Emmanuel's 29 Gallon
- Thread starter emmanuelchavez
- Start date
It would appear that I've forgotten how to effectively use my camera... so I'll have to practice some more.
That is jungle val in there... I'm counting on it getting "invasive" and providing full cover in the back - I just didn't feel like spray painting, nor buying a background for it yesterday when I set it up. I know it'll reach the surface and shade the tank - but that's OK, the foreground is nothing more than java moss (the left half is more grown in b/c I've had it growing as a foreground in another tank for a little over a month).
Then on the left I've got Ludwigia Repens, and to the right of that Sunset Hygro... that sunset hygro is like a weed... I've only had it one day and it already has some growth.
I've gotta buy another ELITE mini-filter for CO2 diffusion, my other one broke, and I'm having to use this wood diffuser, which isn't all to great...
I had my HOT Magnum filter (rated for 55g) also running in the 100g when I added the SafeStart to get it cycled - so my cycle has been moving rather quickly too... I had the ammonia at .5 yesterday, and today it was a .25ish (a little less).
That is jungle val in there... I'm counting on it getting "invasive" and providing full cover in the back - I just didn't feel like spray painting, nor buying a background for it yesterday when I set it up. I know it'll reach the surface and shade the tank - but that's OK, the foreground is nothing more than java moss (the left half is more grown in b/c I've had it growing as a foreground in another tank for a little over a month).
Then on the left I've got Ludwigia Repens, and to the right of that Sunset Hygro... that sunset hygro is like a weed... I've only had it one day and it already has some growth.
I've gotta buy another ELITE mini-filter for CO2 diffusion, my other one broke, and I'm having to use this wood diffuser, which isn't all to great...
I had my HOT Magnum filter (rated for 55g) also running in the 100g when I added the SafeStart to get it cycled - so my cycle has been moving rather quickly too... I had the ammonia at .5 yesterday, and today it was a .25ish (a little less).
The ludwigia has shown some growth.. that one prominent stem that stands out has reached the surface already. the sunset hygro has grown quite a bit too, and has a stronger pink on the upper leaves. My java moss carpet is doing well too. I need to get a couple of amano shrimp to help with the hair algae on the thicker part, so I can trim it and send it off. I need to buy a dang timer for this one, I'm starging to get green spot algae for having the lights on from 7-midnight or later.
I've currently got my 5 ivory mystery snails here, and roughly 30 green neon tetras (I asked for 20, but the guy said it didn't look like much so he gave me 30, I didn't complain - he gave me a friggin awesome deal on the DW in my 100g too). The tiny buggers love go hide, but hopefully I can get a picture of them soon. I'll be moving my cories and betta over and calling it more-than fully stocked.
I've currently got my 5 ivory mystery snails here, and roughly 30 green neon tetras (I asked for 20, but the guy said it didn't look like much so he gave me 30, I didn't complain - he gave me a friggin awesome deal on the DW in my 100g too). The tiny buggers love go hide, but hopefully I can get a picture of them soon. I'll be moving my cories and betta over and calling it more-than fully stocked.
I pulled out the ludwigia and sunset hygro - the ludwigia I got rid of entirely, no more ludwigia for me in any of my tanks... except the 5 g tank that I decided to keep running for just my betta by himself 
The sunset hygro was being munched on by some very hungry snails.
In lieu of the ludwigia and hygro I added my needled leaf ferns. I may have to pull them out in a couple of months though, as it seems the jungle vals are sending some serious runners - some of them started invading the front of my tank.
There's been a lot of growth on the moss. I really want to trim it, but the amano shrimp don't seem to care that I'd like for them to take care of the hair algae growing on the moss before working on the rest of the tank, haha. I wanted to do some excel treating, but I don't want to melt my jungle vals.
See all those floaters in my picture 2 posts above? Well, nearly the entire top was covered in giant duckweed and salvinia - I pulled it all out (well 99% of it), and in their place added the few pieces of water lettuce I have.
Picture to come hopefully tonight, maybe the weekend.
The sunset hygro was being munched on by some very hungry snails.
In lieu of the ludwigia and hygro I added my needled leaf ferns. I may have to pull them out in a couple of months though, as it seems the jungle vals are sending some serious runners - some of them started invading the front of my tank.
There's been a lot of growth on the moss. I really want to trim it, but the amano shrimp don't seem to care that I'd like for them to take care of the hair algae growing on the moss before working on the rest of the tank, haha. I wanted to do some excel treating, but I don't want to melt my jungle vals.
