*** Quoting Jl from a message to All ***

Jl> Tank is called a 55 gal but after I measured internal dimensions it wo
Jl> out to 43 gal approx.  Same tank at store is "55gal"??
Jl> (interior dimensions: 47.5 x 17 x 12.375 = 9992.8125 inches cubed =
Jl> 43.258929 US gallons)

US gallons are larger than the other standard.  This is most of your
¨discrepancy most likely.

Jl> Set up tank, let pumps run for 24 hrs to allow chlorine to dissipate/w
Jl> to age, run tests.
Jl> Didn't think I'd find anything but wanted to establish base line and d
Jl> find 1ppm ammonia.  pH is high, 7.8 (tonight it tested at 7.2 at home)
Jl> Everything else 0.  Took water to store for free test (they also do
Jl> alkalinity, hardness, chlorine, and chloramine and to confirm I'm doin
Jl> tests correct.  They find 6.8 pH and 2ppm ammonia.  I get White Diamon
Jl> Ammonia-Neutralizing Crystals, put into mesh bag and laid in bottom of

Wince.  You killed the natural bacteria with that.  This will mean the tank
is ¨neither self cleaning, nor mainentance low.

Remove the crystals and most of the water and try again.  This time, let
the ¨tank cycle.  It *will* spike and that is expected.  Let it ride and it
should ¨establish naturally.

> start with 5 platys of various colors (following cycling instructions
> from The Simple Guide to Fresh Water Aquariums)

Yes.  Let it cycle.  Most tank problems are due to inadiquate cycling, IE
¨getting in a hurry.

>
Jl> Once ammonia was at 0 we put in 4 Red Wag Platys and 3 Gold Crescent P
Jl> (Mickey Mouse Platys?)  *Just lost a pregnant GC Platy this morning*.
Jl> We'll leave them for a week or week and a half and add some more.  I'm
Jl> testing daily to watch the spikes as tank cycles.  Looking now for a b
Jl> feeder to start assisting in tank maintenance.  I'm feeding flake in t
Jl> morning and blood worms at night.

The feeding is fine but if the tank isnt cycled truely and you are
controlling ¨it by having to add chemicals all the time to 'adjust' then do
not add more ¨fish and stop the chemicals and let nature do it's thing. 
You may lose some ¨fish now over this, but in the long run you will keep
fish healthy once all is ¨cycled right.

Jl> My questions:
Jl>  1. Why is my tank called a 55 gallon when it holds 45 gallons?

US gallons VS Imperial

Jl>  2. Is my filter adequate?  Over filtering is good, right?

Your filtering seems fine.  Over is fine.  Do not change the filters out
while ¨cycling.

Jl>  3. Will the aeration of the filter(s) be enough, or do I need to
Jl>  supplement it? It keeps the water at the top moving pretty good.  May
Jl> much?

With your current load of fish, it is fine as it is.  Might actually be a
bit ¨much more than the fish want.

Jl>  4. Real plants are pretty much out unless I upgrade the light,
Jl>  correct?  Would Java Fern be ok or should I just go with plastic
Jl>  plants?

Correct.  Also with your current lights, you shouldnt have much of an algae
¨buildup.  On Java vice plastic, you can mix them fine.
                                       xxcarol

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