 8. I like the open space you have in the middle. Can you post one when it's full?


i love your tank! i give it a 9.5! smething about it pops to me =]



















again sorry for the blurry ness best i can do with a phone cam


----------



## Jina

jd lover said:


> Jina said:
> 
> 
> 
> I really like your tank  I think it's a definite 8. I like the open space you have in the middle. Can you post one when it's full?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i love your tank! i give it a 9.5! smething about it pops to me =]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> again sorry for the blurry ness best i can do with a phone cam
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm working on uploading a video I'll share too  I think photos just don't do it justice - there is a lot going on!

I love the background on yours, I wanted to do something like that but I've already got the overflow and the return set up to where it is about impossible to add anything else, or give up any of the room. I'm jealous too, I wish I had a discus tank!


----------



## jd lover

thats yea looking at the pic its blurry and you cant see anything real well but i tried lol a vid would be great! is that another tank i see in the corner? left hand side =p you should put that one up too =]


----------



## Jina

Yeah, it's my bearded dragon's tank. I'll see about getting some of it too. He's in brumation, so he might not show up for the photo-op lol.


----------



## jd lover

he better show! =p


----------



## jhale512




----------



## stayfrosty

Great tank awesome 
Rock 9


----------



## KGilly20

I've always been a fan of a sand substrate but could never get it look how i wanted. Love the rock selection and especially love the fish! I give it a solid 8.

As you can see i once had sand in my tank but put gravel on top of it.


----------



## Rhinox

*KGilly20*
I'll give yours an 8.

I'm not really a fan of gravel, especially not on top of sand, but overall it looks pretty nice. Are the plants real?

Here's a 90 for my mbuna I picked up on craigslist last week and set up last night.


----------



## KGilly20

Rhinox said:


> *KGilly20*
> I'll give yours an 8.
> 
> I'm not really a fan of gravel, especially not on top of sand, but overall it looks pretty nice. Are the plants real?


Im not really fan of gravel either but IMO it goes with my setup. And no the plants are not real. i tried to place them in such a way that they would look kinda natural though.


----------



## Rhinox

I think you did well. I couldn't tell they were fake from the pic, so good work.


----------



## KGilly20

Rhinox said:


> I think you did well. I couldn't tell they were fake from the pic, so good work.


Thanks!

Im not gonna rate your tank....but i like the idea you have. I like the sand and the rocks. I would suggest maybe stacking them higher, but thats just IMO.


----------



## Rhinox

KGilly20 said:


> I would suggest maybe stacking them higher, but thats just IMO.


I do have more, but they usually get moved around every other month or so, so I don't bother trying to set up a perfect aquascape. I just throw them in there mostly. Usually I find that the higher I stack the pile, the less and less natural it looks. Also, less rocks means I have less to move when trying to dig out those holding females :fish:


----------



## KGilly20

Good Point! It took me 2 months of moving rocks to get my tank the way it looks. I dont have a large bio load so i typically just siphon out water and replace it. (leaving gravel alone)


----------



## S14Swap240sx

55g soon to be 125


----------



## jackskellington101982

Beautiful tank. Just wanted to say that.


----------



## Steveboos

Love the tank, just needs a background!!


----------



## S14Swap240sx

the 125 has a slimline background.. the texas holey rock will look great spread out around it a bit more.. thank you for the compliments! might turn this into a dwarf mbuna tank cause the two 2217's are gonna stay on it..










hard to see but im sure you guys get the idea.. using sahara sand for a white/black mix.. sugar grain agro is way to much of a pain with how often it shifts around


----------



## Anthraxx8500

BAAAAAA- BAM! let me know what you guys think


----------



## KGilly20

Anthraxx8500 said:


> BAAAAAA- BAM! let me know what you guys think


Just feel in love!


----------



## oldsrocket

As far as I'm concerned, all your tanks are 10s compared to mine. I posted an intro in the 'Oscar' forum. This is what I was given to start with. Its 100 gallon. I have ideas what I'd like to do but I'd like to hear suggestions from others.










I cleaned the inside front of the tank after this picture was taken.


----------



## TheFishGuy

I would say to get rid of those sunken ships and put two large rocks in, one on either side with one big flat rock on the floor of the tank in the middle. 

Here's one of mine:


----------



## Rhinox

TheFishGuy said:


> I would say to get rid of those sunken ships and put two large rocks in, one on either side with one big flat rock on the floor of the tank in the middle.
> 
> Here's one of mine:


5

lose the clay pipes, get rid of the wall post in the middle, and maybe increase the footprint a little bit, that guy on the left looks a tad cramped.

Oh, and where's that Astronotus homosapienatus I used to see swimming around in there??

  :fish:


----------



## Dominateprimate

TFG, If I'm correct, isn't that all one tank?


----------



## TheFishGuy

Lol it is all one tank with a 42 square foot footprint. And I send my kids in to clean the glass now!


----------



## chogs89

[No message]


----------



## Rhinox

TheFishGuy said:


> Lol it is all one tank with a 42 square foot footprint. And I send my kids in to clean the glass now!


Ha! I bet they don't enjoy that one bit do they


----------



## TheFishGuy

nah, kind of cramped, actually that's an old pic, all the pipes are gone and most of the fish.. All South American cichlids now.


----------



## chogs89

8 for the tank above me. My picture is a crummy cell phone picture, but hope someone votes on it.


----------



## Jarrods

6 for the tank above, not the most natural looking rock placement, but the cichlids would still love it!


----------



## gilberbt

Jarrods - Nice setup I would give it a 7.5. I like the split layout of half rock and shells, maybe try hiding the tubes(black ones)\heater more and I personally like the rocks not stacked that hight but its very nice.

Here is the latest redo to my setup. I just switched from mixed to black sand and gave up on live plants and switched back to fake silk ones.


----------



## Charden

Re scaped mine. How does this look?


----------



## stayfrosty

8.5 like the substrate nice fish


----------



## stayfrosty

Lol sorry I ment 10


----------



## JimA

Charden said:


> Re scaped mine. How does this look?


 Idea is to rate the tank above you.


----------



## Charden

Then I rate that a 7...happy?


----------



## JimA

Charden said:


> Then I rate that a 7...happy?


 You should ask gilberbt!

And to put things into perspective this tank would be considered a 10 for those giving them! (not you)

http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq30 ... 3E1725.jpg


----------



## Jina

I love that tank JimA!


----------



## Swifterz

JimA's tank is awesome.

here's mine as it sits, likely to change any day though.


----------



## JimA

Sorry guys but it's not my tank, I could only wish.

I was simply using it as to what a 10+ in this case should look like when rating someone elses tank. But then beauty is in the eye of the beholder so I guess they could all be tens.


----------



## Swifterz

sorry duplicate post


----------



## john122

Hi! nelson new here........


----------



## MYC1313

6.5, but I'm partial to backgrounds. I think more height might help even it out. I do like the sand though...I felt I was too inexperienced for sand (or lazy). This is my first aquarium, first DIY project, and first cichlids. It's a secondhand 90 gallon off of Craigslist. The stock includes an Arowana, 1 FH, 2 JD's, 3 Salvini, 2 Electric Blue Crayfish, and 4 Silver Dollars. Not sure about the stock level, but I already have a 180 gallon aquarium sitting in my garage waiting for my basement to get finished (can you tell I fell fast and hard for this hobby?). 
Please be nice, I HAD to go with a more modern look instead of natural because it was the only way I could get a go-ahead from the wife. It actually has more bright green algae growing on it now I was going to get rid of it but I like how it makes it more natural. I'll post pictures of those later. Oh and I got rid of the skull.


----------



## leftieaz

8. I love the plants. Howeer, sorry I'm not a fan of salt and pepper.

Here mine for voting.


----------



## chademrick

I give your tank a 7. I honestly would give it an 8, I'm just not a fan of ornaments like that robot. It takes a lot away from your setup IMO.

I just finished cycling my first mbuna tank and came on here to see what people thought of it, so I figured I would share here. =]

Its a 55 gallon, and right now its stocked with 4 red zebras (1m 3f) and 3 yellow labs (1m 2f, but soon to be 3f). In a bit I'm going to add some jalo reefs so I have some cooler colors in the tank as well.


----------



## dunesnstars

Chademrick: i really like the sand and the plants. Its evident you spent a lot of time setting up those rocks. But the rocks look too structured and the tank definitely needs a background. So I'm giving you a 6.5.

Here are a few pics of ours:










Here's an artsy shot:









Here's the phantom yellow lab (female holding) from the pic above:


----------



## chademrick

I've fixed everything you noted in your above post. Darn. I forgot about this, and I wish I had put updated pictures on here hahaha. Your tank looks awesome btw!


----------



## Rhinox

*dunesnstars*
Give you an 8.5.

Only thing i dont like is that the different rocks dont look like they belong together.

Here's my 90 rescaped. Keep in mind the primary inhabitants are moori and multipuncs now. The labs and estherae are seondary. I added some plants, first time i've had any. Java fern and anubius. The anubius look great, but the java ferrn need some TLC. I hope the cheer up over time.


----------



## whiskeyriver

I give Dune's a 10 above. Super sweet looking.


----------



## dunesnstars

Thanks chademrick, Rhinox and whiskeyriver!

Rhinox, we went with multiple rocks to give the tank more depth and contrast while allowing additional hiding places for the fish. The fish are much happier now!

Here's what the tank looked like before with only holy rock.


----------



## dunesnstars

chademrick: you should put up an updated pic. Would love to see the improvements you made!


----------



## Rhinox

*dunesnstars*
I agree your changes were for the better :thumb:

No one has any comments on mine? Its going to get rescaped again soon, maybe during next weekend's water change. I'm thinking of making 1 larger pile of rocks in the back-center of the tank for the labs and synos, leaving open areas to the front and ends for the moorii. Something to make the tank look "fuller" I guess. I like how it looks now, but it looks so empty with the small rock piles and tiny fishes.


----------



## BullyBuddies

I really like the simplicity of your tank Rhinox. Very nice


----------



## Mr.Dempsey

I give dunestar a 7.9
My 40B Malawi tank


----------



## rck1984

I like it! :thumb: 
Personally i am more of a background kind of guy though.

8/10!


Overview Tanganyika 240l by Rck1984F, on Flickr


----------



## cantrell00

That is a sweet tank... 9/10.

Here is mine...


----------



## cantrell00

That is a sweet tank... 9/10.

Here is mine...


----------



## 13razorbackfan

rck1984 said:


> I like it! :thumb:
> Personally i am more of a background kind of guy though.
> 
> 8/10!
> 
> 
> Overview Tanganyika 240l by Rck1984F, on Flickr


Awesome!!


----------



## 13razorbackfan

cantrell00 said:


> That is a sweet tank... 9/10.
> 
> Here is mine...


That is very natural looking and I love it!! Very good job!!

Both tanks listed above look natural and I love em. Good job fellas!!


----------



## rck1984

cantrell00 said:


> That is a sweet tank... 9/10.
> 
> Here is mine...


Indeed, very natural looking. I like it! :thumb: 
8/10

My small Multifasciatus tank:


Lamprologus Multifasciatus tank by Rck1984F, on Flickr


----------



## JimA

RCK1984

I give that a very solid 9!!

Looks like it needs some sand space though, maybe be to many shells or deep enough sand? I don't know much about those though.

Overall great job!

Here's mine for a bump of a fantastic thread!! Keep it going guys.


----------



## CjCichlid

Alright, WAY to many African tanks being posted!  Where's all the American setups at?! I'll represent...

Updated pics of my 135 CA community:


----------



## Rhinox

sheesh I'm going to remember page 150 of this thread - the page where every single tank posted is FRICKIN' AMAZING!

:dancing: 10's to you all :dancing:

:fish: :fish: :fish: :fish:

opcorn:


----------



## DanniGirl

Rhinox said:


> sheesh I'm going to remember page 150 of this thread - the page where every single tank posted is FRICKIN' AMAZING!
> 
> :dancing: 10's to you all :dancing:
> 
> :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish:
> 
> opcorn:


LOL! (*Jim A*- I give your tank a 10! :thumb


----------



## bzartler86

Here is one of my last shots of my 90 gallon before I get my 200.


----------



## strat guy

6, sorry, but I can't stand aquarium ornaments... 










The blackwater dims the tank so much its super hard to get a decent shot! Stock list is in the sig.

@Cjcichlid- I hear ya! Too many african setups!


----------



## rck1984

JimA said:


> RCK1984
> 
> I give that a very solid 9!!
> 
> Looks like it needs some sand space though, maybe be to many shells or deep enough sand? I don't know much about those though.
> 
> Overall great job!
> 
> Here's mine for a bump of a fantastic thread!! Keep it going guys.


Multifasciatus does not like sand. I see many people adding sand because they like the moving of the sand the multi's do. I had many conversations about this. In the original habitat they live in, they live on a huge bottom of empty Neothauma snail shells. They never get to see sand.

Anyway thanks for the nice words! I actually really like the tank you showed. Not too crowded and a nice layer of green algae, great! :thumb:

9/10


----------



## j2m2t2

Rhinox said:


> sheesh I'm going to remember page 150 of this thread - the page where every single tank posted is FRICKIN' AMAZING!
> 
> :dancing: 10's to you all :dancing:
> 
> :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish:
> 
> opcorn:


 :thumb:


----------



## Charden

strat guy said:


> 6, sorry, but I can't stand aquarium ornaments...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The blackwater dims the tank so much its super hard to get a decent shot! Stock list is in the sig.
> 
> @Cjcichlid- I hear ya! Too many african setups!


I give it a solid 9. Love the red look.
Here is my Tang setup


----------



## lilcountrygal

Charden said:


> strat guy said:
> 
> 
> 
> 6, sorry, but I can't stand aquarium ornaments...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The blackwater dims the tank so much its super hard to get a decent shot! Stock list is in the sig.
> 
> @Cjcichlid- I hear ya! Too many african setups!
> 
> 
> 
> I give it a solid 9. Love the red look.
> Here is my Tang setup
Click to expand...

Solid 9. LOVE the background!

Here's mine.... 55 gallon African Mbuna.. Rustys, Zebras, yellow labs.


----------



## CjCichlid

strat guy said:


> 6, sorry, but I can't stand aquarium ornaments...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The blackwater dims the tank so much its super hard to get a decent shot! Stock list is in the sig.
> 
> @Cjcichlid- I hear ya! Too many african setups!


Ah, another American!  Love the blackwater look! All it needs is a black background.

To take more "true to life" pics, try turning off all the lights in the room (which it looks like you did) and then lowering the exposure compensation. Not sure what kind of camera you are using but this can be done multiple ways.


----------



## strat guy

CjCichlid said:


> Ah, another American!  Love the blackwater look! All it needs is a black background.
> 
> To take more "true to life" pics, try turning off all the lights in the room (which it looks like you did) and then lowering the exposure compensation. Not sure what kind of camera you are using but this can be done multiple ways.


Yeah, all the lights were turned off, my exposure was set to neutral. I have to keep my shutter open longer because even with the aquarium lights on, the blackwater really does darken the tank a ton. With a faster shutter setting I just couldn't get anything in the tank to show up. Even this is dark, I think.

You think black would look good for a background? I was looking at painting it but thought maybe dark brown might be better. I'm afraid of black being too "solid."


----------



## CjCichlid

Ah gotcha, I'm still experimenting with taking pics myself. I am only using a Cannon point and shoot so unfortunately I'm not capturing anything to stellar. I can however change the shutter speed, ISO, and F-stop which is nice.

You make a good point about a solid black background... With the blackwater effect, black may look a bit weird. A darker brown or even maybe a brownish/red or dark green may look good. I would paint a piece of poster board with a few different colors then choose the one you like best. It would suck to paint the back then not be happy with it. :roll:


----------



## Woodworm

CjCichlid said:


> Ah gotcha, I'm still experimenting with taking pics myself. I am only using a Cannon point and shoot so unfortunately I'm not capturing anything to stellar. I can however change the shutter speed, ISO, and F-stop which is nice.
> 
> You make a good point about a solid black background... With the blackwater effect, black may look a bit weird. A darker brown or even maybe a brownish/red or dark green may look good. I would paint a piece of poster board with a few different colors then choose the one you like best. It would suck to paint the back then not be happy with it. :roll:


+1 :thumb: I love the idea of doing the poster board it should work fabulously for anyone wanting to change their background


----------



## oldsrocket

A while back I told my daughter that if she got good grades and did her chores she would earn an aquarium of her own. She loves my Oscars and wanted one of her own so I told her she had to earn it. She's worked hard, her grades have improved, and for the most part she does what she's asked without too much complaining...lol

This is her first one. I found it on Craigslist for $60 and it included everything needed to set it back up fairly quickly...including the fish. Its a 4ft 55 gallon.

Go easy on her, she's only 11. I've already warned her about the fake plants. I let her set most of it up herself.



















There are 6 African Cichlids and one fry. There's also 2 small Plecos.

At the moment, this is the only one I can get a picture of. The rest scatter when I approach the tank.


----------



## CjCichlid

> +1 Thumb I love the idea of doing the poster board it should work fabulously for anyone wanting to change their background


I had meant to use the poster board just for reference, then paint the back but you could use poster board for the length of the tank. I actually use felt and velcro it to the back. Works great! :thumb:


----------



## Woodworm

For a kids tank I will give it a solid 8. I hope she doesn't get to attached to the plecos because if they both are like the one you got a shot of they will get way to big for a 55 solo much less a pair so they will have to be rehomed at some point


----------



## lilcountrygal

Resubmitting mine, I think it got lost in the mix 








[/quote]


----------



## S14Swap240sx

8 stones are great


----------



## Rhinox

lilcountrygal said:


> Resubmitting mine, I think it got lost in the mix


[/quote]

:thumb: looks really great.

Hey some of those fish look familiar


----------



## lilcountrygal

> looks really great.
> 
> Hey some of those fish look familiar


LOL... Those guys are the personality of the tank!! I could watch them for HOURS. I just added them right before this picture was taken (been in quarantine until I had an ich outbreak taken care of). I have been dying to see them swimming around the main tank. Mama is my new favorite, only cause I thought she was a goner


----------



## Rhinox

*S14Swap240sx*
At first I was going to say I didn't like being able to see through the tank to the signage, but then I realized since I can read it it must be reflecting off a window that is in front of the tank. I like the big rocks and background, and the lighting looks neat too, but I don't see any fish :-?

I'll give it a 7 but might just need better pics.

Rescaped my tank last night. Before pic from a few pages back:









After:

















I really like it, more than any other scape in any of my tanks. It might be too many rocks for the moorii once they get bigger, but the labs and the multipuncs really like it right now


----------



## RussWalters

The rescape looks great! I like the height that the new set up gives the tank - feels less "empty". I give it a solid 7.

Here is mine - fish will be coming on Friday. I like the fullness of the tank, lots of hiding places and I think it's a pretty natural looking scape. What do you think?


----------



## Oscar Madison

gilberbt said:


> Jarrods - Nice setup I would give it a 7.5. I like the split layout of half rock and shells, maybe try hiding the tubes(black ones)\heater more and I personally like the rocks not stacked that hight but its very nice.
> 
> Here is the latest redo to my setup. I just switched from mixed to black sand and gave up on live plants and switched back to fake silk ones.


 Very nice! :thumb:


----------



## Oscar Madison

13razorbackfan said:


> rck1984 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I like it! :thumb:
> Personally i am more of a background kind of guy though.
> 
> 8/10!
> 
> 
> Overview Tanganyika 240l by Rck1984F, on Flickr
> 
> 
> 
> Awesome!!
Click to expand...

I agree....very nice :thumb:


----------



## malady




----------



## Malawi Mad1

Love the saulosi species tank, looks awesome.


----------



## Phivtoosyx

The Tank looks good, but I really like that Tycho Album Poster!!! Nice! I rate that a 10+.



malady said:


>


----------



## 13razorbackfan

malady said:


>


Your light choice for that 3d background makes it pop. It looks very nice!


----------



## malady

Phivtoosyx said:


> The Tank looks good, but I really like that Tycho Album Poster!!! Nice! I rate that a 10+.


[/quote]

awesome another tycho fan
he makes the best fish music! we play him at the aquarium shop all the time
I have all his prints
lights are some ebay special leds
thanks for all the comments


----------



## jd lover

pic is a bit fuzzy phone camera sorry =p lol its a room divider-ish lol our living rooms a bit big so we have a little area for the dogs and a computer disk. (which does n good since the laptop is never there lol)


----------



## Nina_b

Is that a room-divider tank? I love using tanks as room dividers! They can be so difficult to decorate, though, since a background won't ever be an option.

Considering how happy your discus look, your tanks deserves a 7. 
Are those your heaters that you placed low-down along each end? That's a good idea, hides them somewhat.

Perhaps some more, tall plants, like a spiral vallisneria? The driftwood is also very regularly spaced at 1/4 intervals. They are very nice pieces, though!

Alright, now here's my malawi work-in-progress (fair is fair ).


----------



## BullyBuddies

I give yours an 8. I like the river rocks and your light fixture, but I hate the green filter tubes. I was gonna get an eheim canister once, but the tubes threw me off. My brother has those same plants and he says his mbuna leave them alone, hornwort I think, right?


----------



## Huskfan13

I give yours a 7. I like the simplicity. Here's mine


----------



## Wspchef2001

I love Texas holy rocks and bow front tanks for that I'll give it a 8. I like the stocking too. So here is my 29g CA tank. 








