Setting up a Lake Malawi aquarium

This is a guide to creating a great Malawi aquarium setup for anyone thinking on getting a Malawi tank and need any info to start or just need a tip on anything. This guide will give you all the basic information you'll need to start and maintain the aquarium. Okay let's get started!!!

Things you'llneed

  • An aquarium of fifty gallons or larger(The larger the better.)
  • a stand for the aquarium you got
  • a canister filter rated for twice the size of the aquarium you have.(Malawi cichlids dig a lot.)
  • a heater properly sized for the tank. (4 watts to 1 gallon is a good way of rating it.)
  • coral sand for the aquarium.(2 lbs to one gallon.)
  • rocks of any kind.(lava rock is a best to use.)
  • declorinating chemicals.

Setting up everthing up

  1. place the stand in the spot you got it for.
  2. rinse the tank in clean water.(don't use cleaners.)
  3. place the tank on the stand.
  4. assemble the aquarium filter.
  5. place the filter intake in one side of the tank and output at opposite side.
  6. rinse the sand until water rinses clear.
  7. add sand to tank
  8. fill tank half way
  9. level sand bed
  10. add heater
  11. rinse rocks
  12. add rocks to tank.(stack them.)
  13. fill tank rest of the way.
  14. add declorinating chemicals.
  15. start everything up.(siphon filter.)
  16. wait two weeks
  17. go out and buy four cichlids.(red zebras are good.)
  18. acclimate fish.(for procedure see bottom.)
  19. wait two or three more weeks.
  20. buy rest of the fish.(a list of good starter fish will be listed) also don't over crowd the tank.(things to know will be on bottom.)

Costs

average prices for supplies (50 gallon)

  • aquarium tank $150-200
  • aquarium filter $50-100
  • aquarium heater $20-25
  • light hood $50-75
  • tank stand $75-100
  • crushed coral 100lbs $100-150
  • aquarium rocks 75lbs $75-100

total: $750.00

average prices for supplies (100 gallon)

  • aquarium tank $250-350
  • aquarium filter $75-125
  • aquarium heater $25-30
  • light hood $50-120
  • tank stand $100-150
  • crushed coral 200lbs $200-250
  • aquarium rocks 140lbs $140-200

total: $1225.00

average prices for supplies (150 gallon)

  • aquarium tank $350-400
  • aquarium filter $100-150
  • aquarium heater $25-35
  • light hood(s) $100-150
  • tank stand $200-250
  • crushed coral 300lbs $300-350
  • aquarium rocks 200lbs $200-250

total: $1585.00

average prices for supplies (200 gallon)

  • aquarium tank $450-500
  • aquarium filter(s) $200-250
  • aquarium heater(s) $40-50
  • light hood(s) $200-250
  • tank stand $200-250
  • crushed coral 400lbs $400-500
  • aquarium rocks 250lbs $250-300

total: $2100.00

average prices for supplies (250 gallon)

  • aquarium tank -600
  • aquarium filter(s) $300-350
  • aquarium heater(s) $55-60
  • light hood(s) $300-400
  • tank stand $300-350
  • crushed coral 500lbs $500-600
  • aquarium rocks 300lbs $300-400

total: $2660.00
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