29 gallon tank journal

[ErinMcG]

So, after a disaster with my 20 gallon, I decided to start fresh with a 29 gallon.
Got sand yesterday and rinsed like mad for hours. Looked clear in the buckets, but as soon as I added it to the tank and put in some water, it went very, very cloudy. Didn't settle over night like I hoped it would. Hmmm... What to do next, I wonder.....

Gotta go to work now. I will ponder this later.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Add enough water to get some movement going in the tank. Once it starts moving, it will settle or be filtered out.

 

[ErinMcG]

Add enough water to get some movement going in the tank. Once it starts moving, it will settle or be filtered out.

Cool! I will try that. I had hoped to keep the water level low so I could see what I wasn't doing with the plants and wood, but I will try raising the level and running the filter. I think I am going to put something like pantyhose over the filter intake to help keep sand out.

 

[Silverton]

I had the same problem when I added my sand. It took about a week and a half and two water changes later for it to really clear up. But now it looks great! Totally worth it!

 

[ErinMcG]

Did a 50% water change on the tank today. Still cloudy from the sand. Wish I could get my main filter working again. Stuck with my back up right now and it isn't very good. Some improvement though.... I can see my rocks. Added my branches too as I suddenly realised that if I have to do several pwcs because of the sand, I might as well catch any tannins that are left if I didn't soak the wood enough. I either need them to saturate enough to sink or I need to come up with a way to sink them...

 

[ErinMcG]

Water is a bit more clear today. I can see through the tank again. Both filters had slowed right down, so I changed their pantyhose. Water flow is much better when there isn't sand clogging up the hose. I will have to remember to keep an eye on that. Any thoughts on how I might anchor my branches? I want them deeper in the tank.

 

[derail]

First thought is you can weigh then down using rocks tied to the parts of the branches you want in the bottom. You can easily bury the rocks, depending on the size of the rock needed. Personally, I like the way it looks in that picture

 

[ErinMcG]

I like your suggestion about not weighing them down. They are easily replaced as they are and they change a wee bit every time I do a major water change. I will leave them be.

I added a fake stump with hidey holes today. I also added some anubias. I need something longer for the back. I may have a line on some jungle Val, but I need to look up its light requirements. I also have a line on another plant, but I forget the name. It did well with these lights before, so it should be ok. The only reason I got rid of it last time was because of the Cyanobacteria.

Slowly coming together...

A question... Do I need to wait for all the sand to settle before I add my neons back in?

 

[ErinMcG]

A different angle.

 

[Gish]

you can add the fish now.

add more sand if you want to have plants

i think the driftwood might block light to your plants if they stay afloat

 

[derail]

Definitely add the fish. It will look great given the appearance of those branches, not going to lie, i'm a wee bit jealous lol.
Java fern is easy to grow with minimum light. I personally added ivy to my tank, so i'm a fan of the suspended plant look

 

[ErinMcG]

Definitely going to do java ferns. They are good with lower light and don't need deep substrate. I have a line on some jungle vals, but not sure if I will go for it. Also have a line on some Bacopa caroliniana, which I might try. Though, I am not a sure about them just now... I am beginning to think that I might stick to java ferns and anubias... I have been looking at Marimo moss balls on-line for a hour now.... They could be a nice addition too.

The fish will go in tomorrow. Turning the heater back on now.

 

[ErinMcG]

So, I have some material in my 5 gallon betta tank that has been seeding for a month. I am going to move that to the 29 gallon this morning. But I wondered... Would the fake plants host any bb? I put a bunch of extra ones in the tank to try to reshape Jupiter's home and maybe give the neons somewhere to hide. It didn't work and I had to cage Jupiter anyway. But now I have all these ugly plastic plants to pull out... Just wondered if it would be worth putting them in the big tank for a week or so while I wait for my real ones....

I suppose it would be worth a try. Even if they don't carry any of the bb, they would at least give the neons a place to hang out until the real plants get here.

 

[derail]

Lol good concern. Yes, the fake plants will host the bb as your tank matures, along with other decorations. Sand, driftwood, branches, etc. will serve as a host for it, so keep them in there!
Until you replace then with the real thing that is...

 

[ErinMcG]

So, I have ordered a whack of java fern (normal and wavy) and some cryptocorye (sp?). The neons are swimming around like mad, exploring. They definitely hung out in the ugly fake plants when I first turned them loose, but they seem ok in the vast open spaces just now.

Now to start thinking about stocking.... The neons will eventually find a new home. They were pushed on my by my LFS when I never wanted neons. The guy told me to start with them after my fish less cycle, just in case. They have been through a lot and it feels callous to just give them away, but I don't want a school of neons and they deserve to be with others.

So, 29 gallons is my starting point and these ideas are based on early conversations, before I had the tank going. I have checked out local availability and prices and they seem like good options for me.

1. 6 x panda cories at 2" each = 12"
2. 8-10 x Gertrude's blue eyed rainbow fish at 1" each = 8-10"

3. 5-6 x Dwarf neon rainbow fish at 2" each? = 10-12"?

Or

3. 10 x Ember tetras at .8" each = 8"


Any thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[Gish]

Derail. Where did you get the rocks? Really cool

 

[Gish]

Java ferns should be good. Not sure about bacopa they might like a little more light. Of those stocking choices I only know about the pandas. They are great. Everyone raves about rainbows on this forum.

 

[ErinMcG]

First water test (added the neons this morning). PH is really low! It's 6.0. Must be the branches. A bit of ammonia (0.1), so I did a pwc. No nitrites or nitrates yet, but that's no surprise.

Guy at the LFS today told me that my tank would cycle instantly with the seeded material. I thanked him for his advice, but said I would do my tests daily for a bit to be sure. He just wanted me to take some fish home today.

 

[derail]

Derail. Where did you get the rocks? Really cool

Honestly, they're sandstone I picked up around the apartments live. Oklahoma, so I had to get rid of many I picked up because of red from oxidized iron. There are a few I took from a stream, slightly limestoneish, but cichlids love them lol

 

[ErinMcG]

Added a small pile of rocks (glued together) to hold an air stone. Shifted my ugly fake plants to the other side to make room for my air stone. Did a 50% water change as my ammonia was up to o.1 again.... Still no nitrites or nitrates in my readings, but it has only been a couple of days.

PH is low.... It's at 6.0. It must be my branches, but I don't want to get rid of them.... I like them! Any options? Something I could put in the tank that might balance up but not a chemical. I don't want to be adding something like that. I am thinking something more permanent or at least long lasting.

Oh, and still a bit cloudy.