See all those floaters in my picture 2 posts above? Well, nearly the entire top was covered in giant duckweed and salvinia - I pulled it all out (well 99% of it), and in their place added the few pieces of water lettuce I have.
Picture to come hopefully tonight, maybe the weekend.
I have all the dw from my 100g in here so they'll stay waterlogged... along with a bunch of plants just floating around, until i can get my 100g back up and running on friday night. The java moss is filling in very well. I have my gbr pair in here with about 30 green neon tetra. I probably won't get to take pictures until I get back from my trip on the 11th.
I've been lurking the SW side of the forum for the past couple of days; I've read and re-read the stickies several times. I've got some books on my to-buy list:
The New Marine Aquarium
The Conscientious Marine Aquarist
Aquarium Corals
I've just got some questions and plans I want to run by. It'll be at least a month or two before I tear down the 29 and start the SW conversion, so I just want to make sure I'll be on the right track.
I was thinking of a stock that consisted of 2 clownfish, and all zoas, maybe a couple of mushrooms, along with the cleaning crew.
For waterflow, I was going to use what I currently have. I have a powerhead rated for 30 gallons, and a HOT Magnum canister filter rated for a 55 (the flow is really strong...), I'm going to remove all filter media.
I was thinking of getting between 40-50 lbs of live rock.
I'm a bit confused about lighting.
I currently have the freshwater version of this T5 fixture
Coralife S/W T-5 Aqualight Double Strip Light-30" at Big Al's Online
If I get 2 10,000K bulbs, is that enough for zoas, or am I better off getting something like a 2x 65watt 10,000K pc fixture? I have pc fixtures easily available here in Houston at the same price as I would get online.
The New Marine Aquarium
The Conscientious Marine Aquarist
Aquarium Corals
I've just got some questions and plans I want to run by. It'll be at least a month or two before I tear down the 29 and start the SW conversion, so I just want to make sure I'll be on the right track.
I was thinking of a stock that consisted of 2 clownfish, and all zoas, maybe a couple of mushrooms, along with the cleaning crew.
For waterflow, I was going to use what I currently have. I have a powerhead rated for 30 gallons, and a HOT Magnum canister filter rated for a 55 (the flow is really strong...), I'm going to remove all filter media.
I was thinking of getting between 40-50 lbs of live rock.
I'm a bit confused about lighting.
I currently have the freshwater version of this T5 fixture
Coralife S/W T-5 Aqualight Double Strip Light-30" at Big Al's Online
If I get 2 10,000K bulbs, is that enough for zoas, or am I better off getting something like a 2x 65watt 10,000K pc fixture? I have pc fixtures easily available here in Houston at the same price as I would get online.
I was looking at it this morning... (at 4:30 am that is... someone messed with my timer!!! ) and I felt bad about tearing it down. I'm keeping the DW though, and jungle vals and java moss are so readily available, so I can put this back up at a later date.
I'm reconsidering going out of state (or the city for that matter) for grad school, just so that I can keep many tanks running.
) and I felt bad about tearing it down. I'm keeping the DW though, and jungle vals and java moss are so readily available, so I can put this back up at a later date.I'm reconsidering going out of state (or the city for that matter) for grad school, just so that I can keep many tanks running.
I'm going to have to get this one put together one small piece at a time... or at least use funds from selling some plants to buy some things... I was about to buy a 2nd t5 light fixture, refractometer, 2 more 10,000K bulbs for my current t5 fixture, 2 koralia powerheads, an AC50, some epoxy (for the LR), a bucket of sand, and I can't recall what else for $200 (before taxes and shipping), but I'm glad I decided to wait for a week or so.
I have to buy a new laptop, since mine is acting trippy, and the mousepad isn't working anymore... It has served me well these past three years.
I'll have to see how much $$$ I have left after I get another laptop, possibly this weekend.
I have to buy a new laptop, since mine is acting trippy, and the mousepad isn't working anymore... It has served me well these past three years.
I'll have to see how much $$$ I have left after I get another laptop, possibly this weekend.
I feel sad I tore this guy down, now that I've decided to keep it FW and get enough store credit and cash to get a bigger tank for a SW. Oh well, at least I still have the pictures so I can try to get it back up some time in the future.
