How is my filtration?

[JJ Briant]

I recently started cycling a 29 gallon aquarium and I have a aqueon 50 filter running on it. I had it running stock for the first 2 days but I started researching more into filtration today and realized my filter could be better, so I went and bought a sponge insert for a aquaclear 50 and put it behind the stock cartridge. I plan on taking the cartridge out after the tank has cycled. I didn’t take it out yet because I don’t want to hinder the cycle process. I also have quite a few plants and two medium lava rocks for extra surface area for the bacteria. If I put in 10 neon tetra, 8 albino corydoras, 1 Bolivian ram, and a mystery snail do you think my filtration can handle the load?

 

[Byron]

Filtration is not the "saviour" often assumed. The substrate is more important biologically. Also having some live plants, especially floating would be much better; not only are they fast growing (the floaters) and thus use higher levels of nutrients, but they shade the tank and the fish mentioned would prefer this as they are forest fish.