29 Long Rescape

[CanadianWaters]

I am 14 and have had my first real tank, a 29 gallon long, for a few months now. I am just a little bored with the layout. I was hoping to make a bit of a build thread so that people would tag along and give me some advice as I go.
29 Gallon "Long"
7 neon tetra
6 rummy nose
4 panda corys
1 angelfish (small)
Couple amano shrimp/RCS
Low-light

This is the tank as of today:


I don't mind it but would like to change it. Any advice as to how to improve it?

I also picked up this new piece of driftwood I will add tomorrow when I start the rescape.


I plan to lay this across the bottom with some java ferns and java moss growing attached.

I hope I can get some experienced people tagging along adding their thoughts!

 

[MonkeyMonk86]

Looks great! Nice piece of driftwood, too. It will look sharp!!!

 

[CanadianWaters]

Well I'm all done for today. I added the driftwood and moved a lot of the plants. I'm loving the look of the new wood so far. I added a new plant and some java moss as well.

I'm hoping to get some new plants to fill in the middle-back, I want to keep the middle-front clear with maybe just very small foreground plants.

Would getting some excel to dose have significant effect? It's just a low light tank with fertilizer dosed 1 or 2 times a week but I want some improved growth especially from the cabomba in the back right and I figure I might need some if I wanted some shorter grass like plants?

Also I'm interested in filling these schools a little more, maybe a dozen neons? Or trading them in for cardinals because of the angelfish?

Anyway I'd love to get some feedback/criticism on the tank!

 

[cgthebeast]

Some liquid ferts could work though, look at metricide 14. 1 gallon for 20 bucks instead of 40 for one pint of flourish. I really like it though I think the back right corner need s'more plants, or mabye they jut haven't grown.
I wouldn't go adding 12 more tetras mabye 5 more neons which can live with angel, it depends though

 

[CanadianWaters]

Ya sorry I meant adding five to get the total school size up to 12. I had the neons before the angel and am hoping that if the angel grows up with them he won't see them as food but I know that might not happen. I might trade them or sell them for cardinals.

I looked into metricide 14 but think I'd prefer excel as I can't find it for low shipping costs into Canada. If they work the same I'm ok with using excel.

 

[cgthebeast]

Ah well great minds think alike in the neon school stocking then. Metricide is twice the strength o flourish so it would last longer then flourish would, though on shipping'I have no idea, I'm pretty far away from Canada

 

[CanadianWaters]

Well one of my neons seems to have some kind of a fungus mouth or cotton mouth going on. I'm guessing the stress of the rescape gave it a chance. Just tested all 0 with Nitrate at 5.0. Made a more in depth thread in the unhealthy section.

 

[CanadianWaters]

Well haven't updated in a bit so let me catch up. Anyway I haven't seen a ton of growth from the plants (ran out of flourish and haven't had a chance to get some)
I've just been thinking about the stocking and have come up with these for my 29.9 gallon long.


OR



The first one seems good but I'm worried with so many tetras that the middle will be way too busy. So I don't like that one.
The second one is my preferred plan but I don't know how the apistos will fit in? They were my my brothers idea, after the pet store he is in love with apistogramma. Any help?

I've also got some plant questions but I'll save those for later. Feel free to critique the new tank look and the stocking, in fact please do both.

 

[CanadianWaters]

Well...final stocking plan I hope. If I've learned anything it's that I am a noob and this especially shows in stocking, so some expierenced opinions would be awesome.

 

[CanadianWaters]

Oops, here we go

 

[cgthebeast]

Watch the rams and the Cory's as they might cause problem I'm territory with the rams

 

[CanadianWaters]

We'll I probably won't the ram in the end.
Couple plant questions I need some help with:
#1 Can anyone identify this algae and got any advice how to get rid of it? It's like brown ish, easy to wipe off and builds up only on the walls.

#2 Any suggestions for a lower light carpeting plant? I know it's tough but I don't need a thick carpet just a small covering in the front area.
#3 I've got this blackish algae(?) growing on my Anubias but only on the leaves exposed to light. What's going on there.
#4 As I see all the flowers and plants outside blooming is there any triggers I could do to get my Anubias to bloom? Just for fun.
#5 Would there be any advantage to using bottled co2 in low/med light conditions?

Any advice is appreciated even if it's small.

 

[CanadianWaters]

Anyone?

 

[Brookster123]

narrow leaf chain sword could work

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[elephantnose]

My rams and cories do fine together.

 

[CanadianWaters]

Well I've managed to find somebody that would be willing to take my neon tetras (grandmas retirement home, has nice clean tanks and the lady in charge seemed to know what she was doing) I think I'll replace them with a dozen cardinal tetras. Cardinals are less prone to die due to poor stock right? I had issues with some neons dying for no reason when "less hardy" species like my Rummynose were totally fine.