I would bump the salinity up to 1.023 as most animals are going to need that level. Now is the time to add the live rock, but no animals until the tank is fully cycled. On average, a properly set up marine tank will average about 8 - 12 wks for cycling. In a 29 gallon tank I would suggest at least 25 - 30 lbs of liverock. The live rock will help aid in the cycling process. Be sure before adding the live rock that your temp is up to 76 - 78 and stable, and do not rinse the rock before putting it into the tank.
Expect some die off from the live rock once it is added, and that applies each time new live rock is added even if it is already cured. Live rock will suffer from die off to some extent anytime it is moved to new conditions. This die off will increase your ammonia levels, so don't panic if the ammonia spikes rapidly or to quite a high level. This is normal.
For a 29 gallon tank, finding a quality skimmer may be a bit of a challenge. Most of the top skimmer brands are made for larger tanks and will not fit on a 29 gallon tank.
You may want to check into something like a SeaClone or the Coralife brands of hang on skimmers, those are probably going to be your best bets for that size tank. The BakPak skimmers are very good but can take a bit of practice and time to get them adjusted properly, and they take up quite a bit of space. I'm not sure how you're set up, if a BakPak would fit for you, but its worth a look see.
Another option is the Skilter. I have heard good and bad about them, but my personal experience was actually very good. I ran a Skilter system on a 30 gallon for a number of years without issues, but it did require emptying the cup about once every other day. That will be dependent on your water chemistry and how much is being removed by the skimmer. Point is, I found it an effective option for a smaller tank. Fosters & Smith has the Skilters on sale right now for the next 2 wks, so it might be worth checking into.
JBJ has a small skimmer available for smaller (nano) tanks, but I have no info to offer on it as I have never used it or known anyone who has. Fosters & Smith offers each of the skimmers I have mentioned, so it should be easy to take a look to get names and manufacturer's info to research them all.
The one skimmer for smaller tanks that I dislike is the VisiJet and will warn you away from those right from the start. They can be very difficult to get set properly and are not as effective or long lasting as the others listed. VisiJet is the one that our customers always had the most issues with.
While hang on filters can work just fine for a small marine tank, you will want to keep up on wiping things down daily to avoid issues with salt creep. Hang on filters will provide some level of splash, and anything that the spray (even fine mist spray) comes into contact with will leave salt residue behind. Salt can be quite messy and destructive when it comes into contact with wood, fabric, carpeting, curtains/drapes, and drywall, etc. If left to collect the salt will eat through most materials rather quickly.
The other note about using hang on filters is to be sure to fill the filter boxes with plenty of bio medias such as sponges, noodles, etc. A marine environment will work primarily from biological filtration (the live rock also contributes in this way) instead of the typical chemical and mechanical that are so well known and often used in freshwater. You can even use small scrap pieces of live rock to put into the filter box as biomedia. The standard hang on filter medias are not appropriate for marine tanks in most cases. The Aquaclear sponge is already a great media, but should not be the only media in that filter. When packing the hang on filter box with biomedia, especially with an AquaClear, watch your water level and flow rate.
AquaClear filters when backed up, over filled with media, or when media becomes clogged, will overflow out of the back of the box. This also applies to the Skilter. Spend the cycling period playing with it until you get it just right and working for you, and doing as much research as is possible for the animals you wish to keep. Cycling is "prep time" which helps make that time go faster instead of dwelling on an "empty" tank.
Overall, continue with patience, that is the one single most important thing you will need throughout the process.
Hope this helps.
Expect some die off from the live rock once it is added, and that applies each time new live rock is added even if it is already cured. Live rock will suffer from die off to some extent anytime it is moved to new conditions. This die off will increase your ammonia levels, so don't panic if the ammonia spikes rapidly or to quite a high level. This is normal.
For a 29 gallon tank, finding a quality skimmer may be a bit of a challenge. Most of the top skimmer brands are made for larger tanks and will not fit on a 29 gallon tank.
You may want to check into something like a SeaClone or the Coralife brands of hang on skimmers, those are probably going to be your best bets for that size tank. The BakPak skimmers are very good but can take a bit of practice and time to get them adjusted properly, and they take up quite a bit of space. I'm not sure how you're set up, if a BakPak would fit for you, but its worth a look see.
Another option is the Skilter. I have heard good and bad about them, but my personal experience was actually very good. I ran a Skilter system on a 30 gallon for a number of years without issues, but it did require emptying the cup about once every other day. That will be dependent on your water chemistry and how much is being removed by the skimmer. Point is, I found it an effective option for a smaller tank. Fosters & Smith has the Skilters on sale right now for the next 2 wks, so it might be worth checking into.
JBJ has a small skimmer available for smaller (nano) tanks, but I have no info to offer on it as I have never used it or known anyone who has. Fosters & Smith offers each of the skimmers I have mentioned, so it should be easy to take a look to get names and manufacturer's info to research them all.
The one skimmer for smaller tanks that I dislike is the VisiJet and will warn you away from those right from the start. They can be very difficult to get set properly and are not as effective or long lasting as the others listed. VisiJet is the one that our customers always had the most issues with.
While hang on filters can work just fine for a small marine tank, you will want to keep up on wiping things down daily to avoid issues with salt creep. Hang on filters will provide some level of splash, and anything that the spray (even fine mist spray) comes into contact with will leave salt residue behind. Salt can be quite messy and destructive when it comes into contact with wood, fabric, carpeting, curtains/drapes, and drywall, etc. If left to collect the salt will eat through most materials rather quickly.
The other note about using hang on filters is to be sure to fill the filter boxes with plenty of bio medias such as sponges, noodles, etc. A marine environment will work primarily from biological filtration (the live rock also contributes in this way) instead of the typical chemical and mechanical that are so well known and often used in freshwater. You can even use small scrap pieces of live rock to put into the filter box as biomedia. The standard hang on filter medias are not appropriate for marine tanks in most cases. The Aquaclear sponge is already a great media, but should not be the only media in that filter. When packing the hang on filter box with biomedia, especially with an AquaClear, watch your water level and flow rate.
AquaClear filters when backed up, over filled with media, or when media becomes clogged, will overflow out of the back of the box. This also applies to the Skilter. Spend the cycling period playing with it until you get it just right and working for you, and doing as much research as is possible for the animals you wish to keep. Cycling is "prep time" which helps make that time go faster instead of dwelling on an "empty" tank.
Overall, continue with patience, that is the one single most important thing you will need throughout the process.
Hope this helps.