55 Gallon

[kiko]

I'm going to assume you're a young person and it's the first tank you ever had...
because soon you'll find out $250 isn't much when you have to buy a bunch of stuff...
if they bought you the tank I'll assume they got you a stand or a place in the house or your bedroom to put it in...
now the thing is...you have to stretch your money to make it worthwhile at least where you can see results at the end...
if your tank is drilled I'd go with a sump...you can grab a used tank for free on facebook or 50 cents per gallon these days
let's say a 20gal for 10$ = $240
filter media..a big bag of filter floss which should last you a very long time...
11$ on amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0765BK73V/?tag=ff0d01-20
= 229$
now you need coarse sponges for intakes
7$ on amazon for 4 pcs = 222$
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GMV12BT/?tag=ff0d01-20
substrate...go with sand...find any construction depot nearby and get a pallet of sand...
10$ worth goes a long way... = 212$
you have to wash it very well and then dry it...
now as you don't have any fancy soils loaded with minerals etc...
get yourself some root tabs to stick in the sand which you would end up using after a year with loaded soil anyway..
now you have api and thrive which are the 2 brands I would suggest..I like thrive and they go for 38$ you can find it on amazon.CA as .com will show its unavailable
which means you only have 174$ left now...
assuming you're going to use prime...$20 for 500ml
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00025694O/?tag=
and you now only have $154
and now you need a net...scrapper a hose to do water changes etc...
amazon has this crap set deal for 14$ for a set with a single stick with multiple tips for each thing...you'll find it annoying really soon and eventually get better stuff
but to get started...14 bucks is 14 bucks xD which just lowered your $$ to 140$ and you haven't even bought fish yet
let's take a look at fish...
pack of 12 neons = 23$ = 117$
I "tried" looking at shrimp for algae down the road but at 5$ for a single shrimp I guess I just went blind...so forget shrimp for now...
I'd add some livebearers like guppies as they easily multiple and don't need a big investment to see fish "show" up within a month or so...
petco has a buy 3 get 1 free for 3$ (females only) so make sure when you get them..that they come from a mixed tank (males + females) and pick the biggest..fattest 4 you can find in that tank
most likely 1 or more of the 4 is already pregnant and you'll get your male guppies from that instead of wasting 23$ for a pack of 4 males
yes males cost 23$ vs females 3$...so just buy the females
and you still have 114$ left-over
blue gouramis at petco cost 2.79 each..assuming you want like 6 thats 16.74$ = 97.26$
you have to take into account taxes which from 250$ at around 15% is 37.5$
so lets take these right now too...so you have 59.76$
hikari micro pellets goes for 11$ for 100grams and your money just went down to 48.76
a 300gph pump for the sump goes for 20$ = 28.76$ left which you'll need for plastic/rubber tubing for the sump...
the sump would cost 10 for tank + 20 pump + 28.76 for tubing parts which you can easily replace with an hob filter or as mentioned earlier an underground filter is cheap to make..
honestly...I think you should ask people for a "whole list" as this one vs asking type of filtration
and what they can get you for the 212$ (taxes taken out)
and after that ask your parents if they can exchange the gift card for cash so that you can have more options...or go to petco buy something and return it for the same value...

 

[jaylach]

