New 55g Freshwater Setup

Hello everyone.

I am taking over a 55 gallon freshwater setup that is currently running, but needs work. There are three Danios in there now, nothing else. Dimensions: 48" L x 12.5" W x 20.5" H.

I have a 38g running now with a Clown Pleco, 10 Neon Tetras, 18 Cherry Barbs (started with 8 and they bred a while back), 6 Otos, and a bunch of pesky small snails. This tank is running with well water (7.4 pH, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 20-30 ppm nitrate). I am moving though and my new water is 8-8.2 pH, 0.25 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 ppm nitrate out of the tap (after sitting for 24 hours). All temps are 79-80 degrees F.

My plan is to restart the 55 gallon completely. It has extremely high nitrates I am surprised the Danios are alive. It has underground filters with dead powerheads. I want to take that all out and not replace it and possibly new substrate. I will move the Danios to my 5 gallon QT that I recently restarted at new place using established media from before as I simply moved the QT to my new place and did a 60% water change about 10 days ago. I have an AquaClear 70 running on my 38g right now, and there is an Aqueon on the 55 gallon now. I cannot afford a nice canister filter sadly, so my plan is to purchase another AQ70 and put it on the 55 gallon and take 50% of the media from my oher AQ70 on the 38g to help cycle the fresh 55 gallon faster. I understand this is going to be a long process as I have to gradually move fish from the 38g to the 55 gallon and especially with the difference in water parameters to consider as well. When I am done moving the fish I will add the old AQ70 to work in tandem with the new one and remove the old existing Aqueon filter. That would give the 55 gallon around 600 gph. I also have air diffusers that I will move as well.

I have a nice variety of live plants in the 38g that I will move to the new tank as well after it circulates for a few days after being reset. A piece of driftwood, and some other artificial decor that will eventually be moved as well.

My end game is to possibly sell/give away some of the Cherry barbs, so that I can get some other species like some Neon Rainbows. I plan to add some more Otos as well as I have lost a few since purchasing originally. I was also planning to get a pair of GBR for feature fish. Open to other options though for everything. I will be adding a lot more plants since I now have more real estate to work with too.

Questions...

1. Does the filter plan sound good?
2. Should I drip acclimate everything?
3. The cycling should be fairly fast in fresh tank because I am using old media from already established tank yes?
4. How long until I can realistically start transferring fish do you think?
5. What order and how many at a time should I transfer fish?
6. Species/stocking recommendations?
7. Substrate thoughts?
8. Live plants thoughts?

I am open to thoughts, comments and recommendations.

Thank you!

Cheers.

 

The aquaclear line are tried and true HOB filters I wouldn't worry about running them. However, if you're interested in replacing your substrate with established undergravel filters I would do so in small sections. 1/3 a month type of thing (someone else chime in). Definitely sounds like an overstocked tank to me but what do I know, I run a 40 gallon with 6, 6 inch cichlids. Water changes keep them alive, and I'd imagine as you're moving it would be the same for you.
Filters seem decent. I think the AQ70's will give you a decent turnover.
The plants will take time to reeroot/reaclimate to new water, likely you will have a big trim job.
I personally always drip acclimate but to each their own, when water paramters are very different its always the best idea to do it slow.
Cycling should be faster but you don't want to crash your original tank by pulling out too much media or substrate.
Adding fish will be dependent on test numbers, I don't think anyone could tell you specifics
As far as stocking for fish and plants go for hard water I've had success with water sprite, java moss, amazon sword, and crypts. I have failed with anything narrow leafed, like hornwort. My particular hard water plants like wide leaves with high light. Fishies will adapt but I personally keep mostly cichlids. Smaller fish won't dig up plants. So long as theyre hardy fish like barbs or guppies etc, I don't see why they wouldn't adapt if you give them the proper acclimation period.
Sorry if I didn't answer everything question exactly, I hope it helps.

 

The aquaclear line are tried and true HOB filters I wouldn't worry about running them. However, if you're interested in replacing your substrate with established undergravel filters I would do so in small sections. 1/3 a month type of thing (someone else chime in). Definitely sounds like an overstocked tank to me but what do I know, I run a 40 gallon with 6, 6 inch cichlids. Water changes keep them alive, and I'd imagine as you're moving it would be the same for you.
Filters seem decent. I think the AQ70's will give you a decent turnover.
The plants will take time to reeroot/reaclimate to new water, likely you will have a big trim job.
I personally always drip acclimate but to each their own, when water paramters are very different its always the best idea to do it slow.
Cycling should be faster but you don't want to crash your original tank by pulling out too much media or substrate.
Adding fish will be dependent on test numbers, I don't think anyone could tell you specifics
As far as stocking for fish and plants go for hard water I've had success with water sprite, java moss, amazon sword, and crypts. I have failed with anything narrow leafed, like hornwort. My particular hard water plants like wide leaves with high light. Fishies will adapt but I personally keep mostly cichlids. Smaller fish won't dig up plants. So long as theyre hardy fish like barbs or guppies etc, I don't see why they wouldn't adapt if you give them the proper acclimation period.
Sorry if I didn't answer everything question exactly, I hope it helps.

