# Equipping a 29 gallon



## _ReApEr

Hey, guys, first post. ^^

I've got some questions now and I'm sure I'll have more later, so let's get the party started.

Currently, I have a beta and an ADF in a 1.5 gallon. I have a 29 gallon (30" wide, 18" tall, 12" deep) tank that I'm not currently using and was originally planning on stocking with tetras and stuff, but I've just decided I'm going to go ahead and spoil the beta and ADF with 29 gallons. But the thing is, I only have the tank itself, no equipment. So I need to buy all that good, fun stuff. Before I do, though, I figured I'd consult some people who know what they're talking about. ;p

Some details before the questions:
- I plan on planting it lightly-moderately at first, possibly moving to heavily planted in the future. Low-maintenance ones like the javas and such.
- The beta and ADF get along fine and I also had some ghost shrimp with the two quite a while ago, and the beta had no problems with them. So I may add some shrimp, too.

'kay, the questions:

Is it even possible to plant a tank with such a small bio load? Will I have to fertilize and/or inject CO2 for that to work?

For a filter, I'm looking at either a Penguin BIO-Wheel 150 or a Emperor BIO-Wheel 280. What are your guys' opinions? Is one better than the other? Should I be looking in a totally different direction for a filter?

For the heater, I'm looking at a 100w Jäger Heater. Will this do?

Thermometer-wise, I'm just going with a basic Hagen Thermometer. But would you guys recommend in any direction between Floating Glass, Floating Glass w/Suction Cup, Stainless w/Hanger, or Plastic w/Suctioncup?

And last, I don't even know what to do with lighting. I'm thinking somewhere between 2 and 3 watts/gallon, so somewhere in the ballpark of 60-90 watts total. I don't know what type of lighting to go with, though I'm thinking CFs. I don't know what kind of fixture/hood I need or anything, so some direction in that sense would be great.

Is there anything I missed? Does anyone have any criticism, suggestions, or info I should know? 


Thanks in advance.


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## jones57742

_ReApEr said:


> Is it even possible to plant a tank with such a small bio load?


Yes.




_ReApEr said:


> Will I have to fertilize and/or inject CO2 for that to work?


Yes wrt fertilization.
No wrt CO2 injection.




_ReApEr said:


> For a filter, I'm looking at either a Penguin BIO-Wheel 150 or a Emperor BIO-Wheel 280. What are your guys' opinions? Is one better than the other? Should I be looking in a totally different direction for a filter?


I have some experience with HOB's and smaller tanks but not a ton of it.
IMHO the Emperor BIO-Wheel 350 would be appropriate (long story but the moral is that the rated capacity of these filters vary significantly from the capacity when in service).

In addition do not replace the pad per the manufacturer's instructions as the activated carbon will soon cease being chemical filtration media and become principally biological filtration media which is what you really want but purchase an extra pad for emergencies.




_ReApEr said:


> I'm looking at a 100w Jäger Heater. Will this do?


It may do but I have no experience with these heaters.

I have had good luck with *Visi-Therm heaters* and the 150W IMHO would be appropriate.




_ReApEr said:


> Thermometer-wise, I'm just going with a basic Hagen Thermometer. But would you guys recommend in any direction between Floating Glass, Floating Glass w/Suction Cup, Stainless w/Hanger, or Plastic w/Suctioncup?


*A digital thermometer.*




_ReApEr said:


> And last, I don't even know what to do with lighting. I'm thinking somewhere between 2 and 3 watts/gallon, so somewhere in the ballpark of 60-90 watts total. I don't know what type of lighting to go with, though I'm thinking CFs. I don't know what kind of fixture/hood I need or anything, so some direction in that sense would be great.


Please review these *PC options*.





_ReApEr said:


> Is there anything I missed? Does anyone have any criticism, suggestions, or info I should know?


Yes: the substrate which you and your plants will enjoy.

TR


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## _ReApEr

Thank you for your answers.

Foster&Smith don't have the Emperor 350, is the 400 similar? Would you recommend it over the 280?

I'll go for a digital thermometer, that looks much better anyway. Thanks. 

Would the 30" of these be appropriate? And would you shoot for the single satellite or dual? 65w or 130w?

And, yes, of course I forgot the substrate! I love the look of sand or very fine gravel. Would either of these work? I love the look of Tahitian moon sand. If that would work, that's what I'd use. I'm just unfamiliar with what substrates plants like.

Thanks again!


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## frogman5

go with the aquaclear's as your filter they are nicer.....and i definitly recommend stealth heaters


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## trashion

Seconding the recommendation for Aquaclears and stealth heaters.


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## jones57742

_ReApEr said:


> Foster&Smith don't have the Emperor 350, is the 400 similar? Would you recommend it over the 280?


What you are after is a HOB which is rated for approximately 300GPH.

