Lunni's Journey To The 55 Dream.

As many of you do, I wanted to document my progress with my tanks. Especially this new journey I am about to part tank in. Yesterday afternoon, I finally got a hold of my dream. A 55 gallon tank. (Sadly, it is glass and not acrylic). A 55 gallon tank. I still can't believe it myself.

The disappointing thing is, is I won't be able to use said tank until May. Actually probably later, but the real progress will begin in May. (That's when I am actually going to be able to buy stuff!) Until then, I wanted to create this thread and share "sneak" peeks if you will. My ideas on what to put into the tank, my inspirations, etc.

This isn't my first tank, but it's going to be my first semi-experienced tank. (I've had a crazy journey from my very first tank a 2.5 tank all the way up to my current 20 gallon high, but that's a story for another day at another time).

Stocking Ideas:

• BN Pleco
• Pepper Corydoras x8 (Already have some)

Possibly EBAs. Unsure how these would react to corydoras or plecos.

Current Supplies:

• Used 55 Gallon Tank
• 3 Chunks Of Slate
• Used Tank Stand

Running Price: $65.00

Last updated: August 23rd, '18

 

Congrats! I'm so happy you got the tank! And that's an excellent price, too!

Now you get to do what we did and plan out what you're going to do in terms of decoration and stocking while you budget. We used the NZ version of ebay to find decorations and budgeted what we could afford every fortnight.

If you haven't got a filter sorted yet, I will suggest looking at Sunsun brand. I've checked out their reviews and they are all really good. They are a fraction of the price of the top of the line Eheim and Fluvial, but all the reviews (and our current experience with our own the past week) are that they are great quality. Many come with some media, too. and ours has UV (but you don't want UV as you are getting your tank cycled because it can hurt your BB...it's fine once you have BB established).

what are you thinking you'll stock it with and do you have a decoration theme in mind? I can't wait to see your progress

 

Congrats! I'm so happy you got the tank! And that's an excellent price, too!

Now you get to do what we did and plan out what you're going to do in terms of decoration and stocking while you budget. We used the NZ version of ebay to find decorations and budgeted what we could afford every fortnight.

If you haven't got a filter sorted yet, I will suggest looking at Sunsun brand. I've checked out their reviews and they are all really good. They are a fraction of the price of the top of the line Eheim and Fluvial, but all the reviews (and our current experience with our own the past week) are that they are great quality. Many come with some media, too. and ours has UV (but you don't want UV as you are getting your tank cycled because it can hurt your BB...it's fine once you have BB established).

what are you thinking you'll stock it with and do you have a decoration theme in mind? I can't wait to see your progress

I only have a few ideas picked out. Sadly, I can't start ordering until after the move in May unless I find them on sale. I mostly order from Amazon, because believe it or not I do not actually have a local fish store. I have Walmart (they actually sell fish but they are disease ridden) and another small store that is a pet store. The pet store won't sell anything live and only has a fourth of an isle of fish things. They do have TSS+, Brine shrimp eggs, and a couple of very small items. Nothing major.

The only fish I do have my heart set on is a snowball pleco. Aquatic Arts sells them and they do ship to me.

My boyfriend (he is a major supporter for me in this hobby. Love him to pieces) really loves oscars. Our Walmart sells them he likes the ones that look like they were set on fire. He is semI disappointed that a 55 isn't large enough for one. He also loves chiclids..but I don't really like just the plain african ones.

I found out about ebas (electric blue acaras). Ive been told they are semI peaceful as long as nothing goes by the eggs. I was thinking of maybe a pair of these? I haven't decided besides the pleco. I don't know of plecos are like cories in the way where they don't understand personal space, would rather not have torn fins.

If I do go with ebas I was thinking of this substrate. It looks like cookies and cream ice cream.

I want to do some live plants, driftwood for Mr. Pleco, and maybe some rocks? The dragonheart stone rocks look really cool as does slate and a couple of others. Not sure how crazy I want to get yet. I do know I am leaning towards a canister filter and a lid. (My 20 gallon high didn't come with a lid. It evaporates like crazy. Have to fill up my 2 gallon pitcher with water every other day.)

 

That pleco is adorable!!!! Awwww. I'm excited for you & your plans! Tell your bf that discus are very hard to keep & high maintenance (or so I've been told). You can test your stocking options via aqAdvisor but the legendary woman from Texas on this forum is incredible help.

