Rescaping my Lake Malawi Cichlid Tank with Plants

[@andrewmiller3767]

I’m sure you’ve heard it a million times, but you make great videos and are very beautiful. No creepy stuff….just compliments . Thank you

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you heaps :)

[@mazelivictor7499]

Hey Kaity, next time if you wanna remove algae from rocks, get a large bowl of hot(boiling) water and put them in there for about 20 minutes, remove them and then clean off the algae with a small brush, works like magic. The hot water basically kills 100% of it and also loosens it up for brushing, so even if you don't brush it off and put it back in your tank, they'll all fall off and be gone within a few days. Hope this helps.

[@scotto5548]

Hey Kaity, maybe look into an Algae Turf Scrubber, apparently they work wonders.

[@zsworld6609]

after I started understanding algae and realizing the benefits and the importance of it in the aquarium, I stopped cleaning it except from the glass. fish love it

[@Kaityscichlids]

Algae is definitely a great helper!! I just got sick of the way the black beard algae looked

[@vesawuoristo4162]

Few fish eat black hair algae , so not the same as green algae, which many fish eat

[@hydrocooledcarrot]

In the old days I spent so much of my energy cleaning algae 😂

[@westernization]

What is the benefits of it?

[@mike2dg]

you should get some pothos plants and have the roots hanging in the water it would help with your nitrate reduction/ alagae situation

[@soundpitchblack]

I had a bad case of bba on my tank to the point that I got fed up and literally stopped taking care of my tank other than changing water once in a while or topping it off. CO2 tank went empty left it empty dimmed the lights and removed my canister and placed a hob. 7 months later started to clean the tank since plants were overgrown etc. no more blackbeard algae. I have a feeling that light, nutrients and high flow makes bba

[@ryanmael24]

Iam glad to c how well the Nubias has taken of and I’ve noticed that the fish look to be a lot calmer good job I like it 👍.

[@acuariosconlafamilia5693]

Hi Kaity, I enjoyed this video from start to finish. You are very professional and detailed in the care of your fish, I congratulate you. I am your big fan from Mexico. I really enjoy seeing you.

[@Schah375]

I would recommend putting emersed plant like peace lily or pothos on top of the aquarium with the roots only in the water. It will help to suck out the nitrates. Anubias cannot outcompete the algae. It grows so slow and absorbs so little nutrients. That’s what i did to my cichlid’s aquarium and it helps a lot. I planted also cryptocoryne wendtii. My peacocks doesn’t eat it at all.

[@pattykake7195]

Green is my favourite colour…so your new look is a “yes” from me…👍🏽🌱👍🏽

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you 😁😁

[@lukas181118]

Nice one Kaity . I’m afraid the anubias will be gone in weeks , had in my tank same idea even Ive add valisneria on the background and all was slowly disappearing lol . But hey , every fishtank is different. Good luck . You can try copper wire brush to take algae off the rock then power washer :D

[@Ymmoyason224]

You are always so happy and posetive so then i watch your videos i get happier😅

[@Kaityscichlids]

Hahaha, thank you, I love that!

[@CichlidVibes]

Hi Kaity, have a look at resin called Purolite A520E, it will suck all the nitrate out of the tank, and you can recharge the resin with salt when exhausted.

[@daengkurniofficial]

Greetings from Indonesia, I am your new subscriber, I am very happy to see your videos showing your favorite pets. May you always be given health and success Greetings from Indonesia 🇮🇩🇮🇩

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much 😊🙏🙏 Greetings from Australia!! 🇦🇺

[@evilone543]

Interesting plant choice. I’m an Anubis fan, but I’m not sure that’s your algae fix. I think you did more by adjusting the flow than with adding the plants. I’ll never discourage anyone from using as many plants as they can though.

