New 200L setup. Recommendations?

[emreinstein]

Hello All,

I've just started to setup my new tank. I'm a fan of American Chiclids. I've and probably i'll have lots of questions about my new setup. Hope you'll all help me about that new setup.

I already bought about 24kg's of gravel but they're about 2-3mm to 3-4 cm.



1-Would it be convinient for American cichlids? (I'm deciding to add golden severum and firemouth to the tank.)
2-Do you think that it looks natural? What colour/type of rock you can recommend for that floor? Any pictures that can give me an inspiration?

Background.
I'm deciding to have a black background. Which option would be best? To paint? To cover? Which material?

Plant/ Lighting Recommendation
1-I've 18w setup. Would one daylight flo enough or should i upgrade my system? Actually i'd like to have a natural lighting as much as possible and i really like mysterious lightings. Can you recommend any article about it?
2-I'm afraid that severums will like to eat most of the live plants but what about amazonian sword or java fern? Will they grow up with that kind of poor lighting and that kind of gravel ground?

Decoration
1-Which wood option would be best for severum and firemouth community? Would it look natural with that gravel ground? Any aquascaping ideas?

2-Do they need any type of caves or kinda pots etc?

Thank you so much for all of your ideas and sorry for my Eng mistakes. I hope it's understendable.

 

[Sarah88]

that stock sounds fine they should get along however you were right that the severums will definitely tear up your plants, im not sure if any plants will stand up to them but i guess you could always try some of the hardier ones, maybe you will get a fish that leaves some of the plants alone, lighting for the fish doesnt matter, you could have no lights on there and they would be fine, lighting is just to better view them but for plants you may have to get better lights, i have swords that do just fine under the lights that came with my tank so i think you should be fine with lighting if you just want to keep a few low-light plants, also its always good to put driftwood/rocks or something else in the tank to create little caves for the fish to hide in and have their own territory, especially when they are little GOOD LUCK with the new tank

 

[emreinstein]

Thank you for all of your help. I already set up my tank. Now I've some questions more.

1-I've just bought 2 golden severums. But i already have 3 corydoras sterbai and 1 female betta in my tank. I'll take my betta out soon. But, is it possible to keep corys and severums together in my 200L tank?

2-How much i should feed my severums? I've freeze dried bloodworms, veggie flakes (Sera Flora). They liked freeze dried bloodworms and unfortunately the tablets that i have been using for my cories :S. If it's possible to keep them together, how to feed them seperately?

3-I always use my airpump with the airstone under the gravels. Is it a must to use it? Cause, it makes a bit noise... :S

Thank you )