My 55g on a budget, lessons learned, & how to

[MINIMAL]

Size: 55 gallon
Type: Planted Freshwater
Lighting: Compact Fluorescent and LED
Stand: Built By Hand
Filter: API Filstar XPL with DIY Spray Bar
Heater: Top Fin 200watt UL
Ferts: Miracle Grow Organic, Flourish Trace
Other Equip: C02 (DIY Yeast & Sugar System with DIY Bubble Counter), eBay Power Head
Substrate: River Pebbles (Home Depot), Play Sand, Miracle Grow Organic (buried in pantyhose)
Hardscape: Petrified Wood, River Stones (Wendy’s parking lot), Malaysian Driftwood, Local Rocks
Plant List
· Water Sprite
· Java Moss
· Subwassertang
· Riccia (Crystalwort)
· Amazon Sword
· Creeping Jenny (local pond)
· Dwarf Four Leaf Clover
· Comb Leaf Mermaid Weed
· Brazilian Pennywort
· Anubias (multiple types)
· Hairgrass (local pond)
· Cabomba Purple
· Regular Baby Tears
· Ambulia
· Rotala
· Banana Plant
· Corkscrew Val
· Repens (multiple types)
· Anarchis
· Snakeskin Liverwort (local stream)
· Multiple Unknown or Forgotten from LFS and State Parks
Fish List
· 2 - Neon Tetra
· 2 - Celestial Pearl Danio
· 1 - Kissing Gourami
· 1 - Black Sailfin Molly
· 1 - Serpae Tetra
· 2 – Kuhli Loach
· 1 - Blue Tetra
· 1 - Chinese Algae Eater
· 1 - Pleco
· 1 - Red/Gold Tux Guppy Male
· 1 - White Cloud
· 5 - Red Cherry Shrimp
· 2 - Mystery Snail

I want to start off by saying that believe it or not, you can get a tank to look like this a whole lot cheaper than you think, so do not get discouraged as I nearly did. When the recession finally caught up with me in 2010 I went from making 8-10k a month with a Hummer, Boat, JetSki, 4 Wheeler, House on the River in the city, and buying anything I ever wanted to living in a trailer 2 hours away (literally in the woods), driving an Oldsmobile Alero, and not being able to put food on the table. All of this while having a Wife, Step Son, and my own little one on the way. It was by far the hardest time of my life, but it taught me a lot of things, most importantly, that you do not have to buy top of the line or brand new all of the time. Sometimes you just have to make do with what you have or figure out to make something out of stuff that is lying around.

While now, after a lot of hard work and perseverance, I now do not have to worry about spending a dollar on a candy bar like I used to, and could’ve bought everything new, however I still keep that same mentality. I still go to yard sales on the weekends to get clothes, home décor that can be repurposed, toys for the kids, etc. Why pay $45 for an Under Armour shirt at the store, when you can get one at a yard sale for $0.25? Just do bleach dips like you do to your plants, and you’re good to go haha! The only equipment listed above that was purchased new was the tank, original filter, and heater. Everything else was built by hand, scavenged, or purchased used. This will also give you pride in what you have built. This is the price list for everything.
Tank & Heater - $120 (was $150 for kit from PetSmart, but I sold the filter that came with it)
Lighting - $25 used CFL with added LED’s scavenged from the original tank purchase
API Filstar XPL Filter and Media - $65 used from LFS
Stand - $50 (2x4’s bought new for the horizontal runs, verticals are from pallets) and the finish is fencing planks, the back plywood is also from pallets
Substrate- $12 (River pebbles from HomeDepot $4, Sand $4, MiracleGrow $4)
Hardscape - $18 (all rocks and petrified wood were locally found, $18 was driftwood from LFS)
Power Head - $4 on eBay and only use it to spread ferts.
CO2 System - $2 so far, used excess tubing I had, empty milk jug and water bottle, only bought yeast already have sugar around the house.
Other items - $4 (dollar store suction cups & superglue gel for attaching plants, pantyhose)
Chemicals and Testing - $15 yard sale find and all was new and sealed - API Master Test Kit, Water Conditioner, Flourish Trace, along with several other items.