[@carlyh6913]

It looks so amazing, the fish colours just POP with the greenery in the background, the fish were so cute racing around after it was all setup 😂 they seem like they enjoy the water change + new scenery

[@garageaquatics2023]

Those Anubius look fantastic, Kaity. Eventually, the rhizomes will attach themselves to the rocks with those fine roots. I had a blackbeard algae problem. I ended up pulling the rocks out, put tthem in a 5 gallon (about 19 L) bucket and added about a quarter cup of chlorine bleach (regular laundry bleach) and let them soak for about two days. It killed all the algae then I used a stiff, short-bristle brush to scrub the dead algae away, and then rinsed them clean. Works fantastically and safely. And there's still plenty beneficial bacteria in the tank - substrate, filter, etc. Anyway, I love the look with all of the Anubius along the ridgeline of the big rocks. It really looks fantastic! Have a graet week! ~Ron

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much Ron!! And that is some excellent tips/advice, and really good to know that normal laundry bleach can work on the rocks too. I was too sure about whether it was safe to use or not so I just went with the hydrogen peroxide

[@lepolhart3242]

The plants look beautiful in your tank. It`s always good to experiment. I added plants to my african cichlid tank (mainly vallisneria and echinodorus) but it wasn`t anubias. I think some of the fish ate them as some leaves got loose but I planted them into the sand. In the end, they ended up looking scruffy so I transferred them to my cold water fish tank where my cold water fish ate them quickly. I find planting the plants in the sand makes it difficult cleaning the sand when syphoning the tank as you have to replant them constantly as the fish eat them and leaves get loose. Glueing them to rocks is a better option.

[@justmyway508]

I've always thought your tanks would look so much better with some plants. They've always been gorgeous, but some more green along with all the benefits that plants provide is just a no brainer in my opinion. But as always great video.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you heaps 😁😁

[@unsocialbutterfly5760]

Yes I love plants in tanks too, but assumed she didn’t have any because the cichlids eat the plants.

[@justmyway508]

@@unsocialbutterfly5760 Thats probably some of it but she has also mentioned in the past that planted tanks wasnt really her thing. But that might be slowly changing and Im here for it.

[@joydeith4711]

What a coincidence I just put a small urn with annubias into my quarantine tank. I like the new look for your tank😀hopefully the fish will like it too.

[@kwackytankslap9339]

Great to see someone telling us about the highs and the lows of fishkeeping. Far too many popular KZbinrs present an idyllic life, never encountering any issues. PS I use a small spot of super glue gel on the rhizome to attach anubias to hardscape.

[@Kaityscichlids]

I'm definitely all about sharing the process, because I think that's where the most value lies! And that's good to know. I said I'd try to avoid the rhizome but I realised that is kind of hard to do, so I just dribbled a bit on the side of it and hoped for the best 😅 so good so far

[@sharonduvall7286]

Your fish are so beautiful! I just love to see videos about them❤

[@Joaquin-227]

Wow those fish are huge!

[@Kaityscichlids]

They just keep growing! 😂

[@Mike.kelly1970]

Hi Kaity what live plants can I put in my African cichlid aquarium

[@EasyVRider]

I would put the peroxide in s spray bottle and use a wire brush to scrub the rock with

[@anthonyeveler4820]

Tank looks great always makes me happy when you post because of all the rays of happiness you give off can’t wait for more updates and for fish videos.

[@amyvining6561]

Love the plants! Really makes the tank and the fish look even more amazing. Also, I predict the anubias will live and flourish!

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you 🙏🙏 Let's hope your prediction is right 🤣

[@Bigfishcoffee]

Great work as usual! Love it! I have one tip for you, keep an eye on your white cichlid with the blueish fins. I noticed him pulling on the plants twice during this video while you were talking to us.

[@davidhart4789]

Love the look with the plants on the rocks. Hope the plants grow to cover the rocks entirely. Also loved the look of your nails, so pretty.

[@JörgFaißt]

Looks very good and I really hope it works dear Kaity, but Anubis grow very slowly and that won't have any effect on nitrate reduction. In this setup it is better to use large and fast growing emerse plants with their roots hanging down into the water. Unfortunately, there is also a big risk that the BBA will grow on the anubies, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that it all works out!

