Amanda's New 55 gallon - HELP

Just a thought, but you can get the Sunsun canister filter off eBay for cheaper than you can get any HOB filter rated for your size tank in the store. I know several of the members on here use them and love them.

 

I'd love to, but the children come into play unfortunately even if money wasn't an issue. I can see my 4 year old pulling off one of the intake tubes and take a shower with it in our living room! My 2 year old would get a kick out of it too.

Besides, BigAl's Online has a Penguin 350 for sale for $26. I'm going to jump on that one.

 

You would be surprised how incredibly difficult it is to actually pull the intake/output tubes off a canister filter, even when it isn't running. When it is running, the vacuum created makes it pretty much impossible. Just saying. A canister filter really would be the best idea for your tank. I had a HOB on my 55gal for a while and then upgraded to a canister and will never go back.

 

I'll be posting pictures soon for any of you wanting to see, but I had two questions. I'm sure I've asked before, but I just want a quick refresher.

How many fish can I put in the tank before I can consider it fully stocked? Does the amount of filtration play a role? Right now I'm using an old Regent AquaTech rated up to 60 gallons, but I will be upgrading to an Emperor 400 in the near future. I plan on adding a pair of Blue Rams after the tank is done cycling and another school of Tetra or Rasbora before that possibly.

I go by the 1 adult inch = 1 gallon. So if I have a fish that's 2 inchs but will be 6 inchs at max adult, I minus the from the tank size. So 29-6= 23 so I can still get another 23 max inchs until fully stocked. The Amount of filtration does play a role in the stocking level you have, and certainly your water quality. Yes that stocking level would most likely work.

 

I didn't end up upgrading to the Emperor 400 like I originally planned. Instead I ordered a Penguin 350 and I will still use the Aquatech as the second/back-up filter. That'll give me about 680 GPH of filtration instead of 330. So water quality shouldn't be an issue, and I can add additional fish, but not too many to overcrowd the tank.

 

I go by the 1 adult inch = 1 gallon. So if I have a fish that's 2 inchs but will be 6 inchs at max adult, I minus the from the tank size. So 29-6= 23 so I can still get another 23 max inchs until fully stocked. The Amount of filtration does play a role in the stocking level you have, and certainly your water quality. Yes that stocking level would most likely work.

The inch of fish per gallon of water does not work. It is even less accurate when dealing with a larger tank and fish. This rule was designed to deal with inch long fish in a smaller tank, and it doesn't even come close to reality. For example, using your reasoning Noah, one could place a 10 inch pleco or a full grown oscar into a 10 gallon tank. These fish would be miserable and would overload the tank in waste, even with 2 or 3 water changes per day.

 

 

Where did you get that enormous castle?Can your fish swim through it?Looks great in your tank.

 

Lookin' good!

 

I like that hood

 

Good morning,

Beautiful tank DB!

Ken

 

Beautiful tank!

Those are some lucky fish to have their own castle! ^_^

 

that was one of my dreams getting a 55 gallon and putting guppies in! and let them breed on there own!

 

could you let me live in that castle. too small for a 12 year old like me.

anyway that is a beautiful castle. and not to mention those guppies are CUTE

 

Thanks everyone.. I found the castle in one of my lfs.. I had to have it of course ha
And they do swim through it and in it :;z so does my young BP

 

nice tank, I love your castle!

 

Love the tank! Looks great, this kind of reminds me of an idea I have once I move into my own place and my mom isn't crazy about my tanks all looking good, I plan to have like a 55+ tank and just buy 6 guppies and let nature take course

 

Looks good. I never seen a castle decoration quite so huge and brilliant!

 

is that a real flower pot?

 

Yes I got it for my bp... seen that they love pots so I got one for her...

 

so you just put it in, no cleaning off or sterolizing?

 

Hello,

The terracotta pots should be new or never seen dirt w/chemicals, not glazed or painted. You can silicone a rock over the hole in the bottom if you have fish that may become trapped there.

I sand down any rough edges, rinse the pot in warm water and place it in the tank.

Terracotta not only makes good hiding/spawning places for some fish, but it is porous and will house beneficial bacteria needed to sustain the tanks cycle.

