My 29g Re-do~~lots Of Pics

[ICEEGRL]

Hey. Thanks for all the comments. I am working my way through all of the jourals now. I started with the pinned topics first. It takes me a while because I have to stop and look up so much stuff to understand what I am reading. Some are a lot easier than others. Some of the technical stuff still very much confuses me.
I will find hers and read them next. I hope to get this figured out so I can start getting some nicer plants in. I started with these to learn with. I figured I should start with the easy ones.
I do think my wood may be positioned wrong for what I want the final look to be. I'm just not sure yet how it should go. I guess I will leave it where it is until I am more sure.
Thank you all very much. I am learning a lot. Please keep checking in. I will probably still need a lot more help before it is done. With all of ya'lls help, I know my tank will come out great in the end.
Thank You!

 

[lljdma06]

Sam`s right, you don`t have to be high tech to have a successful planted tank.

The poster has also stated that she has intentionally stayed below 2WPG. Anyway, that`s enough talking as if you are not here ICEEGRL. Have you seen llj`s journals? Improve the quality of your lighting and use her tanks as a benchmark and example of what can be achieved.

There is more than one way to run planted tank, I just wish I knew what they were.

Dave.

I'm very flattered Dave. Thanks

I will find hers and read them next. I hope to get this figured out so I can start getting some nicer plants in. I started with these to learn with. I figured I should start with the easy ones.
I do think my wood may be positioned wrong for what I want the final look to be. I'm just not sure yet how it should go. I guess I will leave it where it is until I am more sure.
Thank you all very much. I am learning a lot. Please keep checking in. I will probably still need a lot more help before it is done. With all of ya'lls help, I know my tank will come out great in the end.
Thank You!

If you look at my signature in the bottom of this post, you'll find a link to an easy plant list I devised that breaks plants down based on their appropriate position in the tank (foreground, backgroun, etc). Sam's got the list in his signature as well. I also have quick links to all of my journals in my sig as well. If you read them, make sure you have tylenol in hand. I can be quite wordy.

Good luck to you.

 

[Maximumbob]

Hi there,

I'm newish to these forums and have been reading your post with great interest. It somewheat resembles my learning curve

The picture you posted earlier in the thread looks like pennywort to me. Just do a google image search and you'll see it.

In your position, if you want a cheap way of improving your plants I would recomend a DIY CO2 set up. Your outlay will be 1 used 2 litre lemonade bottle, 2 cups sugar, water, 1 tsp bread making yeast, some piping and a diffusor(limewood air stone will do)

Or if you are not great with your hands and dont fancy some DIY fun, you could buy somthing like this fermentation co2 device on ebay.

You can always refil it with a DIY mixture to save you buying the sachets all the time.

I would hazard a gues that with the diy co2, the ferts you are dosing and the light you have - you should be able to strive for a balance which really benefits you plants. Ultimately, I think you will over time gain more plant knowledge and your plant choice will be more specific to you tank and for its aesthetics. Goodluck with your planted tank journey.

Max

ps. if you ever wana check out the needs of a plant and its suitability for your tank check out Tropica I find this site invaluable

 

[ICEEGRL]

Thanks everyone. I am learning a lot. I am spending most of my time reading. I am going to get the nutrifin kit and do the diy stuff in it. I have decided that much.
While I am leaving this tank alone for a little while longer until I can change it around some I decided that I do have 4 other tanks and 1 I am fixing...
One of the 10g tanks got a re-do today. I just couldn't stand not doing something with all I am learning. I kind of like the way it turned out. I did more of the less is more thing. It did work better. I need to get some different plants though. There is only so much a person can do with egeria and water sprite.

My big question right now is what kind of filter do ya'll use for planted tanks? I have the kind that hangs on the back on all of my tanks except one. ( It has a built in the hood thing. )

The other thing is... can you use a bubble bar type thing for your CO2 instead of the ladder? Would that work, or would that be a bad thing? I love the look of the bubbles. I just thought it might be a good middle ground. I could still have my bubbles, and the plants could have their CO2.

I am really excited... I am getting a bigger tank! I am also going to build one for my corys. It will be a little while, but I finally talked my husband into letting me do it. I have so much planning to do now...

I am still looking for decent lighting for the 29g. I can't find a decent fixture that is 30 inches. They are all 24 or 36. The diy kits things cost way too much for me to get and mess up. I don't do electrical diy. That tends to be too complicated. I only do the very easy diy things. Maybe someday though...

Thanks Again.
I am going shopping in a few hours. I need to try to get a nap. I have been up all night. (again)
Maybe I will find something good while I am out. I will be back tonight to do some more reading. I have to get my list of things to order together too. I just love getting stuff...

 

[bullhead]

My big question right now is what kind of filter do ya'll use for planted tanks? I have the kind that hangs on the back on all of my tanks except one. ( It has a built in the hood thing. )

The other thing is... can you use a bubble bar type thing for your CO2 instead of the ladder? Would that work, or would that be a bad thing? I love the look of the bubbles. I just thought it might be a good middle ground. I could still have my bubbles, and the plants could have their CO2.





I like canister filters personally,the intake and out-put are submerged there by not disturbing the water surface.Hang on filters create to much movement at the water surface which allows Co2 to escape and oxyginates the tank which basicly suffacates the plants.If you can keep your water level high enough where the water exiting the hang-on filter does not disturb the tank water surface to much,this would be best.Depnding on the bioload of the tank you my be able to get away with not using a filter at all.I have a 29 gal, that has been up and running for 1 year and a few months with no filter,just plants.There are 5 bleeding heart tetras and 2 seminesis,about 14 inches of fish,lite bioload.As far as the bubble bar I dont think that the Co2 would be under enough pressure to give you the same effect +it would put to much Co2 into the tank.You dont have to use a ladder but you do want to use a bubble counter of some kind.I found a few different 30inch lites ranging in price from $32.00 to $180.00,depending on your lighting needs and that was just at 1 site( www.thatfishplace.com)personally I like the T5 fixtures from aqualight,very inexpensive but not alot of wattage,on the orther hand the current satillite is abit more pricey but it will give you about 4 watts per gallon.I hope this helps you out Remember,you can obtain the same results a 100 different ways,its more of a matter of what works for you.

