Hi Andrew, welcome to the forum! I love a planted tank but with most cichlids you won't be able to do that as they will tear them up. I love the dwarf cichlids (rams to be exact) and they don't touch my plants. In a 29gl you have alot of options for schooling fish. Do you know the ph of the water you'll be using? I use straight tap and it's 7.8. Ph will determine which fish will do best as far as your natural water parameters.
I also have cabomba in my tank. When doing water changes you move the gravel vac around them.
Can't comment on the filters as I'm only familiar with the noise mine make. If my tank was in my bedroom I'd never sleep with the noise they make!

 

Welcome to the forum!
Yes, The Emperor is a great filter, but a little noise. If you are looking for a good quite filter, you may want to consider an aqua clear.

 

for fish im thinking about some neon tetras or something of that sort. a schooling fish. would neon tetras and black neon tetras get along? im going to make it a planted tank but with enough room for them to swim, any input is appreciated as im new to the matching thing. I've always just had guppies and neon tetras, lol

 

A few updates. I've decided to go with a planted tank and schooling fish.. My fiance bought me the Emperor 280 and I tested her out for about 5 minutes. I don't have the aquarium in place or setup but I just couldnt resist testing out the Emperor!! Let me tell you it was pretty darn quiet! I was very happy with the noise level of it. Now I will have to wait and see how it does as far as filtering and what not. I'm gonna start working on the tank sometime this coming week. I've decided on Cardinal and Neon tetras with some green corys. a medium sized driftwood as the focal point for the aquascaping and alot of plants! updates coming soon so stay posted

 

Congrats on your new tank. The Emperor 280 will be plenty of filtration for your tank. I would encourage you to research information on setting up a new tank either here, or by googling elsewhere. Specifically the Nitrification process that needs to happen before placing fish in the new aquarium. I would also encourage you to purchase a Quality test kit that uses drops of liquid rather than the test strips that are not all that accurate. The test strips will give you a ball park idea of water parameters ,but the API Freshwater Master Kit is the choice of many and will last longer than the strips. With the test ,you can determine what pH value your water that comes from your tap is. This will help you determine what fish will do best in your water.For example.. Cardinal Tetras, need soft rather warm water, with pH values of no higer than 6.8 in order for them to thrive. The Neons would also adapt to the soft water but need cooler temperatures than the cardinals would appreciate. I recommend researching the fish that interest you, and once you determine what your water is like ,then you will be able to stock fish best suited to that enviornment. Fish that are uncomfortable ,become stessed and often this leads to sickness. Not something one want's to subject themselves ,or the fish to if possible to avoid. Folks here will be happy to help you set up your tank properly with the least amount of frustration or fish losses.;-)

 

In addition to previous post.. Were it me, (and it ain't) I would get the planted tank established with proper plant substrate. Gravel can work as well but will require some fetilizers or nutrients to be added on consistent basis. I would perhaps start with some easy low to moderate light plants unless you decide to go with cO2 and upgrade the lighting from that which usually comes with new tank kits. By getting the plants established, the fish will feel more comfortable(cardinals.neons) and the water parameters will be easier to maintain. All kind of creatures and micro organisims begin to appear in planted tanks many of which fish enjoy snacking on and you have the added benefit of plants being excellent at filtering the water by using up considerable waste from fish for growth.
Sadly, My brief dabbling in the planted tank world has been dissapointing but we have a few members here who are quite accomplished in that area and they too would be willing to help. Good Luck and don't be afraid to ask questions.;-)

 

Thanks for the help and information. Yeah I plan on letting my fish tank cycle for atleast 1 whole week before anthing is added to it. for substrate im gonna go with Aqua Soil Amazon I. As plants I'm going with cabomba, dwarf baby tears, and a few other small plants.

 

Proper cycling will take much longer than a week. The best advice that anybody can give people new to the hobby is to properly cycle your tank and to properly maintain your tank (filer maintenance, scheduled water changes, scheduled surface gravel cleaning, constant water parameter tests, etc.)

 

Cabomba is not the easy plant to keep alive and healthy. Being a stem plant, it is a fast grower which means it needs more light and nutrients than slower-growing plants such as most of the rooted plants. What type of light do you have on this tank? Be specific--assuming it's fluorescent, how many tubes, what length, and what type and wattage (this is indicated at one end of the tube). I can offer suggestions once I know this.

If you intend on having a planted tank, the plants will cycle the tank immediately for you. I can explain this further as well.

Byron.

 

If you intend on having a planted tank, the plants will cycle the tank immediately for you. I can explain this further as well.

Byron.

I have seen you say this before and I certainly defer to your experience as while I have kept fish for my entire life I only recently delved into planted tanks... I have had planted tanks that experienced mild to mid range cases of new tank syndrome. Unless he is seeding or introducing some bacteria wouldn't the initial ammonia spike be too much for a planted tank to handle?

