[Eddie327]

Hi all,
I recently started a 55 gallon tank. I am using a couple of the T5 HO bulbs I think are 54 watts each, a Marineland 350 canister filter, and also a Co2 unit. My first question is about the filter. It seems to put a pretty hefty current in the tank. What plants/fish would work best with a current? I have several pieces of driftwood also in the tank. Thinking of adding java ferns and anubias to those. I do need to get some high reaching plants for the back of the tank. My wife is more on the fish side of this project. A few of the fish I have added to the 55 from my 29 gallon seem to be straining against the current. That is why I was asking about fish that could handle the current from the 350 canister. Any insight is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Ed

 

[thedood]

I have that same filter and its a work horse. I would add a fine sponge prefilter like the ati filter max II. That will slow the flow just a little and keep you from breaking open the can for cleaning so often. Also the head on that outflow of that canister swivels. What I did was aim it slightly at the back glass of the aquarium and broke the output up that way.

As for fish I have Espei rasboras and they LOVE to play in the flow. The will swim against it and then let it fling them across the tank and they will all do it at the same time, they just line up and go at it lol. Seems weird but they also seem to do it at the same clock time, about 9pm.

I have Ludwigia repens right near the output of mine and it grows like gang busters.

 

[Freemananana]

A spray bar will lessen the current and disperse the flow more evenly, not sure what return you have on there now. Most fish like the current though. Some fish, fancy species in particular, are not strong swimmers and struggle. But your torpedo body fish are usually pretty happy in the current. Most plants, after adjusting, do well in current. I would suggest vals for the background of a 55g or wisteria. Vals are taller and thinner, more suitable. But wisteria does grow tall and fast. Vals would look better IMO.

Fish species that would do well include most barbs in my experience. I would be tempted to house a small/medium school of only Denison barbs. They are beautiful, active, large, fish.

AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor


You can probably house 6-8 in a planted tank with that canister without issue if you keep up with water changes. I'll dig out some photos of my denisons or you can creep through my profile and find my old 75g tank. They are one of my favorite fish. If I had deep pockets, I'd buy a huge school of them for my next project.

 

[easternlethal]

Having strong current just on one side of the tank is not really a good design for flow. Try to get it to really travel all around the tank and back to the intake in a circular fashion - with current touching all sides of the tank.Once you try doing that you may find that you actually don't have enough flow.

Read about the difference between turbulent (wrong) flow and laminar flow (right) here:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...cussion-laminar-vs-turbulant-flow.html#/enter

 

[Eddie327]

Thanks for all the great info and suggestions! I actually have moved some wysteria, jungle val, and red ludwigia from my old tank already. I just recently started up the Co2 so we'll see how they do. I have also added several guppies and neons to the new tank. Guppies seem to love the new digs as I already am finding babies swimming around. The neons not so much. I found a couple of floaters this morning. The two gouramis seem to be good also. I really want to have some schooling fish.

The lighting I have, as I mentioned, is one strip light using two T5 HO 54w tubes. Would another be beneficial or overkill?

I forgot to mention, along with the Co2 I am using fertilizer tabs and liquid supplements. I am going to look into the spray bars and fish suggestions now!

Thanks again!