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Hey everyone,
I've had a new 55 gallon tank collecting dust in my basement for 2 months now and the set up date is just 2-3 weeks away (i cannot set it up until my roommate moves out). It has been a test of my patience and self-restraint, expecially since i recently came across a pair Apistogramma cacatuoides (double red) at my LFS for about $20. Anyway, i just wanted to get one last group of opinions on stocking scheme / potential problems / helpful suggestions before i begin setting up.
My plan is to set up a south american themed tank. I am currently soaking my pile of driftwood to leech out the tannins. Before adding it to the tank i will scrub it all down with a wire brush and boil it for sterilization. I have the biowheels for my Emperior 400 filter floating in my established 10 gallon tank to begin building up bacterial colonies.
As for plants, i'm going to start slow (plants are a new adventure for me) perhaps with some java moss to cover some of the driftwood, anacharis, amazon sword, and others depending on avalibility. This will be planted in a mixed flourite and pebble subtrate. Lighting will be less than 1w/gallon initially until i can afford better light fixtures. My CO2 system will be from the Carbo-Plus electrolysis system.
My plans for stocking in order of addition:
12 Pristella maxillaris for the cycling period.
A pair of Microgeophagus altispinosa (currently housed in my 10 gallon)
6-8 Corydora panda
a pair of either Apistogramma cacatuoides or Microgeophagus ramirezi
a pair of Pterophyllum sp.

I thinks this covers the lower-middle levels of the tank pretty well. Algae clean up will probably be by ottos and hillstream loaches (the only non south american fish).

Does anyone see any major problems with this plan? Any insight would be appreciated.

might want to use a nylon brush for the driftwood, you'll eat straight through it with a wire brush. It'll be soft from the water, so go easy.

Also, just make sure the silicone in the tank is semi-soft and not cracked. I dunno how old it is, but when they sit they deteriorate.

Before you get started fill the tank up to check if there are no leaks as empty tanks can leak if the storage conditions have not been the best. Also give evey thing a very good check and cleaning.

Have a look in [link=My Profile]http://
www.fishprofiles.com/interactive/forums/profile.asp?userid=6741" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link] for my tank info

[link=Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tanks]http://photobucket.com/albums/b209/keithgh/Betta%20desktop%20tank/" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link]

Keith

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I am not sure that I am totally right about this but I think that the amazon sword wont work very well at 1wpg. My red melon sword about .6 wpg in my 29 and it is growing fairly well, but only out of need for more light because the older leafs are kind of getting holes the ferts are well and co2 is good just not enough lights. When i take a light from the 27 which has 3 20's and put it n there a couple days in a row it perks up. But I am sure that Miguel or someone else as smart will correct me if I am wrong. Plus I also know that the amazons get HUGE but these are all regurgitating what I have heard from the experts.

lacrimology,

Sounds good to me, but I am inexperienced with most of the fish you are planning to add to the tank .

How about creating a log for your tank? Now is a good time to consider this option. If you have a digital camera you could provide our community with pictures and instructions from the get go and other members can learn by example .

I am sure you have seem a few logs on this site by now, in case you didn’t – just go to the Planted forum, there are a few samples (everybody has their own logging style).

Have fun and keep us posted,

Ingo
EDIT: mrwizerd – holes in the old leaves are often a sign of a lack of Potassium (but you say your ferts are ok).

Last edited by LITTLE_FISH at 04-Dec-2005 04:13

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Thanks everyone. I agree that i might have some problems with the amazon sword, it is on my "maybe later" list of plants. I'll make my decision after i get everything up and running and see how the less finicky plants are.
I've already filled and drained the tank; no signs of leaking.

Now i'm just waiting...

Hi,
Welcome back to the hobby...

I trust that you did not fill and drain the tank looking
for leaks. I hope you filled it, kept it filled for a
week or so, and then drained it. Fill/drain will only find
the most drastic leaks, others take time to seep their way
out onto the tank stand and floor.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Yes, i left it filled for just under a week.

Yeah, the ferts are good. At .5-.6 wpg its not enough light the wysteria didnt even get proper wysteria leaves till it got to the top quarter of the tank so I know the lights are to dim. I havnt tried any amazon swords all of my tanks are a little small. Java Moss seems to be going ok, but man does it get all over the tank when it comes loose. My darn fish keep poking at it.

You know I made a hood with 1x6's and got grow lamps from Lights of America for 10 bux, they were only 24" 20w lights but they are easy enough to mount and provide the grow light for the tank. It may not be economical for a 55 seeing as you would need 11 of them to get to 4wpg. But for tanks around 30g It works out really well

Isnt the Hillstream Loach a coldwater fish?

From everything i've read, the hillstream loach is supposed to be a cold water fish. Oddly I have two of them doing wonderfully at 80F (early on beginners mistake). I never see them try to eat fish food, but there isn't a spec of algae in my tank.

I think hillstream loaches do well with lower temp trops. Around here most are kept with the smaller tropicals, but then again they keep WCMM the same way, so its a bit hard to tell.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett