The Planted 29g
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The Planted 29g
Welcome to the digital journal for my 29g planted tank. Thanks for checking it out. Questions, comments and suggestions are welcomed. I'll try to make it much easier to read than my scribbled journal.
Revived from the dusty corner of our closet the 29g tank now stands in our bedroom. I am glad to be able to say it again holds life!
At first I'll post with what I've done up to this point then continue with the development of the planted 29g.
Teaser photo.
Revived from the dusty corner of our closet the 29g tank now stands in our bedroom. I am glad to be able to say it again holds life!
At first I'll post with what I've done up to this point then continue with the development of the planted 29g.
Teaser photo.
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DwLarson
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- New Member
- Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 12:05 am
Re: The Planted 29g
Looking forward to watching the tank progress! Thanks for posting.
Gary
Gary

THe Complete Journal Directory Thread / 4 Corners Tanganyika Project
"I would rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not."
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Crazygar
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- Gary Gnu the Administrator
- Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2004 6:09 am
- Location: Belle River, ON
Re: The Planted 29g
After following Gary's advice on an old thread on how to clean up and leak test an older tank I started with a dry 29g on its stand with a black background taped to it, a lone artificial rock decoration and a hood with no bulb.
The next step was spending money! I wanted to do this without breaking in to savings or anything though. So I did my research and found the equipment that was not top of the line necessarily, but should give me good results until I can invest more. I found drsfostersmith.com to be much more affordable than any of the LFS around.
My first order consisted of:
15lbs of fluorite black
A Fluval C3 power filter
A freshwater test kit with pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
A 24" florasun t8 (to fit the hood I already had)
And an artificial rock wall decoration I liked
I also bought a lot of stuff from user SteveJor, responding to his add in the classifieds. I am currently using a 250w heater from him and one of the powerheads he sent.
Then I had to wait
The next step was spending money! I wanted to do this without breaking in to savings or anything though. So I did my research and found the equipment that was not top of the line necessarily, but should give me good results until I can invest more. I found drsfostersmith.com to be much more affordable than any of the LFS around.
My first order consisted of:
15lbs of fluorite black
A Fluval C3 power filter
A freshwater test kit with pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
A 24" florasun t8 (to fit the hood I already had)
And an artificial rock wall decoration I liked
I also bought a lot of stuff from user SteveJor, responding to his add in the classifieds. I am currently using a 250w heater from him and one of the powerheads he sent.
Then I had to wait
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DwLarson
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- Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 12:05 am
Re: The Planted 29g
Looking nice so far!
C. Andrew Nelson
Visual Effects & Animation Consultant
Actor & Comedian
Tropical Fish Fanatic
https://www.youtube.com/user/aquatasy
Visual Effects & Animation Consultant
Actor & Comedian
Tropical Fish Fanatic
https://www.youtube.com/user/aquatasy
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C. Andrew Nelson
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- Member
- Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 7:16 pm
- Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Re: The Planted 29g
Once that was all delivered I put it all together, filled the tank and dechlorinated with API stress coat.
I went to the LFS and got a couple bunches of java fern and 2 small anubias plants. I had read these will do alright in low light. I also bought flourish excel and flourish comprehensive.
I attached one of the java fern to the rock and the other one sinks so it's just sitting on the substrate. Attached one anubias to a piece of driftwood I got from someone on eBay and the other I wedged the roots with some rocks and petrified wood I had.
Here's a shot from that point.
I went to the LFS and got a couple bunches of java fern and 2 small anubias plants. I had read these will do alright in low light. I also bought flourish excel and flourish comprehensive.
I attached one of the java fern to the rock and the other one sinks so it's just sitting on the substrate. Attached one anubias to a piece of driftwood I got from someone on eBay and the other I wedged the roots with some rocks and petrified wood I had.
Here's a shot from that point.
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DwLarson
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Re: The Planted 29g
Finally the other day a friend gave me his old light fixture. A compact fluorescent with 2 65w bulbs. He had a 10000k and a 460nm blue bulb. I started using the 10000k instead of the florasun. My plan is to put a 6700k on the other side and get an all glass hood to work better with this type of light.
With the increased light I decided to get more plants. I know we got an amazon sword, some shorter foreground cover and another tall background plant.
Here's a few photos.
With the increased light I decided to get more plants. I know we got an amazon sword, some shorter foreground cover and another tall background plant.
Here's a few photos.
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DwLarson
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Re: The Planted 29g
I read a topic by Dutchman titled plant cycle. I wonder if I have enough plants to effectively do what he wrote there. Maybe he'll stop by.
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DwLarson
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Re: The Planted 29g
Not enough for plant cycling I'm afraid. You need LOTS.
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Maybe you can borrow some stemplants, or fast growing Vallisneria. It doesn't have to be permanent.
Another way to speed-up cycling is to get some established filter medium from a friend who has an established tank, or buy some "bacteria-in-a-packett".
Many ways to skin a cat.

