Suggestions please!

[BettaJesseBetta]

I'm getting a new 55 gallon starter kit from petsmart this weekend and I know I want it planted with easy plants and I'm stocking with 4-5 angels and a few cories but my question is what plants are appealing to the eye that I can do the basic weekly ferts maybe a couple diy co2 pop bottles the kit comes with 2 24 inch T8 full spectrum bulbs so low light and minimal maintenance it's gonna be a living room show piece and while cycling just a planted show piece also suggestions on cycling

 

[The boring name]

I would say java fern, sword plants Anubis, water sprite, banana plants would flourish with mid light and some good DIY co2 but only 1 caution stick with a max of four angels and you should be good

 

[The boring name]

I know lots of people don't like the flourish lights from petsmart but I really like it and plants grow really fast

 

[BettaJesseBetta]

Thanks for the info I'll check out the flourish lighting and I heard with the topfin 55 dimensions are actually about a 48 gallon tank after your substrate so yeah ill either do 4 angels or set up the filtration to an aqua clear 60 or something with a little more filtration to get a few bottom dwellers to fit in

 

[The boring name]

Sounds great I like the Cory's cool outgoing fish to have, are u going with a sand substrate or gravel?

 

[jwh0818]

Check these articles out for cycling


http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=154837

 

[BettaJesseBetta]

Alittle of both to cap the flourish dark I'm planning to put just Incase I ever decide to go ahead and high tech it later with better lights and an actual co2 system I like scaping and this will be my first fully planted tank I have a 20 long that's scaped with plastic and silk plants but nothing real big and also a 2.5 gallon with dwarf hair grass I'm growing out to put in the 55 I'm planning

Picture of the 2.5 gallon initial planting

 

[BettaJesseBetta]

Faux scaped 20 long

 

[The boring name]

Well if you need some extra current a top fin 50 power head will be the best bet my sand looked horrible until I installed it.

 

[BettaJesseBetta]

Cool I'll look it up thabjs

 

[The boring name]

It is 18.72 for the 50 version on sale at most petsmarts.

 

[BettaJesseBetta]

Cool good price too I'll have to pick that up when I get the tank

 

[Fibsog]

Anacharis are great looking inexpensive stem plants

 

[jwh0818]

Anacharis are great looking inexpensive stem plants

And they grow pretty fast

 

[BettaJesseBetta]

Anacharis are great looking inexpensive stem plants

Yeah I got a few pods from Walmart one time for an accidental Molly fry batch and it grow nicely just floating in the tank

 

[BettaJesseBetta]

I also have a 10 gallon fry/hospital/quarantine tank I've been kinda going threw ideas for I think that one may just stay a fry/hospital/quarantine tank idk yet I might just make it a jungle plant growing factory not sure just yet

 

[The boring name]

Anacharis are great looking inexpensive stem plants

+1 on that got a few in my 60

 

[Fibsog]

+1 on that got a few in my 60

Im all 3 of my planted tanks anacharis is in there. Great for guppy fry, just float it in there.

 

[BettaJesseBetta]

Whoa my starter kit came with the top fin 75 power filter for some reason and it came with a LED hood they were out or changed from the ballast type hoods is there anyway I can change the led modules for better ones or would they work on a low tech low light planted tank or would it be better just getting 2x 24" ballast hoods and some flora max T8's or maybe some aqualight T5's from petmountain topfin 75 LED hood on

The LED's are actually brighter than my full spectrum T8's on my 20 long (behind it)
Almost makes me feel like buying the T8's were a waste of money

 

[BettaJesseBetta]

Great just set up my tank turn the filter on and it has a crack right in the middle of the darn thing