My planted 29g journey

[Annakhil]

This is for anyone who wants to keep up with it and also for me to keep track of costs and setup to see how everything goes. I have two other tanks, a 5.5 cherry shrimp, and a 10 planted community. This will be my first heavily planted tank.
I will list the items I have so far and what they cost only so when I want to get a larger tank, which will eventually happen I will have a rough estimate as to what I will be needing.
I don't plan on actually setting up this tank for another month as I am redoing my computer room, I spend enough time in there I might as well put something to calm me down in there.

Items I already bought
Tank. $29
Filter. Ehiem2213 $70(big Al's)
Heater. 100w $25
Substrate: 2x ecoComplete $17 each
1 x 20 lb black moon sand $20
Lighting: aqualife double t5ho $120
Marienland hiden LEDs (for moonlight) $50
Digital thermometer. $7
Background. $10
Stand $110
Driftwood. $50 the centerpiece
I want some Xmas moss around some of the dw then have a bush of ferns or crypts at the base ans a carpet around the rest to the glass
Some carpeting plant suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Rivercats]

I like the DW, it's very close to one of my pieces. I would not want to see how much money it took to get my 220g up and running, heavily planted. This could be a good thread for people wondering what it would cost to get a smaller tank up and running tho.

 

[Annakhil]

Omg I think I might have to take out a loan to fund the upfront cost of a 220g BEFORE fish! Lol
Thanks I'm hoping to remind my self of where I got stuff and if things break I can add info to what happened and what I replaced with.
I absolutely love that piece of dw I wanted to find a piece with flow but not a big base since I want to have a lot of plants.
For the carpeting plant I know I don't want DHG maybe something shorter. Maybe like a clover, any suggestions?

 

[Rivercats]

I don't like clover because it wants to over tank the tank. A 29 is pretty small and honestly something like Crypt Parva would be ideal. Dwarf baby's tears are great for a small tank but need higher light but might work with your T5's. Word of advice, if you get dwarf baby tears and can get a small mat of them it is sooo much easier to get them established. They have ultra fine roots that can be a bear to get going in the beginning. I finally took mine out because my angels liked to nibble on them and my yo-yo loaches loved to unroot the edges looking for goodies under them. The C. Parva's are only about 1-1/2" max, the dwarf baby tears literally hug the bottom.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Just recently did a 29g heavily planted. As Rivercats said, Crypt Parva is a great. I used a variety of various Crypts to create a carpet in the left side of my tank while putting some Crypt Cruspatula and Spiralus to fill in the back. Crypts are truly my favorite plant.

Check out my Evolution of my Tanks if you want some ideas! Your tanks sound very similar to mine

I'm following so I can hopefully help you along!

 

[Annakhil]

I'm following so I can hopefully help you along!

Thanks! I'll take as much help as possible!

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Thanks! I'll take as much help as possible!

That driftwood looks fantastic btw. I'm jealous!

 

[Annakhil]

I'm sure you understand how hard it is for me to see all this equipment on the floor of my dinning room waiting to be set up but alas until I finish redoing my computer room I have to sit and wait. Just to let you know why wait, Painting and putting shelves up around a tank is not my ideal situation.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

I'm sure you understand how hard it is for me to see all this equipment on the floor of my dinning room waiting to be set up but alas until I finish redoing my computer room I have to sit and wait. Just to let you know why wait, Painting and putting shelves up around a tank is not my ideal situation.

Just to let you know, I fully appreciate you being a programmer. I'm an Electrical Engineer with experience in programming. I wish you all the best luck

What you could do as you paint your shelves, as I'm still attempting to do, is paint the back of your tank black. It makes the plants and fish colors stand out. Although its very permanent.

 

[Annakhil]

Just to let you know, I fully appreciate you being a programmer. I'm an Electrical Engineer with experience in programming. I wish you all the best luck

What you could do as you paint your shelves, as I'm still attempting to do, is paint the back of your tank black. It makes the plants and fish colors stand out. Although its very permanent.

