New to Hobby. Starting off w/ 29 gal. Advice Wanted

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Zume

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Mar 23, 2017
Messages
5
Location
washougal, wa
Hello aquarium people,

I am thinking of starting up a 29 gal. tank & was wondering what would work for the tank I want. I am a student, and don't have a whole lot of money at hand so cheap suggestions are a plus, but I can flex budget if needed.

I am wanting to buy a kit, seeing as its probably the cheapest route too go. The one I want is the aquaculture 29 gallon kit I found at Walmart. It doesn't look like the best quality, but it seems good enough for my cheap taste; however I was going to upgrade the filter to an aquaclear 50 sometime soon after getting tank.

I live only a short drive from wetspottropicalfish, which I heard was a very reputable LFS. The fish I want to get our a small school of cardinal tetra and school of rummynose (if I had to only choose one, it would be rummynose). I also want a school of maybe 4 panda/skunk cory, an bristlenose pleco and an Giant Blue Wood Shrimp. For these guys, I want a planted tank with some river rock, caves, and some driftwood.

If you fine fish people :fish1: have any suggestions/ or help as too how I should set up my aquarium please let me know.

:thanks:
 
If you want to go super cheap, check out craigslist, people are constantly selling setups for cheap. If you go with the kit that's fine too.

Read about cycling first. It's what your going to be doing for probably around a month before you even get fish. This is also the time you can set up plants/decor.

Once you complete your cycle you'll be able to add fish, now the tetras you listed can be a little fragile in newer tanks, so you may want to get the bristlenose in first, wait a week, add the cories(5-6 is a better number for them tbh), (keep up with testing your water and water changes) wait a little more and then add the more fragile tetras. The very last thing should be the shrimp, as they tend to chow on very tiny stuff in the tank that needs time to develop.

I will warn you that plecos, even the small ones, poop like there is no tomorrow, so if you really want both sets of tetras I'd say skip it, and this coming from someone whose had one for 12 yrs lol.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Welcome!
Look for used tanks, people get tired of fishkeeping and you can find some really nice stuff for cheap.
If you want a alternative to plecos, snails can be a nice choice. Research the different kinds and choose one that fits your situation and liking.





Sent from my N9130 using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
If you want to do it on a budget Craigslist is best. And for rock and hardscape skip the LFS and head to your local landscape material yard. Take your smartphone to research mineral content when you see something you like to insure it isn't loaded with toxic metals.
Pool filter sand is cheap. And sand for water purification is too. I have garnet sand, 50lbs for $15.
 
Well at least you got a good start on a 29 gallon. I started the fish hobby with a 20 gallon and now I think it's too small but it's for 3 guppies so it's all good.

Here's my 20 gallon

IMG_2004.jpg

I bought the 20 gallon starter kit for like $75 at the local fish store and then I ended up replacing the water filter , heater, and the led lights it had. If i could start all over I would just go with Craigslist and then buy every single piece of equipment I wanted.
 
Thank you all for the wonderful advice I'll be sure to use all of I can. Unfortunately I've been struggling a bit lately financially and don't know if I'll be able to put any plans too action right now. But I remain optimistic and hopefully with a bit of luck something cheap will turn up somewhere.
New plan will be to establish an planted tank than slowly add in following fish:
Bn pleco/other small pleco
6 panda cory/ or skunk
1-3 GB Wood Shrimp
& maybe some small shrimp/ Snails mixed in
Undecided about schooling fish right now
 
Well at least you got a good start on a 29 gallon. I started the fish hobby with a 20 gallon and now I think it's too small but it's for 3 guppies so it's all good.

Here's my 20 gallon

View attachment 296741

I bought the 20 gallon starter kit for like $75 at the local fish store and then I ended up replacing the water filter , heater, and the led lights it had. If i could start all over I would just go with Craigslist and then buy every single piece of equipment I wanted.
Great advice there for all.
 
+1 to the good advice, replaced everything on my 75g except the glass & tank! Lol....[emoji23]
 
Back
Top Bottom