3 Firemouths (juvis)
3 Peppered Cory's


----------



## Nina_b

BullyBuddies said:


> I give yours an 8. I like the river rocks and your light fixture, but I hate the green filter tubes. I was gonna get an eheim canister once, but the tubes threw me off. My brother has those same plants and he says his mbuna leave them alone, hornwort I think, right?


Thanks  Those green tubes... But the filter is just wonderful. I'm going to replace them with black tubes as soon as I can find ones that will work in a shop somewhere.

The plants are actually bacopa monnieri - don't ask me why the mbuna don't eat them, but they're clearly doing alright. I added the first one intending it to be salad within a couple of days. I've had hornwort before, the mbuna don't eat them - but if you don't like floating plants all over, they're not a good choice. They will find a way to rip them out of the substrate and move them.

The salousi tank is lovely!


----------



## jackskellington101982

I give the last tank an 9, its a little high but i just like the simplicity of it it all flowes together nicely. Great job wsp

Well here ist the 125 finaly has water in it and will be pulling out all the driftwood, rock amd fake plants and going with all new rock and lots of it for africans. but here is what i have set up so far. Just some dither fish right now to speed up the cycle.









it's cloudy right now sorry but painted background and sump filtration system.


----------



## JSI

Nice tank Paul, I'll give it a 8.5, with the new rock setup I think it will be even better.

Here is a crappy iphone pic of mine. I'm still not sure what to do with it, any advice for future aquascaping plans?










Jeremy


----------



## FishCity

Hi Jeremy, looks great for an iphone pic. I'd give it an 8. You might try adding something to the foreground or uploaded a couple of other photos so we can get a better view. Your fish must be happy with all of the hiding places you've provided.


----------



## FishCity

Forgot to add a pic of my tank to be graded. Here's a pic from my phone of a 40 I just setup. I'm planning on removing/replacing the plant in the foreground. Thoughts?


----------



## TrashmanNYC

my new all male hap/peacock 125g.......


----------



## Gags

^^ 7 rate


----------



## FishCity

TrashmanNYC: You didn't rate my tank, before you posted. Any comments?

Gags: I'm guessing your ratting is for TrashmanNYC tanks, correct?

:fish:


----------



## Gags

Gags: I'm guessing your ratting is for TrashmanNYC tanks, correct?

:fish:[/quote]
yes 
for your Tank 9


----------



## TrashmanNYC

FishCity said:


> TrashmanNYC: You didn't rate my tank, before you posted. Any comments?
> 
> Gags: I'm guessing your ratting is for TrashmanNYC tanks, correct?
> 
> :fish:


Sorry, I forgot. 7


----------



## jd lover

well heres my room divider


----------



## GOSKN5

JD.. sweet discus and I love the room divider... I would give it a solid 7 just for the clean, simple, and happy looking discus.... I like a little bit more environment for the fish, plants, taller wood, etc... but I also like open space.... either way sweet tank... and I love lion king..

Here is my 55 gallon... it is now growing out some Nics to hopefully get a big pair... I need to work on hiding the equipment a little better... have a couple other tanks I can post up later on too...


----------



## Cerdik

Nice and simple.* "7"* for me. (Hide the equipment and you are at 8 :thumb: )

Here is my..


----------



## Gags

^^ 10  
Looks very natural


----------



## treym563

I love that tank, 10 for sure! Wish I had the artistic ability to make a background like that. Fish look great too, nice contrasting colors!

Here's mine, just changed the rocks and added plants.


----------



## SNDMN8Z

I give it a 7. Looks clean.....to me you just need that backgound.

Here is my 75g. Rock placement changes all the time. Keeps the my fish happy for sure.


----------



## 13razorbackfan

Cerdik said:


> Nice and simple.* "7"* for me. (Hide the equipment and you are at 8 :thumb: )
> 
> Here is my..


That is one of the best if not the best backgrounds I have seen. Did you make it?


----------



## laserblue16

Rating the tank for SND here. I'll say 8, if the slate was a little better stacked i would have given you more. Heres mine, no fish yet, picking up a breeding group of 12 demasoni in 2 hours.


----------



## ParrotKeeper

I would give a solid 8 for that, nice clean setup. Offwhite rocks really stands out against the dark substrate. Cheers !!!

Here is mine









Parrot keeper


----------



## Cerdik

13razorbackfan said:


> Cerdik said:
> 
> 
> 
> Nice and simple.* "7"* for me. (Hide the equipment and you are at 8 :thumb: )
> 
> Here is my..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That is one of the best if not the best backgrounds I have seen. Did you make it?
Click to expand...

Thank you! :wink: 
Yep, made it myself. 14 days of hard work  . 
Actually, Im writing the "manual" for everyone who like's it. I will post it in couple of days. Have a look in here for some photo samples http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=242366


----------



## VladimirGregr

I give 9 to Cerdik, very nice tank and nice background!

And 5 to parrotkeeper. Try to remove the background and replace some stones to give the tank simpler look - place only one kind of rocks, preferably some gray or other dark round stones and the tank will look much better! But thats only my opinion.

Here is my new fishtank, how do you like it?


----------



## 13razorbackfan

^^^you guys have some sweet backgrounds and rocks to match....very impressive.


----------



## JimA

Vlad, gonna give you a solid 9.99 only reason for the deduction is the green intake tube.

It's a stunning tank!!! My rocks were very close to what you have untill the growth took over, which my Tropheus really like to munch on.

I will throw mine up there only because I moved a couple of rocks out. :lol:


----------



## Jayse

Vladimir, I have to ask.... What are the two rocks in the front left that have a marbling to them?


----------



## VladimirGregr

Jayse said:


> Vladimir, I have to ask.... What are the two rocks in the front left that have a marbling to them?


All rocks in the tank are "Nero Ebano". But its hard to find some it the stores. Try some shops specialized in gardens and decorations.


----------



## theoryguru

JimA said:


> Vlad, gonna give you a solid 9.99 only reason for the deduction is the green intake tube.
> 
> It's a stunning tank!!! My rocks were very close to what you have untill the growth took over, which my Tropheus really like to munch on.
> 
> I will throw mine up there only because I moved a couple of rocks out. :lol:


Vlad - what JimA said re: green intake, otherwise excellent. Also I noticed those marbled rocks as well, I wish I can get my hand on them

JimA - I PM'd you a few months ago as I thought your setup was one of the most naturalistic tanks I've come across. I give a strong 9 because I preferred your previous rockscape, get them rocks back in there! post the your other photo too. Still a beauty.

And mine...


----------



## Wspchef2001

Dame I'll give that a 9 the Lights pop in that tank. Nice fish! Here is my new 55g. 







[/url]


----------



## jackskellington101982

I give it an 8. You are in the same boat as i am, In need of a good 3D background. With that I think solids 9.5's 
Here is my 125 freshly preped for my mixed alunocara which I should have in there in about 2 weeks, Ignore the dithers I have them in there to keep my bacteria up.


----------



## jackskellington101982

And here is my 26 betta which the orange normal will be moving to a new fluval edge and the 26 will house my new mustard gas betta. 









So I guess who ever is next gets to rate them boath haha. Thanks guys.


----------



## mfish1

jackskellington101982 said:


> And here is my 26 betta which the orange normal will be moving to a new fluval edge and the 26 will house my new mustard gas betta.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So I guess who ever is next gets to rate them boath haha. Thanks guys.


I like the feng shui, so ill give it an 8.

Here is mine. It's a room divider so there is no background on it. I've since added a new cave in the middle but this is the only pic of the whole tank i have right now...


----------



## AulonoKarl

It's hard to say because it's so dark, but I'll give it a 7. I like your choice of rocks, but they are a bit too organized, IMO. The fish from what I tell look to be gorgeous. I'd like to see them in some light.










Still work in progress. Picking up a new bulb this week, then my lighting will be done... for now.
It's, I'd say adequately filtered, but I'm going to work on overfiltering the heck out of it as the fish get bigger.


----------



## Dragonetti

VladimirGregr said:


> I give 9 to Cerdik, very nice tank and nice background!
> 
> And 5 to parrotkeeper. Try to remove the background and replace some stones to give the tank simpler look - place only one kind of rocks, preferably some gray or other dark round stones and the tank will look much better! But thats only my opinion.
> 
> Here is my new fishtank, how do you like it?


Tank is hideous but at least you have okay taste in automobiles, J/K. tank looks amazing, do you own a Evo?


----------



## infamous

wow...incredible tank,I give you a ten. Best background I have seen!!!My apoligies if i screwed this up(format) Im not really a computer guy. Here is my 55 gal. [/img]


----------



## infamous

Ya,i did screw it up. I gave the one above me a ten,the best background *** seen(incredible)I guess mine will look like a joke after yours but here it is.


----------



## Gags

infamous said:


>


I give you 8


----------



## sasquatch-exists

Il give you a 6. I like the slate but the fake plants really bring it down in my book, plus it looks like a hap/peacock/mbuna tank so plants aren't even necessary unless you're trying to add cover. Also sand as the substrate will really help the color of the fish pop and it gives them something to "dig" in. :wink: I will say that I always like drift wood, it pretty much works with any type of setting and if done right can really make a tank.

Ok, here is mine before I went to college.


----------



## Gags

i Give you 8


----------



## AulonoKarl

I got skipped! Unforgiveable!


----------



## Gags

>


Lovely and nice river rocks 
I give you 7
what fish u have in there ?


----------



## AulonoKarl

Gags said:


> Lovely and nice river rocks
> I give you 7
> what fish u have in there ?
Click to expand...

Thanks!
1 rubescens
1 eureka
1 otter point jacobfreibergi
1 red shoulder
1 ngara flametail
1 electric blue
1 benga sunshine
1 bi color 500
1 otopharynx lithobates
2 albino bristlenose plecos

Some were hiding in the rocks in that picture and a couple hadn't been purchased yet.


----------



## VladimirGregr

Dragonetti said:


> VladimirGregr said:
> 
> 
> 
> I give 9 to Cerdik, very nice tank and nice background!
> 
> And 5 to parrotkeeper. Try to remove the background and replace some stones to give the tank simpler look - place only one kind of rocks, preferably some gray or other dark round stones and the tank will look much better! But thats only my opinion.
> 
> Here is my new fishtank, how do you like it?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tank is hideous but at least you have okay taste in automobiles, J/K. tank looks amazing, do you own a Evo?
Click to expand...

OT: Unfortunatelly not, but I owned the Integra Type R. I sold it few months ago. But i adore japanesse sports cars!


----------



## ka2zesmi786

Tank Above me is a solid 10. you definitely put money into your tank and it shows. any suggestions on mine? its a work in progress.


----------



## lilro2216

how do i post pics on here......irritated


----------



## Nina_b

you open an account with a third party image hosting site, like photobucket, and then you paste the url here between Img tags, which you can get by clicking the appropriate box/button above.

Photobucket makes this really easy, they already have the picture Img-tagged for you, just click the right box on there, it copies it for you, and paste it this side.

If you search this site, there are tutorials available.


----------



## Cerdik

ka2zesmi786 said:


> Tank Above me is a solid 10. you definitely put money into your tank and it shows. any suggestions on mine? its a work in progress.


Like it 8. for me.

My update. Cryptocoryne added....


----------



## Gags

My update. Cryptocoryne added....







[/quote]
10 Same has before...


----------



## jd lover

10/10 for sure =p would look great with discus lol


----------



## jackskellington101982

Im gona say an 8 it just seems to be missing something. Plants or maby the fact that your driftwood is floating, not shure but I love those discus. I want some myself.

Here is my newlie re-aquascaped 125 with freshwater angels, clown loach, neons, danios, bristlenose and clown pleco. Still have a long way to go. Got to fet all the fake plants out and get live plants in and more wood.


----------



## Gags

[/quote]
7


----------



## Timon

i'll give you a 6 because I like natural plants

here is mine (40L)


----------



## lilro2216

Nina_b said:


> you open an account with a third party image hosting site, like photobucket, and then you paste the url here between Img tags, which you can get by clicking the appropriate box/button above.
> 
> Photobucket makes this really easy, they already have the picture Img-tagged for you, just click the right box on there, it copies it for you, and paste it this side.
> 
> If you search this site, there are tutorials available.


Thank You, appreciate it


----------



## lilro2216




----------



## Oscar Madison

Dragonetti said:


> VladimirGregr said:
> 
> 
> 
> I give 9 to Cerdik, very nice tank and nice background!
> 
> And 5 to parrotkeeper. Try to remove the background and replace some stones to give the tank simpler look - place only one kind of rocks, preferably some gray or other dark round stones and the tank will look much better! But thats only my opinion.
> 
> Here is my new fishtank, how do you like it?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tank is hideous but at least you have okay taste in automobiles, J/K. tank looks amazing, do you own a Evo?
Click to expand...

Very Impressive!


----------



## Oscar Madison

theoryguru said:


> JimA said:
> 
> 
> 
> Vlad, gonna give you a solid 9.99 only reason for the deduction is the green intake tube.
> 
> It's a stunning tank!!! My rocks were very close to what you have untill the growth took over, which my Tropheus really like to munch on.
> 
> I will throw mine up there only because I moved a couple of rocks out. :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> Vlad - what JimA said re: green intake, otherwise excellent. Also I noticed those marbled rocks as well, I wish I can get my hand on them
> 
> JimA - I PM'd you a few months ago as I thought your setup was one of the most naturalistic tanks I've come across. I give a strong 9 because I preferred your previous rockscape, get them rocks back in there! post the your other photo too. Still a beauty.
> 
> And mine...
Click to expand...

Great background!


----------



## Cajen

Nice tank. Love the background. Very clean lines. Nice fish as well. I would rate a solid 9


----------



## Cajen

one more business trip to go and i can start cycling!! YEA!! Already have the tanks laid out (at least first - well maybe 5th - layout) a 29g Tang tank and a 55g main Mbuna tank... getting so excited can't hardly wait... please tell me if i should do something different in the setups.


----------



## Cajen

Oh, stock list for the two tanks will be

29g Tang tank
Altolamps Black Inkfin Calvus
Multi's

55g Mbuna tank
P Elongatus Jewel Spot - Hai Reef
P. Socolofi
P. Saulosi


----------



## Cajen

Is everyone tired of this thread or is my tank one of the only ones not already represented in the prior 156 pages
:? Just looking for constructive criticism. My two biggest questions are... should I add plants to the Tang tank and do I need a break in the rock formation so that they have a low pass thru. I designed for caves and canals to swim thru buy did not leave an open area.

Anywho fire away. And big thanks
:fish:


----------



## Nicklp44

New to the forum and love it! This is my 125 peacock/hap tank with a few Vic's. I just took out a ton of holey rock and added the fancy plants. I would your guys opinion. Good or bad.


----------



## Cajen

You are supposed to rate the tank above you ( me 8) ) and the next poster puts their tank in line and then rates yours... I know I do not have fish yet, but will soon, looking for opinions on my tank(s)... By the way nothing bad bout your tank, great color and nice aquascaping


----------



## Nicklp44

Your the first tank looks good. I'm not that familiar with tangs. The aquascaping on the 55 looks just like my 55 gallon when I started. I would maybe add some fake plants. I had just holey rock in all my tanks and then I tried some fake plants. I got say the fake plants made a world of difference in my opinion. The green seemed to really make the color of my fish really pop.


----------



## Domnican21

I give you a 9.
Hello everyone, I am new to the site and boy I must say that there are some good looking tanks in here. Right now I have 2 tanks: 1 20g at work and 1 55g at home. 
Here is my 20g


----------



## Oscar Madison

Nicklp44 said:


> New to the forum and love it! This is my 125 peacock/hap tank with a few Vic's. I just took out a ton of holey rock and added the fancy plants. I would your guys opinion. Good or bad.


Beautiful Fish :thumb: :thumb:


----------



## chinds78

Oscar Madison said:


> Nicklp44 said:
> 
> 
> 
> New to the forum and love it! This is my 125 peacock/hap tank with a few Vic's. I just took out a ton of holey rock and added the fancy plants. I would your guys opinion. Good or bad.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Beautiful Fish :thumb: :thumb:
Click to expand...

Ya, gorgious fish! What is the purple one in the middle next tot the peacock? Some sort of peacock or hap I'm guessing.


----------



## cichlid-gal

I like the addition of the live plants...I think they make a tank look more natural...very nice setup


----------



## cichlid-gal

Sorry about that...forgot the rating.... rate it at a 9

This tank is my new 75G acrylic...now holding a bunch of misfits so to speak with the only ones in it I really want to keep being the auratus...I just haven't had the heart to rehome the other guys yet as I've raised them up from babies


----------



## syoung22

I give it a7. Looks good.

This is my first tank which is cycling. how can i improve it? THe powerhead is there just to increase circulation while it cycles.


----------



## ancestral

I give you a 6, love the rocks. Better get similar colors and if only you had a canister or could hide the equipment more it would be nice.

Here's mine;


----------



## 13razorbackfan

ancestral said:


> I give you a 6, love the rocks. Better get similar colors and if only you had a canister or could hide the equipment more it would be nice.
> 
> Here's mine;


That set up looks very realistic. The blue background and how it fades along with the plant choice, substrate and rocks. Looks great.


----------



## Gags

ancestral said:


>


I give 8....
This best looking blue background. I have seen


----------



## treym563

I agree with the previous ratings, tank looks great I give it an 8.

Here's mine with a new BG and rocks.


----------



## Gags

^^ Lovely background And it is again 8


----------



## Ptyochromis

Love the background, did you make it?
8/10

Here is mine
Stocking is: 2x J.marlieri (and numerous babies), 4x L.ornatipinnis, 11xC.leptosoma


----------



## major_blunt

Here is my home built 70 gal mbuna tank just looking on what I could do to make it better besides a backround thanks


----------



## iwade4fish

try not to 'try' and make caves/hidey holes. I think it looks fine the way it is, maybe block the line of sight to the rear of the tank. 
7.4


----------



## major_blunt

thanks for the advice I will rearange this weekend as i am getting some rusty f1's from the trading post hopefully they come tomarrow wish me luck


----------



## iwade4fish

IMO


----------



## major_blunt

I like the setup in the top pic the best give it a 7


----------



## NickosW

To the poster above!! Awesome rockscaping man! Looks pretty natural to me! I'm a big fan of the whole sand substrate, just feel like it looks more natural than gravel. But that's just me.

For the first pic, I reckon an 8 easily. Second.. 7.5?? Clean the glass lol! As for suggestions on how to improve, I wouldn't pretend to tell you what to do, I'm new to this! But I'm sure someone will come along with something smart to say!










No joke, a customer at my LFS has two salmon catfish in his garage pool. Wtf??? Rate THAT tank!










This one's mine. Only had it about 5 days. Was a complete freebie from a family member (except for the substrate, I replaced theirs and bought my own sand for my Africans). I know it's pitiful compared to all the previous tanks in this thread (all of them are utterly amazing!!), and I'm not even expecting a score above a 5 (from what I've gathered, things like ornaments and deliberate caves and fake backgrounds are a no-no). But I'm learning and assure you that in a few weeks time when I make the 40 min trip to the only decent cichlid aquarium in the area, I'll totally rescape it and it'll look completely diff!! Atm only have 9 cichlids, (3 johanni's, 2 electric blue, 1 electric yellow, 1 hongi and 1 unknown potential juvenile hongi). Anyway so don't hate on my rookie tank pls 

edit: oh, and the reason my water looks so cloudy is cause it was a rush job photo taken only 10 mins after I'd completed filling it with water for the first time! Took the pic to send to my dad who's been into cichlids for a while! Water is much much clearer now!


----------



## Ptyochromis

iwade4fish said:


> try not to 'try' and make caves/hidey holes. I think it looks fine the way it is, maybe block the line of sight to the rear of the tank.
> 7.4


I like the way he makes 'caves' It looks natural. Also blocking los of the back of the tank is fine, fish need privacy to. Id give it an 8.8


----------



## major_blunt

thanks alot Ptyochromis I did change it again thou cause I got those f1 rusty's from alpine freak on the trading post they all came alive and are doing well after that tramatic 4 day shipping. I liked all the little holes I had in there to thanks


----------



## Brado

i give it a 6 just because i cant realy see it, its to dim

mine is also a newbie tank so looking for any ideas i can take


----------



## major_blunt

I like it alot think it would look better with a black backround thou 7.5 IMO


----------



## Mr.Dempsey

7.2

My 10 gal multie tank


----------



## Brado

major_blunt said:


> I like it alot think it would look better with a black backround thou 7.5 IMO


yea thats the plan not sure if im up to painting it thought might just buy a black background


----------



## paperjake

Looks very cavernous. Might be the picture, but I think if you added some foliage, it would look nicer.


----------



## BrendanMc

To Mr. Dempsey - I like that a lot, very natural looking.

Here's mine. I know, I know, hide the equipment. I'm working on it!


----------



## Dawg2012

To the OP - I REALLY like the rockwork in the first pic :thumb:


----------



## deltagunner00

7 to BrendanMc. You already know but the score will go up when equipment is hidden. I like it.

Here is a crappy cell pic of mine. Cant wait to get some Mbuna in it.


----------



## camelworm

i give it a 7 i like the set up I'm more of a tang guy myself and there's no fishes

here's mine ... this is a year old or so but im looking to recreate it in a 20 long instead of that old 29 this is prefish as well








i dont know if picture is showing up....


