# New here, looking for advice. 55g Firemouth tank.



## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

A single t-12 bulb is only about 40 watts, if I remember. This is about half the light that I would suggest for this tank. 
The HOB filter will out gas whatever CO2 is in there. Get a canister, or at least remove Bio Wheels. IME that is not enough water movement, I tend to run around 10 times the tank volume per hour of water movement. The power head is a very good idea. 
Skip the air bubble toy. 

If this is your Pleco, they are not 6" fish. Go with a Bristlenose Plec. 
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=148

As a general guide most fish tend to not eat Java Fern and Anubias. I have also had good luck with Bolbitis and Hornwort. None of these are substrate rooted plants. Hornwort does better in hard water. Bolbitis does better with more water movement. 
Feeding the fish fresh or lightly cooked vegies may give them enough plant material in their diet, they may leave the plants alone.


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

Depedding on the wattage of the light, you may\my not be able to grow low light plants. As Diana said, java fern and anubais are low light plants that are usually left alone by cichlids.


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## Byron (Aug 20, 2009)

I like your 20g, nice aquascape. For light I would recommend a full spectrum tube around 6700K, one will be plenty and the green light in the full spectrum will provide a natural light that will bring out the colours of the fish and plants and wood nicely. Perhaps some floating plants, Amazon frogbit would be suitable. Cardinals and neons (can't quite tell which in the photo) are dim light fish and in my experience always fare better with less light. Love the wood. A true natural environment for these fish.

Byron.


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## Frogmanx82 (Dec 8, 2009)

The sand will not stay separated from what looks like fluorite or something similar. Small particles sink, large ones come to the top. Plus firemouths like to dig, you will have it all mixed together shortly. People generally stay away from sand in planted tanks.

You should get two bulbs, T5 or T8 normal output in a fixture with a decent reflector. That would put you at low lighting according to this chart (72 watts /55 gllons =.33 watts /liter)
http://www.canadianfishforums.com/plants/plants.htm

I have 3 bulbs on a 55 which puts me at medium light and opens up more plants. I have to dose some excel flourish and use some root tabs, but its still pretty low maintenance.


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## Matthew Gabrielse (Jan 23, 2010)

Thanks for the compliments, Byron. I just got back from buying a new bulb for the 20g. That 6700k really does make the colors pop more, hopefully it makes the plants grow better too. I also picked up a handful of plants, mostly moss, swords, tiger lotus and some other random ones for the fifty five. My friend's mom had plenty extra in her tanks to share. She even offered me a school of ten Colombian tetras, I'll get those in a few weeks when the tank is more established (instead of barbs). I'll probably go find some anubias and java fern soon. I also got a powerhead and hooked my air hose into it, far superior to that little bubbler. 

I will probably end up ordering a dual T8 fixture from Dr. foster smith, I'm hoping my current lighting will keep the plants alive until the new light shows up.

(I can't post links yet)
www *dot* drsfostersmith *dot* com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=13612

I had originally put about eighty pounds of gravel in there and did not like the way it looked, the tank had a cheap feel to it. I'm okay with the sand being mixed up at some point, I'd prefer the marbled look over the pristine white anyways. I think it was flourite, I was told it's not harmful to the water column if released. 

The pleco is actually in the twenty gallon right now. He's currently at six inches and too big for that tank so he's being relocated to the fifty five. When he reaches ten inches or so I'll probably find him a new home.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

As mentioned, you're not going to see much if any plant growth in the 55gal with the current light fixture (no matter what bulb is in there). However, if your goal is just a lightly planted tank with Java ferns, Anubias, mosses, then you can probably make that work.

One of the Coralife T5NO fixtures would increase your lighting to a level that would allow you to keep more species of plants and see them grow, but not so much that you'd have to add pressurized CO2 to the tank. This fixture would probably allow you to grow some of the easier of the carpeting plants, such as E. tenellus, Dwarf sagittaria or Marselia minuta:
http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...7/cl0/coralifefwt5aqualightdoublestriplight48

Flourite isn't harmful, but is really messy if not rinsed first. If you haven't already added it to the tank, I strongly recommend that you rinse it thoroughly before you do. I usually take it outside in a bucket and blast it with a garden hose until the water runs off clear, takes about 10 minutes per bucket this way.


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## Matthew Gabrielse (Jan 23, 2010)

I placed an order for one of those T5NO fixtures from a different store since that one was out of stock. I imagine I'll have it within a week, hope the plants will be okay until that gets here. Here's the tank as it is after planting.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Diana said:


> A single t-12 bulb is only about 40 watts, if I remember. This is about half the light that I would suggest for this tank.
> The HOB filter will out gas whatever CO2 is in there. Get a canister, or at least remove Bio Wheels. IME that is not enough water movement, I tend to run around 10 times the tank volume per hour of water movement. The power head is a very good idea.
> Skip the air bubble toy.




This is ONLY true if you are adding co2. If you are not adding co2, then the HOB or bubbler would add atmospheric co2. Fish production of co2 is almost nill.

I think people often miss that part.


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## Byron (Aug 20, 2009)

That's looking good Matthew, I like it. With those plants as I see it, I would recommend around 50-60 watts of regular (T8) full spectrum light. In my experience that is all you'll need.

The subsequent post (from overstocked responding to Diana) on CO2 has me puzzled. I have minimal water flow and basically no surface disturbance in my planted tanks, and the plants are thriving frm CO2 obtained from the fish and biological processes I must assume. I don't use CO2 diffusion or Excel. You can check the photos [under my user tanks on the left] to see what I mean. I use less than 1 watt per gallon on both tanks (80 watts full spectrum over each), twice weekly liquid fert, and toss out plants every week (sword runners, pennywort, frogbit). I would think there must be adequate CO2 to have plants like this.

Byron.


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## Matthew Gabrielse (Jan 23, 2010)

The T5NO with one 6700k bulb and one colormax bulb is already on order; I found one for half the price of the T8 I was looking at. I plan on filling out more of the sand with plants, probably anubias and java fern, maybe some Marselia minuta or other carpet plants. My hope is that the firemouths don't decide to completely rearrange my gardening when I introduce them, cross your fingers for me.


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## Matthew Gabrielse (Jan 23, 2010)

Update:

Got my T5 lights the other day, they're sleek and powerful, I hope my plants like them. I finished planting, decided against carpeting plants as I was told my lighting won't keep them alive. I still only have the cories in there right now, I took the pleco back because all the poop he left behind was disgusting, I couldn't take it anymore. I'll add a five colombian tetras this weekend, another five next weekend, possibly another five the following weekend, then the firemouths after a couple more weeks.


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