I'm going to assume you're a young person and it's the first tank you ever had...
because soon you'll find out $250 isn't much when you have to buy a bunch of stuff...
if they bought you the tank I'll assume they got you a stand or a place in the house or your bedroom to put it in...
now the thing is...you have to stretch your money to make it worthwhile at least where you can see results at the end...
if your tank is drilled I'd go with a sump...you can grab a used tank for free on facebook or 50 cents per gallon these days
let's say a 20gal for 10$ = $240
filter media..a big bag of filter floss which should last you a very long time...
11$ on amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0765BK73V/?tag=ff0d01-20
= 229$
now you need coarse sponges for intakes
7$ on amazon for 4 pcs = 222$
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GMV12BT/?tag=ff0d01-20
substrate...go with sand...find any construction depot nearby and get a pallet of sand...
10$ worth goes a long way... = 212$
you have to wash it very well and then dry it...
now as you don't have any fancy soils loaded with minerals etc...
get yourself some root tabs to stick in the sand which you would end up using after a year with loaded soil anyway..
now you have api and thrive which are the 2 brands I would suggest..I like thrive and they go for 38$ you can find it on amazon.CA as .com will show its unavailable
which means you only have 174$ left now...
assuming you're going to use prime...$20 for 500ml
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00025694O/?tag=
and you now only have $154
and now you need a net...scrapper a hose to do water changes etc...
amazon has this crap set deal for 14$ for a set with a single stick with multiple tips for each thing...you'll find it annoying really soon and eventually get better stuff
but to get started...14 bucks is 14 bucks xD which just lowered your $$ to 140$ and you haven't even bought fish yet
let's take a look at fish...
pack of 12 neons = 23$ = 117$
I "tried" looking at shrimp for algae down the road but at 5$ for a single shrimp I guess I just went blind...so forget shrimp for now...
I'd add some livebearers like guppies as they easily multiple and don't need a big investment to see fish "show" up within a month or so...
petco has a buy 3 get 1 free for 3$ (females only) so make sure when you get them..that they come from a mixed tank (males + females) and pick the biggest..fattest 4 you can find in that tank
most likely 1 or more of the 4 is already pregnant and you'll get your male guppies from that instead of wasting 23$ for a pack of 4 males
yes males cost 23$ vs females 3$...so just buy the females
and you still have 114$ left-over
blue gouramis at petco cost 2.79 each..assuming you want like 6 thats 16.74$ = 97.26$
you have to take into account taxes which from 250$ at around 15% is 37.5$
so lets take these right now too...so you have 59.76$
hikari micro pellets goes for 11$ for 100grams and your money just went down to 48.76
a 300gph pump for the sump goes for 20$ = 28.76$ left which you'll need for plastic/rubber tubing for the sump...
the sump would cost 10 for tank + 20 pump + 28.76 for tubing parts which you can easily replace with an hob filter or as mentioned earlier an underground filter is cheap to make..
honestly...I think you should ask people for a "whole list" as this one vs asking type of filtration
and what they can get you for the 212$ (taxes taken out)
and after that ask your parents if they can exchange the gift card for cash so that you can have more options...or go to petco buy something and return it for the same value...

Why make things so complicated? The tank is there. All that is essential is substrate, filtration and a heater. If Amazon and/or E bay is used this can probably be done for under $100.00. USD. Add a few live plants to help with the nitrogen cycle and you are on your way to a fish-less cycle. Go to a local hardware store and ask for broken slate panels and you are well on your way to a good scape. Use the broken slate pieces to build a cave system.

Once the nitrogen cycle is done add just a few fish along with a few more live plants. Once things stabilize again add more fish and plants a little at a time.

While it is best to be precise it does not have to be all that complicated. For instance you want the tank drilled but don't even know if the tank is glass or acrylic. Would you seriously tell a novice to try to drill a glass tank? I've dealt with tanks for over 35 years and I would not do it. Even if acrylic I still would not do. Weakens the tank structure and very seldom serves any real positive result.

 

[kiko]

Why make things so complicated? The tank is there. All that is essential is substrate, filtration and a heater. If Amazon and/or E bay is used this can probably be done for under $100.00. USD. Add a few live plants to help with the nitrogen cycle and you are on your way to a fish-less cycle. Go to a local hardware store and ask for broken slate panels and you are well on your way to a good scape. Use the broken slate pieces to build a cave system.

Once the nitrogen cycle is done add just a few fish along with a few more live plants. Once things stabilize again add more fish and plants a little at a time.

While it is best to be precise it does not have to be all that complicated. For instance you want the tank drilled but don't even know if the tank is glass or acrylic. Would you seriously tell a novice to try to drill a glass tank? I've dealt with tanks for over 35 years and I would not do it. Even if acrylic I still would not do. Weakens the tank structure and very seldom serves any real positive result.

pretty sure I didn't tell no one to drill anything...
and canister? expensive...he's got 212$ to spend...
how much do you think gravel costs since the coronas?
instead of arguing with me...maybe you could make up a list and prices? would be more helpful...

 

[jaylach]

pretty sure I didn't tell no one to drill anything...
and canister? expensive...he's got 212$ to spend...
how much do you think gravel costs since the coronas?
instead of arguing with me...maybe you could make up a list and prices? would be more helpful...

I may have gotten threads mixed up but you did mention drilled tanks in this thread which may have brought something from another thread to mind. My apologizes if my recollection was not correct.

How can I possibly give a price list when I still don't really know what the OP wants? Shoot, if not using under gravel filtration simple 'play sand' could be used at a price of probably $5.00 max for a 55 gallon tank. I just won't try to force my my thoughts as to what a fish keeper 'MUST' do. I try to get more info as to what they actually want and try to make my responses relevant. I will never tell a member how to spend their money as that can only really be decided by the member. I MAY advise advise a less expensive option in some cases but I will never tell a member what they must do. After all it is their decision in the end.

