Starting a 29 Gallon Freshwater Tank.

[Satchel_Paige]

Hello there,

I currently have a 10 gallon tank with 4 albino corys in it. I purchased an empty 29 gallon tank and am looking for advice as far as which filter to use, hoods, lights, etc. I am familiar with how to cycle a tank first and all that jazz. Unfortunately, I do not have enough money for a canister filter that keeps being recommended. I am hoping to use a sand substrate, but having never used that before I don't know which filter/ what kind of sand to use. I have two moss balls in my current tank but that is the extent of my experience with plants as well. Any and all advice is welcome, thanks in advance.

 

[Yorg]

To Satchel_Paige

Hi Satchel_Paige:

In a 29 gallon you could run an air-driven sponge or corner/box filter, especially if you're planning to keep the bioload fairly low. Those types of filters are very inexpensive, so your main investment would be in a good quality air pump. That would still bring you well under the cost of a canister filter. Otherwise, one of the smaller hang-on-the back power filters (e.g. AquaClear) would work as well if you just don't want anything inside the tank.

I'll leave it to those here with more experience to advise you about the sand.

-Yorg

Hello there,

I currently have a 10 gallon tank with 4 albino corys in it. I purchased an empty 29 gallon tank and am looking for advice as far as which filter to use, hoods, lights, etc. I am familiar with how to cycle a tank first and all that jazz. Unfortunately, I do not have enough money for a canister filter that keeps being recommended. I am hoping to use a sand substrate, but having never used that before I don't know which filter/ what kind of sand to use. I have two moss balls in my current tank but that is the extent of my experience with plants as well. Any and all advice is welcome, thanks in advance.

 

[Satchel_Paige]

Thank you for the advice! I'm probably leaning more towards a HOB just as I am more familiar with them and they seem to be more readily available where I am. Any suggestions as to a type? I was reading about the Tetra Wisper EX series as I have the PF10 and it works well. I was advised to go with the EX 45 over the 30 as it will filter my tank far better regardless of what I put into it. I do regular water changes so that wouldn't change with the larger tank I assume?

 

[TheresaM]

Better to over filter than under!

I use Carib Sea aquarium sand because I like the colors they have available. The main thing with sand is rinsing it before putting it in the tank.

Do you have any idea what fish you'd like for your tank?

 

[Yorg]

HOB Filter

Hi Satchel_Paige:

AquaClear is the HOB I like best because of the very large media chamber. Frankly I don't like using the cartridges that most HOBs call for. With the AquaClear I can use bulk bio and (if I need it) chemical media in media bags. I can also cut my own bonded pads to fit for mechanical filtration. It's cheaper than buying all those cartridges and I can customize media as needed.

Yes, if you're planning to overstock your tank then it's probably a good idea to go a size up on the filter.

You're right -- you'll still be doing regular water changes in the bigger tank!

-Yorg

Thank you for the advice! I'm probably leaning more towards a HOB just as I am more familiar with them and they seem to be more readily available where I am. Any suggestions as to a type? I was reading about the Tetra Wisper EX series as I have the PF10 and it works well. I was advised to go with the EX 45 over the 30 as it will filter my tank far better regardless of what I put into it. I do regular water changes so that wouldn't change with the larger tank I assume?

 

[Satchel_Paige]

Thanks! Any suggestion to the size of filter from aquaclear? Also I apologize as I do not know what media bags and bio bags are. As far as stocking I'm keeping my 4 corys and do not want neon tetras or the like and something with personality and a fun colorful schooling fish. Maybe a bristle nose pleco as I have a soft spot for bottom dwellers ha. Does the substrate affect the kind of hob filter I can use?

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[TheresaM]

I could definitely increase the number of cories if you can.

There are lots of options for schooling fish. I personally like the nano fish that are available. I have a very large group of celestial pearl danios (CPDs) in my 16g, very colorful and active.

Bottom feeders are great, I'm personally a big fan of loaches.

 

[Yorg]

AquaClear HOB Filter

Hi Satchel_Paige:

AquaClear has a model specifically rated for 30 gallon tanks. A media bag is a small bag made of very fine mesh that you can put media such as carbon in and place it in your filter media chamber. It keeps media together in one place so you can remove it easily, etc.