Maybe you can borrow some stemplants, or fast growing Vallisneria. It doesn't have to be permanent.
Another way to speed-up cycling is to get some established filter medium from a friend who has an established tank, or buy some "bacteria-in-a-packett".
Many ways to skin a cat.
Regards Cor
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Dutchman
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- Member
- Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:02 pm
- Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Re: The Planted 29g
Excellent plant choices. They should all do fine under your current lighting set up. Java Fern is super easy to grown and looks great. And Anubias can grown with practically no light at all. With the lighting in your tank those plants should thrive quite well.
Very cool!
Very cool!
C. Andrew Nelson
Visual Effects & Animation Consultant
Actor & Comedian
Tropical Fish Fanatic
https://www.youtube.com/user/aquatasy
Visual Effects & Animation Consultant
Actor & Comedian
Tropical Fish Fanatic
https://www.youtube.com/user/aquatasy
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C. Andrew Nelson
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- Member
- Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 7:16 pm
- Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Re: The Planted 29g
Added a new piece of driftwood today I got from the LFS and attached the other java fern cluster to it.
There is a white fuzz on the driftwood I put in last week.
I noticed a tiny round snail made its way in somehow.
There is a white fuzz on the driftwood I put in last week.
I noticed a tiny round snail made its way in somehow.
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DwLarson
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ScottFish
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- Thorn In The Rear Moderator
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- Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Re: The Planted 29g
Does anyone know what that stuff on my driftwood is? What causes it and how long it might last?
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DwLarson
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- New Member
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Re: The Planted 29g
DwLarson wrote:Does anyone know what that stuff on my driftwood is? What causes it and how long it might last?
A lot of driftwood gets a white fuzz on it when freshly put in water - I've never seen it last too long - fish and shrimp tend to eat it. I forget whether it is a fungus or bacteria but it is harmless. It will give you something to watch while your tank cycles!


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kb46
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- Mentor
- Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2007 1:29 am
- Location: Australia
Re: The Planted 29g
sweet set up, it looks like it will treat you very nicely. That white fuzz does regularly show up on fresh drift wood personally I think it has something to do with the sap leaching out of the wood. At that I have only seen it on lighter colored drift wood for some reason.
Matt
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twotone12valve
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- Member
- Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2012 6:32 pm
- Location: Albuquerque,NM
Re: The Planted 29g
I have to concur with the others. It's been a while since I added driftwood to my tank, but I recall this same thing happening in the past. It didn't matter how much I scrubbed and cleaned the wood beforehand. I don't think it's anything to worry about. It should disappear soon enough.
Tank really does look good, by the way.
Tank really does look good, by the way.
C. Andrew Nelson
Visual Effects & Animation Consultant
Actor & Comedian
Tropical Fish Fanatic
https://www.youtube.com/user/aquatasy
Visual Effects & Animation Consultant
Actor & Comedian
Tropical Fish Fanatic
https://www.youtube.com/user/aquatasy
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C. Andrew Nelson
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- Member
- Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 7:16 pm
- Location: San Francisco Bay Area
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