I want what you guys do in freshwater!

[Dvt81]

Man I have keep Chiclids for years about 17 on and off steady for the last 10. All I ever use are HOB filters and water changes EO week. My tank always looks great you are going way overboard.

I may well be going overboard but the good thing with this hobby is what suits that person and benefits The fish. I've seen Malawi tanks covered in green algae where you couldn't literally see the fish to sell yet the fish were bursting in colour and in great condition and disease free.

Having alot of people hype on about crystal clear water... My aim isn't to have crystal clear water... Lake Malawi isn't crystal clear... My aim is to cut my maintenance and remove algae as much as possible. Simple but effective. Far too many people in the hobby chase numbers instead of chasing and nailing down consistency.

 

[Dvt81]

If I have consistency in my system then I have my set up. I don't want 40ppm of nitrates... I want that lower... Id be happy with my stocked tank to be at around 10-15ppm.. that's a challenge and one I'm keen on trying to achieve, removing phosphates is another I want to trim down as much as possible..active carbon would help clear up the water colour but on 400g how much would I actually need every 2-3 weeks where that then becomes expensive.

 

[Silent]

Like someone said earlier diatomaceous earth filter would be your best best to remove the smallest particles in freshwater. Also not very expensive.

 

[Dvt81]

Like someone said earlier diatomaceous earth filter would be your best best to remove the smallest particles in freshwater. Also not very expensive.

Just seen this... Few hours and it's cleared up!!!! Looks ace!!

 

[AdamB]

Hey all. A little help would be very much appreciated.

I have a near 400 gallon Malawi tank that is getting set up in the next 10 days.

I want to add reactors to my system and basically take as much of the stuff you guys in the SW side of the hobby do into my set up where I can.

So... Dosing- vodka/vinegar/ sugar... Do they work in FW? My ph just now is at 8.8 will dosing effect that? If not then are dosing levels the same in SW as in FW? Can't be bothered having 80 drunk aggressive peacocks in the tank

Bio pellets work in a FW system?

My idea is to set up with 6 reactors, 1 purigen, 1 phosban, 1 bio pellet, 1 bionitrate-ex, 1 carbon and 1 on possibly kalkwasser but I'm unsure.

I'm also looking to add a dosing setup as part of the system with trace elements, vodka/vinegar etc if this would work.

If anyone can help me I'd be very grateful.

As much info as possible would be great.

Remember this is a Malawi messy tank that going to be packed with fish... My sump I have redesigned so water flows into 200 micron socks which drops down to 150 then into a 100 micron and eventually comes out at 50 micron where it hits the K1 chamber then into biological chamber and a mini regufim style sitting in an acrylic box before polishing pads and return chamber .
Many thanks

Marco

I have a peacock/ hap 90 gallon with a 29 gallon sump and I agree with the others on here. You need to focus on having enough to media with bacteria handle the biological load Malawi tank.
Water from display tank enters a wet dry filter. Below wet dry underwater I have ceramics rings packed in below bioballs. The open chamber beside wetdry is packed with lava rock and matrix. Then I have foam media packed in between dividers. Then carbon and more pot scrubbers in next chamber next to return pump . I also have uv sterilizer up and running.

 

[AdamB]

I have a 30 peacock/ hap mix in a 90 gallon with a 29 gallon sump and I agree with the others on here. All you You need to do is focus on having enough to media with bacteria handle the biological load Malawi tank.
My sump is composed with Water from display tank enters a wet dry filter. Below wet dry underwater I have ceramics rings packed in below bioballs. The open chamber beside wetdry is packed with lava rock and matrix. Then I have foam media packed in between dividers. Then carbon and more pot scrubbers in next chamber next to return pump . I also have uv sterilizer up and running.
In one weeks time my nitrates are still at 5ppm.

 

[Dvt81]

I have a peacock/ hap 90 gallon with a 29 gallon sump and I agree with the others on here. You need to focus on having enough to media with bacteria handle the biological load Malawi tank.
Water from display tank enters a wet dry filter. Below wet dry underwater I have ceramics rings packed in below bioballs. The open chamber beside wetdry is packed with lava rock and matrix. Then I have foam media packed in between dividers. Then carbon and more pot scrubbers in next chamber next to return pump . I also have uv sterilizer up and running.

That tank looks lovely...but my point remains..to all Malawi cichlid hobbyists... Have they ever seen lake malawi? It isn't in the slightest bit clear in any shape or form so why should our aquarium have clear water? That is my pet hate regarding Malawi's. Chasing this crystal clear water. I have about 80 odd just now... 30 or so are wild or F1. How unjust of me to throw them into a tank that resembles nothing like nature at all.

