Setting up a cichlid tank

[rivvol8]

Hi Everyone,

I've had a change of heart with my aquarium plans, thanks to some valuable advice from fellow forum members and, I must admit, my own lack of research. The main reason for this is the hardness of my water, and I don't want to limit myself to just livebearers.

My 240l Fluval Roma tank is currently looking like this - I've included a picture below.

I figure it's better to make these changes now, while the tank is still fishless, rather than risking more expense and heartache down the line if I were to lose fish.

I know I'll need to make some adjustments to accommodate Cichlids. From what I've found out so far, I think I'll need to switch to a sand-only substrate - is that correct?

Can I still have live plants with Cichlids, or will that be a problem?

Also, is it a good idea to add more rocks to the aquarium to create more hiding places?

[coltin]

I'm curious to know, what's your water's pH and GH like?

You can definitely have live plants with smaller cichlids, but the bigger ones tend to be diggers and often end up uprooting them.

[rivvol8]

The pH of my water is 7.6, with a high range pH of 8.0. As for the hardness, I've got a GH of 18 degrees and a KH of 10 degrees.

Would this hardness level cause any issues with the types of cichlids I can keep, or would it be more about finding plants that can tolerate these water parameters?

[coltin]

Your water parameters are spot on for certain types of cichlids. With a pH of 7.6 and GH of 330ppm, you're looking at a great setup for Lake Victorkento4, Lake Malawi, or captive bred Lake Tanganyika cichlids. The same can be said for most rainbowfish, which can be paired with peaceful Rift Lake cichlids.

[rivvol8]

I'm curious to know, what's your water's pH and GH like?

You can definitely have live plants with smaller cichlids, but the bigger ones tend to be diggers and often end up uprooting them.

Thanks coltin, just what I was hoping to hear.

I'm glad I can consider a variety of fish species. Now, about the substrate - would it be best to switch to sand only or can I stick with the black gravel I've got?

[kingrise]

Hi Everyone,

I've had a change of heart with my aquarium plans, thanks to some valuable advice from fellow forum members and, I must admit, my own lack of research. The main reason for this is the hardness of my water, and I don't want to limit myself to just livebearers.

My 240l Fluval Roma tank is currently looking like this - I've included a picture below.

I figure it's better to make these changes now, while the tank is still fishless, rather than risking more expense and heartache down the line if I were to lose fish.

I know I'll need to make some adjustments to accommodate Cichlids. From what I've found out so far, I think I'll need to switch to a sand-only substrate - is that correct?

Can I still have live plants with Cichlids, or will that be a problem?

Also, is it a good idea to add more rocks to the aquarium to create more hiding places?

I've seen some Cichlid-specific substrate out there, but that's usually for when your pH isn't a good match. In your case, I'd say stick with what you've got. Black gravel will be fine, especially since you're not dealing with extreme pH levels. A rainbow fish tank would be really cool, though.

[coltin]

I'd say it's up to you, but if you're planning on keeping small bottom-dwelling cichlids, they seem to do better with sand. But for most of the bigger fish, they're fine with either gravel or sand. One thing to consider is the colour of the substrate - a dark one like your black gravel can really make the fish show off their colours.