My new tank design plans (ideas and input please!)

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Mikezilla89

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Feb 24, 2011
Messages
39
So I've had this 29 gallon tank sitting in my room for months, and i'm finally going to do something with it. I formulated a plan for a FW tank and i'm starting to work on getting all the materials and whatnot. I'd like as much criticism and ideas as possible, so please help me out :D
Here's what i got:

For the centerpiece, I want to somehow construct a volcano from rock (wanna use lava rock, but if there's something easier to break up and put together i'd like to know). I was thinking of breaking pieces up and reconstructing and putting together with silicone to make something that looks close to a volcano. I want a hole in the bottom, kind of like a cave, and an opening in the top. I want to take a hydor ario 3 submersible air pump and place it in the center of the volcano, and then use a hydor red led light and place that inside the volcano as well, so the top is giving off lots of bubbles and also has a cool red glow at night. I also want to place river stones around the base of the volcano.

I'm planning on making this a planted tank, so for the substrate i want to first place a layer of laterite and then cover it in some sort of sand (undecided on color). Also considering two small caves on both ends of the tank.
For fish i'm thinking of sparkling dwarf gourami for the topswimmers, various small tetras as well as galaxy rasboras, maybe badis badis for the mid swimmers. And for the bottom i want an albino bushynose pleco, small loaches (zebra, yoyo, etc), hummingbird tetras, and possibly garra ruffa.

Now this is where i really want some input,
for plants, i want a nice ground cover and was thinking of dwarf hairgrass. Also want some swords and possibly vals scattered along the bottom, and some water sprite floating on the top for the gourami.

For lighting, i was thinking a 30" double bulb high output t5 fixture. Is that too much? Also i noticed that many of the fixtures come with one 10,000k bulb and one actinic bulb. Is that even useful? i thought actinic bulbs were mainly for coral. Any suggestions on what to get for lighting for the plants i mentioned? Oh! i also already have a co2 system ready.

Again i welcome any comments, questions, ideas on different plants/fish and i thank everyone in advance :D
 
I just got my first CPDs aka Galaxy Rasboras. I have 7. I also got my first Scarlet Badis (Dario Dario). I have them in my Shrimp tank for now with Featherfin Rainbows.

I really like them. I will get Sparkling Gouramis later once my other tank is cycled. Nano fish are cool. My D Dario is very shy since I just got him. But he does come out.


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Ooo I like those rainbowfish, think I might add some of them as well. I have about a dozen sparkling gourami in my tank, they love to hang out in my patch of water sprite, really cool looking fish imo
 
Update: for lighting I'm thinking two deep blue solarmax HE 130s (14w per bulb)
 
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