Project Tanganyika!!!

Hi all

So I finally convinced the good wife to move my 180 community tank to the TV room, meaning that I now have space for a Tang tank at work!!

I have always wanted one and the posts by @Jack Stone , @lep2soma @Zuraki etc over the last year has finally pushed me over the edge!!

I know nothing about tangs yet except for what I have read in the book I got from @lep2soma so need a lot of advice and help. I want to set this up right form the word go...

I would appreciate if everyone can give input @Jack Stone @Naathir @Nawaag @lep2soma @Zuraki @keith1964 @adesh8028 @Ebrahim @Rowland - if I left out any experts please pitch in!

Tank size:

Obviously the bigger the better - I have 180 cm space for width? Ideal dimensions for this width?

Filtration:

I am not a huge fan of sumps so was thinking of going the canister route?

Heating:

Obviously dependent on tank size but my office gets very cold during winter.

Background:

I love black backgrounds so will be putting that on.

Choice of fish:

Now obviously here it starts getting tricky... I do not want large fish (10-12cm max). I would like a good colour mix as well as a good habitat/behaviour mix if you get my drift.

Substrate/hardscape:

Your thoughts please?

Lighting:

Your thoughts please?

Who can help with fish:
@Zuraki thanks for the offer so far...


What have I missed?

 

@francoisve - Give me a call. I know someone with some nice fishies ...

 

thanks @Reedfish thought along the same lines...

 

@ROEKSTE sorry my friend I knew I was missing out on someone...!! Will do..

 

Howsit guys. Tank size 180 x 700 x 700. nothing wrong with canisters. Lights..... maybe someone can give more input. I like the bigger Tanganyikans but with that size thank you house a great community. All the best with your project.

 

Another Tanganykman. Tank size that Ebrahim mentioned will be perfect. Canister works fine with my setup...
Why not try a dark blue background?
For substrate I would definitely recommend aragonite as it will help keep water hard and stable ph.

 

Thanks @Ebrahim When I measure again it seems 180 is going to be pushing it space wise so I am leaning towards 160 - ish. Can get my hands on a great deal on a new Juwel 450 (150 cm) a bit of a compromise on the volume but still holds +- 450 liters, which should be enough. If need be I will supplement it with a canister filter I like the Juwels as well, nice and neat.

 

@ Nawaaz was thinking about a crushed coral substrate because of the looks, not a big argonite fan as well but it would definitely look nice as well I must say.

 

Hey guy, I think 150cm would work just as well, if you going for a community and incl fronts then you will be limited to the amount, with regards to the substrate I use sand, and to maintain PH I use a sand stone, what you could also do is put arogonite in the filter. Have you thought of the species that you will be keeping?

 

Just watch out for crushed coral substrate it can leech phosphates and cause algae problems

 

@Ryno totally agree

 

I got limestone chip today from a lfs.... I know limestone raise ph. Only thing it looks like normal aquarium gravel. But it will keep the ph up.

 

Thanks @Naathir I wont be keeping any Fronts (well that is the plan for now) as I am not a big fan of the bigger cichlids. i would much rather prefer a nice community mix off sand, shell, rock and open water dwellers to get the full Tang spectrum displayed. Please see @Ryno 's post below and comment everyone. I like the look of crushed corral, makes me think of a shoreline, but off course practicality and common sense must prevail...

 

@Ryno is it so much as to create a huge algae problem? What happens in marine tanks???

 

Tropheus species won't mind algae lol but they not for community tanks.

 

I had Aragonite confused with something else... Looks like this will be the way to go...

 

Howzit! Good to hear from you again.
Please catch my answers to your questions below...

Shout if you have any more questions on the tank setup etc. - I'd like to move on to livestock a bit...

You've indicated that you want to include a few biotopes in the tank....

Here's my favourite setup at present...
We're going to attempt to emulate the rock cliffs (Altomaps and Cyprichromis), shell beds (Brevis, Ocellatus and Multies), open sand and water (Descampsii and Leptosoma) biotopes.

Visually you will have a lot of open space, a couple rock piles and scattered rocks, a few shells in the open and around the rock piles, with an optional shell bed in the front corner.

