New 55 Gallon Stocking List

[bartsmum]

Hey there,

I am relatively new to fish keeping I've had a 10 gallon for 7 months and a 5 gallon for 5 months. I have a few ideas for stocking my new 55 gallon low-tech planted and would like a bit of advice from some more experienced enthusiasts beforehand.

My tank is a Juwel Rio 240L/55 G
High-Lite Light Unit 120 cm, 2 x 54 watt T5 bulbs
Juwel 3.0 Bioflow pump (600 l / h)

Current Parameters (day 2 after setup):
PH - 7.0
Ammonia - 1.0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5.0

Substrate:
15kg Fertilizer Substrate 1 inch deep
25kg Natural White Gravel 3-5mm 2-3 inches deep

Decor:
Large Mangrove Root 45cm
3x Medium Mangrove Roots 25cm

Plants in tank:
2x Echinodorus bleheri
1x Ludwigia repens
1x Ludwigia glandiosa
2x Micranthemum umbrosum
1x Bacopa monnieri
1x Hygrophila polyserma
2x Micranthemum micranthemoides
1x Bacopa caroliniana
1x Cryptocoryne wendtii
2x Lilaeopsis nov. zeland.
1x Althernanthera rosaefolia


Here is my intended stocking list:
2 BN Plecos,
2 SAE,
6 Rosy Barbs,
6 Black Ruby Barbs,
6 Tiger Barbs,
6 Green Tiger Barbs
1 Red Tailed Black Shark,

I am planning to add them to the tank in the order listed, over a period of around 6 weeks.

Is this the correct order to add them - less aggressive first?
How about the Rosy Barbs - should they go in before or after the Black Rubies?
Would it be ok to add any more tiger barbs to this?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Many Thanks

ZM

 

[Luananeko]

The compatibility and order you're adding the fish looks fine, but I think you've got too many fish there... I'd drop one of the plecos for sure, and probably 2 of the barb schools.

Try plugging the fish and equipment into the aqadvisor.com calculator and playing around with the numbers. When I stuck your list into it the calculator yells at you for the filter being underpowered, but your plants should help diffuse that to a certain extent. With your full stocking list you're at 144%.

Granted, the calculator is a starting point only that you should further research and double check with experienced folks, but if you're relatively new to fish keeping I would recommend starting with an understocked tank (50%-75% stocking) until you get the hang of the maintenance schedule for the larger tank.

 

[bartsmum]

Ok cool, thanks for that. Very useful site.

 

[Samzter]

Loose a school or two of the barbs and you could add something else .