Bounce some ideas for my new tank

[Bhuggins]

Hi all! I’m currently cycling a 55 tank. Substrate is sand, has rock formations with caves, live plants, and wood. I’m waiting on a master test kit to be delivered Monday but my parameters roughly are around 7.5 ph, moderately hard water. Without my true parameters known yet, I’m looking for more general ideas

During the long cycle process I like to research fish, formulate a plan and form an idea of what I want the idea of the tank to be. Here are few ideas I’ve been think of:

Peaceful Cichlid community:
1 angel
1 Bolivian ram
School of larger tetras
School of corries
Bristlenose
Peacock gudgeons

Teeny fish in big tank! (Basically a giant nano)
Ember tetras
Neon tetras
Harlequin rasboras
Cherry barbs
CPD’s
(Above are just ideas if small schooling fish not necessarily all of them)
Kuhli loaches
Pigmy cories
Snails

Betta sorority (this one intimidates next)
A large betta sorority (issue here is they would be added in small groups at a time due to availability)
How limited for tank mates would I be? Is it basically cories only?

All the livebearers!!!!
Basically just a tank full of guppies, endless, Platties, and mollies
This one would be fun because I could go to the store and pick out new fish for a long time

If anyone has any other suggestions PLEASE GIVE ME IDEAS! Lol. Any fish I should research? I’m not much of a Cichlid or aggressive fish guy. I love live plants so something like a Blue Acara which would dig up my plants would be rough (I was falling in love with that fish before I found out that info). I’d especially like some ideas on medium to large fish that could work as a centerpiece in a community.

 

[PhantomCarp]

Hi all! I’m currently cycling a 55 tank. Substrate is sand, has rock formations with caves, live plants, and wood. I’m waiting on a master test kit to be delivered Monday but my parameters roughly are around 7.5 ph, moderately hard water. Without my true parameters known yet, I’m looking for more general ideas

During the long cycle process I like to research fish, formulate a plan and form an idea of what I want the idea of the tank to be. Here are few ideas I’ve been think of:

Peaceful Cichlid community:
1 angel
1 Bolivian ram
School of larger tetras
School of corries
Bristlenose
Peacock gudgeons

Teeny fish in big tank! (Basically a giant nano)
Ember tetras
Neon tetras
Harlequin rasboras
Cherry barbs
CPD’s
(Above are just ideas if small schooling fish not necessarily all of them)
Kuhli loaches
Pigmy cories
Snails

Betta sorority (this one intimidates next)
A large betta sorority (issue here is they would be added in small groups at a time due to availability)
How limited for tank mates would I be? Is it basically cories only?

All the livebearers!!!!
Basically just a tank full of guppies, endless, Platties, and mollies
This one would be fun because I could go to the store and pick out new fish for a long time

If anyone has any other suggestions PLEASE GIVE ME IDEAS! Lol. Any fish I should research? I’m not much of a Cichlid or aggressive fish guy. I love live plants so something like a Blue Acara which would dig up my plants would be rough (I was falling in love with that fish before I found out that info). I’d especially like some ideas on medium to large fish that could work as a centerpiece in a community.

I’m going to ask it so you can get help faster. What is ph, gh, and kh?

 

[Bhuggins]

I’m going to ask it so you can get help faster. What is ph, gh, and kh?

I won’t have the values until my master test kit on Monday. I know my water runs slightly high PH and moderately hard

 

[PhantomCarp]

I won’t have the values until my master test kit on Monday. I know my water runs slightly high PH and moderately hard

Master test kit probably dosnt have gh or kh. Check local water providers website. They may not have it like my city

 

[seangee]

No CPDs in the community. Those that don't starve would make tasty (and expensive) snacks

 

[dmpfishlover]

PhantomCarp has asked for your water parameters because this information will be key in making stocking recommendations. All fish require certain/different water parameters as they have adapted to certain conditions in the wild. We don't feel comfortable making suggestions without this information. Your pH of 7.5 is a good "middle of the road" value, with a lot of stocking options, but even more important than that is the hardness of your water (GH). You said that you ordered a master test kit.. I am assuming you are referring to the API master test kit? This is good and is an important tool all Aquarium keepers should have. It will allow you to test for pH, Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates. However it does not allow you to test for water Hardness (GH). API does put out a GH/KH test kit you can purchase, but you can also just get this information from you municipality/water provider. Be sure you know what the water Hardness is in actual numbers and units. Knowing that your water is moderately hard is meaningless as it is just a description not an actual value. Moderately hard can mean two very different things to water providers and aquarium hobbyists. I would suggest you contact your water provider or look on their website online. Give us a GH value (usually in degrees GH or in ppm GH) and we can make some recommendations.

 

[Bhuggins]

What I can find online is “total hardness (CaCO3) (13 grains per gallon: 207 ppm”

 

[Bhuggins]

Have about 600 gph filtration and a sponge filter as well

 

[Retired Viking]

So far most of your fish are soft water, the single angelfish is not good they need a shoal of 5 or more or a bonded pair. I had a bonded pair in my 55 gallon tank. Google "USA hard water" map and it will give you an idea of the water type for your area

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I agree. Angle fish need to be in a shoal of at least 6. No good for your tank size.

 

[Essjay]

What I can find online is “total hardness (CaCO3) (13 grains per gallon: 207 ppm”

Grains per gallon is one unit of measurement. ppm is another, and it is the same as mg/l CaCO3.

13 grains per gallon converts to 223 ppm (or 223 mg/l CaCO3) and 12.5 dH.
207 ppm converts to 12 grains per gallon and 11.5 dH.

The two figures you've found don't convert to each other, but they are very similar. You have a sort of in between hardness - it's not hard enough for a lot of hard water fish but it is too hard for a lot of soft water fish. You need to choose fish that don't need very hard or very soft water.

 

[Bhuggins]

Ok so every site I’ve looked at give a range for gh under water parameters. Is there a website y’all would recommend that would give a more exact recommendation so I could start looking at types of fish? I understand it’s importance and want to be responsible with the fish I stock, but don’t know where to find this info

 

[Retired Viking]

I have moderately hard water but like soft water fish like tetra so I use RO water to soften my water. It is a little work at my age lugging around several 5 gallon jugs of RO water but my tetras are healthy and I already had some fry. That is an option you may want to consider.

 

[dmpfishlover]

Ok so every site I’ve looked at give a range for gh under water parameters. Is there a website y’all would recommend that would give a more exact recommendation so I could start looking at types of fish? I understand it’s importance and want to be responsible with the fish I stock, but don’t know where to find this info

Check out seriously fish.com. It is one of the most reputable sites out there providing the specifications/needs for almost any fish species you would like to research. It will provide the required water parameters (pH, GH, Temperature) tank size, tank setup and any other requirements that might be species specific for almost any species of fish. The pH, GH and water temperature are always listed as a range. As long as your water falls within those ranges and your tank size is adequate then that species should be fine. Another VERY important thing to consider is if the fish is a schooling/shoaling fish. If it is it will need to be kept in groups of 6-8 or more (more always being better). The profile on this website should indicate this for you as well. Hope this helps!

 

[Byron]

Ok so every site I’ve looked at give a range for gh under water parameters. Is there a website y’all would recommend that would give a more exact recommendation so I could start looking at types of fish? I understand it’s importance and want to be responsible with the fish I stock, but don’t know where to find this info

Most reliable sites will give ranges because that is more helpful than narrowing it down, plus it is true than most fish have some degree of adaptability, though this has limits.

I see dmpfishlover posted while I was typing, so I'll leave it at this. I also recommend Seriously Fish.