New 125G Set up questions

Egrant

Hello all!
I have had my60G Cichlid tank set up for over a year and its about time to upgrade. Just got a smoking deal on a 125 gallon tank and stand so I am looking into setting it up. I will be moving my South African Cichlids into the bigger tank.

I am pretty sure i decided to go with the Fluval FX% Filter. Seems to have great reviews, what do some of you think? I am not sure if this is a dumb questions or not but i am going to ask. In 60 gallon tank the water seems to evaporate SO fast. I have an Aquaclear 110 and 30 on the back. By switching to a canister filter will it slow down the evaporation?

With a tank this size I should be able to put quite a few fish in here, will I be able to put any other types of fish that will actually grow a little bigger than the South Africans?

Is there really a need for an Air stone? Sure it looks pretty and all but the bubbles make a huge mess, especially since the water is hard here in SoCal.

One last question for now, Since this is going to be an in place upgrade, How big of a deal is it that the tank will not CYCLE? I plan on using all the water from the 60 gallon tank, plus the bio material from the old filters into the new... Ideas?

The faucet in my house is new so I can not use the hose to fill the tank. DREADING water changes everyweek with my 5 gallon buckets. In the past, I usually do 30% - 50% a week... that is a lot of trips with a bucket! AAGGGHH

Geomancer

The FX5 may be too powerful, it is for aquariums up to 400 gallons which is quite a bit larger than a 125g (over 3x). It would be more suited for fish who live in strong currents, or if you have turtles.

I don't know much about cichlids though to know if they come from fast rivers, or more slow moving streams/marshes.

Surface agitation is needed to exchange CO2 with Oxygen for the fish to breath, this is not needed though if you have sufficient live plants that would provide the oxygen for the fish instead.

Check out the fish profiles here on the specific fish you have, they should list compatible tank mates.

For cycling, your old tank's water will do nothing to help, the bacteria will be in the substrate and filter. Re-using your old filters media will seed the new tank and make it happen much quicker than normal. Sufficient live plants would remove the need to even cycle, but I've heard some cichlids can do a number on plants (eat/destroy).

Egrant

Thanks, I will take a look at the "current" issue.

I am planning on useing all the same gravel as well, of course i will have to add some extra but I never thought about this helping with the cycling process. I should be good.

So even with great filtration i should still use an airstone huh? I have never had luck with real plants and cichlids.

Tazman

What fish do you have?
I have an fx5 on my 75g and 180g Lake Malawi tanks. It's an awesome filter.

ladayen

I have a FX5 on my 65 african cichlid tank. I seem to recall adjusting the flow on it but I cant remember for certain. Either way we have the output pointed up so it does splash alot especially as the water evaporates and the water level drops. We tried to position the output against the glass but with the filter on the floor beside the stand the tubes didn't wanna twist that way.

Tazman

You can Google for DIY FX5 spray bars, makes a more even current and is the better in my opinion for than the standard output.

Egrant

Well I am not sure what kind of fish they are..... 6 different ones. LOL I do now they are all African cichlids. Here are a few pics. Looking forward to being able to get lots more in the 125G.

2012-03-03 22.49.30.jpg

2012-03-03 22.49.22.jpg

ladayen

The Orange one is a Red Zebra the yellow one is.. wait for it.... an electric yellow lol. These 2 fish can crossbreed so it's generally frowned upon keeping them in the same tank.. I'm guilty of it too. Trying to get rid of my Red Zebra. Fairly certain the red eye albino is a snow white socolofi. Take a guess that the top fish in the top pic is a demasoni, maybe an Auratus just below that and in the log I cant really see for certain but perhaps a bumblebee cichlid.

Egrant

The one in the rock i think is a peacock..... here is a better pic of him.2012-03-03 22.41.18.jpg

ladayen

Ok not a bumblebee, not a peacock either though. The heads on peacocks are more pointed, heres a page with info on Peacock cichlids. You can click on the links there to see pictures and more specific information. Cichlids - Peacock Cichlids

Mbuna's have more of a flatter face which allows them to use their teeth to scrap algae off rocks, which is their primary diet in the wild. Heres an article on the diet of Mbuna.
Feeding Mbuna Cichlids

I'm not certain at all what species that one is. Wait, found this guy. Labeotropheus fuelleborni. It seems yours is a hybrid of that guy and something else, bred for the mottled coloring. It's also lacking the distinct "hook nose" of a true Labeotropheus fuelleborni