My 29 Gal

TrueVCU · 09-07-2008, 11:09 PM

...has a long and sordid history going back to high school when I first set it up. In it's initial incarnation it featured sharp blue gravel (liked what I saw at the LFS) which claimed many cories. After many failures of stocking was left to the care (neglect) of my parents during college. After graduation I decided to retake possession and make it work right this time. Major changes:
1: Replaced sharp blue gravel with more rounded, naturally colored stuff. Looks more natural and the cories seem to respond well.
2: Lots more plants than before, most of them fake. I seem to kill everything that isn't java fern.
3: More frequent water changes. Previously only did them biweekly. God only knows if my parents ever bothered when the tank was under their tenure. Now performing weekly changes of about 1/2 of the water, smaller as necessary.
4: No Tiger Barbs. I think many of my previous failures can be traced to being harassed to death.

In it's current, and so far more successful incarnation, tank is home to the following:
5 Sunset Platies (and their spawn, more on that later)
5 Rummy Nose Tetras
5 Panda Cories
1 Leopard Cory
4 Otocinclus
4 Ghost Shrimp

Problems with current tank
1: Platies are the bunnies of the sea. Had red wags for a time back in the day but they never bred, was unprepared for spawn. So far only about 10 small fry, and luckily the LFS closest to my house is open to donations.
2: Recently survived a brush with ich, but the salt/heat treatment claimed my pandas (2 at the time). Hopefully having put 5 in there at once they'll be more comfortable, but I'm still worried about long term cory survival.
3: Concerned about overloading, esp with fry swimming about, tiny though they may be.

As to why I have only 1 leopard cory: originally wanted to have a school of 6 of them. Got three to start, but switched to 3 leopard/3 panda plan when LFS had only pandas in stock. Fell in love, decided to go all panda when all but one of the leopards died. Have decided to let the current leopard live in peace, may trade him in for a 6th panda in the future. Other than that, stocking plans are to add one more rummy nose for a school of 6.

That's my tank in a (rather large) nutshell. I'll update as things occur, pics will come soon. Thanks for reading!

TrueVCU · 09-09-2008, 06:40 PM

Took some pics last night. Seeing as I've only been able to reliably locate 2 of the original shrimp, and the fact that I seem to have acquired an addiction, I got 5 more today (was only gonna be 4 but LFS threw one in after they dropped one on the floor while transferring to a bag. We recovered him and he seems okay, though).

And now for pics. Please be kind, the Pandas refused to stop doing this dance they do wherein they shoot to near the waterline and then swim back down, following each other in a circle. And as some of you well know, rummy noses almost NEVER stop moving :P

Tank overview: only the Java Ferns are real

4 of my pandas

Platies and Rummies

Ichthius · 09-09-2008, 07:27 PM

Nice! Glad you went for the natural look.

Sounds like my 29g through the years. Started out with bright green gravel, fake decor and plants, and a mish mash of fish.

**Buggy** · 09-10-2008, 08:29 AM

Very nice! Natural looking, not too many plants and I love the stumps.
The panda's are so cute. I've found from experience that letting the nitrates get too high (40ppm ^) will take it's toll on cories real quick. Keep a check on them and keep the gravel vac'ed good to help keep them down.

TrueVCU · 09-10-2008, 09:14 PM

Nah, weekly water changes don't let it get higher than 20-30ppm

TrueVCU · 09-11-2008, 06:18 PM

2 dead Platies and 1 dead shrimp. Not concerned with the latter, and one of the platies looked emaciated last night and was struggling this morning so it's demise was anticipated, but the second one looked healthy until today. No other fish are showing symptoms of anything, but I'll be sure to keep a close eye. May replace my older jar of flake food to be on the safe side. At least I've got 3 fry that have started to take on adult coloration so replacements are advancing to the front :P

On the plus side got 3 amano shrimp. I'm keeping them in a mid sized tupperware container until sunday when the threat of Ich will have passed. Let's hope they do a bit better than they're ghostly brethren.

Ghost Knife · 09-11-2008, 09:25 PM

Looks great! I see you got the 29G Wal-Mart special just as I did with my 29G. Be wary of that cheap filter they give you as it rather loud and I felt mine was doing its job. I swapped it out for a Top Fin 30 and it works much better and is definitely more silent.

TrueVCU · 09-11-2008, 09:28 PM

I've actually got a Penguin BioWheel 170 on mine. I got my supplies at Petsmart. Say whatever you will about them, if you know what you're looking for the equipment prices are very nice.

TrueVCU · 09-12-2008, 07:58 PM

Another day, another dead platy. Originally got a mix of 3 sunsets and 2 marigold platies from petsmart in early june. All 3 of the sunsets are now dead. Luckily 3 of their offspring are of a fair size so I'll simply give them a repreive from being donated to the LFS and hire them on permanently.

