FiveSix's 55g South American Tank Thread

[FiveSix]

I have decided to make a tank thread. Since I am at the complete beginning of my tank I will be able to show a detailed progress of everything. WITH PHOTOS TOO!

So I cleaned out my old 55 Gallon AGA oak tank. and Decided to go with a Natural substrate. This way if I want to go planted in the future I can. I am going to mix Flourite with Pool sand. I have about a week to acquire it since my hardware wont arrive for a week (hopefully not more than a week)

My filter will be an Eheim Pro II. Deco will be slate and driftwood with fake plants. Lighting will be stock unless I want to go planted in the future. I just don't want to go planted until I have more than enough knowledge for it. I have plenty of SA cichlid and tetra experience and don't want to get ahead of myself.

I am planning on adding a school of cardinal tetras, 5 corys and a pair of Bolivian rams or German rams, whichever I can get my hands on first.

When I get my filter I will start the fishless cycle.

Right now I decided to go with a faux stone spray paint for the back of my tank. Here are the pics.

paint

Masked tank

1st coat

1st coat close

I am frustrated right now because I misjudged what it would take to get a solid background. Blame it on my spray painting skill or blame it on w/e but 2 cans was just not enough. so close but a few light spots. ARGGGH! I have to go to the store for the 3rd time to get can # 3

I will post more pics, but right now It's time to go to the Gym, I have an APPT with my trainer at 3 PM

 

[pitt420dude]

Wow, I though one can would be more than enough, let alone two!?? Oh well, it looks like it will turn out great!

I have the same sized 55gal. It is one of the worst sized tanks to go planted (but I don't care and am doing it anyway); if that makes you feel any better about not going planted.

 

[FiveSix]

Wow, I though one can would be more than enough, let alone two!?? Oh well, it looks like it will turn out great!

.

Yeah, It's probably just me, or the dense speckles make the coverage less per can.


Glad to hear that my tank is not optimal for plants. I figured it would just make my life easier and cheaper staying non-planted.


end of can 1

After can 2 I left the garage open to let the fumes escape. Well a gust of wind blew some newspaper over the wet Paint! arggggh!

 

[theotheragentm]

Interesting background choice. It looks good so far

 

[FiveSix]

Recieved my Filter yesterday and got things started.

Threw in some fake plants and rocks. I just tossed it in there I didnt really aquascape anything yet. Substrate is Lighthouse Pool filter sand.

Now you can see how the backround came out. I like it, but it seems more like an underwater desert (oxymoron lol) than a south american river. I like it though.

I'm going to try and get my cycle started today, if I can manage to talk the guys at the Fish store to give me something filled with bacteria .

 

[Zagz]

Looking good so far. Hint for painting backgrounds of tanks with faux finishes...use the faux finish first then finish with a coat or two of the same color without the speckles. Better coverage and usually cheaper.

I have the same size 55 gal too and I have it planted. The tank isn't the problem for my plants, the fish are, they keep digging them up.

 

[FiveSix]

I added 8 neons, they are doing really well. Test results are stable and things are going well for the most part! I got a couple of small snails that came in with the plant I used to seed my tank and I think the NEONS are eating them . Here's a few pictures, my camera is not the best and the fish don't really like to be still but at least I'm trying!


MY PH against LFS PH

acclimating

Blurry fish

side view

and finally same view with lights out

 

[FiveSix]

well right now i have 12 neons and 5 corydoras habrosus. i can't get picures of the corys they wiggle too fast. i never seem to have my camera around when they're just laying on the substrate.

here are a few pics of when i added the second batch.

i have a few snails that hitchhiked when i seeded my tank. any id's? They started the size of a pinhead and now this ones about the size of a large pea or chick pea.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Awesome! Do you plan on adding more Cories? They are really cool in large groups. Its fun to see them swim all together.

Your hitchhiker is a pond snail. Harmless to plants and fish. They can reproduce pretty fast though, so if you don't like them, take it out. They won't hurt anything though.

 

[marchmaxima]

nice job 5-6. I like the background. It came good in the end!

 

[neilanh]

Looking good.

Just a tip if you're interested. I used to acclimate the same way you do. Now, instead of tieing knots in the airline, I bought the air control valve. Accomplishes the same thing, but has a knob that I can control the water flow with.

 

[FiveSix]

Looking good.

Just a tip if you're interested. I used to acclimate the same way you do. Now, instead of tieing knots in the airline, I bought the air control valve. Accomplishes the same thing, but has a knob that I can control the water flow with.

Yeah, I used to do that in my old tanks, i will probably pick one up. Sometimes, you just can't get the knot the same why twice.

 

[neilanh]

Sometimes, you just can't get the knot the same why twice.

Exactly!

 

[marchmaxima]

clothes pegs work too.

 

[FiveSix]

I have my tank fully stocked and stable at this point, I cant seem to snap any good pics where fish are not blury. I have 35 Neons in there with 5 Habrosus Corys. I lost a couple of my first few fish. I'm not sure why excpet for the fact that they were fully grown and maybe the transition was a little much for them. all tests are on point ... 5 mm nitrates and 0 for nitrites and ammo. Tank seems escablished. New tank blooms are gone, no more algae blooms. i added the rest from PETSMART. Lost 0 fish from PETSMART they were small and I think they were young enough to handle the acclimation. i do about a 40% water change per week. Tank is fully stocked now and all seems well. Thanks all for the help.

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Your aquarium is looking great. Should get some more live plants in there man

 

[FiveSix]

Thanks FishCrazy, I don't think live plants are for me. Right now things are going well and i'd be too scared to test my luck. Plus I'm cheap and don't want to spend money on lighting

 

[melosu58]

Great looking tank. I love neons.

 

[kimo]

"Your hitchhiker is a pond snail. Harmless to plants and fish. They can reproduce pretty fast though, so if you don't like them, take it out. They won't hurt anything though."
__________________

Regular pond snails can be a carrier of disease. They also eat plants.
Reproduction: 1 today 1,000 tomorrow.
Snails aren't bad for tanks depending on how you look at it but there are other types that are more easily controlled.