Emily's 55 gallon aquarium journal. =)

[emilyekk]

Figured I'd better start a thread for my 55 gallon before I overrun the forum with posts, lol.


Right now this is what I have (or what is currently being shipped to me):

*standard 55 gallon tank
* 2 hoods with 2 17W lights (1 light per hood)
* aquaclear 70 filter
* wood stand for 55 gallon



This is what I still need to get (what I am planning on so far):

* 3/20lb. bags of tahitian moon sand (black)
* various easy to grow green aquarium plants (don't know what types yet)
* either driftwood or fake wood to maybe wrap the plants on
* some type of rock/cave structure (preferably dark rock or black)




I am planning on a black substrate, a black background and GREEN plants. I don't really want color from anything else except the fish.
Do you all think that would look okay?


Here are the list of fish I am planning on so far:
* 2 pearl gouramis
* 8 albino cories (already have 2, and have 2 julii cories but will possibly trade the julii's)
* 15 neons (already have 5, need 10 more)
* 5 balloon mollies (already have)

(fish that I am considering)
* 8 glo fish
* 8 cherry barbs
* 6 praecox rainbows



My problem is that I can't really buy fish online due to the astronomical shipping costs, so I'm basically hoping to find all of those fish around Fort Lauderdale, lol. It's a big city so I am HOPING for the best. It seems like most of the LFS have shut down however. Every number I call is either disconnected or only for saltwater fish. *sigh*


Anyhow - those are the basic preemptive plans so far. I haven't even had a chance to clean the tank yet. Right now it's just sitting outside full of water, lol. I am awaiting the stand and filter (ordered from petco online) so hopefully I can get that set up and then buy the sand and get it running by the end of next week.


Does it matter when I start adding plants? Can I add the plants long after the tank has begun cycling?

I ask because I am getting EXTREMELY low on funds and I am pushing it even buying the sand, but I know I need to get that in there before I fill the tank with water... so I really don't have the plants yet. I'm not planning on adding my current fish to the big tank until at LEAST probably the beginning of September... does that sound good or should I wait longer? They seem okay in the 10 gallon for now, but I don't know how long it will take the 4 baby mollies to be as big as momma and start pooping all over the place and dirtying the tank, lol.


Once the tank is set up and all of my current fish are switched over, I would plan to add the additional tetras, then the cories, and then whatever else I decide. Probably add the gourami's last... would it matter when I add them?



This initial thread is way longer than I intended... oops... but at least its all mishmashed here and not scattered around 10 different threads in the forum! lol. :hmm3grin2orange:

[Z Fish Man]

As far as the black and green color scheme goes I think it will look nice. That pretty much how my tank is set up but my substrate is more of a very dark brown/gray (eco complete). The plants and fish stand out very nice with everything else being black but so do imperfections like discolored gravel chunks or fish poop. If you maintain the tank well it will reward you.

You can add plants anytime even before the tank is cycled or long after it has been cycled. You just might want to invest in some root tabs when you put them in.

Good luck with everything!

[bushwhacker]

if your going to add live plants you really need better lighting. what you have is just over 1/2 watt per gal. try to get 1.5 to 2 wpg

[Paw Broon]

if your going to add live plants you really need better lighting. what you have is just over 1/2 watt per gal. try to get 1.5 to 2 wpg

There's 4 17watt lights so a little over a watt per gal.

[bushwhacker]

stirling this is at the top of the post

* 2 hoods with 2 17W lights (1 light per hood)

[Paw Broon]

stirling this is at the top of the post

* 2 hoods with 2 17W lights (1 light per hood)

Oh yeah, oops sorry:11:

[emilyekk]

When you buy lights is it just a separate piece that will fit snugly into the hood?
Or do I have to buy a whole new hood or?
The lights confuse me more than anything honestly.


Anyone have links to good lights for plants (that won't fry the fish from their brightess, lol)?

[emilyekk]

Has anyone else used the "fish tank cleaning spray" they sell at petco and petsupermarket? I was there today and almost bought some - then I was wondering if salt and white vinegar wouldn't be just as effective...


What is the wattage I should be looking for (ideally) in my tank to have the plants grow? (keep in mind I can only have one light per hood, 2 lights total)

I was looking at petco and couldn't remember, lol. Are white lights the best to get?

[LadyHatred]

What is the wattage I should be looking for (ideally) in my tank to have the plants grow? (keep in mind I can only have one light per hood, 2 lights total)

I was looking at petco and couldn't remember, lol. Are white lights the best to get?

I think whats being said, Emily, is that you need to get your lighting up to around 2 watts per gallon of water and that your current lights are not quite doing that.

BUT! Thats not saying just go buy higher wattage bulbs. The balast (thing that the lights go in) needs to be able to handle x-amount of watts. It should say on it the max it can take.

