55 Dream Tank

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aquamami8326

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Jan 31, 2012
Messages
105
Location
Saskatchewan
Hey guys, its been a while! Long story short, I had a baby and everything went haywire! We are just settling into a new place and I have two empty tanks cycling! In my living room, I have a 55 gallon cycling with a couple un-namable old filter and pool filter sand as the substrate. I want a planted tank that looks something like the picture attached. Somebody please tell if I'm delusional for thinking I can do this on a budget lol. This isn't EXACTLY what I'm thinking, I want about 1/3 of the tank full planted like the picture, some floating plants, and maybe something that looks like sea grass? Would all of this be possible with a sand substrate? I'm open to the ideas of saltwater too, if that's the direction I should be going just let me know please. Also, what kind of fish could I add with that many plants? Thanks in advance for all your replies!

Oh, and I would reeeeaallly love an underwater bonsai. I have seen pictures of live ones, but I didn't think they really existed.. Its wicked what you could do with photoshop, but here is the picture I'm talking about. I found another good picture of what I'm looking for in the end..
 

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greetings.

if i am not mistaken, "under water bonsai" is essensially a dead piece of wood with a moss plant attached to it.

creating a "dream" planted tank with a lush carpet is not impossible, but it takes alot of work. most species demand CO2 and a high amount of light.
a DIY yeast facility is cheap, but light is going to cost. you'd best make a thread over in the plant section to learn more about these things though.
 
Vallisneria plants are like a very tall grass, and spread easily (maybe a little too easily) and if you are willing to be patient, you can just buy two or three and wait for them to send out runners. My tank is sand with a few root tabs for the crypts. I started with two corkscrew val plants and now have a nice little triangle full of them, and am going to have to start removing the extra baby plants I don't need.
You can have a medium light tank that doesn't need CO2 added and just needs fertilizing once a week or so. Look into plants like crypts, swords, java ferns and mosses, and the vallisneria I already mentioned. You can use moss not just for a tree, but as a carpet for the tank. Most of the little grass like plants are high light but moss tolerates lower light and doesn't need the high CO2 and daily fertilizers.
You can have a really nice low tech, lower light tank, if you don't mind the plants taking longer to grow in. You have to be patient but it's less work. You don't have to trim as often, and there isn't the hassle of trying to get the CO2 right.
Check out some of the tanks here:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=99729&page=60
 
I think it is possible, but then again it will take dedication, commitment and time. Like others had said, most plants will demand co2 and very high lighting. Did you want help on stock?
 
Thank you guys for your input! I knew something like this wouldn't be easy or for a beginner.. But for further plant info I will post in the right thread, for some reason I thought that is where I was posting this!
Thank you owned by cats, I really love the idea of moss to create the look I want! I will be looking into many of the plants you listed.
And yes I would still LOVE help on stocking. I'm thinking of doing my 30 gallon with plants though, instead of my 55. I know there isn't much you can do with 30 gallons but any ideas are welcome!
Here is my list of fav. Fish. (Not a stocking list, just ideas)
dragon gobies, oscars, plecos, lake malawi and tanganyika cichlids. I'm not so much into the traditional gouramis, guppies, or tetras and stuff, but like I said I'm open to ideas!
Ps. Also LOVE the inverts!
 
If you are doing your 30 instead (or in addition to LOL) and you like cichlids, look into some of the dwarf cichlid species. From what I understand, the bigger cichlids make it really hard to grow plants, but the dwarf cichlids, like German Blue rams, bolivian rams, apisto species are all plalnted tank safe, and some have really spectacular colors.
There is plenty you can do with a 30, though not with bigger fish. Maybe hatchets would do for a schooling fish, they like the top, dwarf cichlids like the middle/bottom.
Moss is favoured by inverts like cherry shrimp. If you wait until your tank has grown in and has lots of cover, depending on what your fish choices are, you might be able to add some cherry shrimp (fairly cheap and hardy).
 
Ok so I think I'm set on a 30 gallon with bolivian rams! Lol they're just so cute!! And I hate to say it but I've never liked hatchets! They creep me out :( lol
Right now my 30 gallon has-
-Actinic (sp?) Blue Lighting
-2 Tetra whisper internal filters rated 10-30 gallons
-1 1/2" layer of play sand for subsrate
-6" piece of malaysian driftwood

So here are my next questions-
1) What other fish and/or inverts could I add with a pair of bolivian rams? (That would also do well with so many plants)
-Could I maybe do a bunch of tetras with 2 rams? Or something along those lines?
2) Any specific things I need for the rams?
3) What kind of filtration for a heavily planted tank with these fish in it?