I can't wait to get the amano shrimp in the tank, I'm constantly paranoid about them getting out of their container, or just dying in situ. just 2 more days until they're clean...

TrueVCU · 09-18-2008, 09:51 PM

Plus: No further Platy casualties
Minus: lost the old julii a few days back, and just watched one of my Pandas die. DOwn to four, did a 1/2 water change. Haven't fallen behind schedule, but may need to do changes more often than once per week.
Plus: If the LFS has them again I can buy two more pandas for a complete school of six.

TrueVCU · 10-09-2008, 09:00 PM

Installed a new bulb last week, this one's a plant-inclined 2700K. Hopefully it'll keep the Java Ferns from dying while encouraging enough algae growth for the otos and amanos to keep snacking on. Speaking of the shrimp, I may need a few more, 3 of those things already cleared off all the algae from my small wooden stump.

emc7 · 10-10-2008, 12:02 AM

Sounds like you are in the middle of "cycling". Once a week water changes are fine for an established tank, but ammonia and/or nitrite can kill your fish quickly. Suggest you test water twice a day or use a biology-in-a-bottle product to get the cycle finished faster.

TrueVCU · 10-10-2008, 08:05 PM

It's actually already fully established, biological load was carried over from old tank through biowheel and decor. I think the Pandas are simply oversensitive so I'm trying to make things a tad easier on them.

trashion · 10-10-2008, 10:17 PM

Er, 2700 is not plant inclined at all. Plants prefer between 5000k and 10000k.

09-07-2008, 11:09 PM	#1
TrueVCU Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Age: 24 Posts: 18	My 29 Gal ...has a long and sordid history going back to high school when I first set it up. In it's initial incarnation it featured sharp blue gravel (liked what I saw at the LFS) which claimed many cories. After many failures of stocking was left to the care (neglect) of my parents during college. After graduation I decided to retake possession and make it work right this time. Major changes: 1: Replaced sharp blue gravel with more rounded, naturally colored stuff. Looks more natural and the cories seem to respond well. 2: Lots more plants than before, most of them fake. I seem to kill everything that isn't java fern. 3: More frequent water changes. Previously only did them biweekly. God only knows if my parents ever bothered when the tank was under their tenure. Now performing weekly changes of about 1/2 of the water, smaller as necessary. 4: No Tiger Barbs. I think many of my previous failures can be traced to being harassed to death. In it's current, and so far more successful incarnation, tank is home to the following: 5 Sunset Platies (and their spawn, more on that later) 5 Rummy Nose Tetras 5 Panda Cories 1 Leopard Cory 4 Otocinclus 4 Ghost Shrimp Problems with current tank 1: Platies are the bunnies of the sea. Had red wags for a time back in the day but they never bred, was unprepared for spawn. So far only about 10 small fry, and luckily the LFS closest to my house is open to donations. 2: Recently survived a brush with ich, but the salt/heat treatment claimed my pandas (2 at the time). Hopefully having put 5 in there at once they'll be more comfortable, but I'm still worried about long term cory survival. 3: Concerned about overloading, esp with fry swimming about, tiny though they may be. As to why I have only 1 leopard cory: originally wanted to have a school of 6 of them. Got three to start, but switched to 3 leopard/3 panda plan when LFS had only pandas in stock. Fell in love, decided to go all panda when all but one of the leopards died. Have decided to let the current leopard live in peace, may trade him in for a 6th panda in the future. Other than that, stocking plans are to add one more rummy nose for a school of 6. That's my tank in a (rather large) nutshell. I'll update as things occur, pics will come soon. Thanks for reading!

09-10-2008, 08:29 AM	#4
Buggy Moderator Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Oklahoma Age: 42 Posts: 964	Very nice! Natural looking, not too many plants and I love the stumps. The panda's are so cute. I've found from experience that letting the nitrates get too high (40ppm ^) will take it's toll on cories real quick. Keep a check on them and keep the gravel vac'ed good to help keep them down. __________________ Fish are people too! *My Animal Family* Dixie - Boxer/Lab Peanut -Chihuahua Cali - American Short-hair Cat B.B. - Parakeet Flower - Western Ornate Box Turtle Loki - White Ferret Odin - Brown Ferret *Aquariums* 55 gal tropical Fresh Water - 23 various fish 29 gal tropical Fresh Water - 4 various cichlids 10 gal tropical Fresh Water - 1 Red Male Betta, 3 black neon tetras, 1 Asian Glass Catfish

