55 Gallon Ram Tank

[attibones]

I purchased this tank on Sunday and have begun the slow process of cleaning. I removed two of the three inches of disgusting water, and all the gravel that came in it. I am hoping to leave in some of the bacteria by not removing all the junk at the bottom of the tank.

Tuesday I picked up a 25 pound bag of gravel to be the lowest layer of substrate. Ordered 40 pounds of black sand and new filter sponges to take the place of missing bio fiber. Purchased a new thermometer and O2 equipment. Applied background. Also ordered new tank cover and one new light fixture.

6 Albino Cory cats are coming my way and should be here next Wednesday. My 3 German Blue Rams should be here the week after that. Friday I will pick up five cherry barbs from my LFS, and hold them in my now nearly empty 10 gallon, after a water change.

Bottom dwellers:
50-odd ghost shrimp
6 Cory cats

Mid-dwellers:
5 cherry barbs
6 zebra danio (maybe)

Showcase:
3 German Blue Rams

Substrate:
25 pounds black gravel
40 pounds black sand

Filtering with Tetra Advanced 30-60, combined with bubbler for added oxygen.

Decor:
TBD

Plants:
Moss balls for sure
TBD

I'll be updating this process at least once a week, or as I get new ideas or accomplish tasks. Please feel free to discuss any of my choices, and offer up ideas for plants and decorating.

 

[attibones]

I bought my cichlids' food today, and received confirmation that my replacement bio fiber has shipped. I am expecting it to arrive Friday or Monday. I'll be using Omega One super color cichlids pellets in the small size. My rams are going to be small when I first get them, so I'll be using this food. My Cory cats will be eating bottom feeder pellets when they arrive, as they will be quarantined in a fishless tank.

Got my sand bucket and tank cleaning supplies! I've also got face masks because I'm asthmatic and I just know I'll be having a coughing fit for days after cleaning out my sand.

Tried out the API master test kit and it is fun to use! It's like being a scientist but without the math! I've tested one tank which has horrible results. My sister uses this tank and has been over feeding. Now she is starting the process of daily water changes. This is what happens when I am not the only one responsible for the aquariums.

I also picked up some really beautiful plastic plants. In my next post, I'll add some pictures of the ones I bought. I only got three, but I'm doing a little at a time and I really want to try live plants too.

 

[attibones]

Instead of zebra danios, I'm getting 5 black skirt tetras which will help accentuate the colors in my barbs and rams. Danios need cooler water.

Refined list:

4 German Blue Rams (will order one more later)
5 cherry barbs
5 black skirt tetras
6 albino Cory catfish
50 American grass shrimp

 

[attibones]

Confirmed that my sand will be here Friday! I'm so excited! Hopefully it will be here around noon so that I can begin to clean it and have it ready by Saturday night! Hooray!
 
I'm getting, instead of the black skirts, 5 red minor tetras!

 

[attibones]

Just purchased some live java moss and Ludwigia repens to add to the tank! It should look really great. Does anyone else have plant suggestions?

 

[attibones]

My cherry barbs are in! They are currently chilling with my molly and a moss ball and a group of shrimp. I'm keeping them in that tank for monitoring.

 

[leighton_87]

If there's no photos it didn't happen........

 

[frapadoodle]

Well I would up the barbs and tetras to at least 6 each.
Well for trying live plants. Swords are easy, but heavy feeders. Anubius is easy. Just about any stem plant. Java fern.
I hear crypts are easy, after the initial melt. Though I have yet to try them.

 

[attibones]

I'm on my phone, so no pictures yet, but my barbs are healthy looking. I'll probably pick up a sixth one and then get six of the tetras. Thanks for the suggestion.

I've got java on the way. Should be here on Monday. I'll look into the anubius too.

 

[attibones]

Filter is running. Heater is on. I've got my O2 machine and bubbler working. The sand is clean and in the tank, as well as all my plastic plants and decorations. Unfortunately, the plastic thing on top of the tank which supports my covers and lights has snapped (it broke as the people who previously owned the tank were cleaning it) so now I have to run to wal mart and rig my plastic support thing. Then I can get my canopies up, turn on my light, and present to you all my tank. It's looking really great. Once I get my live plants and my mopani wood, it will be beautiful.

 

[attibones]

Finally! Some pictures!
 
Here are a few of the cherry barbs in the ten gallon (ignore the bad quality, they're just so fast!):

 
Here are a few views of the new tank:

 
In the tank I have some Amazon Sword and Anubias. It's planted in the left side, near the more buried pot. 

 

[attibones]

Today I realized that four of the five barbs I purchased were male. I noticed that they were harassing the only female, so I picked up three more female friends for her to have. Also, I had to buy another filter because the Aqua-Tech 30-60 I was running just decided to stop working. It's happened to me before (I wouldn't have used this brand for this tank except that it was included with the tank and had previously matured filter media), so I purchased a Penguin 200, then realized it was for 50 gallon tanks, not 55. This was not giving me the ideal filtration or gph, so I went ahead and purchased with the new females one more TopFin 30. This is giving me 350 gph, and 80 gallons worth of filtration. I believe I should be safe now. I'm worried the current in the right half of the tank may be too strong for some fish, though. Really only the barbs will be affected, as it is my understanding that the Rams will prefer to be on the lower level of the tank. 

 

[attibones]

My cory catfish have arrived today! Five of them are happily swimming and exploring, but there is one which does not seem to be fairing very well. I shall have to keep an eye on it. Hopefully it is just stressed and will calm down soon.

 

[attibones]

Catfish are all happy! Barbs are healthy! And the shrimp are fatties.

Today I was awoken by the post! My rams are here! I'll post pictures after they've settled in a bit. Their colors are coming back and they look beautiful. They love hanging out with my catfish in the planted corner.

 

[DJH584]

Sounds like you are making great strides. Am I correct in thinking that your new tank is already cycled?
 
Don't be surprised to find your GBR's harassing the cory's. If the GBR's think that that the cory's have found a food supply on the bottom of the tank then the GBR's will compete for it. We had six pepper cory's in our tank  and our GBR was forever chasing them off if he thought they had found some food on the bottom he hadn't spotted. The cory's got rehomed - my tank was overstocked.
 
Good luck with what you are doing and do keep us updated.
 
Regards
 
David