Ganjero's 120g Cichlids - Mbuna Build

Long time aquarist, I kept cichlids before but for the last two decades I have been keeping planted and reef tanks. Now, after hurricane Irma crahse my reefs I decided to convert them to african cichilds tanks. This thread is for the 120 gallon (see signature for the t280g ).

For the 120g, I have decided to keep the sand, rock, light, sump, circulation pumps, controller, etc..a good jump start. The tank has been cycling since December, I added some plants in late February, and finally the fish 2 weeks ago.

Equipment:
-120g glass tank with home made stand
- Sump/Refugium ( Biological:MarinePure Ceramic block and balls; Mechanical:Sponge and Quilt batting/Refugium has watersprite and a minI algae scrubber)
- 1262 eheim return pump
- Tunze 6095s ciculation pump
- Reefbreeders Photon 48 light
- 300w Finnex titanium heater
- ReefAngel Plus aquarium controller
- Litermeter UPLC-II ATO

Plants (some do not look the best but are recovering, it seems they were grown fully or partially emerged):
- Sword Frans Stoffels LG Pot (Echinodorus sp. Frans Stoffels)
- Anubias barterI var. nana 'narrow leaf'
- Anubias Nana (Anubias barterI v. Nana)
- Java Fern Mat 3x5 (Microsorum pteropus)
- Oriental Sword (Echinodorus 'oriental')
- Amazon Sword Amazon (Echinodorus bleheri)
- Amazon Sword (Echinorodus bleheri)
- Ozelot Sword (Echinodorus sp. Ozelot)
- Ozelot Sword Green (Echinodorus Ozelot Green)

Fish:
- Cynotilapia Zebroides (Cobue) Orange Back Afra (1 male 3 females)
- Pseudotropheus AceI Yellow Tail (1 male 3 females)
- Cynotilapia afra (Jalo Reef) (1 male 3 females)
- Cynotilapia Afra "Mbweca" "Green Afra" (1 male 3 females)
- Metriaclima sp. Msobo Deep magunga ( 1 male, 4 females)
- Labeotropheus Trewavasae West ThumbI Island (1 male 3 females)
- Pseudotropheus WilliamsI Blue Lips (1 male 3 females)
- Synodontis Multipunctatus (6 unsexed)

Some current photos (sorry for the quality, it sI hard to take good pics of an LED lit tank with a phone)







This one is to show more detail on the stand

 

Great looking tank!

 

Nice tank!

Just be aware that the mbuna may eat your plants - they're herbivorous and are known for destroying planted tanks

 

Thanks for the good comments.

Nice tank!

Just be aware that the mbuna may eat your plants - they're herbivorous and are known for destroying planted tanks

I know, I made my plant selection based on other's experiences. I believe the anubias and java fern have great chances of surviving, the swords have a good chance but not as good.

 

Feeding time!

 

Absolutely gorgeous tank man! I'm thinking of making nano 10-20 gallon shelly tank. Do you know of any plants that work well with them? What they like?

 

Absolutely gorgeous tank man! I'm thinking of making nano 10-20 gallon shelly tank. Do you know of any plants that work well with them? What they like?

Thanks for the comment.

yShellies in a nano will be moving everything around, so I would use plants that don't root in the substrate (anubias, ferns, bolbitis, etc.) or floating plants. You could also do some rooting plants such as vals, but I would plant them near a big rock or driftwood and let them root very well before adding fish.

 

Thanks for the comment.

yShellies in a nano will be moving everything around, so I would use plants that don't root in the substrate (anubias, ferns, bolbitis, etc.) or floating plants. You could also do some rooting plants such as vals, but I would plant them near a big rock or driftwood and let them root very well before adding fish.

Yeah, I was thinking of using water sprite in a corner with a large piece of holy rock in front to prevent them from uncovering it. Valsenaria grows in hard water? Neat. And Java Fern mats would look nice as a back ground. Java moss attached to Texas Holy rock? Thanks.

 

Fish are growing nicely

 

Well, the fish in this tank matured fast. I just found a tiny fry, and a female carrying eggs....time to start setting up breeding tanks.

 

Found the Mbweca is the one holding eggs. First three pics below is the female holding, and the last two is the dominant male Mbweca. These are pretty cool mbuna, and I feel like I should definitely set up a breeding tank for them. Sorry for the crappy cellphone pics.