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you 🙏🙏 I didn't realise that how fast a plant grows directly impacts how many nitrates it takes out of the water, but it makes a lot of sense lol. It'll be interesting to see how it goes

[@Yelsin_Salazar]

Hi Kaity, even hairy algae is a good helper, sometimes you can't just get rid of it, and not many fish eat it. The Siamese Algae Eater is a great helper, I believe they are available in Australia. Anyways, the rescaping ended up pretty cool, It looks way more natural and beautiful. Thanks for sharing the video, I hope you have a great week.🙌!!!

[@Nettixxx]

Siamese algae eaters can’t go with african cichlids which is the problem because cichlids have an obsession with eating eyeballs

[@fred15]

Love the island effect !! Next thing i would do if i were you is to put a background to hide averything... 👍

[@thomaswoolley1993]

Good luck on the anubias mine lasted about 6 months have tropheus and malawi cichlids. A water blaster would make quick work of the algae. Tanks look soo good ❤

[@Bonnie10au]

I love my 4 heavily planted aquariums so I was not sure if multi shell dwellers are for me. Finally I got them and their tank has a PH of 8.1 with a GH of 15. I successfully grow anubias, java ferns, some vals. As floating plants, which are brilliant to suck out nutrients, pearl weed, wistera, red root floaters, guppy grass and duck weed are doing very well. I have floating plants in every tank.

[@forestpassion4464]

Hi i like the plants its always nice having green color of plants maybe adding some driftwood too in the future. and you have thick layer of sand its full of banaficints bacteria so don't worry about bacteria. great video 💕🐡🐟🐠

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you 😁 I think it definitely looks nice with a bit of green 😊

[@reidnorton6794]

I"ve got lights like those and i zip tied a small philodendron to one of them and it's grown like crazy. My pothos plants also look really good and are munching up all the nitrates (or trites or both) very well. I'm sure they'd look really good on yours too.

[@MrEvilmitch]

Awesome Kaity . I keep anubius in my mbuna tank and the fish dont touch them they thrive and the fish seem to love them . Some of my smaller yellow labs even sleep on the leaves

[@irvingnapolitano4399]

Fungus Destroyer/Guard kills Blackbeard Algae. I used it before to get rid of it. Couple times actually, but be ready to clean up all the dead algae after. Or dose tank and coral separate and use good new brush on coral pieces soaking them for a day or so. But dose tank too to get it all.

[@danielharrold1075]

Comes off very easy with a wire brush

[@sethupathysivasamy7499]

Good work. Beautiful 👌👌👌

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you 😁🙏🙏

[@briansimpson1807]

Love the videos you’re always on positive. Your tanks always look so amazing and beautiful. Can’t wait to see the tank when the plants start to grow in.

[@apriltolson]

I think it turned out great! The placement of the Anubias looks great. Love your videos! 😁

[@SrLuisCam]

You make me want to get cichlids. Take looks great with the plants! I love it!

[@ristergamer_2210]

thanks for sharing your experience

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you for watching!!

[@raymondsims4450]

I do like your freestyle approach to fish keeping. I feel like there really is no right or wrong way to do things, just the way that works for you. I find lot's of little tricks that I don't see anywhere on the internet that make me feel proud of myself. And you as well..

[@JayJacksRC]

I have got the biggest crush on you I don’t mean to be disrespectful or anything like that I just want to inform you that in my eyes you are one of, if not the prettiest aquarium KZbin person and you’ve had me smitten since I first happened on your channel.. ❤❤

[@aquaenthusiast9185]

Easy-life Easy Carbo also works very well against BBA and is overall probably a bit less aggressive than H2O2. You can just apply it with a tooth brush and it will do it's job. However, don't know if it is available in Australia. The plants look very nice😀👍

[@Kaityscichlids]

Oooo, that is good to know!! And thank you 😊🙏

[@crazecuber5990]

Amazing tank

[@lakitha077]

Hi Kaity! Tank looks amazing now, If they still eat Anubias, try java fern. I keep bunch of them in my African Cichlid tank, have had them for over a year now, they hardly mess with them. Good luck😊

[@donhabel1590]

Looks great love the addition of the plant 👍

[@CharlesLales]

