Newbie 55g Build!

[w1kk3d]

Hey everyone! Long time lurker, 2nd time poster! My parents had freshwater tanks when I was a kid and I loved it. Recently, my youngest boy wanted a tank for his 7th birthday so my wife and I got him a 10 gallon tank. Man, we have had the best time setting that tank up and just watching his fish swim around for hours. Suffice to say that I now have the bug and was able to convince the wifey to let me purchase a tank for our room which she relunctantly agreed to so long as she gets to re-decorate the room in order to accommodate the new tank

So, found a brand new 55g tank kit with stand (which I'm not in love with and not too sure about how sturdy it is even though it's rated for a 55g tank) on Craigslist and off I went! Decided on a planted tank setup, using a mixture of play sand and fluorite as a substrate. Spent almost an hour washing the sand and fluorite which came supposedly pre-washed but it was well worth it cause the tank is nice and clear. Added 3 nice pieces of driftwood and I think the tank is about ready for some plants or fish as the levels look great! Plan on replacing the included power filter with a Fluval 305 tomorrow so that the tank can sit closer to the wall and hopefully offer better filtration although it seems like the power filter is doing a pretty good job so far.

So, here are my questions. Should I start with fish or plants? I am thinking plants but I don't want anything high maintenance or requires CO2. Any suggestions? Would like to get some long plants for the back of the tank and moss to affix to the tops of the driftwood. Also, the kit came with 2 15w fluorescent lights which may or may not be powerful enough? If I do need something more powerful, will I need to upgrade the entire fixture or can I just buy higher watt bulbs?

As for the fish, I'm thinking community type fish. Any suggestions? Pics coming soon and thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Hi! The very first thing you need to decide is how you wish to cycle.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...-to-Starting-a-Freshwater-Aquarium/Page1.html
Are the lights t8s, t5s or t5ho? If they are t8s your looking at low lights plants like hornwort, java fern, moss, anubias, swords, crypts, elodea and maybe tiger lotus.
What fish are you interested in? I like to suggest you got to your LFS and see what fish strike your fancy. Then come home and research them to see if they fit.

 

[w1kk3d]

Thanks for the reply. The lights are actually T5 HO bulbs. Purchased 5 bundles of Anacharis over the weekend. Looking for some type of moss to affix to the pieces of driftwood. Any suggestions? Planning to add some Micro Sword or Dwarf Hairgrass, Anubias Nana or Anubias Barteri Round Leaf, Java Fern, Red Cryptocoryne or Green Cryptocoryne, Water Sprite, Anacharis or Hornwort, and Cabomba.

As for fish, I added 8 long tailed zebra danios to help cycle the tank. Also, brought in my son's old filter as well. Thinking of stocking these fish slowly but surely (numbers are approximate.):

Peacock Goby x 5
Emperor Tetra x 6
Pencil fish x 6
Golden White Cloud x 8
Flame Dwarf Gourami x 1
Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami x 1
Black Kuhlii Loach x 1
Boesemani Rainbow x 5
Neon Tetra x 6
Glass Cat x 3
Indian Dwarf Puffer x 1 (not sure this guy would work in the tank but wifey really wants one)
long Tailed Danios x 1

Suggestions/recommendations?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Thanks for the reply. The lights are actually T5 HO bulbs. Purchased 5 bundles of Anacharis over the weekend. Looking for some type of moss to affix to the pieces of driftwood. Any suggestions? Planning to add some Micro Sword or Dwarf Hairgrass, Anubias Nana or Anubias Barteri Round Leaf, Java Fern, Red Cryptocoryne or Green Cryptocoryne, Water Sprite, Anacharis or Hornwort, and Cabomba.

As for fish, I added 8 long tailed zebra danios to help cycle the tank. Also, brought in my son's old filter as well. Thinking of stocking these fish slowly but surely (numbers are approximate.):

Peacock Goby x 5
Emperor Tetra x 6
Pencil fish x 6
Golden White Cloud x 8
Flame Dwarf Gourami x 1
Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami x 1
Black Kuhlii Loach x 1
Boesemani Rainbow x 5
Neon Tetra x 6
Glass Cat x 3
Indian Dwarf Puffer x 1 (not sure this guy would work in the tank but wifey really wants one)
long Tailed Danios x 1

Suggestions/recommendations?

Looks like you've got the plants under control

Peacock gobies I'm not very familiar with but there are a few threads started recently about them.
IME male dwarf gouramis don't do well with each other. One usually bullies the other to death.
Kuhli loaches do much better in groups. If you only got one you'd never see the little guy. I recommended at least 5.
Glass cats are very shy and require schools of 6 or more.
Your right about the puffer. Pretty much all of them aren't community safe.

Over all the stock list isn't too bad but once the schools are fixed it would be over stocked IMHO. You'd need to cut out 2-3 schools of fish.

 

[w1kk3d]

Well, I saw the Boesemani Rainbows in person today and they aren't as colorful as I thought they would be so I probably won't be purchasing them. I really like the Black Kuhlii Loaches so I wouldn't have a problem with 5 of them =)

Do you know what kind of moss can I use to affix onto my driftwood?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Well, I saw the Boesemani Rainbows in person today and they aren't as colorful as I thought they would be so I probably won't be purchasing them. I really like the Black Kuhlii Loaches so I wouldn't have a problem with 5 of them =)

Do you know what kind of moss can I use to affix onto my driftwood?

Keep in mind most fish at the LFS are stressed which means their colors are washed out. Most of them are young fish too not showing their full mature coloring. Kuhlis are great little fish. Good choice.

The most common is java moss. There are others like Xmas, flame, peacock, willow, etc. Some are rarer than others.

 

[w1kk3d]

Pics attached. 1st pic is the new setup. 2nd and 3rd pics are post cycle. Recently added the following:

6 long-tailed danios
1 flame dwarf gourami
3 glass cats (would've purchased 6 but theylfs only had 3)
5 bundles of Anacharis

Just purchased the Fluval 405 and getting rid of the HOB filter altogether.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I like the wood. Very nice.