As I indicated I am not real familiar with HOB's and FM and Leah have recommended AquaClears.




_ReApEr said:


> Would the 30" of these be appropriate? And would you shoot for the single satellite or dual? 65w or 130w?


I would go with the 130W as this will allow you to grow even red pigmented plants.

I believe that this fixture has two cords (ie. allows for two timers) but please call Marine Depot and go over this as well as the appropriateness for your proposed setup with Ryan (just ask for him).




_ReApEr said:


> And, yes, of course I forgot the substrate! I love the look of sand or very fine gravel. Would either of these work? I love the look of Tahitian moon sand. If that would work, that's what I'd use. I'm just unfamiliar with what substrates plants like.


In order to start on this issue find some aggregate which is approximately 3/8" to 1/2" nominal size and provide a link to this aggregate.

TR


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## trashion

Leah? That's Ichthius. I'm Julie, jones


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## _ReApEr

Thank you, guys.

Okay, so now I'm looking at the 150w of these for the heater. Good?

And the AquaClear 70 for the filter. Comments?




jones57742 said:


> In order to start on this issue find some aggregate which is approximately 3/8" to 1/2" nominal size and provide a link to this aggregate.


Yeah... what? >.<!

Thanks again, guys, very appreciated.

EDIT: I was told some time ago that having carbon in the filtration system is a bad idea with a planted tank, though I can't remember why. Anyone know?


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## jones57742

_ReApEr said:


> Okay, so now I'm looking at the 150w of these for the heater. Good?


Yes and this should help you with the *manufacturer's product description, available parts, manuals, etc*.




_ReApEr said:


> Yeah... what? >.<!


You will need to spend some time Googling for and reviewing products such as *this*.

As I previously indicated what we are after is aggregate the nominal size of which is 3/8" to 1/2".

This aggregate will overlay and underlay a laterite material in your substrate.




_ReApEr said:


> EDIT: I was told some time ago that having carbon in the filtration system is a bad idea with a planted tank, though I can't remember why. Anyone know?


Yes.

Please refer to my original post in which I set forth
"In addition do not replace the pad per the manufacturer's instructions as the activated carbon will soon cease being chemical filtration media and become principally biological filtration media which is what you really want but purchase an extra pad for emergencies."

The Aquaclear does not have pads but has *inserts*.
Remove the Stage 2 insert and replace it with an additional Stage 3 insert.

TR


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## _ReApEr

Ahh, okay. I like the look of the onyx gravel, though I'd prefer it to be finer. Is that not possible? And just to make sure I have it straight, you generally put laterite (which I learned is a clay-like substrate good for plants, correct?) between two layers of your other substrate? Not just two layers, the laterite on bottom and the pretty stuff on top?

I'm excited to get this thing going, I just want to make sure I get everything pinned down before diving in. I appreciate your help.


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## Guest

If you want to stay away from co2, then I would stick to under 3wpg. A single 65w fixture would work. Or a T5 HO fixture, though the 30" ones are 48 watts. If you got a 130w fixture and used both bulbs, you would have algae out the wazoo without co2. I had the same fixture on a 29g with co2 and I had algae issues. Just letting ya know from experience.

I suggest Eco Complete over Onyx sand, if you want to pay that kind of money. Or Black Flourite. Onyx sand increases hardness quite a bit, from what I've read. Eco can increase it a bit, but not as much as Onyx.

Aquaclears are awesome filters. For a 29g, I would go with a 50. An AC70 would be super powerful. I had one on a 55g once and had to turn the flow waaaaay down.


If you plan to dose ferts in the water, you could skip the laterite IMO.  Especially if you buy substrate with nutrients in it too. I've never used laterite and I think my plants are growing nicely without it.


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## _ReApEr

Yay, second opinions!

That's kind of what I thought with the lighting: too much = algae problems galore. Hey, maybe I'll shoot for something in between, if I can find anything. And 5 planted tanks? Yeah, I think you'll be the one I go to when I have plant problems. ^.~ But you think it'd do fine with just the 65w?

About the substrate, I'm liking Eco Complete. Is this a substrate that has to be covered with something else, or is it fine by itself? And I'm thinking I will fertilize, simply because I like the idea of having only one substrate. Fertilizers won't hurt the ADF, will they? I know ADFs can't be in the tank while you're giving certain kinds of medication because they breathe through their skin, unlike fish. Is this also true with fertilizers?

Thanks again!


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## Guest

Yeah, 65w is definitely enough for alot of plants. I had that over my 29g for awhile before I got the 130w fixture and co2. I grew tons of stem plants, some grassy foreground plants, swords, and even Vals at one point. If you have the money, you could get a 130w fixture and just use 1 bulb. Then later on if you think you might get pressurized co2 eventually, you could use both. A single 65w would be plenty though.