Hey Kaity, for cleaning the rocks you need water pressure wasser e.g. Kärcher, you could rent a good one instead of buying one.. but this is always useful. For the plant you could go for aquaponic instead of plants in your tank, if you're looking for only nitrate fixation.. you keep then a more biotope realistic look and emerged plants can grow way more just by accessing air CO2.. and this would be an interesting build for sure ;-)

[@amanda_aqua]

Great video!! And that guys bagging skills were on point 😂❤

[@rickigoode8536]

Excellent vid. I used 12% HP on my rocks and it destroyed the Blackbeard. I use it to clean my koi pond walls and works a treat.

[@lynnrobertson4657]

Tank looks so much better with plants brilliant ❤🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@dannyaquatics]

It doesn't kill too much bacteria. I've been cleaning my decor and large Stones off with a bleach solution of three too one mix into a plastic spray bottle. It's clean it off like new in less than 5 minutes. I've been doing this for over two years to all my aquariums. Just rinse well to remove any bleach and put back into your aquarium and add seachem prime or safe. I've never had any problems with this cleaning.

[@DKRGaming]

Love the plants! and oh yeah plants love minerals. gives em color! Anubias are low light plants to so you could pretty much plant them in really dark spots and theyll be okay! Wattage with the lights means the more watts the more PAR/"power" it will put out which is light intensity.

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you 😁 And that's good to know!

[@stefanhakansson7316]

You really are a professional, so nice🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪

[@jasethejewman]

Btw your sediment needs a good clean it's a major contributor to your black rock ... I can't remember having any plants survive with Malawi... good luck 👍

[@GenXHeart]

That looks SO good!!! Now I ABSOLUTELY want a Malawi tank! Thank you for the warning about the yuk! This was perfect timing as I'm seeing some Black Beard in my community tank... I'm going to be a bit more aggressive getting rid of it right now! Thank you!

[@brianjones1282]

WAIT! PLANTS?! *GASP* 😲 Are you feeling alright Kaity? 😁 Did you try to scrub the algae off with a scrub brush at all? Bristles do wonders on things like rocks with porous surfaces. Be prepared though. Anubias and rhizome plants in general grow very slowly and don't absorb that much nitrate out of the water column. They don't remove as much waste from the water as rooted plants. So in that large of a tank, with that size of fish, you might hardly see any difference at all. I have a bunch of Anubias and epiphyte plants in 2 gallon (7.5L) tanks with one fish each and they won't keep the nitrates under control. 🙁Not trying to burst your bubble. Just trying to give you some heads-up. The plants look good though. I think the tank looks good with some contrasting green color to the rocks. But I like plants. 😊Welcome to the dark... err, plant side! 😛

[@MatthiasBruder-xn1ik]

Got Vallisneria in both of my Tanganjika Aquarium. I love Aquatic plants and wont miss it in my tanks❤

[@iain2070]

2nd wave maker would def help, maybe raise the lights a little as well and you can reduce the brightness a little more, its a shallow tank light is hitting the bottom..Keep up the good work.

[@Kaityscichlids]

I think so too! Thank you 😊🙏

[@jonathanstrauss8194]

Fulleborni and venustus are gorgeous

[@travisrichards6181]

That anubias looks so good in there! Another great video :) Those cichlids have gotten so big and bright! Just beautiful

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you so much 😄 it's crazy how much they have grown!!

[@MakoyUnggoy]

Those zebra loaches are beyond my budget when you have to buy a group and I haven't got a big enough tank for clown loaches either... I went with some yoyo loaches only the other day, cheaper, smaller but still so active and loads of fun to watch!

[@Kaityscichlids]

Lol that's what I said to Finn when I realised you would have to buy a school 🤣 Such cool little fish though. I am a big fan of yoyo loaches too

[@IsmaelTorres-k5b]

I'm not sure if your fish will eat java fern but I think it would look really good. You probably going to have to dim the lights a lot more so it won't create so much algae

[@sheikhshakib55]

My favorite fish keeper❤🇧🇩

[@darrenbrownell5732]

Hi Katy,Your tanks looking really nice with the addition of Anubias and ime sure the malawis wont bother with them at all. I had vallisneria plants in my tank and my mbuna didn’t really bother with them either. Just out of curiosity what are your water parameters out of the tap before you add your buffer.?? All the best from the U.K.

