Hi I am pretty new to this forum and have found it to be every every helpful. I started keeping fish since I was a kid and had two huge ponds in my backyard that I grew very large koi fish in. A few months ago i found a complete 10g tank that someone threw out so I took it and started to keep fish in it and loved it so much I went out and found a 55g tank so I could house more fish which I loved. Still have to cycle the tank and all but here is the list of what I have for the tank, and intend on getting and could use some advice on anything which you guys would think be helpful/make a better/more beautiful tank. I intend to have live plants in it so advice on what kind I should get, and substrate would be very nice, I know with the lighting I am getting I will probably have to also get a co2 injector but have NO experience with this...I will take pictures/post them hopefully next wednesday, on vacation till then =)

-Standard 55gallon tank
-48" 260W PL Aquarium Light Reef Marine Fish Tank Hood Light
-Eco Complete Planted Black Aquarium Substrate
-Aqueon Submersible Aquarium Heaters 150watts
-Aqueon Aquarium Power Filters 400gph
-large piece of manzanita driftwood

Fishes
1xRainbow Shark
7-10xTiger Barbs
1xCommon Pleco

-advice on any fishes that are dark in color and similar to these and could live in the same condition and space as these would also be nice

-for plants I will most likely get some java moss, java ferns and was wondering what other plants would be good for my tank

-i will update with pics of tank and as I slowly start to build it, let me know if the filter and heater I got will be inefficient and what is the cheapest way to add co2 to my tank safely for my fish/plants, thankyou for any advice!

ok so here are a few pics of the tank so far, will update it regularly as i add more parts/plants/fish =)

Green Barbs are a dark green (very pretty) and will be fine with the other barbs. Google Image Result for http://www.ppaquarium.com/..%5Cimages%5CSUMATRA%20BARB%20GREEN.JPG

I have a plant book "The 101 Best Aquarium Plants" that has a small list for "rough tanks" - tanks with Oscars, large barbs, cichlids, plecos, catfish, gold fish etc...

Anubias spp. (Many different types)
Crinum spp. (Onion plant, Natans and Calamistratum) *DWARF onion plant is NOT aquatic*
Microsorum pteropus (types of Java Ferns)
Vesicularia spp. (types of Java mosses)

It has a little blurb after the list that says "These plants are generally safe with any fish, as they are rugged and some simply taste bad. Floating plants are usually fine with all fishes as well."

__________________
20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

- Nova Extreme T5HO X2 - Freshwater
- I would change the heater to either
Marineland Stealth Pro
or better yet
EBO Jager Heaters
- Try power filters made by Marineland

If you can spend a little more. Try Sunsun, best bang for your buck canister filter

__________________
55g tank build

thankyou holly for the suggestions, im definitely going to get some green barbs, might have 6 tiger barbs and and 6 green ones...they look so nice and i think will look great with a planted aquarium. also thanks for the plant list...was really wondering what plants would survive my pleco, haha

also thanks sqtran, didnt know much about canister filters and now im definitely going to go out and get one

did some more research on canister filter, and saw a lot of people recommended this one as the best bang for buck and was wondering if this is true, if anyone uses canister filters and knows a lot I would really appreciate the advice before I spend my money on this.

Rena 721 Filstar XP2 Canister Filter

If you go with the light in the link above, you'll really need to pay attention to your lighting time. That light really should require CO2. That is essentially the same thing I have over my 75g. I have pressurized CO2 and dose fertilizer.

I would say that if you don't plan on CO2, to go to a different lower wattage fixture. That one really isn't good for lo-tech and will just make your tank an algae factory.

No problem! Glad to help.

You've got to post pics once you've got it set up and stocked!

__________________
20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

The renas are indeed good filters.I had one on my 29 for a long while.I just took it off as the seal went(its old)but they do filter and polish pretty well.My suggestion though,if you go with one,find a different set of inlet and output tubes as the ones with the canister is crap.They break way too easy.You can find a nice set of glass or acrylic.They look freakin sweet!

I have a nova extreme over my 29 and its well worth the money.I saw sqtran suggested it. know nothing on the light you have now,but if you do go with anything HO you will want Co2.I am currently in the process of going pressurized myself.

__________________
http://bountifulbettas.blogspot.com/

"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"

ok so just came back form vacation and finally finished moving into my apartment heres a few pics of my setup so far, still need to get a co2 system and a canister filter to replace the aqueon filter. also just ordered some xmas moss, java mass, java fern, and i think some slim leaf java fern. so you think I would really need a co2 system for these plants? and my wattage is about 125ish. i could double that but then I know ill for sure have to get a co2 system. also the plants in there already were ones I moved from my 10 gallon tank, think it was some mondo grass, some kind of anubis, and a mimosa moss ball all from petco. This is basically my first fish tank seeing as how I only had a 10 gallon before and only for a month before I realized the fish I was keeping and wanted should not be in a 10 gallon tank (pleco, rainbow shark, and tiger barbs)

When I posted that about CO2, I was only referring to the light in the link that someone provided. What exact fixture do you have?

48" 260W PL Aquarium Light Reef Marine Fish Tank Hood Light

I only have the 2x65w lights on at this time so about 130w

If you're still lurking here, you should put some moss on that manzanita driftwood. It'd look awesome.

__________________

haha great minds think alike, heres pigeonfish, heres an update on my tank, actually even got more plants after this vid was taken but ill post those later.

-Here are a few vids of my tank and my fish

That moss sure is growing good.

Beautiful tank btw.

__________________

heres an update with pics of a few new plants, still waiting on the blyxa and stargrass. enjoy and please leave any suggestions

Very nice!

What do you think of the rena canister?

__________________
http://bountifulbettas.blogspot.com/

"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"

i think it works great but hey what do i know this is my first canister filter, thanks for suggesting it by the way it keeps my water clean and fish very happy =)

also next thing i need to do after looking at this pic is to take off the black wallpaper in the back and clean the glass haha, was in such a rush getting this tank up i forgot to clean the back of the tank

No problem!

Yeah I need to clean my glass more often.but I cheated.The back is spraypainted,lol.

__________________
http://bountifulbettas.blogspot.com/

"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"

The Java Moss looks familiar Is there CO2 setup for this tank? Great start!!

haha yea thanks so much for the java moss, they are doing great! and yes I ended up getting a paintball co2 system, kind of scared to do more then 1 bps because i heard roseline sharks are really sensitive to co2 and need a lot of o2 so have been either not turning the co2 on or just 1-1/2 bps when the lights are on