----------



## JimA

No tank but I will give that red X a 10 best one I have ever seen! :wink:


----------



## camelworm

well thank you here is a link anyways

http://s1133.photobucket.com/albums/m58 ... glecom.jpg


----------



## Ptyochromis

camelworm said:


> well thank you here is a link anyways
> 
> http://s1133.photobucket.com/albums/m58 ... glecom.jpg


Its ok, I don't know how long those will stay planted if you plan on getting shellies. Based on the shell bed I assume you are going with multis, not alot of room for the larger shellies. The rocks look good, might look better if you take them higher up. Just make sure those rocks go all the way down to the bottom of the tank, I have had rock piles collapse from fish digging out underneath of them. And don't forget about the golden ratio. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio. I give it a 6.7 out of 10. Not many difficult changes will have a big impact.

Here is my 29 planted Krib tank. Don't mind the bag, had a heater malfunction  . The kribs are here http://i.imgur.com/RL4Br.jpg, http://i.imgur.com/2S6HO.jpg


----------



## camelworm

well its an old picture im doing that same kind of tank again but its a 20 long not a 29g, rock and lack of finding the fish for the tank was the reason tank went down very quickly


----------



## jackskellington101982

Here is my 125g mbuna and the white overflows in the back will be black to blend into the background like the returns are. So lets here it whats the raiting on this.


----------



## jackskellington101982

Ptyochromis said:


> camelworm said:
> 
> 
> 
> well thank you here is a link anyways
> 
> http://s1133.photobucket.com/albums/m58 ... glecom.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> Its ok, I don't know how long those will stay planted if you plan on getting shellies. Based on the shell bed I assume you are going with multis, not alot of room for the larger shellies. The rocks look good, might look better if you take them higher up. Just make sure those rocks go all the way down to the bottom of the tank, I have had rock piles collapse from fish digging out underneath of them. And don't forget about the golden ratio. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio. I give it a 6.7 out of 10. Not many difficult changes will have a big impact.
> 
> Here is my 29 planted Krib tank. Don't mind the bag, had a heater malfunction  . The kribs are here http://i.imgur.com/RL4Br.jpg, http://i.imgur.com/2S6HO.jpg
Click to expand...

 Sorry i forgot to rate yours ill give it a 9, Live plants just realy make all the diff.


----------



## Dawg2012

jackskellington101982 said:


> Here is my 125g mbuna and the white overflows in the back will be black to blend into the background like the returns are. So lets here it whats the raiting on this.


Numbers are hard... I will for sure give that a VERY Nice tank! :thumb:


----------



## jackskellington101982

well thats not fair!!!LOL


----------



## Dawg2012

jackskellington101982 said:


> well thats not fair!!!LOL


I know right! 10's are... reserved for the best, and I'm not going to page through all 157 pages of this thread for comparison sake so I can't really give it a 10... plus there are those white overflows .

I'll go with a 9.4 for now. If they turn black, I'd see no reason not to go with a 9.7. It really is a very nice tank.


----------



## jackskellington101982

haha I know thats right. But i can honestly say I deff dont have a 10. I have been keeping up with this from the begening so i can say that there is deff much better than mine but i thanks i do appriciate it. The overflows will be going black this next week im looking forward to it.


----------



## camelworm

chose to put up a picture of the tank i just got water in i don't even have my light hung up yet

its for juiles and multies what do ya think

2 pictures one with daylights only one with actinics only


----------



## Vancitycam

not sure about the kind of fish your talking about i have not yet started to explore them so i cant really put a number on your tank but its a clean set, up for me i like a more natural look maybe some random shell placement and rocks stack could be opened up a bit more i cant really see in too well but i guess hiding spots are the point and in person would be differant a view i guess id say 8 :fish:

here is another to keep up with some real plants


----------



## gilberbt

Like the plants I would give yours an 8.5. The only thing I would change is that it may be to symetrical but that is being picky overall they look great I know I never had plants look that good for any amount of time in my tanks.

Here is an updated photo of my 75 mixed tank with new lighting and more rocks.


----------



## babarian16

I give that an 8. Not higher because I question just how much the fish actually use all the slate caves (they're pretty big). I wonder if they would appreciate more open swimming space higher up, but the arrangement and style of rocks is great!

Here's my new 90 gal with 6x yellow labs, 5x acei "itungi", 1x redtail shark and 2x synodontis multipunctatus:










Some inhabitants


----------



## Ptyochromis

I had no idea cannabis grew underwater lol. Love the tank, especially the floating bit.


----------



## wallyb0rd000

can't see the whole tank so not sure how to rate it...looking for some input on mine..the background is going on soon.


----------



## babarian16

that is the whole tank...


----------



## wallyb0rd000

must be my computer. All i can see is the few shots of the single fish...


----------



## halffrozen

Here was my planted 40GB with Bolivian Rams. Before I tore it down for Shellies.. but then put Bolivians Back in it! ARG!!! lol

RIP


----------



## 13razorbackfan

^^^^that is nice halffrozen. Really sweet.


----------



## clhinds78

NIce to see this topic active again!



halffrozen said:


> Here was my planted 40GB with Bolivian Rams. Before I tore it down for Shellies.. but then put Bolivians Back in it! ARG!!! lol
> 
> RIP


I give that a 9 for sure! Why did you get rid of the shellies? You should post a pic of what it looks like now.

Here is my new 75G mbuna tank. Its still a WIP so be kind.


----------



## mak51

This is my tank just got started on it still have work to do.


----------



## larngai

I give a 9 for the tank above. so nature looking!!

here is my 125 gal









here is 40 gal breeder









another 40 gal breeder









Thanks!


----------



## R6RaVeN37

8 for the tanks above. Very nice.

I know this is not a pic of a Cichlid tank  , but it is all I have untill my new tank finishes cycling and is stocked, then I will post a pic of it.

Be gentle on my Non-Ciclid tank


----------



## b Lurkn

8 out of 10. My first two fish were a bala and a rainbow shark. Like what you did with the space you have.

Mine is a little cloudy because I just set it up today and my camera phone isn't the best. I plan n getting rid of the cave on the left and getting something more natural looking and maybe another piece of drift wood.
46g bow front with 4 clown loaches and 2 convicts. Want to add 2 fire mouths too.


----------



## eutimio

id give this a 6 .Mostly because of the multitude of the plastic plants?.More rock and a few plants here and there should do the trick.Heres my tank how it looked before i tore it down .Now looking for inspiration...3d background, new lighting, new rock and new fish...my wallet is the only one who understands what im getting through...


----------



## metricliman

I give it a 9, love the tower of rock. Is that one rock or multiple pieces? Here's mine:








The prefilter is ugly, but I'm paranoid about destroying my impeller with sand. No fish in yet, but will be home to a brichardi colony.


----------



## eutimio

multiple pieces140 pounds just there.i was afraid they would dig under it and didnt have egg crate under so it was sitting on the gravel so just took it down and now looking for some other ideas


----------



## metricliman

Yeah I would be afraid too.


----------



## Chowder Head

7, here's mine, click tanks to read about my 280 (in progress)


----------



## b Lurkn

UPDATE. 
Rescaped for north american cichlids. I love the rock but something is still off to me, what do you guys think?
Before:








After:


----------



## Floridagirl

I give it a solid 9! Only because it is a little dark to me.

Here is my 220 dream tank. I've been wanting a big Frontosa/Gibberosa tank. This houses my 8 Mikulas.


----------



## ratbones86

ill give it an 8 cus it looks a little plain for my taste.

Heres my 55 gallon tank. It isnt aswhite as it appears my phone takes crappy pics.


----------



## du3ce

7

Heres my 55 gal new to cichlids, have 5 yellow labs in there for now


----------



## justajoey

7
is that a 3d background??and live plants?? (if so 8 )

my cycling 55 gallon with remote control full color spectrum 300 LED's


----------



## Vancitycam

id give it a 7.5 looks good almost too perfect but there could be more rocks i think

here is my mixed tank with a new rock layout, im thinking i can fit more i just have to clean them and then rescape and sorry for bad phone pics but heres a couple

















what do you think more rocks or no?


----------



## du3ce

justajoey said:


> 7
> is that a 3d background??and live plants?? (if so 8 )
> ]


no its a wallpaper background with plastic plants


----------



## ParrotKeeper

Will give 7.5 for that.

Not a cichlid tank (except for my GBR), posting it nevertheless









Kiran


----------



## Koteckn

That's a solid 9, personally. The live plants and driftwood look really great, as well as the large group of tetras :thumb:

CA/SA tank (sorry for the blurry pictures)


----------



## Ptyochromis

Floridagirl said:


> I give it a solid 9! Only because it is a little dark to me.
> 
> Here is my 220 dream tank. I've been wanting a big Frontosa/Gibberosa tank. This houses my 8 Mikulas.


I would give it a 9 out of 10. Awesome background and one of the best applications of the rule of thirds I have yet to see. I love the minimalism.


----------



## ramonj6047

here is my before..









here is my after. still a work in proges but i think its better(was finishing up my water change)


----------



## ramonj6047

I forgot to rate the tank above me. Give u an 8, I like the background and the fish.


----------



## chaser98989

I give the one above me a 7.5 i like the rock but its a little to unnaturaul and i dont like the fake plants. 
Here is mine its still a work in progress i have updated it a little but i dont have any new pictures i will post new pictures when i am closer to bieng done. I have a new light on top and a little bit more rock. I left my background at my girlfriends apartment so i need to go get it.


----------



## chaser98989

cant figure out how to post picture... never said i was the smartest

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...205.1164120328&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf


----------



## chaser98989




----------



## joemc

gonna be nice when the plants growin, 7
here is one of mine


----------



## chaser98989

nice where did you get your driftwood at... im afraid to get any out of the woods by my house cuz i dont want to contaminte the water


----------



## joemc

the wood was all collected near my house, i live in the country it was collected from the hedgerows nearby and a stream at the back of my house, it is mostly ivy, some hawthorn alder and a piece of bogwood from a bog a few miles away from my house, oh and one piece of a tree from my garden Amalanchier candensis, the tank is still up and running but has been a bit negelcted recently


----------



## chaser98989

Once i get off work im going home and redoing my tank... adding a lot more rock and rearranging the plants and pieces of driftwood i have i need a big thick piece of driftwood to use as a focal point... maybe ill go on a hunt through the woods when i get off 5:00 cant come soon enough!!!


----------



## astafford1202

I give it an 8. It's very earthy and I like that.

Here is my 72 gallon tank.


----------



## clhinds78

Nice looking tank, I'd give it a 9. I really like the plants and driftwood.

Here is my 75G mbuna tank. Keep in mind, its a work in progress and the camera makes it look closudier than it is.


----------



## mrbeadheadful

clhinds78 said:


> Nice looking tank, I'd give it a 9. I really like the plants and driftwood.
> 
> Here is my 75G mbuna tank. Keep in mind, its a work in progress and the camera makes it look closudier than it is.


7. Plastic plants and background could be removed/improved.
Here is a cell pic on my 20g while it was cycling\


----------



## R6RaVeN37

I will give it a 6, since it looks like it is still a work in progress.

Here is a pic of my 95 gal Malawi Mbuna tank. It is my first ever Cichlid tank.


----------



## 13razorbackfan

^^^^^I love that wave design. You should step back with the camera and take a sort of angle shot so you can do a full camera shot of the entire tank. It is sweet.


----------



## R6RaVeN37

13razorbackfan said:


> ^^^^^I love that wave design. You should step back with the camera and take a sort of angle shot so you can do a full camera shot of the entire tank. It is sweet.


Here are some shots like you asked for 13razorbackfan.


----------



## 13razorbackfan

That tank is so awesome. I have never seen one in person but you got a heck of deal. I would try your best to make sure it stays in good condition as I bet it holds its resell value. Just awesome.


----------



## Mainefishguy

I definatly like that wave tank. I will give it a 7 only because I would like to see some rock or plant that extends up into the upper half of the aquarium. I feel like my eye keeps getting drawn down.

Here is my 75 gallon Oscar tank


----------



## du3ce

8 like the big piece of driftwood, looks very natural

heres mine: 55g mixed malawis


----------



## izabella87

I will give you 7, simple because it would need a more natural look or better rock disposition 

Here's my 108 gal.. and Video below


----------



## slimbolen99

Looks great. So I'll give it an 8. Only thing I would change is the stock list appears to be Lake Malawi, western Africa (jewels), and maybe some Central Americans? The driftwood and plants remind me less of Lake Malawi and more like a Central American or West African stream. Very cool.

Here's one of my 75 gallon planted tanks; which I just tore down. 
FLORA:
Echinodorus bleheri
Echinodorus 'Rubin'
Ludwigia sp.
Sagittaria subulata
Rotala sp. ?indica?

FAUNA:
Five wild bolivian rams
Twenty-four cardinal tetras
Eight otocinclus

This tank had a dirt bottom with sand/gravel cap. Custom DYI CFL light fixture. No CO2 but I did use ferts to get it started. It was almost eight months along when I decided to tear it down.

Full Scape:









Left:









Right:









Here's what it looked like when first started -- with a layout of the plants:


----------



## B.Roberson

solid 7 a lot of plants.... :thumb: 
























hoping to do the big switch to sand this weekend :dancing:


----------



## Hap man

here's my 125. Tank above I would say a 8


----------



## Hap man

A few more of my tank


----------



## Vidockq

Really nice fish selection, they are gorgeous.
But the tank lacks major things with the current fish selection the most important is small grain sand witch Fossochromis require a lot, with your current pebbles the fish cannot express their true nature and dig around without getting hurt. Please change it to sand so they will be more at home.

So i will give the tank a 8/10.
And for the fish 10/10.

Here is my Tank:


----------



## esemerson

Very solid tank. 10/10 Are those blue ones Phenochilus ?

Here's mine. This was when it was first set up and there were not many mbuna.


----------



## NathanJ20

8 - Looks nice, plenty of rocks and hiding places. Maybe breaking it up a bit would make it look less crowded though.

This is my 300L, mbuna tank. (No fish just yet)


----------



## jas1313

7 - for the above. I commented on ur tank before. Would add a point for background,slight change to rocks. My 55 gal - sorry not the best pic. And no fish yet so open for critique.


----------



## Malawi MaD121

7 Looks nice but for me personally id stick to 1 type of rock 

Old pic but no pics of my new tank.


----------



## Vancitycam

looks good whats in the tank? id say 7.5 real plants? and for me when my cichlids stress me out and make me not like them i watch this tank, very calm and peacful no fighting :dancing:


----------



## Steve C

I'd say a very solid 8.5 because of the beautiful plants (and I happen to like the neons as well  )

'
'
After reading this post for the past year or longer, I'll finally throw mine into the mix.


----------



## izabella87

Hey ! I give this one a 9.. really like it, nice colors.. But stop eating ur fish.. really only 4 left!!
Here's my tank, nearly set up 40g


----------



## twestacott

I'd give the one above a 9. The rockwork around the underwater tree looks awesome and I love the plants in the back right.
Here is my setup. It currently doesn't have fish yet as it is completing its first cycle. I plan to add a black background and it will house a variety of mbuna. Suggestions welcome


----------



## 1025667

I would go for 2 large batches of mbuna's... A great contrast would be some demasoni's and yellow labs. You could also throw in a couple Electric Blue Ahli Haps! 
Do that and its a 10!


----------



## elimsprint

I'll give twestacott a 6 till he paints the background and adds fish. Here's my new tall 60. I just finished the background and am letting it cycle before I finish decorating and putting my afras in. It will be rock and branches I think.
Kim


----------



## TonyRG

Is that awesome background a DIY or did you purchase it?



Vidockq said:


> Really nice fish selection, they are gorgeous.
> But the tank lacks major things with the current fish selection the most important is small grain sand witch Fossochromis require a lot, with your current pebbles the fish cannot express their true nature and dig around without getting hurt. Please change it to sand so they will be more at home.
> 
> So i will give the tank a 8/10.
> And for the fish 10/10.
> 
> Here is my Tank:


----------



## elimsprint

TonyRG said:


> Is that awesome background a DIY or did you purchase it?
> 
> 
> 
> It's a DIY.
> Kim
Click to expand...


----------



## JimA

elimsprint said:


> I'll give twestacott a 6 till he paints the background and adds fish. Here's my new tall 60. I just finished the background and am letting it cycle before I finish decorating and putting my afras in. It will be rock and branches I think.
> Kim


 Since TonyRG didn't rate yours I will. Great job on the background looks nice, will look even more natural a time goes on. A solid 7 with no fish yet.. :thumb:


----------



## 1025667

I will give that an 8. The backround is amazing... If I were you willt hat backround I would go for a darker sand color. Other than that add some colorful fish and Its amazing!!
My 55 gallon Peacock/Hap
Magnum 350 deluxe
Magnum 250 hang on
UV sterilizer
1200GPH Wavemaker


----------



## metricliman

6- Too much stuff going on, all of the equipment is at weird angles.

My 55. Sorry, the only pics I have are with the moonlights only.


----------



## non2os13

hard to tell with the moonlighting. 7.5 because i like it simple.










i need to get rid of the airstone and sweet airhose. also time for a water exchange.


----------



## isdaFISH

8.5
really digging the gravel and background contrast!

New to the forums, heres my vodoo theme lol









and night time


----------



## Yael

I give the one above a 6 for originality but less for the fish's sake - they need more hiding places!

Here's my 30 gal - There are more rock caves up the back right now and next week I'm adding more plants. No background because I want green algae to grow there over time.


----------



## DemsDay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-TmijX ... ata_player

Here you folks are

Enjoi


----------



## metricliman

Says the video is private and you forgot to rate.


----------



## DemsDay

Ooops I give it a Solid 8. With sand I would say 8.5


----------



## DemsDay

And the video is now set for the public


----------



## Yael

Thanks - I've got a couple of patches of sand but the shell and gravel are there to buffer pH and because I have an UG filter - sand in mass is a bit too fine for it.


----------



## Yael

Like your tanks a lot - I really like those backdrop inserts. Where are people getting them and what are they made of?


----------



## DemsDay

I made both of them myself. Made it from Styrofoam and concrete.


----------



## Yael

Do you have the project documented anywhere? I'd love to see it.


----------



## DemsDay

On the 125 I cut peices and glued them together on a styro canvas. On the 77 I got a bunch of styrofoam molds used to secure dog ordiments from the petstore i work at, glued them together carved it up and concreted it. I recommend the project and theres many that have been documented in the diy section.


----------



## DiSabatino

Rating for Demsday's tank: 8.5
I LOVE the background insert! I've been thinking of making one for the next tank!

This is my first post on the site! Here's a pic of my 55G, did some redecorating over the weekend... All but the Red Zebra were purchased and introduced two days ago, seem to love their new home!
I'd really appreciate any advice, opinions and input on how I can make the tank better! Thanks so much!


----------



## alan_mary

cant see pic of above tank 

heres my 5x2x2 mexico themed biotope


----------



## metricliman

Great looking tank, 9. The only two things are a background (which I know is not possible because your tank is a room divider) and the branches are sawed down.

Here's my 29, still cloudy and planning to add more plants.


----------



## danstock

metricliman said:


> Great looking tank, 9. The only two things are a background (which I know is not possible because your tank is a room divider) and the branches are sawed down.
> 
> Here's my 29, still cloudy and planning to add more plants.


Off to a good start. I'd give it a 6 for now. Once the water clears up and the moss takes hold it will look much better. I'd add some rocks, too, to fill some of the rest. Very cool pieces of DW, though.

Here is my on-going project. Standard 55 gallon with homemade stand/canopy housing 4 yellow labs, 4 red zebras, 4 cobalt blue zebras, 4 snow white zebras, a RTS and an albino bristlenose pleco.


----------



## alan_mary

i give that tank an 8 love the rock work but would remove the plastic plants and wood 

cabinet and hood look ace

heres mine again rescaped with more rock


----------



## Yael

I love this idea of a room divider but I'd lay it out a bit more aggressively to hide the other room from view on both sides. I think what I'd do would be to build two large rock piles starting high from either end of the tank and tapering down towards the middle but curving off towards the fronts - one pile one side, the other towards the other side with a clear substrate channel in the middle. I'd set my tank inflow to create a nice current along this channel. Then I'd use the greenery along the base of the rock pile rather than sticking above it. The wood I'd want to go all the way to the top of the tank. Leave lots of holes and crevices in the rock piles for hiding places for the fish. This would serve to give you nice, but different views from each room and still have an open swim way in the middle where the fish would likely hang in the current when they were hungry.


----------



## alan_mary

thanks but i trying to create the natural habitat of the fire,outh cichlids in there

im awaiting a back to nature background then the tank is going against the wall


----------



## Steve C

Alan_Mary I think it looks very natural myself, I like the rounded stone of various sizes as well. I'd give it a solid 8 in my opinion. Well I already posted my Peacock tank a few pages back, so I guess I'll post my Mbuna tank. All hand built stand and canopy as well as DIY background. Also built a 10g built into the lower portion with a DIY background which houses a super delta betta, cory cats, and neons.
.
.
.


----------



## Brado

love it i give it a 9 really nice work on the stand here is the update of mine i posted a while back its a lot different now


----------



## twankyfive2

I'm going with a 8.5 the malawi tank. I really like the dark gravel with the mbuna. It would be a 9 for me but I want to see about 50 more fish in there!

Here's my latest...I took a Moba frontosa tank and turned it into a hap/peacock......


----------



## yono325ic

I want to post up a photo of my tank but simply can't work out how to upload attachments. Help?


