55 Gallon Tank Build Ideas

Most of the common cories are fine in a wide range of pH values, but... wow... that's really acidic!

Stratum brings down the ph a bit from what I’ve heard so I have to be careful as my water is already slightly acidic. It makes for great water for apistos though.

Acutus
Ampaienisis
Araguaiaensis
Oiapoquiensis
Sterbai

Those are the species of Corydoras I found that are warm water, but only SterbaI is easy to find. There’s a lot fewer than I thought.

 

Planetcatfish (the best catfish resource) has Brochis splendens at up to 82.4F (they're usually easy to find).
They list corydoras aeneus at up to 80.6°F (I actually thought they'd be a little higher)

 

Planetcatfish (the best catfish resource) has Brochis splendens at up to 82.4F (they're usually easy to find).
They list corydoras aeneus at up to 80.6°F (I actually thought they'd be a little higher)

I must of hit something wrong because when I looked it up I didn’t see splendens. That was the first website I went to also.
For the amount of cories there’s not very many warm water ones surprisingly.
Thanks btw.
Anything else you would change or add and how many cories if I choose them over kuhlis.


Crazy idea that I’m wondering if it could work

10 Threadfin rainbow
10 Pseudomugil (gertrudae or luminatus)
3 apistos
8 KuhlI loach
8 Warm water cory
??
Too much or not enough. I’m pretty sure this would be the most I could have. Idk could I increases the pseudos or threadfin. Will the pseudos attack the threadfins or are those species fine to keep together.
Overstocked or not?
I’m just coming up with fun possibilities.

Anyone? On the above post about the crazy idea that may or may not be a bad idea.

 

Anyone? On the above post about the crazy idea that may or may not be a bad idea.

Just wondering if the rainbows would outcompete the apistos for food?

 

Just wondering if the rainbows would outcompete the apistos for food?

Threadfins aren’t very competitive from what I have researched. They aren’t like boesmanies and the like. The reason I actually lowered my type of pseudo to luminatus and gertrudae are actually because threadfins would most likely get outcompeted by furcatus from what I’m researching. I have never owned any of these species though so I don’t know if it’s true or not.

 

I've kept furcatas in the past - beautiful fish and pigs at mealtime (when I saw pseudo I thought of them). I agree - threadfins shouldn't be a problem. If the pseudo species you're considering are pretty laid back, you should be ok.

 

I've kept furcatas in the past - beautiful fish and pigs at mealtime (when I saw pseudo I thought of them). I agree - threadfins shouldn't be a problem. If the pseudo species you're considering are pretty laid back, you should be ok.

Yeah that’s the reason I have tried to stay away furcatas. At least all of my normal fish should have a similar diet and by similar I mean all of them require a variety mostly.

Edit to add: seriouslyfish says luminatus are easily outcompeted of food. I’m also pretty sure my bottom dwellers will go in first and then the apistos. Then the rainbows maybe? Or what way should I add fish.

Update. I have ordered hopefully my biggest batch of stuff and 90% of the stuff will not need to be replaced hopefully. Luckily I got amazon free shipping...hehehe

Fluval 306
Fluval stratum
Osmocote+
Thrive+
BioMax and matrix
Prime
Fine sponge
Course sponge
Finnexx planted 24/7
Aqueon pro heater
Seachem root tab
Tss

 

Ok so far I have this for what I need/want/have for the 55

3 apistos 2 female 1 male
Either 12 cherry barbs or 12 pseudos
12-15 KuhlI loaches
I’m not sure if I should stock more of something or get a different type of fish.

Plants
Amazon sword
Argentine sword
Anubis nana
3 other assorted Anubis
I’m still looking and collecting plants

Substrate
Fluval stratum
Bdbs on top

Filters
Fluval 306
Aqua clear (forgot which one it’s called rated for 50 or so gallons on my 29 right now will move to 55 when I set it up and then will move back to 29 when I have fry)
Sponge filter of some sort

Filter media
BioMax
Fine and course sponges
Matrix

Ferts
Thrive
Osmocote plus
??

Light fixture
Finnexx 24/7 is what a lot of people use right?

Heaters
2 200 watt Aqueon pro heaters since my aquarium will have to stay fairly toasty.

