african planted 55 gal

[steve535]

who says Mbunas and plants dont mix?

 

[AmazonTankz]

I think this tank is great!

I like the way the tall green plants act like a backround while the short red ones are closer to the front. The rocks are great too.

I also like the natural way your gravel is tossed here and there, it's nice to see a tank like that rather then the plane flat look.

Very nice tank!!

 

[steve535]

the tall plants in the back are vallisneria gigantea.they grow fast ,so it dosnt matter if the cichlids pick.it took about 3 years of trial amd error to get that look.

no cO2 thanks steve535

 

[toodles]

Gorgeous tank!

Do you have to do anything special to keep the cichlids from digging up the plants? (like big rocks around the roots or planted in pots?)

 

[steve535]

plants

yes and no. most new plants have to be anchored with stone.but plants like anubias and most stem plants dont get bothered at all.small plants that cant be secured have to be replanted about once a week,its not to bad.
thank you steve

 

[Billy Bob]

beautiful bright tank!! Great use of colour!

 

[SLO-Dean]

Very cool, I like the rock formations and the type of rock used.

What are those small plants in front? they look great for proportion.

 

[steve535]

the small red is cryptocoryne wendtii,it was a sucker i cut off the host plant on the left.
low green plants are anubias barteri nana.
the rest(grass like) are vallisneria runners coming off the back of the tank that stuff grows like a weed, great algae buster.
im trying babys tears in the forground but most has been eaten (it was cheap).
the red rock is shale from NJ.the gray/brown is limestone from PA

 

[SoulFish]

nice tank, what kind of africans you got in it?

 

[steve535]

1 maylandia red top 2.5"
1 pleco 5"
3 lab fuelleborni 5"
3 lab fuelleborni2"
1 pseudotropheus acie3", 1 aurora3"
1 duboisi 2"
2 tropheus polli 2"
1tropheus moorii 2"
2julies1.5"
1 upsidedown cat2.5"
1 bumble bee cat? i never see him

 

[fishboy]

Very nice twist to the traditional rocky african cichlid tank. Ver nice!

 

[fishaddict]

I love this tank. It just looks great!!

 

[Cyberfish]

don't see a lot of planted african tanks, excellent..

 

[silversp0rt]

where did u get those rocks? buy them or found them? and what kind of focks r those?

 

[steve535]

the gray/white are limestone it is from Pennsylvania( it will change your pH. up)i use it at work.the red rock is shale from NJ
i found that. my new pic has drift wood hung by suction cups. LFS

 

[silversp0rt]

if i were to look for those rocks, where can i find them? just look around? i dont want to go buy rocks from a fish store. they're expensive

 

[steve535]

you can find limestone at any garden shop.ask for"moss rock limestone". look for broken pieces it is a heavy and a bitch to split! if you cant find shale (river beds ,fields,ect)try a quarry.it is used for walkways/wall stone.just remember to clean and boil.steve

 

[dattack]

Looks great.

I vowed to myself never to get Vallisneria's again! I couldn't keep up with the pruning and they grew up to 2-3 feet. It essentially blocked out all the lights to the lower plants too.

 

[steve535]

two things you can do to keep val under control
1)pick up some cork screw Americana/Asiatica
2)fill your tank with Mbuna's you will still have to trim but not as often