----------



## Yael

upload your photos to a pic hosting source of your choice. Copy the URL. Click on full editor (tag below this window). Click on the IMG tag. Then paste the pic URL between the two IMG tags that appear in this window. Leave no spaces between the two IMG tags and the URL.


----------



## yono325ic

Ill give that tank a 7.5. the fish are amazing but the tank is in need of a little rock/aquascaping.

Heres my Eheim opal 150.


----------



## DST1975

I want to play! I like the look of the sand in yours Yono, I will go with a 6/7. Here is mine, 46 Gal bowfront:


----------



## yono325ic

Heres a link to a video of my tank. Feedback would be much appreciated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oATnDcz ... ata_player


----------



## theoryguru

Steve C said:


> Alan_Mary I think it looks very natural myself, I like the rounded stone of various sizes as well. I'd give it a solid 8 in my opinion. Well I already posted my Peacock tank a few pages back, so I guess I'll post my Mbuna tank. All hand built stand and canopy as well as DIY background. Also built a 10g built into the lower portion with a DIY background which houses a super delta betta, cory cats, and neons.
> .
> .
> .


Is it me or is there a bunny in the 10g? :lol:


----------



## mfryga

Hello everyone. My name is Michael. I'm new on this forum. I'd like some opinion about my new tank. This is a cube tank with a waterfall. If you click on my short movie i will be grateful. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwpLZ9wjZF4&list=HL1358456292] . I'm sorry for my english, because I'm still learn.

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/michal/Pulpit/akwa.JPG


----------



## metricliman

mfryga said:


> Hello everyone. My name is Michael. I'm new on this forum. I'd like some opinion about my new tank. This is a cube tank with a waterfall. If you click on my short movie i will be grateful. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwpLZ9wjZF4&list=HL1358456292] . I'm sorry for my english, because I'm still learn.
> 
> file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/michal/Pulpit/akwa.JPG


Welcome to C-F! You can't upload from your computer directly onto the site. There is instructions on how to embed pictures in General Aquaria Discussion.


----------



## mfryga

This is my cube tank  What do you think?


----------



## Woundedyak

mfryga said:


> This is my cube tank  What do you think?


I'm digging this tank. A+ on the top. I want to do a planted cube tank in my office. I would like to see more pics if possible.


----------



## mrslimpitt

I rate the tank above me an 8.5. I love the top!
Here is one of mine.









Does it need more improvements?


----------



## brock029

Looks great! I give it a 10 

Here is a quick kind of bad video of mine, i can never find good background music on youtube.


----------



## Cerdik

Nice one, give you 8.5 

Mine is bellow. I've made some changes (more plants added - Vallisneria spiralis )


----------



## Yael

I think that the plants add a lot to the look of the tank!


----------



## Ptyochromis

mrslimpitt said:


> I rate the tank above me an 8.5. I love the top!
> Here is one of mine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Does it need more improvements?


The only thing I would change is to move all the round stones to the bottom, maybe make 2 piles on either side of the tank or scatter them around the base of the structure. They stick out and don't look natural.


----------



## mrslimpitt

Ok, I will mess around with that over the weekend, thanx.


----------



## wesnox1982

7.5-10 looks good like the rock lay out


----------



## Doyoulikefishsticks

What about MINE?


----------



## Doyoulikefishsticks

Okay so I guess nobody found my post amusing which was what I was going for :lol:

Anyway, here is an actual photo of my tank, please rate it and let me know what you think


----------



## mikejaxon

I would say a 4

My 75 gallon


----------



## Doyoulikefishsticks

Ouch! 

I guess it must be because its not a totally natural looking setup for the fish, and that is generally what people shoot for. Perhaps also because of the tubes in the back?

Anyway, I would rate your tank an 8.7. I really like the stacking of the rocks. I bet you decided to center the rocks in the tank so you can watch/allow the fish to swim freely from front to back. Do you have an all black background? I considered getting one of those.


----------



## tapout14

mikejaxon said:


> I would say a 4
> 
> My 75 gallon


I give it an 8 very natural. Would be higher if rocks were stacked higher in some spots

Here is mine let me have it

http://s1308.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 9.jpg.html


----------



## izabella87

I give you a 9 ! It really nice with the sand n rock work

Here's mine re-scaped


----------



## Jayj83

I give it a 7.

This is my new 30 gallon breeding/growing out tank. Just about finished cycling. The rocks have caves hidden in the back of them.


----------



## TrashmanNYC

Jayj83 said:


> I give it a 7.
> 
> This is my new 30 gallon breeding/growing out tank. Just about finished cycling. The rocks have caves hidden in the back of them.


Very cool. What background is that?


----------



## jas1313

I give Jay's a solid 9. I really like the sleek look. Would like to see some fish in there.
I redid some rockwork on mine so I figured I would resubmit. I'm sure it will change again.


----------



## Jayj83

TrashmanNYC said:


> Very cool. What background is that?


AquaTerra Canyon Rock in Grey.



jas1313 said:


> I give Jay's a solid 9. I really like the sleek look. Would like to see some fish in there.


Just imagine a bunch of P.Saulosi swimming about.


----------



## 13razorbackfan

jas1313 said:


> I give Jay's a solid 9. I really like the sleek look. Would like to see some fish in there.
> I redid some rockwork on mine so I figured I would resubmit. I'm sure it will change again.


Is that slate that is standing up in the back? Those rocks are beyond awesome in colors. If it were me I would get rid of all the other rocks and just use that. That rock is killer. The coloration is superb.


----------



## jas1313

Thanks razor. The bg rock is plumwood flagstone. Depending on where you're at its called a few things. I would of used it for other rock if they had thicker / boulderish size chunks. From landscape supply.


----------



## mambee

Here is my 90 gallon community tank. I have some plants that I am stockpiling for eventual use in another tank. My angelfish is lurking in the left hand corner.

Mike


----------



## orau22

mambee, I'd give it an 8, love the plant growth and darker look of the tank, I would lose the background though, looks a bit out of place in my opinion.

Here is my 55 Gallon Lake Tang community tank.








Some closer pics of the fish and rock work.


----------



## akroblade954

First post here!!

Love the black background - gives great contrast. Give it a 9 buddy!!! :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

My 95g Malawi aquarium. Fish mainly juveniles...


----------



## Filet O Fish

That there's a 9 akroblade! Actually, just as far as the tank itself goes, a perfect 10. There's plenty of hiding spots for the fish. I dunno if that's sand or crushed coral, but the PH must be good. Can't see any equipment at all. Love the background. When your tank is set, I'd bomb it out with Peacocks and Haps and less yellow Labs  Keep an Acei or two, mine was a peaceful one, broke up fights all the time.

Anyway, here's my new 75 Gallon. Had to switch over to a new one because of bowing in the stand. Just went all new, keeping about 65 gallons of their old water! Keep in mind it's a work in progress, as I now have my "dream tank". Back is painted with acrylic "True Blue" paint. Let me know what "you'd do", I need ideas.

BTW, water is still cloudy from new sand that I should have rinsed a bit better. :x


----------



## cmaupin

I would give you a 7.5/8 I think it needs more for the eye. The lighting and the peacocks colors is on point though. Im hopefully going out today to work on more lights and new substrate as a snow day project tomorrow!!!! this sand is 3 owners old and gross i think its part of my issue. If anyone has any input on why i have no output on my eheim 2217 please help me. I am only running a c-360 with like 20 fish and most are 6 inchers lol  Below is a picture of my project 29g Biocube reef tank before i left it lest week

FTS 3/23/13 by CMJazzblue, on Flickr

Orig. Sand by CMJazzblue, on Flickr

Catfish by CMJazzblue, on Flickr


photo (3) by CMJazzblue, on Flickr


----------



## Shallow~Dweller

I will give the above a 6.5 out of 10. I can see the effort you put in, but its a personal preference thing the way slabs are placed like that, it doesn't seem very natural to me which goes for all similar layouts as it reminds me of those breeding tanks for plecs. I think mixing your lights with a blue tube and changing over your sand to aragonite white will really change the whole look around and since there is no buffer from any ocean rock, the aragonite sand will be your buffer to raise your ph. I think with these slabs maybe a 2 island look will be nice with a few plants around to cover the cave areas. The more hiding places e.g. more decoration to create blind spots for us, the more your fish will come out.

Here are some pictures of my previous setup 48" x 12" x 18". Nothing special on the lighting just 2 t8 lights one yellow and one blue. 
The kenyi also had some fry which hid and grew and until they got to 1cm+ they were swimming with the group. The last picture was when she was on her second batch.


----------



## JimA

Your fish look nice, but since this is a rate your tank thread I will give you a strong 7. Overall looks good!

I haven't played in awhile so here ya go. Taken in two shots looking left to right..


















Almost a full tank shot, I will have to work on that..


----------



## B.Roberson

above a 8. little blury and dark,cant see whats going on. 
here is my new 90. 3d background
still cycling  
i want fish in it sooooo bad. 

























the second two pics were with my old led, the first pic is the NEW beamswork doublebrite 48". it will stay on the 90. when I get fish lol :fish:


----------



## twistedinkcreations

Ill give ya a 7.. Really like the 3d background and rock-work. would have gotten an 8 if you used something other than white sand. cant stand it.

Heres my 55 Its crowded next to my 29 but i have VERY limited space in my 300Sqft apt.


----------



## partsrep

I'll give twistedinkcreations a 7. The rocks lack a natural look stacked the way they are. This is my 20G


----------



## SnuffyZX

OK PartsRep...I see U have some Happy Fish in that Tank....I like the Holley Rocks....I give ya A 7.5!

Here is My Gang of Nuts!









Snuffy


----------



## wessel_jhb

Im no fish expert but id rate the tank above me a 8.0. It just seems crowded but crowded on purpose not natural. i dont know how to put it hahaha but a very nice tank indeed.

here is the beginning of my setup. still have more rock and a whiter light on order.Also the pipe hanging into the bubbles is only there so i can see if the pump is still running. 
a new setup always makes me stress hahaha. it will be moved after a week of succsessfull running without any hassles. I have created a spraybar so the bubbles will also be put back to a minimum.


















I just noticed that those are incredibly bad pictures!!! hahaha sorry ladies and gents


----------



## Adamtc68

I'll join in with my newish setup. The above tank ill give a 7 for a pretty solid setup. Let me know what you think.


----------



## Oscar Madison

Cerdik said:


> Nice one, give you 8.5
> 
> Mine is bellow. I've made some changes (more plants added - Vallisneria spiralis )


Nice tank and fish! :thumb:


----------



## markl323

8/10. nice black/white contrast.
below is my Moba tank.


----------



## butters365

7...Everything you have is so nice and clean but it just looks as if its still being setup. Needs more fillers!


----------



## danstock

I'd give yours a 6, I believe. I find the background and the fake driftwood really distracting. Off to a good start, though.

Here's my latest update on my 55 gallon mbuna setup (replaced the old scratched up tank with new, plus a new Beamswork LED light, new heater, ditched the driftwood and added/rearranged the rocks). I'm calling it complete... for now.


----------



## fishing12

Wow I like that a lot!! Nice job! No tank to post but I give it a solid 8.5.


----------



## Kalost

I agree with fishing12, nice tank i like the blue lighting and the jagged rocks. 8.5 for sure. Im sorta new to this also but i wanted to get some green in mine even if they do eat the plants.


----------



## chiroken

OK, 168 pages in so I better get in on this!
I like the above tank, I'm going with an 8+. I like the different heights of rocks and the different shapes, both vertical and horizontal. Love the green brought in with the plants. Love the yellow of the fish (weak spot for yellow). Not a fan of the hardware showing, hard to hide unless you're sumped. Don't care for the land plant in the left corner. As I mentioned, I really like the rock but my preference is more contrast between rock colour and substrate colour. Only plant comment is I would move the large mass of moss so it is offset rather than right in the middle, I find offset looks more natural and random. Overall very well done, I'd have it in my house any day!

My tank pic is only a few hours after pulling out the natural gravel and putting in the sand. Abit cloudy, was much better the next day. This is a 90g grow out tank for fish that will go to a 300g. Quick rock setup as a trial. May use the same rock in the 300 with the same sand and black background. Once these fish are moved out the background will go black and it will become a discus tank with the same sand. Will also build a DIY sump to remove all hardware. For a quickie tank I feel it's OK, looks WAY better with the sand.


----------



## At1Maverick

Lovely tank Chiroken, I love how the setup showcases the colors of you stock. I, honestly like a tank that's a little busier as far as ornaments are concerened, I'd give your an 8.5.

Here's mine. I'm still working on rocks and whether Im gonna keep the fake plants. I currently have 2 Flowerhorns, a red devil, a convict, 2 EB hap, a red terror the pleco, somekind of catfish and got a dragonfish as a gift just recently. I little overstocked if I say so myself. Let me know what i can do to improve. And yes I am underfiltered and need a background


----------



## VladimirGregr

I have made some major changes in my tank, so here are some new shots:


----------



## ratbones86

Ill Give the tank above me a 9.5 Pretty solid looking tank and great stocking! Here's my Tang. Tank i just finished.

No flash


Flash


----------



## wessel_jhb

cant view the tank above me but will rate the one above it.

VERY VERY NEAT LOOKING TANK!!! 9 all the way.

here is my final(i think) setup. lighting is perfect IMHO rockwork looks good but will probably be edited.


















this is what the lighting used to look like with some hardware showing


----------



## fishmeat

Dont have image of my tank on hand but loved the tank above. Slick, may I ask why gravel not sand? What lighting are you using?


----------



## ratbones86

Why is mine not visible?


----------



## 13razorbackfan

ratbones86 said:


> Why is mine not visible?


I can see it.


----------



## fishing12

ratbones86 said:


> Why is mine not visible?


I can see it and I like it as well! Different look with the background than most. Did you make the background yourself? Nice Job.


----------



## ratbones86

Yes I did make it myself. Made it for my white calvus and paracyps. May I get a rate please? Lol


----------



## wessel_jhb

fishmeat said:


> Dont have image of my tank on hand but loved the tank above. Slick, may I ask why gravel not sand? What lighting are you using?


I have used one t8 bluemoon and one t5 bright white. i put them both on and get a nice soft blue. the white is too bright and the blue is too dark .

I used gravel because uhmmm oooh uhmmmm i dont really know. i bought the gravel before i saw how good sand looks. Will probably be moving to sand sometime in the future but for now i like the look of the gravel. And also my fish seem to be ble to create nice holes under the rocks without the sand shifting.


----------



## wessel_jhb

ratbones86 said:


> Why is mine not visible?


im not sure might be on my side.

heres how i see it


----------



## Filet O Fish

Get Google Chrome!


----------



## izabella87

I will give the tank above a 8,the blue gives it a nice ambiance, but i wish the gravel was finer
Here's my new 200gal tank


----------



## tinman7344

I might not be a good critic, i love all tanks, as long as the fish are happy. I give the tank above an 8. The rating could be higher if i could see some fish, but you did say it is a new tank. It has a lot of depth and contrast (i love both.) And i love those big rocks in the backround. At 200g, it must be very nice in person. I really don't say love that much, i guess i just love fish.

Alright here is my current 155g bowfront. I'm just now learning this picture uploading stuff. 









a day time pic









side images. poor quality. just to show some bow effect.


----------



## ratbones86

Well **** i still didn't get a Rate for my 29g i did. Lets see if i can get one for my rescap'd 55g. No fancy background or anything just fish and rocks. Forgive the algae on the back haven't figured out an easier way of getting it off besides a credit card and haven't had time to get it. But the fish eat off it so I'm thinking about letting it ride lol


----------



## tinman7344

ratbones,i would like to rateyour tank(s.) But i can't see any image except one of a power outlet on the wall. Can you see my tank? I used imgur. seemed pretty easy


----------



## tinman7344

aha ratbones i can see urtanks. i just have to click on the magnifying glass icons. As i said i would like to rate ur tank. But since u didnt rate mine (thetank above yours,) or Vladimirgregr's(the other tank above yours,) i don't think its fair to give u a rating until u rate ours.


----------



## beachtan

so if i wanna "play" , whose tank am i supposed to rate now??


----------



## 89lxhatch

Here you go. You can rate this one.


----------



## tinman7344

i thought i was following the program, give a rating, and then post my tank. now three consecutive posters after me neglect to rate anything. I am dissappointed. its pretty ignorant to not give a rating then put ur own tank up.


----------



## redsnookmfer

tinman7344 I rate yours 8, I really like the back ground, but don't like the differrences in rocks that you have. Other wise tank looks great as do the fish.
Here is mine, be nice, my first big aquarium. 125 gal, lace rock, drift wood, and some java ferns.

As for 89lxhatch looks good from far so 8 for your rating.


----------



## 89lxhatch

As I messed up and didn't rate a tank with my first post in here. Sorry tinman for my "ignorant" behavior.

redsnookmfer
I will give your tank a solid 8 as I like the layout and amount of open water you have to the amount of caves looks very good. The contrast of your sand with the darker and lighter colored rocks is perfect in my opinion. The whole layout looks very well thought out.
This should be a better picture. Though it was already rated and thank you for that redsnookmfer.


----------



## ratbones86

I gave Vlad a 9.5 if you reread and sorry for not giving you one I'll give yours tinman an 8 sorry I didn't mean to skip yours


----------



## B.Roberson

I like yours ratbone. 8.5.. tank seems short. is it a 125 long? why is it blue on one end? I LOVE the fish, maybe stack rocks on one end higher? or are they 3 rock formations?
my new 90. just added fish this last weekend


----------



## tinman7344

thank you both and i am sorry for saying mean things. Sometimes i can't contain my Philadelphia nature. This is a very positive website/forum, i won't bring anymore negativity. i don't want to be a hippocrite, so rat bone i give ur first tank an 8. its very nice for a small tank. i'm giving your bigger tank a 7.5, it should be higher, but the plumbing is overwhelming. 89 hatch i'll give you an 8 as well. very bright, a backround would help a lot. i give your home a 10. it looks very clean. 8,8,8... i said i'm a bad critic.

b robertson i give you a 9.5. beautiful. the sand looks like sugar. a little algae over time will make it even better.


----------



## B.Roberson

and with all this additional going on the tank above mine was 89lxhatch. thats who i was rating..
8.5.. tank seems short. is it a 125 long? why is it blue on one end?


----------



## 89lxhatch

B.Roberson 
I was told it was a 160 but have to get the actual measurements tonight. The light on the left has a bluish tint to it and the right has a bright white so that is why there is coloration difference. I have been trying to figure out what I want as a background. As for your tank since it is above this post. I will give it a very solid 9. The background and rock placement is nice. Looks very natural and no pipes showing which is awesome.


----------



## cichlid-gal

B.Roberson I give your tank a 9.5, beautiful background and good looking rocks in front. Here's my latest redo...moved this group of fish from a 55G and upgraded them to this 75G ... they all went into hiding for the pics so you could see the tank...LOL


----------



## SavemeDempsey

Cichlid-gal that tank is beautiful, I personally love planted tanks and yours aswell  especailly the driftwood with the moss on the feet kind like socks aswell as the fern over the rocks, awsome.... 9 I think it would be 10 if all those once all those plants are grown a bit more. Now the person rating mine please taking into consideration I had a very bad Black-Beard Algae (BBA), Red-Brush Algae problem most likely brought in from feeders I caught in a pond, even thought I quarantined them for 2 weeks.... The algae has taken me over 6 months to get on top of killed ALL my plants except the Anubis which has cover a piece of driftwood...


----------



## SavemeDempsey

90 gallon wide tank 9"Oscar 6" Dempsey, a breeding pair of tiny native australian rainbow fish I caught along with all the feeder fish (grow to 1" max), a freakishly big 5 yr old 9" albino BN pleco, 2 6" common BN pleco and a 7" peppermint BN pleco.


----------



## babarian16

@SavemeDempsey
Congrats on getting your algae under control for the most part, not a fun problem. With that said its hard not to take the presence of algae into account for this rating as its based almost exclusively on aesthetics. I give you a 6 on your tank. It seems like you kinda took whatever decorations you found and through them in there. By that i mean im not sure what kind of 'look' you're going for. Maybe try putting the anubias in the far right corner,ditching the castle and getting just 1 or 2 types of rocks. Hope that helps

Heres my 90 gallon with a mix of mbuna,haps and peacocks. Still gonna modify tank stock but i think the hardscape is almost finshed after 2 years of messing around haha. I appreciate any suggestions.


----------



## Cerdik

Like it, ill give you 8.2 :thumb:

Here is mine:


----------



## ratbones86

Love the plants and the bg and how it all ties in and gives the tank allot of depth. 9.5

Heres my 55g peacock tank Fish are hiding in this picture and they are juvies


----------



## GrumpyGus

I'd give it a 7 ratbones. However it still kinda looks plain and generic. With no back ground or anything other than rocks there isn't anything for my eye to roll over or get "trapped" in the tank. Good start though.


----------



## ratbones86

Not bad on that tank though im not a fan of the bubble wands an as you sad before theres no background on your tank and nothing to really draw the eye besides the bubble wall. so i give it a 7 as well

Check out my 30g tang tank that has 6 white calvus juvies and 5 paracryp's in it Heres a Few pics

No flash



With flash


----------



## Kaenon

ratbones86 said:


> Not bad on that tank though im not a fan of the bubble wands an as you sad before theres no background on your tank and nothing to really draw the eye besides the bubble wall. so i give it a 7 as well
> 
> Check out my 30g tang tank that has 6 white calvus juvies and 5 paracryp's in it Heres a Few pics


I like the without flash picture much better. 8.5, nice job!

