CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

I have had successful takes before - 10+ years - and have always wanted a 100gal tank.  A couple of friends were tired of their tank and gave it to me.

I have set up the 100 gal in my house and want Cichlids with color and movement.  My husband is terminally ill and although he has given me a hard time and says I'll kill everything - he is already enjoying the cheap Tetra's I stuck in the tank to cycle it before spending the money on cichlids.

The facts so far - 100 gal (6' x 1.5' x 1.5'), glass lids, flourescent lights on only when I'm home (and probably when he's interested during the day), river pebbles on 1/2 bottom and play sand on the other 1/2, a couple of slate rock caves, 4 plastic plants (small) and 8-10 green & blue glass bottles and vases, 2 Fluval 304's (70 gal each), no heater yet - holding 77F without.

My questions:

1.  Should I get a heater?  Should I keep things warmer than 77F?

2.  Should I add more rock - or plants?  I have more artifical's given my, but didn't want to clutter too much.

3.  I was just given another Fluval 304 - should I hook it up too - or can I keep as spare?

4.  Where can I purchase Fluval parts -i.e. Intake Wand and bottom screen/filter, tubing, tubing forms/holders for the U-turn into the tank?

5.  I read angels prefer living topside and most others closer to the bottom.  Can I keep a couple of angels with a couple of other african's? 

6.  I would like colorful fish with lots of movement and as little aggression as possible.  I am not necessarily interested in large sizes, as my oscars got pretty bit for the small tank I had them in and had to give them away too soon.  What do you suggest for numbers and combinations?  i.e.  1 male "x" with 3 females and 4-6 "y's"
  I've been reading as much as possible, but it's all running together in my brain.  Yellow Labs and peacocks are popular in the lfs's, have also seen some orange and maybe blue "labs"(???) and some horizontally gold & black zebra stripped things.  (Such knowledge - huh).

7.  I have a gravel vacuum, what's the best way to clean the sand?  Will the gravel cleaner do it, or have I created myself a huge headache and need to cover it all with gravel??

Looking forward to all the help I can get.

THANKS

Jill in Savannah

On your filter, as this is what I have been tracking down for you.. THIS is the place you can order parts for the Fluval 304:
http://www.petsolutions.com/Fluval+304+ ... 40-I-.aspx
Also look for media too here to complete setting it up..
NOW you only need to have two filters on this tank right now.. Maybe really only "one" as you are just starting out..  BUT I dont' see anything wrong with two.. IF they all have their parts.. NOT a lot of fish here yet, but you can seed the other filter too at this time..

HEATER.. YES I would go ahead and get one.. AS you just set this tank up, one 300w heater in the middle should keep your tank from going down in temp.. A tank that goes back and forth can cause health problems and that you dont' want in a new tank...

Sorry to hear about your husband.. I am glad he like the tank, even with his complaints this should sooth him some...
NOW you dont' want an aggressive tank.. AFRICANS ARE AGGRESSIVE.. BUT they only chase each other around. they dont 'really tear into each other, like some of the Americans cichlids do...

Angels are American cichlids..so I would not keep them with Africans.. Food is different and water conditions are all off too..  Do you know what your pH is?? Lets see where you are here so you can fit the fish to the water already their..

GET a pH LIQUID TEST KIT.. A high range should do fine.. This is instant so you will know right off where you are at...

Americans like it LOW pH.. 6.4 to 7.6...
Africans like it HIGH.. 7.8 to 8.6 and some others, up to 9.0..
TEST the tank water as it has settled enought to figure out where it should stay at...
TEST the tap water and see the difference..

SALT?? did you add in any?? YES this is important and it helps with the AMMONIA AND NITRITE surges..

You have time to figure out the fish you want.. Do the pH test so you can plan from their..

Rocks and plants are up to you.. YOU can always add in more later as the tank gets more fish.  Fix it as you LIKE IT..
As most fish at the LFS are small, they dont' really need a lot right off the bat.. MORE rocks means more to remove with you vac the tank.. IT also displaces more water volume.... Remember that...

As you have both substrates in.. AND I do like the sand. Play sand however wil compact down and that is a problem later.. BUT not a seriouse one.. Every other month you may have to TURN IT OVER.. Gas pockets get into the sand and it needs to be burped you could say....  In a 100 gal tank, I would do a powerhead (s) in a corner aimed at the front glass pointed DOWN so it wil blow the debri off the sand and hopefully to the intake head of the filter.. You can ajust this as needed and see where the debri goes to... This works also with a lot of rock work as it blows out the waste/food from the places it can get traped.. I run one ONLY a hour a day after I feed as that is when they potty.. Any more than that and the fish have to fight the current.. and that wares them out... FYI... YOU wil mostly use the vac in the gravel bed and JUST hoover it over the sand and swish it some to get the debri to float, then let the vac pic it up.. YES you will get sand but use a 5 gal bucket and just replace the sand back  into the tank after you flush it with fresh water...

I like the idea of Angels in the tank.. they are gracefull and peaceful,, most of the time.. IF you do go this route, their are many other tropicals you can add with them and have a great tank.. AND if this does good, set up another smaller tank 65 gal or so, for Africans IF your water conditions allow it.. buffer are easily had to increase the pH IF you need it, but it is a hassell every time do a water change to get it right..
I think I got everything.. Test your water so you can plan for the cichlids you want.. Barb

Bought kit and tested water last night.  PH is 7.2 - I guess it's too early in cycle to have any ammonia, nitrites or nitrates as they were all zero.

I am leaning towards the angels again, but the fish store owner is really trying to get me to get discus.  They are twice the price but beautiful.  She has an aclamated pair of angels plus several other very pretty ones.  The ph around here tap wise tends to be neutral (7-ish).

I am going to get a heater, as it was cool last night and the temp this AM was 74 or 75.  I will get rid of the fluctuation.

THanks for the filter parts source, pretty much just need intake wants and the U-turn guides for piping.

I think that I may let my husband pick between the angels, africans or discus.  Any thoughts on the choices??

THANKS for your quick response & help.

Discus are absolutely beautiful. There are a million different colours of them so you could make the tank really colourful and enjoyable to watch.