mrzap
Aquarium Advice Freak
I am not a total newbie to aquariums, but thus far I have had a relatively simple setup compared to the beautiful tanks most of you have.
Prior to hurricane Wilma I was running a 10 gallon aquarium with 3 java ferns in straight gravel and a non fluorescent hood running 2 (i *think* they were 20w bulbs). In the tank I had a female beta, 2 golden algae eaters, and many ghost shrimp.
The fish and plants were doing excellent (major plant growth) and the water never had ammonia spikes. I very rarely (maybe every 2 months) had to ever change the filter media in my HOB filters.
Problem is, odd coincidence that it happened 2 days after the hurricane, but my glass tank CRACKED in the middle of the night and water went all over everything (into surge protectors too, luckily I had no power due to the hurricane). I was able to rescue my fish and plants (they are living in buckets), and decided I wanted a bigger better aquarium!
I just purchased an Eclipse system, 29 gallon tank. Its beautiful and has so much potential. I think one of the favorite things about my last tank was my plants and I want more of them.
I want to do my planted tank properly this time around and add lots of plants. The sales people at Big Al's (they opened one local to me, such a great store) were very helpful in letting me know my options for lightning in substrate etc. I just don't want to go overboard.
I need some real world advice from the experts here on what you think I'll really need given the following:
29 Gallon Tank, with integrated bio-wheel, mechanical filter
It has a dual flourescent bulb fixture
I don't want to buy a CO2 system or an additional lighting ballast. I am willing to purchase better bulbs. The guy at big al's said I could do one normal bulb and one bulb that gives a better light spectrum for growth.
I am going back and forth on what kind of substrate I want to get. I was thinking doing a layer of Eco-Complete (if thats the watery black stuff in the bag) with some other type of gravel on top of it. I am just not sure what to use. Ideally, I want to use a white sand, but I don't know if the Eco-Complete would end up getting mixed in it and end up looking bad. If you think this will happen I'll go with something black. Am I better off with a fine black sand or more of a gravel?
Do I even need a layer of organic substrate? Using regular gravel my plants were doing great in my old aquarium.
How many plants do you think I could add to a tank that size without adding a CO2 system? All advice is greatly appreciated. Sorry for the long read.
Prior to hurricane Wilma I was running a 10 gallon aquarium with 3 java ferns in straight gravel and a non fluorescent hood running 2 (i *think* they were 20w bulbs). In the tank I had a female beta, 2 golden algae eaters, and many ghost shrimp.
The fish and plants were doing excellent (major plant growth) and the water never had ammonia spikes. I very rarely (maybe every 2 months) had to ever change the filter media in my HOB filters.
Problem is, odd coincidence that it happened 2 days after the hurricane, but my glass tank CRACKED in the middle of the night and water went all over everything (into surge protectors too, luckily I had no power due to the hurricane). I was able to rescue my fish and plants (they are living in buckets), and decided I wanted a bigger better aquarium!
I just purchased an Eclipse system, 29 gallon tank. Its beautiful and has so much potential. I think one of the favorite things about my last tank was my plants and I want more of them.
I want to do my planted tank properly this time around and add lots of plants. The sales people at Big Al's (they opened one local to me, such a great store) were very helpful in letting me know my options for lightning in substrate etc. I just don't want to go overboard.
I need some real world advice from the experts here on what you think I'll really need given the following:
29 Gallon Tank, with integrated bio-wheel, mechanical filter
It has a dual flourescent bulb fixture
I don't want to buy a CO2 system or an additional lighting ballast. I am willing to purchase better bulbs. The guy at big al's said I could do one normal bulb and one bulb that gives a better light spectrum for growth.
I am going back and forth on what kind of substrate I want to get. I was thinking doing a layer of Eco-Complete (if thats the watery black stuff in the bag) with some other type of gravel on top of it. I am just not sure what to use. Ideally, I want to use a white sand, but I don't know if the Eco-Complete would end up getting mixed in it and end up looking bad. If you think this will happen I'll go with something black. Am I better off with a fine black sand or more of a gravel?
Do I even need a layer of organic substrate? Using regular gravel my plants were doing great in my old aquarium.
How many plants do you think I could add to a tank that size without adding a CO2 system? All advice is greatly appreciated. Sorry for the long read.
