Personally, I prefer AquaClear filters over any other brand. Tried and true, reliable, parts are easy to get if needed, work well, can use any media you wish, come in several sizes. I have some that are very old and still work great.
You don't need carbon unless tank water stinks, has turned yellow or brown from wood leaching or you have medication in the water that needs to be removed.
Most commercial filter inserts contain carbon, but you can remove it if you wish, just make a small cut in the section where it is and take it out. It is, however, cheaper to buy filter floss, filter sponge and use that instead. If it is not quite the right shape or size to fit, cut the sponge to fit and put floss over it. Sponge lasts almost forever, floss can last many months before it is so beat up you need to replace it.
In AquaClears, you also get a mesh bag of ceramic media. Ceramic media can be several shapes, all of which grow bacteria needed for filtration. Sponge also grows bacteria and you do not have to have both, but many choose to have both.
Always clean filter media in old tank water, so as not to kill the bacteria. Squeeze and swish sponge, floss and ceramics, then replace in filter. No matter what brand of filter you have, you can use any filter sponge and any filter floss in it, instead of the inserts that are made for it.
For a 29G, I'd use a filter designed for at least a 50 G tank, as it is always better to have a bit more than less filtration.