One of the types of bulk media I use is the "ceramic noodles/cylinders." These are very small pieces that make good biological filtration media as they have lots of surface area for nitrifying bacteria to colonize. Again, in an AquaClear filter you can keep these noodles in a mesh media bag so that they stay together for ease of maintenance (e.g. you can take the bag out and gently rinse it in some tank water during water changes to remove any large particulate matter that's built up).

To my knowledge the substrate type shouldn't matter. Even if you were to use sand, provided your HOB filter is the appropriate size for the tank the outflow shouldn't disturb the substrate. You might want to consider putting a sponge pre-filter on the intake tube of your HOB to help keep sand out of the main filter chamber.

-Yorg

Thanks! Any suggestion to the size of filter from aquaclear? Also I apologize as I do not know what media bags and bio bags are. As far as stocking I'm keeping my 4 corys and do not want neon tetras or the like and something with personality and a fun colorful schooling fish. Maybe a bristle nose pleco as I have a soft spot for bottom dwellers ha. Does the substrate affect the kind of hob filter I can use?

Sent from my SM-G860P using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Satchel_Paige]

I could definitely increase the number of cories if you can.

There are lots of options for schooling fish. I personally like the nano fish that are available. I have a very large group of celestial pearl danios (CPDs) in my 16g, very colorful and active.

Bottom feeders are great, I'm personally a big fan of loaches.

How many cories would be optimal? I was told 4 would be ideal at my local fish store. Otherwise I was told angelfish are pretty personable but I'm worried the tank might be too small.

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[Satchel_Paige]

Hi Satchel_Paige:

AquaClear has a model specifically rated for 30 gallon tanks. A media bag is a small bag made of very fine mesh that you can put media such as carbon in and place it in your filter media chamber. It keeps media together in one place so you can remove it easily, etc.

One of the types of bulk media I use is the "ceramic noodles/cylinders." These are very small pieces that make good biological filtration media as they have lots of surface area for nitrifying bacteria to colonize. Again, in an AquaClear filter you can keep these noodles in a mesh media bag so that they stay together for ease of maintenance (e.g. you can take the bag out and gently rinse it in some tank water during water changes to remove any large particulate matter that's built up).

To my knowledge the substrate type shouldn't matter. Even if you were to use sand, provided your HOB filter is the appropriate size for the tank the outflow shouldn't disturb the substrate. You might want to consider putting a sponge pre-filter on the intake tube of your HOB to help keep sand out of the main filter chamber.

-Yorg

I was looking at potentially going the step up size filter to help with everything. Thank you the media stuff makes sense now ha

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[brennae]

As for sand i would recommend the Carib Sea line also. I use simple pool filter sand that you can buy at any hardware store or pool supply store. You may have to ask for it, as usually they keep it in back this time of year. My 29g tank has 6 albino and one bronze cory and 1 betta. I have different rocks and several pieces of driftwood.

HOB filter- I agree that Aquaclear is best. I would get the 70 model.

 

[TheresaM]

How many cories would be optimal? I was told 4 would be ideal at my local fish store. Otherwise I was told angelfish are pretty personable but I'm worried the tank might be too small.

Six is usually recommended for cories; what type do you have?

 

[Satchel_Paige]

I have albino cories right now.

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[apr28]

I would suggest reading as much as possible before making any hasty decisions . You don't want to get overloaded by the information in one thread. Don't rush just to get fish in the tank. I went out and bought a kit last year and one year later the only thing I have is the actual tank because I changed everything.

Really think hard about if you want a heavily planted tank or and easy low-tech planted. That will determine your lighting and substrate and co2/fertilizer options.

Think about the type of fish you like. Don't settle on just what Petco/Petsmart sells. Travel to local fish stores and browse the aquariums. I travel 75 minutes one way to get my fish. AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor is your friend for stocking info.

 

[Satchel_Paige]

Oh definitely not rushing. I have no plan to get anymore fish till the new tank gets fully established the way I want it. I use the aqadvisor frequently so I make sure I won't over stock. I guess I'm most likely going to look into a lightly planted tank, I don't know enough about them and am not super interested in a heavily planted tank. Really just attempting to get the substrate and filter, hood and lighting ideas figured out as I've only experienced the 10 gallon kit I have.

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