Whether I am overkill or it's not worth it is up to me. If I have the funds I will spend on how I like and where I like to do so. Your opinion is one, mines is another. Such is life. If I'm going for overkill then fair enough but I don't agree with crystal clear water... Who is right and who is wrong?

Matrix doesn't work until it's in a slow moving section... 50 litres per hour for it to take effect... You also have carbon... Probably in a bag in the sump... What's the difference if mines is in a reactor?

Going off topic here regarding what the main question was.

Thanks Marco

 

[Waterislife]

I am overkill but I don't do anything the easy way. Purigen in a bag sitting in the corner of the sump is what most guys do but that isn't me. I've got an fx4 and a sunsun canister on my 75g just now... 1 as mechanical and bio the other as a little mechanical, into little bio then rest is chemical. That's what's worked for me past 12 months the best but I want to break all these sections up and have reactors etc. I enjoy seeing the purigen bouncing up and down...rowaphos tumbling away etc.

That's fine but I'm just trying to explain the fact, what's the best type of water for an Africans, is aged clean water, and however you achieve that is that your choice, but taking care of Africans is nothing like taking care of saltwater fish

 

[Dvt81]

That's fine but I'm just trying to explain the fact, what's the best type of water for an Africans, is aged clean water, and however you achieve that is that your choice, but taking care of Africans is nothing like taking care of saltwater fish

Completely agree and many thanks for the information given. The SW guys are on a different level hence my question regarding dosing if it would work in a FW system. It seems that it doesn't and 1 way of removing algae is running a diatom filter... Used alot in the states but a brief Google search seems that they aren't used much in the UK... The hunt continues

 

[Hermie]

I may well be going overboard but the good thing with this hobby is what suits that person and benefits The fish. I've seen Malawi tanks covered in green algae where you couldn't literally see the fish to sell yet the fish were bursting in colour and in great condition and disease free.

Having alot of people hype on about crystal clear water... My aim isn't to have crystal clear water... Lake Malawi isn't crystal clear... My aim is to cut my maintenance and remove algae as much as possible. Simple but effective. Far too many people in the hobby chase numbers instead of chasing and nailing down consistency.

You brought up yellow tinged water so I assumed you wanted to get rid of that.
Also, the color of the water in lake Malawi is one thing, just that, color (or darkness or what have you, turbidity). But the reason WHY the water is a specific color is a different question. If you just wanted to emulate the color of Lake Malawi you could just use food coloring dyes and add it straight to the water.

I think what you need to do is figure out what you want to do... what's your goal. That's the real question. Then find technologies and applications to achieve that goal.

 

[Silent]

When i had freshwater with a huge bioload i remember running a sand filter for biological filtration and it worked great.

 

[Dvt81]

You brought up yellow tinged water so I assumed you wanted to get rid of that.
Also, the color of the water in lake Malawi is one thing, just that, color (or darkness or what have you, turbidity). But the reason WHY the water is a specific color is a different question. If you just wanted to emulate the color of Lake Malawi you could just use food coloring dyes and add it straight to the water.

I think what you need to do is figure out what you want to do... what's your goal. That's the real question. Then find technologies and applications to achieve that goal.

My goal is to minimise maintenance on the tank and have healthy fish as all hobbyists want.

My methods may be far fetched for some but I believe in what my goal is... Maybe having bio pellets won't work... Maybe the diatom filter will... At this moment who knows as alot of hobbyists go down the same route as the next guy almost like sheep. Yet there is evidence some SW can work in FW.
The SW guys have targets to hit straight away... 0 nitrates etc... FW doesn't really... Alot of hype around biohome media too. The SW is more structured and rigid and the results show.

Koi keepers run skimmers that work to an extent but across FW and SW everyone says they don't.

 

[Dvt81]

When i had freshwater with a huge bioload i remember running a sand filter for biological filtration and it worked great.

How did you run this? In a tube fed from air supply?

 

[AdamB]

That tank looks lovely...but my point remains..to all Malawi cichlid hobbyists... Have they ever seen lake malawi? It isn't in the slightest bit clear in any shape or form so why should our aquarium have clear water? That is my pet hate regarding Malawi's. Chasing this crystal clear water. I have about 80 odd just now... 30 or so are wild or F1. How unjust of me to throw them into a tank that resembles nothing like nature at all.

Whether I am overkill or it's not worth it is up to me. If I have the funds I will spend on how I like and where I like to do so. Your opinion is one, mines is another. Such is life. If I'm going for overkill then fair enough but I don't agree with crystal clear water... Who is right and who is wrong?

Matrix doesn't work until it's in a slow moving section... 50 litres per hour for it to take effect... You also have carbon... Probably in a bag in the sump... What's the difference if mines is in a reactor?

