hows this stocking sound for 180?

[gnakk]

i got my 180 last week and i have an oscar, pike, 3 eartheaters, and angel and a pleco in it. i was wondering what changes should be made and what other fish i can add withoug overcrowding the tank. i would rather be understocked than overstocked

1 oscar
1 pike
1 GT
3 eartheaters

1 black aro
3 pink tailed chalceus

1 tigrinus
1 pleco

would a type of ray fit in here anywhere? i am not getting rid of any of the 3 large cichlids so if they cant co-exist peacefully than i simply wont get rays. i really would love an aro though so i will probably get one of those.

there will also be lots of plants heavily anchored to rocks and driftwood - hairgrass, vals, amazon swords, anacharis, milfoil and some jave moss in the wet/dry to help absorb nitrates

 

[cpn_aaron]

make sure that the aro is bigger than the cichlids since they can be beat up if too small by cichlids like oscars very easily. Also a ray would not do well in your set up with cichlids. Mostly due to the fact that rays are peaceful adn usually need tankmates that are the same. Agressive ones like cichlids will beat them up and you may see them die. Otherwise it sounds cool. I'm jealous of the tigrinus, I can't fit one in my 150 sicne they need a wider tank than 2 ft and I would worry about that big mouth eating my spiny eels like spaghetti

 

[gnakk]

thanks for the reply. i am excited about the tigrinus most of all. the only thing is they are so expensive and if he dies i will be down like $200...

 

[gnakk]

OK final stocking decision was my dads idea and I love it! this is the whole plan so tell me how you like it:

Filtering:
I am setting up a 55 gal wet/dry. I just ordered an external overflow that does 1200 GPH. I plan on getting a pump that will do close to that at a 5' head. all in all I plan on having b/w 1,000 - 1,200 GPH through the wetdry with an additional AC500 and Penguin 330 to have a whopping 1,880 - 2,080 GPH filtered exceeding 10x filtering. there will also be java moss under high intensity light in the sump along with some other nitrate absorbers. do you think this will work to keep 2 types of small rays(under 16") healthy and happy along with 40%weekly water changes?

Lighting:
I am probably going to have a double bulb 4' t8 lighting system to have 80watts of light. will this be bright enough? also what color temp bulbs should I use to show true colors and have a natural look?

Decor:
I have 2 pieces of bogwood in the tank to help with pH and hardness. I will have one in the middle and the other on the left side with a cave for my oscar in the right side. this should give the rays most of the tank to swim around and enjoy.
there is about a 1.5" deep sand bed of Pool filter sand and I think the rays will like it.

Tankmates:
1 oscar
1 pleco
1 tigrinus
1 black arowana
2 either histrix, orbignyi, or reticula stingrays
3 pink tailed chalceus

so do you guys think it will work? I hav been researching for weeks now and I put all of the information I have gathered together and well... this is what I've come up with.

I have come to the conclusion that a black aro can live happily in a 180 and still reach the 3' expectancy because they are kept in 125 gallon aquariums and still reach this. they are also a very agile fish and can easily bend to turn around.

let me know what you think!

 

[gnakk]

anyone have anything to say? i am picking up a 5-6" male hystrix ray on thursday after my wet/dry is up and running