What to do with a 55???

Stephen

Stephen

There's always a bigger fish...
Nov 28, 2002
234
0
0
50
Virginia
Since getting a new to me 55 gallon tank 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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
ram3.jpg

Blue Rams
ram2.jpg

Neon Tetras
Pinnesi3.jpg

Apistogramma cacatuoides
yellowcacmalea.gif

Apitogram borelii
BORELLIIPAIR2C.GIF

Cory cats
corydoras%20paleatus.jpg
 
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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.
 
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.
 
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