Here is a picture of my old 29 gallon tank...


Then I upgraded to a 55 gallon...


Then I moved, and I will have my 55 gallon redo finished next week.


----------



## apollo240

I give the above a 7, i prefer backgrounds and not a flat surface on the bottom. But the decorations are nice and the waters clear.
Just realized mine doesnt have the led bubble wall i added, plus 2 other plants.


----------



## DiSabatino

I'd rate the tank above (apollo240) a 6 only because I dislike fake plants and store-bought decorations... If that's you're style then stick with it! but that's just my opinion  (Have you ever thought of a black background to help the colours of the plants pop more?)

Here's one of mine: :dancing: 








All my juvies are camera shy...Tell me what you think!  :fish:


----------



## fishing12

I dont have my tank set to post but IMHO I would lose the air stone and the two slate slabs in the middle sitting on top of the larger rocks get rid of those. I think it would look more natural. I like the rock you used and the black background but I would build one side higher than the other or separate into two rock piles. This was advice given to me when I set my tank up and it made a huge difference in my look. Shoot another picture out when the fish come out, would love to see the stars of the show. :fish:


----------



## TfnG

I give DiSabatino an 8. I like the rock work but it looks a little dark? Could just be the picture though.

Here's my 29g Brichardi tank


----------



## Kaenon

Needs some shells! Other than that, 8.


----------



## Kaenon

another picture... not sure why I couldn't edit.


----------



## Daniel Jacobsen

I'd give that one a 6..

Here's my 105gallon tank


----------



## Daniel Jacobsen

sorry about that
gonna try again


----------



## ratbones86

Daniel Jacobsen said:


> sorry about that
> gonna try again


Just wanted to say i love that stand and hood and wanted to ask were you got it at?


----------



## Daniel Jacobsen

It's a Effectline Mark II aquarium

I gotine here in faroe islands... 
Try www.Eldorado.dk


----------



## jtwist01

Hmm the link above to the photo seems to be broken? Would like to rate  Here is a photo of my 90g, tank is only a week old, still cycling and putting things together, hoping the water tests perfect before this weekend, I am planning on a solid black background, really want the fish to be the "color" of the tank! Feel free to rate! Suggestions are always welcome too!


IMG_0949 by jtwist01, on Flickr


----------



## Daniel Jacobsen

8,5 looks great i really like the plants... real plants or plastic ones?

you say mine didnt work.... 
so im gonna try one last time :/

here's a photo taken during the day 

IMAG0154 by djdallin, on Flickr

and in the evening

IMAG0178 by djdallin, on Flickr


----------



## jtwist01

I give your tank an 8.5 as well! Thanks for the rate. They are actually plastic plants that I bought from a craft store, then siliconed them into the stones using aquarium safe silicone, much cheaper & way better looking than the typical aquarium plants you can order or find in a LFS.

Thanks!


----------



## ratbones86

Reason i wont rate photo above is becaue i already did  lol 
Here's 2 pictures of my 1.5g Betta tank i just finished. I know it isn't a cichlid but dangit its kool and its my daughters first fish and my wife's lol


----------



## Mk3hitman21

Above tank I rate a 8, I like rock placement and how the fish blend in with the setup. So everything was picked according to the setup. Mines a 60g community tank. 
How it looked when I first started. A month ago. Fish are triple in size so I pulled the ship out due to them chasing eachother and ramming into it. At this time I had 15 fish, and 2 died


----------



## treym563

Personally, I'd rank that tank a 5. I think whenever you have unnatural decor in the tank it makes it look cheap. To each their own, but that's my personal opinion. My tank is a 55g with a 3D background.


----------



## jtwist01

treym563, killer tank man, I won't rate it, I already posted mine above, but I really love the rock, natural colored sand substrate, and the lighting. Great job!


----------



## ratbones86

my betta tank dont get a rate?  lol


----------



## drewmaen

I give the tank above an 8. I love the rocks and bg This is my first tank in years I used to have a 75 gal cichlid tank. This is a thirty gal and after a few weeks and looking at some of the tanks on here I already want a 125 gal I added the Jaws theme because my son wanted it in there.


----------



## Saleen281

7.9 love the shark lol


----------



## Bowfront

The Frontosa Tank Above Mine looks very good but It needs some matching rockwork oin the substrate and a few large green plants just to splash color.

I give it an 8 as is.
*
The pic below is my small 36 gallon mixed African tank in my office. I will post my show tank later. I usually don't use plants but I liked the color.

Rocks are my favorite. This tank was for fun. Sorry for the glare.*


----------



## cityboy415

> bowfront


Ill give it a 8..i like the rocks same ones i use..not a big fan of black sand though.

Heres my 55 gal i just setup about a week ago..still need a background and thinking about adding plants..

Stocked w/
3 red zebras 1M 2F
4 Kenyi 1M 3F
1 rubbernose pleco


----------



## cityboy415

treym563 said:


> Personally, I'd rank that tank a 5. I think whenever you have unnatural decor in the tank it makes it look cheap. To each their own, but that's my personal opinion. My tank is a 55g with a 3D background.


Nice tank bro..what kind of plants are those?


----------



## Yael

My new 55 gal setup - rocks are native to my area - it's a combo filtration set up with UG to the left, powerhead run with an extra powerhead blowing through the pile of rocks (which contain lots of voids and cave spaces) and a HOB to the left with a sponge filter made from a 2gal refugeum.

I plan to add a few more plants in the near future. I have 3 breeding groups - Labs, Rustys and a new group of Afra (Ntekete)

I also want to add some blue LEDs to the current light bar - anyone know how to do this and where to purchase? Rustys look so good with a bit of blue light.


----------



## Chongkie

Great set up! Rate yours at a 6.5-7. 
I personally prefer very simplistic tanks.

Heres mine, all the way from South Africa. ;-)


----------



## MuddyJeep

8 for u sir, well done. Love the led lights and rock. Here's mine: 40gal bow front


----------



## letsgoflyers6387

Not a fan of fake plants or rocks, but it doesn't look terrible. The black sand and the green algae growth look nice. I'll give it a 6.

This is my 55 gallon tank:


----------



## crazywhiteguy

The tank above looks really clean. I just feel like its alittle bare maybe a nice background or a couple taller rocks to add some depth. Still a beautiful tank with beautiful fish. I give it an 7.


----------



## Mr2Good

tank looks nice and clean... cant wait to see when u start to get some algae growth... i give it a 6 out of 10..... where are all the fish? i see one alot of empty space....

here is mine..


----------



## izabella87

AMazing Looking tank  It has some nice depth to it. Here`s one of my tanks. Sorry for awful pic quality. But looks better on video


----------



## CjCichlid

^^ Good looking setup, I'll give it a 6.5. I like the algae growth on all the rocks but I prefer the use of all the same kind of rocks for a more natural look. Fish look great as well! :thumb:

Once again, there are way to many African tanks on here! 

I'll represent MERICA'!  Here's an up to date FTS of my 135gal Central American community...


----------



## 50watts

That is a beautiful tank, one I can only dream of for now. I give it a 9...

This is my new little 36 gal corner cylinder I just got and put together.


new 36 gal tank by rog1046, on Flickr


----------



## vegeta1059

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=5863451211&l=1a89a01d65

I had some serious algae issues going on here, but overall I loved the look of the tank. My 55 semi-aggresive tank. The pink kissing gourami you see up front is now much bigger than my hand. She's the biggest one I've ever had.


----------



## vegeta1059

I finally figured out how to properly embed photos and I also realized I didn't rate the tank above me. :thumb: So! I like the design of the tank and think the decor is pretty cool. I'll give it a 7.

I had some serious algae issues going on here, but overall I loved the look of the tank. My 55 semi-aggresive tank. The pink kissing gourami you see up front is now much bigger than my hand. She's the biggest one I've ever had.

[/url

[URL=http://s6.photobucket.com/user/blake2/media/216829_5863461211_8740_n.jpg.html]


----------



## [email protected]

ill rate the above a 7...

just bought a 50gal today... heres my tank still cycling 6hrs...


----------



## chaser98989

Obviously still cycling so i cant get a great rating on it but ill give it a 5 for now part of the reason is you have convicts in with africans... 






have had this up and running with fish for 4 days now this picture is on day one still waiting for shells to come in the mail then i will add those a little plain usually i go for a more complex look but im going to add cyps so i wanted a lot of room iin the top of the tank


----------



## Oscar Madison

46 gallon Bow Front


----------



## alan_mary

give the tank above a 6 think it would look better without plants and more rock/caves

this is my 5x2x2 discus tank







have 3 red turq's 2 cobalt blue's and 1 red alenquer
26 harlequin tetra 
1 gold nugget pleco

bogwood, amazon frogbit, sand and fine gravel mix substrate, river rocks and indian almond leaves


----------



## [email protected]

^^ ill give the tank above 8...

heres mine clearer now...


----------



## SAVAGEE

tank above looks rather still young , as of now illl give it a 6


----------



## JimA

I like the lighting you have going, background looks good, doesn't exactly match the holy rock but it looks decent. You could lose the plastic plants and try real, might work. But the plastic just takes away from your set up, or at least cut back on it. A solid 7+

Not the best pic of mine but here you go..


----------



## VladimirGregr

I rate the tank above with clear 10 points - very nice setup, very natural. Looks really fantastic!!!

Here is my tank after small update - more L. Caurellus Yellow, more Dolphins, some changes in rocks layout.

















[/quote]


----------



## Saleen281

10+ ABOVE LOVE WHOLE SET UP








HERE IS MINE AGAIN WITH ROCKWORK


----------



## Mr2Good

NICE! I GIVE A 7... ONLY BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ALOT OF COLOR

HERES MINE 90 GALLON MBUNA/ PEACOCK PLANTED TANK


----------



## ratbones86

Ill give it a 9.5

Heres my 20g betta tank. Just has the betta in it right now but getting some cories catfish a\nd some tetra's for it as well.
And yes it is supposed to not have sand on the right side. I made it like that to look like an island bank. It is taller in the back and in the back left corner its the tallest.


----------



## 660dave

I'll give than an 8, nice set up for a Betta tank :thumb: 
This is my Brichardi tank, can't see many as still mostly tiny babies. Sorry for the wonky pic lol.


----------



## Koteckn

I like it. Plain and simple for a Brichardi tank with the live plants... Great biotope. I'd give it an 8-8.5, I'm sure this number will increase as your stock grows as well as your plants. Great Job!

Here's my 75 CA/SA a few months ago, let me know what you think.


----------



## cichlid-gal

I like your tank. I'd give it an 8. Maybe a few more plants and some tree limbs to break up the rockwork but very nice rockwork. Here's my new 125G tank. Was supposed to be a West African themed tank but as things went on it transitioned into simply a mixed tank that I love. The sunken ship is my grandson's addition to the tank. He was so excited to be able to add something and participate in my new tank setup.


----------



## [email protected]

^^ ill rate above 8... heres mine...


----------



## Oscar Madison

VladimirGregr said:


> I rate the tank above with clear 10 points - very nice setup, very natural. Looks really fantastic!!!
> 
> Here is my tank after small update - more L. Caurellus Yellow, more Dolphins, some changes in rocks layout.


[/quote] Now that is an amazing tank....excellent background and a nice selection of fish....very well done! :thumb:


----------



## AndrasLOHF

I'll gives that one an 8. Here is my tank. Finally getting back to fish keeping after a break.


----------



## robertw

^^ I'll give that an 8, I want a closer look at that background.

Haven't been on here in a long time, just replaced my old bow front with this new one, same size 46g.


----------



## wade0328

I really like yours, its really simple and sleek. 8.5.


----------



## Firefighter4

I will give the tank above a 7.5. I like the background and the driftwood. Maybe add a little more to it? :thumb: Otherwise its a nice looking tank!

Here is my 65 Bowfront Fluval Venezia 260. This was a very early pic of it and sorry for the over exposure, (it was a cell phone pic) many more fish in there now and a nice layer of algae! Ideas and critques are welcome!



Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## NJmomie

Picture is a bit too bright so difficult to see. Give you a 6. I would stack the rocks more unevenly so it's doesn't look like a wall in the middle. 
Here is mine.
It's a 29 gallon saulosi tank with 6F-2M.


----------



## Kleovoulos

Give you 8. I'l like same colour rocks.

This is mine 220 liters, old Tanganyika.


----------



## NJmomie

Kleovoulos said:


> Give you 8. I'l like same colour rocks.
> ]


Agreed but I haven't been able to find the reddish looking rock anywhere near me so had to make do. Hoping that algae will make them same color. Love your tank btw.


----------



## Kleovoulos

thank you NJmonie  
Take a bonus with 2 of my friends


----------



## Borsig

I give the tang tank an 8. 
Heres mine - I expect penalties for crappy UV pipe that I havent gotten to, and a powerhead thats getting replaced with a hydor evo this week.

75G corner flow ex reef tank Mbuna only. 11 Metriaclima dolphin Ndonga (5 F1) 4 Yellow labs, 6 Acei. I want to reduce acei to 4 and increase labs to 6. Wife doesnt want to kick the acei out LOL. filtration is a wet dry sump pushing 900gph, seperate UV return. lighting is T5Ho marineland pro. in the pic its 2 tubes - 1x actinic, 1x 10,000K burning. The other two tubes are 6500, and another 10K. Black diamond sand, black granite from local quarry. Total investment is under 200.00 (craigslist) not counting fish. The metriaclimas are from jay at cichlids are special. everything else is from Skoolz of fish, richmond, or my own fry stock. The fish are mostly hiding in the rocks here. They love the setup - or seem to


----------



## TheJ0kerrr

I'll rate this one a 7. I like the rock work, but needs more height or changes in elevations. Also, it could be a thing with the camera, but that's a bit too much blue for my liking. I can see why the wife doesn't want to get rid of the acei, they look really good!

Here's mine... 55g with a bunch of juveniles.


----------



## Borsig

what i really need is a diy background. I had ALOT of rock in there at one point- intricately done. I got sick of pulling it all out every 3-4 weeks when I had to chase down another baby mama acei or lab and put her in the nursery. So now its just a pile LOL.

The light is alot of actinic, once I get the new powerhead I'll get some pics of it under the 10K/6700K/actinic 4x combo.


----------



## R6RaVeN37

I give the last tank a 7. I made some big changes to my tank, so here is a new picture. Added the background, removed the plants, and redid the rockwork.


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

8.75! I love the wavefront, background and your stocking is unique. Tank looks great! Only negative thing I would say is the white/black peppered sand, but that is just my personal opinion.

Set this tank up on 7/27/13


----------



## volcmstar4

I give the tank above me an 8.5 - I love the white sand and the change in elevations. It gives the tank great depth. It's very natural looking! Here's a picture of my shelly tank, home to 6 multi's. This is my first tank ever so be nice! Not nearly as "natural" looking as all the tanks I've seen but I think this is more my style. And the fish seem happy!


----------



## ShckTrprTk

i rate the tank above me an 7 i personally really like it  keep up the goods  im also thinking of some shellies!


----------



## jomama12341

Ill give the tank above a 7 and when the plants really take root ill give it a 9. I love the slate stone cave you made.


----------



## Idisc

mittzgame said:


> I am assuming 10 is high...
> 
> I would rate cichlids _killer's tank a 7.
> 
> Love the style of the rock, sand, use of depth, black background. I think the height of the tank could be better used though, there is a lot of empty space since the rocks barely make it half way up the tank. Also, don't see many fish, other than the few yellow labs and some peacocks, are there others in there? If not, up your stocking, it looks like you have plenty of room!
> 
> Here's the next tank to rate:


What are these plants called?


----------



## cichlid-gal

Pretty sure those are Vallisneria


----------



## matt duarte

ill give the tank above a 6 only because im not a fan of pots or holy rock.. but I think if you painted the back of the tank it would make it pop a lot more

heres mine its been up and running for about 2-3 years.. I recently took it all down this past week to get a fresh start.. changed the gravel and plants and built a new intake.. soo its cycling right now with used media and the lil tiger barbs u see swimming around in there.. when its all done and cycled most of the plants are coming out I think and some slate will be added... and some Oscars will be calling it home.. going to be buying a 40 and a 55 gallon to set up soon or maybe another big tank... these lil barbs are fun to watch never had schooling fish there funner then I thought.. anyway heres my tank.. 









sorry about the glare in the process of building a canopy for it


----------



## chaser98989

chaser98989 said:


> Obviously still cycling so i cant get a great rating on it but ill give it a 5 for now part of the reason is you have convicts in with africans...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> have had this up and running with fish for 4 days now this picture is on day one still waiting for shells to come in the mail then i will add those a little plain usually i go for a more complex look but im going to add cyps so i wanted a lot of room iin the top of the tank


Reposting this because it was never rated the person below it just posted their own picture... I give the tank above me a 7.5 for now i like the DIY background and how it has the appearance of a Cave going back into the tank. Cant wait to see the fish start to fill in


----------



## Yasir saeed

amazing tanks on display here. mine one is not that good but i can get advice here. i rate the above tank 8.5





sorry for the shine.


----------



## Michael_M

I give the above tank a 5.5, though a few small changes would really transform the tank.

The tank seems quite tall for the footprint, your rock work would look great if you could add more to get some height in the rock formations. I'd much prefer a plain black background and a fine white sand personally too.

Here's one of my tanks, not the best shot but gives the general idea anyway.


----------



## stayfrosty

I give it an 8.5 I really like the background and fish are awesome here is nine been up and running for a week more fish to come soon


----------



## JP_92

I give an 8 for the tank above. The rock and plants look great but theres a lot of open space in the tank giving an empty feeling. Maybe with more fish it would look better. Also the heater or whatever that is is an eyesore, cant it be placed lower behind the rocks? I do like the look of the tank but I feel like it's just missing something.

Just for fun, here's my 5.5gallon hospital tank which has a small male thickskin in it that had its tail shredded. Camera is pretty old, this is the best shot I could get! :thumb:


----------



## B.Roberson

is this thread still going??


----------



## stayfrosty

A 6 reminds me of spongebob...great to have a hospital tank

Update


----------



## Catfisher7

Tank above me is a solid 9.5, love the aquascape and the fish.

Here's my 65 gallon, I haven't decided what to stock it with yet. I'm leaning towards a Malawi mbuna or peacock setup, but aren't sure on the species yet, maybe I'll give an all male tank a shot, with more passive species.


----------



## lester001uk

I rate one above 7.5/

Hi, Here' s my 280L/


----------



## cityboy415

9 very nice tank

Here's my 75 gallon american cichlid tank.. Plan on adding more driftwood


----------



## littleolme

I'd give it a 6. I think it needs "more", perhaps once you've added your driftwood it'll fill in nicely.

Our 75 gallon.


----------



## SomethingIsFishy

I'd say 8. Could use a little green in my opinion (algae on rocks).

Here's mine:










Standard 75, Yellow Labs (juvenile), soon to have syno. lucipinnis (they're in QT right now)


----------



## [email protected]

ill rate above an 8... heres mine...


----------



## Dexter.

I'd say a good 6.5. Looks nice but seems overcrowded with rocks and whatevers going on behind the tank. A background could work wonders, but the picture is also very bright from that light and is blowing things up a little.

Here's my 75G planted SA tank. Angels, Clown Loaches, Zebra Loaches, Black Neon Tetras, Rainbow Shark, German Blue Rams, and multiple others.

Filter placement is temporary, may also be painting them black.

(I had to edit this a little as I took it on my iPhone&#8230;doesn't really upload to Photobucket that well).
(Apparently the edited picture isn't saving and it's uploading the original, oh well).


----------



## pablo111

This is, bar none, by far the best rockscape I have ever witnessed in my 11 years of looking at aquarium pictures on-line.
If it were possible to score a 15/10, I would score it a 15. It's absolutely perfect. The best artist could not paint a better rockscape than that. 
I envy your skill.

If I had the money I'd fly you here and pay you $250/hour to copy that for me.


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

JimA charges $300 an hour, and your first born child. A steep price, but possibly worth it...


----------



## pablo111

I have no children but I'd bump it up to $300. I really would.

I submit my old tank from 8 years ago


----------



## JimA

pablo111 said:


> This is, bar none, by far the best rockscape I have ever witnessed in my 11 years of looking at aquarium pictures on-line.
> If it were possible to score a 15/10, I would score it a 15. It's absolutely perfect. The best artist could not paint a better rockscape than that.
> I envy your skill.
> 
> If I had the money I'd fly you here and pay you $250/hour to copy that for me.


 Oh jeez!  Well thank you very much for the compliment! But every tank for the most part are nice in there own right, well maybe not everyone but many! To keep the thread alive and even though your pic is 8 years old it's a good looking tank. Solid 9++

And Iggy it's only 150.00 an hour and no need for kids the 2 I have are enough! :lol:

Thanks again!! Jim


----------



## christy_lee

to pablo111's tank. 8. I love the 3d background!! I've always wanted to do a 3d background but I plan on changing my tank that I have now in the future so I don't wanna put myself through the trouble lol. The color in the rocks is lovely too!


----------



## wolfemitch

I really like this tank, very clean, simple lines and very calming. It's an 8.5 in my book!


----------



## dwl0222

I give that one a 7. I personally prefer plain shades of green for plants and white/tan sand. I do like those rocks against the black background. Looks good!


----------



## spotmonster

I rate that one a 7. I like the background, It seems a bit "sparce".

Here's my 180 "mostly central tank".


