55 gallon Aquascape and stocking help.

[Fishkeeper88]

I am in the process of returning to planted tanks. Please help me finish stocking and aquascaping one of the largest and most creative South American planted Aquascapes I have ever done. I now present my 55 gallon and current stock of plants and fish. Including all specs of the setup.

55 gallon glass tank

Fluval Fx5 canister filter.
- media: three stages of foam surrounding a core of 3 stages of media. first stage is carbon. second and third stage is biomedia.
output is somewhere in the 500 gallons an our.

light spans the length of the tank it is a zoomed dual T5 HO. I am going to use the following bulbs- 46 inch T5 HO ultra sun and a 46 inch Flora max T5 HO.

Heater is a black professional heater by aquaion rated for this tank.

Araetion pumps include: 1 whisper 60 and 1 whisper 30
bubble bar from the whisper 60 is the depth of the tank on the left side on the same side as the filter output.
small bubble capsule from the whisper 30 is on the back right near put not disturbing the filter intake.
both air lines are fitted with check valves and flow regulators.

circulation fan is a small one on the back wall I lost the box but it is a good brand. It is not a wave maker but a current fan. just enough to make the plants wave.

thermometer is all glass with a suction cup and is inside the tank. The current temp is 78'F.

algea magnet 1

substrate is flo rite black medium corse for plants. I used 6 15 pound bags and its depth is roughly 3 inches.

water is perfect today and the cory catfish are spawning.

Stock of fish includes-

3 cory catfish all the same species they are a blueish grey with spots not sure the species but I have had these 3 for 2 and half years.
currently they are spawning eggs all over the glass and plants.

17 Neon tetras brand new and very young.
*I had 29 but lately at night I have been losing about 2 each night* please help with this.

Live plants include 4 Java fern that are small but very old. Some I have had 5 years. These ferns are reproducing.
4 small brand new Amazon Swords. This species of sword is my favorite and grow to a feet tall and will live a long life and one day reproduce.

Drift wood- is 1 peice of from what I think might be African in origin.
2 peices of wood which I have had a few years in my tanks and are actually the same type of wood used in bird and reptile cages but I let it sook for 2 years and in my tanks and has finished leaching.

stones include 2 medium size peices of zebra rock.

Please give me fish and plant stocking suggestions. after this lets aquascape
I will post and update eachday I want input and constructive advice.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

here is a photo

Sorry for the algae on the glass it has grown there because I do not have enough plants yet. It is from when this was an African cichlid tank and won't come off when I scrape it. I am hopeing it will lose nutrients when I fill this tank with plants. I must tell you this whole system and aquascape is what I am seeking advice for lets have fun and begin.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

My thoughts on stocking this aquarium.

What do you all think about this stock list?

corys 6 total 2 species 3 each bottom dwelling

otocinculus algae eater 8 total leaf dwelling

Neon tetra 40 total middle dwelling school

Silver hatchet fish 8 top and surface dwelling

total number of fish 62

 

[Fishkeeper88]

My aquascape idea.

I would like the plants to be taller on the left and getting shorter to a carpeting mat of dwarf baby tears.
from left to right. Amazon swords, some type of red leaf plant, melon and large leaf plants, 2 species of anubias mixed with java fern, then a carpet of dwarf baby tears. I know its a contrast of two styles but I like the idea.
also I want to attach java moss to the drift wood.

here is my style map

 

[Rivercats]

Your stock list looks fine but Oto's will do better when added to a mature tank. I'd wait at least 4 months before adding any. Also if you haven't bought your bulbs yet you should consider Geisemann 6000K Midday bulbs for your fixture. I recently switched over to those and can honestly say they are bringing out the best color in my plants I've ever seen. Two of those would look really good in a 55... just something to think about.

As for a red/colored plant, in your light I would recommend either or both, Telanthera Rosefolia (Alternanthera reineckii) and Limnophila hippuroides.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

Awesome I think I will go with the Limnophila hippuroides and I know where to get so locally. this should look awesome.

 

[Sillyfishies]

Java fern shouldn't be planted in substrate just FYi

 

[Fishkeeper88]

I have my coat on and I am headed to my LFS will let you know what I get. This will be a weekly project a little bit at a time so as not to go broke.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

5 Silver Hatchet fish pics tonight.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

Silver Hatchet fish

Here are some pictures I took today. Sorry I did not post last night had a problem with one of the fish. I brought home one of these fish with fin rot so today I took it back to my LFS and told them about it they happily replaced it with a healthy fish. Enjoy the photos of my Silver Hatchet Fish.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

check it out

Tanks looking good today although its 1/3 stocked with fish and 1/4 stocked with plants. Some good signs of behaviour- the fish are schooling that should be. The plants are growing and producing new leaves. I also wanted to tell you that the algae is reducing from the addition of plants but still need a lot more plants. check it out.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

Yesterday I went to get my plant light bulb which I purchased but I also picked up 2 Pearl Gourami.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

Just started the baby tear carpet today and got an emerald cory. still need two more pots of baby tear. Should I wait to get more baby tears and see how one bunch does?

 

[Fishkeeper88]

A Look Today

You can make out that the Light I added is really bringing out the Chlorophyll or green pigment in the plants and Algae. I hope as I add plants the Algae will end. I don' like using chemicals except for water conditioner in my tanks. This type of Algae is very hard to scrub off I have tried for many hours. Its clung to the glass and is very close to the glass.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

I am thinking about CO2 for this tank...I want this to be a heavily planted show tank.... I really would like good advice on this. At what point should I switch to CO2 and what are my best options?

 

[Rivercats]

For that type of algae on the glass a razor blade will easily remove it. You can still have a heavily planted show tank even if you don't eventually go to CO2. I have a 100% planted 220g tank that I only use liquid carbon in. But if you want to get CO2 you can do it at any time. You will also need to start dosing dry ferts if your not doing so already.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

Okay so today I started turning the areation off during the day and only turning it on at night.
I will look into getting that algae off tommorow.
I want to keep this tank super low maintnance so I think I wont do CO2. I just thought a tank this size might need it.
I am adding liquid ferts its a seachem formula 2 times a week once after each 25 percent water change. I wait until the next day to add it. I am using seachem prime during water changes. will prime effect my ferts?

 

[Rivercats]

Prime won't affect your ferts at all.

 

[Fishkeeper88]

I can see thru my glass now

I used a razor blade and scraped the algae off of the front pane and the right pane. I can finally see well its so awesome thanks.

 

[Rivercats]

That is the only way I've ever found to remove that hard spot algae, plus it's so easy and beats the heck out of trying to scrub it off!