Advice for new starting 55 Gal

I am looking at getting a bigger tank, something around 55 gallons. If you have any advice for choose a tank, stand, equipment (any you have loved), picking fish, time to wait for cycling or something along those lines, I would LOVE the help! Thank you!
Sam

 

I'd look for tank sales at your local lps/lfs and get a 55 gallon kit if you find a good deal. I'd get a solid wood stand with cabinets in it for storing your supplies. I'm not sure what equipment would be best (although some would come with a kit) since we don't have a 55g, but other members with them will help you there.. cycling can take a bit of time, so if you can buy some BioSpira to cycle your tank fast, that would be great.. if not, you'll want to do a fishless cycle on the tank using an API master freshwater test kit to track ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels.

These 2 articles are a good help for setting up a new tank:
https://www.fishlore.com/FirstTankSetup.htm
https://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

You can check out information on fish, like how big they'll get, who they don't get along with, etc here:
https://www.fishlore.com/TropicalFishProfiles.htm

The general rule is a gallon of water per adult inch of fish, so you'll be looking at up to 55" of fish (adult size). Some fish, especially bigger ones, need more like 10 gallons per inch since they need swimming room, but those information pages list minimum tank sizes for the various fish. There are so many kinds of fish out there, browsing those pages is sure to give you ideas on what you'd like to see swimming around inside your new tank. Best of luck with it.

 

My 55 cycled in 20 days. Keep in mind though, yours could go faster or slower. I would 2nd the suggestion of a wood cabinet style stand. Mine is on an iron stand. While this looks nice enough and saves a little money, there is definitely something to be said for the storage space of the cabinet styles.

 

A 55 is a great size if you have the room. I really prefer the wood stands over the metal ones because you can hide so much underneath them. Here's a link for cookie cutter set ups for cichlids in a 55 gal. tank to give you some ideas:

 

Thank you everyone for your advice! FLBettaCouple, your websites were very very helpful. You guys in general have always been a big help. Thanks again!

 

Hey, I'm new at this too. I might have missed this comment already being made when reading through the other responses but I don't believe I observed anyone state the obvious (but it's not so obvious to us newbies). When you do pick out a stand for a 55 gal. tank, make sure it is designed for a 55 gal. fish tank. You could be looking at five or six hundred pounds once it's filled with water and decore.

 

That's why I recommend the wood stands.. a good solid stand will hold up to the weight and then some.

 

Thank you everyone for your advice! FLBettaCouple, your websites were very very helpful. You guys in general have always been a big help. Thanks again!

Hey Sam, Congratulations!!!!!
What is your favorite fish? what r going to keep in that tank?

 

Thank you everyone for your advice! FLBettaCouple, your websites were very very helpful. You guys in general have always been a big help. Thanks again!

By the way sam, always ask our members before making any decision about aquariums because fish stores often do not tell the whole story, they don't warn customers about the outcomes of some decisions.

 

That's why I recommend the wood stands.. a good solid stand will hold up to the weight and then some. 

Thanks, and I here ya! Just wanted to be helpful. When I baught my 96 gallon tank I was almost sold an Iron stand with it. To the PetSmart employee's credit, she questioned her self and saught advise from her manager who corrected us pointing out that the tank would fit atop the stand but the stand wouldn't hold the tank. And yes, I did end up with a wooden stand that actually fits and matches my Oceanic Oak perfectly, as though they were designed together.

 

Hey Sam, Congratulations!!!!!
What is your favorite fish? what r going to keep in that tank?

Funny that you asked! I started a list. Let me know if they don't work well together! THanks

6 Tiger Barbs
Platys (any number)
Mollies (salt becomes problem, but do they still work?)
Swordstails (website says 3 female, 1 male; also says not to put with tiny fish, does this mean tetras?)
5, 6 Tetras
2-5 Clown Loaches
Common Pleco
1-6 cory catfish

 

You're sooooo lucky. 55 Gal! There's no way we'd have the room. Good luck and enjoy the fishies!

 

Hey Sam, Congratulations!!!!!
What is your favorite fish? what r going to keep in that tank?

Funny that you asked! I started a list. Let me know if they don't work well together! THanks

6 Tiger Barbs
Platys (any number)
Mollies (salt becomes problem, but do they still work?)
Swordstails (website says 3 female, 1 male; also says not to put with tiny fish, does this mean tetras?)
5, 6 Tetras
2-5 Clown Loaches
Common Pleco
1-6 cory catfish

Keep in mind, Tiger Barbs are fin nippers. Of course, that doesn't stop me...I love the little guys. And with the numbers you have, you should be fine. Just watch if the number drops for any reason. I bought 5 initially and had one pass away quickly. unfortunately, that one was being a living nipper shield for another one. So, in the end I lost 2. The other 3 pick on each other and the lone phantom tetra.

I would, definitely, get a wooden stand if you haven't.

Also, think filteration. I added a filter that's too big for my 55 gallon tank, intentionally. I'd rather have a bit more filteration than not enough.

 

I just set up a 40 gallon tank and I used a hope chest to put it on. It is really sturdy, the only problem is there is not storage. The stands were a little too much money when I could be using it on fish and decor later on. Hope that may help.

 

I just set up a 40 gallon tank and I used a hope chest to put it on. It is really sturdy, the only problem is there is not storage. The stands were a little too much money when I could be using it on fish and decor later on. Hope that may help.

I know what you mean.. none of our tanks are on fish stands, although we'd love to buy them all nice wooden stands.

 

Our 39G is on an Ikea coffee table...

 

I was going to use a coffee table but I was worried that it wouldnt be enough support.

 

Ours is a Leksvik if it helps!

 

We have that coffee table in our living room. It is very sturdy, we have had it for over 5 years and it is in great shape. I was just too scared to try it ;D

 

Hey, in our house, if it's sturdy, it's sturdy enough. Am worried about my Ikea Leksvik desk, though. It's got a 6G and a 10G on it. I should get around to replacing it with somethign more sturdy.