Starting 29 gallon reef tank

[Khij159753]

Just started a 29 gallon tank, I have a light, filter, heater, 20lbs of LR, and 20lbs of LS. Is there anything else I need for it or should get for it? This is my first tank. How long will it take to cycle before I can add a couple fish? Any advice or opinions or suggestions of what I could do with the tank is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[TigerBarbs]

Just started a 29 gallon tank, I have a light, filter, heater, 20lbs of LR, and 20lbs of LS. Is there anything else I need for it or should get for it? This is my first tank. How long will it take to cycle before I can add a couple fish? Any advice or opinions or suggestions of what I could do with the tank is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Congrats! I love my 29g reef! You might want some more rock(more room for coral, more beneficial bacteria). You need ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate test kits to tell how long it will take to cycle. Usually 3 weeks or so. But it varies. What lighting do you have?

 

[Jacobsal91]

The more live rock the better, you should even put a bunch of small pieces in the back of your filter! Live rock is your
Primary filtration media! And that doesnt sound like a whole lot of sand, i put 20lb in my 12 gal i have a sand bed of about 2 or 3 inches deep. But it all really depends on your preferance and the overall shape of your tank.

 

[TigerBarbs]

I have 40 pounds and I love how it looks. Also I have 0 nitrates.

 

[bettaowner]

You could have an ocellaris clown and a goby of some sort.

 

[Khij159753]

So should I put 20lbs more of each LS and LR? I'm not entirely sure on the lighting, all I know is it's a 30" fluorescent light because I bought it in a kit. Do I need a skimmer or a power head? Also is a clown and a goby all I could safely fit in a tank that size?

 

[TigerBarbs]

So should I put 20lbs more of each LS and LR? I'm not entirely sure on the lighting, all I know is it's a 30" fluorescent light because I bought it in a kit. Do I need a skimmer or a power head? Also is a clown and a goby all I could safely fit in a tank that size?

Sand is your choice but I would put more rock in. If its in a kit, chances are it will not support coral of any kind and needs to be upgraded. You need powerheads. I recommend 2 koralia 425s. You don't need a skimmer if you stay religious with weekly water changes. And i think that was just a suggestion on fish, you can have a couple more fish than that

 

[Khij159753]

Okay. What type of lighting do you recommend? And about how long will it take to cycle if I put in 20lbs more of LR in?

 

[Khij159753]

Also just thinking here and I haven't done any research on how much room these fish would need or anything but what do you think about maybe a pair of clowns, 1 or 2 engineer gobies, maybe a couple firefish, and some bangaii cardinal fish?

 

[Jacobsal91]

Okay. What type of lighting do you recommend? And about how long will it take to cycle if I put in 20lbs more of LR in?

LED lights are the way to go these days. Jist make sire they are reef capable. There are a lot
Of nano LED light fixtures. Just browse online and see what you like. And as far as cycling, I would give it 3 weeks to a month

 

[Jacobsal91]

Also just thinking here and I haven't done any research on how much room these fish would need or anything but what do you think about maybe a pair of clowns, 1 or 2 engineer gobies, maybe a couple firefish, and some bangaii cardinal fish?

Sorry for double posts, If you want all of those fish in your tank i would not sugest that. Especially if your a beginner. Thats a lot of poop and ammonia you have to get rid of and would require a high amount of maintenance. I would personally get a firefish and a clown.. MAYBE the cardinal if you feel comfortable with doing the water changes and what not

 

[Khij159753]

Okay. I was thinking I would like those fish but I would very very very slowly add them to make sure I can keep the tank clean and running smoothly. Was that many fish way too crowded or would just take alot of work? Or what? I really wanna try an engineer goby. Would they be okay in a tank that size?

 

[Jacobsal91]

Okay. I was thinking I would like those fish but I would very very very slowly add them to make sure I can keep the tank clean and running smoothly. Was that many fish way too crowded or would just take alot of work? Or what? I really wanna try an engineer goby. Would they be okay in a tank that size?

Add fish pretty slowly. In a tank that size dont do more than 3 or 4... That might even be pushing it. It can be done with more but
Nobody recommends it, only for the reason that that bioload gets pretty big and you can get ammonia spikes very quickly and easily.. I dont know about anyone else here but thats not a risk im willing to take. If you want my opinion on what fish to get i would get an engineer goby, a clown of some sort (really your choice just not a big one) and a cardinal. I wouldnt do much more than that fish wise. And inverts will help keep it clean.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Dont get an engineer goby... Im serious, they get huge. At full size they are like eels, an you do not want an eel in a 29 tank..

Mine is 10" and makes my 66 look small.

 

[Jacobsal91]

Lol omg i just looked it up on live aquaria they get a foot long aparently?!

 

[Jlsardina]

I wouldn't do more than 2-3 nano fish in this tank. Clownfish put off a lot of waste!

 

[Jacobsal91]

That they do! Just limit yourself as much as possible. Belive me i know buying a lot of fish is tempting. But they are soo messy and in a small tank, it can lead to all sorts of problems so make good fish choices!

 

[crister13]

Definitely no engineer. If it were me I would do 2 clowns and a goby.

 

[Mrc8858]

If it were me with a tank that size make the main focus amazing corals and give it a lot of flow with some yellow polyps, frogspawns, xenias, etc and for fish have all the focus around an angler show specimen to give your tank a very unique feel. It may not be for you though but I know what my next reef project is lol

 

[TigerBarbs]

Also just thinking here and I haven't done any research on how much room these fish would need or anything but what do you think about maybe a pair of clowns, 1 or 2 engineer gobies, maybe a couple firefish, and some bangaii cardinal fish?

As everyone has said. That's a lot of fish for a 29! Lol I have 2 percula clowns, a purple firefish and a tail spot blenny. As for lighting, I like my 4 bulb FISHNEEDIT t5HO fixture. Aquatraders.com has very cheap fixtures. U definitely want 4 bulb though.