New to this (Sort of) 55gal tank.....

[Bender]

Hello to everyone! Just found this site today, and think I have angered m boss because i have done nothing for 3 hours at work thus far other then read the site!

So as a teenager I had a 20g Fw tank I kept for probally 3 years. call it a learning tank i tried all sorts of thigns in planted and unplanted all tpyes of fish.....When i let it go for colelge it had 1 Oscar who was way to big for it...1 needlenose fish...and 1 knifw fish....I fed them 100 live fish form petsmart per week.....i think i jsut liked watching them eat, but realize now this was way to small a tnka for these fish.

Now i have bought a 55 gal tank. And do not know hwat to do with it. I want a sand substrate i think. i liek the look of the black sand. however when i clean the tank.....will this need to be replaced ever? or how often?

Also ideas on interesting fish? i have 2 kids that love to look at tanks as well and would liek some fish who are active and doing something well "interesting"......Ummmm fitlers? types? how maany? undergravel along with one hanging on the back?

Ok probally like 1000 more questions to come. anway jsut happy to be here.

Thanks for any replies.

 

[missileman]

I would shoot for a peacefull comunity tank for the kids to watch.
It is fun to watch my male sailfin molly chase the girls around the tank, I have a few platy fry hiding in hornwort. Bushynose plecos eating zuccini a few bala sharks, I think 2 of them were courting last night. We recently added some whisker shrimp and a wood shrimp. Very interesting.
There is alot of action always happening in a community tank.
I prefer gravel simply because I think it is easier to clean, once a week I vacuum about 1/4 of the bottom when I do a PWC (partial water change)
just one adequate sized HOB (hung on back) filter should be plenty unless you plan on overstocking or getting extremely messy fish.

 

[Jnam]

I'm not a fan of UGFs (under gravel filters). But missileman's suggestion sound perfect... Some other interesting fish are danios sp. I think petsmartco calls them zebra danios, extremely active fish always "playing" with eachother a school of 5+ is pretty fun they are my niece and nephew favorite fish (5 and 8 years old respectivley) the also have these neon colored danios I think they are called glow fish you cant by them in CA they are colorful and just as liveily as their more plain bretherin. Loaches are always digging around as well as my glass shrimp. Those are the favs of the kids at least. If they want the "breeding experience" pick a live bearer (guppies are easy and readily available) but be prepared to do something with the offspring.

I love sand as a substrate you dont have to replace it persay just maintenance. I use sand though in conjunction with plants so my gravel vacs are usually less invasive than on a non planted tank (my plants love fish poo). Do a fishless cycle on the tank http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/fishless-cycling-for-dummies-103339.html IMO its the only way LOL.

Welcome to AA and good luck.

 

[mgamer20o0]

how you have a big tank missileman bala sharks get big. first you should think what you want. do you want to do plants again? do you have a aggressive tank like you had or a peaceful one? personally right now i am a big fan of very small fish in big tanks.

i hate ugf. if you were to use them at least do a RUGF where you push water down and up though the substrate makes a good bio filter. on larger tanks i much rather run canisters. they have great media area then hang on back filters.

 

[missileman]

how you have a big tank missileman bala sharks get big

The bela are in my 75 gal. They may outgrow that eventually and I will have to probably go bigger. I saw a bela at my LFS the other day that was about 10" Huge fella and I know they get bigger than that.Mine are about 3" right now.