I am new to the hobby and setting up my first freshwater aquarium. i have done lots of research on stocking, cycling, and more, and I am now selecting all the equipment.
Based on what I have read so far, I want to set up a 29 gallon planted community tank. I want to stock it with smaller schooling fish (still undecided on final stock as I am still trying to match fish to my tap water pH and hardness, but limiting myself to the hardier and smaller tetras, danios, rasboras and platies... i think). I will only have "beginner" low light, slow growth plants (such as Java Fern, Anubias, Crypt, and maybe crystalwort or java moss for the foreground... but still deciding on exact mix). I would prefer a low-tech setup, if possible. I need some help finalizing my setup.
For a number of reasons I want to use canister filtration. The EHEIM filters look great. In some places I read that you need filtration capacity twice the volume of your tank, so i had selected the EHEIM classic 2213. However, I also read that in a planted aquarium too much current can be bad, as it depletes CO2, so I am concerned that the 2213 could be too much. Should i stick with the 2213 or, since I will have some plants in my tank, use the smaller 2211?
Heating: I like the non-glass heaters, and for now selected the Aqueon Pro. The room I am putting the tank can get cold at night (down to about 60 degrees) so for safety I am using a 150 watt heater. Is this overkill? I'm guessing having too few watts is a problem, but having too many is not... right? Are there any recommendations on other reliable non-glass heaters? Would I be better off selecting two smaller heaters (such as two 75 watt heaters) to place at opposite ends of the aquarium, or is this not really needed for a 29 gallon tank?
Lighting: This is the part I am least clear on. I know that for a planted tank I need light around 6400-6500 K. I am sticking with low-light plants, so to avoid algae I know should choose a fixture with just enough light, and not overdo it. The tank will be in a room with good natural light but no direct sunlight coming in. The tank will be far from any widows and not exposed to direct sunlight. I love the idea of LED lighting because of their low profile. I also know that the rules of "X watts per gallon" do not apply to LEDs, so I am having a hard time selecting a fixture with the right amount of light. I saw and loved Marineland's hidden LED system. It says it has 25 PAR at 12". I read that low light plants need around 20-30 par so, in theory, I should be able to use this light with no need for supplemental CO2... right? For comparison, I believe the Marineland double bright 24-36" is rated at 35 par at 12". Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance for all the help!
Based on what I have read so far, I want to set up a 29 gallon planted community tank. I want to stock it with smaller schooling fish (still undecided on final stock as I am still trying to match fish to my tap water pH and hardness, but limiting myself to the hardier and smaller tetras, danios, rasboras and platies... i think). I will only have "beginner" low light, slow growth plants (such as Java Fern, Anubias, Crypt, and maybe crystalwort or java moss for the foreground... but still deciding on exact mix). I would prefer a low-tech setup, if possible. I need some help finalizing my setup.
For a number of reasons I want to use canister filtration. The EHEIM filters look great. In some places I read that you need filtration capacity twice the volume of your tank, so i had selected the EHEIM classic 2213. However, I also read that in a planted aquarium too much current can be bad, as it depletes CO2, so I am concerned that the 2213 could be too much. Should i stick with the 2213 or, since I will have some plants in my tank, use the smaller 2211?
Heating: I like the non-glass heaters, and for now selected the Aqueon Pro. The room I am putting the tank can get cold at night (down to about 60 degrees) so for safety I am using a 150 watt heater. Is this overkill? I'm guessing having too few watts is a problem, but having too many is not... right? Are there any recommendations on other reliable non-glass heaters? Would I be better off selecting two smaller heaters (such as two 75 watt heaters) to place at opposite ends of the aquarium, or is this not really needed for a 29 gallon tank?
Lighting: This is the part I am least clear on. I know that for a planted tank I need light around 6400-6500 K. I am sticking with low-light plants, so to avoid algae I know should choose a fixture with just enough light, and not overdo it. The tank will be in a room with good natural light but no direct sunlight coming in. The tank will be far from any widows and not exposed to direct sunlight. I love the idea of LED lighting because of their low profile. I also know that the rules of "X watts per gallon" do not apply to LEDs, so I am having a hard time selecting a fixture with the right amount of light. I saw and loved Marineland's hidden LED system. It says it has 25 PAR at 12". I read that low light plants need around 20-30 par so, in theory, I should be able to use this light with no need for supplemental CO2... right? For comparison, I believe the Marineland double bright 24-36" is rated at 35 par at 12". Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance for all the help!