 

That pleco is adorable!!!! Awwww. I'm excited for you & your plans! Tell your bf that discus are very hard to keep & high maintenance (or so I've been told). You can test your stocking options via aqAdvisor but the legendary woman from Texas on this forum is incredible help.

I am too. I'm looking into different stands. I am unsure if I want to build my own or just buy a premade.

LOL. Yeah, that is a lot easier said then done. I told him if he gets me a tank that is the correct size, that I am more than willing to try to have one. My dream after all is to own a pet store one day...but until that happens the house is being made into a small one. (He isn't over thrilled about the idea but goes on searches with me in the summer for tank supplies from local garage sales and such).

AqAdvisor has its issues. Don't get me wrong it isn't a terrible site-- just doesn't seem to add aggression to the stocking count. (Or temperature). It isn't a bad place to start though.

In the end it matters if I want to go with guppies, angels, chiclids, etc. I love guppies, they are hardy and easy...Angel fish are adorable...but somehow my boyfriend and I keep getting back to chicilids. Just have 0 experience with them is the issue.

 

I am too. I'm looking into different stands. I am unsure if I want to build my own or just buy a premade.

LOL. Yeah, that is a lot easier said then done. I told him if he gets me a tank that is the correct size, that I am more than willing to try to have one. My dream after all is to own a pet store one day...but until that happens the house is being made into a small one. (He isn't over thrilled about the idea but goes on searches with me in the summer for tank supplies from local garage sales and such).

AqAdvisor has its issues. Don't get me wrong it isn't a terrible site-- just doesn't seem to add aggression to the stocking count. (Or temperature). It isn't a bad place to start though.

In the end it matters if I want to go with guppies, angels, chiclids, etc. I love guppies, they are hardy and easy...Angel fish are adorable...but somehow my boyfriend and I keep getting back to chicilids. Just have 0 experience with them is the issue.

I just discovered& it told me about aggression & temp! But I figure a website isn't as good as a human in any case. It told me what I needed to know about stocking & filtration though.

Same with me & my partner. Cichlids. That's why we got the bowfront & spent so much time & money with the insert etc. We'll only end up with 2, but we're happy with them (& the two butterfly Bolivians we'll add last to our OG- original gangsta- tank lolz).

Discus are stunning & we thought long & hard about that. In the end we decided we need time for our family, jobs & other hobbies. Lolz.

Having said that, just 5 mins ago my partner said "let's build a tall saltwater tank in that corner..." and started planning the underfloor filtration!!! I told him I'm not listening & HE gets to learn the parameter tests & cycling of a marine tank (spent 90 min today doing full suite of freshwater tests on all 4 of our tanks including kH & gH... and had to do large water changes on both our small QTs for nitrates).

If one of us didn't need to work full time, and if we had money, we'd knock down a wall & build a marine tank.

 

I just discovered& it told me about aggression & temp! But I figure a website isn't as good as a human in any case. It told me what I needed to know about stocking & filtration though.

Same with me & my partner. Cichlids. That's why we got the bowfront & spent so much time & money with the insert etc. We'll only end up with 2, but we're happy with them (& the two butterfly Bolivians we'll add last to our OG- original gangsta- tank lolz).

Discus are stunning & we thought long & hard about that. In the end we decided we need time for our family, jobs & other hobbies. Lolz.

Having said that, just 5 mins ago my partner said "let's build a tall saltwater tank in that corner..." and started planning the underfloor filtration!!! I told him I'm not listening & HE gets to learn the parameter tests & cycling of a marine tank (spent 90 min today doing full suite of freshwater tests on all 4 of our tanks including kH & gH... and had to do large water changes on both our small QTs for nitrates).

If one of us didn't need to work full time, and if we had money, we'd knock down a wall & build a marine tank.

LOL. That sounds like me in a nut shell. Once I get my own house...I might even get a pond! We will see, the winters here are pretty brutal... (Sometimes it drops down to -30 C) Maybe it would have to be an indoor one?

Huh. Maybe its updated since the last time I looked. I just remember it telling me my 20 gallon was fully socked with just my cories. (Theres 5). I wanted to see what they would recommend for tank mates. They didn't. It ended up being my Miss Beta, Kiora. She is very happy in the tank and camps out with my cories. I even think, that she thinks she is a corie. Always find her by them. She does go to the top of the tank and everywhere in the tank, she just spends the majority of her time with one cory inparticular. When she isn't trying to kill my airstone...

