keithjfuller
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2013
- Messages
- 44
So I'm going to start a 29 gallon freshwater planted tank and I was hoping to get some advice. To give you a clearer picture of what I want I'd say that this will be a moderately planted tank with a good number of smaller schooling fish (tetras, rasboras, etc.), a few guppies (which I hope will make new guppies), a few shrimp, and maybe one or two "cooler" fish. Anyway, here are my questions:
First, glass or acrylic. I'm leaning towards glass because it's cheaper, doesn't scratch as much, and I can get one right away. However, I'm going to build my own cabinet and canopy, but I'm curious if the canopy (not a really big one) will put too much weight on the tank?
Second, what sort of substrate do you recommend? Also, I'd like some parts of the tank to have sand, but what type of gravel should I go with by the planted parts?
Third, I think I'm going to get a Fluval 206 - do you think this will be enough?
Fourth, what types of lights should I get? If you have direct links to certain ones that you love please feel free to post them.
Finally, CO2 or no? I'd love to not have to spend the money and time on CO2. I'm hoping that I can get away with some stuff like Excel and have enough fish in the tank to provide CO2 and fertilizers. I don't need my plants to go nuts, just stay alive and do a small amount of growing.
I'm sure these questions will lead me to new ones, but I'd really love to get things right before starting a project like this. I appreciate all the advice that people give, and I'll be happy to share the plans to my cabinet and canopy once I figure out exactly what I want. Thanks again.
First, glass or acrylic. I'm leaning towards glass because it's cheaper, doesn't scratch as much, and I can get one right away. However, I'm going to build my own cabinet and canopy, but I'm curious if the canopy (not a really big one) will put too much weight on the tank?
Second, what sort of substrate do you recommend? Also, I'd like some parts of the tank to have sand, but what type of gravel should I go with by the planted parts?
Third, I think I'm going to get a Fluval 206 - do you think this will be enough?
Fourth, what types of lights should I get? If you have direct links to certain ones that you love please feel free to post them.
Finally, CO2 or no? I'd love to not have to spend the money and time on CO2. I'm hoping that I can get away with some stuff like Excel and have enough fish in the tank to provide CO2 and fertilizers. I don't need my plants to go nuts, just stay alive and do a small amount of growing.
I'm sure these questions will lead me to new ones, but I'd really love to get things right before starting a project like this. I appreciate all the advice that people give, and I'll be happy to share the plans to my cabinet and canopy once I figure out exactly what I want. Thanks again.