 

[ICEEGRL]

I tend to keep quite a few fish in my tanks. I would really need a good filter going. I need to keep enough oxygen in the water for the fish. Mostly I need to keep the corys happy. They are my babies.
I just need a good inexpensive fixture that will give 55 to 65 watts of light that is 30 inches long. I just don't know which ones are good and which are trash. It is confusing when there are so many kinds out there. I need one that will be good for the plants without making algae go nuts in there. Also the bulbs need to be fairly easy to find.
What fixture and bulbs would you suggest that won't cost me too much?

Also... What would cause a white(ish) cloudy water and oily film on top of the water? Water changes makes it worse. I have 2 tanks with eco-complete, and they are both doing it. One went belly up and killed 17 cory fry today. I only have 5 left and they are not doing well. That substrate and the water supply are the only things they have in common. I don't think it is the water because the other tanks use the same water and have no problems yet. My stats are all still very good. This has just been happening since I added the substrate. Is this common with that stuff? What can I do about it?
Thanks

 

[Dave Spencer]

If you have only just added the substrate to the tank with the Cory fry then it could be that it has altered the water chemistry sufficiently to kill young fry, although I haven`t heard of eco complete doing this.

I would have thought that 24" light fittings over 30" should be OK. It only leaves you 3" short at each end.

I have recently set up two new tanks that get an oily film at the surface. Maybe it is the new substrate, but I am not sure. My 4 month old tank doesn`t have this problem, but it also uses a different substrate to the other two.

Dave.

 

[ICEEGRL]

My stats didn't change at all. I just lost another of the fry. This one did have swollen gills. I have 4 left. One of them has swollen gills too. I have added mela fix to the tank they are now in. I hope that will help some. They are about 3/4 inch long now. I really hope they make it.
What can I do about the film in my tanks and clear up my water. Will it hurt the plants too? It killed the fish...
I added some carbon in hopes to remove what ever it is causing the problem. I am not adding any more fish until I get this figured out. Those were the first eggs I ever hatched. That really hurt to lose them. They had gotten pretty big. This has really messed with me.
Do I need to move the plants and start over with new substrate to keep from killing the plants too? I have a couple of swords in there that I don't want to lose.
Advice would be greatly appreciated. I need to figure this out becouse it is one of the 10g tanks and my 29g that is having the problems. I can't let my 29g go belly up. I need it functional soon. It is my main tank. I can't keep all of my fish squished up in those smaller tanks much longer.
Any one have any ideas what happened, or how I can fix this problem? Is there anything else I should be checking or maybe something I am missing?
Can that substrate go bad?
What else could it be?
My water sprite is looking kind of limp too.
Help please.

 

[Dave Spencer]

If the water is really cloudy then maybe it is clogging their gills, but I am just surmising.

Does your filter contain filter wool? Put some new in, this should help clear the water. Change 75% of the water without distrubing the substrate. It seems you are going to have to take drastic measures to save your Corys. Worry about your plants later.

How long has the water been cloudy?

 

[ICEEGRL]

It has only been a few days. The 29 was redone on March 15th, and the 10g was done on the 29th. The oily film showed up in each one the next day. The cloudy water cleared up the same day in the 29g. It had plants and no fish. The 10g won't clear up. It had the cory fry in it. It now has just the plants. It still won't clear up though. I have done several water changes now. It doesn't seem to help. It looks even cloudier. It looks like smoke swirling around in the water. I don't know what to do. My 29 isn't as bad, but still has the smoke looking stuff some. It won't go completely away no matter how many water changes I do.
I moved the corys to a tank that is very clean with no water issues and added mela fix. I didn't know what else to do. It has a filter and bubble bar for added air. I figured it might make it easier for them to breathe. I am trying to keep an eye on them. I really don't know what else I can do for them.
Any ideas?

 

[Dave Spencer]

The main thing is that you have the Corys out of there. I would just sit back and let the other tank clear by itself. Just keep changing the filter wool.

Shame about your Corys, they are my favourite fish and it would be great to be able to breed some one day.

 

[ICEEGRL]

So far the last 4 are still hanging on. One doesn't look good though. It is having trouble breathing. I hope it can recover.
The water doesn't show any signs of getting better yet. I am going to do another water change later today. I just don't understand what happened.
I will post more later.
Thanks

 

[ICEEGRL]

I have lost another of the fry. I am down to 3 now. They are looking some better though. Maybe these 3 will make it.
I did another water change. It is finally starting to clear up a little. Tolak told me in the emergency section to add more prime. That appears to be helping. It may have been something in the water.

The 29g has been set up almost long enough for me to start tinkering with. I am still waiting though. I am thinking of removing the wood in the center. I think there is just too much in there. What do you think?
I am also thinking of shifting the other pieces a bit. I am just not sure how much yet. If it were yours what would you do with it?
I will post new pics in a day or two. It is growing, but still looks pretty much the same.
Thanks for advice and comments!

 

[ICEEGRL]

I couldn't stand it any more. I waited as long as I could. It was growing, but it wasn't growing on me. I still didn't like it. So I moved some things around and now I like it much better. I need some more plants though. There are quite a few in there. They need to grow a bit so they will fill in. I have still got the fast growing weed things in there right now. I will post a few pics in a little bit.

 

[ICEEGRL]

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