I highly recommend terracotta. I have terracotta urns, columns, pots, a large snail, anything terracotta will work.

Ken

 

Where do you get terracotta pots, home depot? Walmart?

 

Any place you get gardening supplies usually.I had one with hole cut bigger and some cut lines in side and used to disguise filter intake pipe in an on top filter covered tank.My BN pleco also used it for is home when he wasn't on driftwood.I had mine in tank for over 3 weeks and it didnt get any algae growing on it at all,unlike my barrel decoration.

 

Yeah I got mine from walmart.. I rinsed it with warm water as ken just advised and let just put it in... didnt harm the water since then so seems pretty safe to me...

 

Hello all, I'm new here and since I had fish back in the 70's, ALOT has changed. I just yesterday got my 55 gal. started, I put substrate in (rinsed of course) and filled it, adding Tetra Aqua Safe Plus, for 55 gallons. I have had the pump running since It was filled. Today I'm going to add an 8oz bottle of TSS. Then I think I have to wait for two weeks to add fish? I have no way of testing water yet, as my test kit has not yet arrived. I had read elsewhere that I could add 2-3 hardy fish to help it cycle. Gosh I hope I'm doing this right! I have 3 other tanks, 2-10 gals and 1-20 gallon that I've only had about 2 1/2 months. I started those with Aqua safe and API Quick start and added fish the next day. But, this big 55 gal. I want to b sure is perfect. Any help will be really appreciated!

 

You can add fish right after you add TSS but you need to monitor your water parameters carefully and make sure the cycle is working.

If I were you, I'd wait for the test kit to arrive before using the TSS. The bacteria will just die if you use it now since they won't have an ammonia source to feed on.

 

Add TSS+ the same day as adding fish. It needs an ammonia source to cycle your tank.

Don't test, and don't do water changes for two weeks. Water changes can mess up the TSS+. And there's no use testing and worrying about it (can get false readings during TSS+ use) when you can't do water changes anyway.

 

I was going to get 2-3 fish to put in there after I add the TSS, any suggestions on what kind of fish?

 

Use fish that you want to keep permanently. Don't get fish that you are only going to use for cycling. Not very fair to the fish.

What do you want to keep in this tank?

 

Add TSS+ the same day as adding fish. It needs an ammonia source to cycle your tank.

Don't test, and don't do water changes for two weeks. Water changes can mess up the TSS+. And there's no use testing and worrying about it (can get false readings during TSS+ use) when you can't do water changes anyway.

Thank You I'm going to petsmart to get 2-3 fish to go in there, but not sure what kind to get. I've also heard if I put somethings from my other tank this will help it cycle faster. Do you agree?

 

Do you know about the nitrogen cycle? (If I did this right) the blue words are a link to some informative pages.

You CAN do a fish-in cycle, but it's inhumane as you'll literally be burning the fish with ammonia. The only purpose fish have in cycling the tank is to add ammonia, which you can do yourself, AND you don't need that much ammonia anyways. I put a pinch of fish food in my tank for 3 days and it is WAYYY overboard! Ha! The water changes you would do with the fish-in cycle is just to keep the ammonia low enough that it doesn't kill the fish. In the end, you'll have a sad fish, more work to do, and it'll take longer for your tank to cycle. A fish-less cycle is much better all around.

Some tanks take a week, others tank a month or so. You really can't tell if your cycle is complete unless you test the water. I'd say you should start your cycle now, and then when you get your test kit, test it and see where you're at. You're not really supposed to test the water in a fish-less cycle until a few days to a week after you start it anyways.

I also suggest testing your other tanks as soon as you get your test kit and in the mean time, watch for red gills and fins and fraying fins. These are signs of ammonia poisoning/burns. Also, if your fish are staying at the top of the tank and near the filter flow, that's a sign of high nitrates. If you see these signs, do a large water change.

Also, we all LOVE pictures!! So make sure to post pics of all your tanks!!

 

I have

Use fish that you want to keep permanently. Don't get fish that you are only going to use for cycling. Not very fair to the fish.

What do you want to keep in this tank?

