First Planted Tank - 29 gallon

Batboi3000

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 30, 2009
717
1
0
40
Huron, SD
This is a new journey for me and any input would be appreciated. I have a 29 gallon that I have been slowly upgrading. Here's the specs on my tank.

Substrate: Straight Pool Filter Sand. Ordered 2 bags of Seachem Onyx Sand though... Anyone had experience with this stuff?
Lighting: Reef style Compact flourescent, one 65w 12,000k daylight bulb, one 65w actinic bulb
Filter: Penguin 350 HOB filter, and a hydro sponge filter.
Fish: 4 platy, 1 male betta, 1 bristle nose pleco
Plants: Telanthera, Narrow leaf Java Fern, Water Sprite, Sunset Hygro (I think), Bacopa Caroliniana, Golden Pond Penny, and a couple I don't know.

2013-02-15_08-14-39_512.jpg

Can anyone tell me what this palm tree looking stem plant in the sand is? A couple of the plants I got from a friend, he couldn't tell me what they were himself.
2013-02-15_08-15-04_325.jpg

2013-02-15_08-15-19_373.jpg

2013-02-15_08-15-31_380.jpg

2013-02-15_08-15-51_333.jpg


I am planning on changing out the actinic bulb soon as well as trying this onyx sand. Also thinking of what other fish to put in. Thinking some Angels for sure, maybe some tetras, and would like to try some german blue rams too. The tank has been planted since February 3. Most the plants melted a good bit due to the change in lighting and probably due to the lighting being insufficient. At the time it was just a 20w General Electric T8 bulb. Would love to here input and thoughts to help make this better.

2013-02-15_08-14-39_512.jpg

2013-02-15_08-15-04_325.jpg

2013-02-15_08-15-19_373.jpg

2013-02-15_08-15-31_380.jpg

2013-02-15_08-15-51_333.jpg
 

Fat Homer

Mmmmm... Doughnuts
Staff member
Moderator
MFK Member
Mar 16, 2009
9,428
3,688
478
----
Those lights may cause you problems being reef lights... Since reef tanks tend to use bulbs different to freshwater planted tanks...

I would go with two bulbs in the 6700K - 10,000K range max, since it seems the higher the kelvin rating, the better it reaches to the bottom, bit also the more algae it can cause to start growing...

Also for stock, i would try and add a few algae eaters (either shrimp or fish or both) to help keep the plants from getting algae growth if it occurs...


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

Batboi3000

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 30, 2009
717
1
0
40
Huron, SD
Yeah... i realize the lights currently running are more salt water set up, and i am working toward new bulbs. But at $25 a bulb for this fixture it will take me a little time. A friend of mine said he has a 6700k bulb he'll give me that fits my fixture. Far as livestock, I do have some red cherry shrimp in a 5 gallon that i will likely add a few to the 29 eventually. Thanks for the feed back.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

HybridHerp

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 18, 2012
1,192
86
66
New York
Aside from the lighting, you are probably going to want to get more plants (you're still relatively low in plant mass imo) and you might also want to think about nutritional supplementation for your plants. I'm not sure if your lighting levels would be considered medium or high, but I'd be willing to bet you are at least at medium lighting....and since your substrate is just sand, your plants are going to want some form of nutrients to stay healthy.
 

FuriousFish

Piranha
MFK Member
Jan 8, 2012
2,427
98
81
America
Are u gonna get some other stock other then platies??
 

Batboi3000

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 30, 2009
717
1
0
40
Huron, SD
I did get some more stock this weekend. Bought 4 albino cory cats and 4 german blue ram cichlids. Looks way more fun now.

Far as substrate, i mentioned in my original post that i ordered 2 bags of Seachem onyx sand. Wasnt my first pick of substrate, but i had a bunch of store credit at my local fish store and the onyx sand was the best looking plant substrate the store could get. That should be here this Thursday or Friday and i could change it out this weekend.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

HybridHerp

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 18, 2012
1,192
86
66
New York
yah, no, even with that, I believe that substrate is similar to eco complete where it has no actual nutrients in it, but it is capable of absorbing the nutrients you put into the tank and making them more available to the roots of the plants.
 

Batboi3000

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 30, 2009
717
1
0
40
Huron, SD
What about Seachem's Flourite? I just picked up a Fluval EDGE 6 gallon and am transferring my 5 gallon shrimp tank over to the EDGE but want to put planted substrate in that too. I'm looking more at something actually black, not gray, and like the look of either the regular Seachem Flourite Gravel or Sand in black. I've heard good things about it. For now in my 29 everything seems to be at least stabilizing if not is really starting to have good new growth in the sand. Please keep the advice coming. I appreciate it.
 

Batboi3000

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 30, 2009
717
1
0
40
Huron, SD
For a new tank, just do organic potting mix capped with whatever you want. Totally worth it.
Yeah....Im kind of regretting not doing that with this 29. I even had the dirt for it. Still do have the dirt. Ive got 2 bags of miracle grow organic in the garage. Thinking about dirting my little 6 gallon EDGE tank and making that my shrimp tank. Otherwise i was going to order a bag of Flourite Black. How thick of a dirt layer do i need? I want to have black substrate and i already have black gravel and the dirt. Would save me $20+ on not buying the flourite.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store