I also don't understand your statement about not arguing with you. Are you the superman of fish who knows everything and no different opinions are allowed? From my point of view I have not argued with you at all. I have just given a different point of view.

I'm more than happy to discuss a difference of opinion but please keep it civil.

 

[kiko]

I may have gotten threads mixed up but you did mention drilled tanks in this thread which may have brought something from another thread to mind. My apologizes if my recollection was not correct.

How can I possibly give a price list when I still don't really know what the OP wants? Shoot, if not using under gravel filtration simple 'play sand' could be used at a price of probably $5.00 max for a 55 gallon tank. I just won't try to force my my thoughts as to what a fish keeper 'MUST' do. I try to get more info as to what they actually want and try to make my responses relevant. I will never tell a member how to spend their money as that can only really be decided by the member. I MAY advise advise a less expensive option in some cases but I will never tell a member what they must do. After all it is their decision in the end.

I also don't understand your statement about not arguing with you. Are you the superman of fish who knows everything and no different opinions are allowed? From my point of view I have not argued with you at all. I have just given a different point of view.

I'm more than happy to discuss a difference of opinion but please keep it civil.

it just sounded a bit aggressive in general...specially when you were incorrect about me telling someone to drill a tank...
myself I've never drilled an actually tank..I've done holes using a rotary tool...and drilled holes for sump partitions never for a tank...I don't trust those small cracks you get from drilling
my advice was mostly price based on the different things he'll need...
heck if it was me..2 double sponge filters on each side..fill it up with sand...throw a gold fish inside and we're golden xD
but as a first tank he wouldn't even have nets etc...

 

[jaylach]

it just sounded a bit aggressive in general...specially when you were incorrect about me telling someone to drill a tank...
myself I've never drilled an actually tank..I've done holes using a rotary tool...and drilled holes for sump partitions never for a tank...I don't trust those small cracks you get from drilling
my advice was mostly price based on the different things he'll need...
heck if it was me..2 double sponge filters on each side..fill it up with sand...throw a gold fish inside and we're golden xD
but as a first tank he wouldn't even have nets etc...

How about if we just admit that we have different opinions and that we should both sit back and figure out exactly what the original poster wants?

 

[JonasN515]

Not going to comment on either ones previous posts because as stated, I am a novice! You guys just made me anxious just reading your responses, not what I was looking for! Yes I want my fish to do well but, (and I hate to say it like this) I am doing this for my anxiety. Yes I want my tank to flourish and do amazingly well and my fish to live their happy lives for as long as they can. But like I said, in my post introducing myself to this forum, purely for anxiety relief and depression relief. I have done research and have not even set my tank up because of the research I have done. I am 33 years old so honestly, money is not really an issue. To get personal, I kind of am living paycheck to paycheck, but if it's something I care about and want, (fish) I will save up or spend my money on it. As long as I have a place to live, I'm fine! Anyway!

Would gravel for this tank not be an option because that much gravel for a 55 tank be too expensive? I LOVE the advice you give JayLach on broken slate panels however may it be that some of those are too sharp and may cut the fish? That is the last thing I want.

For filter, again, this is my first tank. I know I used the Aqueon QuietFlow as an example but would that really. be that bad of a first filter for my first tank? I'm not learning as I go, like I said, I haven't even set my tank up yet. I understand I need cycling, I understand the nitrite, and nitrate levels, the pH levels, the water hardness levels, etc. I think I'm doing quite well. Not saying you guys aren't helping me but at the same time, this is my first tank! Thank you again guys for all your opinions and help! You guys are awesome!

 

[jaylach]

As to gravel being too expensive the prices are crazy. At a rough guess I'd think that enough gravel to give a decent substrate would most probably be over $50.00 USD. Unless doing under gravel filtration 'play sand' will do just as well for probably around $5.00 USD; definitely under $10.00 USD.

As to the slate, yes, it can have sharp edges but you just use an emory board or coarse sandpaper to take off the edges. If you ever do something like that make sure to get slate, not shale. Both are actually stages of the same rock with shale being the earlier stage. The problem with shale is that it is soft and porous and will leech a bunch of crud into the water.