I guess any other questions I have should be posted in the plants stuff. As far as lighting, substrate, and plant maintenance goes.
 
Ok guys, after some reasearch of my own I've decided I want a pair of bolivian rams, a group of 6 or more albino tiger barbs, and an albino bristlenose pleco.
I've heard that tiger barbs have been known to nibble, and albino bn plecos apparently eat amazon swords? I don't plan on keeping amazon swords, but what do you guys think about the the tiger barbs? And all compatability in general?
 
If you like the rams more, I would getca school of peacful tetras instead ( not serpae or buenos aires tetras) if you want the tiger barbs more, I would get more barbs and maybe a large hardy cichlid like a gold severum. ( I kept an 8 inch gold severum for 10 years in a 55 with neons and angels, not one was eaten or nipped!)
 
So that's a no on rams and tiger barbs together?? I couldn't really find anything besides a couple aggression issues. I read a lot more good than I did bad. I don't mean any offense or anything but what is making you say no? Like a past experience or something? I would like to hear about it.
If I can't do tiger barbs how about some Neon Tetras? They are my favorite of all tetras. And how many of those?
 
Neon tetras are fairly peaceful and should be okay (although they tend to be somewhat fragile due to breeding mass amounts - check out cardinal tetras: look almost like neons but the red stripe is the same length as the blue).
If you have just the tetras and rams you could do a fairly large tetra school of 10-15 since they are a smaller fish.
And I'm not all that fond of hatchets myself but you said you didn't like most of the more common fish so i was trying for something a little different :)
 
If you like the rams more, I would getca school of peacful tetras instead ( not serpae or buenos aires tetras) if you want the tiger barbs more, I would get more barbs and maybe a large hardy cichlid like a gold severum. ( I kept an 8 inch gold severum for 10 years in a 55 with neons and angels, not one was eaten or nipped!)

I actually have serpae tetras in my 55g with 4 bolivian rams (which I will probably be moving 2 into my 30g soon) and they are fine together. Yes they chase and are nippy but it stays within the school; I have 6 serpaes and I have absolutely no
issues, they don't bother anyone but themself. Also if no one else has mentioned them, bud29 mentioned them to me last night, check
Out black ruby barbs. They look nearly identical to tiger barbs, only difference is they are red and black and aren't aggressive. He did say they do grow up to 6 inches so keep that in mind, but it is another option for you!
 
Thanks again ownedbycats for really listening to what I'm asking! So many people just skim through and give a half *** reply at the end. I've found myself re-repeating the same info over and over again. I wouldn't mind having the neons breed, but would the bn pleco sort of help out with that? And what are the real differences between neons and cardinals? Are cardinals really just as... Neon-ish?
Black ruby barbs sound interesting too.. Ill have to look into them!
 
Thanks again ownedbycats for really listening to what I'm asking! So many people just skim through and give a half *** reply at the end. I've found myself re-repeating the same info over and over again. I wouldn't mind having the neons breed, but would the bn pleco sort of help out with that? And what are the real differences between neons and cardinals? Are cardinals really just as... Neon-ish?
Black ruby barbs sound interesting too.. Ill have to look into them!

There's a very slim chance the neons will breed. They are just saying theyre weakened when fish farms breed them because of the mass amounts.
 
See, there I go just proving my point lol! A simple missed word ruins it all.. Lol I didn't think tetras bred that easily. I've read that cardinal tetras are very susceptible to poor water conditions though? Some say they do best in discus water conditions (someone please elaborate). My husband has just informed me he wants more variety.. Would I be able to do 2 bolivian rams, 8 Tetras (cardinal or neon), and 6 guppies?
 
Here is what I am doing in my 25 to give you an idea for your 30

5 hatchet fish ( know you don't like them lol)
10 Pygmy Spotted Rasboras (SO cute!!)
2 German Blue Rams
and maybe 2 Upside down cats (also too cute!)

I am going to have lots of plants, and some Iwagumi style rocks. I have a build thread going if you want to check it out!

I too am going to try and have a carpet of Dwarf Baby Tears and Dwarf Four Leaf Clover. Luckily the stock lights my tank came with are t5, I am going to dose dry ferts, and have a DIY co2 :)
 
Ok I will have to check it out for sure! I think I'm gunna do a group of 10 cardinals for sure with the rams, and maybe some guppies if I get courageous. Thanks again for all of your help guys!
 
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