A 29 gallon setup

After this Thursday, I'm done with class and coming home. I'm going to setup my 29gal ASAP. I want to explain what I'm going to do to set this tank up and how to maintain it. My goal is to have as less tank maintenance time as possible, as my time will be stretched already.

The tank will have a over the side mechanical filter. It is a 30-60 gallon filter so it's twice the size I need. I will also have an UGF with a powerhead. I'm using live plants and about a 6" gravel bottom. I've never had problems with plants in gravel before, so I'm not concerned about this. Its in the basement so temperature is not an issue.

To cycle, I plan to start with 4 fish and do 10% water changes every other day for about 4 weeks. At the end of 4 weeks, I will replace one of the filters on the 30-60 filter (It has 2 pads/carbonholders). Every 4 weeks I will switch out one of the filters but there will always be one still in their holding the good bacteria. After the first 4 week cycle period, I will do a 10% water change on Wednesdays, and 20% on Saturdays.

I will eventually work up to 16 fish in my 29gal. Yes, I am violating the one inch of fish per gallon rule, but I'm using twice the filtration the tank needs, three times the filtration if you count the UGF. I am going "super" native as the fish will come from my county only. I want 4 of each: Satinfin shiner, rosyface shiner, SRBD, and redfin shiner. (I gotta thank KDFWR for having a species list for my county!) I might even have a madtom or two thrown in there.

Does this setup look OK to you all? How can I improve it? Any problems with the cycling process or switching out the filters? Thanks for the help, and when I get it set up I will let you all know how it's going.

Adam

After this Thursday, I'm done with class and coming home. I'm going to setup my 29gal ASAP. I want to explain what I'm going to do to set this tank up and how to maintain it. My goal is to have as less tank maintenance time as possible, as my time will be stretched already.

The tank will have a over the side mechanical filter. It is a 30-60 gallon filter so it's twice the size I need. I will also have an UGF with a powerhead. I'm using live plants and about a 6" gravel bottom. I've never had problems with plants in gravel before, so I'm not concerned about this. Its in the basement so temperature is not an issue.

To cycle, I plan to start with 4 fish and do 10% water changes every other day for about 4 weeks. At the end of 4 weeks, I will replace one of the filters on the 30-60 filter (It has 2 pads/carbonholders). Every 4 weeks I will switch out one of the filters but there will always be one still in their holding the good bacteria. After the first 4 week cycle period, I will do a 10% water change on Wednesdays, and 20% on Saturdays.

I will eventually work up to 16 fish in my 29gal. Yes, I am violating the one inch of fish per gallon rule, but I'm using twice the filtration the tank needs, three times the filtration if you count the UGF. I am going "super" native as the fish will come from my county only. I want 4 of each: Satinfin shiner, rosyface shiner, SRBD, and redfin shiner. (I gotta thank KDFWR for having a species list for my county!) I might even have a madtom or two thrown in there.

Does this setup look OK to you all? How can I improve it? Any problems with the cycling process or switching out the filters? Thanks for the help, and when I get it set up I will let you all know how it's going.

Adam

No need to replace the filter pads so often; just give 'em a swish in the water you take out for the water change and return 'em. Otherwise it sounds fine to me.

No need to replace the filter pads so often; just give 'em a swish in the water you take out for the water change and return 'em. Otherwise it sounds fine to me.

But I would at some point have to replace them, right? How often should I replace them, and is the alternating of replacing them good as well? Thanks for the pointer, Newt.

Adam

Replace them when they start falling apart or are too gunked up to rinse out. Alternating rinsing and replacement is a good idea.

Do you or a friend or neighbor have an established aquarium? If so, it's much easier to seed the tank with filtration media from that tank rather than start the cycle from scratch. There are a few ways to do this; you can run your filter on the other tank for a couple weeks, then transfer it to your tank; have your friend stuff an extra filter pad in his filter for a couple weeks, then transfer it to your tank; or just save some squeezings from the established filter's pads and pour them into your filter.

Edited by Newt, 05 August 2008 - 06:58 PM.

Do you or a friend or neighbor have an established aquarium? If so, it's much easier to seed the tank with filtration media from that tank rather than start the cycle from scratch. There are a few ways to do this; you can run your filter on the other tank for a couple weeks, then transfer it to your tank; have your friend stuff an extra filter pad in his filter for a couple weeks, then transfer it to your tank; or just save some squeezings from the established filter's pads and pour them into your filter.

Nope, I don't know a single person aside from myself that has a fish tank. All my friends and relatives look at me oddly when I start talking about raising native fish. It's a lonely life in the native fish world for me...

On another note, I suppose I could ask my fish store to trade me filter pads if I promise to buy food or something for them. That will definately help cut down on setup. Thanks again for the tip.

Adam

It certainly wouldn't hurt to do two water changes a week, but I would just do one big one. More often at first when it's cycling to keep ammonia and nitrites down, but once it's established there is no need to do it more often unless you are keeping delicate fish.

Replace them when they start falling apart or are too gunked up to rinse out.

It takes a LONG time to wear one out! Rinse 'em off and put 'em back in the filter. The little bit of activated carbon in there doesn't really help much. Don't buy a new one unless you really have to.

On another note, I suppose I could ask my fish store to trade me filter pads if I promise to buy food or something for them. That will definately help cut down on setup. Thanks again for the tip.

Just ask for some gravel from an established tank at your local fish store. Drop it in the bucket on your HOB filter or right on top of your own gravel. They'll know what you're about and is they're reluctant, offer $5 for a handful. If it's an LFS and not a big-box store, it shouldn't be a problem at all. If you start with a light bioload, you should be fine in your cycling. Just get yourself some of those 6-in-1 test strips. If you don't see any nitrite or nitrate after a day or two of fish in the tank, get an ammonia test.

If things go crazy weird, water changes and a little salt will help.