So that brings the total to $315, not too bad for a 55g….but not a single plant or fish is in the water yet. The above stuff was easy for me, because I am used to searching for deals and making due. However, after looking at the globe in my office, I realized I was not going to be able to go out on lunch and find a neon tetra or amazon sword in the local streams of West Virginia lol. I started out the tank by searching for coupons to pet stores and LFS’s in my area. I found one in those local ad mailers that most people throw away for $5 off $20 at the LFS, so I loaded my boys up and let them pick the first batch, which is why my fish listing is so random. While there I talked to the owner for quite some time. He then gave me a 25% off everything for new aquarium setups card that was good for two months, which helped a ton. I also found research papers online from West Virginia University on the aquatic plants of WV and their locations in my area. I found several nice plants by using the guide. I also found a 10g tank setup for $5 at a yard sale that week and after bleach dips the plants went there for a month before being introduced to the 55g. I also found that local trades with the LFS for plants that have grown too large have been beneficial as well as using this very forum to swap, or get things that people are giving away has worked well. I am also trying out some mosses I found locally in the bottom of that 10g tank, and 8 weeks later they are growing and turning into really good looking greens. So far my total after buying, reselling, trading, or getting freebies on fish and plants, plus picking up the $5 “hospital tank” is in the neighborhood of $70. This brings the total to $385 for a heavily planted tank with lower end stock level of fish.

I have spent so much time obtaining and researching plants, substrate, and rocks that I really have not paid any attention to fish. I am starting that journey now though. I do not plan to have more than two of the same type of fish, inverts I do not care if there is more than two, since they will help me with the maintenance, but I do not want 40 of the same tetra swimming around, as those tanks just seem lifeless and dull to me. The fish and inverts I do have now get along great, and it is very amusing to watch. The Chinese Algae Eater and my White Mystery Snail (who I think was in the Disney movie “Turbo” because he is so fast) have hit it off well. The Algae Eater gets on the snails back and they tour the tank together, until they see something to eat. The guppy has a heavy attracting to the kissing gourami, apparently the guppy likes is girls BBF. He stays under its fin all day. The shrimp spend a lot of the day on the Plecos head and back and eat while keeping contact with him. Not sure if all of this is normal behavior or not, but it sure is funny to watch. I guess once I get into the research, I will find out. The only bullies in the tank are the neon tetras, and I don’t mind it much because I had a tiny pond snail stuck to the Anarchis the LFS ordered for me, since it was just the one, I decided to let him live. After the nightly feeding the neon’s track this guy down and basically play soccer with him for 10-15 minutes. They leave him alone all day and only mess with him after eating, so not sure what that is all about.

I do plan to move to pressurized CO2 sometime down the road, but right now the yeast and sugar method are working great, to the point I have enough water sprite to fill two 10g tanks top to bottom with it (if you want some for free send me a PM) and I have been cutting and replanting runners on a lot of the other plants as well, so I do not see an immediate need for it, but when I do you better believe it will be the cheapest setup possible.
Hopefully this inspires people to give it a try if they are on the fence due to the financial burden they think it would cause. If anybody needs help with how to build a stand, what pebbles to buy, or anything not related to fish or inverts, just let me know and I will do my best. Maybe in the next few months I will know enough about the fish and inverts to help out some there as well. Some pictures are below, and if asked, I can post some pictures next week of the mosses I have been trying to grow underwater if anybody is interested in seeing those. Also if you see any plants that I did not list, please let me know what they are so I can add them to my list, I was adding things so quickly that I forgot to write them all down. Pic1 – Tank now. Pic2 – Tank now. Pic3 – Showing stand and canopy. Pic4-Mosses that I am trying aquatically, also a piece of snakeskin liverwort.

Thanks for reading!

*Note* if you are going to use any local rocks or pebbles, do a test with vinegar, if it bubbles do not use it, and also avoid and rock that looks sedimentary like sandstone as it will fall apart after a few months and make a mess. Also wash heavily and then boil any rock, pebble, petrified wood, and play sand twice before planning on putting it in the tank. All plants before being introduced to your tank need to have any dead areas removed, and all foreign objects and life forms removed, then rinse, rub every leaf and stem between thumb and finger, dip in a 1/19 bleach and water mix, rinse, rub, place in clean treated water and soak for 30 mins before putting in your tank. This ensures that no algae, bacteria, worms, etc. get into your tank. If you have any other questions on items, send me a PM.

 

[FishayFishay]

This is just amazing. I'm so inspired and impressed. Beautiful tank and methods.

