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Greyhound78

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Mar 9, 2023
Messages
2
Hello all,
I’ve got a 55 almost done with cycle. The only plants are a few Java fern and I have a big peace Lilly I just added and some creepers growing out of the filters. It’s freshwater and I’ve got some of my used m Nano tank filters and a bag of bio balls to help cycle. Problem is no clue of what fish to put in when it’s ready. I’m really in love with bettas and have several males and a sorority tank. I’m thinking of parrot cichlids, Oscar’s or a dempsy. I would not keep any of these fish together not ever. Just can’t decide. I’m looking for a jerk of a fish who appreciates a jerk of an owner. I’m also not interested in a fish who hides all day. My bettas are very interactive and feisty which is my preference. Hopefully you can see the tank picture. It’s a sand bottom and most of the rock is natural. For the love of all things I can’t get that driftwood to sink. It’s been boiled and boiled and has been in the water for months now. Nope it ain’t sinking. Suggestions on decorations and fish are welcome❤️
 

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Hi and welcome to the forum :)

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.

Angelfish, discus, most tetras, most barbs, Bettas, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm) and a pH below 7.0.

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm and a pH above 7.0.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids, or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

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Big cichlids like Oscars, Jack Dempseys and parrot cichlids will move substrate and ornaments around and destroy most plants in the tank.

If you keep big cichlids or fish with long fins, you need to remove the sharp/ rough ornaments from the aquarium to reduce the chance of the fish being injured by them.
The safest ornaments for Bettas are live plants.

Peace lilies die when kept underwater.

You need a picture on the back to help the fish feel more secure. You can buy aquarium backings from any pet shop or online. You can also use coloured card or a plastic bin liner. Just tape them to the outside on the back of the tank.

Your sponge filters should be closer to the bottom of the tank, and I would move it away from the power filter. Most HOB (hang on back) style power filters can have an extension tube put on the intake so it sits closer to the bottom. You should try to find an extension so the filter picks up gunk from near the bottom (or at least half way down).

If you only have one heater in the tank, it should be in the middle or near a filter outlet so the water circulates around it and warms the tank more evenly. You can also insulate the base, back and sides with 1-2 inch thick polystyrene foam sheets and they will help insulate the tank and reduce power consumption, while helping the heater keep the tank at a more even temperature. Coverglass on top of the tank will also help with this. Coverglass should be 4, 5 or 6mm thick so it doesn't chip or crack as much. The thinner glass commonly sold in pet shops is 2 or 3mm thick and regularly breaks.

You can tie the driftwood to a couple of rocks to help it stay down but it's a waiting game and some driftwood sinks quickly but other wood will keep floating for months or even years before it sinks. If it still floats when you get the fish, you should remove the put and put it in a bucket of water until it sinks, then put it back in the tank. This will stop the wood floating around the aquarium and potentially squashing fish between the wood and the glass.
 
Dimensions are 48x13x22. I will absolutely rearrange my filters , this wasn’t something I thought about. My peace Lilly isn’t submerged , just roots in the water but plants and I speak the same language and I grow monster Lillie’s out of my smaller tanks.
My water is soft and runs around 70. My P.H is 7.5 as of this morning and my bettas tanks are all around 7 P. H but in nano tanks I only use spring water.
I will also move the heater. I saw a heater cover that resembled a rock so I may end up getting one
I keep the temp around 78-80 but the heater has lots of wiggle room.
Never thought of wallpaper or backing but I will for sure look into it.
For the HOB filters so I need to find the exact brand for the extenders?
I have glass lids that are thicker than the original and I’ve also built a screened top for escape artists should I need one.
 
The extension tube for the HOB filter is usually from the filter manufacturer. However, some brands will fit other brands, so look around and see what's available. You can sometimes find pvc pipe that will fit and can be used between the filter and the tube with the screen. It doesn't look as nice but works in some cases when you can't find a genuine extension tube.
 
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