----------



## Hapguy63

Wow What a beautiful tank. I love the way the drift wood piece is angled to look like it is attached to a much larger tree above. I rate it a high 8. The only thing I would change is the sand to a more natural looking color.

Here is my 120 hap/peacock tank. Sorry for the blurry pic but it is off my phone camera. I used to have the rocks piled high but as the fish grew I could tell they needed more open space to swim so I went with a more open lake feel


----------



## spotmonster

Thanks Hapguy. I'll give yours a 6.5, I would quickly rate it higher if you paint your intakes black with krylon fusion. When you don't have as much decor, the intakes stick out a lot more. It does have a real Malawi look :thumb:

Here is my 90 gallon african "poor mans saltwater" tank". I know this is not for everyone but I love this tank. It makes an excellent show piece.


----------



## TxSkillet

So i am going to make my first post here to get a little constructive criticism on my tank setup 

First of all i will point out that i have tropical fish in there :? but only because my wife will not let me dispose of them..... which i know is a big no no... We had a 30 gallon tropical tank before this, found a great deal on CL for the 75 gallon and transferred everyone over. Then decided i wanted to see some real fish swimming around and have slowly added my cichlids

This tank as been set up for about 4 months now, and everyone seems to be happy.

Sorry for the ipotato pic.

There are 5 labs, 4 yellow tails, 1 OB peacock, 1 electric blue, 1 demasoni, 2 clown loaches, 1 pleco, 2 bristlenose plecos,


----------



## Eric_S

No one can critique you until you rate the tank above you first! :wink: :thumb:


----------



## jeffkro

I like your fish and rock setup, in my opinion it would look better if you had a black background, didn't have the pots in the tank, and moved the powerhead to the rear.


----------



## JohnnyJohanni1

I give the last pic an 8. I really like the look with the black background.

Here is my 125g all male peacock/hap tank. There are a few mbuna in the tank while I let my diy 3d BG cure and set in my 55.


----------



## JohnnyJohanni1

Not sure why the pic is cut off??? It really is a full tank shot.


----------



## gr1mm3h

nice tank, i'd give it a 9.5 

heres my 60g mbuna tank, just set it up a week ago.


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

Welcome to the forum Grim! I will give your tank a 7.5 rating. Those rocks look pretty cool. I would rate it higher if you moved your equipment into the corners of the tank, so they are not as visible. Try moving your light forward to make the back of the tank dimmer and add a sense of depth.

This is a 75 gallon Malawi tank-


IMG_1441 by Adam James K, on Flickr


IMG_1495 by Adam James K, on Flickr


----------



## pablo111

^ 9/10

This is my crappy tropheus tank from 2012


----------



## B.Roberson

Iggy Newcastle said:


> Welcome to the forum Grim! I will give your tank a 7.5 rating. Those rocks look pretty cool. I would rate it higher if you moved your equipment into the corners of the tank, so they are not as visible. Try moving your light forward to make the back of the tank dimmer and add a sense of depth.
> 
> This is a 75 gallon Malawi tank-
> 
> 
> IMG_1441 by Adam James K, on Flickr
> 
> 
> IMG_1495 by Adam James K, on Flickr


Iggy!!! stop showing off...lol.

i will give you a 10.2..only cuz you have a way better camera. ok 10.5 .LOL
my 90, been setup ,umm -10 months,or so/.


----------



## zimmy

Very nice! A solid 9.

This is my recently set up 112G. I'm including the shot of the Keyholes as there are no cichlids clearly visible in the FTS. The skimmer in the middle of the FTS isn't always there but I forgot to take it out.


----------



## PiccoloJr

zimmy said:


> Very nice! A solid 9.
> 
> This is my recently set up 112G. I'm including the shot of the Keyholes as there are no cichlids clearly visible in the FTS. The skimmer in the middle of the FTS isn't always there but I forgot to take it out.


Based on my personal taste I'd give that a 10. I love the driftwood/plant look as long as it's done we and I think you have.

I just set this tank up and have had a chance to get larger rocks.


----------



## JimA

Bump to keep this going, I am sure there are more people with new tanks opcorn: I will give that ^ tank a 6 good looking set up over all but need to try and hide the heater..

My current as of a week or so ago, got the water cleared up after a rock moving party and good substrate cleaning and a couple other issues I was having.


----------



## pablo111

JimA said:


> Bump to keep this going, I am sure there are more people with new tanks opcorn: I will give that ^ tank a 6 good looking set up over all but need to try and hide the heater..
> 
> My current as of a week or so ago, got the water cleared up after a rock moving party and good substrate cleaning and a couple other issues I was having.


8/10 very realistic rock sloping.


----------



## wolfemitch

I like this thread...keep this one going! I give the above a 9/10, Very natural look!

My 33L, Tang/Shellie Tank

[/ur

[url=http://postimg.org/image/wv1v7msiv/full/]


----------



## TxSkillet

ill give it a 6.5. Dont see any fish, and its bland. But im not into that kinda thing.

I took the suggestions about my last tank posting and changed to sand, and painted the back black. What a major pain in the rear to do alone and without a spare tank to hold the fish. :?








[/URL]








[/URL]


----------



## hose91

Went back and looked at the previous pictures near the end of the previous page. Great job on improving the look! No pots, love the light sand and dark background, equipment is pretty subtle, and the fish (and plants) look great. Definitely in the 8's or 9's!!


----------



## tcald429

TxSkillet I give it an 8 and like it a lot, the black background looks great and the black equipment really helps it all be less noticeable. I really like the setup.

Here is my 75G african tank progressing...


----------



## pablo111

^7.8 I feel the removal of the fake plant and more natural positioning of the rocks would really make that tank shine.


----------



## mambee

I like the splash of green in the corner. It gives bullied fish a place to hide and also hides some of the equipment.


----------



## PiccoloJr

I'm going to give that a 6.8/10 with potential for 8/10 with a more realistic rock placing. I actually like the fake plant im there too by the way.

I did my best to hide the heaters...


----------



## Demasoni1

8.5 for sure!!


----------



## 2Malamutes

Well, no tank above mine that isn't rated :-?










So this is a first shot from my phone due to impatience in taking proper photos, 120G new tank, cycled and then fish put in. You can't see many of them in the photo, and it is intentionally lightly stocked initially as I want to be choosy about who goes in now. Either side is a formation made up of holey rock, 4 pieces to the structure on the left, 4 to the structure in back right, one loose piece in front of that and a "fallen tree" of petrified wood in the middle made up of 5 pieces. Full stock list in the my tanks section. All constructive criticism welcome, new to cichlids, so I have a lot to learn.


----------



## kittyk

Just saw this thread......loved looking at all the beautiful tanks...makes me want to redo mine :drooling: Rating the above tank....I would give it 8  I love the two holey rock formations have. Maybe some tall green plants in the background and spread the petrified wood .

Ok...here is my tank: if you saw my earlier post I want to replace the gravel with sand. It's 55 gal and home to Mbuna's. Center deco is artifical and on each side I used three store bought "tunnels" to create a raised platform. On top of that is mainly jacobsville sandstone and other lake rocks. Also 3 cichlid stones where added for more caves. Plants are artificial.


----------



## crazycolt42

I like the tank kittyk :thumb: I give it a solid 8. I love the functionality of your tank. Plenty of healthy water flow and oxygenation, lots of really good places for fish to hang out or get away from aggressive others, double heaters, and really clean. Very healthy environment and structure for the mbuna. If you ever get board with it, the only thing I could think of doing is providing all the above while placing rock in a more natural looking fashion (hard to do I think and still provide plenty of functional cover), and hiding the power heads, and other equipment better. Looks great as is though. Great tank!

I have been following this thread for ever now and finally decided to post my own. So let me have it everyone! :lol: Here is my 120g mbuna tank. Waiting for the new holey rock to blend in better.

001 by bradley.keck, on Flickr


----------



## xtrmln

8+ love the blacked out look think I might try to go the same direction.
Here is one of mine


----------



## Tigerfish85

First post in a few years changed up my account info and am back into tanks after a year off from my saltwater and 90 gallon CA Tank. XTR nice tank I give you 7.5 would be better maybe with black background and sand substrate otherwise very cool!!

Here is my attempt at showing my 10 gallon grow out juvie Malawi tank which is transferring to the 55 gallon pretty quick. Thanks for any feeback


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## MiguelFerreira

7  really like the budist temple ^^
here´s my 65 g


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## Tigerfish85

Thanks yeah gotta have the zen vibes going. Just switched all my mbuna to a 40 gallon for the next year of grow out and then either a 75 gallon wave tank or 72 gallon bowfront. I can't rate your tank until I post the 40 gallon tomorrow but I will. I had a green terror just like that ill post some pics of that as well. Awesome Yellow Lab and huge Clown loaches =)


----------



## Tigerfish85

Keeping the thread going I would give that tank a solid 8. I really like the bubbles with crystal clear tank and great green terror. Here is my 40 gallon mbuna grow out just put the new rocks in though so its pretty grainy and on my cell phone camera.


----------



## MeCasa

A lot of good looking tanks on this thread.

Kudos to all :thumb:

MeCasa


----------



## rck1984

My 15 gallon Tanganyika - Altolamprologus Compressiceps sp. Shell tank:


15 gallon - Altolamprologus Compressiceps sp. Shell tank overview by rck.hermans, on Flickr


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

Absolutely gorgeous! The scape is perfect. Your tank is inspiring. Such a great, naturalistic setup in such a small tank.

I'm giving you a 9.5 rating. It'd be an easy 10 if you moved the heater to the corner and set it up vertically. Aqueon makes a completely black heater that would 'disappear' into your BG.

Also, you forgot to rate the tank above you! :thumb:

Here is a 125 gallon tank featuring cichlids from Mexico.


IMG_2100 by AJK Aquaria, on Flickr


IMG_1957 by AJK Aquaria, on Flickr


IMG_1942 by AJK Aquaria, on Flickr


----------



## rck1984

Iggy Newcastle said:


> Absolutely gorgeous! The scape is perfect. Your tank is inspiring. Such a great, naturalistic setup in such a small tank.
> 
> I'm giving you a 9.5 rating. It'd be an easy 10 if you moved the heater to the corner and set it up vertically. Aqueon makes a completely black heater that would 'disappear' into your BG.
> 
> Also, you forgot to rate the tank above you! :thumb:
> 
> Here is a 125 gallon tank featuring cichlids from Mexico.
> 
> [Pics]


First of all.. Thanks for the kind words 

About the heater.. I tried to put the heater into a corner verticaly before but it's just a tad to tall for my tank. Therefore i had to put it a little diagonal. That's why I prefer putting it this way 

Allthough i am not the biggest fan of "woody" or "planted" tanks, i have to admit that your's looks great. Often American tanks are overdone with plants/wood to my taste, your's sure isn't.
I really like the subtle lightning too.

9.5 outta 10.

*@Tigerfish85:*

Nice and clean looking tank but not really my cup of tea. A little too clean and "planty" for my taste. Also the contrast between plants, substrate and stones is a little "steep" to me.

7 outta 10.

Another tank of mine, a 15 gallon Lamprologus Multifasciatus tank with about 50x Lamp. Multifasciatus and 350-400 empty shells:


Lamprologus Multifasciatus Overzicht by rck.hermans, on Flickr

Lamprologus Multifasciatus by rck.hermans, on Flickr


----------



## cruizer8

I would give the tank above an 8.

Here is my first tank, a 55G. Just put the fish in there yesterday and I didn't realize how fast they are. Makes them hard to photograph.


----------



## Tigerfish85

Cruizer8: really solid tank, and fish are gonna be great as they grow up, acei(sp?) get a bit big for the 55 in the long run. I give it a 7. Easily could be an 8.5 just would recommend a solid black or 3d background, maybe crushed coral or sand black or white and only minimal green plants would boost it way up for my personal tastes. I haven't gotten mine to the level of realism I would like but I updated so ill post a pic. Love this thread


----------



## jetz

not a big fan of that gravel but nice rock set up, 7/10.

here's mine: 75g with mixed cichlids.


----------



## MiguelFerreira

i will give you a 7 ,very nice fish but feels a litle bit empty for a malawi setup :/
this is my 92g malawi setup ^^


----------



## THunter

7/10. only because Im not a fan of fake plants and fake backgrounds. I think it would look great with the fake plants removed and a black background added. Nice clean tank!

Heres mine: 75G Mbuna

Had trouble getting clear pics in low light:


----------



## jetz

MiguelFerreira said:


> i will give you a 7 ,very nice fish but feels a litle bit empty for a malawi setup :/
> this is my 92g malawi setup ^^


yeah i kinda felt like it too, i traded 4 fish to lfs and got 7 new ones. i have 14 in the tank right now and it definetely looks full and more active. trying to find a group of 3 cheweres to finish the tank.

ill edit in a new pic soon


----------



## 801boon

Solid 8 . I love the simplicity , so clean. Great work!


----------



## rdog187

6/10 due to not having any fish. Driftwood and plants is a look I really enjoy though. Here is mine with....driftwood and plants.


----------



## Cichlid Debby

Very nice, 9/10

This my 33L Keyhole tank


----------



## ManLasvegas

very nice :thumb:


----------



## stalefish83

9.5/10 Debby. Very natural looking with the mix of plants and the wood that stretches almost the full length of the tank. I love it!
CAM01196 by stalefish83, on Flickr

CAM01184 by stalefish83, on Flickr


----------



## Sab2k

8.5 coz I love the woodwork.

My 120 Gallon Malawi Tank.


----------



## jeffkro

9
I love the left 2/3rds but the right would look better if it didn't look quite so stacked.


----------



## johnnymarko

0/10 since you don't have a pic  (not going to use the tank listed under your profile)

Need to rework the right side a bit...large plants in the back corners are 'hiding' my intakes/outtakes after a failed attempt of creating a 3D background, so not permanent..just got the crushed coral in last night and I love it, also waiting for my LED lights to show up (pic just has one of my T5's on)

Anyone have suggestions?


----------



## cichliduk

8/10 looks good. Like the selection of fish and coral substrate. Not a fan if the plastic grass type plants but only IMO .

My tank: 2 power glow t5s, linestone rock, natural gravel (really wanna convert to sand) some hanging silk plants to cover pipework. Fish love hiding in them.


----------



## somebody

Friggin gorgeous 9/10! I agree move to sand and Maybe a black background try to move your lights back to cast shadows to add depth 9/10 because silk plants natural gravel










http://imgur.com/gzrqKgz

125 long, crushed coral, 2 current usa orbit marine led fixtures


----------



## afc_man44

I would give the last one 7 out of 10 I don't like a blue background. Here is my 55 peacock and hap tank







[/URL][/img]


----------



## Stephensjp

I rate the tank above a 8 love the rock layout, i also like the black sand to make the rocks pop!

Looking for some feedback on my tank open to all suggestion


----------



## Stephensjp

Stephensjp said:


> I rate the tank above a 8 love the rock layout, i also like the sand make the rocks pop!
> 
> Looking for some feedback on my tank open to all suggestion


----------



## wortel87

i give you a 6. i personally dont like the fake decorations. (the skulls, ship, blue plant) add a nice piece of driftwood 










here it goes.


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## MiguelFerreira

Il give u a 9 ,real good rock work^^


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## jeffkro

I'm used to rocky african setups, but yours looks great. I give it a 7, would rate higher with some type of background that hides the equipment behind the tank.


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## Iggy Newcastle

jeffkro said:


> I'm used to rocky african setups, but yours looks great. I give it a 7, would rate higher with some type of background that hides the equipment behind the tank.


Ya gotta post a pic of your tank to give a rating. Thems the breaks :wink:


----------



## MiguelFerreira




----------



## jeffkro

Iggy Newcastle said:


> jeffkro said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm used to rocky african setups, but yours looks great. I give it a 7, would rate higher with some type of background that hides the equipment behind the tank.
> 
> 
> 
> Ya gotta post a pic of your tank to give a rating. Thems the breaks :wink:
Click to expand...

I'll be honest, I don't know how to load an image on this sight. There is no way to do the attachment thing that I can see.


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

There's a sticky on the top of each section of the forum describing how to go about loading an image or video.

Here's the link-
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=255444


----------



## somebody

MiguelFerreira said:


>


I agree with jeffkro but you can make it work if you can hide the equipment 9/10

After an much needed overhaul....


















http://imgur.com/4wN2lh7




http://imgur.com/2D4x45b


----------



## chris-gashead

MiguelFerreira said:


> Il give u a 9 ,real good rock work^^


nice looking aquarium, shame there is no background as someone else stated..... 7 

day time



night time


----------



## jeffkro

My 20G, currently just holding my German Red. I know it needs a background.


----------



## Ron

^ I'd rate it a 3 based on no background, no attempt to hide equipment, and the green substrate (stir it up every so often to help get rid of the algae coat).

And in keeping with the rules, here's a tank of mine:








*I assure you there is a pair of julies and 1/2 a dozen A. calvus "ink fin" in there.


----------



## Borsig

Id call the one above me a 7.5. I like the natural looks. Scape doesnt flwo to me though. Maybe its a personal taste thing.










Lateste version of my 180. Terrible phone pic. Water is cloudy from a change.

Needs more background plants, but they eat everything, even the anubias get chewed on. I may try some silk ones, and have a mixed real/fake plant system. There are also more fish in there than it looks like. 10 labs, 9 metriaclima dolphin, and 7 acei. There are also 4 synos.

The tank is a CL tank and stand. Lights are a t5no 48" coralife for low light, a 6 foot odeyssa ebay LED fixture for high light. homeade background from foam insulation and drylok. rocks are from the rock yard, driftoowd is some mopana, some drift from the york river by yorktown va. The one one the left is a mix of cedar and mopani. PFS for substrate Filter is a 40B sump, and a UV unit.


----------



## anthraxx4200

i really like the stock and rocks, but the background just doesnt fit for my tastes, also the plants arent nearly spread out enough. that log should be invloved in some kind of center piece distraction imo. ima give it a solid 5 with room to hit 7 if suggestions are followed. heres my 10g 3dbg Lamprologus Brevis "kitumba" tank.


----------



## jeffkro

Awesome 10G tank, I give it an 8 filter doesn't help.


----------



## ldregz

I'll give it a 5. Looks like a good growout setup!

Here is my new 210gal that's going to house my Malawi show males. I just finished setting it up and now working on cycling.


----------



## chris-gashead

ldregz said:


> I'll give it a 5. Looks like a good growout setup!
> 
> Here is my new 210gal that's going to house my Malawi show males. I just finished setting it up and now working on cycling.


Looks good, nice rock arrangement 8

My firemouth and sword aquarium


----------



## clhinds78

chris-gashead said:


> Looks good, nice rock arrangement 8
> 
> My firemouth and sword aquarium


I'll give the above tank an 8. I think a few more plants would look nice.

Here's the current state of my 75G mixed african cichlid tank:


----------



## Pinaki_Pal

Hi All,

Like to share my 56 Gallon Tang Cichlid set up........



















It's still in fishless cycling phase and will hold few Julidochromis & N.Brichardi ....

As u can see the tank is not that big hence my choices of fishes will be restricted among these two types......

Will b looking forward to get some constructive suggestions & criticizm


----------



## Pinaki_Pal

Hi All,

PFB some pictures of my old Mbuna tank..............   Hope u like it..




























Here is a video link ......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... YQkaq7BaA4


----------



## clhinds78

Pinaki_Pal said:


> Hi All,
> 
> PFB some pictures of my old Mbuna tank..............   Hope u like it..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is a video link ......
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... YQkaq7BaA4


I'd give the above tank an 8. Nice looking tank, but it could use a few more rocks. Would love to see one of your new tanks.

Let's try this again. Here's my 75G mixed malawi cichlid tank:


----------



## Nocturnal Splash

A solid 7! Like the simple rock work, but it could use some better looking plants(my personal tastes). I'm not a fan of plants that look overly "plastic". I think if you added some more rock and less plants or different plants more subtly, it could look a lot better. But still nice work!

And with this being my first post, here is my new setup. After many years of Goldfish, I switched over to adopting Cichlids about a year ago. This is my 65G rimless cube Yellow Lab(6) & White Top Afra-Hara(5) setup. The pictures I don't feel do it very good justice....probably would have been better if taken with more light in the room. Hope I did an ok job. I am happy with the way it turned out.

























Unfortunately they were all kinda camera shy :?


----------



## Nocturnal Splash

Oh and Pinaki_Pal, I think it looks awesome...I love how it looks so natural and modern. Reminds me of one of the levels in Mortal Kombat! lol Once you add a nice backdrop, it would be a solid 9 definitely for me! Simple but VERY effective.


----------



## Nocturnal Splash

Let me try this again, I apologize. First two pictures did not work. I'd edit but I see editing is time limited.


----------



## Corphish

Very nice, I'd give it an 8/10, just because the shape doesn't seem ideal for cichlids. Perhaps rearrange that piece of real wood/vine so it spreads out to the sides/back and leaves the front open for swimming...then again I'm not sure if I'm really looking at it right.