 

[kiko]

sorry if this made you anxious as it was too much information...
gravel is expensive these days because they're literally rocks and truck drivers charge by pallet/weight so gravel became one of the most expensive items in the hobby because of gas prices between others factors... that's why I went looking for items and compiled a list of things you'll need as a beginner based on the budget you provided

 

[TNG]

For my 55G tank, I use a hang-on-back filter Tidal 55 by Seachem. It works very well, quiet, very easy to maintain and doesn't need expensive proprietary cartridges.
Three things to be aware of though: shrimps will find their way into the filter through the water intake openings, so better not to have shrimps. It may not fit a tank which has a thick plastic insert over the top of the glass walls. The water in the tank must be kept high enough to fully submerge the pump impellers otherwise you'll hear gurgling sounds.

 

[JonasN515]

So! Horrible news. My mom was transporting my 55 gallon to another location, slid on some ice, long story short, smacked dead into another car, which both cars are now totaled. God blessed us and no one was seriously hurt!!! However, in doing this episode, my 55 gallon now has a HUGE crack and will not hold water! I suppose I wasn't meant to have a 55 gallon tank? I went to Petco today before all this happened and there is a nice 50% sale on all Aqueon tanks. No lid, no nothing with it. However, I'm thinking now about getting a nice 20 gallon long, and a 10 gallon and having two separate tanks. I've been told my numerous people that littler tanks are not for beginners, so again, should I splurge the money for a 55 gallon (AGAIN?!) or not? I know filters and everything, cost adds up. I believe a 55 gallon would be about 70-80 dollars after the sale goes in effect. That with a 55 gallon filter as mentioned by TNG, that's well over half my 250. I'm fine with this but as previously stated by ya'll, sand/gravel is expensive as hell. I love the way that 20 gallon long looked. I could still put a couple dwarf gouramis in there along with some other fish (Petco has hella guppies, snails, mollys, and other corys!) Advice on now what tank to get. Square one Thanks again.

 

[jaylach]

So! Horrible news. My mom was transporting my 55 gallon to another location, slid on some ice, long story short, smacked dead into another car, which both cars are now totaled. God blessed us and no one was seriously hurt!!! However, in doing this episode, my 55 gallon now has a HUGE crack and will not hold water! I suppose I wasn't meant to have a 55 gallon tank? I went to Petco today before all this happened and there is a nice 50% sale on all Aqueon tanks. No lid, no nothing with it. However, I'm thinking now about getting a nice 20 gallon long, and a 10 gallon and having two separate tanks. I've been told my numerous people that littler tanks are not for beginners, so again, should I splurge the money for a 55 gallon (AGAIN?!) or not? I know filters and everything, cost adds up. I believe a 55 gallon would be about 70-80 dollars after the sale goes in effect. That with a 55 gallon filter as mentioned by TNG, that's well over half my 250. I'm fine with this but as previously stated by ya'll, sand/gravel is expensive as hell. I love the way that 20 gallon long looked. I could still put a couple dwarf gouramis in there along with some other fish (Petco has hella guppies, snails, mollys, and other corys!) Advice on now what tank to get. Square one Thanks again.

First and foremost I'm glad to hear that there no serious injuries!

Just a thought but you could just replace the cracked glass however I would not advise a novice to do it as it is a LOT of water if not done correctly

Do you have a decent aquatics store in your area? If so they may be able to repair the tank for you.

BTW, gravel is expensive but sand is not. I just did a search for 50 pound bags of sand and saw prices as low as $6.59 USD. Actually it struck me as a bit odd as to the extreme difference in sand prices as some is cheap and others are as much as gravel. Of course what I found for $6.59 USD may not be suitable for an aquarium. I've never personally used sand for substrate so must admit that I don't really know what types of sand are good or bad. LOL! I remember when I lived in Ohio I would just take buckets to a local pebble bed river and get my gravel for free.

 

[Byron]

Would gravel for this tank not be an option because that much gravel for a 55 tank be too expensive?

I would not use gravel, but soft sand. The use of gravel limits possible fish, especially everyone's favourite bottom level fish, Corydoras. These must have a soft sand. Which is good, because all things considered, sand is the overall best substrate for fish and plants, so you are not limiting your stocking options. And it can be done for as little as 6 dollars if you visit Home Depot or Lowe's and look for Quikrete Play Sand. It comes in a tan colour and a dark grey, either is ideal for an aquarium. One bag will do a 55g (or smaller) for 5 or 6 dollars.

Without getting into details now, be congnizent that when selecting different fish species you are best to start with the most demanding and then find compatible tankmates. For example, if you do select a species of gourami, you are immediately limiting what will work with them so far as upper level fish. Someone linked an article earlier in this thread that is full of errors about this, so ask here.