 

[Saekalive]

When stocking, take into account the preferences of the fish. Neon tetras for example require a school of 5-6. Otherwise, the fish may become stressed


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[MINIMAL]

Thanks for the compliment.

As for the tetras i will keep that in mind. They don't take up much room so i dont mind to add 4 more of those. They seem to be quite happy at the moment, more so when they are knocking the pond snail all over the tank. They have been seeming to school up with the celestial pearls a little more each day. The pearls have only been in for 4 days now and they are getting along with everybody.

For the guppy though, I think he needs a girlfriend. I am considering it based on the looks the gourami is giving me about the situation lol.

Going back to the White Mystery Snail, does anybody else have an extremely active one? Mine will go up and over anything in the tank, has to inspect anything as it is coming in, crawls up my arm when placing new plants, then the funniest part is when he goes up the driftwood on the right side of the tank and gets to the edge and takes off spreading his body and feelers out as far as they will go, and "glides" all the way over to the cave area. It is comical when he misjudges and realizes he is about to crash into the wood or a rock because he will go inside and drops fast and hits the bottom for a roll or two then he is out right away and tries again. The other mystery snail does nothing, maybe covers 6" of area in a day, this one however will make it across the entire 4ft bottom in well under a minute and is about the size of a golfball.

 

[ImACoolguy]

My 55g on a budget, lessons learned, & how to

Very nice looking tank.

Just so you know, if indeed that's a CAE it WILL kill everything in that tank. They get 10 inches+ and will suck the slime coat right off of fish. They are also very aggressive as they mature.

edit: do you know what type of pleco it is?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[MINIMAL]

Yea he is a tiny one and will be gone once I see him killing anything. I have had just a normal black pleco since day one. Then today I got a small gray rubber lip from the lfs.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[ImACoolguy]

Yea he is a tiny one and will be gone once I see him killing anything. I have had just a normal black pleco since day one. Then today I got a small gray rubber lip from the lfs.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

If it's a common pleco... It's gonna outgrow that tank fast.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[MINIMAL]

I already found somebody at work to rehome the black pleco to. He is digging up everything so I will be taking him to them this week. They had one for 5 years that died over the weekend so that will help with not having to replant something every single day I hope.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[sinibotia]

My advice is to preemptively remove the algae eater. They're primarily nocturnal and known to eat fish slime so you may not even see them causing problems until infections start suddenly popping up on all of the fish that have been attacked. They're a tank implosion waiting to happen.

Also agree about needing more schooling fish. You need more neons, danios, serpaes, kuhli loaches, blue tetras, and white clouds.

Ok, I'm done nitpicking. You've done an incredible job here, I'm really impressed. Tank looks beautiful, stocking is solid aside from nitpicks. I'm taking notes for when I set up my next few tanks (poor college student here).

 

[MINIMAL]

I already had 2 kuhli, added a bunch of guppies and other stuff, not to mention a lot more plants. I will try to get a full list up tomorrow with updated pictures. Been having trouble with the Android app so that's why it took so long to reply. Thanks for all of the advice!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Mattfinn]

My advice is to preemptively remove the algae eater. They're primarily nocturnal and known to eat fish slime so you may not even see them causing problems until infections start suddenly popping up on all of the fish that have been attacked. They're a tank implosion waiting to happen.

Also agree about needing more schooling fish. You need more neons, danios, serpaes, kuhli loaches, blue tetras, and white clouds.

Ok, I'm done nitpicking. You've done an incredible job here, I'm really impressed. Tank looks beautiful, stocking is solid aside from nitpicks. I'm taking notes for when I set up my next few tanks (poor college student here).

+1 to this.

Agree your tank looks very nice good job.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[MINIMAL]

Here is the updated fish and plant list. Pictures will come tonight, got in a fight with my alarm clock this morning because my 3 year old kept me up all night lol. I most likely left a few plants or fish off the list because I am just thinking from the top of my head.


