29 Gallon Planted Build...Advice Appreciated!!!

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If you're really interested, here are two articles about BB. They don't entirely agree.. how surprising :).. but it's interesting what they have to say. The one is commercial, the other is from practical fishkeeping in the UK. Have look.. It seems our BB may not be quite so fragile as we've been led to believe, though it's true they don't form spores, so that method of long term survival is not available to them.

Nitrifying Bacteria Facts

Think you know filter bacteria? Dream on? | Blog | Practical Fishkeeping

THANK YOU!! :) The second article was the most helpful. When I get home in a couple hours I will see if there is any ammonia around, and I will add 1 tsp. Then it's of to pet store for test kit (API Master Test Kit??) and java fern. The plants say that they come with 1 free snail which makes me nervous, but since the tank is practically empty finding him shouldn't be to hard.

If i do not have to do a full re-cycle on tank i will be so happy! :)

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The plants say that they come with 1 free snail which makes me nervous, but since the tank is practically empty finding him shouldn't be to hard.

If i do not have to do a full re-cycle on tank i will be so happy! :)

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when you add live plants, often you end up with more than 1 free snail...ha.

snails dont bother me too much.
 
I am buying plants at petsmart because the closest lfs is 45 min away. The plants come in their own container. When I was last there all the plants looked green and healthy, but then again I'm a noob to plants. Each container said they come with 1 free snail, and petsmart only has mystery's by me. I didn't see any snails on the plants inside the containers either. I know petsmart isn't the best option, but its the best one available to me. Petsmart, Petland, or Petco are the closest stores :(.

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you dont sound like an idiot; you sound like someone that is doing whatever they can to try and keep their BB colony intact. fish food will form ammonia but definitely not in a way that can be measured out/dosed accurately...but hopefully enough to save some of your BB? a liquid test kit is a must buy.

Should I get the API Master Test Kit? Is there any other tests that I would need then?

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PetSmart carries the TopFin Live Aquatic Plant packages. Carton is blue and the plant is in cellophane wrapper. Some stores carry quite a variety of plants in these packages. I picked up several of these over the last year or so. Note: it's the carton package and not the plastic tubes.



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Should I get the API Master Test Kit? Is there any other tests that I would need then?

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That should be fine. If you start doing phosphate or dry ferts, a phosphate kit would be useful.


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Ok, well I never got a chance to run out tonight for the ammonia and java, but I still have an update.

The floating plants where annoying me so I tied most down with rocks. I also drained a couple gallon of water to have more waterfall effect from fulter, and I added a 12 inch bubble wand. Temperature was also cranked up to 79ish degrees. Heater was set to 76ish thats why thermo is only showing 76.

My mom has to go to jewel osco tomorrow so she is getting me ammonia, and I will be getting the plant and test kit tomorrow after school. I will also add 1 tsp of the ammonia to feed what little BB is still alive.

One more question. Does the API kit include pH?

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Glad you found the article useful. There are always new things to learn in this hobby !

They give me a sense of hope for my poor BB.

My light is over a year old. Can I buy a T8 until I buy the new light? I will get a 24" Finnex Planted + around Christmas time when I have some more money.

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PetSmart carries the TopFin Live Aquatic Plant packages. Carton is blue and the plant is in cellophane wrapper. Some stores carry quite a variety of plants in these packages. I picked up several of these over the last year or so. Note: it's the carton package and not the plastic tubes.



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Yea thats the stuff! The plant roors are in some kind of rocky looking stuff that if I remember right was blue and clear, rocky reffering to size, probably dime to nickel size.

Should I remove the roots from this before tying the plant to rocks?

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Yea thats the stuff! The plant roors are in some kind of rocky looking stuff that if I remember right was blue and clear, rocky reffering to size, probably dime to nickel size.

Should I remove the roots from this before tying the plant to rocks?

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I just Googled it and I see what you mean now. I am used to seeing it as a solid chunk in the top fin cartons versus the top fin plant tubes.
Are you referring to anubias or java fern? I think you can give the roots a slight trim prior to tying the rocks and DW.
The reason I mentioned getting the TopFin carton versus the plastic tube is because some non fully aquatic plants are sold in the tubes. Those may not clearly marked as such.
PS - I just did a Google image search on "top fin live plants gel" and saw my aquarium. It is the third image. It was taken probably March or April of 2014. Looks quite a bit different now.


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I just Googled it and I see what you mean now. I am used to seeing it as a solid chunk in the top fin cartons versus the top fin plant tubes.
Are you referring to anubias or java fern? I think you can give the roots a slight trim prior to tying the rocks and DW.
The reason I mentioned getting the TopFin carton versus the plastic tube is because some non fully aquatic plants are sold in the tubes. Those may not clearly marked as such.
PS - I just did a Google image search on "top fin live plants gel" and saw my aquarium. It is the third image. It was taken probably March or April of 2014. Looks quite a bit different now.


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Referring to the java fern for tying to rock. I didn't see the TopFin cartoon last time, just the tubes. My petsmart had all their live plants in one tank with 3 different layers. Top part flowed to middle and so on.

The tubes must help with limiting and unwanted hitch hikers right?

I love the fact that your tank showed up on the google search too. Lol

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http://m.petsmart.com/h5/hub?id=fis...d36-15180/cat-36-catid-300070?var_id=36-15180 That is the 'rock' I am talking about btw.

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Yeah, those are blobs of gel. Good on the java fern. Don't get the peacock fern. I read on another thread (maybe this one as well) that it is semi-aquatic and will eventually die if planted underwater.
The gel pack plants (in the carton) I believe are tissue cultured from plant cells and grown with the roots in the gel (not submerged). They take a little while to transition to a submerged state. Since they are grown that way the are free of snails and other hitchhikers and diseases.
Yeah, I thought that was weird seeing my tank.



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I have no intention on getting the peacock fern, it was the only one that showed the roots with gel thats why I picked it.

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A quick google image search later and I have found the exact java that will be added. Note it says to be 2-4 plants in the package and the free snail...gulp. Both in bottom right hand side

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A quick google image search later and I have found the exact java that will be added. Note it says to be 2-4 plants in the package and the free snail...gulp. Both in bottom right hand side

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I'm reading that as "SNAIL FREE" and is no snails. Lol


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I'm reading that as "SNAIL FREE" and is no snails. Lol


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It is nothing but minor details lol...Maybe I read it wrong in the store. Guess I will find out tomorrow.

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