Putting Together A New 55g Tank...

[1800higgins]

I have a 55g tank... I want to set it up with 2 or 3 Discus, 4 or 5 Killifish OR 4 or 5 Rainbowfish, and then a school of various colored Guppies / Swordtails... Also, I'd like to have a couple plant species, along with some Dwarf Riccia to cover a little bit of the ground and rocks.

As far as lighting and filtration go, I'm a little lost. I know I want fluorescent lighting, but I don't know what's too powerful or what's powerful enough to handle everything.

For the filter, my father suggested an undergravel filter alongside a Penguin Bio Wheel filter. The undergravel filter just doesn't sit well with me though. I was thinking maybe a canister of some sort?



With the fish I want and the fact that I'd like to hold some plants...... Please make any and all suggestions as far as lighting and filtration goes (maybe even some plant suggestions, if you want).



Also, would I need to do a CO2 pump or would plant nutrients be good enough?

 

[1800higgins]

Bump.

 

[Alex_]

same i just got my 50 gallon bow front and im getting 4 wild Discus with 10 cardianls and 4 corys.

right now im cycling it with 6 feeder gold fish with 2 aquaclear 50 filter soon to get a 404 fluval.

for a 55 with discus i aim for around 8-10 times the tank size for GPH. so at least id go with 500 gph

undergravel filters are unrealibe and id never use them . Discus need to be with in a

group 4-6 as there young. they can not be with active fish like swordtails or dianos nor most tetras

you also have to take in consiteratin that not many fish like 83-87f water. and plants if this is your first time

dealing with plants id go to the planted section and read as much as possiable. if you have anything above 2 wpg

id get Co2. Riccia is a horrible plant with discus it need to much trimming id aim for slower growers like moss, java ferns,

anubias and Cryptocoryne.


-Alex

if you have any other Q's let me Know.

 

[1800higgins]

500gph, really? Interesting. So I'll have to grab 2 large filters then.

Good to know about the undergravel ones. I wasn't a big fan of them but my father's buddy breeds Discus fish in a large tank and he has an undergravel filter along side a large canister, so my father suggested it.

What's some good tank mates for Discus fish? I might have to go a different route and have a different species of large fish for this tank, as I want it to be colorful with various bright guppies and swordtails. I just enjoy how amazing Discus fish are, and how friendly they are. The book I base my fish decisions off puts them in a wider range of water temperatues, but I know how fickle those fish get.

Thanks for the information. I will probably just start this tank with a lot of plants and some small cheap schooling fish and get it going for a few months... Then base my decision of larger fish on the biology of the tank after it is stable.