Setting up 55 gallon, couple of questions

[CrimiNole]

Setting up a 55 gallon tank and have some questions on equipment.

I have a RO/DI system for my drinking water. Would it be best to use this system? I thought I read somewhere there might be things in the tap water that are beneficial to fish but my RO/DI is very clear and test out at 0 PPM TDS.

Also, I plan on getting a Rena XP 2 or a Fluval 404 canister filter for filtration. Will these usually provide enough flow on there own or do I need to purchase a powerhead?

Also, what do you guys recommend for cheap substrate, pool filter type sand from Home Depot? Would this kind of sand be good if later on I wanted to do a planted tank?

 

[BrianNY]

Fish do require nutrients absorbed from water, so zero TDS will present a problem. You can add black water extract and have a terrific Amazon biotope such as angels and cardinals.

An XP 2 or Fluval 404 is all the filtering you'll need for a 55 and will provide adaquate movement of the water column.

 

[asaint]

People use RO units to fill aquariums for 1 of 2 reasons;

1. What they are keeping are supersensitive to what is in tap water (reef aquariums for example)

2. Their tap water has high levels of impurities (well water)

If neither of these applies to you, you can use your tap water - just insure you throw in some dechlorinator.

XP2 or Fluval 404 are plenty for your 55 gallon.

To sand or not to sand - that is the question. I prefer gravel for planted aquariums.

Best of luck,
Asaint

 

[Fishyfanatic]

You can get pool filter sand from a pool supply store for pretty cheap. We used 150 lbs for our 150 gal tank and the sand cost $45. Personally, I love the look of sand. It is so much easier to maintain than gravel.

 

[Joshuha]

Do you vacuum sand the same as gravel? Does the debris just settle nicely on top?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Vacing sand is not at all like cleaning gravel. With gravel, you pull the gravel up into the tube. With sand, you wave the end of the gravel vac ontop of the sand, swishing around the debris, then you suck it up. It is alot easier to pick it up with sand because the debris doesn't fall into the cracks and sift it's way to the bottom of the tank.

 

[Blucat]

with sand though, doesn't the waste fall on top and look ugly?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

It depends on what color of sand that you have. We have white pool filter sand. To combat seeing the waste we covered the top with black sand. It doesn't look too pleasent for about the first day but then the sand starts to shift around and it gives the sand a salt and pepper look. I took my hand and swirled it around, pushing some of the black sand down to help jump start the look. It looks great once it is mixed up.