Here is my 55 gallon. The substrate consists of crushed coral one one half, with pea gravel on the other and a patch of fine white sand along the front left portion. Smooth small river rocks separate the different substrates, but of course the fish have mixed it up somewhat and that is fine by me, I love the look. Didn't turn out too well in the picture. Unfortunately all décor is artificial, but I had to compromise with my significant other...he was too nervous about me filling the tank with real rocks, paranoid about it breaking...so he bought me some nice arftificial pieces which I do like but would still prefer real rocks. They are artificial holey rock, and purple reefs. I hate the plastic plants, lol, but again, its a compromise...and they were a gift so I am kinda obligated. But they don't look too bad now I have had them for awhile and they have grown some algae. Filtration is fluval 306 canister, and a small hang-on-back, as well as aqueon 500gph circulation pump. Fish are; 11 yellow labs (4 albino), 8 yellow-tail acei, 1 Aulonocara bi-colour 500, and 1 male P.elongatus mpanga (he isn't aggressive but probably won't stay long)


----------



## DLLNP

Corphish said:


> Very nice, I'd give it an 8/10, just because the shape doesn't seem ideal for cichlids. Perhaps rearrange that piece of real wood/vine so it spreads out to the sides/back and leaves the front open for swimming...then again I'm not sure if I'm really looking at it right.
> 
> Here is my 55 gallon. The substrate consists of crushed coral one one half, with pea gravel on the other and a patch of fine white sand along the front left portion. Smooth small river rocks separate the different substrates, but of course the fish have mixed it up somewhat and that is fine by me, I love the look. Didn't turn out too well in the picture. Unfortunately all décor is artificial, but I had to compromise with my significant other...he was too nervous about me filling the tank with real rocks, paranoid about it breaking...so he bought me some nice arftificial pieces which I do like but would still prefer real rocks. They are artificial holey rock, and purple reefs. I hate the plastic plants, lol, but again, its a compromise...and they were a gift so I am kinda obligated. But they don't look too bad now I have had them for awhile and they have grown some algae. Filtration is fluval 306 canister, and a small hang-on-back, as well as aqueon 500gph circulation pump. Fish are; 11 yellow labs (4 albino), 8 yellow-tail acei, 1 Aulonocara bi-colour 500, and 1 male P.elongatus mpanga (he isn't aggressive but probably won't stay long)


Nice tank! I give it 7.... really like the dark background, but you hit the nail on the head about the plastic and other artificial decor. I really think you could really make this a piece of artwork with some real rocks, although sometimes you just have to compromise right?  You're tank is more than strong enough to hold rocks 

Here is mine, quite a few fish are hiding unfortunately.


----------



## trav

I will give the tank above me an 8. I really like the rock formations & the height of the background plants.

Here is mine. I am currently fighting brown algae. Its a new set-up. I went from a 29g to a 55g. 
I have 2 demasoni, 2 yellow labs, 2 auratus & 2 "assorted" africans.


----------



## Pinaki_Pal

Nocturnal Splash said:


> Oh and Pinaki_Pal, I think it looks awesome...I love how it looks so natural and modern. Reminds me of one of the levels in Mortal Kombat! lol Once you add a nice backdrop, it would be a solid 9 definitely for me! Simple but VERY effective.


Thanks  

here is a picture with backdrop


----------



## stalefish83

Looks stellar, Pinaki. I agree with Spash, solid 9! I love the gradual incline sloping up into opposing points. Excellent example of major and minor focal points. They don't detract from each other, but complement each other while at the same time being at opposition (if that makes any sense). Masterfully done!

Here's a recent re-scape of mine:
CAM01701 by stalefish83, on Flickr


----------



## whocares1980

Please rate my tank and advice if I need to insert or take out

I had Drift wood but it was making my Ph low so i removed after all fish life is more important than my display view


----------



## whocares1980

Sorry missed out I would rate the tank above me 7 if the fishes remain less as there is not much hide outs


----------



## stalefish83

whocares1980 said:


> Sorry missed out I would rate the tank above me 7 if the fishes remain less as there is not much hide outs


There's 4 fish. 2 Honduran Red Points, 1 Firemouth and 1 Blue Acara. They all have plenty of places to hide and lots of sight-breaks :thumb:


----------



## xtrmln

Who nice tank I give you a 6+. I'm not a big fan of man made decor but to each there own 

Here is my 72g bowfront all male peacock and hap tank. I've posted before but have it set up differently now. What can I use to hide my filter intakes better? I found some black plastic for organizing wires but they are ribbed and don't quite black it out enough for my liking. They do however not show as bad as the pic represents.


----------



## toxicmegakitten

8.5. Nice rocky hardscape. Maybe make the height of the "rock wall" vary so it it has more dramatic peaks and valleys.

Heres mine:


----------



## toxicmegakitten

Sorry, I rated the wrong tank. I'd give this an 7.5, needs more rock work.

Here's mine.


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

> What can I use to hide my filter intakes better?


If possible, transition the tubing to PVC. Spray paint it black using Krylon Fusion Black.


----------



## whocares1980

I changed the setting and add more plants Anubias


----------



## whocares1980

Sorry I forgot I would rate the tank above me a solid 6 and is this holy taxes rock?, I don't think so or is it plaster made up.


----------



## johnnymarko

whocares1980 said:


> I changed the setting and add more plants Anubias


I give it a 4...the two tone substrate has me confused, and will look messy once the fish start sifting it...also based on your other threads, I think you could use some work on your stocking...I like the plants though

Here's mine


----------



## whocares1980

Hmm your look neat and you are right i wish i got white sand only and not the black. can I do anything about it now?

and you have huge drift wood will it not decrease the PH level in your tank I have 2 small ones and i had to remove them.

I should remove the Embunas from my tank you think?

I would rate your tank 7 and are those lava rocks?

thanks


----------



## johnnymarko

I soaked each piece of wood for about 2 months before putting them in my tank and it hasn't affected my pH at all

Yes, they are lava rocks. A lot of people don't like them, but the little pockets grow some algae in them and the fish love picking it off, and I like the look of them so I keep them 

As far as removing your mbunas, you should listen to what others have said in the other threads about your stocking.


----------



## jsmckinley1

mittzgame...nice set up, a lot of time invested, 8.5


----------



## forest109

johnnymarko said:


> I soaked each piece of wood for about 2 months before putting them in my tank and it hasn't affected my pH at all
> 
> Yes, they are lava rocks. A lot of people don't like them, but the little pockets grow some algae in them and the fish love picking it off, and I like the look of them so I keep them.


I used Florida driftwood (mainly Cypress) in African cichlid tanks for years with no detrimental effects. Although slow leaching of tannins and tannic acid from the wood will tend to discolor the water and lower the pH slightly, changing the water regularly will prevent either from being a problem. As far as lava rock goes, I've never used any in an aquarium, but I've heard that some lava can leach metals or other detrimental chemicals contained in the rock. However, it depends on where the lava is from. Most is probably completely safe to use, but I would do a Google search to check on the chemical composition of lava from a particular area or whether anyone has reported any problems with it. Other than that, the only detriment would be that the surface can be really rough/sharp.

Nice tank - I'd rate it a 7.5. Nice driftwood and arrangement, but could use more rocks. The fish seem to like it, as they have all made it to adulthood.

As far as my tank goes, I don't see how to link an URL of the photo(s) contained in my tank profile, as a specific URL of that page does not appear when I navigate to it. But, you can view it by doing a search of the Aquarium Gallery for Select Field = Title and enter "Malawi Rock Habitat". And if someone can explain how to post that URL here, I'll be glad to do it.


----------



## StevesCichlids

Heres my brand new 75. Mix of pool filter sand and red flint sand. Spraypainted blue background. Aqueon modular led (one blue, one white, one colormax). The night lights are two 10w rgb floods from ebay set on soft blue. Assorted rocks from the local landscape place. Stock is still in the works.


----------



## Cichlid Debby

Very nice, solid 8. Love the lighting and rockwork, maybe just a little more height.

Here's my 75, I never did like how the stenciling came out. Had to move the Oscar into this tank and rehome some others, so after an interior rework I was too lazy to drag it out to repaint it.


----------



## StevesCichlids

Hey thanks debby! By height do you mean you wish the tank was taller, or the rocks should be stacked higher?

I like your tank too. Looks nice and natural. Not sure what to rate it haha.


----------



## Cichlid Debby

StevesCichlids said:


> Hey thanks debby! By height do you mean you wish the tank was taller, or the rocks should be stacked higher?
> 
> I like your tank too. Looks nice and natural. Not sure what to rate it haha.


Sorry Steve, I did mean rocks, thought just some extra height in a stratgic spot would do it.


----------



## linda521dawn

I am by no means an expert but here is my tank 
2014-10-01 11.20.06 by linda521dawn, on Flickr


----------



## linda521dawn

no idea why pic is do small but if you click on it, it will get bigger...sorry


----------



## linda521dawn

anyone?


----------



## johnnymarko

linda521dawn said:


> anyone?


Be patient...it can take a few days for someone to post a picture of their tank and rate yours...I just posted a photo of mine and nothing has changed, otherwise I'd post and rate yours


----------



## forest109

Yes, I posted a rating on johnnymarko's tank last week (on p. 183) but got not response to my own, although that may have been due to the fact that I had no URL to an image available to attach to the post, just a note on how to view my tank in the "My Tanks" section of the forum. Apparently that wasn't enough. Anyway, having finally gone to Flickr to upload a photo, here's mine.


__
https://flic.kr/p/15469294961


----------



## StevesCichlids

How about now with some more height? Not sure how else to stack it.


----------



## StevesCichlids

Just sort of worried how much weight in rocks my tank will hold haha.


----------



## whocares1980

I would rate 5 to the tank above me.


----------



## linda521dawn

my post never got rated so will try again  For the tank above me, I love the stone background! Im going to give you a 6.5 I feel like this tank is so "busy" with all the different decor that the fish are not showcased enough. They are kind of blending in.

Here is my 90 gal tank, again Im no expert just go with what I like. cant wait for an opinion or two


----------



## forest109

Well, I'll jump in and post. Very nice tank, and nicely arranged. I'll rate it a 7 to 7.5, and not higher only because I've never been a big fan of hollow artificial rocks (or Texas "holey rock" for that matter - to me it just doesn't look like a natural environment). But, that's just my preference. That being said, with fairly aggressive mbunas, they need plenty of places to hide! I would add even more rock.

I've already attempted (5 posts above) to attach a photo of my 90 gallon tank - can't seem to get the image itself to show up, just a URL link to get to it, but at least that works.


----------



## linda521dawn

forest109 go to imjur and upload your photo. after photo uploads on the right of the page is codes. copy bb code then paste code here on comments. Just learned this myself. I love the natural look to your tank, will give you an 8 but if i were you I would repost so someone with experience can rate you. Good luck


----------



## forest109

linda521dawn: Thanks! The site is Imgur, but I found it. Photo is below: 90 gallon "Malawi Rock Habitat"


----------



## whocares1980

Dear Linda,

Thanks for 6.5  I know i over loaded but to be very honest I have around 50 fishes Real small small med n large n 2 are 5 inch. I wanted to give them maximum hide out places and tired my best to give them their natural habitat.

Thanks


----------



## forest109

whocares1980:

I'll agree with Linda on her rating and comments. Your tank is nice, but really busy in that you use a lot of different types of rock, some odd shapes, some very laminated (flat) and stacked. Also, your many fish are small now, but you will need to plan for the very near future when they start getting larger. Give them some larger caves and places to hide. These fish are pretty aggressive, and the "king of the tank" male will start dominating and running the others to death. That being said, one way to spread the misery amongst the other fish is to stock the tank with a lot of fish. The more targets, the less misery for each non-dominant fish. As you know, they also tend to dig a lot, so either minimize the number of plants (real or artificial) or really make an effort to anchor them between rocks and woodwork, etc. I just decided to eliminate plants from my tank, since they are not really a part of the main rocky Malawi environment.


----------



## JP_92

9 @ forest109. The pic makes me feel like im scuba diving.

Here's mine it's the last shot of my tank before I'm making a fish change. The socolofi is the boss and him and a few others not pictured have new homes. As for my tank the rocks were put in at different times so the the green algae which I like inst evenly distributed yet. If I would do it over id go all rocks.

Stock list @ time of picture 
75 Gallon
Male: Rock Kribensis / Socolofi / Flavus / Acei / Rusty / Thickskin Sp 44 / Yellow Lab / Red Tail Shark / Convict (Rescue fish)
Female: 2 Yellow Labs / Msobo Deep / Demasoni


----------



## dsiple3

8.5 @JP_92. My wife gave it a 10. I have to admit that your plastic plants look a lot better than mine did when I used them. I am also very picky when it comes to aquascaping. Mine below is not to the level I want yet either.

Here is my 125G 6' Mbuna tank.


Stock is 20+ Demasoni, 9 Yellow Labs, 4 Acei (will be removed in a few weeks when I move the tank), 2 BN Plecos, 1 7" Syno Eupterus, and 1 6" Syno Decorus. 3D background wraps around the sides to hide intake and returns. Everything else in the tank is natural, including the algae  .
Filtration: Rena XP3 and Eheim Pro II
Temp kept at 80F.


----------



## ebgigolo

8 for dsiple3, I really like the stones!

Here is my 300 litres aquarium:


----------



## Her-DR.Jekyll

forest109 said:


> linda521dawn: Thanks! The site is Imgur, but I found it. Photo is below: 90 gallon "Malawi Rock Habitat"


I'll give the above a 4 only because I feel there isn't enough contrast to really bring out the tank mates. It's a good start though!
Here is mine! 40g Breeder with a few different south african cichlids, socolofi, convict, pleco, Tiretrac eel, and a couple Jack dempseys. This used to be a Tropical Fish Habitat till I moved over to Cichlids, it's a work in progress until I can move up to a larger tank!


----------



## Her-DR.Jekyll

ebgigolo said:


> 8 for dsiple3, I really like the stones!
> 
> Here is my 300 litres aquarium:


DOh! I quoted the wrong photo! I give this one a 9 because it's gorgeous!

***Is there a way to edit your post on this forum?


----------



## stalefish83

8.5 to Jekyll. I just read your thread and can't believe most of the stuff in this tank is fake! It looks so natural, and it's arranged in a way that makes me feel like I'm peering into a slice of nature (besides the random blue stuff, haha). The reflection in the picture is a bummer, and I normally don't like mixed substrates, but I love this tank!

Here's yet another re-scape of mine after moving it into the house from the garage

CAM02023 by stalefish83, on Flickr

CAM02031 by stalefish83, on Flickr

I have 2 Honduran Red Points (1m 1fm), 1 Firemouth (male), 1 blue acara (sex un-known) and newly added Rainbow cichlids (x8, to be widdled down to 5 once I can sex them to get a 2m to 3fm ratio). 48l x 18w w/ 3 cannister filters (2 aquatop cf 300s and 1 fluval xp3)


----------



## JimA

I'm going to give that a solid 9 nice tank and layout! Only thing would be paint the white fittings kinda distracts from the tank. Still not bad overall.

Here is an updated pic of mine that I have re scaped umpteen times over the last few years. I do it now about every 6 months or so, keeps em on their toe's I mean fins..


----------



## Cerdik

Just beautiful!!

Easy 10 points

Here is mine, updated:


----------



## alan_mary

Give the tank above a 9 really like the set up and the background looks great

also the colours of the fish contrast great

this is my 7'x3'x2' tang tank for frontosa when its ready im awaiting delivery of a back to nature 3d background so will have that fitted soon but thought i would post it up now


----------



## clhinds78

alan_mary said:


> Give the tank above a 9 really like the set up and the background looks great
> 
> also the colours of the fish contrast great
> 
> this is my 7'x3'x2' tang tank for frontosa when its ready im awaiting delivery of a back to nature 3d background so will have that fitted soon but thought i would post it up now


I'll give this tank a 7. I think once you get the 3d background and fish it will look awesome! That might bump it up to a 10. 

Here's mine. I recently painted the background black. I really like how it looks. Next goal is to get a better light, just has 6500k lEDs on it right now.


----------



## ChadRamsey

nice clhinds78 Ill give it a 7.5.

Heres my 125 SA tank. Angels. Rams. Checkerboards. Dithers


this is how it started life.


----------



## alan_mary

10/10 for that looks excellent

heres an update shot with the background fitted and rocks re scaped slightly


----------



## whocares1980

Nice Tank set up above me a solid 7 I'd say , here is mine


----------



## jenn134

I give the tank above me a 8 
I love the colorful fish..

I am going to try to post my 75 Gal frog tank 
hope it works

https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.stuar ... =3&theater

copy and paste

I hope it works 
Jenn


----------



## jenn134

that tank has 10 frogs 2 pacosamis's ( can't spell ) 1 rainbow shark and 2 platys


----------



## somebody

Maybe I'm not the best tO rate your frog tank. I don't like frog tanks. But to stay unbiased I would give it a 5/10. No "flow" to it. The stacks look very manmade and unnatural. The frogs are big! Needs a bg. I think if you went in and changed to natrual gravel, got one kind of rocks and planted the tank it would be awesome. Spend some more time aquascaping. Constructive criticism. :thumb:

My malawi mbuna 125. It's been on here before but not since the rework about 4 months ago. Plants are taking nicely and the fish (44) are breeding.


----------



## alan_mary

easy 9/10 would of been 10 if the plants were not there

here is mine with fish and new rock layout now

currently 10 f1 lions cove yellow labs 10 f1 maisoni reef and 6 f1 chewere





water line is down due to water change otherwise it would be full


----------



## somebody

alan_mary said:


> easy 9/10 would of been 10 if the plants were not there
> 
> here is mine with fish and new rock layout now
> 
> currently 10 f1 lions cove yellow labs 10 f1 maisoni reef and 6 f1 chewere
> 
> 
> 
> [url=http://s893.photobucket.com/user/marylovesalan/media/10822684_729741000443855_1008336219_n_zpsee4b17fb.jpg.html]
> 
> water line is down due to water change otherwise it would be full



Fixd it :thumb:


----------



## alan_mary

cheers my photobucket was down so had to copy from another site lol


----------



## drewmaen

Your tank is an easy 9 love the backing and the rocks look great. This is my 120 tank. mostly river rock. I know people dont like the plants but I use then to add some color and hide stuff.


----------



## jclark2191

Diggin the rock structure and the spontaneous mixing of plants. I give it a 7 overall only because some of the tanks I've seen here have drastically raised the curve!! Hahaha.


----------



## juanke

Hey everyone! This is a 40 breeder SA cichlid tank. I have 4 angelfish, 3 apisto tripple reds, 4 rummynose tetras, 3 cory cats and a few mystery snails


----------



## juanke

sorry, i forgot to rate the tank! I give it an 8, I love the driftwood!


----------



## ChaloopaBatman

7. I like how the plants grew, and the driftwood.

This is my 30g - Its fairly new, still gotta slap a backround on there.


----------



## kinyon209

I rate 7... I agree it needs a background and maybe less store bought deco and more natural rock. Here is my 60 gallon. I just finished cycling it and still has the tiger barbs I used to cycle it. Waiting for my delivery to come in to stock it.


----------



## kinyon209

oops sorry copied wrong code........

I rate 7... I agree it needs a background and maybe less store bought deco and more natural rock. Here is my 60 gallon. I just finished cycling it and still has the tiger barbs I used to cycle it. Waiting for my delivery to come in to stock it. I know some people are not fans of fake plants LOL


----------



## whocares1980

Hey Very nice and neat setup  I would give a solid 7 

Here is my trophs 75g tank


----------



## ChaloopaBatman

kinyon209 said:


> I rate 7... I agree it needs a background and maybe less store bought deco and more natural rock.


All my plant life is natural, no plastic nonsense. I do agree though, I need more rock formation. I've put some live rock in since that picture, also added the background. But still needs more. The plant life, and driftwood does give them nice hideouts for now as they're all juvenile.


----------



## whocares1980

I dont have anything artificial in there, all natural rocks mostly picked up from here and there and only the Base rock and lava rocks are bought from the store...


----------



## highbl00d

I think I need a better camera or something, but it looks better in person...LoL


----------



## pilla

Neutral 5 i would say.

Heres my Roma 125. Would like a larger tank but alcove space is small.


----------



## highbl00d

pilla said:


> Neutral 5 i would say.
> 
> ouch...lol oh well... thanks anyway...


----------



## whocares1980

Nice set up marine kind a solid 8 

My new set up


----------



## cchldcpl

I would rate the tank above me a 5, the rock seems a little bare and my thoughts are mixed in on the plants, but overall not bad. 
Now my tanks is a brand new not stocked Hap/Peacock tank...

.


----------



## Goose14

I'd give the tank above me a solid 7. I really like the rock you have on the right side of the tank

Here is my 75g mbuna tank


----------



## Maximus74

I give the tank above me an 8, I like the rock and sand.

This is my 150g tank with a black background. I did a really simple setup to facilitate the maintenance. The tank is cycling, it will contain peacocks and haps.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j1fbqrj4huy74bt/IMG_4362b.JPG


----------



## Cichlid Debby

Maximus74,
That is a 9.6 for me. Simplicity at it's best. Perfect mountain range, I have no idea how you could improve on this. As for the photo, that is a 10. I just can't decide if the flash is the sun or moon! But I love it.

This is my 75 rework, Some day I will go to silk plants in hopes of a better look. Heater will be hidden once the new one arrives. Greenery on the surface is duckweed for them to snack on, any thing else live would be torn to shreds.


----------



## whocares1980

Wow if the plants are all original idd give a sold 8  nice set up 
here is mine


----------



## jclark2191

Cc_woman - 8
I'm a sucker for live plants and I love how you have used/plan to use every inch of height that tank gives you. I love it!

CichlidNub- 7.5
I'm really diggin the rock work youve built yourself. That is something I would love to eventually have the confidence to do myself. I'm just too scared of breaking/scratching my walls!! I would love to see a little more greenery sprinkled throughout those colorful rocks, though.

