# 29 Gallon Planted



## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

This is my first planted tank. Right now just getting plants going and then going to work on some scaping. Specs Follow:

29 Gallon Tank
130 Watt Current USA Light 
Dosing Dry Ferts 
+/- ¼ tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/16 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 1/16 tsp (5ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change
2 2 Liter Bottles for CO2

Plants : Rotala Sp. Green, Hygrophila Corymbosa Sal, Cryptocoryne Balansae, Red Tiger Lotus, Sagittaria Subulata, Amazon Sword, Java Fern, Lilaeopsis Mauritius, Aponogeton Crispus, Cryphocoryne Wedtii, Lobelia Cardinalis Small, Hygrophila Difformis, Potamogeton Gayii, Rotala Rotundifolia, Camomba Caroliniana still trying to think of a great carpet because this Lila Maur just isn't growing worth anything for me maybe pressurized CO2 will help.

Just got in a Milwaukee CO2 Regulator today going to install it Monday when i can get a CO2 tank. Also have a glass drop check and diffuser comming in Monday.

Any Comments or suggestions are welcome.


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## duzzy (Feb 9, 2008)

Beautiful tank, great stuff....


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## jeremy1 (May 6, 2007)

Very nice start. Can you tell me where you got your light. I also have a 29g and want to use more watts. How much are they if you don't mind? Thanks.

Jeremy


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Not sure where i got i from can't remember its been a while. Its a 30" Light $120 maybe.


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Got my Milwaukee MA957 Regulator in this week and got my CO2 tank today. How many BPM do you guys suggest?


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

coming together nice


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Thanks for the comment.


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Update


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Ok i got my pressurized CO2 working and its injecting i think at 2 BPS. Well i did a PH test and it still shows the same thing whats going on here? Also do you think it would be a good idea when i get the CO2 straight to kick my lighting up from 65watts to 130?


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Anyone?


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## duzzy (Feb 9, 2008)

I think from what I have read, co2 is more useful/efficient with better light and plant to in the next month to go from 1.25 to 2.25wpg hope this is useful

Darren


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Well thats what i was wondering should i kick it up from 65 watts 2.24 watts a gallon to 130 watts 4.48 watts a gallon. Also can i just keep dosing like i am now.


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## duzzy (Feb 9, 2008)

Patrick I am a newbie when it comes to this stuff, I had anubias (you couldnt kill them will weed killer i reckon lol) in my last tank and all i did was buy a general fertaliser so i am not the one to ask but I will follow this post to find out, what is your current method of ferts and what do you use?

Darren


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Dosing Dry Ferts 
+/- ¼ tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/16 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 1/16 tsp (5ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change


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## fordtrannyman (Feb 11, 2008)

Hi Patrick,
I started with a 29 gal also. Currently running a 55w AHSupply 6700k and a 20w T12 7800k to eliminate foreground shadowing. In my experience this has been enough light to keep most plants. (Even a lot that are considered high light). I think adding an additional 65w to your tank is really overkill.
If you think about the actual area available in your tank and convert that to volume, it's gonna push your WPG near 2.7-2.8. I'm at about 23-24 gallons. So that gives me about 3.1-3.2wpg.
I also inject pressurized Co2 at a rate of about 1.5bps and diffuse through a HOB. Which gives me a consistent count of about 26ppm Co2 during photoperiod. This rate actually depends on your water parameters and finding a happy medium between fauna and flora. I follow a strict fert. regime also using a weekly nutrient reset method. Your plants will tell you if you need to make adjustments to your dosing routine.
Just an FYI on your MA957 in case you haven't figured it out yet. It works more consistently if you set the low side to 20psi and adjust the bubble rate with the needle valve.

Hope a different perspective helps.


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Yeah i figured that out with the MA957 quickly. Right now im running about 4 BPS still can't tell right now till my darn drop checker comes in. Its been like 2 weeks still waiting on it purchased off ebay. Fauna & Flora?


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## fordtrannyman (Feb 11, 2008)

patrick76 said:


> Yeah i figured that out with the MA957 quickly.


Good



patrick76 said:


> Right now im running about 4 BPS still can't tell right now till my darn drop checker comes in. Its been like 2 weeks still waiting on it purchased off ebay.


