stocking question for 55g.

[brett_fishman]

hey everyone, i've decided to go ahead and get a 55g. (i'll talk to my parents later..haha)

i've made the choice to go with Hagen products, as i've always used them without any problems. [/shameless plug]

Equipment:
-filters [2 aquaclear 70s (300 gph each -- 600 gph total)]
-heaters [2 tronic 150w submersiables -- 300w total]
-lights [flourescent whatever]
-gravel [60 lbs of small, natural gravel (i dont like sand)]
-decor / plants / rocks / roots
*maybe a powerhead [eheim aquaball?]

Questions:
1. are 2 - 150w heaters enough for a 55g?
2. should i get a powerhead?
3. will 60 lbs. of gravel be enough for a 55g?
4. i picked AC filters, but would canister filters (fluval?) be a better choice?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fish:
-8 yoyo loaches (i have 2 in the 10g. already) Showpiece
-2 angelfish
*maybe 2 dwarf gouramis
*maybe 4-6 hatchetfish
-some dither fish [danios, barbs, rasboras, tetras, etc.] (give me ideas)
-2 clown plecos or 1 bristlenose

Questions:
1. would dwarf gouramis go well with the other fish?
2. i know that dither fish make loaches feel safer, so they go play more, so give me some ideas on species and numbers.
3. could i get some hatchetfish to inhabit the top-level in the tank? i was thinking 4-6, but they are optional.


thanks,
brett.

[sophie]

I had to take the dwarf gouramis out of the tank with yoyos in, they were miserable.

danios and rasboras is what I've got. the danios and the yoyos make the tank look pretty manic at times, especially in the current, but that's not a problem for me. I wish I'd held out for danio kyathit, though, they're lovely. Get lots!

I would like, in my tank, a reasonable sized, solitary, midwater to top level fish, just to balance out all the mad small-fish activity and the insnaity that happens on the floor at feeding time. see if you can find a suitable one... then send it to me!

[brett_fishman]

yep, i was told on AH that the gouramis are a bad idea, also that plecos and loaches might not get along.

i was also told that the angels might fight, but if i get 3-5, they wont.


new list:
-8 yoyo loaches
-3-5 angels
-4-6 hatchetfish
-dithers (what..8 or so?)
-1-2 small species plecos (5" tops)

ok, solitary mid-level fish...hmmm
i have no ideas, sorry


-brett.

[sophie]

I have a feeling that the yoyos might well hassle your angels...

shari would know.

SHARI!!!

SHHHHAAAAAAAARRRRRRIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sure you know an awful lot more about this than I do...

[brett_fishman]

hmm, i read on AH that the loaches wont bother anyone if their in groups of 6+

but i've been wrong before, it all depends on the individual loaches.

-brett.

[shari2]

OK, OK, OK! Top Yelling....

I'd not recommend the gourami's, either.

i was also told that the angels might fight, but if i get 3-5, they wont.

As for angels not fighting if you get a group? Um, not necessarily. They are cichlids. They DO get agressive. Get 3 and if you develop a pair, the third guy is toast and will be attacked whether male or female because they will continuously contest the same sex of the pair for the attention of the other.

Unfortunately, it is hard to sex juvenile angels, so you won't know what you've got till they grow up. Depending on personality, they can be anywhere from real peaceful sweethearts to real bad a**es. They also get quite large, and long-finned varieties need lots of height to grow proper finnage. I'd stick with the standard fin variety, since long hanging fins are very tempting for curious fish, like yoyos.

A group of 8 yoyos may be fine with angels. My three pretty much ignored the angels, plus the angels, though slower, will fight back if harassed too much. If you have a pair, they will also defend each other. Mine regularly chased the yoyos, modestas, and clowns (bad combo, I know!) away from food. Unless you have really rogue yoyos (and there are some!) they will be ok together.

I wouldn't recommend 5 angels in a 55 with 8 yoyos. Too much fish. Especially if you want a bristle, dithers, and hatchets.

[brett_fishman]

okay, well..heres a revised list (changed from comments on here and on AH)

new list:
-8 yoyo loaches
-3 angels
-6 hatchetfish
-8 harlequin rasboras
-1 or 2 small plecos (5" tops)

hope thats good,
brett.

[brett_fishman]

i just called up the lfs and asked if they had a 55 or 75 in stock; "we dont, but you can always go to petcetera"

so yea, are the tanks at petcetera (or petsmart) good quality? we have a petsmart and a petcetera in nanaimo (a city about 40 minutes away) and their right across the road from eachother!! haha.

so..i was also wondering these things:

1. would two aquaclear 300s (now called "70") be enough for a 55 gallon? they'd put out 600 gph, so 10x turnover is achieved.

2. would two 150w tronic heaters be enough for the tank? it'd be 300w total..but i forget how many watts you need per gallon. (maybe 1-150 and 1-100 watt?)

3. do i need to get a powerhead? i know the loaches would love it, but im not sure about the other fishies.

4. is 60 lbs of gravel enough for loaches in a 55 gallon? how thick approx. would this make the bed?

5. would a 60 watt lighting system be good? that'd be about 1 watt per gallon, not too bright that the loaches be stressed, but enough for if i want to plant some anubias or java ferns.. Also, would it be 4 tubes or 2?

6. are most hoods/canopies for larger tanks (55/75g.) THIS STYLE? i like the HOOD on my 10g. but i could go for either style..what kind do you guys prefer?

7. should i get a hagen aquaclear 50 powerhead, or the eheim aquaball?
im favoring the eheim, i could always add a filter sponge to the intake for a 'quick-filter'. (the hagen quick filter is extra)


-brett.


PS: i've chosen my gravel: CLICK HERE.

[brett_fishman]

2x - Aquaclear 300 filters
2x - Tronic 150w heaters
3x - Estes blend-O-river gravel [25 lb. bags]
1x - Eheim Aquaball

on Big Al's online: $147 usd. -> $170 cdn.
which is 75 pounds for you british people.


-brett.

[worldrallynut]

I run a hagen 110 (500 I think) on my 55, but it is probably overkill. I also have an eheim canister on that tank as well. Loaches love flow... As far as tank brands, I have had lots of luck over the years ::knocks on wood:: with All Glass Aquarium aquariums.

[brett_fishman]

ok, thanks..

i read its better to have two, smaller filters on a 55, than one big filter..
which makes sense, less 'dead areas'

but with an aquaball (or the like), i can point the flow wherever i want, minimizing those dead spots...


-brett.

[KhuliKhilla]

from experience, Palaeodave has been keeping B. almorhae with angels for a couple of years and has had no probs.

[sophie]

aquaballs clog ludicrously, hugely, rodiculously quickly.
nice filters for two days

I'd go for an internal (or two) if I were you.

[brett_fishman]

what do you mean by internal? do you mean use them instead of the ACs? i love aquaclear filters, they are so easy to clean and run.

anywho, about the aquaball, im not going to use any 'filtering' attachments on it, just use it as a powerhead. so then would clogging be an issue?

i just got $150 for x-mas to go towards the tank, so..thats good.


-brett.

[grizzlyone]

I'm thinking more and more about the fluidized bed filters.

They run about $60 for one that handles up to 300 gallons, sand is the media , has a high surface area, and looks like it would be perfect especially for hillstreams.


Kevin