? for you freshwater folks

[Dozer]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I need to think about it. I like the saltwater tanks more so fresh would have to be much easier to make it worth it for me.

Sherri/mathias- I'm thinking bare minimum for a 55, substrate- sand or crushed coral-, live rock, flourescent lights and some kind of skimmer (if you keep a real light load in there you could get away with a not so good cheap skimmer I think). More circulation would be nice, but if you do a sump your return will circulate, and if no sump you could just use HOB skimmer which will always provide circulation. Again, I'm just thinking of bare minimum.

Many people would probably say you could do it without live rock, but I think it's so much easier to keep everything balanced with live rock and actually makes for less maintenance.

Someone- Thanks for the offer. I will probably be PMing you if I decide to go freshwater. A bunch of schooling Tiger Barbs in a 55 sounds kind of cool to me, or cichlids...

Vinh- Thanks for the info, I'll remember that if I decide to go freshwater.

[TexasState]

With saltwater, you can't pack too many fishes without having algae problem. A freshwater tank would be impressive looking with a shoal of 50 or more Neon, or a school of 25 or more Harlequin Rasbora. People have different favorites & opinions. I don't like Tiger Barb, they stress me when I see them biting each other. Danio are too fast and make my eyes go loco. Here's picture of my neglected 55 gallons planted tank:
I haven't got around to reconnect the CO2 back into the tank for about 3 months now: http://uweb.txstate.edu/~xp42012/mis...ed-tank006.jpg

[Sherri]

Yeah...Mike...I'm thinking something simple salt also...I can actually spare a few rocks from my 110 reef, and I still have 1 1/2 bags of Aragonite...could get a couple of powerheads. I currently have a hang on filter on the back of it. Would that work? Would remove carbon.

Would still need to figure the possiblility of sump, lighting...etc.

Oh boy...Mike...here we go... :shock:

[prof]

Ok, it depends on what you want. Lets start with salt...

Use any substrate you want. I prefer somthing a little more fine but coarse works too. You can use live rock or holy rock/limestone. It is good to have some sort of calcium sink in a salt tank.

Pick your favorite salt water fish, angel, trigger, tang, etc. Avoid anything that will not eat flake food. We are going for an easy tank. We don't want to have to maintain a pod population.

Pick some inexpensive lights that provide the color spectrum you want. The more light you add the more you will have to fight algae. Don't expect much coraline growth on the rock with out the better lights.

Filtration...get a hang on filter. Something that will run a filter pad and/or carbon. Don't bother with a skimmer. With fish only most of the 'dirt' in the tank will be caught by a filter pad. Your protien levels won't be real high like you find in a reef tank.

Flow is not as important in a FO tank. If you have dead spots get a powerhead to keep crud from settling in the corners.

And then my favorite part. Snails, crabs, starfish, shrimp, lobsters, etc. I love the creepy crawlies. Get a jawfish or a goby that will eat flake food and set them loose. The will keep the substrate clean for you. This will keep the grime suspended so the filter can pull it out.

You can do FO real easy and cheap as long as you don't get sucked in to trying to create a reef This should give you something to read.

[Dozer]

Dave- Thanks for all that!

How about a short list of very easy, very hardy fish that will coexist with all those creepy crawlies and eat flake and/or pellet food?

[mathias]

I say you go salt and get a eel.... that way you have a pet thats fun

I want a eel but I have other fish :(

or a 55gal salt with a mantis shrimp?