PH and KH will get you close. 
What is your diffusion method? 4bps sounds like a lot



patrick76 said:


> Fauna & Flora?


Fish & Plants


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Right now im using the Ladder thing. I have a diffuser comming in with the drop checker. The only KH test i have is on a test strip and i don't thing it is right. It has always shown 300. The reason i think the strip test isn't right is because it shows my PH is like 8 and i have a liquid test kit that cost a good bit and it shows my ph at 7.2


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Got my drop checker and diffuser in today yeah!! Maybe now i can figure out how much CO2 i have in my tank. When you put the solution and 4dh water in the drop checker how long does it last?


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Anyone?


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## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

If you do a search for Drop checkers you'll find loads of threads all about them and using them that will go into way more detail, but, as a quick answer, I find it takes an hour or two for the solution to turn to the 'right' colour. IT depends on your drop checker design and amount of solution IME.


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Mine is green now yeah!!!


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Update


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Update New Plants


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Looking great!


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Thanks for the comment.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

It's filling in nicely. I really like how the left side with the plants around the wood looks. The right just needs to grow a bit more. I also like your new foreground plant on the right, it seems to fit better with the hairgrass. I'm looking forward to seeing it when it's all grown in.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

i keep coming back and im still amazed...where is the angelfish?


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Thanks for the comments Gardener. 
Bratyboy they are in there.


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## GuppyFan1 (Feb 5, 2008)

Hi Patrick. Nice looking tank. Should you decide to ad the additional 65watts, you might want to do it for short periods each day to mimick high noon conditions. I don't believe any of the plants that you have are really demanding of High Light conditions. You might run the 65watts for several hours then bump it up to 130watts for a couple of hours then back it down to 65watts for the remainder of the time that you have them on. Remember, if you have your lighting too high and your CO2 or ferts not correct, this will result in massive algea outbreak. 

As far as the 2bps, this should be alright. Keep an eye on the CO2 ppm and should it get above 25-30 you might want to drop it down to 1bps. There are online calculators that will figure your PPM based on your PH and your KH. Hope this helps!


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## helgymatt (Sep 12, 2007)

I think the right side has too many plants. I count at least 8 plants on the right 1/3. I would keep it simple rather than having soo many species. I'm sure it will continue to look better as it all fills in!

One more thing....the cobamba on the left will quickly take over and grow taller than the wisteria. Maybe place the cobamba in back?


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

i have to agree with the cabomba thing...plus i think the wisteria is so much more pretty dont you think


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Not really because i don't like to bottom of wisteria.


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

This look better?


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

wow i like that...i got an idea...take the dwarf lily and put it in front of the wood on the left side in between the cabomba and the ?hydro? then add a tall stem plant thats red in the spot the lily was.

just anidea but i like the different leaf varients they look so cool this way


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Thanks for the comment! The only thing if i move the lily between those plants im not sure if it will get enough light i will take a look at it though. I kinda wanted it open in the spot the lily is and let the plants grow around the open spot.


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

I recently had a break out of i think fuzz algae. So i did a black out because nothing else i did would work. Well the strange thing is that it has helped the algae problem, but my plants have take off and grown much faster for some reason with the black out and idea what is going on?


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Anyone?


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

idk thats weird to me maybe they like that lol is the algae under control?


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## vspec13 (Mar 19, 2008)

It's a really good looking planted tank for the first ever planted aquarium. I'm just starting mine as well. Hope your tank turns out magnificant.


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Yeah the algae is good under control now. Thanks for the comment vspec.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

so patrick any new pictures to inspire us wih? you got me wanting my angels again it was funny i was at work today looking at the larger angels and i saw two that looked just like yours and i thought of you lol it was funny


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## djarmstrong (Feb 12, 2008)

Very nice tank there , love the fish aswel .


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Bratyboy will upload some new photos tonight. Tank has had some new growth and is doing good. Angels are doing good as well i will make sure to get some close ups of them too if i can, they seem to be a little camara shy. Thanks for the comment djarmstrong.


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## Vadimshevchuk (Jul 5, 2009)

any updates?


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