Hi new to CH and thought I'd share some pics of my show tank and show how its developed over the last year or so.

Comments and/or suggestions are welcome.

Before



After The back painted black



After quarry rock taken out, and lace rock added.

Very nice looking tank! the Clap

Nice progress too! Good Job

What's in the tank? Hmmmm

Thank you very much :)

Fish list is as follows..

1 10" Common Pleco
6 Metriaclima Estherae (Red)
1 Metriaclima Callainos
1 Metriaclima Aurora
1 Pseudotropheus sp. Elongatus Chailosi
1 Pseudotropheus sp. Elongatus Mpanga
1 Melanochromis Parallelus
2 Metriaclima Estherae (OB) - 1M1F
3 Melanochromis Cyaneorhabdos
6 F1 - Tropheops sp. "Red Fin" (Lundu)
2 Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei" (Msuli)
2 Pseudotropheus Longior
1 Pseudotropheus Flavus
1 Pseudotropheus demasoni (Pombo Rocks)
12 F1 - Pseudotropheus sp. Elongatus Usisya

So Andrew, do you per chance live in or close to Texas? The reason I ask, is that I havnt seen any Ps. flavus in this area in a long time. By the way, awsome looking tank and fish. I like the whole time line thing.

Mongo sorry but I live near Toronto Canada. I havent seen many peoples with Ps. Flavus either. In fact I lucked out. I had gotten only 6 Flavus fry with only 2 surviveing :Sad: Turns out the 2 survivors was 1M1F, and have had 2 mouthfulls already with them @ 2". Good luck with your search tho.


Thanks, Ill add more pics as more develops.

CURSES...FOILED AGIAN! Grrrr

Hey Andrew!! Small world didnt know you were on here also :P

Ill be picking up those Longior soon!! Tuesday as planned :P

See guys me n andrew live like litterally 20 mins away from each other, I bought some red belly piranhas off him a couple of months ago..

Bouncy

Love the progress on ur fish man, definatly changed alot since the last time I was over. Good Job

This is Rob BTW in case ur wondering who the H**L this is :P

lol...hi rob! i figured it was you when you said youd be picking up the longiors :)

Thank you very much Rob, things are starting to fall into place. About ready for some new groups.

see u tuesday!

Nice looking tank Andrew!

Changing to the black background really made a difference.

It sure did! Very shortly after painting my first tank, each and every other one followed. I'll never go back again. Really makes a big difference in bringing out whats IN the tank, rather than whats behind it.

For the benefit of everyone, could you tell us what kind
or brand name of paint you used on the back of the tank? Hmmmm

Thanks Andrew and again, nice tank! the Clap

Good Call i'd like to know my self :)

meh why don't I just find out when i come on Tuesday lol

I basically went to 'colour your world' and picked out the cheapest black paint I could find, as when I was doing my research, was told that the type of black would not matter, as its shown through to pains of glass.


Color Your World Designers Touch Interior Latex Satin Black.

As much as I love how it all looks now, I can't help but think that the type of black does matter. And that I could have been darker/deeper black if i had tried Gloss or semi gloss.

I think you made the right choice. It photographs well and you don't have to worry about too much sheen in your pics.

I like the painted look too. The only problem we have had is some of our paint choices "streak" if water leaks down the outside of the tank. But I still really like it over other background choices.

Andrew, sounds like you and Rob could do a road trip down this way!

Kim

HOw would one strip the paint off?? persay if time came to upgrade and selling off the tank"? or simply to change the colour??

I wouldnt dare to use chemicles or paint thinners as u'd never fully get the residue off the tanks...

Kim I would love to....Rob wanna take a road trip? :D


Rob, as far as takeing the paint off, it comes off surprisingly easily with scrapeing. no chemicals needed.