Greetings

[Viriatha]

Hello, my name is Viri and I keep fish. I think this is the right forum for this. I didn't see a "say hi" forum elsewhere and as I haven't kept fish for 10 years, I feel like a newbie again.

Well, I used to. I started almost 20 years ago with a 10 gallon aquarium. I quickly moved to a 20 gallon and 10 years ago had a gorgeous 40-gallon. I just bought a used 55-gallon. We're going to be building a custom stand for it.

One thing I hope to do include raising plants for the first time. I'm curious as to which I should do first, introduce fish or plants? I've done some reading and looking around but haven't found a very good answer to that question.

Another idea is to convert the used filter that came with it from activated carbon to a bio-filter using sponge material in layers. If that's feasible, and works, I'll buy a 2nd filter for it and do something similar. The person who owned this tank previously didn't seem very experienced. The filter is too small for the tank and I'll need another filter for it regardless.

 

[montanafish gal]

Hi and welcome!
Live plants are a wonderful thing to add to your tank! Go ahead and put them in while you cycle your tank. They can even help cycle your tank alittle faster. If you've never done live plants before, I'd suggest starting with low light plants. There is a thread on here naming all the low light plants. There are also ALOT of experienced plant people on here who can give you great advice. Good luck!

 

[Rbishop]

Welcome to AC!

 

[FindingBlemo]

Congrats on the 55, good luck!

 

[Viriatha]

Thanks!

I got very lucky. I got a deal on the 55-gallon tank, a heater, some small equipment like algae sponges, a filter and substrate for 65$. And building the stand with the help of a mechanically oriented friend will save more cash.

I tend towards fish-in cycling. The first fish I've added to every aquarium I've owned has been a plecostamus (sp?). Then I slowly add more fish over a period of 3 months as I find fish I like and that seem to work with my hardness and pH levels. I think I tinkered with the 40-gallon for a year before I was really happy with it.

That said, should I add plants from the beginning?

 

[Jspigs]

You should not only add the plants first but also fishless cycle your tank. IT'S FAR MORE HUMANE!

 

[Viriatha]

Hello! This is an update on my tank. I did say I went slowly and I really do

for the last few months, I've been adding water and gravel until finally, the tank substrate looks right and the tank is full. I have a castle tilted on a rock (supported by gravel so it's steady).

It's a Monty Python joke "Everyone said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built in all the same, just to show them. It sank into the swamp. So I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So I built a third. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp." It's the 2nd castle, the rock being the remains of the first one ^^

I wish I could find my camera cord, I'd upload pictures! It's turned out very pretty.

My next step is to test the water, buy a gravel vacuum/Python system of some sort, perhaps by a Pleco and start accumulating what I need to plant the tank. I plan to spend about $50 on it in February so I might only be getting the vacuum and pleco this month.

 

[Jill-O]

Welcome to AC