setting up a 29 gallon

[dann.yy]

Hello everyone.. I'm a new member to AA. This is my first post but I've been following up on the many threads already posted. Well I'm in the process of cycling a 29 gallon tank and I have a few questions here:

Plans are to have a low to medium light planted tank (don't want to deal with CO2 just yet since I am new to planted tanks). Would a Coralife 50/50 65W work well for a 29 gallon to grow some plants without a CO2 setup?

Also I would like to stock the tank with Bolivian Rams. How many would be fine? I was thinking 2-4. Another fish I had in mind was a clown pleco. Would they get along with one another? Any other suggestions on fish to add to the tank? Thanks!

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

1st off, Welcome To AA

I would go for just a pair of Bolivian rams, your 29G is the same footprint of a 20 long, so the surface area is the same. Rams are one of the better cichlids for a community type tank. They should do OK with the pelco.

I would look into something peaceful for the top of the water instead of trying to squeeze in 2 more rams

 

[Purrbox]

Plans are to have a low to medium light planted tank (don't want to deal with CO2 just yet since I am new to planted tanks). Would a Coralife 50/50 65W work well for a 29 gallon to grow some plants without a CO2 setup?

With the 50/50 you'll most likely have Low Light and with a daylight bulb you'd have Medium Light bordering on the need for carbon supplementation. I'd probably give it a try to see whether or not the extra carbon is actually necessary. You could always dose a little bit of Flourish Excel if needed and you don't have Anacharis or Vals.

 

[dann.yy]

Yeah, a pair of bolivians sounds good. Hopefully I get a male and a female! Maybe fill the top of the water with cardinal tetras? idk... open to any more suggestions!

Glad to hear a 50/50 would work... I hear the light would give a blue color and that some people don't really like it. Right now I don't think I would mind the blue... but maybe I might think different when I actually see it. Any specific daylight bulbs you recommend? I think the fixture I want requires that the length be 21"

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

I think a couple places have a 6700K bulb for those type lights, that would be your best bet for plants