Below is my stocking plan for my 55 gallon, which I just moved from Florida to New York. It has been planted with dwarf hairgrass, riccia, an amazon sword, crypts, anubias, onions, ferns, rotala walachii, etc. I am running pressurized CO2 with 130 watts of compact florescents (half of my lighting capacity, as I could run 260 total). I am running a Fluval 305 filter, with a power head on the opposite side to increase circulation (was going to hook up my FX5, but Discus can't handle that flow). The substrate is a combo of gravel, flourite, and eco-complete. The temp ranges from 81 to 84 degrees, but I am attempting to stabilize it to 82-83. PH is from 6.5 to 6.0, perhaps running lower with the CO2 in the latter part of the day (getting to yellow on my indicator). From the tap, KH = 40 PPM and GH = 30 PPM. I have no Nitrites and very little Nitrates in the tank water. The substrate was carried over from the old tank.
STOCKING: Malaysian Trumpet Snails (these guys survive anything, even two weeks in relatively dry gravel after the move); 12 Amano Shrimp; 12 Cardinal Tetras; 2 Blue Rams; 2 Siamese Algae Eaters; 2 Bristlenose Plecos; and 4 Discus. ANY SUGGESTIONS, AS I NEED TO CUT BACK SOMETHING FROM THIS PLAN? I have already ordered the shrimp, and I will slowly be adding fish, starting with the algae crew and ending with the discus that are not coming until at least a month from now. I wanted 18 Cardinals, but that is definitely too much.
Planned fert schedule:
1). Sunday – 60 percent H2O change with 5 mL/capful of PRIME (Tap water is acidic and soft, perfect for discus and the same water the local breeder uses)
2). Monday – a. No Significant Algae – Flourish Comprehensive 10 mL/capful OR b. Algae – TPN 25 mL/whole compartment
3). Tuesday – Flourish Excel 5 mL/capful
4). Wednesday – Leaf Zone (Potassium/Iron) 20 mL/2 capfuls
5). Thursday – Flourish Excel 5 mL/capful
6). Friday – Seachem Calcium 5 mL/capful (for inverts and plants)
7). Saturday - Flourish Excel 5 mL/capful…use syringe to spot dose algae if necessary)
STOCKING: Malaysian Trumpet Snails (these guys survive anything, even two weeks in relatively dry gravel after the move); 12 Amano Shrimp; 12 Cardinal Tetras; 2 Blue Rams; 2 Siamese Algae Eaters; 2 Bristlenose Plecos; and 4 Discus. ANY SUGGESTIONS, AS I NEED TO CUT BACK SOMETHING FROM THIS PLAN? I have already ordered the shrimp, and I will slowly be adding fish, starting with the algae crew and ending with the discus that are not coming until at least a month from now. I wanted 18 Cardinals, but that is definitely too much.
Planned fert schedule:
1). Sunday – 60 percent H2O change with 5 mL/capful of PRIME (Tap water is acidic and soft, perfect for discus and the same water the local breeder uses)
2). Monday – a. No Significant Algae – Flourish Comprehensive 10 mL/capful OR b. Algae – TPN 25 mL/whole compartment
3). Tuesday – Flourish Excel 5 mL/capful
4). Wednesday – Leaf Zone (Potassium/Iron) 20 mL/2 capfuls
5). Thursday – Flourish Excel 5 mL/capful
6). Friday – Seachem Calcium 5 mL/capful (for inverts and plants)
7). Saturday - Flourish Excel 5 mL/capful…use syringe to spot dose algae if necessary)