Other miscellaneous objects
Driftwood
Seiryu stone

Ammonia non foaming with no chemicals
Prime
Tss

Anything I should add or change?
I looked through a few different posts about some things last night to try to get a better idea.

As for your filtration, I LOVE the Fluval 306. Great filter for media size/quantity, and SUPER QUIET!!! As a matter of fact, it is quieter than the Fluval C2 power filter that I have in my 20g. So, you may want to reconsider that Aquaclear. I get that you want to use it to help "bump start" your tank. I am using a Cascade 600 for that. Sitting in my 20G Long with a few extra sponges blocking and buffering the outflow. I LOVE the Cascade series filters. Easy to clean. Quiet. Plenty of GPH flow. Big sponge and space for biological media.

 

I already have the aquaclear. I have had for a few years, but I just added the fluval 306 a few hours ago and then figured out I had to pump the air out to make it not make horrible noises. Now I can get rid of my extremely old filter that I have no idea where it’s from.
The only reason I’m keeping the aquaclear on my 55 also later on is so that I can transfer it along with the media to my 29 if fish have fry this will be after they’re large enough of course.

 

I already have the aquaclear. I have had for a few years, but I just added the fluval 306 a few hours ago and then figured out I had to pump the air out to make it not make horrible noises. Now I can get rid of my extremely old filter that I have no idea where it’s from.
The only reason I’m keeping the aquaclear on my 55 also later on is so that I can transfer it along with the media to my 29 if fish have fry this will be after they’re large enough of course.

Since it's only been "a few hours" since you set up your Fluval 306, you are due for a few water changes and whatnot before your filter gets settled in. I would strongly suggest you too that sucker from side to side to get all the air bubbles out. Also, pulling the priming lever to help clear out any air pockets. I found a MASSIVE ANT COLONY hiding in the groove where the o-rind seals the head unit and the lower body. Keep an eye on it. Also, what I did was add these bio-media "live rocks" as well as a media bag full of old gravel from one of my other tanks in one media basket, and then poured the Fluval Cycle ALL OVER the sponges and Bio-matrix (the bio-media that came with the Fluval) for additional jet-fuel for my beneficial bacteria.

Here's where I'm at now...

I already have the aquaclear. I have had for a few years, but I just added the fluval 306 a few hours ago and then figured out I had to pump the air out to make it not make horrible noises. Now I can get rid of my extremely old filter that I have no idea where it’s from.
The only reason I’m keeping the aquaclear on my 55 also later on is so that I can transfer it along with the media to my 29 if fish have fry this will be after they’re large enough of course.

I've had the tank running for the past two months while I waited for my new stand from Macy's. Moved everyone upstairs for the next few weeks while the armonía spikes from this new build settle down and then I'll bring them back downstairs and into their new home...

 

calypsorufus checked the red ring before I even knew what it was. lol it was luckily safe from all ants. I don’t have any new fish in the tank. Still just have my old fart mbuna cichlid. He isn’t doing so hot though. The other filter with old media is still attached I’m just talking about eventually getting rid of old faithful the filter. I’m just getting prepared for when he passes because he’s old and I mean like ollllddd for an African cichlid. I won’t be getting any new fish until I can make sure my water parameters are good after I move everything around and change the tank stuff. I use bio rings and matrix with a sponge on the bottom for filtration. I have tss but most likely won’t need it. It looks to be the same as the biological enhancer. Do you have the bucket just Incase it spills out?

 

calypsorufus checked the red ring before I even knew what it was. lol it was luckily safe from all ants. I don’t have any new fish in the tank. Still just have my old fart mbuna cichlid. He isn’t doing so hot though. The other filter with old media is still attached I’m just talking about eventually getting rid of old faithful the filter. I’m just getting prepared for when he passes because he’s old and I mean like ollllddd for an African cichlid. I won’t be getting any new fish until I can make sure my water parameters are good after I move everything around and change the tank stuff. I use bio rings and matrix with a sponge on the bottom for filtration. I have tss but most likely won’t need it. It looks to be the same as the biological enhancer. Do you have the bucket just Incase it spills out?