I really want to do a CO2 system so I cam have red lugwigia. But I would settle for some mint/creeping charlies. We will see what ends up happening with the stand and the lid. If the lid is glass I'll get charlies because I can see them. If its wood or black plastic I might end up getting duck weed or not doing a floating plant...

 

May 16th is the official moving in date! I am hoping to get the stand set up by the 30th. We are planning on something really simple but enclosed.

I'm trying out hornwort in my 20 gallon. The betta doesn't want to leave it alone and keeps redecorating...

After much debate with myself, I have come to realize the truth. I got "lucky" with my cories my peppers are outgrowing my 20 gallon tank rapidly. I will be moving them into the 55 gallon. I will be doing a lot more research on whether or not EBAs can live with them. (Ive read that they are terriortial when mating, and I did really want a pair not a single one). I will be keeping my betta is the 20 gallon and leaving her with the brozen/albino trio. She is very attached to the albino. They are very rarely seen without being close to each other.

 

The Snowball is going to be a bristlenose. While I was in the big city, I visited there LPS. One of there BN plecos was missing a fin (its clearly been torn off somehow) and there were going to dispose of it. I couldn't help it. The BN is now in the 10 gallon QT tank. I moved my sponge filter over and have my old filter hooked up to it.

The little guy is fast! He is smaller than my pink finger, maybe about 1/4th of an inch long. After I know he is okay, I will move him into the bowfront while I set up the 55 gallon. I didn't have to pay for him, instead I signed a waiver saying I wasn't going to bring him back. (Not going to drive 3 hours to return a fish. That's just rubbish to me. Maybe if I spent over 50$ on the one fish I might).

Also brought some slate chunks and a few more live plants. I was able to not bring home another beta. I was proud of myself for that.

The PetSmart had ran out of tanks honoring Petco's ad. And they won't do rain checks on ad matching. So no new tank. This is probably for the better anyways LOL.

I refuse to name the little one until I know its gender and I know for sure it will live. I only sometimes see him in the tank. (He is a regular one, and I have black substrate). Sadly, he is with the slate and fake (plastic) plants because that's what I had left over from switching. He has a moss ball too. He is just so cute. ♡

 

awwww... you saved the tiny pleco!

 

This is right before lights out when he was trying to sleep, you can see the missing fin.

I added another moss ball from the may tank for his comfort.

 

This is right before lights out when he was trying to sleep, you can see the missing fin.

I added another moss ball from the may tank for his comfort.


View attachment 423325

awww! i'm sure the fin will heal with a caring owner such as you! i'm so impressed that you gave up your dream pleco (the snowball) to save this little fish! #legend

we did something similar... our LFS ordered in sterbaI but when they arrived, all of them were belly up in the bags. our amazing caring LFS HOD AJBrown got them into quarantine and nursed them back to health. my partner was reluctant to get them because they'd been stressed. but then the LFS filter failed for a few days (cyclone related I think) and they were in a tank where the ammonia was slowly creeping up to .25. So I told my partner "we are rescuing them!" and we brought them home. now they're nearly finished their QT period and doing well! and the HOD kept all the rest of the fish in that bay healthy until the filter got fixed #hero.

 

awww! i'm sure the fin will heal with a caring owner such as you! i'm so impressed that you gave up your dream pleco (the snowball) to save this little fish! #legend

we did something similar... our LFS ordered in sterbaI but when they arrived, all of them were belly up in the bags. our amazing caring LFS HOD AJBrown got them into quarantine and nursed them back to health. my partner was reluctant to get them because they'd been stressed. but then the LFS filter failed for a few days (cyclone related I think) and they were in a tank where the ammonia was slowly creeping up to .25. So I told my partner "we are rescuing them!" and we brought them home. now they're nearly finished their QT period and doing well! and the HOD kept all the rest of the fish in that bay healthy until the filter got fixed #hero.

Aw, thanks!

My boyfriend was pretty stunned too, then I told him what happened. The little one clearly wants to live. His swimming is a bit odd, but I feel like within time it will go back to normal. Either that, or I just don't know how plecos swim? It's okay. He has stolen my heart.