Hopefully I can set it up in a few weeks, after spring break. I need to finish cleaning my new bedroom, and eventually getting around to painting it. School and work are kicking my butt this semester... it only gets harder each semester, but only one more to go as an undergrad (I hope)!
For my background stems, I'm definitely using these
Pogostemon Stellatus 'Broadleaf'
Ludwigia Arcuata
For my foreground:
Elatine Triandra
I have quite a bit of blyxa again in my 100g, but the dang mystery snails and bolivian rams keep uprooting many stems, so I may include some in here. I may include some Hemianthus Micranthemoides in my midground as well. I want to get some more 'rarer' plants for this tank, but I may do so later. For now, I may add some Ludwigia Glandulosa stems and hope they do much better here with 4.5 wpg, than in my 100g.
Hopefully I can set it up in a few weeks, after spring break. I need to finish cleaning my new bedroom, and eventually getting around to painting it. School and work are kicking my butt this semester... it only gets harder each semester, but only one more to go as an undergrad (I hope)!
For my background stems, I'm definitely using these
Pogostemon Stellatus 'Broadleaf'
Ludwigia Arcuata
For my foreground:
Elatine Triandra
I have quite a bit of blyxa again in my 100g, but the dang mystery snails and bolivian rams keep uprooting many stems, so I may include some in here. I may include some Hemianthus Micranthemoides in my midground as well. I want to get some more 'rarer' plants for this tank, but I may do so later. For now, I may add some Ludwigia Glandulosa stems and hope they do much better here with 4.5 wpg, than in my 100g.
So while I was out at Big Bend National Park doing some mapping for one of my geology classes, this guy got a heavy case of green water. I finally got around to setting it up in my new room yesterday.
When I tore the previous scape down and transferred all the fish and most of the cherries to the 100g, there were about 5 1-millimeter scale juvies left in here... about a month and a half later, I pull out over 30 cherries, and half are either berried or saddled.... they're like roaches! There were even some inside of my filter (I'm using an AC HOB instead of my Marineland HOT Canister - current is too strong...)
Once this tank finishes cycling, I'm going to add some more cherry shrimp here, and let them keep breeding like crazy, while I continue to take them to the LFS for store credit. $.75 each, and I already have a couple hundred (at least) in my 20g. This LFS is almost always sold out on cherries, so I figure I could keep this up for a while. I'll have enough money saved up for a 'big' SW tank in no time!
These are the new stats, etc for this tank.
4.48wpg 2x65 PC Coralife fixture
CO2 injected 5# Canister
ADA AquaSoil Amazonia
AC30 HOB filter (my only tank w/o a canister!)
No heater anymore! The weather is now quite nice here in Houston, finally!
Flora:
Elatine Triandra
Echinodorus Tennellus Micro
Blyxa Japonica
Hemianthus Micranthemoides
Rotala Rotundifolia
Ludwigia Arcuata
Ludwigia Glandulosa
Pogostemon Stellatus Broadleaf
I'll try to take a picture in a couple of weeks, once things have settled down and grown in more... and I'm not swamped with school... When will i finally be done with college?!?!
When I tore the previous scape down and transferred all the fish and most of the cherries to the 100g, there were about 5 1-millimeter scale juvies left in here... about a month and a half later, I pull out over 30 cherries, and half are either berried or saddled.... they're like roaches!
There were even some inside of my filter (I'm using an AC HOB instead of my Marineland HOT Canister - current is too strong...)Once this tank finishes cycling, I'm going to add some more cherry shrimp here, and let them keep breeding like crazy, while I continue to take them to the LFS for store credit. $.75 each, and I already have a couple hundred (at least) in my 20g. This LFS is almost always sold out on cherries, so I figure I could keep this up for a while. I'll have enough money saved up for a 'big' SW tank in no time!
These are the new stats, etc for this tank.
4.48wpg 2x65 PC Coralife fixture
CO2 injected 5# Canister
ADA AquaSoil Amazonia
AC30 HOB filter (my only tank w/o a canister!
)No heater anymore! The weather is now quite nice here in Houston, finally!
Flora:
Elatine Triandra
Echinodorus Tennellus Micro
Blyxa Japonica
Hemianthus Micranthemoides
Rotala Rotundifolia
Ludwigia Arcuata
Ludwigia Glandulosa
Pogostemon Stellatus Broadleaf
I'll try to take a picture in a couple of weeks, once things have settled down and grown in more... and I'm not swamped with school... When will i finally be done with college?!?!
