bennyjam's 29 gallon

bennyjam · 04-15-2013, 04:50 PM

So my 29 gallon has been set up since November of 2011. It's my only tank right now. At first, I had no idea what I was doing. I had a 10 gallon previously in which I had successfully grown a couple plants with no effort. Doing the same thing in a 29 gallon didn't work so well. I started out with the 1 t8 bulb that comes with the hood. Not so great. Nothing died but nothing really grew. Had that for a few months, started lurking on the forums and learning about lighting, ferts and co2. I've taken incremental steps to improve my setup since then. First I got a new light, then ferts, then DIY co2, and then recently pressurized co2. Presurized co2 has made a huge difference. DIY was such a hassle. I'm glad I did it though because it was a good process to go through. I recently got a bunch of new plants and did a bit of a rescape. I thought it would be a good time to start a journal. Here's a picture of my tank right now.

Specs!

Substrate: Eco-Complete
Filter: Eheim 2217. Also have Marineland Maxijet 400 powerhead for some added flow.
Lighting: Odyssea T5HO 2x24 watt. One ZooMed UltraSun bulb and one ZooMed FloraMax bulb.
Pressurized Co2: 5lb tank with Milwaukee MA957 regulator, ceramic glass diffuser.
Currently using EI dosing

Flora:
Alternanthera Reineckii 'Rosaefolia'
Hygrophila 'Tiger'
Ludwigia Repens x L. arcuata
Ludwigia Senegalensis
Hemianthus Glomeratus (baby tear)
Rotala 'Green'
Rotala Wallichii
Rotala sp. 'Yao Yai'
Glossostigma Elatinoides (Glosso)
Blyxa Japonica
Java Fern
Amazon Sword
Melon Sword
Sagittaria subulata
Jungle Val
Water Wisteria
Brazilian Pennywort
Water Sprite
Crypt Wendtii
An unidentified crypt

Fauna:
5 Serpae Tetras
2 White Skirt Tetras
5 Von Rio Tetras
3 Guppies
5 Otos

bennyjam · 04-15-2013, 05:11 PM

Here's a few pictures that illustrate how far the tank has come. The early shots look like a barren wasteland *cringe*. They go in order from newest to oldest.

GMYukonon24s · 04-15-2013, 06:36 PM

What kind of moss is that on the driftwood?

bennyjam · 04-15-2013, 07:37 PM

Just java moss.

GMYukonon24s · 04-16-2013, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bennyjam

Just java moss.

Ok thanks

bennyjam · 04-20-2013, 01:50 AM

Updated picture one week after putting new plants in. So far so good. And my new otos are doing a bang-up job on any algae. Prob gonna build a Rex grigg style reactor as soon as I have the time.

dtejeda.arias · 04-20-2013, 02:06 AM

Looks awesome! Did you keep the crypt clippings?

bennyjam · 04-20-2013, 02:39 AM

Yeah its in the left front area. You can't really see. Melon sword is in front of the wood. New growth is red. Gonna look good once it grows out.

dtejeda.arias · 04-20-2013, 02:42 AM

Nice! The tank looks amazing.

bennyjam · 04-20-2013, 03:23 AM

Thanks! Can't wait til it fills out.

bennyjam · 04-27-2013, 08:43 PM

Updated pic! all the new plants are coming along nicely.

bennyjam · 05-05-2013, 02:14 AM

Latest and greatest pic. I cleared out the water sprite in the background. Glosso is filling in nicely.

bennyjam · 05-10-2013, 11:31 PM

Weekly pic. The ludwigia is going off right now. The plan is to let everything grow out and then trim and rescape. The only plant that isn't really isn't showing much growth is the baby tears. Not sure what's up with that.

DCLyle · 05-11-2013, 01:10 AM

Wow it's growing quite nice. How long did you let it cycle?

EngineChauffer · 05-11-2013, 03:41 AM

That is growing in nicely. I have some dwarf baby tears that are rooting/growing slowly in my tank. I think it is just a slow growing species is all.

