1st attempt at a planned 55gal. - natural look

[FishyMamma]

Attempting my 1st planned 55gal, natural look tank. I have a substrate of 70% Eco-Comlete with black inert aquarium sand mixed in.

Decoration includes three pieces of aquarium-safe wood. One is from my old tank I had to break down for a long move six months ago. It is unlikely to add tannins to the tank water. The other two are new.

I have several medium sized zebra-striped rocks and several smaller plain white rocks specifically to tie Anubis to.

I recently moved to just outside DC in Silver Spring, MD. There are several aquarium stores near me, but I have serious concerns about getting any livestock, and therefore plants on the same water system, from them.

Driving to Glen Burnie, MD - 50+ min away - just outside Baltimore. The store is House of Tropicals. I scoped it out last week when I bought wood and rocks. I didn't have time to look at the fish, but did take a quick glance through the plants. There seemed to be a large selection, well-labeled, and priced competitively with the basic research I've done.

I am fairly new to a planted tank, but I know enough to know I need low-medium light plants that do not require a CO2 set-up.

Before I list what I have in mind plant-wise, I think I should give my planned stocking scheme - subject to future tweaking, of course.

I'd REALLY appreciate wisdom/comments of any sort at any point, especially on fish and plant selections and desigh.

9 Julii Corydoras
12 neon tetras
12 rummy-nose tetras
8 (?) long-fun gold danios
1 Opaline Guarami

5 Anubis tied to rocks with appropriate string/fishing line
3 Crypts for shady areas
Christmas moss (vesicularia montagnei) for wall?
Fissidens splachnobryoides -carpet
Plagiomnium affine - spill over
Swords- corners and walls
Plagiomnium Trichomanes bunches
Indian Almond leaves
Willow moss-floating

Here's a pic with the tank filled with water and substrate, wood, and rocks in place. I don't care for the background and will be changing it at some point, probably for one that makes it look like the tank is underwater and has ripples printed on the top.

ETA: a pic with everything in, plus three nerite snails

 

[FishyMamma]

As mentioned in another thread, i ordered a seeded filter on the recommendation of another member of AA from a member of AA. I guess I'll get it Wednesday, depending on the weather. While I was at the LFS today, i was able to pick up a nice dirty filter and have that running also.

Petsmart is running a deal of 5 Long-Fin Gold Danios for $4, so if the weather and road conditions cooperate I'll pick them up tomorrow and start watching the tank closely for water quality issues.

Should I assume my plants will melt? i know swords tend to, so that I'm prepared for!

I did have some liquid API Co2 in a bottle left over from my old set-up. Don't know if it's still good, but I put the recommended amount in. There are also Osmocote Plus granules stirred in the EC.

do I go with Flourish and Excel as needed at this point?

Thanks for reading.

 

[fish wrangler]

Following this thread now.

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[Fresh2o]

A few years back I purchased longfin blue danios with the hopes that the long veil like fins would slow them down. Nope. Just as hyper as the short finned types. I finally donated them to an LFS.
If you are out on the roads tomorrow, be careful. Snow is supposed to start around 4-6 PM. I'm in NoVA.
I would dose flourish comprehensive and excel as is for now. Some folks dose excel daily. API LeafZone is a nice complement to flourish comprehensive. Though looking at the plant list, I would concentrate on feeding the swords (as you are with the osmocote). The other plants are pretty forgiving IMO.


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[Quest84]

tank looks great

 

[FishyMamma]

I would dose flourish comprehensive and excel as is for now. Some folks dose excel daily. API LeafZone is a nice complement to flourish comprehensive. Though looking at the plant list, I would concentrate on feeding the swords (as you are with the osmocote). The other plants are pretty forgiving IMO.

Good simple directions on ferts, I appreciate it. i hope to make it out mid-morning to get groceries and hit Petsmart. Should be back near noon. well before the bad weather hits. I hope!

 

[TankinWithUs]

following! I dose flourish one a week and excel daily in my little 5.5 gallon lightly planted tank. It'd be interesting to hear what you decide. I'm new to planted tanks

 

[FishyMamma]

Did lots with the tank today.

Yesterday, I had added lots of small low-to-mid light plants as well as three Nerite snails. Most importantly, I added a nice "dirty" filter from an excellent LFS.

Probably should NOT have added the snails yet. Now I can't let the tank cycle for a few days with the new filter. I will be doing tons of PWCs now. Oh well, good thing I live in an area where water is plentiful (East Coast), not that any of us should be wasting water.

Straight from the tap parameters:

KH 4-5
pH 7.4
Am. 0ppm
NI 0ppm
NA <5.0ppm

Parameters this morning, ~ 16 hours after adding the above:

KH 3
pH 7.4
Am. .5ppm (<---though I had changed about 85% of the high (8.0ppm) water that had been in the tank after a failed bottled bacteria experiment -different thread- there was possibly plenty of ammonia left to show up this morning.
NI 0
NA 5
79°

After another PWC ~ 90%, here were the parameters for the two tests I did:
Am. .25ppm
NI .25ppm

Then went to PetsMart and took advantage of the five Long-Finned Gold Danios for $4. Also picked up frozen foods from what I've heard is a good brand:


Currently looking for New Life Spectrum Small Fish. It's been recommended. Haven't looked up where to get it. Didn't see it at PetsMart. Open to another high-quality flake food rec.

