55 gallon complete

fishe1

fishe1

Member
Well this cycle has taken a lot of patience, but I stood it out. 61/2 weeks! Nitrites 0, nitrates 20, ammonia 0, PH 8.2. It took forever for my nitrates and nitrites to go down, but I added a RIO PH 900 and it went down in a day. There is nothing in this tank yet, and was wondering if anyone had some good ideas for my first fish in the tank. Probably go to the LFS this weekend. I know I am going to get my LR this weekend, but not sure about the fish. Anyone have any input let me know.
 
fishe1

fishe1

Member
Its from a local LFS, they take it straight from their tanks. I will be transporting for about 10 minutes, should have little die off by the time I get home.
 
kdfrosty

kdfrosty

Active Member
You should spend $$ on getting enough LR first. I'd say at least 80lbs. for a 55g tank.
if you've got that covered, I would go for a hardy fish at first....maybe a couple of Chromis.
 
J

jdragunas

Guest
chromis are the nicest of the damsel family, but they're still damsels and can be pretty agressive. My first fish was a clownfish, and i still have him!
I agree with frosty about the LR. That should be your first investment and priority.
Now listen carefully: Just because the LFS says it's "cured" doesn't mean it's actually cured. Ask to lift a piece out of the water and smell it. If it has any kind of "rotten seafood" smell, that means it's not fully cured. However, if it has no odor, or a normal "sea" odor, it's most likely cured. If they are pulling it from a tank that acutally has fish in it, it's most likely cured. I wouldn't buy LR AND fish at the same time, just in case the LR turns out to have die-off and sends your tank into another cycle. This way, you can let the LR sit in the tank for a week or so, test your parameters, and be sure it's actually cured.
Jenn
 
fishe1

fishe1

Member
Alright I will do that. I remember from a previous post where you said to smell it before you buy it. So I was planning on doing that. But what are your thoughts on fish when it does get to that point? Definately clownfish, I was thinking about a Goby also, and I really like those Mandrid Dragonet.
 
J

jdragunas

Guest
gobies are great! I have a yellow watchman goby, and i love him. They're bottom dwellers, and they like to hang out in the caves of the LR, so you may not see him that much, but they're cool nevertheless.
NO DRAGONET OF ANY KIND!!! This includes the "scooter blenny" which is not acutally a blenny. These fish live off of copods, and die after a few months. Unless you have a refugium, and 100+ lbs of LR, don't do it. They seldomly take to frozen foods, and aren't hardy at all.
another fish i really enjoy is the firefish. They're beautiful, and are schooling fish, so you can keep a few in the tank. I'd have some if my tank weren't already stocked to the max...

Sorry to bust your bubble about the mandarin dragonet... There's plenty of other amazing fish you can have.
I have this in my tank:
1 clownfish
1 yellow watchman goby
2 lawnmower blennies
1 engineer goby aka convict blenny (it's neither a blenny or a goby... wonder why it's name that)
1 black & white heniochus (this is a butterflyfish, and they require a 100+ gallon tank... didn't know that when i got him, and the LFS said "oh sure, he'll do great in a 55g tank..." last time i listen to them...)
1 cleaner shrimp (the life of the tank!!! I love my cleaner shrimp, and plan on getting one or two more... they like to be in groups... He cleans my hand whenever i put it in the tank. It's hard for me to keep my tank clean because he jumps on my hand as soon as i put it in the water).
jenn
 
airforceb2

airforceb2

Active Member
Originally Posted by KDFrosty
You should spend $$ on getting enough LR first. I'd say at least 80lbs. for a 55g tank.
if you've got that covered, I would go for a hardy fish at first....maybe a couple of Chromis.
The weight of the LR all depends on the type. You really can't tell someone how much LR to get unless you know how dense it is. If you are getting Marshall Island LR, you can go with 50lbs and your tank will be full. If you get Tonga or Figi, you will need about 100lbs to fill up your tank.
 
kdfrosty

kdfrosty

Active Member
Originally Posted by jdragunas
chromis are the nicest of the damsel family, but they're still damsels and can be pretty agressive. My first fish was a clownfish, and i still have him!
Funny thing is that Clowns are part of the damsel family also. They're more aggressive than a Chromis too, IMO.
Originally Posted by airforceb2
The weight of the LR all depends on the type. You really can't tell someone how much LR to get unless you know how dense it is. If you are getting Marshall Island LR, you can go with 50lbs and your tank will be full. If you get Tonga or Figi, you will need about 100lbs to fill up your tank.
I dont know about your area, but I see LR labeled so many different ways in the LFS' around here. I've seen LR labeled "Marshal Islands" that is just as dense as Fiji, and vice versa. Personally I go for the cheapest, most porous LR I can find.
On another note, I wouldn't ever want my tank "full" of LR as you mentioned. I have 90lbs in a 50g and still have a nice visible sandbed with lotsa caves and stuff throughout the LR. I also have room to add some more LR to add height to the pile, without adding to the width.
 
cda fish

cda fish

Member
congradulations on your new tank.. Im quite new also, I have had my tank since April of 2005. I just thought I would share some info with you ...Do your homework in here your local fish store will sell you ANYTHING
.. read alot of these post you will find good honest answers. :joy: Good luck with your new tank..by the way you will watch way less t.v.
 
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