55g upgrade!

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Lilmack07

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Oct 3, 2012
Messages
227
Location
Texas
I got a 55 gallon kit for Xmas, so I want to upgrade my 20g into it. It has the LED lighting system but I'm new to planting and never messed with LEDs before so I'm not sure what kind of plants I can grow with them. So if you have any ideas if highly appreciate it. :)) I want to try a fish less cycle with this tank. I have media seeding already so that should help.


It came with:
2 tetra whisper i30 internal filters. ( not sure if I'm going to like those though)
200 watt heater.

Stuff I need to start the tank:
Substrate- miracle grow organic choice topped with pool filter sand.
API test kit.
Plants
Stand ( bf got one for me get to pick up in a couple of days)

Fish I have:
Neon x3
P.Catfish
Common pleco
Albino pleco
Pale blue gourami
Dwarf gourami
Dwarf frog x2
Ghost shrimp x2
Mystery snail x2

Ideas for fish to add:
Blue ram x2
Cory x6
Neon x3
 

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Good luck those filter do not work very well depending on what your budget is there are a couple of good brands on the market i have a 55gal with two Aqua Tech 30-60 and have no isues.
 
Thank you! Yea I'm not too thrilled about the filters it came with. Most likely I will upgrade them. Not sure to what just yet but I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna use the filters it came with.
 
Thank you! Yea I'm not too thrilled about the filters it came with. Most likely I will upgrade them. Not sure to what just yet but I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna use the filters it came with.

I also have an aqua tech 30-60 along with an aqueon quiet flow 30 on my 30g and I have had no issues with it or the aqueon quiet flow. It's always best to get filter for about double your tank size, you can never have to much filtration! Also since you say you want to do a fishless cycle the more area you have for BB to grow on the better off you will be. I would pack (and by pack I mean cram if you have too lol) media in those filters.
 
I got a 55 gallon kit for Xmas, so I want to upgrade my 20g into it. It has the LED lighting system but I'm new to planting and never messed with LEDs before so I'm not sure what kind of plants I can grow with them. So if you have any ideas if highly appreciate it. :)) I want to try a fish less cycle with this tank. I have media seeding already so that should help.


It came with:
2 tetra whisper i30 internal filters. ( not sure if I'm going to like those though)
200 watt heater.

Stuff I need to start the tank:
Substrate- miracle grow organic choice topped with pool filter sand.
API test kit.
Plants
Stand ( bf got one for me get to pick up in a couple of days)

Fish I have:
Neon x3
P.Catfish
Common pleco
Albino pleco
Pale blue gourami
Dwarf gourami
Dwarf frog x2
Ghost shrimp x2
Mystery snail x2

Ideas for fish to add:
Blue ram x2
Cory x6
Neon x3

I wouldn't put Dwarf Frogs in a 55 gallon. Since they breathe at the surface, they like tanks that are 12" high or shorter. As you probably already know, a 55 gallon is 21" high. This would likely cause the frogs to become very stressed.

As for plants in it.....I have heard that marineland LED's are not very strong, so i think you'll have to stick with low-light plants.....Java Ferns, Moss, Crypts, Anubias, etc.
 
I also have an aqua tech 30-60 along with an aqueon quiet flow 30 on my 30g and I have had no issues with it or the aqueon quiet flow. It's always best to get filter for about double your tank size, you can never have to much filtration! Also since you say you want to do a fishless cycle the more area you have for BB to grow on the better off you will be. I would pack (and by pack I mean cram if you have too lol) media in those filters.

Oh yes I was looking at the aquaclear 50 maybe getting two of those. I will look at the filters y'all have mentioned fer sure. I just started to do that with my 20 gallon because of you! :) so yes ma'am I plan on cramming the filters I get for the 55 gallon.

Bud- I did not know that about the frogs! I have two 5 gallon tanks think I could put one of each in the tanks? Or is that too small? I may just have to ask a friend to adopt them because I'm most likely turning the 20 gallon into a nano reef tank. ( in the future of course one step at a time hahah)

That's what I figured about the LED lights it came with. Now to just figure out the aquascaping which I suck at. Lol I'll have to research what grows tall and what doesn't.

I've never done a background in my tank. I know if I want one this would be the time to do it since I have nothing in the tank. How do y'all feel about backgrounds?
 
Anyone know if any of the add on LEDs are strong enough to grow medium light plants?
 
I order my plants from aquariumplants.com it's a great web site and the prices are good. As for back grounds i like them they have changed over the years i made a misstake last time i got one and did not put it on untill after i put water in the tank and could not get to the back of the tank and i guess the half a bottle of jack had some thing to do with me not thinking ahead LOL
AquariumPlants.com


:fish2::fish2::fish2::fish1::fish1::fish1:
 
Lmao. Happens to the best of us. ;) the background I decided I'm going to spray pant it black. I looked it up and thought id try it out. Going to pick up the paint right now. I've heard pretty good stuff about that site.
 