** If I'm wrong here, please! correct me!! I do not want to mis-lead anyone!!**

[bushwhacker]

actually i'd get rid of the hoods and go look on ebay.. i've bought 2 diff lights there reasonably. my 55 was 108 watts but one of the bulbs was actinic and didnt look right i replaced the bulb with a 28 watt daylight from lowes (t5 bulbs) for a total of 82 watts plants grow fine, not as fast as i would like but still nice

[emilyekk]

Update: July 16th, 2009

So I finally got my tank set up tonight!

I have it currently cycling with start-right and some active gravel from my 10gal. I also tossed in some of the other aquariums water, not that that will probably make a difference.

I have the tahitian moon sand (60lbs) in there and the aquaclear 70 filter.
I washed the sand reeeeeeeeeeeally well before I put it in the aquarium, and I have the filter going, but it's been about 3 hours and it's still looks murky as hell to me... grr. =(


I am a little unhappy with the stand I bought... it honestly seems a bit wobbly... and it's kind of in an area where someone could bump into it... so that makes me nervous. I'm wondering if I put like cinderblocks or something in the cabinet part of the stand if that would make a difference.

I'm also still stressing about lights. :(



I don't know why this tank is giving me such issues - but I've never had this many problems with a tank. Agh!! Hopefully it will get better as it cycles on... fingers crossed big time!!!


edit:: also, my aquaclear 70 is NOISY!!!! Like the noisiest thing ever. It sounds like the unit is rubbing up against something but it's not... it's sounds like its coming from the motor, so I guess it's just loud. *sigh*. I'm so frustrated.

[emilyekk]

Update July 16th, 2009


Woke up this afternoon to the tank still being pretty cloudy.
It's definitely better, but still really murky.


I am wondering if I should just leave it along for a few day or should I go ahead and be doing small water changes every day or so until the water is clear?

[emilyekk]

Update: July 25th, 2009

Finally got the shop light and glass canopies set up today - GOOD LORD my tank is so much brighter! Yey! It now it running with two, 32W t-8 bulbs (which apparently put off more light so it's supposedly like running at a much higher wattage than 32W per light... that said - not sure what wattage I am ACTUALLY running, but it looks a helluva lot brighter, so I'm happy. Just hope the plants respond! They were starting to look a little sickly. I plan to leave the shop light on at least over the weekend before taking it off the tank to spray paint it. I assume I'll need to leave the light off a while to dry so I want to make sure the plants get a healthy dose of light before I take it away for a day (not sure how long I'll have to wait to put it back on the tank - hopefully not long!). I also bought flourish and excel today and dosed the tank with that, again, hope the plants respond well! I would really like a lush healthy low light plant tank.


I did water checks on both my 55 gal and my 10 gal and my 55 gal was actually BETTER in terms of all the tests, so I decided to go ahead and transfer my two julii cories to the big tank. Well, I was a little worried, but one of my cories had a damaged barbell (which I assume was permanent damage) and that barbell seems to be repairing itself! YEY! I don't know if it's because of the substrate change for them (gravel to sand) or what, but yey! Healthy cories!!!


So, all in all, going pretty good.

This is what I have left to do:
(short term goals)

- Sand light fixture
- Spray paint light fixture black
- Get canister filter set up in tank
- Get more plants
- Get black background for tank (not sure what to use yet)
- Get driftwood for tank


(long term goals)

- lots more plants!
- get rocks for tank
- caves for tank
- get 10 more neon tetras
- get 4 more albino cories
- get 4 more julii cories
- get 2 pearl gouramis
- get 8 rosy barbs
- get 8 glo fish


end of update for now. =)

[jaysee]

Sounds good! Be sure to use something to attach the background to the tank. I use a product called seaview http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18280

[emilyekk]

Sounds good! Be sure to use something to attach the background to the tank. I use a product called seaview http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18280

I will look into that! I was trying to find a self adhesive background but was coming up empty.

On my 10 gal I currently have a nice shiny black background but I had to use tape to keep it on (HATE THAT). I can't decide if I want to do black construction paper or the black shiny tank paper that most pet stores sell... not sure if you'd really be able to tell the difference in quality once it's on the tank.

Another option I thought of, was to just hope my plants eventually cover the back so it's all green, lol... any low light plants good at doing that? I had read about Christmas Moss, anyone have thoughts on that?

I do need to do something about the background though because my tank is against a STARK white wall and the first thing anyone asks me is "you gonna put a background up?" lol.

[emilyekk]

Update: July 25th, 2009


Added the albino cories. They are SOOOO happy. I've never seen a fish so happy, lol. They definitely love the change in substrate. One of my cories kept burrowing in the sand - so stinkin' cute -.

They are all swimming around the tank and exploring. It's really adorable.

Levels are still reading perfect.

I may add the tetras or mollies tonight if all remains well. I'd like to have everyone out of the tank by Wednesday if possible.