Planted 29 gal. - questions

[nvan2]

Got a few questions:

1. I think ill use seachem flourite, should I also put a layer of regular gravel on top of it?

2. should i get an appropriatly sized aquaclear or bio-wheel filter, OR should i use my spare whisper 10 powerfilter, and then buy another smaller sized filter and run 2 smaller ones?

3. should i fishless cycle before or after i add plants?

4. as far as lighting goes - are any of the flora-grow bulbs the best choice?

 

[Harlock]

Got a few questions:

1. I think ill use seachem flourite, should I also put a layer of regular gravel on top of it?

2. should i get an appropriatly sized aquaclear or bio-wheel filter, OR should i use my spare whisper 10 powerfilter, and then buy another smaller sized filter and run 2 smaller ones?

3. should i fishless cycle before or after i add plants?

4. as far as lighting goes - are any of the flora-grow bulbs the best choice?

1. Flourite is a good choice. It gets lots of love on these boards. Some people do mix it, like you intend to do. I won't say you shuold, but it can help lower the cost of your substrate and I know a lot of folks do mix it.

2. I use two Penguin 125s on my 29 gallon tank. I like the idea of redundant filters in case one fails on me. Be aware that HOB filters can gas off CO2 so if you ever look at injecting it, it can be a hassle. I just use Flourish Excel and so my problem is solved.

3. If you plan on planting heavily, you can actually skip the cycle, or have what is known as a silent cycle. Basically it means there are so many plants they use up the ammonia the fish produce. If you are going to start smaller, it is usually advised to cycle the tank first, then plant. If you have plants while you cycle and are dosing ammonia, there is obviously an abundance of ammonia in the water and presumably, enough light for plants to grow. this can lead to algae problems.

4. Personally, I don;t think they're the best choice out there. Mostly because they are expensive. You can buy flourescent bulbs of the proper spectrum for plant growth comparatively cheap at Home Depot. You get a better quality of light if you go with a compact flourescent fixture, which can be ordered online from Big Al's for a good price.

 

[nvan2]

Is flourish excel an additive? ive also heard you can make co2 injectors with a pop bottle, tubing, sugar, alcohol and yeast...

Also, what is the right spectrum * for a moderatly-heavily planted tank with various tropical community fish? what wattage is good for a 29 gallon (i heard 2 watts per gallon somewhere)?, and what would i be looking for at home depot? If i have a flourescent hood, how would i rig it to fit a copact flourescent fixture?

 

[Harlock]

Is flourish excel an additive? ive also heard you can make co2 injectors with a pop bottle, tubing, sugar, alcohol and yeast...

Also, what is the right spectrum * for a moderatly-heavily planted tank with various tropical community fish? what wattage is good for a 29 gallon (i heard 2 watts per gallon somewhere)?, and what would i be looking for at home depot? If i have a flourescent hood, how would i rig it to fit a copact flourescent fixture?

Fluorish Excel is a chemical additive you use instead of injecting CO2. It works. ALso, it helps control certain types of algae, though I have forgotten which types. You can make a DIY CO2 injector. I used one for a while, but decided I wanted the ease of Flourish Excel. The right Kelvin rating is somewhere between 5000 and 10000*K. I am currently using a 6700K bulb because it is what my fixture came with. I want to try a 9325K bulb next. The lower the number, the more yellow the light, the higher it is, the more blue it is. What number you pick really only affects aesthetics. Fish and plants do well with anything in the range I stated. 2 Watts per gallon would allow you to grow low the medium light plants. Taller tanks like a 29 it may be a medium low to low range, especially if it is normal output bulbs. I prefer PC lighting, as I said. If looking for bulbs at Home Depot, check the Kelvin rating on the dayloght bulbs. Those are what you want. If you decide to go with compact flourescent (PC) then I suggest a retro kit from AH supply.

 

[johnnyxxl]

I agree with the above posted I basically silent cycled the current 20 gallon tank as I lost all of the fish and kept the tank almost empty for 2 months doing daily water changes until I was confident everything was good after the mess from the local water utility during a flood.