Icegoalie32's Low Tech 29..Updated 2/17/2013

[Icegoalie32]

Hello Everyone.

I am back into the aquarium hobby after being out for a while. At one point I had 7 tanks from 10 gallons to 125 gallons. I kept plants in some of my tanks with varying degrees of success. Work and family commitments had made it too difficult to keep up with my aquariums, so I had to sell my tanks. I did keep a 29 Gallon in storage during my time out of the hobby because I knew I'd want to get back into it eventually.

The tank is a standard 29 Gallon (30x12x18)

Hardware:
Fluval 205 (Mechanical and Biological media, no chemical)
Aqueon 150 Watt Heater
Hydor Koralia Nano 240
No CO2

Lighting:
Aqueon Dual T5NO with 2 6700k bulbs
Photoperiod is 7 hours from 3PM until 10PM

Substrate:
Carib Sea Flora Max (approx 3 inches deep)

Ferts:
Aquariumplants.com Total Liquid (5 Drops weekly after 30% water change)
Flourish Excel (approx ½ capful every 2-3 days)
Aquariumplants.com Total, Iron, and Trace tablets once per month to supplement the substrate

Flora:
Amazon Swords
Spiral Vals
Anubias Nana
Anubias Nana Petite
Bacopa Caroliniana
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis

Fauna:
4 Angelfish
7 Peppered Cories
5 Otos

I set the tank up in April 2012, here is what it looked like after the initial planting.



By September, I had made some scape changes. The cave just didn't look right, and there was no driftwood. I really like the look of granite and driftwood, so I left the single stone and added the Malaysian and Mopani driftwood. I was not aware of the melting that would occur with the microswords, so I pulled them out after they shed their emersed growth and tossed them. I wish I would have been reading the forum at that time, then I would have had more patience and waited. I knew that the round emersed leaves of the Blehri would melt away and the submersed leaves would replace them, but I didn't put 2 and 2 together for the microswords. Live and learn, right? I replaced them with some Anubias Nana and Anubias Barteri.



Since the tank was set up, I've fought several rounds with the dreaded BGA/Cyanobacteria. I don't like using medications, and I knew that the source of the problem had to be attacked. After reading several threads and linked articles, I decided I had a problem with a lack of water movement. I added the Koralia and the that did the trick. 90% of the BGA has disappeared.

I have removed the Malaysian driftwood and added another piece of Mopani
I have also added and removed some flora. The Anubias Barteri was removed and I added some Anubias Petite attached to a piece of mopani driftwood. Behind the wood, I added Bacopa Caroliniana and in front of the wood I added the Lilaeopsis. I also placed some Valisneria in various spots. Here is how it looks as of today.



Photo Update: 2/17/2013



I want to say thank you to everyone that contributes to the forum. The information here has been instrumental in the success I have had to this point.

All comments, criticism, and suggestions welcome.

[jhays79]

Great looking tank! I was curious if your dosing of excel hurt your Vals at all? I heard they don't like excel and was curious your experience?

[zoragen]

Beautiful. The wood & the rock work nicely together

[tomfromstlouis]

Good looking tank icegoalie. The angels you have are good looking fish. Unfortunately, as you probably know, 29 gallons will not be enough for 4 when they grow up some more. You might fit 3 with frequent water changes, but I would just go with the two that form a pair as soon as they do so. They will love laying on thsoe swords!

[Icegoalie32]

Originally Posted by jhays79

Great looking tank! I was curious if your dosing of excel hurt your Vals at all? I heard they don't like excel and was curious your experience?

Thanks!

Well, I moved the Vals into the tank only a month ago and I began dosing the excel at about the same time. At this point there has been some melting with the old growth, but there has been some new growth as well. I have read the same thing about vals and excel, but after my impatience with the micro swords, I'm going to wait it out for a few weeks and see what happens.

[Icegoalie32]

Originally Posted by zoragen

Beautiful. The wood & the rock work nicely together

Thanks!

Originally Posted by tomfromstlouis

Good looking tank icegoalie. The angels you have are good looking fish. Unfortunately, as you probably know, 29 gallons will not be enough for 4 when they grow up some more. You might fit 3 with frequent water changes, but I would just go with the two that form a pair as soon as they do so. They will love laying on thsoe swords!

Thanks for the info, Tom. The plan is to move the marble and the veil to a new 29 that I have already set up (Journal on that tank coming soon) once the water parameters settle down. The silvers have already paired off.



and this will be the new home for the other pair.

[Icegoalie32]

It's been a while, so It's about time for an update. Here is the tank as of today:



Not much has changed, really.

I have moved 2 of the 4 angels to another 29 gallon, leaving the breeding pair to themselves. They have had 4 clutches of eggs, the most recent making it to free swimming stage. I am allowing the parents to do their thing for now since I have no additional tanks for raising fry.

I added a crypt lutea to the middle ground. I have stopped dosing ferts and excel as I have decided to try true low tech. I will still add root tabs for the swords and the crypt every 2-3 months unless they show signs of starvation. I am having a bit of an algae outbreak, hopefully due to the transition away from the dosing. My water change schedule is changing to 25% once a month.

Comments, as always, are welcomed and appreciated.

[BJK]

Looking great!! Those angels are really nice!

[Icegoalie32]

Thanks BJK! I plan to have them for the next several years. I'm looking forward to putting them in a 120 Gallon by next year sometime before they get too big for the 29g.