My First Set-up

[phungi11]

Decided it was time to get my first aquarium started, hence the low-light planted set-up. I've been lurking the forum for months now and decided I would finally post up since I'm about fully stocked now. I picked up this 29g used on CL with some tacky ornaments, cheap Aqueon filter, Aqueon hood and bunch of other little goodies for cheap price. Immediately made a trip to my LPS (i'm fortunate to be local to That Fish Place). Purchased a Aquaclear 50 filter, Coralife 30" T5, 45lbs Seachem Fluorite black gravel, Amazon sword, a few java ferns, a couple Anubia nana, Jungle Val, and Italian Val and began the cycling process. After a week, I got half doz of zebra danios. A couple of months later, the tank went through its phases and decided it was time to start stocking. Decided on a Angelfish, a German Blue Ram (i'm going to get a female for him now), a clown pleco and 9 neon tetras. Only 2 zebra fish remain as the other few have been given away, I just can't catch the last two.

.....Now I've been sucked into the aquarium fever. I've decided to set up a 10gal planted shrimp set up. So figured it could use my Aquaclear 50 to run it, which led me to a purchase of a Eheim 2213 for the 29gal. Tetras will prob be tossed into the 10 and I'll replace them with some hatchfish? I'll probably end up upgrading the lighting and growing some grass in the future.

Here are some pics, I'm anxious for the Vals and Swords to get huge and fill in. The Anubias and ferns are all attached to driftwood. Please any constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated. Judging by my Amazon sword, there's some nutritional deficiency I'm going to need to tend to soon.

Oh and excuse the poor picture quality, I'm only working with a cellphone.

 

[thereverendturtle]

Looks good! Be sure to raise your temp to at least 80-82° if you want to keep your rams happy and healthy. Hatches would look awesome cruising the surface.
I'd keep the neons or add another type of tetra to the lower levels, maybe red phantoms or flame tetras.

That aquaclear 50 is going to be way to strong for a ten gallon shrimp tank. The Aqueon filter would be a better choice. If you do use the AC 50, put a sponge on the intake to keep it from sucking the shrimp up.

As for your sword plant, looks like it was grown hydroponically, don't worry 99% are. What's happening is the immersed leaves are dying back for the submerged leaves to grow. Just cut off the leaves as they die and new ones will grow quickly. Oh, and don't be surprised if they look different, they usually do.

 

[phungi11]

I was literally just reading about picking up a sponge for the shrimps. Good to know, thanks! The pic of my sword is actually after it has been trimmed down when the algal bloom hit it about 2 months ago. The leaves use to stretch to the top, as well as the Vals. Since the trimming, the sword has a few more vivid green leaves emerging from the center (hopefully a good sign) and the Vals have several runners that are doing pretty well.

 

[thereverendturtle]

Cool. Yeah the growth on the plants is a good sign.

 

[phungi11]

So I have some concerns, I think the Fluval heater is struggling to keep the temp above 78 so I may have to shop around for a new one. Also now thinking about dosing the tank with Seachem Fluorish, KNO3, KH2PO4. Can anyone provide some feed back. Suggestions for anything else?

Bored one day and took inventory of the set-up so far.

Aqualight Freshwater T5 Dual Fluorescent light – 30” – 36 watts
Eheim 2213 Classic Canister Filter
Fluorite – Black – 46.2lbs
Malaysian Driftwood – (1) Large; (2) small
Fluval M150 Aquarium Heater

Plants
(1) Red Rubin Sword (Echinodorus horemanii x barthii)
(1) Amazon Sword (Echinodorus bleheri)
(3) Anubias (Anubias barteri var. congensis)
(3) Red Jungle Val (Vallisneria gigantea marmor)
(9) Italian Val (Vallisneria spiralis) - bunch of runners
(3) Jungle Val ( Vallisneria americana)
(2) Filigree Myrio (Myriophyllum simulans)
(2) Hygrophila (Hygrophila angustifolia)
(8) Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus) -
Fish
(1) Silver wild-type Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
(1) Clown Pleco (Panaque maccus)
(1) German Blue Ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi)
(9) Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon innesi)
(2) Zebra Fish (Danio rerio)

 

[thereverendturtle]

Only other thing I might add would be an iron supplement.
Your heater should be sufficient for the tank, maybe its defective...

Just noticed your heater is straight up, try putting it at a 30-45° angle, seems to help get the temp where you want it. Since the warm water isn't just rising up and shutting the heater off.
Tank is looking really good by the way.