AquaRank.com

FishProfiles.com Message Forums

faq | etiquette | register | my account | search | mailbox
# FishProfiles.com Message Forums
L# General
 L# Getting Started
  L# Gearing Up
 Post Reply  New Topic
SubscribeGearing Up
dogmai333
-----
Hobbyist
Posts: 90
Kudos: 79
Votes: 19
Registered: 03-Feb-2005
male usa
Ok i am about ready to purchase a 55 gallon tank, with all the fixins; filter, light, hood, heater, underground filter, stand.

Now i have what decorations i want, but i want live plants. I have very little experience with plants, so any suggestions of plants for a beginer? Also what extra care do i need to give?

I've also never used a water test, what kind of test kit should i get? What should i look for on the box of the test kit?

And finally, here is my stocking list:

2 Dinosaur Eels
1 Red Tail Shark
8 Tiger Barbs
1 BN

My Dinosaur Eels are a Bircher and they eat any thing that fit in their mouth, they arent very big now so i think that these guys would work. At least for a while.

Any suggestions are welcome and i thank you in advance.

MONKEYS ARE COOL, BUT SEA-MONKEYS ARE BETTER.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:23Profile Homepage PM Edit Report 
Babelfish
 
**********
---------------
---------------
---------------
Administrator
Small Fry with Ketchup
Posts: 6833
Kudos: 8324
Votes: 1570
Registered: 17-Apr-2003
female australia us-maryland
The one thing that determines how successful you'll be with live plants is how many watts per gallon (WPG) your tank has. If it's the standard lighting that came with the tank you're likely well below even "low light" plant requirements as far as wpg is concerned. Unlike standard lightbulbs floroescent tubes cannot be switched one for higher wattage. Once you determine how much light you have, and or upgrade to higher lighting to meet the requirements of what you want to keep then we can work on picking plants.

Low light 1-2 wpg
Medium light 2-3 wpg
High light 3-5 wpg.

Above 2wpg you generally need to start some source of CO2(DIY will work on a 55 but it wont be as effective as the same setup will be on a 20 gallon).

As for test kits....Aquarium pharmecuticals makes a very good master test kit that has everything you need. To confuse matters there are two "master test kits" put out by the same company. One of which has a nitrAte test the other of which does not. There are other liquid tests...and of course the paper dip strips. Do not get the paper strips...they're more expensive in the end and really aren't accurate.

^_^[hr width='40%']
"Has someone taken your faith? It's real, the [link=pain]http://babelfish.qwertydigital.com/" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link] you feel.
The life, the love, You die to heal.
The hope that starts, The broken hearts...
I’ve got another confession my friend, I’m no fool.
I’m getting tired of starting again, Somewhere new."


Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:23Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
greenmonkey51
*********
----------
Fish Master
Posts: 1571
Kudos: 1692
Votes: 5
Registered: 28-Jan-2004
male usa
You should check how much more a 75g tank would be. Mine was like 20$ more than a 55g. The extra 6in is huge and gives you a lot more choices for fish and stocking amounts.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:23Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Babelfish
 
**********
---------------
---------------
---------------
Administrator
Small Fry with Ketchup
Posts: 6833
Kudos: 8324
Votes: 1570
Registered: 17-Apr-2003
female australia us-maryland
Side note, read that again....if you're getting ready to buy a 55 then yes....look @getting a 75 much more in the way of options.
Dont go for under gravel filters (UGFs) unless you've done your research on them and are prepared for the upkeep, a much better solution will be HOB or cannister filters.

Also if by "all the fixins" you mean you're getting a bundled kit you may want to double check what exactly is coming in the kit. Quite often the filtration is underrated, lights as said earlier are inadeqate, heaters may be low quality or underrated or both.

^_^ [hr width='40%']
"Has someone taken your faith? It's real, the [link=pain]http://babelfish.qwertydigital.com/" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link] you feel.
The life, the love, You die to heal.
The hope that starts, The broken hearts...
I’ve got another confession my friend, I’m no fool.
I’m getting tired of starting again, Somewhere new."


Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:23Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
greenmonkey51
*********
----------
Fish Master
Posts: 1571
Kudos: 1692
Votes: 5
Registered: 28-Jan-2004
male usa
Also for lighting if you want to save a little money look at the strip lights at home depot or menards. I bought 2 strip lights and 4 40wt bulbs for 35$.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:23Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
dogmai333
-----
Hobbyist
Posts: 90
Kudos: 79
Votes: 19
Registered: 03-Feb-2005
male usa
Ok, Ok, Ok. It is a kit, you got me.
Wouldnt you just buy the same thing if you were going to start frome scratch?

Anyways, what should be the size filter, light, and heater? I do want to start this right so before i start pricing every thing for a 75 (which will cost a lot more [but what i really want :%) ]) I just want to know what to look for in the kit, for what i listed above, like the plants.

MONKEYS ARE COOL, BUT SEA-MONKEYS ARE BETTER.
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:23Profile Homepage PM Edit Delete Report 
Darth Vader
*********
----------
Big Fish
Posts: 338
Kudos: 334
Votes: 35
Registered: 05-May-2005
male australia
well in my experience most plants are fairly easy but you do need to put a little bit of effort for instance providing them with plant fertilizers(only one for aquarium usage) especialy when starting the tank as there won't be very much nitrate in the water if any! and as for test kits pH you'll have little troble finding a good one as for the other paramiters i'd stay away from "aquasonic" the brand and JBL in my experience have the best test kits but are some what pricy so you could go for aquarium phamasuticals cause their cheaper but aren't as acurate as JBL
Post InfoPosted 26-Jan-2006 11:23Profile Homepage Yahoo PM Edit Delete Report 
Post Reply  New Topic
Jump to: 

The views expressed on this page are the implied opinions of their respective authors.
Under no circumstances do the comments on this page represent the opinions of the staff of FishProfiles.com.

FishProfiles.com Forums, version 11.0
Mazeguy Smilies