New 50 gallon tank suggestions

[BrittanyA]

Hi there ,
I've been working on a new 50 gallon tank the last few months and I'm about ready for fish. I was thinking angelfish with tetras and some plecos, but I'd like suggestions as to what other people have done for a community and had it work really well for them.

 

[Byron]

I have specialized for years on South American fish and habitats. But we need to know the tank dimensions and the GH and pH of the source water. Some options we might suggest can be much more demanding of parameters.

 

[BrittanyA]

The tank is 48×13×20. I get the water from the tap and keep it about 7.2 for PH, because my rabbit snail like a higher PH. I keep the tank about 78 degrees.

 

[Essjay]

How hard is the water? That is more important for fish than pH. Your water provider's website should tell you how hard your tap water is, we need a number and the unit rather than some vague words. If they don't give it, take a sample of water to an LFS and ask them to test for GH and KH. You need a number and unit from them too.

When you say you keep the pH at 7.2, does that mean you are adding pH altering chemicals to the water, or using something like coral?

 

[BrittanyA]

We have soft water here. The county website says the hardness is 10.5. I have some test strips, but I don't think they are working correctly.

I do a 30% water change every two weeks and I do use PH up sometimes. I also have crushed coral in the tank. I have a substrate made for plants and it lowers my PH. It's a constant battle and I won't be using this particular substrate again.

 

[Essjay]

10.5 what? If it's 10.5 ppm (also valled mg/l calcium carbonate) that is very soft. But if it is 10.5 dH, that is bordering on hard.

Your water changes need to be at least 50% a week rather than 30% as that removes more waste products and disease organisms.
Those chemicals that alter pH are rarely a good idea. Things like coral, limestone or dolomite are a much better way.

 

[Byron]

I agree. Never use pH adjusting chemicals. I will explain the reason.

First, the source water will have a specific GH, KH and pH. Without going into complicated chemistry (of which I only know the essential basic for this) the KH (carbonate hardness) acts as a "buffer" to prevent pH fluctuations. Depending what the level of GH, KH and pH is to begin with, the buffering capability may be strong enough to resist changes to the pH so the immediate change when using pH up (or down) will be temporary and within 245 hours the pH will be back where it was. Now it is possible to saturate the tank water with these chemicals to the point that the pH might seem to be affected. But in any event, we now come to the second reason.

All substances added to the tank water will get inside the fish naturally; water is continually passing through every cell into the bloodstream and internal organs. This can be significantly debilitating for fish; even if they may appear "OK," they are not. The fewer additives, always better. Fish will be less stressed, and thus more healthy.

Moving on, once we have pin pointed the GH as 10 ppm or dH or whatever, we will have a better grasp of the likely chemistry issues. However, you intend a South American habitat here, so you do not want to be raising the pH or GH no matter what it may be in the source water. Waters in South America are less than 1 dGH in most cases, and the pH is on the acidic side (below 7.0) and sometimes very low indeed (in the 4's). So fish from these regions will always prefer such an environment.

Remove the crushed coral; this can have quite an effect, and again you do not want it for these fish.

The substrate...what is it? It might be best to change this out now before you go too far with fish. Sand is the best substrate for South American fish, and many like the cories need it. Plant substrates rarely provide much nutrition for plants anyway; I've tried some and gone back to play sand.

 

[BrittanyA]

Okay, I've stayed off the PH upper, just threw it out. I'm doing a water change later today and will take the coral out too. I bought a test strip kit and my readings say the GH is 60 and the KH 40.

 

[Byron]

Okay, I've stayed off the PH upper, just threw it out. I'm doing a water change later today and will take the coral out too. I bought a test strip kit and my readings say the GH is 60 and the KH 40.

OK, those numbers tell us it is very soft water; I'm assuming they are ppm (or mg/l which is the same value) and 60 ppm equates to 3 dGH for those preferring the dH scale.. Almost any fish from South America will work, as far as the parameters go. You mentioned South and Central American cichlids [at least that is where this thread was posted] but combining different species of cichlids is not easy, and this is not a large tank (to the fish). So knowing a bit more what you are thinking of for the tank might help us.

Angelfish were mentioned, so I can offer some comments on these. This is a shoaling species, requiring a group of five or six or more, but that means a larger tank than here. A "pair" is possible provided they are male/female and have bonded. Any two or three or even four angelfish put together is unlikely to last long. But a pair that select each other and bond might. Of course, they will spawn, and tankmates in such a situation is not easy. A solitary angelfish is possible; I just do not like suggesting keeping fish contrary to what nature intended as I see it as less than humane for the poor fish. But a lone angelfish might work, though here too tankmates must be very carefully selected, and the temperament of the individual angelfish might scuttle this before it even got started.

South American species are a major interest I have pursued for over a decade, so there's lots to choose from once we have a better idea. It is your aquarium after all, and as much as we can should have fish of interest to you.

 

[Metalhead88]

Just to add - be careful with plecos. The common pleco and many others will quickly outgrow your tank.

A bristlenose pleco can be a good fit. They still get 5 iches or so.

 

[BrittanyA]

No cichlids. I have neon tetras, glo tetras, ghost catfish in there right now. I wanted to make sure my tank is good and cycled before adding anything bigger.

 

[Byron]

No cichlids. I have neon tetras, glo tetras, ghost catfish in there right now. I wanted to make sure my tank is good and cycled before adding anything bigger.

Can you pin down the species for the "ghost catfish?"

Do you have live plants, or intend them? This makes a big difference to the fish in terms of light.