Plant List

· Water Sprite

· Java Moss

· Subwassertang

· Riccia (Crystalwort)

· Amazon Sword

· Creeping Jenny (local pond)

· Dwarf Four Leaf Clover

· Comb Leaf Mermaid Weed

· Brazilian Pennywort

· Anubias (multiple types)

· Hairgrass (local pond)

· Cabomba Purple

· Regular Baby Tears

· Dwarf Baby Tears

· Ambulia

· Rotala

· Banana Plant

· Corkscrew Val

· Repens (multiple types)

· Anarchis

· Snakeskin Liverwort (local stream)

· Multiple Unknown or Forgotten from LFS and State Parks



Fish List

· 2 - Neon Tetra

· 1 - Celestial Pearl Danio

· 1 - Kissing Gourami

· 1 – Micky Mouse Platy

· 1 - Serpae Tetra

· 2 – Kuhli Loach

· 1 - Blue Tetra

· 1 – Otto

· 1 – Albino X-Ray Tetra

· 1 – Farlowella Cat

· 2 – Albino Cory Cat

· 1 – Clown Loach

· 1 – Black Pleco (awaiting a new home)

· 1 – Rubber Lip

· 1 – Bala Shark

· 3 - Variegated Guppy Male

· 6 – Variegated Guppy Female

· 1 - White Cloud

· 2 - Red Cherry Shrimp

· 5 - Ghost Shrimp

· 2 - Mystery Snail

 

[ImACoolguy]

My 55g on a budget, lessons learned, & how to

Here is the updated fish and plant list. Pictures will come tonight, got in a fight with my alarm clock this morning because my 3 year old kept me up all night lol. I most likely left a few plants or fish off the list because I am just thinking from the top of my head.


Plant List

· Water Sprite

· Java Moss

· Subwassertang

· Riccia (Crystalwort)

· Amazon Sword

· Creeping Jenny (local pond)

· Dwarf Four Leaf Clover

· Comb Leaf Mermaid Weed

· Brazilian Pennywort

· Anubias (multiple types)

· Hairgrass (local pond)

· Cabomba Purple

· Regular Baby Tears

· Dwarf Baby Tears

· Ambulia

· Rotala

· Banana Plant

· Corkscrew Val

· Repens (multiple types)

· Anarchis

· Snakeskin Liverwort (local stream)

· Multiple Unknown or Forgotten from LFS and State Parks



Fish List

· 2 - Neon Tetra

· 1 - Celestial Pearl Danio

· 1 - Kissing Gourami

· 1 – Micky Mouse Platy

· 1 - Serpae Tetra

· 2 – Kuhli Loach

· 1 - Blue Tetra

· 1 – Otto

· 1 – Albino X-Ray Tetra

· 1 – Farlowella Cat

· 2 – Albino Cory Cat

· 1 – Clown Loach

· 1 – Black Pleco (awaiting a new home)

· 1 – Rubber Lip

· 1 – Bala Shark

· 3 - Variegated Guppy Male

· 6 – Variegated Guppy Female

· 1 - White Cloud

· 2 - Red Cherry Shrimp

· 5 - Ghost Shrimp

· 2 - Mystery Snail

Bala sharks and clown loaches have been known to become aggressive if not given a suitable group. You have a beautiful tank but a ton of fish with uneven groups and will undoubtedly see aggressive behavior between some any day now. The shrimp will probably be okay with all the plants but don't be surprised if they come up missing.


Caleb

 

[MINIMAL]

The bala and the clown are the most laid back in the tank. The only one I had an issue with was a male guppy which is now on my desk at work with a female platy a co-worker was having issues with in her tank. They are currently working out their social issues as we speak lol.

The shimp are huge, which I was suprised about. The cherry are about the size of a male guppy and the ghost are larger than the female guppies, so its going to take one heck of an attack to kill those guys.

Like said though the only problem I have had so far aggressiveness wise is with the one guppy being like a gnat at a bbq to the gourami lol. I think the main issue with him is that he only wants to try to mate with different species and males on top of that. I even tried placing him in a tank with 3 females and he just sat there all day and didn't move, which I tried for a week. The second I put him back in the main tank he went right back to the gourami, raising the top fin and rolling on his side with his junk out lol. So he and the platy can live their lives out in the nano tank on my desk, since the fish community apparently is not as open to this behavior as we are these days. Keep in mind this is a fish forum so do not make it political lol

**On a seperate note, the LFS had a batch of loose stems of multiple plants they gave me about 2 weeks ago (the guy there knows I will try anything in the tank once) and even after a thorough bleach dip and a week quarantine I somehow ended up with 3 pond snails, which turned into 20 within a few days. I have been picking them out as I see them, but it seems like for every one I removed, 6 more replaced it. I was thinking about 1-2 assassians, however would they kill the mystery snails? (1 is golfball size, the other about a bouncy ball size) or is there another way to combat them? I googled until my fingers bruised, but every option seemed either sponsored by a company, or like a 7 year old that keeps cichlids and guppies in the same tank wrote it. Looking to the pros for this one they are not nearly at plague level, but I know it wont take long.