Anyway, came home and retested the water, a teeny bit of ammonia, no nitrate. Acclimated the fish and added them. They are happy!!

I plan on re-checking later tonight and probably doing another water change.

I do use an Aqueon water changer. There are other brands, too. Makes it SOOO much easier than anything else for changing water.

When it's not near zero degrees I'll empty the water directly outside through a door. I hate to waste the water by using it according to directions. I tried turning of the water on the watt changer to see if it would keep draining. But no, it won't. The tank isn't really higher than the drain

Here's a quick video of my happy danios. No light because they are just getting used to my home. But I think they are visible enough.









Keeping my sleeves wet...

~ Sent via Carrier Goldfish

 

[Fresh2o]

Keep up with those water changes (you are of course) although the large tank volume helps keep things diluted.
To post videos, what I have done is upload them to YouTube and post the link to the video. You'll need to create a YouTube account. I use an app called Capture to build and upload the videos on an iPhone 5s.


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[FishyMamma]

Checked the parameters a little while ago. Zero ammonia and nitrites. Did a small PWC to make sure they'll be ok through the night.

I just got the Aqueon water changer recently, and boy does it make PWC's easy!!! I used to have a rigged up system involving hoses and it was such an involved process that I would procrastinate when I shouldn't sometimes and when I did do water changes I did way too much, not as often as ideal. This is much better.


Keeping my sleeves wet...

~ Sent via Carrier Goldfish

 

[The boring name]

Following.


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[FishyMamma]

Almost done, if not completely done, cycling. Yay! I do think I added the fish five or six days early. I was spooked about using pure ammonia, the AngelsPlus guy has a video on his site and on video saying to add fish immediately. So I did - with the commitment to check and do water changes three times a day (or more) as necessary. And it *was* necessary.

I didn't think to ask the employee at PetsMart to sex the longfin gold danios I bought. I put in five and now *strongly* suspect I have two females and three males.

I base this hypothesis on the fact that the two I think are female are paler and, though I didn't get a good look yet, I think I saw a gravid spot. But they are egg-layers, and I thought that only pregnant live-bearers have those.

Must do more research in a few minutes on sexing danios. If I can tell the difference then, and if my guess is correct, *and* if my tank is fully cycled - I'll try and correct the ratios on Sunday.

On another note, I moved an old arm-chair out of storage and placed it in front of my living room window facing my tank. Then I put an old piano bench next to it for a side-table. Added a heating pad and blanket. Perfect place to curl up this winter!!






Keeping my sleeves wet...

~ Sent via Carrier Goldfish

 

[FishyMamma]

Checked by parameters this morning and did the tank water tests side-by-side with tap because I'm so close to being done I want to make sure I compare the colors correctly.

Since last evening's water change:

Zero ammonia, the slightest touch of purple indicating a smidgen of Nitrite, and the same shade of orange as the tap water for Nitrates. I did a large PWC due to that slight purple on the Nitrite test.

I'll test carefully and frequently over the next 24 hours to see when I get any ammonia, Nitrites, or Nitrates. I have been doing thrice daily PWCs so if the tank goes that long I'll feel better about adding the female danios that are desperately needed!

One more shot of the tank from my new favorite chair:



Keeping my sleeves wet...

~ Sent via Carrier Goldfish

 

[Fresh2o]

*More appropriate.
When I kept longfin danios I found that the females had a fuller abdominal area and slightly larger overall. Other than that, coloration and disposition were the same between genders.
Sounds like you are on track for getting the cycling completed. The larger volume of the tank allows you some buffer against changes.


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[FishyMamma]

Hahaha. Yep, the dog IS super-jealous of the tank. She also is jealous of the cats, my kids, and my hubby!


Keeping my sleeves wet...

~ Sent via Carrier Goldfish

 

[FishyMamma]

Argh! Plant melt!

I did expect it, but I thought I could avoid it with enough ferts and CO2 plus the Osmocote Plus granules in the EC.

I had read that enough nutrients could prevent the melting, *even if the plants were grown roots-emerged only*. Sigh. Guess not.


Keeping my sleeves wet...

~ Sent via Carrier Goldfish

 

[FishyMamma]

Updated stock plan - comments very welcome!




I am thinking of adding a small amount of the IAL (Indian Almond Leaves) also.

How worried should I be about the alerts that AqAdvisor came up with?
- I'm planning on keeping the tank at about 78°F. That's warmer than AqAdvisor and LiveAquaria recommend but other sites say that's fine.
- is a single Opaline Gourami that much of a threat to the rummy-nose tetras and RCS (or Fire Red Shrimps, which I actually prefer.)


Thanks for your thoughts.





Keeping my sleeves wet...
Sent via Carrier Goldfish

 

[FishyMamma]

My first video is up on YouTube!

A nice and short, gentle aquarium video. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/_0G__mgdyRo



~ Sent via Carrier Goldfish

 

[FishyMamma]

Added descriptive info to my tank's video. Here's the link again...

http://youtu.be/_0G__mgdyRo

Please comment, it's my first video. I want to improve.

Thanks.


Keeping my sleeves wet...
Sent via Carrier Goldfish

 

[Fresh2o]

Nice job. Me likey. Music matches the tempo of the fish. Videos can at times convey much more info than still pics.
I only recently figured out how to merge videos. My first ones were a single take. I don't narrate because that would take too many takes (swearing, yelling "Get out of the room, I'm filming a movie!").


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