Hey, thank you for your response. Just to clarify. I am removing the undergravel filters that are currently in the 55 gallon that is the new tank. I do not plan on replacing them. I know the 38g is overstocked, **** cherries lol...

I will be more on the low tech end of the spectrum, no CO2, LED lighting. I do use a liquid fert though. I was researching builds and I see that some recommend doing aquarium soil underneath sand and then some gravel mounds placed ontop of the sand overtop of where the soil is. Is that recommended? Or should I just use one type of substrate? Seems kind of complicated, but since I am doing a fresh build I figure I want to do it well.

Looking forward to responses. Thank you!

 

Same here on the no co2 I have minimal issues. But a friend whose tank I was helping build was trying to remove their undergravel filters and they pulled both panels before allowing the rest of the tank to catch up....lots of dead fish...Slow and steady wins the race, make sure you have enough media in the filters to replace their bio colonies.
I love the "current" LED setups. If you're looking for a deep bed method....then these are things to consider. Using soil is in reference to the walstad method, read up. There is a lot of pros and cons to it. I personally just like root tabs and dosing with seachem flourish. You can use different methods for soil. I personally use the fluval shrimp stratum in my 10gal shrimp tank and it does a great job of acting as a soil for my carpeting plants. You could use flourite black, "Up aqua sand", Carib Sea Eco complete....theres a multitude of substrates. I like to go on amazon and just search and find the one that best suits my needs based on reviews.

 

Same here on the no co2 I have minimal issues. But a friend whose tank I was helping build was trying to remove their undergravel filters and they pulled both panels before allowing the rest of the tank to catch up....lots of dead fish...Slow and steady wins the race, make sure you have enough media in the filters to replace their bio colonies.
I love the "current" LED setups. If you're looking for a deep bed method....then these are things to consider. Using soil is in reference to the walstad method, read up. There is a lot of pros and cons to it. I personally just like root tabs and dosing with seachem flourish. You can use different methods for soil. I personally use the fluval shrimp stratum in my 10gal shrimp tank and it does a great job of acting as a soil for my carpeting plants. You could use flourite black, "Up aqua sand", Carib Sea Eco complete....theres a multitude of substrates. I like to go on amazon and just search and find the one that best suits my needs based on reviews.

I have always just used regular gravel before haha. I am curious about the other options. How do you gravel vac that stuff if you have multiple layers of substrate?

What about hardscape? I was considering going natural and ditching most of the artificial root structure, and cave that I have. Only keeping a small plastic rock formation that my Clown Pleco has made her home. I saw like dragon stones, lava, lepard, seiryu stones, etc.Specific stones for specific setups or?

 

I have always just used regular gravel before haha. I am curious about the other options. How do you gravel vac that stuff if you have multiple layers of substrate?

What about hardscape? I was considering going natural and ditching most of the artificial root structure, and cave that I have. Only keeping a small plastic rock formation that my Clown Pleco has made her home. I saw like dragon stones, lava, lepard, seiryu stones, etc.Specific stones for specific setups or?

In well planted aquariums or tanks with a big carpet the short answer is, you dont. The plants use the waste for their nutrients. I lightly vacuum the tops of the plants if there's visible food laying in between leaves on the floor. You don't want to stir up the cap layer if you're using gravel to cap a soil layer. You don't want the soil escaping and mucking up the whole tank. With fluval stratum in particular, theyre just little balls of soil so if you vac them they'll break and make a mess.

Theres so many options for hardscapes. As far as natural hardscapes, just make sure it doesn't alter your ph in a way you don't want. I know lava rock won't alter parameters. Limestone will though. Driftwood lowers it+tannis. I'm also going through this process of selecting a new hardscape for a 2.5gal minI tank. Its a long research process.

 

In well planted aquariums or tanks with a big carpet the short answer is, you dont. The plants use the waste for their nutrients. I lightly vacuum the tops of the plants if there's visible food laying in between leaves on the floor. You don't want to stir up the cap layer if you're using gravel to cap a soil layer. You don't want the soil escaping and mucking up the whole tank. With fluval stratum in particular, theyre just little balls of soil so if you vac them they'll break and make a mess.

Theres so many options for hardscapes. As far as natural hardscapes, just make sure it doesn't alter your ph in a way you don't want. I know lava rock won't alter parameters. Limestone will though. Driftwood lowers it+tannis. I'm also going through this process of selecting a new hardscape for a 2.5gal minI tank. Its a long research process.

Okay cool. Thanks for your input.