Eco Complete stands alone.  You don't need to mix it or put anything over it. Its a mix of sizes.....its most like a small gravel, but there are some larger rocks in it. I've had plenty of bottom feeders with it and it didn't affect anyone. No, fertilizers shouldn't hurt the ADFs. Fertilizers are safe for just about any fish and even shrimp, if you choose the right ones. Scaleless fish that are sensitive to the meds like ADFs are fine with fertilizers, if you don't overdose. As far as I know, ADFs aren't sensitive to any certain metals or anything, like shrimp are to copper.


(actually I only have 4 planted tanks now, but I'm working on a 5th , my 29g is now a shell dweller tank)


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## _ReApEr

Awesome, I'll just go with a 65w, then. And probably Eco Complete, too, sounds good to me.

One question I had was: what to do about covering the rest of the top of the tank? The light fixture doesn't cover it all, is there something I can buy to do that or do I have to go to, say, Home Depot and get them to cut me a piece of plexiglass or something? 

Thanks for all the help thus far, guys, It's super appreciated. And I'm sure I'll have more questions!

Ooo, speaking of which (LOL): This is something I was kind of wondering. When I start the 29g up, to get it cycling faster, could I siphon out of the 1.5g I have them in now straight into the 29g? That should kind of "seed" it with the bacteria, right? Could I rub the filter cartridge that's currently in the 1.5g on the pads for the new filter to get colonies started on those quicker, too? Now that I'm on the subject (sigh), how would I go about getting ammonia into the tank to start the cycling? I can't exactly add a hardy fish to it to get it going since a beta will be going in once it's ready. Could I just put a bunch of food in the tank, let it break down, and let that cycle? Shouldn't that get things rolling? I'll have to look up articles on fishless cycling again.

Thanks again, guys!

EDIT: Reading up on it, I learned I can just buy pure ammonia to start it with. This is the article I read, would you guys agree with it?


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## emc7

Ammonia works, but make sure you have pure ammonia. It pretty common to find it with surfactants and then you get a foamy tank. You can also use frozen shrimp (people food) or even pee in the water (I don't recommend this, if you do it, don't tell us). Any organic to decay.


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## Guest

_ReApEr said:


> Awesome, I'll just go with a 65w, then. And probably Eco Complete, too, sounds good to me.
> 
> One question I had was: what to do about covering the rest of the top of the tank? The light fixture doesn't cover it all, is there something I can buy to do that or do I have to go to, say, Home Depot and get them to cut me a piece of plexiglass or something?


You could get some plexiglass, or you could buy a glass top that would go on top of the tank. I would get some sort of mounting legs for the fixture though and not rest it directly on the glass top (the heat can crack them). It would be fine elevated a bit off the glass though. Or you could have an open top tank....just have to be careful with jumpers. I keep mine open....but its my preference. 




_ReApEr said:


> Thanks for all the help thus far, guys, It's super appreciated. And I'm sure I'll have more questions!
> 
> Ooo, speaking of which (LOL): This is something I was kind of wondering. When I start the 29g up, to get it cycling faster, could I siphon out of the 1.5g I have them in now straight into the 29g? That should kind of "seed" it with the bacteria, right? Could I rub the filter cartridge that's currently in the 1.5g on the pads for the new filter to get colonies started on those quicker, too? Now that I'm on the subject (sigh), how would I go about getting ammonia into the tank to start the cycling? I can't exactly add a hardy fish to it to get it going since a beta will be going in once it's ready. Could I just put a bunch of food in the tank, let it break down, and let that cycle? Shouldn't that get things rolling? I'll have to look up articles on fishless cycling again.
> EDIT: Reading up on it, I learned I can just buy pure ammonia to start it with. This is the article I read, would you guys agree with it?


As long as you got some waste/stuff from the gravel out of the 1.5g, that would work. Water alone doesn't hold bacteria (maybe a tiny, tiny bit....). It likes to adhere to surfaces. There would be alot in the gravel and in the filter media.

Food would cycle it, but would be nasty to look at....or you can buy pure ammonia.

That article looks like a good one.


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## _ReApEr

Thanks, guys! 

So, just to wrap this up:

29gal tank
AquaClear 50 filter
65w light/fixture
Eco Complete
Digital Thermometer
Stealth Heater

I'll figure something out for the top. I want the lighting to have clear access to the water's surface (not glass in between), but I can't leave it open 'cause I've got the beta and I'll probably have some shrimp, too. But yeah, I'll find a way.

I'll start up a thread in Beginning Freshwater when I'm ready to start everything up. It'll likely be focusing on getting it cycled and the plants all set with which ones to use and proper fertilization and whatnot. 

Thanks so much, guys, and if you have any further suggestions with what I listed above, please do let me know.


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## Manthalynn

_ReApEr said:


> Thank you for your answers.
> 
> Foster&Smith don't have the Emperor 350, is the 400 similar?


