Finally getting back to it

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Marshallc

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jul 6, 2012
Messages
76
After giving my old tank to a guy that lived downstairs in our old apartment for helping us move out i felt something was missing in our new house. A friend gave me his spare 30 gallon for my office and found a great deal on a 55 gallon locally.

I've missed my old fish and have wanted to get back into it for some time. The pictures aren't the greatest as they were taken with my phone and mostly at night

Here was the start of the 30 gallon


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Got rid of the nasty play sand and decided to use pool filter sand and I have to say not only does it look way better but was so much easier to get to clear up.

After buying a few plants we got started


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Bland looking I know lol so off to get a few more


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Hmm still missing something ahh I know some rocks :)



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A big thanks to my buddy will who has helped me big time getting everything up and running and all of his knowledge. The plan for this tank will be some blue rams and a couple of Cory cats and I will let my daughter pick a couple to put in there(she has last word in everything lol)

On to the 55



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This was the 55 when I first got it. Wasn't feeling the wood stand so I stained it black and turned out great I will get some good pictures of it soon.

The top trim broke so I'm waiting on the new one to arrive I do love the rim less work but with my 2 minions running around safety is always the priority here's how she sits now.

Another huge thanks to my buddy for donating his extra lace rock and heater. Running a fluval 405 on here this is my first canister and must say I love how quiet they are.

On with the pictures :)



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I plan to use the 55 as a cichlid tank just not sure of which ones I want. They are all so great looking it's hard to narrow it down lol I do have a 125 and 60 gallon waiting to be picked up that a friend of my wife's is giving us.

I also had to break down and buy my daughter a betta tank and fish for her room because she said she needed a pretty fish tank. She loves learning everything about fish and is teaching her responsibility.

The two heartbreakers when we were getting ready to head to the lfs to get my daughters betta


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I'm still learning everything I can soak in reading the forums and picking up books always best to know what to prepare for and expect before it happens.

Both tanks are still cycling 30 gallon is on week 2 but only 1 week with the plants and the 55 gallon is on week 1. I'm in no rush as with everything if you rush it you only get yourself in trouble :)

Any suggestions or tips are always welcomed as I said I try to soak in everything I can.

One question I had on the 55 gallon I do plan to put a few live plants in and was wondering should I put a power head in or do an air stone or both. Am still thinking of doing a led bubble wand in the 30 gallon just to make the plants pop out some more.

Look forward to your replys and am thankful for finding this great community as I've been lurking on here for weeks reading lots of info.
 
Yes ! German blue rams and Cories are my favourite fish! I have an established pair of GBR in my 30. I'm moving them to another 30-50 gallon tank soon. For Cories if you haven't made your mind up already I would suggest panda Cories. They like the same parimeters as GBR but I think they prefer different temps. I have 8 pandas in my 30 which I'm currently trying to breed! Good luck.
 
Was looking at some peppered corys that's what I had in my old 40 gallon but I do like the pandas. Not sure what else I plan to put in there figured I'd let my daughter pick a few that she likes as long as there won't be a conflict with them but my old gbr's never bothered it's tank mates
 
Thank you. Still deciding if I want to put 1 or 2 small prices of drift wood in it or not and possibly a few more plants. Just have to see how things go and if the wife decides I've spent enough lol
 
So only a few days after having my gbr's two females have now layed eggs :) time to see what happens and if they have some pretty fry following them around
 
I'm not sure if I like the rams in the tall tank. They have room to play but I just feel they would be happier in a long tank with longer stretches to swim.

Trial and error I guess. Maybe leave one pair in there and leave the plants but pick up a 30-40 long or the spare 55 I have in the garage and build it up with a lot more hiding spots so they aren't so cramped.

My wife doesn't really mind the tanks but at one point in our old house I had 6 tanks up and running all 55-125 gallons and I think she's afraid I'll do that again haha.
 
She loves to look at them and our daughter does too but then complains how long the maintenance takes or how much I spend which she thinks I spend tons when I usually trade for everything. Only thing I've actually bought so far were 2 lights and filter media
 
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