Build a rock pile in one corner or the tank which starts low down about two thirds the breadth of the base and rises close to the top of the water right in the corner. It should not take up more than 50cm or so in length. Place your second rock pile somewhere in the middle of the remaining length, and not too far forward. Get some single shells and small groups or pairs of shells scattered around the rocks and in the open (for different species). Aim for a stocking list something like the following...

Altolamprologus calvus / compressiceps (any variant) (start with 6-8, keep a pair or harem)
Neolamprologus brevis (start with 6-8, end with two pairs)
Neolamprologus ocelllatus (start with 6, keep a pair or harem)
Neolamprologus multifasicatus (start with 10-20, keep the whole colony bar rejected males, for them you'll need a small shell bed in the the tank somewhere, perhaps the corner opposite to the larger rock pile)
Ectodus descampsii (start with 12, keep two-three males and as many females as you have)
Cyprichromis leptosoma (start with 20-30, keep the lot)
Julidochromis dickfeldi (start with 6, end with a pair)

In this tank you have a lot of competition for shells, this must be managed by building a proper territories for the shell dwellers, done easily by understanding their differences. I'm trying almost exactly the same setup with added Caudopunctatus (they have first dibs on any shell due to their attitude), in a 145cm x 77cm x 71cm, the heigh is irrelevant, the extra length and less the Caudopunctatus you should have very few problems.

The Descampsii males will build sand nests in the open once they are ready to spawn and they will create very effective barriers keeping the shell dwellers in their own territories, while I don't think they have enough gut to actually raid any shelly territories, they might need to learn once but shellies pack a punch.

The Multies will take to beds of shells as they live in colonies and don't do well alone, you can thus easily place them in the tank and keep them there by using a small rock barrier to "close" off their shell bed from the rest of the tank, they will defend it together and will rarely stray from the protection of the colony and their shells.

Brevis pairs should share a shell in the open areas of the tank and won't require more than about 30cm square to call their own.

The Calvus should stick to the rocks but might well claim a shell or two nearby, they're not really out and about fish so they'll be the ones you have to look for between the rocks. The Julidochromis will complete the rocky species, they use differently shaped caves to the the Calvus and have a different eating strategy and diet, they don't bother each other much as long as each has their own little cave, which can be in the same rock structure if you build for it.

The Ocellatus are a bit of wild-card, they're shell dwellers, but they have no problem cruising the tank with the Leptosoma, very active, very bold, takes no prisoners... the only way shell dwellers can work together is with lots of space, luckily each fish doesn't require much... but the Ocellatus won't be shy to chose their territory.

Leptosoma are what they are, the best Tanganyika community fish, they play a huge role in bringing out the territorial and skittish fish like the Altolamps, Brevis and Multies shell dwellers. They provide the bulk of the movement in the tank and a serious splash of color in the case of the males, with a large group you'll have males displaying nearly 24/7.

 

@Jack Stone what can I say, thanks a mil!!! For anyone else reading Jack's response consider how much time and effort he has put in the type it!! It is awesome to see everyone willing to help and the great advice being given, thanks again all.

All of what you have said above was along the lines I was thinking (but will be using the black back)

Assuming I use the Juwel as mentioned (150 x 60 high x 50 w) your comments on the following please all:

As the Juwel has the internal filter in the right hs back corner I was thinking of building a rock pile form about a third of the front of the tank on and both sides of the filter and sloping it up towards below the top of the filter inlet and outlet. This basically to hide the filter as much as possible. I thought of glueing smaller pieces of base rock etc together so it forms a stable/solid structure that can be removed as a whole if needs be. My only concern here is that there is also another filter inlet at the bottom left hand side of the filter that will probably be about 6 cm above the gravel level. I am not worried about sucking in gravel but rather about sucking in possible fry??

Then another pile, as high as possible sloping about 45 upwards with it's middle point being one third to the left hand side of the tank.

Not to scale but along the following lines:

Maybe even connect the two piles for aesthetics sake along the bottom with a few rocks/stones?

 

Since your busy with a build, I thought i would share some online tanks.