Thanks, I work with electrical engineers they are probably the nerdiest of all engineers but I like that since I (most all programmers)totally claim the nerd name!
Already done! Lol first thing I did after buying since I have read so many people say how they wish they painted it before it was set up. I just got the plastic black back cover at the LFS and the glass glue and glued it on the back and cut off the excess.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Thanks, I work with electrical engineers they are probably the nerdiest of all engineers but I like that since I (most all programmers)totally claim the nerd name!
Already done! Lol first thing I did after buying since I have read so many people say how they wish they painted it before it was set up. I just got the plastic black back cover at the LFS and the glass glue and glued it on the back and cut off the excess.

Haha yes! Nerdy would be one of the first words I would use to describe me!

Also, yeah, I set my tanks up. Then decided painting it was a good idea. Glad you had some forethought!

Personally I would let some Crypt Parva reign supreme in the front of the DW. Maybe mixed with some taller plants to add some texture. Follow up with tall stem plants like Red Ludwigia in the back and you'll have yourself a tank. That DW piece should take up a lot of room.

 

[Annakhil]

Yep it will did you check those dimensions? 13 tall by 23 long. Pretty much just that and plants, I'm going to do two fish species only and shrimp.
My fav fish is otos so 6-7 of them and around a dozen cardinals
What do you think?

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Yep it will did you check those dimensions? 13 tall by 23 long. Pretty much just that and plants, I'm going to do two fish species only and shrimp.
My fav fish is otos so 6-7 of them and around a dozen cardinals
What do you think?

My 29, as I'm sure most are, is 30 inches long by 18.75 inches tall so maybe it won't take up toooo much room.

In my 29g I have 7 Rummynose and 9 Pygmy Corydoras. I plan on having 2-3 Apistogramma Agasizzii. This is a little much for a 29.

It depends on the Shrimp species. Cardinals would look great in this tank!

 

[Annakhil]

My 29, as I'm sure most are, is 30 inches long by 18.75 inches tall so maybe it won't take up toooo much room.

In my 29g I have 7 Rummynose and 9 Pygmy Corydoras. I plan on having 2-3 Apistogramma Agasizzii. This is a little much for a 29.

It depends on the Shrimp species. Cardinals would look great in this tank!

Wait, are you saying my list is too much? Or yours? Cause yours seems fine except I don't know the last one you mentioned. I will do a quick google

 

[Annakhil]

Ok it's a type of dwarf cichlid very pretty a little too aggressive for me though.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Wait, are you saying my list is too much? Or yours? Cause yours seems fine except I don't know the last one you mentioned. I will do a quick google

Haha no, mine. Mine seems a little much.

Yours seems great! Maybe I suggest adding some Bloodfins? Cheap, active, and underrated. As they mature a beautiful white tip will appear on their fins. They also school well and are very active. Pair those with your Cardinal Tetras, you have a nice active tank!

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Ok it's a type of dwarf cichlid very pretty a little too aggressive for me though.

Only really aggressive when in spawning mode. My Rummys will serve as dither fish and it will be ok

Not saying they are ok for your tank tho

 

[Annakhil]

Is it sad that I just got. An email about shipment of my dw and I'm worried cause I don't want them to break it in shipping?

 

[Annakhil]

Well I have been putting off doing the computer room while I have gotten over the flu but we finally started not that the room is painted, new tv and stand, finally gives me enough room tomorrow is my day to put my tank up and let it start cycling. I have the driftwood in a crawfish boiling pot outside with weights on it trying to waterlog it, looks like I might be pulling out the gas and stand and boil it outside tomorrow (thank gosh I live In the south and we readily have pots large enough to boil large pieces of driftwood!). Some picks of the room just for me to remember and to show what it we did, mind you this room was RED! Oh and the last pic OB's of my baby rcs they are getting their color! Yay!

 

[Annakhil]

Looks like illness shimming the one side of the tank stand, the f adept must not be even or the foundation