Stocking newly cycled 37 gallon tank?

[Jim53]

Hello,

I did a fishless cycle on my 37 gallon tank and it finally cycled yesterday. I have a few question that I need help on.

I am currently running a aquaclear 50 on the tank with mostly bio media in it. Is this filter good enough for this tank or should I get another one?

Would the following stocking list be ok for a 37g?

6 Mickey Mouse Platies
6 Black Skirt Tetras
8 Pepper Cory Catfish
8-12 Amano Shirimp

 

[Byron]

What are your water parameters? Parameters refers to GH, KH and pH (and also temperature, but don't need that yet).

 

[Jim53]

I tested the tank this morning for ammonia, PH, nitrites and nitrates using my master api test kit. I will check the kh & gh this evening but I know my water is on the hard side.

Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrates - 0ppm
Nitrates - 5.0ppm
PH - 8.2

 

[Colin_T]

An Aquaclear 50 hang on back style filter is probably a bit small for the tank, however it will be fine for the fish in there. But ideally you wanted a bigger filter for more filter media. Sponges are the best media to use. Don't waste your time with carbon (black granulated stuff) or any of the white granules that are available. Just get 2 or 3 sponges and have them in the filter.

Your pH is alkaline and most tetras won't like it, but black skirts should be fine. You need to look at fishes that like alkaline water. Fish like rainbowfish, some barbs and livebearers will do well.

 

[Essjay]

Hardness, GH, is more important than pH. Fish can do well in a pH somewhat outside their normal range provided the GH is within it. I have softish water (4.76 dH/85 ppm) with a pH of 7.5 and soft water fish thrive in my tank. Obviously a pH well outside the normal range for a species is not good regardless of GH.

Jim, look on your water provider's website; they should give the hardness of your tap water somewhere. If they give alkalinity, that's what water companies call KH. We need both the number and the unit - they could use any of half a dozen different units.

 

[AbbeysDad]

I think the AC50 is likely fine for a 37g. You might want an extension tube to get lower in the tank. I have an AC70 on my 37g, but even with the inlet tube rotated all the way to the right for minimum flow/maximum re-filtration, the flow was way too great. Instead of swapping the impeller, I used my soldering iron to put holes in the inlet tube an inch or so above the impeller (even more re-filtration). This reduced the outlet flow to an appropriate level. (I can always reseal the holes with vinyl electrical tape or replace that section of the tube).

I do agree that filling the AC filters with sponge material (Mmine are all filled with sponges) makes for a great mechanical as well as biological filter. (I'm assuming when you refer to bio-media, you refer to bio-max or other ceramics...I'd ditch it in favor of sponges).
I once had an additional AC70 on my 60g filled with Matrix/DeNitrate - a pointless exercise!
I can't really speak to your fish choice. Others have more experience with that Clearly livebearers tend to love hard water, others not as much.