Looking for a little advice

[Meghan]

So no bowfront? I think you will be pleased. 29gal is a good size as well.

The sand should be enough for the 29gal, depending on how deep you want it. Rinse it until the water coming off of it is clear....or as close to clear as you can. You're still gonna get a little dirt and dust off of it and it will still cloud the tank but not as much as it could as long as you rinse it good.

Haha, quit with the winking, will ya! I could just hear the sarcasm seeping out- "So no bowfront?"

The whole decision of how big it should be, was what would be the biggest I could fit in the fireplace alcove. The alcove is 34"wide, 29 g is 30" wide. I think it's gonna look awesome in there. Can't wait to post pics!

 

[joy613]

I have both the internal filter and a few HOB filters. The internal filter I have is whisper it doesn't have a way of adjusting the flow. I got it because the tank had to sit right next to the wall. It is quite and seems do be doing a good job.

If you have sand you should know about aerobic pockets in the sand. I do have sand in a few of my nanos, I also have MTS. The plants don't seem to grow very fast but they do grow with root tabs. Shultz aqua soil is pretty cheap but it is light weight, I mixed mine with some fluorite and the tank is doing much better than a straight fluorite tank. I did put MTS in this tank too.

I have a 29 gallon bow tank and love it. I have have anubia, crypts, hairgrass, java moss, java fern, chain swords and a some stems sunset, rotala and something I don't know really what it is for sure. I have regular gravel with some sand, I use excel, root tabs and then some liquid fertilizers. These plants are pretty much no brainers for me. If I were to redo it I would use shultz aqua soil and probably some gravel.

 

[Meghan]

I have both the internal filter and a few HOB filters. The internal filter I have is whisper it doesn't have a way of adjusting the flow. I got it because the tank had to sit right next to the wall. It is quite and seems do be doing a good job.

If you have sand you should know about aerobic pockets in the sand. I do have sand in a few of my nanos, I also have MTS. The plants don't seem to grow very fast but they do grow with root tabs. Shultz aqua soil is pretty cheap but it is light weight, I mixed mine with some fluorite and the tank is doing much better than a straight fluorite tank. I did put MTS in this tank too.

I have a 29 gallon bow tank and love it. I have have anubia, crypts, hairgrass, java moss, java fern, chain swords and a some stems sunset, rotala and something I don't know really what it is for sure. I have regular gravel with some sand, I use excel, root tabs and then some liquid fertilizers. These plants are pretty much no brainers for me. If I were to redo it I would use shultz aqua soil and probably some gravel.

So, do the MTS help with the sand pockets? And we are talking malaysian trumpet snails, right?
"No brainers" thats what I need.
What brand liquid fertilizers are you using? Not that I have looked, but I haven't any at my lfs... I'll have to look again.

 

[joy613]

Yes Malaysian trumpet snails. I use a lot of seachem products flourish, excel and root tabs. You will need to get something with iron if you have any plants that are colored like sunset hydro. The best place I find to get plants is on the forums, it is actually cheaper to pay for shipping than running to LFS to look for plants once a week.

 

[Meghan]

So I started rinsing my sand last night. I split the 50lb bag into 2 pillow cases. I got close to clear with one. Went at it for probably an hour & half. I'll go at it more tonight. What a pain, but I'm sure it will be worth it.
Anyone know of a better method?
I also moved my 10g onto the kitchen counter and set my 29g in the fireplace alcove. It really fills the space nicely, I can't wait to see it set up!

 

[Meghan]

Time for an update.

I've been too busy to get back to rinsing the sand yet. I'm also rethinking my plans for my tank. I originally thought of eventually taking down my 10g, or making it a QT.

Now I'm thinking I may like to leave my betta in the 10g with a couple adf's.

