Cichlid Rocks Views

General Goods

Now, lets take a look at the African Cichlid aquariumq’s decoration. Lake Malawi, being a rift lake, is naturally rocky both along its shoreline and below the water. This however, is not necessarily the case for the whole lake. There are many locations comprised of sandy beaches with sand below the waterline in addition to intermingled habitats having a mixture of both large rocks and sand. For the most part the lake is void of plants and those that do occur tend to be near river mouths and in swampy areas. The general theme of the lake is rock and sand.

After you have collected all the components you need to set up your African Cichlid aquarium you can begin to assemble the system. This is a good weekend project. Choose a good spot for your aquarium that is not too close to a window or air vent. Direct sunlight can cause the tank to heat up to dangerous temperatures very quickly and also can cause excessive algae growth. Be sure to leave enough space behind the tank for equipment and check for clearance from the wall. You will also want to make sure that the flooring will support the weight of a full aquarium. Aquariums can weigh as much as 10-12 lbs per gallon when full not including any rocks or gravel!

Filling the Aquarium Tap water will usually work well for African Cichlid aquariums. Try to run the water over the rocks as you are filling the tank to avoid disturbing the gravel. Be sure to add some chlorine remover / water conditioner to the tap water. You will also need to add some Cichlid salts and possibly some Cichlid buffer to the water to match the conditions of Lake Malawi. Use a test kit and test the water for the following parameters.

Rocks are a nice addition to most aquariums and even fish species that do not hail from rocky environments can appreciate the sheltered areas offered by a rocky set up. If you keep rock-dwellers, such as the fascinating Mbuna cichlids from Lake Malawi, rocks are more or less mandatory. In addition to natural rocks, it is possible to furnish your aquariums with your own home-made rocks. By forming your own rocks at home you can tailor your aquarium setup down to the smallest details.