mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
You gonna do co2? I would stick with that unless you want co2... then I'd go with the 4x54w
55g Dirt Planted
- Thread starter Marconis
- Start date
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OP
OP
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
No CO2. $90 for a dual 4ft fixture seems like a good deal to me.
mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
Yeah, they're good fixtures man. I'm very happy with mine.
OP
OP
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
Cool. I'll place an order this weekend. So white bulbs, 10,000K?
mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
That would be my suggestion. I'm sure some people will say 6500k's are better, but you've seen the growth in my 40 with the 10,000k's... and the yellow coloring in my 125.. those are 6500k's 
OP
OP
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
I like the 10,000K better anyway, as I have it on my current fixture. I hate the yellow!
OP
OP
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
Emptying out now. Sure, people say to leak test for a week, but 30 something hours or so of a full tank is good enough for me. I don't like it sitting on the floor, unlevel, filled with water.
This weekend I am painting the back of the tank and the stand. I am on the hunt for a darker sand or gravel to layer over the soil. I'm just not looking forward to the increased cost of it.
By midweek:
1) Filled with soil and sand/very fine gravel
2) New heater purchased
3) Have lights arrive
4) Find a decent piece of driftwood, or two.
By next weekend:
1) Place enormous plant order with some kind folks here on AA. Looking to heavily plant right off the bat so as to aid in ammonia take up that leeches from the soil.
I hope this all goes as planned. Last weekend was rough at the car wash due to rain, so I only made $180 for the weekend. This weekend is easter and is also supposed to rain, so funds are pretty dry. I'll keep you all updated.
This weekend I am painting the back of the tank and the stand. I am on the hunt for a darker sand or gravel to layer over the soil. I'm just not looking forward to the increased cost of it.
By midweek:
1) Filled with soil and sand/very fine gravel
2) New heater purchased
3) Have lights arrive
4) Find a decent piece of driftwood, or two.
By next weekend:
1) Place enormous plant order with some kind folks here on AA. Looking to heavily plant right off the bat so as to aid in ammonia take up that leeches from the soil.
I hope this all goes as planned. Last weekend was rough at the car wash due to rain, so I only made $180 for the weekend. This weekend is easter and is also supposed to rain, so funds are pretty dry. I'll keep you all updated.
OP
OP
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
Just an early morning update:
Looks like no work this weekend due to rain...bummer! Regardless, I put it an order for the T5-HO yesterday and it is going to arrive on Friday, April 29. I came home last night from my girlfriends to see my brother spray painting the stand, which got me kind of confused. Apparently we didn't have a good brush-on paint, so he said that would have to suffice. With his planned 10 coats or so, it's not looking too bad. Today I am going to run some errands and get the dirt and what not.
I'll post a picture as an edit in this post later today, I don't want to keep bumping it alone.
Looks like no work this weekend due to rain...bummer! Regardless, I put it an order for the T5-HO yesterday and it is going to arrive on Friday, April 29. I came home last night from my girlfriends to see my brother spray painting the stand, which got me kind of confused. Apparently we didn't have a good brush-on paint, so he said that would have to suffice. With his planned 10 coats or so, it's not looking too bad. Today I am going to run some errands and get the dirt and what not.
I'll post a picture as an edit in this post later today, I don't want to keep bumping it alone.
mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
Very cool. Will be glad to see this thing up and running. Too bad about the rain, but at least you'll have some extra time to work on the tank
OP
OP
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
Zactly 
OP
OP
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
What up, just got back from Home Depot. I bought two bags of the potting mix, and and have an extra half a bag at my apartment.
I was having a hard time deciding on substrate. They had really cool "desert play sand", but it's far too fine in my opinion. I found something cool, and decided on paver base. It has a lot of sand mixed in with some larger gravel pieces, and has a reddish tint to it. I did a little research and found no issues with it, although some say that the color may rinse off. I'm going to go rip a small hole in the bag and see what it looks like when wet. I bought three bags and it only cost me $12. I think it can look cool! Doing a little more research on it to see if I need to return it, ha.