Going off topic here regarding what the main question was.

Thanks Marco

Marco, sorry. I missed your point . Was reading on my phone half asleep.

That tank looks lovely...but my point remains..to all Malawi cichlid hobbyists... Have they ever seen lake malawi? It isn't in the slightest bit clear in any shape or form so why should our aquarium have clear water? That is my pet hate regarding Malawi's. Chasing this crystal clear water. I have about 80 odd just now... 30 or so are wild or F1. How unjust of me to throw them into a tank that resembles nothing like nature at all.

Whether I am overkill or it's not worth it is up to me. If I have the funds I will spend on how I like and where I like to do so. Your opinion is one, mines is another. Such is life. If I'm going for overkill then fair enough but I don't agree with crystal clear water... Who is right and who is wrong?

Matrix doesn't work until it's in a slow moving section... 50 litres per hour for it to take effect... You also have carbon... Probably in a bag in the sump... What's the difference if mines is in a reactor?

Going off topic here regarding what the main question was.

Thanks Marco

Marco, I missed that part of your point . Looking over on my phone . Again it’s what anyone wants to design there tank . I totally get that. I was going by my experience of keeping cichlids happy and equipment that would work for you .
I have matrix in the lower flow area of sump and only reason I’m running carbon is to make your I remove any left over tannins left over from driftwood .
Good luck and I hope you find your answers your looking for !

 

[Silent]

No just a small water pump. Pumps tank water into the cylinder filled with sand and it tumbles and water goes back into the tank.

 

[Dvt81]

Marco, sorry. I missed your point . Was reading on my phone half asleep.

Marco, I missed that part of your point . Looking over on my phone . Again it’s what anyone wants to design there tank . I totally get that. I was going by my experience of keeping cichlids happy and equipment that would work for you .
I have matrix in the lower flow area of sump and only reason I’m running carbon is to make your I remove any left over tannins left over from driftwood .
Good luck and I hope you find your answers your looking for !

No worries, FW guys don't have the same structure as SW tanks. FW some run on purely sponge filters other only on canister filters etc.

1 guy uses bicarb soda to buff water others uses salts and buffers for the aquarium trade etc

 

[Hermie]

My goal is to minimise maintenance on the tank and have healthy fish as all hobbyists want.

My methods may be far fetched for some but I believe in what my goal is... Maybe having bio pellets won't work... Maybe the diatom filter will... At this moment who knows as alot of hobbyists go down the same route as the next guy almost like sheep. Yet there is evidence some SW can work in FW.
The SW guys have targets to hit straight away... 0 nitrates etc... FW doesn't really... Alot of hype around biohome media too. The SW is more structured and rigid and the results show.

Koi keepers run skimmers that work to an extent but across FW and SW everyone says they don't.

Hmm, it sounds more like your goal is to experiment with SW techniques in a FW setup, and because a lot of those experiments are not going to end successfully (just based on luck and how things work), which would ultimately mean you would be spending more time on your tank and increase the maintainence of those experimental systems. Get what I mean?

There's nothing wrong with experimenting! or DIY, but I just see a disconnect between your goal of low maintenance and the means to achieve it. Going with what's tried and true is going to give you the best possibility of low maintenance success. IMO that would be an auto water change system.

 

[Dvt81]

Hmm, it sounds more like your goal is to experiment with SW techniques in a FW setup, and because a lot of those experiments are not going to end successfully (just based on luck and how things work), which would ultimately mean you would be spending more time on your tank and increase the maintainence of those experimental systems. Get what I mean?

There's nothing wrong with experimenting! or DIY, but I just see a disconnect between your goal of low maintenance and the means to achieve it. Going with what's tried and true is going to give you the best possibility of low maintenance success. IMO that would be an auto water change system.

Not sounding sarcastic... What advice would you give regarding what would and wouldn't work from the SW side over to the FW side?

 

[Aardvark1134]

All africian cichlids need is some holy rock for hiding spots and to buffer the water, rift lake salt, good water movement, and a pile of bio media like matrix or marine pure.

My tank has been up for about 12 years like this and only gets a small water change every 4 months.

Note my 120G has 2 gallons of pond matrix for the bio load.

 

[Hermie]

Not sounding sarcastic... What advice would you give regarding what would and wouldn't work from the SW side over to the FW side?

Skimmer won't work, so the vodka dosing won't work, unless you want to run a DE filter and try that as an experiment, but they are very loud. You could try it but I would personally not want a loud DE filter running all the time.

Purigen works, activated carbon works, phosphate removal media work (like alumina oxide/phosguard), auto water change systems work

A lot of things work, but conventional skimmers don't

Dosing systems also work but you don't need them if you have no demanding plants.