The bucket was to keep the ants from getting too the water source that the dinner was providing. I put a small ring of dishsoap as the barrier ring. Worked like a charm. No need to protect against spilling as the Fluval is great at keeping the water off

 

I’ve changed a few ideas I’ll probably do more common fish like celestial pearl danios instead of Threadfin rainbows or cherry barbs instead of luminatus I’m still trying to decide. Celestial kind of seem to like cooler water though with a max of like 78 degrees farenheit so it will probably be cherry barbs and maybe still the luminatus? How does it sound?

 

Anyone believe that a better stocking idea is probably
10-12 cherry barbs
10-12 luminatus
3 apistos
6 cories
6 kuhlI loaches
Anything I should add such as more kuhlis or cories to it
If I changed the luminatus to a different fish what would everyone pick? I am thinking to still do the luminatus but just in case.
Anything you would add or do you believe that’s fully stocked.

 

? Anyone have any ideas the original stock was going to be
6 kuhlI loaches
6 cories
10-12 luminatus
10-12 Threadfin rainbows
3 apistos.

I just don’t know if there’s something I should change. Could I add anything else or should I get rid of something. I think I’m going to change the threadfins to cherry barbs but anything else you would do?
The specific apisto I’m really starting to love are macmasteri. Specifically the red shoulder.

 

You could go with a single centerpiece fish, or if you were planning on having your apistos being the centerpieces then never mind.

 

Do I have room to add in a centerpiece fish if I chose to have the apistos as just fish in the tank? I don’t know how fully stocked it will be then.
Thanks btw.
Edit to add as in apistos would not be counted as a centerpiece fish. Not them being the only fish in the tank I wrote it weird above.

 

It depends on how large you would want your centerpiece fish to be

 

I wouldn’t want it to be very large. I like small fish.

 

I'd go with a honey gourami, they don't carry the disease that kills many dwarf gourami and they're more docile.

 

Ok thanks.
Would you say the tank would be fully stocked after that?

 

Yeah I wouldn't risk adding anything else, unless you would be willing to thin your schools.

 

I would be fine with thinning them if there was another schooling fish I really liked. Preferably I would only want to thin the cherry barbs as if I keep luminatus I want them to have a high chance of reproducing, since they only live for a little longer than a year.

 

Then I think you've reached a good stocking level, just remember to quarantine and go slow! Good luck!

 

Yep. I’m not even sure when I will actually start stocking. I still have to get driftwood and 50lbs of rock. It might be August before I really start to stock. Unless of course I see oiapoquensis cories. Then they are going in if my tank stays stable as it is right now. That’s a far dream though. Lol I’ll probably get SterbaI or some other warm water one.

 

Yeah Sterbais work well for warm water tanks, I almost got them for my betta community, but decided to go with kuhlis instead

 

I’m going to go with the cories first and see how much I like them. If I still want kuhlis then I add 6 kuhlis. If I decide that I just want cories then I will just add 6 more. I’m pretty sure I’ll end up with 6 cories 6 kuhlis as kuhlis are hilarious.

 

Seriously, kuhlis are probably one of the cutest fish I've kept, they just have the most dorky personalities! I didn't get a photo of this, but a few days ago I found three of mine hiding behind some driftwood, stacked on top of each other from biggest to smallest!

 

They are absolutely adorable. I might just end up with 12 kuhlis. I love how they just hang on Anubis like ornaments.

 

Ok things changed a little I got cpds as my first fish. I decided against threadfins and pseudos just because I didn’t want the short life span and the really really fragile Threadfin yet. I still want some one day. I bought 6 cpds I don’t know if it was a bad idea but they are the first fish in the tank so whatever parameters fit them I will change any rest of stock to fit their parameters.
So right now it sits at
3 apistos
6kuhlis
6 cories
6 cpds
??? I’m not sure anymore about anything else.

 

The cpds are transferred to the 29 as I am still going with original plan shouldn’t have said they were going in main tank. Doesn’t do good temp wise with other fish and I don’t want to upset them.

 

I wish my 55 was shorter and just had more width. It’s not insanely tall like the 110s I’ve seen though just the normal height for them. It would mean even more bottom dwellers.

I think everyone who owns a 55 has said this at one point or another...

 

I just love bottom dwellers and I don’t see the reason for the height. Like I don’t need the height. Maybe if I was putting angels in but I’m not.