I was having a hard time deciding on substrate. They had really cool "desert play sand", but it's far too fine in my opinion. I found something cool, and decided on paver base. It has a lot of sand mixed in with some larger gravel pieces, and has a reddish tint to it. I did a little research and found no issues with it, although some say that the color may rinse off. I'm going to go rip a small hole in the bag and see what it looks like when wet. I bought three bags and it only cost me $12. I think it can look cool! Doing a little more research on it to see if I need to return it, ha.
mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
Definitely interested in this. I've been wanting to find something a little darker than PFS, but still within the same grain size. If its anything like PFS, I may want to try some in my next build.
OP
OP
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
Here's a pic:
I like that it looks like a dirt. I swirled it around in a puddle to see if the finer grains were more dust than actual sand, but the smaller ones were retained alongside the big ones. So, as long as it still retains its sandiness with the thicker pieces, I think it will work out great. As for its weight, it feels pretty heavy when clumped so I don't think there will be much floating. I feel this color complements the soil nicely and I'm pretty pumped to try it out.
I like that it looks like a dirt. I swirled it around in a puddle to see if the finer grains were more dust than actual sand, but the smaller ones were retained alongside the big ones. So, as long as it still retains its sandiness with the thicker pieces, I think it will work out great. As for its weight, it feels pretty heavy when clumped so I don't think there will be much floating. I feel this color complements the soil nicely and I'm pretty pumped to try it out.
OP
OP
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
What?
OP
OP
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
Here's everything. Light is coming on Friday, still need to order a heater (did they go up in price since three years ago? I don't remember them being $40 each). My brother is going to paint the back of the tank today. We bought some Rustoleum flat black for it that we'll roll on. I bought him lunch a few days ago so he owes me this favor to paint it 
. While he's doing that, I'll be rinsing the paver base. The stand is a little warped, so I am a little worried it won't be able to support the weight of the tank...but if it worked for the other guy, I guess it'll be okay.
Update #2 of the day:
Update #3 of the day:
Man oh man is paver base dirty! LOVING the grain diversity; ranges from ultra small to some HUGE rocks, haha. I'll do away with the big ones most likely but I think it's gonna look great. Gonna go for a nice bike ride now and check on the paver base later.
. While he's doing that, I'll be rinsing the paver base. The stand is a little warped, so I am a little worried it won't be able to support the weight of the tank...but if it worked for the other guy, I guess it'll be okay.
Update #2 of the day:
Update #3 of the day:
Man oh man is paver base dirty! LOVING the grain diversity; ranges from ultra small to some HUGE rocks, haha. I'll do away with the big ones most likely but I think it's gonna look great. Gonna go for a nice bike ride now and check on the paver base later.
Last edited:
OP
OP
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'm thinking Roseline Sharks for this tank. Sure they'll cost a lot, but I swear they may be the most gorgeous FW fish next to Mbuna's. Maybe a group of 6 and then another large school of something.
maxima423
Aquarium Advice Addict
mmmhhhmmmmm, this is just my opinion but personally i would not put roseline sharks in a 55g, mainly because these guys are super active, i think they belong in a 90g minimum, i have personally seen roseline sharks in a 55g and it just did not look right, always bumping into the glass when ever they get scared
i dont exactly know what you want to do with this tank, what i would do is:
10 tiger/green barbs
dwarf pleco of your choice
10 cories of your choice
and some solo fish that would be able to co exist with tiger barbs
or go cichlids, my 55g is over stocked since i had to take in two blood parrots from a friend that impulsed bought them and bought them for his 20g long, but i plan to keep them, blood parrots are really cool fish ^_^
i dont exactly know what you want to do with this tank, what i would do is:
10 tiger/green barbs
dwarf pleco of your choice
10 cories of your choice
and some solo fish that would be able to co exist with tiger barbs
or go cichlids, my 55g is over stocked since i had to take in two blood parrots from a friend that impulsed bought them and bought them for his 20g long, but i plan to keep them, blood parrots are really cool fish ^_^
OP
OP
Marconis
Aquarium Advice Addict
Thanks for the advice, maxima. I'll have to do some more research on the Roseline's, then. I'll take your stocking suggestion into consideration.
roydooms
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2011
- Messages
- 3,324
I went to Lowe's yesterday looking for PFS. They didn't have any but I saw the paver base. I didn't buy it because I wanted to do some research on it first. Then I saw this thread. How come yours has big chunks? The ones that I saw, the grains are different size granules but not that by that much. Let us know how it goes with the paver base. Thanks.
