Getting my 55 gal set up. 2 questions

[tatacy]

Hi, I'm new to this. I bought a used 55 gal and have been cleaning it for the last month. Going to use a Filstar 2x, inline heater, DIY CO2, plants are ordered. Substrate to be 3 in pool filter sand over 1 in plant substrate I got a lfs. Got 108 total wattage on T5 HO light (2 bulbs). Tank is still empty- today I tested my water and fell out of my chair seeing a pH of 8.6. Checked my county's water quality site and yup thats what they report. My hardness is supposedly 57-100 ppm (I didn't test that).
QUESTION 1: Do I need to use a reverse osmosis filter on this? Or will dechlorination help (yes there IS chloramine) enough? Eventually I'd like to get to discus but will start out with community fish.

Planning a fish in cycle with tetra safe start. This is my plan: put water and plants in Thursday, treat with dechlorinator. Run normal, with lights, filter, thermometer. Was not planning adding NH4 (tap is 1 ppm). Let it run 3 days. Test again, then add the TSS and 5 zebra danios. Then go from there.
QUESTION 2: Am I missing something? Not adding any bacteria until same time as fish, as per TSS instructions.
THANKS!!
Terri

 

[Andrew McFadden]

to AA! I don't see any need for ro/Di water. For the other questions your best to start a thread in the planted freshwater section of the site to get better responses. Good luck

 

[daney90]

Hello! Welcome aboard! I disagree because it is really beneficial to have rodi water. I for one just started my tank 2 months ago and ld say that without my ro unit I would prolly have problems..