My New 55 gal Tank

[CichlidOWNR]

Here is my newly updated 55 gal tank. I added rocks and 9 Rusties to my tank this past weekend. Thanks to Tony for the good looking Rusties. So far I have about 15 Saulosi (1M/3F Adult Saulosi, 5 older juveniles, and 6 juveniles about 1 inch). I currently running a Aquatop CF500uv (564 gph) and a under sand jet system with a Rio 2100 submersible pump with pre-filter. I painted a clear sheet of acrylic granite with stone texture (gets darker with my tank lights on). Neat to see the color seems to get darker depending on how light reflects off it and it can be easily changed since it is secured by duct tap at the back of the tank.

Future plan is to add Syndontis Petricola or Lucipinnis depending on what is available and possible add a filter to handle the bio load.

 

[jonclark96]

Good to see someone using an UG jet system to move debris off the bottom of the tank. I am not familiar with the CF500uv. Is this just a ultraviolet filter, or does it include mechanical and biological filtration as well?

 

[Tony]

Good looking setup, Alan. I like your idea with the background.

Glad the rusties are doing well.

 

[CichlidOWNR]

Jon,

The AquaTop CF500uv is a normal canister filter that has a uv bulb built into the top. There are four large media trays where I have filter floss at the bottom, pot scrubbers in the second, Seachem Matrix in the third, and Bio Rings in the fourth. So far so good. The canister seems to work well and is real quite. There is a switch ontop by the intake and output hoses where the UV can be turned off or on. I mainly keep it off but do use it when the fish are in a high stress state (such as changing rock, adding fish or changing the ug jet system), although mainly as a precaution.

Tony,

Thanks. Saw the acrylic idea on another forum. I decided to change the paint color hoping to mimic more of a rocky type of background without loosing tank space with a 3d background. So far, I like the results and the fish seem to as well. The Rusties are more confident on day two now and are mixing in with the Saulosi.