gd007
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hello – I have been lurking for the last few days, have posted on a few threads, and thought it was time that I introduce myself, my tank, and what I hope to get from belonging to the forum.
My name is Greg, I am the father of two little girls (6 & 4), and we live in Philadelphia, PA. I used to have a 55gal tank ~8 years ago and I had five red bellied piranhas. I raised them from when they were the size of quarter to, easily, the size of my adult hand. I was not a very responsible tank owner, didn't take water measurements, had a few live plants (I think they lived), and ended up selling those piranha to a better owner. I sold the tank, moved, had kids, etc…
I now have a 55gal tank that was donated to me by a neighbor that is upsizing. I have kept the tank only and starting outfitting it this Thanksgiving long weekend. I am now into day #2 of my fishless cycling routine (see other to-be-posted experience).
My goals are simple – I want a healthy tank to have a colorful friendly freshwater community aquarium, with hardy live plants, that I can enjoy with my girls. I plan on having live bearers and have not yet decided on guppies or sailfin mollies. Again, I’m in day#2 of my cycle so I have lots of time to figure it out. I do know that I want/need a relatively self-sustaining tank (from a cleaning stand point) so I’m researching the mix. I am leaning towards a couple Assassin Snails to deal with the stowaways on the live plants. Aside from the Assassin snails, and guppies or mollys, my 55 gal tank is a blank canvas for fish planning.
As of today, 12.1.2013, the tank has:
A driftwood (purchase from lfs – figured it’d have good bacteria on it)
Several hardy live plants
Three bubblers (a bubble bar, a bubble turtle, and a Mount WannaHogALoogie)
Gravel and substrate mixed
Two (2) Penguin 350B filters – and two donated sponges from lfs
A Floramax 48”L lightbulb
Ornaments
Snails…
My name is Greg, I am the father of two little girls (6 & 4), and we live in Philadelphia, PA. I used to have a 55gal tank ~8 years ago and I had five red bellied piranhas. I raised them from when they were the size of quarter to, easily, the size of my adult hand. I was not a very responsible tank owner, didn't take water measurements, had a few live plants (I think they lived), and ended up selling those piranha to a better owner. I sold the tank, moved, had kids, etc…
I now have a 55gal tank that was donated to me by a neighbor that is upsizing. I have kept the tank only and starting outfitting it this Thanksgiving long weekend. I am now into day #2 of my fishless cycling routine (see other to-be-posted experience).
My goals are simple – I want a healthy tank to have a colorful friendly freshwater community aquarium, with hardy live plants, that I can enjoy with my girls. I plan on having live bearers and have not yet decided on guppies or sailfin mollies. Again, I’m in day#2 of my cycle so I have lots of time to figure it out. I do know that I want/need a relatively self-sustaining tank (from a cleaning stand point) so I’m researching the mix. I am leaning towards a couple Assassin Snails to deal with the stowaways on the live plants. Aside from the Assassin snails, and guppies or mollys, my 55 gal tank is a blank canvas for fish planning.
As of today, 12.1.2013, the tank has:
A driftwood (purchase from lfs – figured it’d have good bacteria on it)
Several hardy live plants
Three bubblers (a bubble bar, a bubble turtle, and a Mount WannaHogALoogie)
Gravel and substrate mixed
Two (2) Penguin 350B filters – and two donated sponges from lfs
A Floramax 48”L lightbulb
Ornaments
Snails…