I realize this is a moot point, but since I'm at the same point that you're at with my 29gal and I've been researching HOB filters I thought I'd mention it. The Marineland Emperor comes in 280 and 400. The Marineland _Penguin _comes in the 350 (and other sizes). Other than the ability to reduce the flow on the Emperors, I can't tell the difference, other than price. And that's the extent of my knowledge.

But you've got me starting to think about an AquaClear instead of a Penguin now!

Good luck with the tank, Reaper!


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## Guest

I had a Betta in an open 5.5g and never had issues....actually I've had a couple. That doesn't mean that any of them aren't capable of jumping. A 29g is pretty tall though, so the only thing I'd be worried about is if something chased the Betta to the top. 

I've also been lucky with my Red Cherry Shimp....never had jumpers. But, I've had many Amanos commit suicide. 


Just thought I'd share.


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## _ReApEr

Thanks, Manthalynn. I think I'm definitely going with an AquaClear, though, being they're so endorsed by the members here.

JustOneMore20, I won't be taking the chance, I'm definitely covering somehow. I'd feel awful if I woke up one day to find the beta dead on the floor or something. So yeah, not worth the risk. ^.^


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## emc7

The emperors have a taller filter pad than the penguins and a spray bar the turns the bio-wheel. So more surface area and insurance against the wheel stopping. All other things being equal, get the emperor. But i use them both with success.


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## _ReApEr

Okay, so I'm planning on ordering everything tomorrow. First, I thought it'd be a good idea to post everything in my cart to make sure there's nothing wrong with my selections. Let me know what you guys think.

I have a 29 gallon that I'll be mildly to moderately planting. It will only have a beta and an African dwarf frog, maybe some shrimp. So, here we go with my plans.

-60lbs of EcoComplete. I read I need two pounds per gallon. Is that right?
-The 30in/65w of these for lighting.
-A standard digital thermometer.
-The 150w of these for the heater.
-The AquaClear 50 for the filtration.
-I'll be replacing the activated carbon second stage insert with this for better compatibility with plants.
-Finally, a test kit.

Does that hit all the bases? Did I miss anything? Is there an outstanding problem with anything I chose?

Thanks again, everyone!


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## Manthalynn

Good luck! I ordered pretty much exactly what you did and it should be arriving Friday and Monday.

Can't wait to see how it turns out!


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## jones57742

_ReApEr said:


> Is there an outstanding problem with anything I chose?


IMHO yes.

Hopefully you have not ordered yet and hopefully em will comment today.

I should be back from the office fairly early (CDT) and will check in then.

TR


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## _ReApEr

No, I haven't ordered yet, I won't until it's agreed everything is fine. What did you see as a problem, though?


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## jones57742

*EcoComplete*

No direct experience as I employ a different substrate architecture but many folks on the Forum whose opinion I respect use this product.


*Single Satellite Compact Fluorescent Fixture*

The problem with the Single Satellite Compact Fluorescent Fixtures is the " 460 nanometer actinic bulb". IMHO not only is this useless but may also be counterproductive for FW (I have experimented with them and have a garage full of similar wavelength lamps).

Please call Matt give him my name and ask him if he can swap out the standard lamp for a 10000K lamp or a dual 6700K/10000K lamp. Also ask him about the remainder of your setup as he is very knowledgeable.


*AquaClear 50*

As I indicated I am not very familiar with HOB's but for $12 more you can get 1.5X additional turnover rate (ie. from 6x to 10x) and these are rated and not in-service values.


*Bio Modules*

Also please note that the removal of the activated carbon is just not for compatibility with plants but the ceramic bio modules will work just fine (I could not ascertain from the web page if you also needed to order a media bag?),


*Does that hit all the bases?*

The only other thing which I can think of is a canopy of lid for your tank and I am not familiar with these.


*Did I miss anything? Is there an outstanding problem with anything I chose?*

I hope not or your favorite West Texas ******* will obviously be black and blue around the eyes and other portions of the facial area!


TR


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## _ReApEr

Thanks for the feedback!

JustOneMore has experience with both the AquaClear 50 and 70 and recommended the 50 because the 70's flow was too fast. So I will probably go with that simply because of the experience.

I'm not familiar with MarineDepot, would you recommend it over Foster&Smith? I want to order everything from the same place to avoid extra shipping costs. I'll have to check the site out when I'm off work. I'll also look into different lighting, I just want something that's about the same price. Most of what I saw on Foster&Smith was much more expensive.

And, yeah, I'm still unsure what to do to cover the tank. I'm thinking I'll just try the one that came with the tank, an All-Glass one. If that doesn't work, I'll have to figure something out.

Thanks again for all your help.