 

[ImACoolguy]

Your Bala and the clown are also very young I would bet. Give them time to grow up. Behavior comes with age in many fish.


Caleb

 

[MINIMAL]

I will keep an eye on them to see how they do. We have a local group of aquarist and rehoming is the main reason for the group. One of the LFS's will also take in oversized or incompabitable species. So if it ever does become an issue, I will make sure they got rehomed.

My 3 year old is who wanted the bala, it was the only thing he wanted, so I didn't have much of a choice lol. Same with the clown, only the 6 year old wanted it.

Pictures will be up tonight. Hopefully I can get some good shots of species interacting. The neon tetras calmed down after the first 2 weeks, guess they just wanted to make a statement in the beginning, like a small dog always does

 

[PoppaRyno]

I use assasins. They work great for pond snails. I havent had any issue with them hunting my bigger guys. But i dont know if thats just a fluke, or not. I have many many assasins if youd like some.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[tiger terror]

Your Bala and the clown are also very young I would bet. Give them time to grow up. Behavior comes with age in many fish.


Caleb

Very insightful...

sit in silence...

 

[sinibotia]

Your tank is way, way, way, WAY too small for clown loaches. You need a 125 gallon bare minimum and trust me- you can't really do a budget 125 gallon unless you get insanely lucky on craigslist. You also need at least 6 as they are highly social animals with complex group behaviors. Groups of clown loaches are more akin to a pack of wolves than to your typical aimless school of tetras. They have hierarchies, they play with each other, and communicate with body language and sounds. They need other clown loaches for comfort and interaction. They absolutely need to have more of the same kind. Keeping one alone is a horrible thing to do to it.

 

[MINIMAL]

Your tank is way, way, way, WAY too small for clown loaches. You need a 125 gallon bare minimum and trust me- you can't really do a budget 125 gallon unless you get insanely lucky on craigslist. You also need at least 6 as they are highly social animals with complex group behaviors. Groups of clown loaches are more akin to a pack of wolves than to your typical aimless school of tetras. They have hierarchies, they play with each other, and communicate with body language and sounds. They need other clown loaches for comfort and interaction. They absolutely need to have more of the same kind. Keeping one alone is a horrible thing to do to it.

It is funny you mention the 125 not being cheap because I just got a 125g on a stand with a 75g underneath with canster and everything else for $275 on facebook. Which is where I am planning to rehome the clown, pleco, and bala. The reason I currently only have the one clown is he was the only one left. Out of the 5 places that sell fish around here, the clowns are always gone as soon as they hit the store. He has been doing great, so far. His colors were dull when I got him, but now the orange and blacks are very intense and has bright red tips on the fins which were not even visible before. He schooled up with the albino cory's that were in the same tank with him when I got him (they were the only 3 fish left in the tank at the LFS) so I just took all of them. He has stayed with them the entire time, so they will most likely go to the new tank as well. I am currently in the process of scaping the 125 so it will be a while until i get it cycled and ready to go. If he does show signs of stress I will take him to the neighbors house who has a 125 with 4 clowns and just take one of his snails or something.

As far as needing a 125g for a clown, i think that is a little overboard anyway. I have had clowns in a 29g before and they lived 3-5 years in it until I moved and gave them to the LFS because I was afraid they would not make the trip. I am just trying to figure out how you can say that 1 is not ok in a 55g but 6 would be ok in a 125g. (125 / 6) = 21. I completely get the schooling aspect, so I am not questioning that, but the fish per gallon does not make sense. So I did a little research on it and it appears that you are right on 6 in a 125, but most people are saying 3 will be fine in a 55g. I guess it just depends on who you talk to, or trial and error. If you go with the most common reccomendation of 1" of fish per gallon, your "South American" tank would be overloaded, since neons range from 1.3" to 2" as adults meaning you are looking at 22.1 to 34 gallons of space needed, but only have 20g. However it seems to working and the others are wrong.

I do honestly apperciate the advice, afterall that is why we are all here. I monitor this tank very closely and if I sense the slighest issue I fix it. Like the homosexual guppy for instance lol. I will keep posting updates when issues or changes happen so that others can learn from my experience. Thanks!