I think in my 29g, I would like to have a few rams. I've always thought they were beautiful and I finally saw them at my lfs. I don't know too much about them, but I do know they are not for beginners so they should probably be the last fish I add after my tank has been cycled for a while and my other fish are doing well and param's are staying stable.
I would also like to do a more heavily planted tank then I was originally thinking. I've been doing a lot of reading lately. Haha, I read Ishar's entire 17 pg journal. I just love the look of planted tanks.

Here is my question for now, what kind of substrate? I really like the dark look I think... I still want sand in the 10g for my adf's, but I am open to change with the 29g. I would like to somewhat make up my mind before filling the tank. I definitely don't want to change out the substrate in the 29, since I will have to in the 10.

I know that I will need to update my lighting and all, I'm gonna check and see what came with my tank, then let you guys know and maybe you can make a suggestion there.

Oh yeah, I would also like cory catfish & otto's in my 29... a couple GBR's eventually, maybe a school of cardinal tetras, also I really like yoyo loaches (seen these guys at the lfs too, then came back and researched them)... Open to options here too. EDIT: Hmm- if I want this many bottom feeders, how heavily planted could I really go?

Looking for opinions and advice and other options... Thanks guys! *SUNSMILE*

 

[TabMorte]

I have a 29G planted with play sand in the bottom. I actually rather love it. I switched up to a Penguin Biowheel after a while though because I wanted more filtration.

My yoyo loaches LOVE the sand. I don't know if you'd want to do the rams, cories and yoyos in the same tank since they all hang out on the bottom and that could cause issues, mostly with the rams. (cories and yoyos together though I haven't had much trouble with.)

 

[Meghan]

I have a 29G planted with play sand in the bottom. I actually rather love it. I switched up to a Penguin Biowheel after a while though because I wanted more filtration.

My yoyo loaches LOVE the sand. I don't know if you'd want to do the rams, cories and yoyos in the same tank since they all hang out on the bottom and that could cause issues, mostly with the rams. (cories and yoyos together though I haven't had much trouble with.)

Oh, I didn't realize rams were bottom dwellers too. Haha, I don't know what my obsession with bottom dwellers is all about. *BOUNCINGS

How many yoyo loaches do you have? They get 4", right?

Post pics of your tank, Tab! *celebrate

 

[TabMorte]

I will post pics after I finish redoing them. The 10G got done last weekend. The 29 will get done this weekend.

I had 3 but one died . I'm planning to get more though. They're just babies, about an inch and a half long at the moment but I love them. If you ever have a snail problem they'll take care of that real quick for you too (you can not keep them with shrimp or snails that you want to live). They're scavangers so they're ever rooting around and picking up left over food from the bottom of tank. They seem to prefer the sandy bottom and mine even sift and root in it a lot. Blood worms are (so far) their favorite food. I get the frozen ones and they go crazy over them.

They get up to about 4" yes, and are best kept in groups of 3+. They're very social and need a lot of hiding places to feel safe and secure. I built little caves for mine out of rocks because the larger caves were too big for them at the size they are now. They absolutely love the plants and hiding in them though they will occationally nibble at them if they're hungery.

 

[Meghan]

I will post pics after I finish redoing them. The 10G got done last weekend. The 29 will get done this weekend.

I had 3 but one died . I'm planning to get more though. They're just babies, about an inch and a half long at the moment but I love them. If you ever have a snail problem they'll take care of that real quick for you too (you can not keep them with shrimp or snails that you want to live). They're scavangers so they're ever rooting around and picking up left over food from the bottom of tank. They seem to prefer the sandy bottom and mine even sift and root in it a lot. Blood worms are (so far) their favorite food. I get the frozen ones and they go crazy over them.

They get up to about 4" yes, and are best kept in groups of 3+. They're very social and need a lot of hiding places to feel safe and secure. I built little caves for mine out of rocks because the larger caves were too big for them at the size they are now. They absolutely love the plants and hiding in them though they will occationally nibble at them if they're hungery.

I'll be waiting on those pics! *BOUNCINGS

Should I get some MTS's for them to eat?