04-15-2013, 04:50 PM	#1
bennyjam Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 78	bennyjam's 29 gallon So my 29 gallon has been set up since November of 2011. It's my only tank right now. At first, I had no idea what I was doing. I had a 10 gallon previously in which I had successfully grown a couple plants with no effort. Doing the same thing in a 29 gallon didn't work so well. I started out with the 1 t8 bulb that comes with the hood. Not so great. Nothing died but nothing really grew. Had that for a few months, started lurking on the forums and learning about lighting, ferts and co2. I've taken incremental steps to improve my setup since then. First I got a new light, then ferts, then DIY co2, and then recently pressurized co2. Presurized co2 has made a huge difference. DIY was such a hassle. I'm glad I did it though because it was a good process to go through. I recently got a bunch of new plants and did a bit of a rescape. I thought it would be a good time to start a journal. Here's a picture of my tank right now. Specs! Substrate: Eco-Complete Filter: Eheim 2217. Also have Marineland Maxijet 400 powerhead for some added flow. Lighting: Odyssea T5HO 2x24 watt. One ZooMed UltraSun bulb and one ZooMed FloraMax bulb. Pressurized Co2: 5lb tank with Milwaukee MA957 regulator, ceramic glass diffuser. Currently using EI dosing Flora: Alternanthera Reineckii 'Rosaefolia' Hygrophila 'Tiger' Ludwigia Repens x L. arcuata Ludwigia Senegalensis Hemianthus Glomeratus (baby tear) Rotala 'Green' Rotala Wallichii Rotala sp. 'Yao Yai' Glossostigma Elatinoides (Glosso) Blyxa Japonica Java Fern Amazon Sword Melon Sword Sagittaria subulata Jungle Val Water Wisteria Brazilian Pennywort Water Sprite Crypt Wendtii An unidentified crypt Fauna: 5 Serpae Tetras 2 White Skirt Tetras 5 Von Rio Tetras 3 Guppies 5 Otos Attached Thumbnails Last edited by bennyjam; 04-16-2013 at 02:37 PM..

04-15-2013, 05:11 PM	#2
bennyjam Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 78	Here's a few pictures that illustrate how far the tank has come. The early shots look like a barren wasteland cringe. They go in order from newest to oldest. Attached Thumbnails

04-15-2013, 06:36 PM	#3
GMYukonon24s Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2009 Location: MICHIGAN Posts: 2,803	What kind of moss is that on the driftwood? __________________ 110g Tropical Community & Sakura Shrimp 55g BN Breeding Grounds, Peacock Gudgeons, Panda, Pygmies, & Smudge Spot Cories, Rili Shrimp 10g RCS and show guppies MIAPG - Come join us - Plantedtank - MI - Greatlakesaquaria

04-15-2013, 07:37 PM	#4
bennyjam Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 78	Re: bennyjam's 29 gallon Just java moss.

04-20-2013, 01:50 AM	#6
bennyjam Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 78	Re: bennyjam's 29 gallon Updated picture one week after putting new plants in. So far so good. And my new otos are doing a bang-up job on any algae. Prob gonna build a Rex grigg style reactor as soon as I have the time. Attached Thumbnails

04-20-2013, 02:06 AM	#7
dtejeda.arias Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Revere, MA Posts: 520	Looks awesome! Did you keep the crypt clippings? __________________ Patience once drove a man insane Thanks for your time Danny Tejeda

04-20-2013, 02:39 AM	#8
bennyjam Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 78	Re: bennyjam's 29 gallon Yeah its in the left front area. You can't really see. Melon sword is in front of the wood. New growth is red. Gonna look good once it grows out.

04-20-2013, 02:42 AM	#9
dtejeda.arias Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Revere, MA Posts: 520	Nice! The tank looks amazing. __________________ Patience once drove a man insane Thanks for your time Danny Tejeda

04-20-2013, 03:23 AM	#10
bennyjam Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 78	Re: bennyjam's 29 gallon Thanks! Can't wait til it fills out.

04-27-2013, 08:43 PM	#11
bennyjam Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 78	Re: bennyjam's 29 gallon Updated pic! all the new plants are coming along nicely. Attached Thumbnails

05-05-2013, 02:14 AM	#12
bennyjam Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 78	Re: bennyjam's 29 gallon Latest and greatest pic. I cleared out the water sprite in the background. Glosso is filling in nicely. Attached Thumbnails

05-10-2013, 11:31 PM	#13
bennyjam Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 78	Re: bennyjam's 29 gallon Weekly pic. The ludwigia is going off right now. The plan is to let everything grow out and then trim and rescape. The only plant that isn't really isn't showing much growth is the baby tears. Not sure what's up with that. Attached Thumbnails

05-11-2013, 01:10 AM	#14
DCLyle Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2013 Location: Texas Posts: 16	bennyjam's 29 gallon Wow it's growing quite nice. How long did you let it cycle?

05-11-2013, 03:41 AM	#15
EngineChauffer Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (6/100%) Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 49	That is growing in nicely. I have some dwarf baby tears that are rooting/growing slowly in my tank. I think it is just a slow growing species is all. __________________ My planted 29g Tank Journal http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=325554

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