Don't really care for the look of the Metal Halide lighting on the freshwater so will probably be changing that back to more natural daylight cfl bulbs.
523 gallon plywood build (pic heavy)
- Thread starter stempy
- Start date
[video=youtube;mohTyOlYLlg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mohTyOlYLlg[/video]
quick update of initial stock added to the tank. lots more rarities to find and add as the tank matures a bit!
Aristochrmis christyi
Dimidiochromis compressiceps
Dimidiochromis kiwinge
Tyrannochromis nigriventer
NImbochrmis fuscotaeniatus
Crytocara moorii
Copadichromis geertsi
Copadichrmis borleyi kadango
Protomelas taeniolatus namalenje
Protomelas sp. ''Steveni Imperial'' Likoma ''Tangerine Tiger''
Protomelas sp. ''Spilonotus Tanzania'' Liuli
Sciaenochromis fryeri
Labidochromis caeruleus "lions cove"
Pseudotropheus elongatus hai reef "jewel spot"
Aulonocara stuartgranti usisya flavescent
quick update of initial stock added to the tank. lots more rarities to find and add as the tank matures a bit!
Aristochrmis christyi
Dimidiochromis compressiceps
Dimidiochromis kiwinge
Tyrannochromis nigriventer
NImbochrmis fuscotaeniatus
Crytocara moorii
Copadichromis geertsi
Copadichrmis borleyi kadango
Protomelas taeniolatus namalenje
Protomelas sp. ''Steveni Imperial'' Likoma ''Tangerine Tiger''
Protomelas sp. ''Spilonotus Tanzania'' Liuli
Sciaenochromis fryeri
Labidochromis caeruleus "lions cove"
Pseudotropheus elongatus hai reef "jewel spot"
Aulonocara stuartgranti usisya flavescent
Bummer you couldn't keep it a reef tank but Africans are awesome too. Had a 55 full of em one time.
This is an awesome thread. If I can get to workin on my DIY tank I will def refer to here for info and great pics.
Awesome build stempy
This is an awesome thread. If I can get to workin on my DIY tank I will def refer to here for info and great pics.
Awesome build stempy
Great thread, super tank. You went from Cichlids, to piranha's, to cichlids, to salt and now back to cichlids ????!!!!???!!!???!!!
I'm in Toledo - where are you buying your cichlids ????
I liked your cichlid tanks the best.
I'm in Toledo - where are you buying your cichlids ????
I liked your cichlid tanks the best.
Thank you guys for the compliments. My original goal with the tank was a FOWLR salt tank but I wasn't comfortable with 500 gallons of saltwater on my floor 
So I wanted to be absolutely sure it would not leak before I made the jump to salt. Unfortunately once I finally made my dream tank come true my job changed drastically increasing my hours and ability to properly care for a reef tank so I really had no choice to take it to a automated easy to care for freshwater tank and africans have always been my favorite fish so it was a pretty easy choice what to go back to I get most of my cichlids from a breeder/seller in cincy he always seem to get a hold of some rare fish. Others I have bought online and on aquabid.
So I wanted to be absolutely sure it would not leak before I made the jump to salt. Unfortunately once I finally made my dream tank come true my job changed drastically increasing my hours and ability to properly care for a reef tank so I really had no choice to take it to a automated easy to care for freshwater tank and africans have always been my favorite fish so it was a pretty easy choice what to go back to I get most of my cichlids from a breeder/seller in cincy he always seem to get a hold of some rare fish. Others I have bought online and on aquabid.I have just read the entire thread and I must say wow. what an amazing build you definitely did a great job. could have fooled me on not having any kind of skills. Tank looks fantastic though good job
Thank you, I appreciate it a lot. Lot's of hard work have gone into this tank and I'm glad that now I get to just sit back relax and enjoy all that hard work. I would absolutely encourage anyone who is on the fence about a project like this to give it a shot, theres just nothing like having such a large tank compared to "normal" tanks
Small update video just showing behind the tank as well. Nothing has really changed in the display tank, just added a couple growout tanks behind it as well as a jebao WP-60 for flow, the cichlids get to ride the waves now!
[video=youtube;QwZ89KMXZ-E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwZ89KMXZ-E[/video]
[video=youtube;QwZ89KMXZ-E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwZ89KMXZ-E[/video]