I would of saved the cories too. I am okay with taking in injuried fish and nursing them back to health. Its what I am hoping to do with this little one. He is very shy and since adding him to the tank I can only ever see his belly. (When he is attached to the glass) I have a list of names for him, but I am trying not to grow attached until we are out of the woods so to speak. Tomorrow I will be doing water changes.

 

Yeah it isn't about the type of fish sometimes. I had some African dwarf frogs in a tank and one must have be blind or close to it because I would put worms on some tweezers and he would miss every time. I finally got him trained to swim into my nearly closed hand(after trying to eat me first), and he would eat out of my hand. It was time consuming but I loved that little frog (YoYo r.i.p). If I ever get a bigger tank I plan to get a blue or green phantom pleco.
That little guy is so cute. I hope he thrives in your tank. I think buying fish super small and watching them grow is fun. fish stores love me because I buy their smallest fish. I think if it is a boy I would name him "Nemo" lol.

 

Aw, thanks!

My boyfriend was pretty stunned too, then I told him what happened. The little one clearly wants to live. His swimming is a bit odd, but I feel like within time it will go back to normal. Either that, or I just don't know how plecos swim? It's okay. He has stolen my heart.

I would of saved the cories too. I am okay with taking in injuried fish and nursing them back to health. Its what I am hoping to do with this little one. He is very shy and since adding him to the tank I can only ever see his belly. (When he is attached to the glass) I have a list of names for him, but I am trying not to grow attached until we are out of the woods so to speak. Tomorrow I will be doing water changes.

In Te Reo Māori (first peoples' language of NZ), the word for fish is Ika. You could call your fish Ika Waimarie which roughly means "lucky fish."

Pronunciation:

ika = "ee-kah" (two syllables). you can listen by pressing the speaker symbol here:
ika - MāorI Dictionary

waimarie = "why-mah-ree-aye" (4 syllables, rolling the R if you can, the "ie" at the end is pronounced like you're saying the first letter of the alphabet "A"). you can listen here:
waimarie - MāorI Dictionary



I am not MāorI but my partner is so we try to use the language when we can

 

Yeah it isn't about the type of fish sometimes. I had some African dwarf frogs in a tank and one must have be blind or close to it because I would put worms on some tweezers and he would miss every time. I finally got him trained to swim into my nearly closed hand(after trying to eat me first), and he would eat out of my hand. It was time consuming but I loved that little frog (YoYo r.i.p). If I ever get a bigger tank I plan to get a blue or green phantom pleco.
That little guy is so cute. I hope he thrives in your tank. I think buying fish super small and watching them grow is fun. fish stores love me because I buy their smallest fish. I think if it is a boy I would name him "Nemo" lol.

My plan was a snowball. It's okay, at least the Bristlenose that I got is dotted. S/he clearly isn't a snowball, but I can pretend. I fell in love with the snowballs because they are poka-dotted. At least now, I won't be spending a large sum on one fish. Besides Aquatic Arts that sells the dwarfs for 30$ sometimes, I've never seen them cheaper than 50$. It's probably my benefit that I ended up finding this little guy, won't have to go though the antsyness of waiting for one to arrive via mail.

In Te Reo Māori (first peoples' language of NZ), the word for fish is Ika. You could call your fish Ika Waimarie which roughly means "lucky fish."

Pronunciation:

ika = "ee-kah" (two syllables). you can listen by pressing the speaker symbol here:
ika - MāorI Dictionary

waimarie = "why-mah-ree-aye" (4 syllables, rolling the R if you can, the "ie" at the end is pronounced like you're saying the first letter of the alphabet "A"). you can listen here:
waimarie - MāorI Dictionary



I am not MāorI but my partner is so we try to use the language when we can

I would probably end up just calling him Ika if I went that route. It sounds beautiful either way. I want to wait until I have him at least a month before I give him a name. I'm so worried that he is going to pass within a week of me getting him...like my guppies did. Not too sure how I went wrong with those either.

 

Leaning towards the SunSun this one:

SunSun HW-302 3-Stage External Canister Aquarium Filter 264GPH

It is seriously almkst half the price of Ehiem. And a lot of users are using them on here lately. I will end up buying this after the move. (Will have it ordered while I am getting the stand established). SO is being very supportive ♡.

