Male Peacock and Hap tank!

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

Thanks !

[Crfish]

Those fish are amazing!  What size tank and what parameters are they in? Because that is something I am looking into doing in my newly sealed 75 gallon!

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

Thank You !   I have made some mistakes along the way and the MCA has helped out immensely...

Both Tanks are 55's,  I am running a Magnum 350 and a Dr. Fosters and Smith HOB filter (300+ GPH) on one 55 and a Cascade 300 and another Dr. Foster and Smith HOB filter on the other 55.  I have simple commercial play sand as a substrate and field stones as decor in one 55 and pea gravel sized gravel and some resin log, cave and spire in the other 55.

I am using well water (after the softener) on my WC's.

Temperature = 80 degrees
Ammonia = zero
Nitrites = zero
Nitrates = 30ppm
PH = 8.0

Good Luck with you 75 set up...

[Crfish]

Would you recommend going with haps or peacocks? and would a 304 FLUVAL and an aquaclear 30 and 20 be enough filtration for them? also im thinking about getting pool filter sand or play sand? And thank you for your help already this is why MCA is so awesome! 

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

I am by no means an expert here, I just got back into this hobby around 6 months ago after 15+ years in hibernation...Kids, Family and such.  There are more qualified people in the MCA who will be able to provide you with much better advice that I can.

But Peacocks and Haps do play well with each other...

I prefer commercial play sand from Home Dept over PFS or regular play sand as it provide different sizes and shaped material...Also it only cost $2.65 for a 50lbs bag.  Very nice on the budget !  I also prefer just regular field stone as a decor, remember The Rift Lakes of Africa are basically sand and rock structure. So these are more of a natural habitate for cichlids and Haps..

[Crfish]

Okay sounds good thank you and the fish look great!

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

Your welcome and Thanks...  Now that Spring / Summer is here I will be just enjoying watching the fish GROW !

Oh one last thing that is very important...

Water changes, water changes and more water changes..  I do a 50% WC at least once a week, every other week I vaccum the sand / gravel to remove any old food or fish waste...

[Crfish]

Last thing so i can go and by a bag of quikrete 50lbs bag commercial grade fine sand and that would be good for my tank!  oh happy day! i would have to rinse it of course but dange that saves me alot of money!

Another thing field stone i know this may be dumb but where can i buy it? would it be a landscaping company?

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

A trick that RON gave me from the MCA is too rinse the sand in an old pillow case,  it saves a ton of time rinsing the sand..  I did it and will never use a bucket again...Just another suggestion from within the MCA that made my life a whole lot easier...

[Crfish]

Okay perfect! I did already know that trick i just wonder about the field stone

[four_by_ken]

The method I found easiest... fill a 5 gallon bucket half full with sand.... stick hose in all the way to the bottom.... allow bucket to overflow.... come back 30 minutes later.... done.

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

I live in Romeo next to a Farm.  I picked out some very nice field stone from the rock pile,  I put them in a utility tub, filled it up with HOT water and let them sit for about 2 - 3 hours. I then re-peated that process again and then I scrubbed the rocks throughly in the warm water. 

As a precaution I put in some feeder goldfish for 2 weeks to test the water, no one died so I then filled the tank with new Peacocks and Haps.  Again no one has died...

Good Luck !

[linuxrulesusa]

Okay perfect! I did already know that trick i just wonder about the field stone

Landscape supply is easiest, friend with a farm is cheapest (but you have to worry more about pesticides with the second)...just rinse off the rock well and you should be fine.

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

The method I found easiest... fill a 5 gallon bucket half full with sand.... stick hose in all the way to the bottom.... allow bucket to overflow.... come back 30 minutes later.... done.

Yeah this is another way to do it as well..  Were you painting those old tire planters while you were waiting or just drinking beer ?

[Crfish]

Okay sounds good I will be setting up this tank very soon. In general discussion i will post a dream male Hap, Peacock, african tank that everyone can put one or 2 fish that they would want in a 75 gallon and i will see if i can get about 15 different haps and peacocks in that tank by the end of june from the suggestions and it will be an MCA tank.