As for mine, it's a standard 55G tank. Every plant in there is real and I'm hoping to have the java moss thriving soon. It is tied to the driftwood, as well as creeping up the lava rock on the left side. This tank is mostly Peacocks, but I also have Yellow Labs and Aeci(2 of each) in there for balance and color.


----------



## jclark2191

Sorry whocares1980!! 
Must have refreshed as I was writing!!

I think that you've got a **** of a blueprint started. Lots of floor space, awesome curved viewing window. 5 for now, potential 10 in the making! I'm more than just a little jealous... ;-)


----------



## Tetlee

@jclark2191, I'm giving you a solid 8. Only thing I personally would like to see is some higher points in the decor, maybe a higher stack of rockwork in their would really add to it I think.

Here is mine, although I've never been able to take a single photo of my aquarium that makes it look anywhere near as nice as it does. Think I need a better camera.



It's a 6ft 110G Tanganyikan set-up.


----------



## AquaJosh

I'd give the tank above me an easy 8, great rock formations, seems very clean as well.

Anyway here is my 30gallon cichlid/turtle I have at school with me.
Inside are my 3 cichlids, about 1in-1.5in long each, and my baby red eared slider.


----------



## Stephi

This thread seems to have come to a stall so let me contribute. I rate the tank above mine a 9. I really love the rock work and plants. Reminds me a little of Aztec ruins.

Here is my 75 gallon Mbuna tank. I am in no way a photographer and pictures never do the real experience justice but this is what I get to sit in front of enjoying my coffee and fish.


----------



## CanuckGame

Love your tank stephi 9/10

heres my new setup for Mbuna


----------



## 8adlim3

Great start CanuckGame. Looks very natural. Need to see some fish! I give you a 7.5.
Here is my 210...


----------



## Neptune8

I give the nice looking tank a 7.5 
You could try having a thicker substrate.

Well, this is my 108g tank with juvenile Malawi Haplochromines, with some adjustment to mimic moonlighting.


----------



## ebaybrad

http://my210g.simdif.com


----------



## ebaybrad

my210g.simdif.com


----------



## johnnymarko

ebaybrad said:


> my210g.simdif.com


 :drooling: love that built in...


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

ebaybrad... you need to rate the tank above you by neptune.


----------



## ebaybrad

Oops. Didnt understand.

At first glance, i thought the tank a bit sparce.
however, i then noticed how much the free swimming space and black background make the fish the Centerpoint. Now it looks very zen to me. Coming from someone like me where the tank is so full , you het a grass is greener effect...for me.

I like it . 8.5.


----------



## robertw

FTS, Black Phantoms are schooling a bit
FTS by superkamikazee, on Flickr

Re-homed some rowdy botia loaches that beat up my severum, and picked up these guys. Really enjoying having them in the tank.
Corydoras by superkamikazee, on Flickr

My badly beaten up severum is slowly making a full recovery. It may no longer be show worthy, but I'm just glad I didn't lose it, and hopefully given a few more months it's fins should be closer to how they once were. It's been almost 3 months since it lost most all of it's fins, even the spines were severely damaged.
Severum Rehab by superkamikazee, on Flick

reposted from my thread


----------



## robertw

johnnymarko's tank, 8.5. Looks really good.


----------



## johnnymarko

robertw said:


> johnnymarko's tank, 8.5. Looks really good.


That isn't my tank


----------



## ldregz

I'll give robertw's tank an 8. The severum looks great along with the corys.

Here's a pic of my Copadicrhomis 75 gal breeder tank right after I placed the rocks.
Zebra stone on a mix of white and black sand. Hopefully it'll help the red of my fish pop!


----------



## garbage88

cichlidNub said:


> I always loved the plant themes but could never get them to grow. Here's my 75.


^^^^^^I'm gonna give you a 6/10. I like the rock setup, but I think the two plants seem a bit out of place. But just my opinion.

Here is my 75g green terror tank. 1 male 2 females.


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

Hey garbage....

You rated a tank from page 1 of this thread from 2008.


----------



## garbage88

ldregz said:


> I'll give robertw's tank an 8. The severum looks great along with the corys.
> 
> Here's a pic of my Copadicrhomis 75 gal breeder tank right after I placed the rocks.
> Zebra stone on a mix of white and black sand. Hopefully it'll help the red of my fish pop!


 ^^^^^^Let me do this again after I messed up the first time. Idregz, I am gonna give your tank an 8. Would give it a 9 if it was up and running. Love the sand and rock set up. Wish I could find some rock like that. Would like to see what it looks like set up.

Here is my 75 gallon green terror tank with Malaysia drift wood. 1 male with 2 females.


----------



## Joseph0721

Garbage I love the wood. I give your tank an 8.5.

Here is my 55 gallon


----------



## leszekb

Looks Nice. Solid 8.

And that's my mixed Malawi and tanganyika


----------



## leszekb

Both of my tanks for your comments.


----------



## rdog187

I give leszekb's tanks an 8.5 Nice job

Here is my brand new 75 gallon setup. 20 Tropheus Livua Juveniles, 2 (Male and Female) Eretmodus Cyanostictus Malasa Island, and a Black Calvus. Sand is Lane Mt. sand from Home Depot and rocks are mostly 2X4 ballast rock from a landscape supply retailer.


----------



## wolfemitch

I am a huge fan of the contrast you have here. My rating is a 8/10. Great tank and great use of the rocks. Very serene.

Here is my 33 long Tanganyika Tank (mostly Multis), I posted this tank a year or so ago and made some changes since then based on the comments. Let me know!


----------



## Opulent

Wolfemitch, I'd rate your tank as an easy 8/10. I love the simple and bold look with the rocks, sand and shells which are offset by the black background. Your shellies must really enjoy that environment.

This is my 6ft 180 gallon all male tank:


----------



## Goose14

I give the tank above me a 9.5. Very nice setup.

Here is my 125G Mbuna tank. I know its usually a no no on this but im going to try and add some peacocks and haps in soon. My Mbuna are rather on the mild side as far as aggression so im going to give it a shot and see.


----------



## Yates

Tank looks good. 8 out of 10. As far as mixing. I wouldn't worry I have Haps Peacocks and Mbunas and they are all doing awesome. 75 gallon stock is 
1 Demasoni blue black stripe
1 Auratus yellow black
1 Compressiceps silver w/black 
1 Peacock black/dark black stripe
1 Bumble bee
2 Jewels
1 Demasoni light black and gray striped
1 Peacock Light stripes
1 Hap Red fin Borleyi black red/yellow fins
1 Venustus yellow black circles
1 Placid Electra silver with black stripe on eye
1 Melano Maingano black/purple
1 Nimbo Livingstonii gray with black blotches
2 Blue headed peacocks
1 Albino Auratus
1 Orange Mbuna
1 Multi color Mauna


----------



## The Dude315

Your tank is awesome. I do 9/10. The driftwood doesn't quite mix with the rocks for me. I'm a planted Tank guy so my solution would be some Anubias in the transition area. I wish I paid more attention to you post. If it's a Tang tank it's almost perfect.
This is my South American tank. 75 gallon. Angels, Blue and electric blue rams


----------



## TripleW

Wow nice tank. PLants look healthy, great placement. I give it a 9. Nice job.

Here is a pic of my 125 Gallon Andinoacara Stalsbergi tank.


----------



## Treviathan

Very nice looking tank. I like the driftwood. 9/10

Here is mine with a new 3d background I just got


----------



## michael21esposito

I'd give Ravenatnm, an 8 as I really like his set up. White sand, neatly arranged rocks, and I like how there are separate rock groupings. As for cichlidNub, I go with a 6. Only because I do prefer the white sand, and a more uniform rock set up. I hope I didn't offend anyone, it's just my personal preference.

Here is my 72 bow front set up.
Fluval 405
300 watt heater
2 800 gph power heads, set up on opposite sides, one blowing lower tank and one blowing upper tank.
Whisper ap 300 air pump
80 lbs crushed coral / sand










The reason I have coral rocks, is the reason I started a Cichlid tank. I was in the Dominican Republic on the beach after a big storm and took most of the big rocks home with me. I had no idea what to do with them so I started a fish tank. A salt water set up was too expensive and risky for a beginner, African Cichlids were recommended due too the high alkaline levels the coral produces. My tank was set up in 2007 and I added coral rocks from different beaches along the way. All my originals have since past and I am starting with new fish for this set up. I have recently added 6 new ones and plan on adding more.

I hope you like it!


----------



## michael21esposito

Sorry I took too long to upload my pics and submit...

Treviathan, I'd go with a 7. I really like the 3d background, I had considered making one for my tank. and white sand always gets an extra point in my book! LOL


----------



## alancandy1107

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn12/Candyce_Rothe_Lucas/fishtank2_zpsem6fj14n.jpg

Ok so this is our first tank and my first forum pic. We have a 90 gallon cichlid with peacocks and a few zebra fish. We should have put sand in but realized that to late :( We have 27 fish currently in the tank.

Thanks for any feedback :)
Alan and Candy

on the fishtank rating we are just setting up ourselves but we like the rock formation and can see the cichlids really popping with color against the white coral we give it a 7.


----------



## alancandy1107

ok last try I swear..the photo is there lol


----------



## jsmckinley1

let me know what y'all think.......

55g mixed tank 
custom cabinetry
custom lighting system dual 48'' t-8 with modular lunar light running from dimmable voltage controller, 24'' Marineland LED submersible light bar
Dual Marineland 900 power heads
Penguin custom drip bio filter & bio wheel 350
Eheim heater
artificial plants with river stones
universal aquariums background
50lbs pool filter sand


----------



## The Dude315

I like it. I give it an 8. I think darker edgier rocks and no plastic plants would look better. I'd get some large pieces from a landscape supply place to make some larger outcroppings. I got 150lbs of stone for $50. I hand selected each stone.
This is my new Tang Community tank. I'm flooding it today when the multifasciatus arrive. It's going g to have Calvus and Juli's as well. I may do some moss and Bolbitus in thr open.areas near the back and some Anubias in the area where it transitions from the stones to the shells.


----------



## paelortank

TripleW your tank is AWESOME! 10/10. Simple and beautiful.

My 55g tank definitely doesn't have a natural look, but I have kids who love to look at my fish so I figured I'd make it spunky  Also, I'm a beginner Cichlid keeper. . . Tips would be great! I really need more gravel, but I also want to try sand.


----------



## Ruthiebaby88

mittzgame - - What kind of plants are those - they look great and very wild growing all over the surface.


----------



## zimmy

Ruthiebaby88 said:


> mittzgame - - What kind of plants are those - they look great and very wild growing all over the surface.


What page is the tank you're referring to?


----------



## Ruthiebaby88

page 1- it's the second tank posted -the background is full of grassy looking plants.


----------



## Ruthiebaby88

paelortank - I give your tank an 8 - I think a background would improve it, but I love your creative use of colors. Very unique.


----------



## zimmy

Ruthiebaby88 said:


> page 1- it's the second tank posted -the background is full of grassy looking plants.


OK. That member hasn't been on this site in about 5 years so he/she is not likely to respond.

The plants look like Vallisneria. A very fast growing plant if it's able to establish itself.


----------



## zimmy

Ruthiebaby88 said:


> paelortank - I give your tank an 8 - I think a background would improve it, but I love your creative use of colors. Very unique.


How about posting a pic of your tank?


----------



## fltekdiver

Nice tanks!


----------



## fltekdiver

Please rate my tank. It's a 150 Gallon Mbuna tank, set up for 6 weeks now. Still more fish to stock, as I just finished my cycle 2 weekends ago. I currently have 10 Mbuna, 5 Labs ( 1M & 4 F ) 
and 5 Rusties (1M & 4F ). You can click on the images to enlarge them

Thank you !


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

Can't believe this thread has been dead for over a year...

To the tank above- I rate it a 6
Background looks nice, but not a fan of fake decor you're using. Rocks somewhat match the BG, but are scattered and differ from one another. It definitely suits the mbuna well, just not very natural looking.

A 40 breeder Multifasciatus aquarium. 1st photo is how I set it up. 2nd is a few short days later, after they redecorated.


----------



## PyroSteve

I rate the above tank original a 7. The multi redecorate an 8  

Here's my 55g soon-to-be community Tang tank in the evening (of the 24hr LED cycle), decorated and ready to stock!!


----------



## SportDog

Nice tank. The bamboo is not something I have seen before and I like the look of it.. I rate the tank at an 8

Below is my 100G Mbuna tank
Tank by James Johnson, on Flickr


----------



## ha77

Cant get much better then that for mbuna.
8/10
My setup...with very lazy hardscapes. Waiting for more limestone.


----------



## BuckeyeTez

Looks like what you would want for an Mbuna setup. I think you have what is required for them to hide/break LOS if being chased and still have room and it doesn't look like you've over stocked it. If I can get my wife to buy off on more tank's, I'd like to try some Mbuna!

Here are a few of mine.


----------



## xgtphalex

Oh man I forgot all about this thread. Guess I better get mine up there. .


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

BuckeyeTez said:


> Looks like what you would want for an Mbuna setup. I think you have what is required for them to hide/break LOS if being chased and still have room and it doesn't look like you've over stocked it. If I can get my wife to buy off on more tank's, I'd like to try some Mbuna!
> 
> Here are a few of mine.


You need to rate the tank above you


----------



## BuckeyeTez

Oops, forgot the number, guess I'd give it a 7/10.


----------



## JimA

BuckeyeTez said:


> Looks like what you would want for an Mbuna setup. I think you have what is required for them to hide/break LOS if being chased and still have room and it doesn't look like you've over stocked it. If I can get my wife to buy off on more tank's, I'd like to try some Mbuna!
> 
> Here are a few of mine.


 I give you a 5 out of 10 not a huge fan of plastic plants and would look better if the rocks were separated across the tank and not just stacked in the middle. Lighting looks good. Overall though not bad! Also Looks like you have a Front in there? Not sure how he's going to work in there long term, couple of other future big ones in there as well?

Here's my 8ft 240 around 50+ Tropheus Kasanga Rainbows.


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

Uhhhh... Jim. A picture of that huge tank would be great :lol: :wink:


----------



## gillmanjr




----------



## DJRansome

You need to rate the tank above you.


----------



## gillmanjr

DJRansome said:


> You need to rate the tank above you.


There is no tank above it. But the one above that I'll give a 9 but the pic is kind of bad.


----------



## [email protected]

I give the tank above me a 7, nice rock-work, great layout and looks fun to watch.



http://imgur.com/wqTO3l2


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

Here ya go...

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=255444


----------



## [email protected]




----------



## morrismorris

7/10
Clean looking tank, looks sharp. My suggestion would be more rocks to take up space in the empty areas on the floor of the tank. Regardless, still an awesome setup.

Mine is a 75 gallon mixed Mbuna.


----------



## [email protected]

morrismorris said:


> 7/10
> Clean looking tank, looks sharp. My suggestion would be more rocks to take up space in the empty areas on the floor of the tank. Regardless, still an awesome setup.
> 
> I'll have to share an updated picture of my tank now, I have added some lava rock and some custom slate huts and have covered the entire bottom making tons of new caves. My fish pretty much have 0 aggression in the tank, even with a 6" Kenyi!
> 
> Mine is a 75 gallon mixed Mbuna.


----------



## [email protected]

https://i.imgur.com/65v5Xcg.jpg


----------



## [email protected]

[email protected] said:


> morrismorris said:
> 
> 
> 
> 7/10
> Clean looking tank, looks sharp. My suggestion would be more rocks to take up space in the empty areas on the floor of the tank. Regardless, still an awesome setup.
> 
> I'll have to share an updated picture of my tank now, I have added some lava rock and some custom slate huts and have covered the entire bottom making tons of new caves. My fish pretty much have 0 aggression in the tank, even with a 6" Kenyi!
> 
> Mine is a 75 gallon mixed Mbuna.
Click to expand...

Updated PIC


----------



## Iggy Newcastle

morrismorris said:


> 7/10
> Clean looking tank, looks sharp. My suggestion would be more rocks to take up space in the empty areas on the floor of the tank. Regardless, still an awesome setup.
> 
> Mine is a 75 gallon mixed Mbuna.


I'm getting this going again...
I'm choosing the tank that was newest inline and did not receive a rating.

I like this tank. :thumb: All the same type/color of rock. Background looks great and ties in with the rockwork. Looks natural. Perhaps add a taller stone to the right third of the tank. Tone down the lighting a bit or move it to the front to add depth. 8/10.

Here's a 125 I just setup. 4 species of mbuna.


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## caldwelldaniel26

Really nice setup Iggy, it's got me thinking about starting up my dormant 110 and getting back to my roots with Mbuna. I'll give it a 9/10. Overall, very clean design and done with artistic finesse.


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## mbuna_territory

Very nice setup daniel26, like the background, lighting is on point. Great use of space! 9/10

Here is mine 220 gallon Msobo Magunga biotope


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## The Morning

It is a shame that this thread has fallen so far back in the postings. There are some beautiful tanks in this thread and I am sure anyone planning a new tank could get some great ideas. As for the preceding tank. I love the large rocks. My only issue would be the plumbing. Easily give this an 8.5. 
Here is mine. Hopefully this revives this thread for awhile. Would like suggestions as what can improve aesthetics of my tank.


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## ironspider

Very hard to rate someone else's tank. "The Morning" has a beautiful tank, I love it. I'll call it a 9 with the only knock being the slate that holds the second level of rocks. But that's really just being picky. Nice work "The Morning" Here's my new tank.


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## The Morning

It's funny you say that about the slate as I have been debating removing it because it doesn't "fit" with the other rocks. However every time I start to actually remove I am reminded that the caves they create under are used often by some of the biggest mbuna in the tank. So I have made the decision to sacrifice a better look for the good of the fish. 
It is also ironic that the slate is just about the only real rock in the tank.

But thank you. Feedback is appreciated.


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## MJCanAm

Iron spider I really like your tank and feel it has a "clean look", I especially enjoy your rock set up. Typically I'm not a fan of bubbles but they go well with the tank. I'd give it a 9. The only suggestion I'd have would be to get a dark background of some sort to hide the spray bar on the back glass.


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## sorenH

MJCanAm I would give your tank an 8.5. I like the use of rocks and pots to create caves in which the fish can hide. The way you stack the rocks along with the black background also hides your equipment very well. I myself prefer a slightly more natural look, which is the area in which I think the tank could be improved.

Here is my new 125 gallon tank. I just ordered the first fish today!


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## TheMick

sorenH = I'd give you a solid 8.5 for your tank. It's a little simple/bare for my personal taste but I appreciate how good you've made the simplicity look.

Here is my 75 gal.


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## The Morning

@themick. Love your tank. I wish I could get live plants to work in my tanks but unfortunately they never get established before they are ripped to shreds. Don't reallly have anything bad I can say about your tank. Nice job. That is dragon rock?

Here is my office tank. Work in progress but it getting there.


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## TheMick

The Morning said:


> @themick. Love your tank. I wish I could get live plants to work in my tanks but unfortunately they never get established before they are ripped to shreds. Don't reallly have anything bad I can say about your tank. Nice job. That is dragon rock?
> 
> Here is my office tank. Work in progress but it getting there.


Thanks a lot! You're tank is awesome. It is Dragon Stone/Rock in my tank.


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## DanLong

The Morning said:
 

> @themick. Love your tank. I wish I could get live plants to work in my tanks but unfortunately they never get established before they are ripped to shreds. Don't reallly have anything bad I can say about your tank. Nice job. That is dragon rock?
> 
> Here is my office tank. Work in progress but it getting there.


I like this setup. 9/10. Only point off for the filter stuff, but that's hard to hide no matter what you do! Very nice!


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## DanLong

Here's our wall of 125's. The left tank is a SA community, with Geos, some tetras, corys, BN plecos, and is pending a shipment of Angelfish that should be here next week. The African tank just had fish added about 2 weeks ago, right after this pic was taken. We got a couple from the LFS and a shipment of 11 from a sponsored vendor here.


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## fish_gazer

The Morning said:


> There are some beautiful tanks in this thread and I am sure anyone planning a new tank could get some great ideas.


I'll have to take your word for it. I went through 12 pages and there is no way in Hades I can go through the remaining 180 pages.

I did find it ironic that some of the things aquariums were being knocked for, were the same things that made them unique. Go figure.


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## Halfcopy

180 with Tangs. I'll give the above a solid 7. Some of the tanks on here are absolutely amazing.


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## emersojo

I'll give the above tank an 8. Very interesting and crisp looking. 
Here's my tanganyikan tank. Pretty new so I'm still rearranging things. The plants were for cycling but I might keep them anyway. Leaving algae for the snails.


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## ken31cay

I give the tank above me a 7, love the real plants and nice rocks for hiding spaces.

My 450gal:


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## xtrmln

Ken looks awesome 9 from me. Super clean! I have been thinking of going to more of a minimalist décor myself as of late.

Here is my 90g Peacock/Hap set up. I have had this for about 5yrs with only restacking rocks every other month for deep cleanings.


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## kuplog

xtrmln 9/10 rocks looks good. Nice looking aquarium

here's my 120g tank


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## Discusluv

Nice rock-work. I wish I could see the image better- its a little fuzzy. 8/10

Here is my 180 gallon tank. All wilds: Geophagus sveni and neambi. Biotodoma cupido and wavirinii, Bolivian Rams. African tetras - All Wilds: phenocogrammus, hemigrammoptersius, and alestopetersius species. Corydoras Eques.


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