What to do with a 55???

[Stephen]

Since getting a new to me 55 gallon tank (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4735) I've been thinking about what to put in it. I want a small group of kuhli loaches but what else? I'd like to turn it into a community tank and I'm going to try my hand with live plants this time also. I plan on using sand for the substrate and I have some plant bulbs I picked up at walmart recently. There's 2 different types, one being a "dwarf lily".

The stand is being built tomorrow and I've already ordered a light strip, filter, and accessories. Below is what I've ordered already. To give you an idea of my filtration and such. I'm just so undecided I'd like to hear what ideas you guys and girls think. Also I'm thinking I'd like to get some discus for it if I can't decide on what else to go along with the kuhli's.

What I've Ordered
2 Penguin Bio-Wheel 170's with 10" extenstion tube kits.
2 AquaClear Model 201 Powerheads with Quick filter attachments. (for airation and to eliminate any if at all dead spots)
1 300 Watt VisiTherm Heater.
1 48" Single Tube Light Strip.
1 32 Watt Flora Sun Bulb.
6 Pieces of Driftwood. (various sizes)
1 Black Background

What I plan so far.
Sand Bottom.
Live plants.
Driftwood.
6-10 Kuhli Loaches.
"insert your idea here".

Thanks in advance.

[Tightdog1]

instead of the 2 penguin 170s you should of got 280s or even a pair of emperor 400s, or maybe a canister filer. and all you really needed was a 200-250 watt heater. but that stuff will work. i would say you make it a cichlid tank with some cool cichlids in it. but thats just my 2 cents.

[Stephen]

I've got a 280 already on my 30. Does a great job. I went with the 170's instead cause they looked the same as the 280 except size. The price was also a factor. At first I wanted the 330's. But figured that would be too much water flow. With 2 170's I'm getting the water turned over 6 times per hour. Figured it would be appropriate.

I was first looking at a fluval 404. I'm trying not to dig too far in my pocket though.

Any bad reviews of the 170's?

Speaking of cichlids I did have rams in mind. But will they work with the kuhlis, since they are a definate at this time.

[NJ Devils Fan]

I really don't think that 2 penguin 170s will be sufficient for a 55g. you should have gone with an Emperor 400 alone because it's a better filter and has more filtration then the other 2 combined. You really can't have too much filtration.

As for the fish, something like a large school of neon/cardinal tetras, maybe a school of rummynose tetras, some plecos.

[superstein61]

Yes, small cichlids would work in this tank. A pair of blue rams, and maybe a few Apisto's. I would also add a school of tetras (whichever ones most attract you)

[Rocketman]

Good Deal. Would've saved me $60... Maybe we can both help each other. I've got a 60 Gallon I just set up, and so far I have some Giant Daino's (plain but active,) 3 Cory's, and 2 Bala's, these are the guys I like. I got some scissor(sp) tail Tetra's thinking they'd be pretty cool, but the 7 of them just school at the upper right corner, out of view. I have never looked at community fish, and I must admit I know little about them.

I enjoy my 45 Gallon tank, with Tin Foils, a Bala, Silver Dollar, Needlenose Gar, Clawed Frogs... much more then my community, I think.

So, maybe we can both get some suggestions.

[FuzMugly]

How about a school on Neon Tetras?

[Corax]

The difference in the Penguin and the Emperor is more than just size. The Emperor has spray bars that force the biowheels to turn regardless of how crapped up they get... The penguin lacks this feature and is notorious for having the wheels stop turning (that's why they came out with the Emperor ;) )

That said.... Using a biowheel on a planted tank is a mistake. The wet/dry filtration the biowheel provides is fabulous for a big predatory tank, like an Oscar, but the same principle that provides the increased 02 exchange also depletes c02 to normal concentration levels... So if you decide to go HEAVILY planted and have a c02 injection system on the tank, you'll be wasting your time... For a planted tank, the Fluval would have been a much better choice =)

EDIT: Oh btw, so I'm not a total downer... A great 55 gallon setup I ran once was a South American biotope that included:

Gold Rams
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/img/ram3.jpg
Blue Rams
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/img/ram2.jpg
Neon Tetras
http://mike-edwardes.members.beeb.net/Pinnesi3.jpg
Apistogramma cacatuoides
http://www.apistogramma.com/fish/yellowcacmalea.gif
Apitogram borelii
http://www.apistogramma.com/fish/APISTOS/full/BORELLIIPAIR2C.GIF
Cory cats
http://loxir.free.fr/Animaux/Poissons%20tropicaux/corydoras%20paleatus.jpg

[Dangerdoll]

have you given much more thought on the discus? I just started with those recently and am very happy with them.......ok, I'm on the verge of addiction with them, hehehe..... anyway, just thought I'd put that idea out there again since I saw it mentioned earlier.

[Stephen]

I canceled the 170's and replaced them with a Fluval 404. More than I wanted to spend but that's life in the fishy biz. Will the 404 be enough to handle the tank with plants and lots of fish?

I should have asked before I ordered. No harm done though since it wasn't shipped yet. Thanks for the help. I look forward to seeing more ideas. So far I'm set on kuhli's and rams.

I'd like discus but after the 404 purchase I'm going to find less expensive fish to save some money. Maybe after I get the big tank built and paid for I'll consider them again.

[Stephen]

I added a tetra 60 power filter. I'm always afraid I won't have enough filtration.

I figure I'll place the 404 intake on one side and the tetra 6 near the 404's output on the other. If it's too much I'll just use the tetra somewhere else if I need. It'll be nice to have something spare around. In case a I get lucky and find a deal on something.

[lorax]

You dont have enough light for live plants. For low light plants you want at least 2 watts per gallon (that's actually a little low in my opinion), and you also need some clay based substrate, for Iron. I gotta hand it to you, you sure dont skimp on filtration:D, but if you have discus, you will have to do so many water changes filtration wont be as necesary as you might with a community tank.

to me there is little prettier than a school of Harlequin raspboros.

[Stephen]

Thanks lorax. I'll go with plastic and silk like the rest of my tanks. More lighting and the other things I've been reading about live plants is making it not an option. I'll come up with something though.

[Stephen]

I got this tank setup (you can read about it on my tank specs page) and I think I've sorta decided on the inhabitants. I also moved the 304 to this tank from my 75 gallon. I am using the new 404 on the 75. I'm going to purchase and add the fish next week. What I plan is below.

6 Kuhli Loaches
2 Male and 2 Female blue rams
2 Gourami's
4 Cories (not decided on type)
Guppy's from my other tank (2 males and 4 females)
And whatever else in the LFS that interests me and will go well with these fish.

[RyJ]

55 gallons is a good sized tank. If it were up to me I'd make it an eye-candy tank. By that I mean....having good contrast and comparison with colour and size, fish occupying different levels of the tank, etc.

I'm a total slave for small schooling fish....so a nice sized Cardinal Tetra school would be a must. Neons be damned!
Anyways, that school would get the bottom-middle part of the tank set.

I would then get a smaller school (compared to the Cardinals) of Marble Hachetfish for occupying the top of the tank.

Peaceful medium sized fish like Angels, gouramies, etc... to live in the other levels.

Finally, the bottoms feeders I like tend to be expensive and a little useless for the tank...ie: Gold Nugget Plecos, Zebra Plecos, etc... Not all would be lost though, I would add a small school of Otto's (god bless those little guys).

Anyways bud, have fun adding your fish.