 

[MOsborne05]

Sounds like an SA Biotype tank Rams are a good choice, try to get a pair of them. They aren't technically bottom-dwellers but when they are spawning they can get pretty territorial. They normally occupy the mid-lower levels of the tank. I wouldn't do corys and loaches, pick one or the other. Personally, I like zebra loaches much better than cories. I've never had yoyo's but they are pretty similar to the zebras. Get 3 otos, as they like each others company. Then a small school of tetras would round out your stocking nicely.

You are probably going to have to upgrade your lighting, especially since it is a taller tank. If you want to stick to the SA theme, you could get a few Amazon swords, along with some valisneria species.

For substrate, I love Tahitian Moon Sand. It's just like play sand, but black so it really makes the colors of the plants & fish stand out. Its kind of expensive though, and doesn't do anything for your plants. You could also use Eco-Complete or Fluorite black.

 

[Meghan]

Sounds like an SA Biotype tank Rams are a good choice, try to get a pair of them. They aren't technically bottom-dwellers but when they are spawning they can get pretty territorial. They normally occupy the mid-lower levels of the tank. I wouldn't do corys and loaches, pick one or the other. Personally, I like zebra loaches much better than cories. I've never had yoyo's but they are pretty similar to the zebras. Get 3 otos, as they like each others company. Then a small school of tetras would round out your stocking nicely.

You are probably going to have to upgrade your lighting, especially since it is a taller tank. If you want to stick to the SA theme, you could get a few Amazon swords, along with some valisneria species.

For substrate, I love Tahitian Moon Sand. It's just like play sand, but black so it really makes the colors of the plants & fish stand out. Its kind of expensive though, and doesn't do anything for your plants. You could also use Eco-Complete or Fluorite black.

Hmm... I could keep the cories in my 10g.

Yup, I'll look into the lighting issue. Esp bc the tank is in the alcove, it won't get any sunlight. I'll post tonight what type of bulb I have now.

I'm gonna google SA tanks and see if I can find any pics that interest me.

 

[TabMorte]

I would go with 4 to 6 ottos personally if you're going to go the otto route, just because they're SO adorable when they've got a proper shoal. I have 6 in my 10G at the moment and they swim together in a little school gobbling up any thing that gets on the glass or plants.

As for snails you don't have to get any. But if you want to you could I would wait till they're a bit bigger though. Mine at thier tiny size weren't able to get all the way into the snail shells and so they left half eatten snails in the shell. This shot the ammonia up in the little tank they were in (they were in QT at the time this happened) and is what killed my one loach. Since then I've stuck to blood worms and shrimp pellets for them and they seem happy.

They WILL try and pry every bit of food out of you they can. They're forever rooting around for food like they're starving so it is very easy to over feed the little buggers. If you get them restrain yourself! As long as they're getting food they're okay.

 

[Meghan]

I would go with 4 to 6 ottos personally if you're going to go the otto route, just because they're SO adorable when they've got a proper shoal. I have 6 in my 10G at the moment and they swim together in a little school gobbling up any thing that gets on the glass or plants.

As for snails you don't have to get any. But if you want to you could I would wait till they're a bit bigger though. Mine at thier tiny size weren't able to get all the way into the snail shells and so they left half eatten snails in the shell. This shot the ammonia up in the little tank they were in (they were in QT at the time this happened) and is what killed my one loach. Since then I've stuck to blood worms and shrimp pellets for them and they seem happy.

They WILL try and pry every bit of food out of you they can. They're forever rooting around for food like they're starving so it is very easy to over feed the little buggers. If you get them restrain yourself! As long as they're getting food they're okay.

Haha, awe they sound so cute!

Thanks guys, for helping me try and make up my mind.

 

[TabMorte]

I really recommend the loaches. I got them to take care of my snail problem but I really love the little guys. If it weren't for the fact that they get pretty large I would get like 6 more.