stocking help for 55gal tank

[jrock]

First let me get the dimension/equipment:
55 gal (48 long x 21 high)
Rena XP4
ADA amazonia w/ powder type for top layer
will be planted
2 x 55 wat T-5's

I live in south florida so it's hard to get water below 78 degrees and the PH out of my tap is rather high 7.8+

What I plan so far:
I will most likely use danios for the cycling but I don't which ones or how many i should use for the cycling and how many i should maintain for a decent school
5-6 pygmy cories (maybe panda's)
5-6 kuhli loaches

I would like some pretty schooling fish like neon tetra's but don't know how many would be sufficient

is there anything else I could add to this? maybe a couple angels to keep the other fish schooling or maybe platties or resboras?

any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[Graeme McKellar]

Hi JROCK, Sounds to me like your fish selections are good but I would like to suggest a couple of things - first off add another filter,maybe something like an Aquaclear and alternate cleaning which will help prevent any spiking due to overcleaning.
Secondly add the Pangio last because they need a mature tank so I would leave it 10 weeks or so before adding them.
Most water supplies are around your PH because it does not corrode the pipes as acidic water does but adding wood and maybe peat to your filter will help reduce it for you,if not add RO water to your water-changes which should be weekly. Just one more thing you did not mention substrate which should be sand. Good Luck with it all and post some photos when your done. Cheers Graeme.

[Doc]

I would also say not to cycle with fish , far better and less cruel to fishless cycle. All in all cycling with fish exposes them to potentially lethal concentrations of ammonia and nitrite. If they do survive then they are more likely to have a weakened immune system and be more prone to disease. Also why should one fish species be expendable in this way and not another. Fishless cycling is easy and straightforward and fish friendly and for the sake of an extra week or 2 of cycling time.

[Diana]

Use the fishless cycle. It has been known for over 20 years that cycling with fish is bad for the fish, both short term and long term, and this is a viable, safe alternative.

With high pH look for fish that thrive in hard water, do not select fish that come from soft, acidic water.

For a tank this size I would look into Rainbow fish (Many species, and quite a few handle higher pH just fine)
Livebearers
Many catfish are not very particular about water chemistry, but I have found Panda Cories to be more delicate then some other species. There are some catfish native to the Rift Lakes that make reasonable community fish. Synodontis petricola is a good example.

[jrock]

thanks everyone

I will definitely do the fishless cycle, I do not want to punish any fish unnecessarily

The substrate is ADA aquasoil Amazonia...will it be ok for the Kuhli's? I will use the powder type as a top layer


ok based on what i read...how does this sound

3-4 dwarf hatchet fish
8-10 rummy nose tetra or cardinal tetra
3-5 platys or cherry barbs
6-7 cory's
5-6 kuhli's

[Diana]

The substrate is fine for Loaches, Cories and others.
You might find this product will remove a certain amount of the KH from your water, and the pH will come down. If so, be careful with water changes that might add too much KH at one time.
The KH removing ability has been reported by some aquarium plant folks, and I have had a similar effect with a completely different substrate. For the fish you want it would be a good thing to soften your water, if you can maintain it that way.