New Here, Coming From Salt To Fw! 46 Bow...cichlids

HELLO!

Glad to be here, after selling my Saltwater tanks due to 2 babies I'm back!

Scored a 46 bowfront, stand and equipment from a divorce sale so I couldn't pass it up. I know 46 is limited on cichlids, not looking to go crazy.

Currently has a Penguin 350, aqueon 36" LED lights with 3 strips and 2 moonlights haven't checked out heater and other equipment. What all is needed for freshwater cichlids?

I'm looking at aragonite and pool sand mixture, how much sand is recommended? Best way to cycle, is there instant cycle to add to help speed up?

Just didn't have time to mix Saltwater and maintenance, figured save time and money and try freshwater this time

 

Welcome to Fishlore!

What species of cichlids were you thinking? There are over a thousand species with very different requirements, so we'll need some specific species in order to help

There's no instant cycling unless you have access to seeded media from another cycle tank. You can do fishless or fish in cycling otherwise.

 

Thank you! Looking at Africans, lake MalawI or peacocks. I know my tank is tough due to 36" footprint.

Also trying to achieve 1-2" sandbed, may do 20 lbs aragonite and 20 lbs Pfs and see how it goes with rinsing.

 

What's your pH? Do you know your GH and KH? You may not need aragonite sand.

I would go with dwarf mbunas for your tank size. It's not really big enough for the bigger African rift lake species.

 

HELLO!

Glad to be here, after selling my Saltwater tanks due to 2 babies I'm back!

Scored a 46 bowfront, stand and equipment from a divorce sale so I couldn't pass it up. I know 46 is limited on cichlids, not looking to go crazy.

Currently has a Penguin 350, aqueon 36" LED lights with 3 strips and 2 moonlights haven't checked out heater and other equipment. What all is needed for freshwater cichlids?

I'm looking at aragonite and pool sand mixture, how much sand is recommended? Best way to cycle, is there instant cycle to add to help speed up?

Just didn't have time to mix Saltwater and maintenance, figured save time and money and try freshwater this time

Hello! Welcome to FishLore Slammed01 !!

 

What's your pH? Do you know your GH and KH? You may not need aragonite sand.

I would go with dwarf mbunas for your tank size. It's not really big enough for the bigger African rift lake species.

Currently in garage, here's a pic before I picked it up. Not Bad for $100.

Also, plan to space 6" from wall for Hob allowing some extra room.

Plan to put on this wall under alarm keypad.




Also, we have hard water so I run a water softener. Does everyone use tap or a store ro water dispenser? My salt I had rodI in garage and also used ro from a local water store.

 

Hard water is great for dwarf mbuna. I wouldn't use RO water or a water softener for them. I use tap water for all of my tanks, even the soft water fish. Most freshwater fish are adaptable to hard water.

 

Good to hear, less trips to a store for water!

 

Kids messed up your hobby and couldn't devote as much time eh? Going through that now.

 

Kids messed up your hobby and couldn't devote as much time eh? Going through that now.

Yea, fiancé wasn't happy with my "20 min" water changes that turned into an hour or so either lol.

 

Yea, fiancé wasn't happy with my "20 min" water changes that turned into an hour or so either lol.

My wife is cool with the water changes, just as long as the kids are not around to bother me with it. You basically have to change it when they're taking naps late at night when they're sleeping...

 

My wife is cool with the water changes, just as long as the kids are not around to bother me with it. You basically have to change it when they're taking naps late at night when they're sleeping...

Exactly my thoughts, mixing salt and going 30 mins to nearest Saltwater store added up. So I retired and saw this tank/stand for $100 and snagged it. She knows the kids will enjoy it. Was supposed to go up after our 5 mo old started walking but it's killing me! Esp cause I need just sand lol

Now to figure out where they sell dwarf mbunas lol.