Am I over stocked?? What can I improve or change ?

[Pakalolo]

Hello new here and new to doing a planted tank setup. I just wanted to get a opinion if I'm over stocked with my set up and what can I change or add to make this better.

Im running a standard 29gallon

Organic soil, sand and small rock substrate

Plants

Anubias 13 rhizomes

A lot of java moss hidden behind my wood

S repens on the floor not carpeting yet

Fish

5 Cardinals
3 green tetras
10 neon tetras
7 black neon tetras
7 ember tetras
3 emerald Cory's
5 ghost shrimp
2 assassin snails

Filtration
Hob penguin 350 55gallon filter with 4 aquaclear 70 sponges

Hob odyessa cfs 130 canister filter with sponges, floss and bio balls turn over rate is 120gph

Sand has been establish for over 5yrs in a fancy goldfish tank I use to run and now its in this tank which has been running for 3 months and stocked gradually the past 2mnths

Water perimeters

Nitrate 20ppm
Nitrite 0
Hardness 75ppm
Alkalinity 180ppm
Ph 7.8

I'm doing 25% water changes weekly

Dosing Api leaf green fert weekly and running Api root tabs

No co2

Light is 10k beamworks 80 x.5 led light and 1 single 24in t8 full spectrum fluorescent light all timed to 10hrs a day

Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated this my 1st run on doing a planted tank

Thanks

 

[FreshyFresh]

Welcome and great pics!

I would say that's a ton of stocking for a 29g, but it seems to be working for you. Just keep up on your WCs and water parameter readings.

Most of your plants non-rooting rhizome plants, so the substrate has little value to them..

In terms of your decor, I'm am no expert on this, but I try not to center the biggest piece in the tank. I learned that from members here over the years.

 

[Pakalolo]

Welcome and great pics!

I would say that's a ton of stocking for a 29g, but it seems to be working for you. Just keep up on your WCs and water parameter readings.

Most of your plants non-rooting rhizome plants, so the substrate has little value to them..

In terms of your decor, I'm am no expert on this, but I try not to center the biggest piece in the tank. I learned that from members here over the years.

Thanks for the advice

I moved my black neons out and took to your advice shifted the wood to the right

 

[the loach]

Sand in a tank is going to give problems, especially with gravel on top of it. With that stocking you want some fast growing plants in there as well.

 

[Pakalolo]

Sand in a tank is going to give problems, especially with gravel on top of it. With that stocking you want some fast growing plants in there as well.

What would you suggest for low medium light fast growing plants? And what issues are with sand ? Its pool filter sand btw with tons of established bacteria

 

[FreshyFresh]

Nice!

To me it looks better with that driftwood piece offset a bit like you did.

I've never had luck with sand and hang-on-back style filters. Even with a sponge over the intake, I'd still manage to get sand into the impellers and ruin them.

With canister filters, the sand should just settle in the bottom, but there's always the risk of a sand grain or two getting hung up in the sealing surfaces of a canister. Been down that road too, which is why I prefer not to use sand.

 

[the loach]

Just like with sand, there is pool sand and pool sand. What grain is it?
The issues with (fine) sand are anaerobic spots, impossible to clean, packs too much for rooting plants.
And yes it can damage your filter as well.

For fast growing plants you can try guppy grass, anarcharis, ludwigia, Brazilian pennyworth, but you'd have to check what is available locally... try an aquarium club.