EDIT: Just because I'm curious: What exactly is the problem with the bulb that comes with the single satellite? How is it counterproductive to FW (and I assume FW means FreshWater)?

EDITEDIT: So I did some research and found that actinics are really only any use in saltwater and, from what I gather, deeper tanks. And they look horrid in freshwater planted tanks, I've read. So, I guess I'll look for something else. If I were to call Matt, do I just call customer service at MarineDepot and ask for him, or...?

And about the light, since I'll need a replacement for the actinic: is a 6700K daylight a good substitute? Or a 6700K daylight/10000K white? Is one better than the other?


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## Manthalynn

_ReApEr said:


> I'm not familiar with MarineDepot, would you recommend it over Foster&Smith? I want to order everything from the same place to avoid extra shipping costs.


Per Kristin's advice (JustOneMore20) I purchased my lamp at Big Al's Online. They're having server maintenance, so I can't provide you with a link to the product, but the light she recommended was "SHP-7191543 $71.09 7878 Coralife Freshwater Aqualight Deluxe-Single 30" Strip" t is the 6,700/10,000k light recommended for Freshwater.

I actually purchased two shipments, one from Big Al's and one from Petsolutions.com. Big Al's had the light I wanted and pet solutions would ship the Eco Complete to me for much cheaper (like $12) than Big Al's. I drew up some spreadsheets and it was cheaper for me to purchase from both companies (including the double shipping...Big Al's was cheap except for the extra weight of the soil...that would have been $45) and just buy whichever was cheaper from each company.

I ordered last Saturday night and just recieved my Petsolutions shipment today. I'm expecting th Big Al's on Monday. I don't know if they're any better than the places you intend to shop, but I've been happy with them and they seemed cheaper. I also did a search for an online coupon for each of the companies and managed to save $15!

Hope that helps.


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## _ReApEr

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be sure to check Big Al's when it's back up.

What if I were to get the single satellite I posted and just got a 7600K/10000K bulb to replace the actinic? That'd only be an extra $20 or so, that's feasible. But I'll definitely check Big Al's when it's back up, that may indeed be cheaper. 

Thanks once again, guys.


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## jones57742

*Shag: I just lost an hour's worth of posting!!!! Please fix!!!! Mods: Please report to Shag as I am having to start over here!!!!*




_ReApEr said:


> JustOneMore has experience with both the AquaClear 50 and 70 and recommended the 50 because the 70's flow was too fast. So I will probably go with that simply because of the experience.


RAE:

This post may be abbreviated as just an hour preparing the first portion of a detailed post, lost it due to a bug in the Forum and am a little irritated.

I will say this in the nicest way that my West Texas ******* allows (although the Mods may still edit it) but your comment "simply because of the experience." elicits this section of my post.

There are many folks out there and once were on this Forum who I term Internet Parrots. They read posts on the Internet and parrot these posts without expending the effort required for exhaustive research of a topic or without the benefit of experience (I hope that I did that gently enough but that you get my drift).

10X rated turnover which yields probably 5X "in service" turnover is OK for a HOB (I know as I have two).

Dampening energy in a tank is generally not a problem but no way can you increase the HOB flow once you have purchased the filtration equipment.

I hope that TOS, em, lo... or others will weigh into this thread as they have more experience with this issue than I.




_ReApEr said:


> I'm not familiar with MarineDepot, would you recommend it over Foster&Smith?


F&S is in the fish world like HP is in the computer world, High Product/High Price and I have had good luck with them but I only order from them when MD does not carry a product which I want. I have a ton of very positive experience with MD.




_ReApEr said:


> I want to order everything from the same place to avoid extra shipping costs.


$4.50 from MD is nothing compared to the cost of the equipment or to get the equipment which you want or to the grief which you will experience "down the road".




_ReApEr said:


> And, yeah, I'm still unsure what to do to cover the tank. I'm thinking I'll just try the one that came with the tank, an All-Glass one. If that doesn't work, I'll have to figure something out.


If this what I am thinking about it has a hinged portion of the lid for routine maintenance and feeding.

I do not mind my fixtures being exposed.

You might consider ordering *docking mounts.* Many folks use them with their Satellite fixtures but I do not as my fixtures are less width than my tank.




_ReApEr said:


> EDITEDIT: So I did some research and found that actinics are really only any use in saltwater and, from what I gather, deeper tanks. And they look horrid in freshwater planted tanks, I've read. So, I guess I'll look for something else. If I were to call Matt, do I just call customer service at MarineDepot and ask for him, or...?


I appreciate your research as it will save you and me grief.

Yes: just call the 800 number and ask for him: most of their folks are good but he is the best one which I have found who works on week days (Ryan works on week ends and is very good also).




_ReApEr said:


> And about the light, since I'll need a replacement for the actinic: is a 6700K daylight a good substitute? Or a 6700K daylight/10000K white? Is one better than the other?


