Getting back into the hobby with a 55 gallon

So about 2 years ago I got out of the hobby and took a break randomly. I missed my fish tanks the entire time, but I needed a break and to focus on college. Now I am ready to get back into fishkeeping. Around the time I decided to quit and focus on schoolwork I had got quiet interested in pseudomugils and apistogrammas. That brings me to now.
I have everything in my 55 gallon set up and I am going to leave it running for around a month still with no fish as its still cycling.
My stock idea I'm not sure if anyone has anything they would add or change.
1. Pair(M/F) Apistogramma Macmasteri (or borelli)
2. 12 Kuhli Loaches
3. 12 pseudomugil luminatus (Maybe more)
4. 12 Threadfin rainbows

Plants I have in the tank
1. Monte carlo (Carpeting)
2. Moneywort
3.Pennywort
4. Lutea
5. Java Ferns
6. Red Ludwigia
7. Jungle Val
8. Anacharis Naja
9. Ozelot sword
10. Amazon sword
Dosing Thrive every time I do a water change and putting root tabs underneath once a week right now.
No melt so far
Currently I am monitoring my tank parameters daily and doing a 50% water change for around 5 more days. Then it will switch to 3 times next week. 2 the next and then I will be on the basic schedule of 25% once a week.

Also I am aiming for fish that are kept at around 78 degrees F. I like warm water fish, but also I despise putting my hand in cold tanks.
Thanks in advance for reading this.
Please tell me if there's anything you would change as I have been out of the hobby.
I think I posted about starting a tank like this around 2 years ago but I cant remember it may have been longer.

 

I would stick to 1 species of mid schoolers

 

I would stick to 1 species of mid schoolers

So if I took out the threadfins or pseudomugils should I up the number of the species that I keep in the tank? Also if I choose Macmasteri should I choose Pseudomugil Gertrudae to offset the red of the macmasteri and make them less likely to get harraesd. Or is it fine to keep the luminatus instead?

 

I am not sure as to why you are doing all these water changes while doing a fishless cycle. Can you explain your reasons for doing them? You didn't mention what you are using for your ammonia source.

 

I am not sure as to why you are doing all these water changes while doing a fishless cycle. Can you explain your reasons for doing them? You didn't mention what you are using for your ammonia source.

I'm dosing ammonia that you get from Lowes. the daily water changes are to try to keep the plants from melting in the beginning. I expect some melt but I am trying to keep it to a minimum.
edit to add: Should I just start dosing fish food instead? Since its pretty easy to mess up ammonia in a bottle.

 

If anything it’s easier to mess up fish food. With bottled ammonia you can know for sure how much you dose. Often using fish food to cycle will require more maintenance and substrate cleaning.

It’s your choice; I do my fishless cycles with flake. Welcome back to the hobby!

 

If anything it’s easier to mess up fish food. With bottled ammonia you can know for sure how much you dose. Often using fish food to cycle will require more maintenance and substrate cleaning.

It’s your choice; I do my fishless cycles with flake. Welcome back to the hobby!

Thanks.

 

I would continue using the liquid ammonia. With it you can control the amount of ammonia thus the amount of bacteria you will grow. I actually recommend using both liquid ammonia and flake fish food. The liquid ammonia to control the amount and the fish food to add that extra boost to help grow a more natural cycle. If you want to understand why I recommend the fish food along with the liquid ammonia this thread will explain my thoughts. PSA: Something I am seeing more and more often, fishless cycling.... | Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle Forum | 477380

To be perfectly honest I've never read about water changes preventing plant melt. I am not saying it is wrong. I've just never read about it. Normally plant melt happens while plants are acclimating to our water.

I do understand your reasoning for all the water changes. You are trying to prevent a build up of nitrates. You may be better served and have to do lots fewer water changes if you just dose the Thrive less often. By changing the water so often you are just removing the previous dose of Thrive and the ammonia you have added.

 

So if I took out the threadfins or pseudomugils should I up the number of the species that I keep in the tank? Also if I choose Macmasteri should I choose Pseudomugil Gertrudae to offset the red of the macmasteri and make them less likely to get harraesd. Or is it fine to keep the luminatus instead?

Either or upped by a few but I am not experienced

 

I would continue using the liquid ammonia. With it you can control the amount of ammonia thus the amount of bacteria you will grow. I actually recommend using both liquid ammonia and flake fish food. The liquid ammonia to control the amount and the fish food to add that extra boost to help grow a more natural cycle. If you want to understand why I recommend the fish food along with the liquid ammonia this thread will explain my thoughts. PSA: Something I am seeing more and more often, fishless cycling.... | Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle Forum | 477380

To be perfectly honest I've never read about water changes preventing plant melt. I am not saying it is wrong. I've just never read about it. Normally plant melt happens while plants are acclimating to our water.

I do understand your reasoning for all the water changes. You are trying to prevent a build up of nitrates. You may be better served and have to do lots fewer water changes if you just dose the Thrive less often. By changing the water so often you are just removing the previous dose of Thrive and the ammonia you have added.

Thanks. I had only heard of it a little bit from a youtube video, but I was willing to try and see. You are right that I probably should chill out on the water changes and just leave my tank be. Also it is less work for me if I just give my tank a rest. Less work for me then so I will definetly stop doing daily water changes and keep monitoring everyday. Thanks everyone for the help so far I really appreciate it.

Either or upped by a few but I am not experienced

So if I kept the pseudomugils and took out the threadfins I could just up the amount by a few to like 15 or so?

Editing to add I just remembered there's a stocking thread so I will ask more questions about stocking after I make a thread on it in just a few minutes.

 

So about 2 years ago I got out of the hobby and took a break randomly. I missed my fish tanks the entire time, but I needed a break and to focus on college. Now I am ready to get back into fishkeeping. Around the time I decided to quit and focus on schoolwork I had got quiet interested in pseudomugils and apistogrammas. That brings me to now.
I have everything in my 55 gallon set up and I am going to leave it running for around a month still with no fish as its still cycling.
My stock idea I'm not sure if anyone has anything they would add or change.
1. Pair(M/F) Apistogramma Macmasteri (or borelli)
2. 12 Kuhli Loaches
3. 12 pseudomugil luminatus (Maybe more)
4. 12 Threadfin rainbows

Plants I have in the tank
1. Monte carlo (Carpeting)
2. Moneywort
3.Pennywort
4. Lutea
5. Java Ferns
6. Red Ludwigia
7. Jungle Val
8. Anacharis Naja
9. Ozelot sword
10. Amazon sword
Dosing Thrive every time I do a water change and putting root tabs underneath once a week right now.
No melt so far
Currently I am monitoring my tank parameters daily and doing a 50% water change for around 5 more days. Then it will switch to 3 times next week. 2 the next and then I will be on the basic schedule of 25% once a week.

Also I am aiming for fish that are kept at around 78 degrees F. I like warm water fish, but also I despise putting my hand in cold tanks.
Thanks in advance for reading this.
Please tell me if there's anything you would change as I have been out of the hobby.
I think I posted about starting a tank like this around 2 years ago but I cant remember it may have been longer.

I want to get some more plants! Worried that I don't know enough about plants needs. Especially seeing as how my fish are dying one by one from ich. Feeling like a failure right now