[@EpicConspiracy]

Can confirm. My planted tanks explode in Ohio hard water. Also you are the only person to make crocs look good!🔥

[@ajazahmed9812]

Woww superrr❤❤❤ loved it

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you 😊🙏🏻

[@sillydude59]

Hi Kaity, I've been subscribed to your page. You offer lots of good information. I kept Tanganyikan cichlids many moons ago. At that time we used gravel which was originally for salt water aquariums. Not sure what substrate to use these many moons later. Would appreciate any advice Thanks -Tom

[@Brian_Kwan]

I think the black beard algae may eventually overtake the anubias. From my experience anubias need low light as they grow so slow. I had used florish as an algae side. But you need to be very consistent. Almost eveey 2-3days dosing

[@maubotanica]

I love aroids , anubias are strong plants for ciclids tanks. How many hours are the lights on?

[@williammitchell2846]

You can put your rock work in Milton sterilising liquid, just soak it overnight in a bucket its safe for the fish, just needs a good wash off afterwards, I've used it many times.

[@Krishnath.Dragon]

Anubias, Microsorum pteropus/Java Fern, and Crinum are all plants that are very though, like hard water, and are Malawi Cichlid safe.

[@norbertthoens3561]

Viel Glück mit deinen Pflanzen im Chichlidenbecken! 🍀

[@the88tench3]

The Aquarum is looking awesome, especially with the anubias being added! Really good idea to glue it to the rocks that way using all the holes in them to fix them too! Think those plants will do well in there, and hopefully the BBA will keep itself under control. How long do you have the lights on for? I found reducing the lighting in my nano aquarium from 8 hours to 4 hours has made a huge difference in getting rid of that slimy green algae as its dying off loads, but hasn't affected the plants at all. Some of them are even looking bright green finally!! Water quality is stable too, so going to get some amano & cherry shrimps and nerite snails for it tomorrow! The neon tetra's in the large aquarium are doing really well in there too, will have to put up a video on my channel of them soon! Can't wait to see the progress on these two aquariums, and the rack systems!

[@AT_aquarist]

Great work, but why stop there! I think it would be great if you could elevate the rocks and put big peace lilys on it and the leafs will go above the water and above the lights ive done this before and the peace lily thrived

[@sharpygsxr]

I have Anubian in with my malawis which have lasted for well over a year, apparently the leaves are tough enough that they dont seem appealing. Ive also tried java fern in the tank and valisneria which also worked but the vallis kept getting dug up by the mbuna so i ended up putting in little mesh pots with gravel to keep them secure. The anubias are also a slow grower but eventually their roots will do a great job.

[@Kaityscichlids]

That's good to know!! I'm so excited to see how it goes

[@max.0328]

😳😳😳 you're always full of surprises!! I had a feeling you might do something with plants in this weeks video, but adding them into your Malawi tank..?? I never ever thought we would get to see that!!(Miss i'm all about fish not plants😂) i must say it looks so so nice! And now we get to find out if you're as bad at keeping plants as you always claim to be i guess. Bb algae are a real pain but it looks like you got rid of a lot of it. A hard brush might work better.again a fun video i really enjoyed watching!!👍 6 in a dozen 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣ah man...

[@max.0328]

🤔maybe you can try to Tie some Moss on one of your rocks and put it in your sump or quarantaine tank, until it has attached itself.before you put that rock back.keeping the Moss short by regular trimming Will make it attach itself faster

[@davidmeier2975]

I had bba as well. I boiled the real rocks and soaked anything that was plastic in Hydrogen Peroxide for about 15 minutes. This killed all the bba on the rocks etc. I also lessened my light. I now test for phosphates, keeping them low had stopped the bba.

[@KeepItFishyyEG]

Why don’t you get a tint or black out tint cover sheet for the back of the glass where the widow is?