I find myseld having a LOT of cycling questions lately. (My first as in fish cycle. Do not want to do this again). I have found that I do not need a heater to start. This made me feel a lot better. But do I need anything in the tank besides water of course? Can I start cycling with a bare bottom, then slowly add stuff? Or should I add the substrate and then start to cycle? Can aquatic plants live without a cycle? It might be easier for me to post in the cycling part of this site until I am 100% certain of what I am doing. Debating if TSS+ or Stability would be worth purchasing too.

 

Leaning towards the SunSun this one:

SunSun HW-302 3-Stage External Canister Aquarium Filter 264GPH

It is seriously almkst half the price of Ehiem. And a lot of users are using them on here lately. I will end up buying this after the move. (Will have it ordered while I am getting the stand established). SO is being very supportive ♡.

I find myseld having a LOT of cycling questions lately. (My first as in fish cycle. Do not want to do this again). I have found that I do not need a heater to start. This made me feel a lot better. But do I need anything in the tank besides water of course? Can I start cycling with a bare bottom, then slowly add stuff? Or should I add the substrate and then start to cycle? Can aquatic plants live without a cycle? It might be easier for me to post in the cycling part of this site until I am 100% certain of what I am doing. Debating if TSS+ or Stability would be worth purchasing too.

I have the sunsun 304B uv. I'm happy except for nitrates. really good filter.

anyway, you don't need substrate to cycle. just water, an ammonia source & personally I'm a fan of stability.

I know this because I've cycled 2 empty quarantine tanks btw

 

I am just rounding out my fishless cycle on my new tank. I would get stability but don't think it will cycle your tank asap. If you are getting a canister filter get as much media in a cycled tank that you can afford preferably with water flowing over it. I stuck bio rings over an air stone. You can just do a bare bottom tank the gravel will grow some bacteria but the bulk of it will be in the filter. Add up to 5ppm ammonia I would recommend 80 degrees the bacteria will grow faster. Make sure your pH is above 7 and kh over 6dkh( not super critical but will helpif you have soft water) I used pure baking soda to increase my dkh. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

I have the sunsun 304B uv. I'm happy except for nitrates. really good filter.

anyway, you don't need substrate to cycle. just water, an ammonia source & personally I'm a fan of stability.

I know this because I've cycled 2 empty quarantine tanks btw

I found that live plants helped my nitrate level drop. Especially the moss balls. Which reminds me that I have the joy of cleaning out my filter when I get home from work.

Stability I am leaning more towards. I think the LPS that is in my area...that is one of the few bottles of fish stuff the sell. If not it will be on the next Amazon Order with the filter for the 55.

I am just rounding out my fishless cycle on my new tank. I would get stability but don't think it will cycle your tank asap. If you are getting a canister filter get as much media in a cycled tank that you can afford preferably with water flowing over it. I stuck bio rings over an air stone. You can just do a bare bottom tank the gravel will grow some bacteria but the bulk of it will be in the filter. Add up to 5ppm ammonia I would recommend 80 degrees the bacteria will grow faster. Make sure your pH is above 7 and kh over 6dkh( not super critical but will helpif you have soft water) I used pure baking soda to increase my dkh. Let me know if you have any other questions.

I have never tested my dkh. I know my pH is constantly at 8.0 even with driftwood and tannis. In the tank I do have set up.

This tank will take up a lot of time and planning. Won't matter to me that the tank takes a bit to cycle. Little Pleco is maybe a half of an inch at best. He will be moving to my 20 bowfront after his QT until this tank is done cycling.

The sponge filter I have in the QT tank can be used to help cycle the 55...but the sponge is rated for a 10 gallon max. Not sure if this will have any affect on the cycle. My bowfront uses an AquaClear 30 that I can add extra media to, to help cyclr the canister.

I'm just wondering if I add sand mid cycle will that end it? Or should I wait until its done? Will it cycle after? Sometimes I miss being new at this and doing whatever and hoping it turns out okay. (Totally know better now, a lot less stressful then though).

 

Debating between two color toned gravel or just solid black.

Also trying to decide between regular Aqueon and Aqueon Pro.

 

Debating between two color toned gravel or just solid black.

Also trying to decide between regular Aqueon and Aqueon Pro.

can't help with filter but in terms of gravel, it totally depends on your stocking. you want the substrate to "show off" the fish (even if they'd rather blend in). weren't you thinking about cookies n cream sand before?