IMHO and if I were in your position I would go with the 10000K/6700K dual.
You will get the benefit of the daylight portion (6700K) of the bulb but without the overwhelming yellowish tint.




_ReApEr said:


> Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be sure to check Big Al's when it's back up.


Do what you want to here and a bunch of folks have had luck with Big Al's but I ordered some liquid fert's from them in large bottles, the bottles came in with the caps loose and liquid in the plastic and leaking, was a mess on the showcase in the office foyer and the fancy tile, called Big Al's, got tired of the hassle and when I used the fertilizer I cannot go into due to Forum liability issues.

TR


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## Manthalynn

jones57742 said:


> Do what you want to here and a bunch of folks have had luck with Big Al's but...


TR, thank you for your true experience! I'm very new but since not many people responded, I thought I would just put in my two cents (compared to your $20!)

Internet parrots! Love it!

Thanks again!


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## jones57742

Manthalynn said:


> I thought I would just put in my two cents (compared to your $20!)


Sam:

Everyone's experience is $20 and not $0.02!!!!

You will probably be able to save me grief by helping me based on what you are about to get into.

Also and as I am certain that you are aware I have spent a ton of time trying to help you gals out here (I hope). Please do the same for other folks on the Forum as that is what this Forum is all about.




Manthalynn said:


> Internet parrots! Love it!


Sam:

The above does not sound like West Texan but it is and is the best way I know to express my thoughts.

These parrots can cause folks who are new to fish keeping a bunch of grief, ie. a bunch of dead or dying fish, a bunch dead or dying plants and a ton of money in retrofitting should they decide to continue their pursuit of fish keeping.

The world would be a better place if they just posted "Polly Want A Cracker".

TR


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## Manthalynn

I'll try my best to help out, but I'm still so new myself. (But, fear not, when capable, I will help. I have a pathological need to be helpful)

*TR:* Remembering an earlier post of yours, the GH tester kit box I got in my shipment from Petsolutions was crushed. Which is odd because everything else around it was fine, including the larger box it came in. So they intentionally packaged a crushed one. It's purely cosmetic, though, as the glass vials and plastic chemical bottles are fine. (Mods, if this comment is litigation worthy, please delete and let me know so I don't slip up again!)

*Reaper:* I got my AquaClear 50 filter last night and just set it up. Hopefully you're mechanically inclined because it's got a lot of parts to put together! (Lucky for me I enjoy putting together things from better than usual but still sketchy directions.) And when I first plugged it in, the impeller rattled awfully. So I took it apart, fiddled with the impeller and made no apparent changes, but it's moderately quieter now. Oh, and let me know if you get two intake tubes. The "Parts you should have" drawing only showed one. But the instructions say to add a second tube if you want to reach deeper water. I'm not complaining, just curious.

Oh, ye wise ones with more experience than me (that would be more than 4 months...) is moderate noise just inherent and directly proportional to the size and gph of a filter?

Ok, reaper, back to you. Sorry to hijack your thread.


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## _ReApEr

Haha, no problem, Samantha. The more discussion, the better. I very much appreciate both your guys' opinions and criticism. 

Alright, so, about the filter: You do bring up a good point about the flow in that once you buy the filter, there's no making it pump faster. With a bigger filter, you can tune it down. However, it'll be used for a beta and I know betas tend to like calmer waters. So what would be the reason I'd ever have to turn the flow up? Is it ever important to do that for any particular reason? I just don't want to go ahead and pointlessly spend the extra money if it's only ever going to be used tuned way down.

And about the lighting, once again. If I were to go ahead and get this fixture, then this bulb is compatible and would be best, correct? Just want to make certain before I buy the bulb and find it doesn't fit the fixture or something. >.<

I'll take your advice and switch to MarineDepot. I work tomorrow, but I'll call Monday afternoon and ask for Matt. You said to give him your name (just jones57742 from fishforums.com?) and ask if he'd switch the bulb. He wouldn't switch it for the one I just posted, would he? Isn't that one of greater value than the one included? Is it something where I can ask him to switch it and I'll pay the difference, or are they not much for bartering? 

Samantha, you're absolutely right, BigAl's is, indeed, cheaper to order the EcoComplete from, including the shipping. So I'll have to double check everything and see if BigAl's has anything I'm getting for cheaper than MarineDepot. Thanks for that tip! Saves me over $26 so far, yay!


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## jones57742

Manthalynn said:


> TR


Sam:

TR is an acronym for Thanks Ron.




Manthalynn said:


> And when I first plugged it in, the impeller rattled awfully. So I took it apart, fiddled with the impeller and made no apparent changes, but it's moderately quieter now. Oh, and let me know if you get two intake tubes. The "Parts you should have" drawing only showed one. But the instructions say to add a second tube if you want to reach deeper water. I'm not complaining, just curious.
> 
> Oh, ye wise ones with more experience than me (that would be more than 4 months...) is moderate noise just inherent and directly proportional to the size and gph of a filter?