[@gregory7414]

Looks good Kaity. You may have had the black beard alage because of too much light. The plants you just put in are low light plants. They don't like a ton of light Neither do the fish. Lol. Greg

[@simsational3994]

Hi Kaity, Could you add snails to help with the algae? I’ve got one in my tank and he has cleaned all the algae off my rock and it was covered in it😃

[@hitendraverma443]

Great re-scape. What lights are you using? Will those be enough to grow the plants?

[@Kaityscichlids]

Thank you!! They are Freshwater AI Prime lights, they are really strong lights actually made for growing plants but I originally had them because they were the best Bluetooth light I could get that fit over the glass

[@projectfish13]

i have green algae in my tank and love it 😃🙏

[@zlamanit]

I wouldn’t bet on anubias outcompeeting anything because of how slowly it grows. But I like keeping it because of how it looks (and because it’s not as tasty as other plants). What helped me with this kind of algae was lots of phosphate removing media and lots of patience, but some people recommend adding phosphate (which is crazy, but it works for them).

[@Kaityscichlids]

Oooo, how interesting!! I read something about phosphates too, but it's not something I've ever looked into. It might be worth looking into more if this doesn't work 🤔 And yes it might just be wishful thinking about the Anubias 🤣

[@cmdrYzemaN]

Anubias is very slow growing, so might (will?) get covered in algae in a well lit tank. Just remember plants need food too to stay healthy. When you have a heavy fish load, you probably only need to dose a bit of micro nutrients every now and again. Oh, and for gluing epiphytes, any cyanoacrylate (super glue) based glue should be fine. It instantly hardens in contact with water and stays inert. No need to pay extra dineros just because it says "aquarium" on the box...

[@jasethejewman]

Cheap high pressure washer from bunnings will bring them rocks sparkling clean

[@stevesaquatopia8291]

I'm in the plant phase in my life too lol I'm doing the same thing. So far they have destroyed most of what I put in. However 2 plants they don't seem to be bothering are Java fern and the jungle Val. Cabomba they pull out and eat new growth but it's existing. The anubias was destroyed quickly. They would break off the big leaves and eat the new leaves until they were just the main runner.. I had a couple others that I can't think of the name but so far Java fern and Val are ok.

[@jordanspurling772]

would a stiff bristle brush work for the algae on the holey rock? to take the bulk of it off

[@madaboutmilitaria3630]

Looks great

[@Dropquickmurphy]

I had that algae on my rocks it was a nightmare to get off I did the same thing you did, got most of it off I found a cheap dish brush and bottle cleaning brushes worked best for me

[@DuzzyDobbin]

Hi Katy, Great vid again. For algae on rocks I use a waterproof electric toothbrush and a spray bottle full of peroxide. Also have you considered a couple of mollys or Chinese algae eater? (Depending how hard your water is for tte later of those 2 fish.). If you kill Anubias perhaps you may want to keep the algae as a plant 😂😂😂 Tank looks great Regards Duzzy🇦🇺

[@brianp6180]

Kaity, use a pressure washer. It will take that off in a flash

[@aidanoleary5412]

Would you ever consider painting the back of your tank black? Or juast a black background? Would make those africans pop crazy and hide the cables and pipe work?

[@DavidWynn-f8o]

Hay Kaity id use a pressure cleaner on thos rocks.. far easier than a scourer!!

[@Cal619Guy]

the rocks look super sharp... it doesn't injure your fish? beautiful tank nonetheless. :) also, when i kill black algae i put the rocks or decorations in my bathtub, and spray the hydrogen peroxide on the rocks directly. I use a small 99 cents spray bottle. it works! :D

[@rossdingle6236]

The anubias should do fine. It's pretty tough. I use a nylon dish washing brush to scrub rocks and glass. They are cheap and just use it for aquariums.

[@rzarecta1177]

Have u tried a pressure washer to clean the rocks?

[@wendyhood1006]

You sound just like me over the years of trying to keep my cichlids and plants 🤣 I tried and tried but to no avail so rocks it is 😂😂