 

can't help with filter but in terms of gravel, it totally depends on your stocking. you want the substrate to "show off" the fish (even if they'd rather blend in). weren't you thinking about cookies n cream sand before?

Yes. Really like that stuff, but pure black sand is cheaper. But I think the cookies n creme will make me happier because I plan on adding lots of slate to it. (Black rocks). And it won't make the EBAs or the Peppers so "dark".

 

Oh man, oh man. Someone is selling a 100 gallon tank with stand for 100$. I really wish I could get my hands on it, it's at the right price too...I have to many current projects for it though.

 

We move in less than a week! I am very incredibly excited for this move. We will have plenty of room for the 55.

After much debate, we are going with the black blasting sand (unless I can find some other sand cheaper locally here). It half the cost and will still be roughly 50-60$ to get enough of it for the tank. Verse almost 100 going with the sand I prefer more..

I have refused to update because I am partly ashamed of myself. I knew plastic plants were bad (we all say this) but I didn't realize the extent of bad. I came home from work on day and Ms. Beta Kiora, was found barely breathing. She looked as if I had sent her out to war, I noticed pink little needles in her from the pink plant I had in the tank. I knew there was no way to save her...I felt so terrible and wanted to throw in the towel with fish keeping. I neglected my tank for about three weeks other than just feeding. (Horrible, I know.) And now I am back on track. The tank still need a lot more maintance then I can give at the moment, but I am working on it.

I did a 50% water change, a good vac, and I removed the debre from the dead hornwort. (And some very flat moss bass curtsey of Dotty).

Pleco is doing fin. Still refuse to name him until after the move, as I am scared of loosing him. He is my first pleco after all. I see him maybe, once a week. He is a very shy little guy, every time I see him he is camping out in the betta log. (Only reason why its still in the tank) I found them cuddling one morning in there. Beta flew out of the log like I had caught her cheating or something.

 

 

oh dear I wish you had posted so we could offer moral support! I'm so glad you didn't give up & I'm stoked you're so close to your dream tank!!!! squeeeee

 

oh dear I wish you had posted so we could offer moral support! I'm so glad you didn't give up & I'm stoked you're so close to your dream tank!!!! squeeeee

The other half is already full of ideas as well. We both want the tank to sit behind our couch as a divider almost between the kitchen and family area. That way my little man is able to see the tank too. He loves his fishes!

I know the pleco and the pepper cories are moving over. I know how we are going too stock the 20 gallon just need to work on the 55. I thought really long and hard about the ebas, bit without a local pet store...or anywhere to give away fish I am scared about the amount of babies the will have. I would have to travel 4 plus hours in order to get them to a LPS that then only might take them. We may end up sticking with one? Or get two females if they can get along.

My mother is insisting on angel fish....she is the type that will buy the from a chain store randomly and drop them off at my door. So we will see what the tank ends up looking like. Fingers crossed.

I just felt so terrible. No more fake plants. Like ever.

 

I personally LOVE silk plants. and our kuhlI loaches LOVE plastic Dr Seuss like plants they use as ladders to lay on.

but this pink spiky thing sounds evil...

 

I personally LOVE silk plants. and our kuhlI loaches LOVE plastic Dr Seuss like plants they use as ladders to lay on.

but this pink spiky thing sounds evil...

It was just plastic but I could see exactly where she got stuck then fought to get herself out.

We have decided either guppies or a nano school in the 20 high. I have convinced him to let me get another small tank between 5-10 for a betta in the future. He loved her little attitude.

 

I have found out that I am going to go with black blasting sand, as I can get a 50 lbs bag for 7.99$.

I have the filter and the heater set up and planned out. Just not brought yet. Money is a bit tight. (We have been fighting with different utility companies about turning off things for our old place. They keep turning the wrong one on and off. Very frustrating.)

My mother has dropped off 15 guppies for my 20 gallon bow front. Yes. 15. Found out my back up tanks filter doesn't work. That one is in the works of being ordered. (Have to wait until Friday). So I was forced to dump them into, what is now a very heavily overstocked 20 gallon.

14 Guppies (2 fry, 4 females, 8 males)
4 Corydoras (one of them abandoned ship after the arrival of the new tank mates. Think I would of too..)
1 baby BN pleco
2 mystery snails

Is currently the stock. At this point, I am just going to quickly put the 50 gallon together and hopefully prevent more deaths. My mother is now talking about ordering Angelfish to throw in there. Because apparently plecos and corydoras aren't real fish and don't take up anything.