Sam:

Something is wrong here as a HOB should be very, very quite as the impeller shaft is electromagnetically driven.

Hopefully the information at *Hagen's Site* or the *Full Product Manual* will help.

TR


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## jones57742

RAE: Please excuse me here: I was posting a response to Sam and due to the Forum timeout I did not read your post until I began working through the boards today.



_ReApEr said:


> Is it ever important to do that for any particular reason? I just don't want to go ahead and pointlessly spend the extra money if it's only ever going to be used tuned way down.


RAE: please do whatever you want but after many years of making capital investment decisions I just would not do that one.




_ReApEr said:


> And about the lighting, once again. If I were to go ahead and get this fixture, then this bulb is compatible and would be best, correct? Just want to make certain before I buy the bulb and find it doesn't fit the fixture or something. >.<


Instead of getting into the connector types and length details just ask Matt to have his folks install and test the lamp for you before they ship it.




_ReApEr said:


> You said to give him your name (just jones57742 from fishforums.com?) and ask if he'd switch the bulb. He wouldn't switch it for the one I just posted, would he? Isn't that one of greater value than the one included? Is it something where I can ask him to switch it and I'll pay the difference, or are they not much for bartering?


Too many questions here for my old brain.
Ron Jones.
Do not know.
They are not into bartering.
Please do not give Matt any grief as he has been very nice to me and if you deem appropriate please just use Big Al's.

TR


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## Manthalynn

jones57742 said:


> Something is wrong here as a HOB should be very, very quite as the impeller shaft is electromagnetically driven.


Ron, thanks for the info. It's back to being noisy this morning so I'm working my way through those sites to find the problem.

Reaper, really sorry for hijacking your thread but I'm hoping you'll find this useful! Also, it was petsolutions that I used to purchase the eco-complete because they didn't charge extra for shipping the heavy substrate. Big Al's was going to charge $45 shipping. 

For us newbies, it's a tough call to make, pay the extra money for a recommended site that could have better product? Or pay lesser for something that all we know is just as good. You'd think I'd learn to just listen to the experts...


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## _ReApEr

Thanks, Samantha, that saves even more money. 

I appreciate both your guys' responses and I apologize if I've grown irritating asking so many questions. I'm going to give them a call tomorrow and see what comes of it. And of course I won't give anyone any grief. I'm a manager at a retail store, I know all too well what crappy customers are like.

Once again, thank you to everyone that contributed. I'll likely be ordering tomorrow and I'll come 'round again to let everyone know how it all turns out.


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## jones57742

Manthalynn said:


> Reaper, really sorry for hijacking your thread but I'm hoping you'll find this useful! Also, it was petsolutions that I used to purchase the eco-complete because they didn't charge extra for shipping the heavy substrate. Big Al's was going to charge $45 shipping.


Sam:

Thank you for telling her that. Your post is "just exactically" what I was referring to in my previous post.




Manthalynn said:


> Ron, thanks for the info. It's back to being noisy this morning so I'm working my way through those sites to find the problem.


Sam:

Please do so.

I know that it is a pain but IMHO it is rare, due to their QA/QC, for the major producers to supply faulty products.

If you just flat cannot get her fixed then try to get sales, not support, on the phone from the vendor from whom you purchased the product.

When they start going through their spiel interrupt them and say
"Partner: I been through every permutation and combination of fixes on the Hagen web site with no joy so please do not waste any more of my time. 
Are going to give me an RMA # or not???"




Manthalynn said:


> You'd think I'd learn to just listen to the experts...


Sam:

I am no expert as all that I have been attempting is to save you the bumps on your head which I have.

Your comment does make me think though as in fish keeping no one is really an expert but the "Internet Parrots" do come across as experts do they not?




_ReApEr said:


> And of course I won't give anyone any grief. I'm a manager at a retail store, I know all too well what crappy customers are like.


RAE:

Not knowing that you were a retail store manager you well know then why I had to publish that comment.

Also you have my condolences but I am proud that some of you folks can deal with it as I cannot (I am old, do no longer want to deal with the grief, and have turned down several very large projects due to the personalities of the clients. It was their loss and not mine!).

TR


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## _ReApEr

I said I'd follow up with an update, so here we go.










The plants and driftwood just went in today.


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## jones57742

RAE:

That is first class especially the driftwood centerpiece.

TR


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## Manthalynn

That's a gorgeous piece of driftwood!

What type of plants are those? I think I see Amazon Swords, baby tears, and are those tiny things crypts? (I'm too unfamiliar with aquatic plants yet to really be able to identify...)

Looking good!


