what's up?

[budwick weiser]

new user here from the grapevine, colleyville, heb area...
i'm a male, i'm 24, i like sunsets and long walks on the beach............

um no really... i have 2 freshwater aquariums, a ten gallon and a 30 gallon. the ten gallon has some fish in it that were being jackasses in the 30 so they get to live out their days in their own private little hell beating each other up. the 30 gallon has 2 bolivian rams, 1 german blue ram, 3 baby cacatuoides, 2 female guppies, 1 whiptail catfish, 2 small rock kribensis, 1 striped talking catfish, a lively and very nice black crowntail betta named nigel and a large snale we've named maxwell. i'm about to start assembling a 100 gallon in a few weeks.

[AndrewH]

Sweet. Nice to have you join us.

What are the plans for the 100?

[poel_19]

WOW!!! glad to have you aboard!!

[budwick weiser]

i was planning on making it either a central american cichlid tank or an african cichlid tank. i really like planted tanks and those blue crayfish... so recently i've been leaning a lot closer toward the central americans. i'd like a tire track eel and some odd balls in their too. the plan is to get the aquarium, clean it out, set it up, slowly buy the decor and really take my time with this one instead of throwing in a bunch of crap that i'll just want to take out later.

[tsunderl]

Welcome Budwick!

[lellison]

Hello and :welcome:. Very glad to have you here, this site is amazing and you will enjoy. Oh, and go for cenrtal americans in the 100 ;) Thats just my opinion. lol

[mongo]

Greetings and salutations

[budwick weiser]

thank you all

[AndrewH]

i was planning on making it either a central american cichlid tank or an african cichlid tank. i really like planted tanks and those blue crayfish... so recently i've been leaning a lot closer toward the central americans. i'd like a tire track eel and some odd balls in their too. the plan is to get the aquarium, clean it out, set it up, slowly buy the decor and really take my time with this one instead of throwing in a bunch of crap that i'll just want to take out later.

I definitely understand wanting to take your time :). Now that I have a few years of keeping under my belt, I'm to the point of , I don't like this and should have done that different, etc. about my 90, so it's coming down to be redone.

I definitely want you to keep us updated as to what you do. I'm really interesting (and if nothing else I might be able to steal some of your ideas :D)

[lellison]

good idea IMO as well

[budwick weiser]

thanks andrew, i sure will (with pics)...

i've been trolling around and reading up on some discussions that have been had on this board, and now i'm curious...

what types of rocks and substrate are best to go into a central american cichlid tank? i'm planning on spray painting the back of the 100 gallon black and i'd like a dark or black gravel and dark rocks to really make the fish and the plants POP but i know some of that stuff can raise or lower the ph level and could be detrimental. any help would be awesome.

[fishyjoe24]

hi welcome to the club enjoy your stay.

[AndrewH]

Most "rocks/gravel" will be inert (not change the water) especially if it's naturally black/dark.

Look out for white/light colored rock/gravel as it might be crushed coral which will raise the pH (but with cichlids that might be a good thing). What's your pH running now? I difinitely recommend NOT using chemicals to change the pH if you need to change it, but rather use the substrate that will change it (coral up and peat moss down).

Lighting can also help with the "POP" of the fish color. What are you gonna use on the 100?

[fishyjoe24]

driftwood also lowers ph another free leason by joe.

[budwick weiser]

lol okay... so what types of rocks and driftwood would look cool in the tank? also, if i'm doing a planted tank, what's the best way to secure the plants to the substrate?

[AndrewH]

Well that's kinna personal preference. I might like sand stone, while you like smooth, round rocks. I've seen lots of beautiful tanks with and without rocks/drift wood, so I might suggest looking through some pictures on the net to get an idea of things you like and don't like.

Most use white cotton thread or fishing line to hold plants down.

[misplacedsooner]

be creful with the plants in a central tank, what are you considering keeping? some of the big boys will destroy your plants and also some of the smaller too. I have no luck with live plants with mine.

[fishyjoe24]

malashion(SP?) driftwood is what i use. just make sure to soak in some made up aquarium water to get some of the tannic acid out. but some time it's ok.

like wild discus who live in blackwater like tannic water. some tetras also like it too.
so it depends what type of fish do you have in the tank?

[budwick weiser]

i want to do central american cichlids. i'd like toi have come blue lobsters (blue crayfish) in their too... so i'm thinking of a way to give them a good home as well

[EAST_TX_RN]

Welcome Budwick! I am new here too, and have found this a very friendly, helpful forum.

[AndrewH]

General advice about tank and blue cray (http://www.dfwfishbox.com/showthread.php?t=286)
75g Freshwater Tank (http://www.dfwfishbox.com/showthread.php?t=294)

Here are a couple other threads about a Blue Lobster (refered to as a Blue Cray in the threads). The main problem with blue lobsters is they grow really big and will eat anything in the tank with them. Not to say it can't be done, just trying to give you some warning before you make a purchase ;).