Question:I have a 55 gallon glass pentagon tank that I just inherited from my uncle. I have no idea where to start as far as setting it up, design, and fish. This question is pretty much fish tanks for dummies. I want it to be freshwater and look like a river bottom...with large pebbles and a few larger rocks. Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions/expertice/ad... to offer about setting this up? I want to use artificial plants so I would like suggestions about that also. Fish ideas are also great! Thanks.
Answers:
Really I would just go with whatever you like. Go to your local pet store and get the gravel and decorations that sit you best. Make sure that you have a place for fish to hid or take cover. Put taller plants in the back and shorter ones in the front. Make sure that you have good filtration and air flow.
Do NOT get fish the same day you set your tank up. (People say you can, but it is best to wait.) Make sure that you use a water conditioner. Set your tank up all pretty fill it with water, start the filter and let it sit a few days.
When selecting fish only get a few at first. Select a hardy fish that can live in alot of different conditions. This will get the natural bacteria flow started in your tank. (This is good bacteria your fish will need). Never add more than a few fish at a time to your tank.
The fish should be grouped at the pet store into 3 or 4 main categories. Community, Semi-Aggressive, Goldfish, Aggressive.
Goldfish are pretty dirty fish and your tank will require more maintenance than other fish.
You should group the fish in your tank accordingly. Do not mix community fish with aggressive fish, it just won't work. Although you can mix some semi aggressive and community fish. Example, Barbs are not as aggressive if they are kept in schools of 6 or more. I would go to the pet store, look at the fish you want, write thier names down, and then come home and google them.
I would also recommend getting a python you can hook up to your sink to make water changes easier. And, do a 10-25% water change weekly.
I also have a 55 gal. tank that we got when we first moved from New Orleans (Katrina).. I have a large rock formation on one side and an old castle [rather large] on the other end of the tank.. again something large to take up some space. Also in corner near the large rock and castle I have some large [tall] green ferns. two air pumps with bubbles behind the rock and castle. Some greens in the center but these only go up about halfway to the top. To make it look like a ocean bottom, I got some[two to four inch] size rocks of different shapes and colors on the bottom.. I think it looks good but somethimes you just have to try different things......Used a couple of large bottom cbats and a couple of sharks,Tiger Barbs etc. about 25 total.I like a lot of fish and I have to try not to get too many...
Go to a petstore and buy any decorations you like, but I would also recommend real plants and not artificial ones
They make your fish happy and your tank healthier
Also don't forget that you have to cycle your tank first, before you add many fish to eat, you could start out with like 6 zebra danios to cycle your tank, they are pretty hardy fish
here is some info on cycling a tank
http://www.firsttankguide.net/cycle.php...
http://www.firsttankguide.net/cloudywate...
You know that your tank will be cycled when your nitrites and ammonia is at 0
you need to buy an ammonia, pH and nitrite test kit, it's recommended to get the fluid ones, they are much more accurate then any of the others
Hope that helps
Good luck
EB
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