Got the tank all covered up so I can maybe spray paint it tomorrow, depends on the weather.

Super excited/ nervous. Hope I don't screw it up haha
 

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For a tank that size I'd go with a canister. Fluval and Eheim make good ones. I have an Eheim 2215 on my 40 gal and I like it a lot. An Eheim 2217 on that tank would be good.

Be careful with the gouramis; it's not recommended to mix gourami types; one will likely kill the other eventually.

How large is the common pleco now? They can get up to 18" and need a massive tank so as it grows you'll need to upgrade again or rehome it.

A breeding pair of rams can become aggressive to other fish; your pleco and corys may become targets but the tank is large and if you have enough hiding places it might work.

If this is an upgrade there's no need to recycle the 55. Just add the filter media from the current tank to the new filter and then move the fish over. It'll instantly cycle it for the fish you have now and your 20 gal is heavily stocked. I'd move the fish over as soon as you can.

+1 on the frogs not going into the 55. I'd put them in their own tank; a 10 gal would be best but the 5 gal should work if you already have one. Just keep a small portion of the media from the 20 into the 5 gal to cycle it for the frogs.

When everything is moved, just test the frog tank and the larger tank daily in case any temporary toxin spikes happen and do extra water changes as needed until things level out.
 
I just looked up the Eheim 2217 on amazon and they have it for a very decent price so i may just go with that one. Ive been wanting to try out a canister because ive heard nothing but good things about them. But was planning on sticking with HOB because i am more comfortable with that and money wise it is cheaper. But i saw that canister on amazon for 133 and thats about what i pay for two nice HOBs anyways. So totally do-able. Thank you!

The gouramis have been together since i started the 20 gallon, they pick on each other but i havent seen it really get intense or nothing like that. I make sure to pay attention to that, just in case i end up needing to rehome one of them.

He is prolly about 2.5 to 3 inches right now, not too big. I tried to get him as small as i could to begin with. I know he will out grow this tank but i do plan on eventually upgrading this tank as well. Wanting to eventually get where i can eventually maybe get discus one day. ( Not in this tank of course! I mean when i can upgrade to something bigger 90 gallon or bigger)

I've heard about that, i won't be getting them two for quite awhile though. I going to try my hand on working my way towards a heavily planted tank so everyone can have their own little chill spots. I plan on making sure everything works out with my plants first before i even think about getting them. Plus ive heard you want a pretty nice established tank before you stick those little guys in there because they are more sensitive i believe?

Even if i go from using HOB filters to a canister? Are there going to be a spot i can fit my media from my HOBs? Ive never messed with a canister so i don't know what they really look like inside or anything. Yea unfortunately my 20 gallon i just jumped into and its been overstocked the entire time. xP But with the water changes i do, i believe it helps and but yea i can't wait to be able to move them to this tank so they can have some room!

I have two 5 gallon betta tanks that are already up and running they have been up for about 2 months now. I really don't want to put them in the 5 gallons because i'd hate to downgrade them on size. But i don't think i have anywhere else to put them, but at last resort i have a friend that could take them for me.

Fer sure! Thanks so much! You are always so helpful!!!


As for painting the back of the tank, prolly won't happen till next week. :[ Waiting on a sunny day.
 
I found an assortment of plants I think may be the best way to start off the tank towards a planted tank. Just not sure on my substrate anymore since i want to go all black. Anyone ordered an assortment from them?
 

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My ramshorns are already breeding like crazy so I've been looking at ways to control their population and was thinkin about maybe getting zebra loaches? Maybe I could get 4 of them instead on the Cory's.

Hopefully the weather stays decent so by the time my boyfriend gets home I can get the first coat of paint on the back. Hate not being able to
Move this thing around by myself haha.
 
I just put down 2 20lb bags of Eco-Complete in my 20g. It will provide a good substrate for your plants and will be all black like you want.

You can see the picture in my profile of the 20g to see if it would work for you.
 
I was looking at that stuff last night! Thinking i could still go with the organic choice then top it with the Eco complete. I will go check out your pics to help my decision. Thank you!
 
Yay I got my stand today. We were thinking it wouldn't come in till next week. Since I plan on getting a canister filter we are thinking about taking out the drawers and cutting off the fronts of them and gluing them back so I can fit the canister behind in.

Still haven't had a chance to paint it. :/
 

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I got 3 coats of black paint on the back, brought it back in the house but it still needs a few more coats. So the next sunny day I will be putting a few more coats and hopefully it should be done! Lol
 

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