New to the game, just bought 55 gal tank

M

MClauw24

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Jun 6, 2006
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Just bought a used 55 gallon glass tank from a friend at work. Its only a year old and he bought it as a kit. I believe it was a TOP FIN 55 gallon aquarium starter kit. Anyway, i am trying to plan out my new freshwater aquarium and i have some questions that i hope you guys ( or girls) can help me to answer.
The types of fish i am looking to stock are community fish. Probably 3 or 4 schools of about 8 fish a piece. Probably looking at different tetra species. In addition i would like a small school of cory cats , probably 4 or 5.

Now to the questions.

I would like a nice planted tank. I would also like to have a couple pieces of driftwood along with maybe a couple pieces of slate for some decorations. I have been researching plants and i would be looking for something easy to maintain and grow. Any suggestions?

On Lighting:

The tank came with two single bulb hoods, each with a 15W bulb. I have done some research and found that i should aim for about 2 WPG for low light plants. That would mean i would need 110 watts of light. I have looked and the highest watt 24" bulb only comes in at 20 W. My Question is what should i have for lighting? What lighting setup would you recommend for my tank (ie. size and type of hood, types of bulbs)

I have also reasearched that tetras perfer a lower light level. Anyone think they would be bothered by 110 W of light?

On FIltration:

I am going to scrap the filter that came with the kit. I have been looking at the emperor 400 filter. Would that be a good choice? What about a eheim filter? How does it compare and would it be worth the extra 100 bucks compared to the emperor.

On Cycling the tank:

I am going to do a fishless cycle. I have read up on BIO spira and i think i will use that to speed up the process.
1. Should i plant the tank at the start of the cycle or after it has completed.
2. Can i use pure ammonia with BIO spira to accomplish a fishless cycle effectively?

I know its a lot of info, but any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
I've just returned to this hobby, with a 55 gal too.

I run 80 watts with a wall of vallis plants at one end, and some java fern around some bogwood with floating plants above at the other.

I did a fishless cycle, but noticed the plants picked up after the tank was cycled...so they can survive it but would probably prefer to be put in afterwards. Increasing the temp to 85 with the lights on 24/7 speeds up the cycle too.

I'd go with Eheim too.
 
There is an excellent aquatic plant site at:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/

Most plants need 2wpg to grow well - some can survive at lower levels eg. jarva fern and java moss, but they dont grow very fast and you may run into algae problems. Its all a matter of balancing lights/CO2/fertilisers to match the plants you choose. There are lots of 'right' ways to suceed and if you are happy to research and ask lots of questions that is half the battle won!

P.S. If you have lower watt lights make sure you have good reflectors to get maximum light into the water or there are lots of links on TPT for retrofit lighting kits.
:fairy:
Good luck
Sue
 
If you use Bio-Spira you have no need to put ammonia in your tank. You should add it and the fish at the same time. The only problem I see is if the Bio-Spira is not fresh, you will then be doing a fishy cycle inadvertently. Bio-Spira when fresh and kept cold is a complete biological package. If it is allowed to get warm or is too old, it is nothing more than the garbage sold to everyone as 'bacteria in a bottle'.

My advice is take your time, skip the Bio-Spira, and read the stickies on fishless cycling with ammonia. Patience is a virtue and is well rewarded in this hobby!

Also, IMHO, for HOB filters, Aquaclear filters are superior to the Emperor.

Good Luck!!
 
Don't know if youv'e found age of aquariums yet, but please use it to research what fish your getting, the last thing you want to do is introduce buenos aires(plant eater and rather agressive/boisterous) or similar into a planted and peacefull tank.
 
welcome! if you want to do plants, but don't want to get into heavy lighting and c02 injection, here are a few ideas.
java fern, and java moss, and anubius plants will grow just about anywhere in any lighting conditions. with medium lighting, say 1.75 to 2 watts per gallon, you could do anacharis, red wenti, and corkscrew val.
driftwood and rocks: look for nice driftwood at your local beach, stream, lake, river, pond, etc. If they are not already water logged, you may have to let them sit in some water for a month or so, so they will sink, boiling also helps this process.Go to your local rockery/landscaping supply for your rocks. If you get your driftwood and rocks by these means, you will save a TON of money and have a better selection. for both the driftwood and the rocks, you should rinse and scrub them with an old tooth brush, then boil everything! If you bet pieces that are too large to boil, you can put them in your oven set at 400F. Be carefull about putting certain rocks in your oven though, they may explode, although you shouldn't have problems with slate.
Hope this helps a little.
 
Bio Spira doesn't work well in a fishless cycle. It works better with Fishies. If you're going to do fishless, I wouldn't waste my money. At best you may save what.. a week? Is that worth $25?

Cylcing is funny.. Ask 20 people and you'll get 20 different answers. I'm not against fishless cycling(though I have a gut feeling that there are other undocumented biological elements that are missed by doing this), however I feel that the dangers of fishy cylcing is far overstated in the online community, especially with products like Bio Spira, or using gravel from an established tank. Ask your LSF what they think.
 
Thanks guys for all the advice.
I think i am going to order a 2X55 retro kit from ah supply for my lighting. I might just go with the emperor 400 for now. The species i will be keeping i don't think with create a massive bio load. What type of substrate do you recommend? Been researching eco-complete and flourite mixed with gravel. Any preference? I like the look of dwarf hairgrass, so i think i may use that for a nice carpet effect. Would it be unwise to plant it so it covers the entire bottom of the tank?
 
Cycling with fish is NOT overstated. It is simply not necessary when you can do a fishless cycle, don't compromise the fish, and in the end you can have the fish that you want. Cycling with fish is exposing them to an ammonia and poisonious cesspool that can cause severe health problems for the fish depending on the fish. In my opinion,take your time and do the fishless cycle. You will be rewarded for it when you have that beautiful aquarium with happy fish and all the beautiful plants filling in and the fish swimming through them. It can be truly breathtaking.


Marinemom
 
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