 

[kiko]

glad to hear everyone's ok...
now..with the new budget...
fish tend to jump sometimes..and you don't want to be spending money on new fish...so I'd get a lidded tank
as for where to get the tank...get yourself a used tank of find a place with deals on them for at least a dollar per gallon
pretty sure you can find something on craigslist or offerup or call petco and ask if they have model/show tanks for sale
I would get 2 20's and just use sponge filters
you can connect them together by making one just a bit higher and an overflow or an aquarium bridge
sand for sure..its cheap..use one for the fish and the other one for shrimp or small crab or something...
you can use the same air pump to move water from one tank to the next with an overflow back into the first
and use the 2nd tank as a quarantine tank for new fish when you need it
2 20's at a dollar per gallon would be 40 bucks a double sponge filter is around 10-15 bucks and an air pump 15-30 bucks
something else you can do is buy just the bare tanks (make sure they have that black frame on them)
and just make the lids from glass and get a light at home depot...not sure if you'll save much but it's an idea...
you can call any windows and doors place...they usually throw bins full of glass in the garbage just ask them for a couple of pieces

 

[Boundava]

Wow you got some really heavy duty advice there. I think everyone is over complicating it a bit for you.

So you have the tank, now you need the rest:
Filter - Recommend HOB TopFin Pro series 110, or any HOB. Canister is a bit ovverkill for a 55 gallon.

Top Fin® Pro Power Filter

Buy Top Fin® Pro Power Filter at Petsmart

www.petsmart.com

Light- Nicrew LED; or other inexpensive LED
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LH2FJNC/?tag=ff0d01-20
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ID3OK3S/?tag=ff0d01-20
Substrate- Either pool sand (cleaner/less rinsing but a bit $$$) or play sand, or a finer gravel. Petco has some in 10lb bags but you will need at least 50-60lbs of sand/gravel for the tank, a bit more if you want to plant. I have found red flint gravel at my local fish stores (not big chain) and it comes in various sizes from coarse gravel to fine sand.

0.4 cu. ft. Washed Play Sand 40105130 - The Home Depot

The Kolorscape .4 Cu. Ft. Washed Play Sand offers a soft, extra fine texture. The sand is screened to ensure consistent high quality. It is great for children's sandboxes.

www.homedepot.com

Heater- I find this to be the most reliable and I enjoy the fact it has a cover as will as built in regulator you can access out of the water. I would go with 200W (its cheaper than the 150W and is better for a 55 gallon)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002TDG4BK/?tag=ff0d01-20
Ammonia- Something without surfactants:, if you shake the bottle it will not foam, Ace hardware used to have some with a 10% but you can't tell with the new bottles.

https://ace.infotrac.net/getmsds.aspx?sku=1024823

Plants- Easy starter plants are either sword plants or cryptocornes. You will want to add root fertilizer with the sword plants as they are heavy root feeders. Feeling adventurous, buy a bag of "Betta bulbs" and plant them in the aquarium- you may be rewarded with some aponogeton plants or a Lilly. You can also get some anubius plants at Petco, they are sold in the tubes. These are plants that grow slowly and are best attached to driftwiid or rocks. If you plant them in the substrate, then make sure the rhizome is left above the substrate.
Fish- Gouramis are great but the dwarves tend to be short lived and aggressive/territorial. You can have one gourami like a Trichopodus trichopterus in a 55, they are hardy and don't tend to have the health issues that dwarves have.

Trichopodus trichopterus (Three-spot Gourami) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

Cardinals are just a pretty as neons, but a lot hardier. If you are looking for corys the aneus (Corydoras aeneus) and pepper cory (Corydoras paleatus) are hardy, inexpensive, easy to find in a PetCo and long lived. I have had corys on substrate in many tanks over many years and they have neyer had issues with damaged barbles or rot or dying premature deaths, contrary I have had them spawn regulary for me in tanks with fine gravel (not the big chunky typical pets-store gravel coated in paint or epoxy) Contrary to what others may say, I have purchased fish from many chain stores (Petsmart, Petco or Aquarium Adventures) without issues. Funny enough my local fish store purchases from the same vendor as the larger stores on many occasions.
Food- I would recommend no getting many foods that you would find at the local stores as they have a lit of fillers. This means your fish will produce more wastes as it gets less nutrients from the food. You may find Fluval bug bites at Petco, its a good food with very little fillers. I found this store to have quality food as well:

Your Fish Stuff : Bulk Fish Food and Aquarium Supplies

Your Fish Stuff: Aquascaping, Live Aquarium Plants, Bulk Fish Food, Aquarium Supplies

www.yourfishstuff.com

Frozen or freeze dried food (brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia or tubifex worms) works as well.

​

I hope this helps you out.