Emmanuel's 29 Gallon

[emmanuelchavez]

I wasn't planning on putting this sucker up till after I was done with geologic field camp and my internship next summer, since I won't be home for at least 3 months (I'll definitely be trying to visit at least once during each month though, for water changes and top offs...)... but the scape and idea struck me today while trying to work! Now I'm excited about it. It'll probably be a couple of months before it's even up and running (cycling).

First, I've got to finish cycling the 20 gallon, then move the shrimp there.
Then break down the 10 gallon - selling / giving away the hc and dwarf sag, but keeping the moss for the 29.

I'm going to try to keep this one more on the low-tech. No more than 2 wpg. It's going to have a (thin) sand substrate, which I already have. The hardscape will consists of lots of red scoria (lava rock) in the back, with a bunch of anubias in between the rocks. And for foreground, I'm going to cover a bunch of flat rocks with moss. I'm going to leave some sand for the cories to enjoy .

What I have:

29 gallon tank
Some java moss
Play Sand
Powerhead - just for extra circulation.

What I need:

Lighting (probably will go with a Coralife 65 watt fixture)
Filter (I'll probably get a HOB, although, I really like canisters!!)
A bunch of anubias
More java moss
scoria
stand


First thing I'll get is the stand (so I can finally take the tank out of my car).
I'll slowly start getting some scoria and anubias plants (that i'll leave in the 10 gallon till they're ready for the 29).


I was debating whether or not to cover the entire back with maybe some type of val.... but I've got time to figure it out.


Suggestions? Comments? Ah, the joys of MTS.

[Meghan]

Hey Eman, I am currently cycling my 29g too. Do you have link to the fixture you are interested in? I can't find a 24" bulb in my lfs that is more than 20 watts, but they say they are 18,000K. I'm totally lost when it comes to lighting... Haha, do you have any insight for me?

So when you are done, you'll end up with the 15g, 20g, and 29g?

My tank came with a Whisper 30 hob. It truly is quiet. Of course, I can't comment on how well it filters, since I'm only cycling right now- it doesn't really have anything to filter.

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by emmanuelchavez

I'm going to try to keep this one more on the low-tech. No more than 2 wpg. It's ...

What I need:

Lighting (probably will go with a Coralife 65 watt fixture) ...

I'm a little confused, eman. You say that you want no more than 2 wpg, but you're looking at a 65-watt bulb. That's more than 2 wpg.

I like the idea of the vals, but that's just me. I have 'em in my 29G.

Originally Posted by Meghan

Hey Eman, I am currently cycling my 29g too. Do you have link to the fixture you are interested in? I can't find a 24" bulb in my lfs that is more than 20 watts, but they say they are 18,000K. I'm totally lost when it comes to lighting... Haha, do you have any insight for me?

Are you looking for a light bulb to grow plants? If so, what you found definitely won't do. The 18,000K refers to the spectrum of light that your bulb puts out; for optimal plant growth, you want something around 5,000K or 6,000K. You also want more wattage. For a simple set-up, you probably want to go with at least 65 watts.

Now, for whatever reason, chain stores seem to assume that people do not want to grow live plants, even though they often sell them. I've never found appropriate aquarium light bulbs at the LCS. Instead, I'd go to a privately owned store (which is what I did) or go on-line to someone like Drs. Foster and Smith. Make sure that your light fixture can handle a bulb of the appropriate wattage.

[Meghan]

Sorry for hijacking, Eman.

Shawn- I pm'ed you.

[emmanuelchavez]

Originally Posted by Meghan

Do you have link to the fixture you are interested in?

I don't remember where it is, but I'll find it in a bit.

Originally Posted by Meghan

So when you are done, you'll end up with the 15g, 20g, and 29g?

Yup, that's right.

Originally Posted by iapetus

I'm a little confused, eman. You say that you want no more than 2 wpg, but you're looking at a 65-watt bulb. That's more than 2 wpg.

Haha... it's only ~2.25 wpg. I suppose I could get a 55 watt bulb, but the light fixture comes with a 65 watt bulb.

Originally Posted by iapetus

I like the idea of the vals, but that's just me. I have 'em in my 29G.

By chance, do you know if vals melt with excel dosing?

Originally Posted by Meghan

Sorry for hijacking, Eman.

lol, no problem - I really don't mind. Good luck with your 29 gallon. Do you know what you're going to stock it with?

the only fish I know I'll be keeping in there for sure are my 2 pygmy and 2 peppered cories. I was considering of keeping one angel with the cories, along with some schooling fish... or a pair of rams, with schooling fish.

[Meghan]

Haha, I have NO idea...

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by emmanuelchavez

Haha... it's only ~2.25 wpg. I suppose I could get a 55 watt bulb, but the light fixture comes with a 65 watt bulb.

What can I say? I'm a scientist by training ... as are you! (Albeit a geologist, yes, but still ... )

Originally Posted by emmanuelchavez

By chance, do you know if vals melt with excel dosing?

I have heard that vals and Flourish Excel do not mix. But, I've never dared to experiment on my own vals.

[emmanuelchavez]

Originally Posted by iapetus

What can I say? I'm a scientist by training ... as are you! (Albeit a geologist, yes, but still ... )

I have heard that vals and Flourish Excel do not mix. But, I've never dared to experiment on my own vals.

Haha, true.

I almost went high-tech today too.
I went to an LFS to start buying some rock, and I saw they had a 130 watt coralife fixture for what looked like $49... but I'm glad I stared at it for a while, as it turned out it was $149.

I wiped them clean of scoria though. At $1 a pound for such a lightweight rock is quite a deal!

Hm, I may buy a few vals this weekend and put them in the 10 gallon, and see how they fare with some excel. I can't decide whether to go with corkscrew or italian though.

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by emmanuelchavez

Hm, I may buy a few vals this weekend and put them in the 10 gallon, and see how they fare with some excel. I can't decide whether to go with corkscrew or italian though.

Oh! Wait up. I'm not sure I'd recommend vals in a 10G. I guess that you'd be waiting 'til the 29G is ready? Vals are big, almost too big for a 29G (I have to prune mine from time to time), particularly the jungle vals. They're definitely too big for a 10G.

[emmanuelchavez]

Originally Posted by iapetus

Oh! Wait up. I'm not sure I'd recommend vals in a 10G. I guess that you'd be waiting 'til the 29G is ready? Vals are big, almost too big for a 29G (I have to prune mine from time to time), particularly the jungle vals. They're definitely too big for a 10G.

Well, they'd only be there a couple of weeks at most. My 20 is done cycling... so I'll be moving the shrimp there withing a couple of weeks - just to give the microsword some more time to root well. Then I've got to sell off some of the stuff in the 10.

I read all about jungle vals some time ago. Those things are monsters!! I kept Italian vals at one point in the 15, they were doing well... up until I cooked them : \

All I need now for the 29 is a stand, lighting, filter... and plants.