09-11-2008, 09:25 PM	#7
Ghost Knife Permanent Fishaholic Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Mississippi Age: 26 Posts: 196	Looks great! I see you got the 29G Wal-Mart special just as I did with my 29G. Be wary of that cheap filter they give you as it rather loud and I felt mine was doing its job. I swapped it out for a Top Fin 30 and it works much better and is definitely more silent. __________________ 55G (Upgrading to a 135G soon) 4 Tiger Barbs 4 Albino Cories 4 Emerald Cories 2 Rosy Barbs 2 Serpae Tetras 1 Black Ghost Knife (8") 1 Common Pleco 55G 4 Black Moors 3 Golden Dojo Loaches 2 Red Cap Orandas 1 Comet 1 Black Kuhli Loach 1 Common Pleco 29G (For Sale) Lots of Ramshorn Snails 5 Long-Finned Zebra Danios 4 Glowlight Tetras 3 Peppered Cories 1 Clown Loach (For snail eating purposes and it's working) 1 Ghost Shrimp

10-10-2008, 10:17 PM	#14
trashion girl anachronism Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,425	Er, 2700 is not plant inclined at all. Plants prefer between 5000k and 10000k. __________________ current setup: 5.5 gallon low-light planted tank -nothing....thinking a mini-community. for reference: my name is Julie

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09-09-2008, 06:40 PM	#2
TrueVCU Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Age: 24 Posts: 18	Took some pics last night. Seeing as I've only been able to reliably locate 2 of the original shrimp, and the fact that I seem to have acquired an addiction, I got 5 more today (was only gonna be 4 but LFS threw one in after they dropped one on the floor while transferring to a bag. We recovered him and he seems okay, though). And now for pics. Please be kind, the Pandas refused to stop doing this dance they do wherein they shoot to near the waterline and then swim back down, following each other in a circle. And as some of you well know, rummy noses almost NEVER stop moving :P Tank overview: only the Java Ferns are real 4 of my pandas Platies and Rummies

09-09-2008, 07:27 PM	#3
Ichthius Banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: London Age: 18 Posts: 995	Nice! Glad you went for the natural look. Sounds like my 29g through the years. Started out with bright green gravel, fake decor and plants, and a mish mash of fish.

09-10-2008, 09:14 PM	#5
TrueVCU Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Age: 24 Posts: 18	Nah, weekly water changes don't let it get higher than 20-30ppm

09-11-2008, 06:18 PM	#6
TrueVCU Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Age: 24 Posts: 18	2 dead Platies and 1 dead shrimp. Not concerned with the latter, and one of the platies looked emaciated last night and was struggling this morning so it's demise was anticipated, but the second one looked healthy until today. No other fish are showing symptoms of anything, but I'll be sure to keep a close eye. May replace my older jar of flake food to be on the safe side. At least I've got 3 fry that have started to take on adult coloration so replacements are advancing to the front :P On the plus side got 3 amano shrimp. I'm keeping them in a mid sized tupperware container until sunday when the threat of Ich will have passed. Let's hope they do a bit better than they're ghostly brethren.

09-11-2008, 09:28 PM	#8
TrueVCU Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Age: 24 Posts: 18	I've actually got a Penguin BioWheel 170 on mine. I got my supplies at Petsmart. Say whatever you will about them, if you know what you're looking for the equipment prices are very nice.

09-12-2008, 07:58 PM	#9
TrueVCU Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Age: 24 Posts: 18	Another day, another dead platy. Originally got a mix of 3 sunsets and 2 marigold platies from petsmart in early june. All 3 of the sunsets are now dead. Luckily 3 of their offspring are of a fair size so I'll simply give them a repreive from being donated to the LFS and hire them on permanently. I can't wait to get the amano shrimp in the tank, I'm constantly paranoid about them getting out of their container, or just dying in situ. just 2 more days until they're clean...

09-18-2008, 09:51 PM	#10
TrueVCU Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Age: 24 Posts: 18	Plus: No further Platy casualties Minus: lost the old julii a few days back, and just watched one of my Pandas die. DOwn to four, did a 1/2 water change. Haven't fallen behind schedule, but may need to do changes more often than once per week. Plus: If the LFS has them again I can buy two more pandas for a complete school of six.

10-09-2008, 09:00 PM	#11
TrueVCU Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Age: 24 Posts: 18	Installed a new bulb last week, this one's a plant-inclined 2700K. Hopefully it'll keep the Java Ferns from dying while encouraging enough algae growth for the otos and amanos to keep snacking on. Speaking of the shrimp, I may need a few more, 3 of those things already cleared off all the algae from my small wooden stump.

10-10-2008, 12:02 AM	#12
emc7 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Johns Creek, GA Posts: 3,643	Sounds like you are in the middle of "cycling". Once a week water changes are fine for an established tank, but ammonia and/or nitrite can kill your fish quickly. Suggest you test water twice a day or use a biology-in-a-bottle product to get the cycle finished faster.

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10-10-2008, 08:05 PM	#13
TrueVCU Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Age: 24 Posts: 18	It's actually already fully established, biological load was carried over from old tank through biowheel and decor. I think the Pandas are simply oversensitive so I'm trying to make things a tad easier on them.