A temp 20 Long ...

darth pike

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Apr 3, 2008
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Korriban
Probably won't be much interest here for such a small tank and dwarf cichlids, but a certain mod threatened to ban me if I didn't make a setup thread with the next tank I set up. :banhim: #modabuse

Sadly, I lost my pair of dwarf acaras the last time I was out of town so I decided to get a my second 20 gallon long out of storage and switch tanks rather than break the current one down for a deep cleaning. Also, the old tank I had used spray paint on and it looked absolutely awful ... run lines, several thin spots where light off the wall came through despite three coats. So this time I bought a nice latex paint and a roller, only needed about a coat and a half with it and can't see a thing through it. Also, no run lines.

Pardon the garage mess, multifamily home:



Also painted the side facing the door as the tank is close to it, didn't want the fish spooking:



Got sand parceled out by our new LFS, love the color tone for a Westie tank ... not as white as the SA tanks, not as tan as the CA tanks. A nice medium:



I used SeaChem Stability, as I've had great luck with it in the past. A friend wanted a video of it's use, as he said to "Shake it like a blood parrot breeder" ... but I didn't feel like a minute of solid bleeped swearing would have added much to the thread, despite the use of Irish Gaelic. I'm kind of old school (and hate cannister filters) so filtration is a sponge and a Penguin 170. Driftwood is all mopani wood, plants are various anubias and the floater is cupped salvinia to keep with the Westie theme (except the floaters). Most of the plants came out of the previous tank, once I decide on permanent arrangement I'll trim the leaves and tie them down.



Added six dithers about 6 hours after the Stability, which worked last time I used the product so why not stick to what works. Already moved around one of the plants, will probably replace the driftwood on the right with a different piece and tuck it under the middle one to gain some height. I constantly tinker with scape since I'm not used to focusing on it, usually just fake caves and flowerpots are my usual route.
 

darth pike

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Apr 3, 2008
3,231
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Korriban
Took quite a while (and a second camera) to get an even quarter way decent pic of the dithers. They never stop moving, delicate coloration. They are out of focus here, but actually caught a good amount of the blue from there eyes which is hard to do. Norman's Lampeyes, Aplocheilichthys normani.

 

darth pike

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Apr 3, 2008
3,231
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Korriban
I pulled the far right mopani for a different piece to add some height as well as more caves for when the cichlids arrive. Also grabbed another anubias from the co-op and propped the left piece more upright with a couple of small stones. Lampeyes up to 10 now. Just need a few more petite anubias and track down some of those short african ferns to help hide equipment ... and a lily for the centerpiece and to break up that last sight line in case of aggression.

 

isde02

Arapaima
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Jan 4, 2011
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Looks good man...can't wait to see the acara's once you add them or are you going with something different?
 

darth pike

Peacock Bass
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Apr 3, 2008
3,231
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Korriban
Thanks. Going to go westies this time ... try to keep with biotope theme of the anubias and mopani wood. Most like one of the krib family species.
 

isde02

Arapaima
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Jan 4, 2011
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Thanks. Going to go westies this time ... try to keep with biotope theme of the anubias and mopani wood. Most like one of the krib family species.
Oh ok, sounds great man can't wait to see it stocked.
 

darth pike

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Apr 3, 2008
3,231
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Korriban
New plants ... a red tiger lotus for a centerpiece, another anubias, and some short african fern along with the stars of the tank.



View from the side where I sit to watch tv:


And the pair of Enigmatochromis lucanusi, though the female isn't colored up yet. Still small.
 

convict360

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Dec 9, 2013
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Scotland
That is my kind of tank, 20 longs are great for designing aquascapes, I'm looking to do something similar with mine once its done with quarantining my JD

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freebyrd

Piranha
MFK Member
Jul 6, 2010
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Virginia
Really cook tank! I love dwarf cichlids so full of personality

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