[sean forrey]

Hey I just finished up setting up a new 55 gallon aquarium and am cycling it, and need advice for when I stocking it!
Below is a List of fish ive seen and liked...

• Black Phantom Tetra
• Red Belly X-Ray Tetra
• Cory Catfish
• Ghost Catfish:-D
• Bleeding Heart Tetra
• Mystery Snail
• Golden Dojo Loach
• Ghost Shrimp
• African Dwarf Frog
• Cherry Barb
• Rainbow Shark:-D
• Black Ruby Barb

I would like as much diversity in the tank so as many different kinds of fish as i can, i want the schooling fish to be in small to medium schools, and please don't give me an OVER stocked suggestion thank you!

 

[MoneyMitch]

what is your ph gh and kh?

 

[sean forrey]

what is your ph gh and kh?

Well my ph is confusing me its somewere between 7.4 and 7.8 I think.... and I have NO idea how to mesure my gh and also have no idea what kh is! this is why I joined this form thing so smart people like you can remind me / inform me about all this stuff I don't know
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[MoneyMitch]

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-articles/water-hardness-ph-freshwater-aquarium-73276/

have a read here, you could even message Byron for further explination after reading the article ^^

 

[sean forrey]

ok thank you I read it my IQ went up for a second and then my brain exploded.... i messaged brian cause i was still confused on some things

 

[jaysee]

welcome to the forum

Many of the fish you listed are appropriate for a 55 gallon tank. A few are not. The dojo loaches grow pretty large and the narrowness of the tank makes it on the small size. In my opinion it would be best to put them in a tank that is 48x18. The rainbow shark could work, depending on the stock you choose. The ADFs might have trouble. They are slow to get food, and are easily out competed. I know some people keep them in community tanks, and that's great. I'm just informing you of a potential problem with doing so.

 

[sean forrey]

welcome to the forum

Many of the fish you listed are appropriate for a 55 gallon tank. A few are not. The dojo loaches grow pretty large and the narrowness of the tank makes it on the small size. In my opinion it would be best to put them in a tank that is 48x18. The rainbow shark could work, depending on the stock you choose. The ADFs might have trouble. They are slow to get food, and are easily out competed. I know some people keep them in community tanks, and that's great. I'm just informing you of a potential problem with doing so.

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[TitanTDH]

Hey mate and welcome. AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor may provide
Some assistance with stocking levels and warnings. Glad to read the cycle is in progress. Can I recommend the API master test kit to get ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. API also have the GH and KH test kit in one pack which will make checking easy.
Not being rude, but is this your first tank? Reading up on the frog it says to quarantine for three months. The diet may cause issues with the shrimp. And with sensitivity to ammonia nitrite and nitrate may cause grief at the end of the quarantine period.
But all the same it sounds like you are on the way to an epic tank.
Look forward to updates
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[jaysee]

Yes, the dwarf frog disease is bad. I don't know that first one needs to be quarantined, but each additional does as to not infect the others. It can take a little time for it to become apparent. If not quarantined, it can wipe out your frogs. I don't know of any meds or anything for it, so it's my understanding that it's just a matter of waiting to see if the frog gets sick and dies or not.

 

[sean forrey]

Thank you everyone so far for your support! I did more resherch and have ruled out the dojo loach because jasee's point was right and they grow to big, I don't forsee upgraiding this tank ether, I think when I get my tax returns I'm going to set up a whole new 20g long and a quarenteen tank for the frogs... ( cause I like them) ... they would have trouble competing for food and are more complicated than I antisipated I have learned (thanks titan for helping) and yes and no this is my first tank I desided to do the right way unlike all those tanks from like a year ago when I bout a tank did a poor cycle then thought a tiger oscar was a cute little guy and bought him..... I have the API master test kit and am gona buy the one for GH and KH once I get paid my tax returns... (aparantly taxes are my fish bonus lol) the shrimp's diet looks doable although I am gona read more about it after this! So basicaly I've ruled out the loach the frogs, rainbow shark, thanks guys
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[sean forrey]

Oh and titan, I will be checking out that compatability type calculator later today!, I generaly do not like using my phones internet... (its hard to multitask...) so thanks n ill post how that went
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[Byron]

On the GH and KH, don't waste money on a test kit which you may only use once. Assuming you are on municipal water, you can contact the water folks and ascertain the GH (general hardness) and KH (carbonate hardness, sometimes termed Alkalinity) for your water. Once you know this, you will know where you stand, as these values change very little if at all in the aquarium. The article of mine that was mentioned previously and which you read explains the co-relation between GH, KH and pH, and this is worth knowing but unless adjustments are to be made to the source (tap) water, not a big issue.

Some fish do have fairly specific requirements with respect to GH and pH, so it is wise to know what you have coming out of the tap. Selecting fish to suite your water is much easier and safer. And here I'll mention our profiles, under the second heading from the left in the blue bar across the top; data on water parameters, tank sizes, minimum numbers for shoaling fish that need a group, and compatibility issues are included for each species. If the name (scientific or common) in the profile is used the same in a post it will shade to form a link to that profile, as some of the names in your first post did.

When we know the GH we can narrow things down a bit. There are a few issues with the named fish, and bear in mind that those which are shoaling fish need a group which takes up space.

Last, but certainly not least...welcome to Tropical Fish Keeping forum.:-D

Byron.