stocking suggestions for 55g

[kjacks]

I would call first and look online to see if they even carry the stuff. Petsmarts around me don't hardly sell anything for Cichlids just the fish, sand and some food but not what I use.

I use the omega one for my betta n my otos..but im gonna gonna order some nls and get omega one also to change it up..then the hikari seaweed too..

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I use the omega one for my betta n my otos..but im gonna gonna order some nls and get omega one also to change it up..then the hikari seaweed too..

I think since you like omega one they have veggie flakes made for african Cichlids

 

[kjacks]

Yea they do .. i looked at flakes and pellets and stuff ..im tryin to figure out what fish im gonna get so i can pick a food for them...oh n id there anything i should keep on hand .. im orderin a water tester too bc they were out today n my 10g i have been gettin checked at petsmart waitin on the kit to b in stock but it hasnt yet all they have is the strips..gonna have to get online for that too ..

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Yea they do .. i looked at flakes and pellets and stuff ..im tryin to figure out what fish im gonna get so i can pick a food for them...oh n id there anything i should keep on hand .. im orderin a water tester too bc they were out today n my 10g i have been gettin checked at petsmart waitin on the kit to b in stock but it hasnt yet all they have is the strips..gonna have to get online for that too ..

How is your ph on the house? You may want/need some crushed coral. I use the saltwater test kit because the ph kit reads higher levels than the freshwater one with the api master test kit. How about filter floss, conditioner etc..

 

[kjacks]

I got my aquarium stand n my hubby broke it tryin to put it together...now we have to fix it.. seems like everything just keeps having problems n delayin my setup... i need to check my levels again for my tap.. i was gonna get the caribsea sand that has all the added minerals n bacteria .. it supposed to maintain a higher ph to. Do u think ill need the cc still

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I got my aquarium stand n my hubby broke it tryin to put it together...now we have to fix it.. seems like everything just keeps having problems n delayin my setup... i need to check my levels again for my tap.. i was gonna get the caribsea sand that has all the added minerals n bacteria .. it supposed to maintain a higher ph to. Do u think ill need the cc still

You may not need it I don't use it but o have naturally hard well water. They sell stands that you have to put together? I didn't know that lol. How did he break it

 

[kjacks]

You may not need it I don't use it but o have naturally hard well water. They sell stands that you have to put together? I didn't know that lol. How did he break it

Yea.. i tried to get him to build one but he said no so i had to buy one it wasnt cheap either..but he was puttin the top on n didnt do it the way the directions said n the braces snapped off n cracked the cabinet doors .. we had one of our friends look at it n see how best to fix it ..since its just the cabinet doors we got new doors..

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Yea.. i tried to get him to build one but he said no so i had to buy one it wasnt cheap either..but he was puttin the top on n didnt do it the way the directions said n the braces snapped off n cracked the cabinet doors .. we had one of our friends look at it n see how best to fix it ..since its just the cabinet doors we got new doors..

That's good I would have been so mad at myself if it was me. Did you contact the company to get the same doors?

 

[JimmyG]

I got my aquarium stand n my hubby broke it tryin to put it together...now we have to fix it.. seems like everything just keeps having problems n delayin my setup... i need to check my levels again for my tap.. i was gonna get the caribsea sand that has all the added minerals n bacteria .. it supposed to maintain a higher ph to. Do u think ill need the cc still

Is this the stand you got from petsmart?

if it is I originally got the same one because it was on sale for $140 but once I opened the box and put it together it was flimsy material... cam locks holding it together didn't cut it for me especially adding rocks etc.. I simply did not trust it and returned it right back and purchased the R&J Enterprise all wood stand from petco which is on sale.

R&J stand

R&J Enterprises Espresso Oak Empire Cabinet, 75/90/110 at PETCO

 

[Andrew McFadden]

The stand should have weight limits on the package somewhere so you know.

 

[JimmyG]

it was rated at 900lbs. i believe and most of the screws stripped.

 

[kjacks]

Is this the stand you got from petsmart?

if it is I originally got the same one because it was on sale for $140 but once I opened the box and put it together it was flimsy material... cam locks holding it together didn't cut it for me especially adding rocks etc.. I simply did not trust it and returned it right back and purchased the R&J Enterprise all wood stand from petco which is on sale. /QUOTE]

Yea i think so it wasnt on sale though n it is a natural oak thats all they had n stock .. it is actually sturdy when put together...

 

[kjacks]

The stand souls have weight limits on the package somewhere so you know.

Yea it says 900lbs.. we didnt get thesame cabinets our friend is a carpenter so he gave us some solid wood ones n braces n stuff to use to help make the stand more secure.. which the stand itself once properly put together was sturdy but since it broke once i wanted to b more cautious and have added support

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Yea it says 900lbs.. we didnt get thesame cabinets our friend is a carpenter so he gave us some solid wood ones n braces n stuff to use to help make the stand more secure.. which the stand itself once properly put together was sturdy but since it broke once i wanted to b more cautious and have added support

You should be under the weight limit at less you stuff the whole tank full of real rock

 

[kjacks]

No.. i think im gonna order those rock caces n some drift wood fromdr foster n smith next check .. mayb a few fake plants to put n the corners with some drift wood .. im not sure yet if ill like that though

 

[Andrew McFadden]

No.. i think im gonna order those rock caces n some drift wood fromdr foster n smith next check .. mayb a few fake plants to put n the corners with some drift wood .. im not sure yet if ill like that though

You'll change it around a lot I'm sure. Mine gets changed every few months or some would say every month lol but I think I like what I have now the best so I think I'm gonna leave it. I have a whole bunch of those cichlid stones that I had in for a month then decided I didn't like them. Then again I'm goofy about decor and making it natural and the holes in the rocks wasn't cutting it. The plants I had in would be floating every time I got home from work and it drove me nuts to keep putting them back so they came out. And the driftwood gave it to much and I didn't like it in mine aswell. But that got reused in other tanks with plants.

 

[kjacks]

Yea i have been lookin hard at those rocks tryin to decide if they will look cheap n fake or if ill like them... i saw a diy cave setup on youtube that actually hung on the back i like it .. just dont have time to do all that. N with my luck ill get the hubby to do it and he will break my tank next...lol i would definately hurt him .. tryin to talk him into gettin my sand now while its on sale 20% off n free shippin .. puttin the guilt trip on him for breakin my stand...lol

 

[Andrew McFadden]

They really don't look bad its just the hole in them imo if you can see the hole it takes away from it looking natural. But the fish do like um and that's what really matter I guess. Did you ever make a decision on the fish?

 

[kjacks]

Ummm well i was tryin to find mor peaceful but decided i wanted mildly aggressive so i just finished composing my newest list..i wanted to try n fit some of my favs n one list.. was gonna run it by u n jess first though for yalls opinions.

 

[kjacks]

Ok so here it is .. im hopin i got it all right this time..
Pundamilia macrocephala
Pundamila nyererei (anchor island, luanza or ruti ) not sure which one i like best yet...
Xystichromis phytophagus (christmas fulu)
Lithochromis rufus
Pseudotropheus socolofi (snow white soc.)
Cyno afra cobue (if its ok to mix )

I also would like to try a louisiana blue crayfish once i look into it more..saw what i think was one on a youtube clip with africans.. n i added the snow white bc i want a more solid n thought the white would look good with the black fish n all the other colors if there is a better fish please do tell .. i also tried to stick with herbs or omnis.. i know the one is a carnivore but it said to feed it daphnia, brine shrimp, cyclops or mosquito larvae figured the omni food would work for that too
Ok so whats the damage... :/