How I picked up cichlids, an aquarium, equipment and decor for the Central America tank 150 gal

Part 1, to be continued 👫 FB - Instagram - 🤗 Author Denis Smirnov I decided to share the story of my aquarium. Suddenly, this will somehow help the same novices like me to avoid elementary mistakes or take a fresh look at your home aquarium. I suspect that there will be many letters, so I will write in parts. Well, of course, I urge you to comment and supplement my posts with my knowledge. Let’s share the experience. Well, in general .. If you decide to buy aquarium and do not have a clear understanding of which fish you want see in, then the most difficult thing is to choose among those species and color variety of aquarium fish those that will live in your aquarium and, most importantly, be able to stop in time. In general, choosing, you need to build on whether you can create the necessary conditions in your aquarium for a particular species - the temperature of the water, its chemical composition and chemical properties. Although most fish are already adapted to ordinary tap water, the requirements for hardness, acidity, temperature and oxygen enrichment remain. Well, you need to understand how much time you are ready to devote to your aquarium. Therefore, you need to remember that the smaller the aquarium, the more time and attention it requires. I will return to the fish ...) I made my choice in favor of the Cichlids of Central America - large and beautiful fish with their own character. I approached the choice as an amateur - I looked at pictures and selected those fish that I liked visually. I wanted everyone ...)) now I understand when people start with 200 liters and, then, they can’t stop at 2 tons))) When the list exceeded twenty plus - I slowed down myself) The time has come to find out all about those whom I have chosen. Then the Internet was to help me. Then I learned about the concept of compatibility of fish and the requirements for their maintenance. I immediately remembered my children’s aquarium - guppies, neons, golds and scalars ... and all this in 50 liters with sea shells (for it’s beautiful)))) ... poor fish ... But now, on the Internet, on numerous specialized forums and groups in social networks, you can find any information and you will always be answered all your questions. The main thing is not to be shy to ask them. Of course you need to know the theory, but the advice of practitioners, later on, turned out to be much more useful. So about compatibility in a nutshell - someone is too aggressive, and someone is too slow, someone needs very soft water, and someone on the contrary, someone needs a water temperature of 24, and someone 30. Well, to avoid unnecessary sacrifices - the fish should be proportionate. And so it was necessary to choose fish similar in temperament and requirements to the conditions of detention. The list began to thin rapidly. But considering that you need about 50 liters of water in the aquarium for each adult, but you also want to be in pairs - I had to reduce my list to five species - Cichlasoma Synspilum (Rainbow Cichloma), Cichlasoma festae (cichlazoma festa), Vieja maculicauda (Red-necked Vieja), Vieja hartwegi (vieha hartweg), Amphilophus citrinellus (citron or lemon cichlazoma). Well, the fish were selected and it was possible to start choosing an aquarium for them and all the necessary equipment .... When choosing an aquarium, I proceeded from all the same average 50 liters of volume per fish. He stopped at the aquarium SSB-Aqua 150 * 50 * 80 cm. Of the conditional disadvantages of this aquarium, only that it is not glued from Optivaite glass. But for me it was not important. Perhaps this aquarium is the best combination of price / quality. Most of the fish I have chosen grow to a size of 30 cm. Accordingly, waste from them, like a little pig)). Therefore, a good filtration system is needed. In general, I realized that there is not much filtering. By the way, this is one of the important components of a successful aquarium. Having studied the information on various forums, I chose an external Fluval FX6 filter and an internal pump of 1500 l / h with a large sponge. As well as an Eheim water heater with a 300W thermostat and an Oase compressor at 200 l / h. All equipment turned out with a certain margin of productivity. I chose UDeco Canyon Black 6-12 mm as the soil. As a decor - stones UDeco Leopard Stone and driftwood UDeco Chinese Driftwood. Driftwood in the cichlid is not only for beauty, but also carries a practical load - they soften the water and provide the fish with a sufficient number of shelters. Well - the aquarium, equipment and decor, everything is bought and you can proceed to the so-called setup.