Today I took a plung into the fish keeping world. I purchased a 55 gallon tank with some type of filter and heater and a 20 gallon tank thrown in for 55 dollars. On the tank there are no lights, just a glass top and 2 places you can put the lights.I was wondering if someone could help me out on what to buy for this tank and how much each thing will run around? I want to make an upgrade on the filter and heater because I dont know if there good or not. Any suggestions on fish is well appreciated. I was looking to do a cichlid tank. I also have a 20 gallon tank for fry purposes. Thank you very much.
Just Got A 55 Gallon
- Thread starter champb20
- Start date
Good starter tank!
First, you need to read about fish-less cycling in the beginner's resource.
Secondly, you need to get the following equipment:
* Liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH (for example API Freshwater Master Test Kit)
* Lights: I prefer total lighting of 1 watt per US gallon or just over 1 wpg (I also use the 865 colour tubes from Philips or Osram as aquarium tubes are a ripoff)
* Pure household ammonia if you plan to go down the fish-less route (which we highly recommend)
* Dechlorinator which removes chlorine and chloramine
Which filter do you have? It might already be good enough. I can strongly recommend Eheim's classic range if you are on a budget and Eheim's 3/3e range if you have cash to spare.
On my same sized aquariums I use 200 watt heaters. I can highly recommend Visitherms for reliability, or NeWatts if you have some spare cash.
For stocking, here are two completely different options:
First, you need to read about fish-less cycling in the beginner's resource.
Secondly, you need to get the following equipment:
* Liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH (for example API Freshwater Master Test Kit)
* Lights: I prefer total lighting of 1 watt per US gallon or just over 1 wpg (I also use the 865 colour tubes from Philips or Osram as aquarium tubes are a ripoff)
* Pure household ammonia if you plan to go down the fish-less route (which we highly recommend)
* Dechlorinator which removes chlorine and chloramine
Which filter do you have? It might already be good enough. I can strongly recommend Eheim's classic range if you are on a budget and Eheim's 3/3e range if you have cash to spare.
On my same sized aquariums I use 200 watt heaters. I can highly recommend Visitherms for reliability, or NeWatts if you have some spare cash.
For stocking, here are two completely different options:
- Community:
1m 3f honey gourami
20-25 harlequin rasboras OR rummy nose tetras OR cardinal tetras OR a single other species of tetra
1m 2f bristlenose plecos OR 6-10 Corys of one species
pair of Bolivian rams OR pair of keyholes OR 1m 3f Apisto. cacatuoides - African rift lake:
2m 8f Pseudotropheus demasoni
3-4f yellow labs
1m 2f bristlenose plecos
The pseudotropheus demasoni looks like a cool fish.How do you tell the females from males apart? I was looking at cichlids like the jack dempseys but you opened my eyes up to different fish. I never knew there were so many fish and it's getting harder and harder to choose. I want to be able to breed. I'm looking into those items you listed thank you very much for the advice so far.
With great difficulty and lots of experience. Unfortunately if you get any more males than that, they will fight to death very often (in a tank that size).
Jack Dempseys are not suitable for a tank that size.. I would actually recommend a planted version of the first option then, where the cichlids will breed (last point on the first list) and so might the gouramis if there are any still places. You could even replace some of the schooling fish with livebearers (such as 1m 2f swordtails or platys) for instant babies. Also Corys such as bronze Corys breed readily, even in a community set-up (but will also have a go at cichlid eggs) and bristlenoses also will breed if you provide them with some caves.
Do be careful to not be overwhelmed with livebearer babies though! They are baby producing machines..
I appreciate all your advice with different opinons on fish. I was really excited on a type of fish but I guess I cant do it. The eletric blue jack dempseys look perferct. any info for me on them? also was looking at discus , they say there just like the other fish just require a lot of clean water and attention .
Hurm, the filter will work for lower stocking, in theory for all of it.. I'm just not a fan of hang-on-the-back (HOTB) filters, personally, because they usually don't hold much media, but the PF 30-60 (which is the one you have?) is quite popular in the US.
You can start cycling with your current filter and get a new one further down the line, for example.. but in practice, the PF 30-60 should be ok.
The heater is fine.
You can start cycling with your current filter and get a new one further down the line, for example.. but in practice, the PF 30-60 should be ok.
The heater is fine.
You should start a new topic in the African/Old World forum on here, do post your set up details including dimensions of the aquarium and how much rockwork you have.
I don't know how well rubber noses tolerate the high pHs and hard water that the labs need, ask in the pleco forum. Is the tank a 4ft or 3ft? 3ft would be too small for a rubber pleco, 4ft may be ok.
I don't know how well rubber noses tolerate the high pHs and hard water that the labs need, ask in the pleco forum. Is the tank a 4ft or 3ft? 3ft would be too small for a rubber pleco, 4ft may be ok.
Rubber plecos only get to be ~5 inches and will be fine in this tank. otherwise, i can't help.
Good luck, and welcome to the fish-keeping world!
I am inclined to believe reports of 8" for fully grown adults in a suitably sized tank.
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