Dont even live with her and she is trying to control my tank.

 

Finally got a good picture of the pleco! He is getting big. I had plans to start the stand this weekend with a major update, but there is MASSIVE flooding in my area. (Everyone in my family is okay. Dog is confused)


Just did a water change the day before the flood, so my tank should be fine.

You can see his fin growing back!

 

I got to rehome the guppies (thankfully!). Due to the flooding in my area, I am unable to get to the store that has wood for me to attempt to start on the stand, so the progress has been shifted back a few weeks on that. It's okay though, there is really no rush now.

I get to see the pleco daily now! (He some how knows when I am trying to take a photo of him, and runs as soon as he sees my phone). I noticed today, that he is a boy! He is starting to growl the little bristle's on his nose. (He doesn't look as creepy as some of the photos I have seen online of bristle noses). He still swims sort of odd due to the now mostly missing fin (it's still regrowing, I promise). He is trying to figure out now how to use the fin, it's oddly cute.

I really love neon tetras and small fishes like that, my other half was watching videos of schooling fish like them, and has decided that it would be okay to get some! (I'm thrilled! Neon Tetras, Pepper Corydoras, & my BN pleco baby for the 55! Yes!)

I am moving the bronze cories to a 20 gallon long soon (we are suppose to go to a larger town to scope out a 20 gallon long tank, I'm fine with spending more than 20 on it.) and hoping to get a betta (I have a 10 gallon back up still) to go with them. I miss my betta girl.

 

Wanted to clean the sides of my tank today, and tackle my filter...my cories had other plans. I now have eggs! I just wish I was awake when it happened.

 

Wow, I should keep this updated more!

I was able to buy a stand for cheap ($20) that looks brand new. I was very happy, it is now sitting in front of the fire place in my apartment. I just have to double check with the landlord if its really okay to set up the 55 gallon tank before I do it. (I have spoken with him about it before and he did say it was fine, I just want to triple check for the 2nd time).

The pleco has grown his fin back out! All the way. He isn't shy anymore, especially when I feel him some veggies! He went so long without his fin that he only sometimes uses it, unsure if this is just pleco behavior or just his.

I lost a cory sadly. My dog kept trying to get my attention to go by the floor of the tank. Which I thought was odd. He waited until the other half got home to drop the now dry dead fish in his face. I was mortified. (I now have 1 bronze cory, 1 albino bronze, and 2 peppers-- peppers are moving into the 55 with the BN once its set up).

My last landlord is being terrible and I am in the process of reporting him to the better business bureau; he hasn't even given us a receipt or anything of that nature after moving out. Ive messaged him countless times over it as well. Hence the process has been slow because I have been fighting with him since June about rent even though my lease ended previously....its just a mess.

I'm debating if I should really set up the 55 or if I should wait because of all this mess. I am also going on vacation to Florida in December for 10 days and am already worrying about my tank. I know vacation feeders don't do well, I am looking into an automatic one as my relatives have already told me that they refuse to come and check in on then place...and I am not trusting of my neighbors.

 

My tank decided for me! I am not sure where but my 20 gallon bowfront decided to start leaking on me! I wasn't very happy about it, I absolutely love the look of that tank. Its the shape, I adore bowfronts...

Thankfully I had my empty 10 gallon QT tank. I just had to transfer everything on over to it.



Sorry for the crabby photo. I was debating about ordering a filter this week anyways for the 55 to get it to start cycling. If everything goes well, I should have the tank set up later in the week.

On that note are Penn Plax Cascade 1000s any good? I see that they are marked down right now to 75$?

 

Sorry to hear about your tank. I don't have any experience with Penn Plax but owners seem to like them and not a lot of negative reviews on their canisters.

 

Sorry to hear about your tank. I don't have any experience with Penn Plax but owners seem to like them and not a lot of negative reviews on their canisters.

Its fine, or at least it will be. I was slowly taking my time on this build and I will have to hurry it up now. I didn't realize just how large my pleco was. He was the size of my pinky I feel like last week. Now, more than ever I know he will be need to move ASAP. Just need a better filter for a tank that size and a light of some sort. The rest I can slowly gather as time goes on.