I'm moving all my fish in there, 2- khulI 's, 1- yoyo loach, a yellow lab cichlid, 2-keyhole cichlids, 1-bala shark, 1-rainbow shark, 3 rosy barbs and 3 zebra tetras, and 1-blue gourami and 1-electric blue acara who stays pretty much in his log.

Do you know about the nitrogen cycle? Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle (If I did this right) the blue words are a link to some informative pages.

You CAN do a fish-in cycle, but it's inhumane as you'll literally be burning the fish with ammonia. The only purpose fish have in cycling the tank is to add ammonia, which you can do yourself, AND you don't need that much ammonia anyways. I put a pinch of fish food in my tank for 3 days and it is WAYYY overboard! Ha! The water changes you would do with the fish-in cycle is just to keep the ammonia low enough that it doesn't kill the fish. In the end, you'll have a sad fish, more work to do, and it'll take longer for your tank to cycle. A fish-less cycle is much better all around.

Some tanks take a week, others tank a month or so. You really can't tell if your cycle is complete unless you test the water. I'd say you should start your cycle now, and then when you get your test kit, test it and see where you're at. You're not really supposed to test the water in a fish-less cycle until a few days to a week after you start it anyways.

I also suggest testing your other tanks as soon as you get your test kit and in the mean time, watch for red gills and fins and fraying fins. These are signs of ammonia poisoning/burns. Also, if your fish are staying at the top of the tank and near the filter flow, that's a sign of high nitrates. If you see these signs, do a large water change.

Also, we all LOVE pictures!! So make sure to post pics of all your tanks!!

So I should just put the TSS in and wait for a couple of weeks?

 

I've also heard if I put somethings from my other tank this will help it cycle faster. Do you agree?

I do agree. Adding filter media, gravel, or plants and decor can transfer the bb from one tank to another. However, you'll want to make sure the tank you're getting this from isint infected with something cause it'll transfer that too!!

 

I do agree. Adding filter media, gravel, or plants and decor can transfer the bb from one tank to another. However, you'll want to make sure the tank you're getting this from isint infected with something cause it'll transfer that too!!

ok, Thank you. So do you think I should put in a couple of fish, or no? should I just put the TSS and some stuff from my other tanks? I'm sorry, but it is kind of confusing, and I want to do this right.

 

I have

I'm moving all my fish in there, 2- khulI 's, 1- yoyo loach, a yellow lab cichlid, 2-keyhole cichlids, 1-bala shark, 1-rainbow shark, 3 rosy barbs and 3 zebra tetras, and 1-blue gourami and 1-electric blue acara who stays pretty much in his log.

You might have some stocking issues there you might want to address. That blue acara is probably hiding due to the rainbow shark...you got a mix of everything from African to India fish in there.

Figure what you really want in there from your existing group.

 

Agreed, I would fix your stocking issues. Moving tanks is a good time to do it! We can help if you want.

 

Add TSS+ the same day as adding fish. It needs an ammonia source to cycle your tank.

Don't test, and don't do water changes for two weeks. Water changes can mess up the TSS+. And there's no use testing and worrying about it (can get false readings during TSS+ use) when you can't do water changes anyway.

TSS has a 100% success rate?
Unless it does, you should test your water if you notice your fish are acting strange, OP.

 

You can mess it up during the two weeks if you do a water change. Unless you see your fish in distress, don't test. TSS+ can give you false results, so testing isn't always helpful during this time either.

 

You might have some stocking issues there you might want to address. That blue acara is probably hiding due to the rainbow shark...you got a mix of everything from African to India fish in there.

Figure what you really want in there from your existing group.

The rainbow shark is in a 10 gal. with the blue gourami currently. The Bala shark is in with the acara, cichlids, loaches and rosy barbs.
This is what I'd like to end up with. My bala and rainbow sharks, rosy barbs, loaches, zebra tetras , keyholes and gourami in the 55 gal. Do you think that would work? the Acara and yellow lab can stay in the 20 gallon as they seem to get along.

Agreed, I would fix your stocking issues. Moving tanks is a good time to do it! We can help if you want.

Thank you, I need all the help I can get!