https://www82.safesecureweb.com/webaquatics/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=CL53406&Category_Code=CLAAPF Theres one link but do a search im sure you can find a better price. This is 48 inches wich should be good for a 55 gallon. The price for these specific lights is a great one, if you look around you'll see alot of fixtures in comparison cost alot more. The bulbs alone cost close to 150 bucks in total! And those are included. Plus this fixture has 4 BLUE moon lights, these replicate the moons lighting with a nice blue hue at night when the fish are sleeping. Cuz in the ocean, at night its not totally dark right?? The moons lighting is there. This replicates that and it looks cool, i got it on mine. This fixture is 260 total thats good for alot of stuff. If you plan on going agressive, lionfish, triggers, and eels, you might be getting a little over your head, these things get big and are messy eaters, u have to feed them frozen or live fish, and keep in mind with a 55 gallon tank, ur only gonna be able to keep 3 big agressive fish max. Since there so messy they require more water changes and stuff cuz the water gets dirty quick, the pieces are all there u just gotta decide what u wanna do with em. If your laidback with ur fish dont get agressive
Cool stuff man. On that fixture, are those white lights the same as i have now? Once again, thanks for the help man, i really appreciate it!
Wait at least a week or two before you start adding ANY kind of fish or else you'll just be wasting money. Some people put a dead shrimp in the tank to help start the cycle. As far as lighting goes.... I'm running this ballast which powers up to two 48" bulbs. Depending on if you want to eventually put corals in your tank is going to greatly affect what kind of lighting you'll want to get. For fish, you should only need the Actinic White 50/50's, but if you're going to have corals you'll want either the super actinics or coralife along with the actinic white 50/50. Around 8 watts per gallon should be good enough to keep any kind of corals, but some may not grow as fast. http://hellolights.com/22elarovhoba.html
OK, sorry I havent responded any sooner. By saying aquascaping I mean placing rock and deco (kinda like landscaping). Also, you dont need all that expensive lighting if you going with FOLR (fish only with live rock). And SOME coral will live with regular lighting (it just wont grow as good or flourish as good). Unless you want a reef (which I DO NOT recommend since you are a beginner), then I wouldnt worry about the lighting, just use regular light strips. Also like I said, damsels are a great beginner sw fish. I you are wanting a predator tank, I would go with a snowflake moray eel and a small trigger (which are both good fish for beginners, just make sue you have lots of live rock so the eel an hide). Or you can go with what I have which is a Green Wolf Eel (also called a wolf eel blenny or carpet blenny). Man this guy is MEAN AS HE$$. He attacks my finger through the glass. And as long as you keep him fed well (which I feed mine frozen silversides daily), you CAN keep other fish in there with him. As long as the fish is too big for his mouth, you will be fine. You can keep damsels and a clown or whatever you want. Usually, you cant keep reefs with predator fish anyway unless its a larger tank. You will also want a clean up crew for the bottom (like aquatic hermit crabs). They will eat leftover food and even my crabs will eat the Eels *****, lol. Here is a pic of my Eel, Im getting more live rock soon. I know I dont have enough, I only have about 15 lbs in a 55 gallon tank.
That thing looks COOL! Do u guys ever order fish online? Or do u strictly go through local stores? The one store around here has a really big eel then a baby one. Along with Petco only having babies. I got 3 damsels today, and they are acting really shy. I got 1 yellow tail with a blue body, then i got a black/white stripe one, then a blue one that kinda fades down to white. Sorry i dont know the names of them, im still workin on it But they are mostly staying under rocks and or branches. They have only been in for a couple hours so hopefully they get a little more active. If this is how they are gonna act, im gonna want to get more aggressive type of fish. They seem to be more fun to watch. I like the idea of getting an eel, i will have to keep my eye out for one that i like.
I had a 100 gallon tropical saltwater tank in the ast.. does take moderate upkeep.. My fav fish i have owned were my two redbellyed parahanas.. I want more of those but dont feel like driving to Oregon to get them.
Hey guys, another issue im having. My tank will get warm, above 80* if i turn on the heater...with the heater only being at 68*. I figured the heater would cut off but it doesnt. Also, im not sure how it actually heats it up past that amount with it only being at 68* so im a little confused. I think im gonna call the shop. Looks like i will have to leave the heater off
I'm in the process of getting another tank. I currently have a 55 gallon and a 10 gallon. I am a big fan of african cichlids. I absolutely love my parrot fish and convicts. I'm going to be getting a 125 gallon probably the 1st of the new year and getting more cichlids. Here's some pics:
Wow, kinda surprised to read so much interest in fish here. The wife is big time into goldfish. We have two. They are moving into a 90 gallon tank soon. We've had one for 4 years now. And together they just squirted out their first eggs (bout a douzen fry). Maybe I'll get her to post up here, cause I know nothing about them. One peice of advice, set up your tank a while before you put fish in. The store clerks don't stress this (scares some folks off), but you will have fewer problems if you start the tank and let the water cycle far in advance of putting fish in. I think I heard that a month was ideal, but my brain is full with Mustang crap, so the fish stuff just goes in one ear and out the other.
I never would guessed there would be this much interest either. I currently have a 75e with 4 medium-sized bala sharks, 1 large pleco, 4 silver dollars, and a huge 5yr old kissing gourami. I also have a 45gal corner hex tank with 3 black-skirt tetras, 2 clown loaches, 2 serpae tetras, and a small pleco. I'm currently in the process of building my first tank, a 180gal plywood/glass that I plan on making a frontosa tank. I only read about half the thread, but I agree the larger tank the easier; also, if you buy a 'Python' (a kit that hooks up to your sink faucet and makes water changes 'no spill') it'll make life a lot easier, even with a small tank.
SexyStang1994, that is one pretty impressive tank you've got there. So far your's is the nicest. Is anyone willing to step up and top that?
Hey everyone, trying to start planning what i want to move toward so i want to make a list so i dont forget names of fish you guys recommend(already forgot some ) Anyway, i think i want to design the system around an eel...i like the looks of the snowflake eel. Which eel is all black? I know there are a couple fish people recommend that "take care of" the tank...lawnmower blenny fish was one, and i think a type of crab or something else but i cant remember. Obviously i dont plan on getting any of these other fish until well into the new year, so what would u recommend to go with the eel? I would like some colorful and rather "active" or i guess maybe "aggressive" fish. I've been on sites reading but i would like to know some real world experience/advice also. THANKS!:SNSign:
Another question, i've been looking at some fish that need a "soft" substrate...i have Florida Crushed Coral...so if i were to want to get those fish, would i have to take this stuff out? Or will i just add sand on top? Or is this stuff fine?
www.myfishtank.net A better place to ask specific questions; also they have a section that reviews a bunch of fish and tells which fish get along with which, etc.
Fish keeping is insanely addictive. Started out with a 20 gallon about 4 years ago and am up to a 55, the 20, a 10 gallon grow out, and a 125 sittin empty in the basement (can't decide to take the plunge and go salt, or do Frontosa) here's some links that may help you, or anyone else out that's interested.... www.fishindex.com www.cichlidforum.com www.cichlidforums.com www.myfishtank.net www.aquariacentral.com www.reefcentral.com www.saltwaterfish.com www.malawimayhem.com www.bigalsonline.com