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## _ReApEr

Thanks, guys. Yeah, I love the piece of driftwood. It better be gorgeous for $50, right? o.o; It's giving me that not-so-uncommon slime fungus, but I'm not worried.

Uhm, I got Amazon Swords, lots of Bacopa (Moneywort), some Crypts (yeah, the tiny guys), some Java Moss (it's on the small piece of driftwood, center of the tank), and some Anubias. I'm excited to watch it grow in, it should turn out wonderfully. I'm looking into what types of fertilizers to get, now.


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## Manthalynn

_ReApEr said:


> and some Anubias.


Is your Anubias burried in the substrate or attached to the driftwood? I know some (or maybe all, I don't have enough knowledge) should not be burried as they are "epiphytic" and their roots will rot if burried.

I tied an Anubias nana onto a piece of driftwood about a month ago (used brown thread so it wouldn't look hideous and would eventually disintigrate) and it's doin wonderfully. It's already unfurled a couple new leaves.

I oddly enough never got hair fungus from my driftwood, but I think it's a little different type than yours. Ones I've been eyeing at the LFS have the fungus on them, too.

Again, your tank looks awsome! Do keep us posted on the ferts you use so I can benefit from your research! (I know, I'm shamelessly lazy)


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## _ReApEr

The anubias are either tied down or have their rhizome wedged into little crevices in the wood. I was also sure their rhizomes are subjected to light. ^.^

I'll be sure to keep you posted on the route I choose for fertilization. I may stock it with more than just the betta and ADF as I'm finding out that bettas can actually make pretty good tankmates with non-aggressive, non-fin-nipping fish like neon tetras and such. So I may not have to fertilize a ton. We'll see!

And yeah, Mopani wood is kind of notorious, I'm finding, for growing the fungus. It's only growing on a very small section of the left side - the side that wouldn't fit into my bucket of boiling water. -.-" Like I said, though, I'm not worried. Everything I've read says it clears up on its own if you just leave it alone for a while.


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## Manthalynn

Have fun picking other fish! I have mollies and swordtails in my tank so I chose some neon tetras and they look great! I used to have some zebra danios in there, but they were too fast and stressed me out! Plus they didn't stand out as well. The neons school way better, too.

Thanks for listing your plants!


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## trashion

I really like the mopani wood, I've been looking into getting some small pieces for my tank, maybe


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## jones57742

_ReApEr said:


> I'll be sure to keep you posted on the route I choose for fertilization.


RAE:

You may have seen in other posts where I recommended dry ferts.

TR


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## _ReApEr

I think I've decided to use liquid ferts as the main route and I also think I'm going to shove some tabs into the substrate around my swords and crypts. Hope it works out well!

And for anyone following along: I got an oto (will be getting more ASAP), three corys (two bronze and one albino), and about 10 ghost shrimp today. Everyone seems very happy. The corys all shoal around together except that the albino is a wild one and tears off from the group at seemingly random times. The oto doesn't seem shy at all, even alone. He's been all over the tank. Though I'm sure he'll be much happier when I find some more. And the shrimp, well... they're ghost shrimp. They're currently all sitting somewhere with a big ol' bloodworm in their mouths. And my betta doesn't seem to notice the new presence, let alone hate it. I actually saw him swimming around with the corys for a bit. XP The ADF isn't acting any differently. He seems happier in the new tank over the 1.5g, though. He found a nice little cave in the driftwood that he can almost always be found in.

I was thinking about just getting a few more otos, maybe another cory, and some sort of loach - have a bottom-feeder tank except for the betta. But then I thought that might leave the substrate vacant of any nutrition as I'm sure no food would be left over after a cleanup crew like that. But we'll see.


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## jones57742

RAE:

Good info.

Please keep us posted.

TR


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## _ReApEr

As a final reply to this thread (thanks so much for all your help!):

An update on the fertilizing. I am currently dosing Flourish and Flourish Excel along with Flourish Tabs, and I'm planning on adding Flourish Potassium to the mix. Since starting the ferts, my plants are flourishing (please pardon the pun, I assure you it was quite unavoidable).

There are currently ~8 ghost shrimp (one is berried and in a separate tank), 2 albino corys, 2 bronze corys, an oto (still on the lookout for a couple more), two SAEs, and a betta in the tank.

I am feeding flakes in the morning, bloodworms at night.

Lighting is on for 12 hours a day.

All inhabitants seem very, very happy and healthy, including the plants. My betta, in fact, is experiencing some regrowth on his fins - he had fin rot before moving out of a 1.5g and into the 29g. The shrimp are breeding. Everyone is active, no hiders. The plants have obviously grown (see pictures below) and one of my Amazon Swords has a couple plantletts coming off it.

Two pictures. The first is the first day I set it up. The second is 5 minutes ago (that's a shrimp at the top).




















Thanks again for all your help, guys. Looks like it's turning out well. ^.^


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