 

THATS SO FUNNY, I HAVE GUPPIES AND NEON TETRAS, and a few other livebearers but... ANyway i think stick with what you know best, get some black neons, neon tetras, some guppies and if you want some platies, swordtails, mollies. Just keep in mind to try and stick to all males, or you'll have a school of TINY fry of all species ;-)

 

Hi Guys, a little update. I bought a peice of wood from petco today, It is the "Zoo Med Natural Mopani Wood" medium size. Im planning to use Amazon I For my substrate, being that I have heard quite a few good things about it. I want to start out with some of the easier plants to take care of (any recommendations are appreciated) and a few schooling fish, would 9-11 be overstocking the 29g tank? I've always known the rull of thumb is 1inch for 1g. my mopani wood is currently soaking in water, which I will be changing daily for about a week, or as long as needed to complete the leeching process. Sorry if i am kind of needy right now, i've never had anything of this magnitude before.. just 10g aquariums with guppies and neon tetras.. also, is it ok to put a female betta in the aquarium with the neons? i have one in a 1.7g hex aquarium and i'd like to have her in my 29g if possible.. Also what do I put in the extra media cartridge for the emperor 280? carbon i'd assume? thanks fellas, also directing me to any links for plant care and info for newbs would be much appreciated. thanks ff readers

 

Rather than carbon in the extra media cartridge, I would (were it me),, Consider biological media such as ceramic rings,Eheim Ehfisubstrat Pro,or Eheim Ehfilav. All are good at providing extra biological filtration by creating more surface area for bacteria to colonize. They also do a fair job of trapping suspended particulates.
Carbon, in my view should be avoided. It is very good at removing unwanted substances from the water but it will also remove a fair share of nutrients needed by the plants for growth.
I would not add a air stone or pump that would drive off precious Co2 through surface agitation and I would see that the water level in the aquarium was such that the water returning from your filter is below the surface of the water.
Byron perhaps can explain the aspects regarding Co2 much better than I but I believe most planted tank folks would agree with me that without Co2 injection, You want to avoid surface agitation as much as is possible. Opinions vary.
You may wish to consider not using carbon at aoll with the filter but rather using some filter floss cut to fit the opening in the filter or by slitting the blue Rite Size E cartridge open and dumping out the carbon. I believe plants would do much better without the use of carbon or at least they did for me during my brief planted tank expieriments.
I began with plants like Valisneria,Java fern attached to wood with thread,Anubia ,Water sprite, Crypt,and Amazon Sword (not Brazilian). Were it me, (and it ain't) I would have at least three inches of Substrate for rooted plants. Hope some of this helps.

 

I'm not sure what im going to use for lighting, and also im assuming i need an air pump and stone correct? I've seen reviews of mopani wood being very bad about tannin leeching for a long time, some said even up to a year?!? one person said to let it sit in boiling hot water atleast 3-4 times and it would drastically reduce the leeching process throughout.. what air pump would ya'll go with, isaw one at petsmart that was an aquaclear for 30g aquariums.

 

You can't really rely on that rule. There are many factors. And it depends on what kinda of fish. Larger schooling fish, such as Australian Rainbows, you couldn't do that many because they average to be 4". Something such as Neon Teras, or hatchet fish, now problem 9 to 11 works. You could also try 6 or so hatchet fish, and 6 or so Neon Tetras. Both come from the same water ways, thus will have similar water requirements.

There are many factors that affect the bioload you can put. If you have a larger than needed filter, and do weekly water changes and have a planted tank (as you do), you can fit a few more fish do to the increase filtration, both mechanical and natural (plants).

And yes, let the wood sit in warm/boiling water for a week or two, and then most should be leeched. The tanins are actually not harmful to the fish, in fact, it occurs naturally in the Amazon.

And don't apologize for being needy. We've all been there, and its better that your asking questions. Shows you actually care about the hobby, and thats what we are about.
Also, looking forward to seeing this tank progress, make sure you take your time and get the information before you act. Which is what you are doing by being here. Saves time, and more importantly, money. =)

 

I second the advice from both Arkamaic and 1077.

Filtration in a planted tank should be limited to mechanical to clear the water. The plants do the cleaning aspect of filtration better than any filter we can use. Not using carbon and such materials in the mechanical filter does this, because as 1077 mentioned these substances are chemical filtration that alter the water chemistry by removing needed nutrients or adding stuff that shouldn't be there because it inhibits the plants. And the less movement, particularly at the surface, the better. CO2 comes from the fish (and certain biological processes in the aquarium) and it is not in abundance so you don't want to drive it out of the aquarum by creating fast water flows and surface disturbance; this creates gas exchange at the surface, where CO2 is expelled and oxygen is pulled n to the water. But the plants take in CO2 and expel oxygen during photosynthesis, and far more oxygen is produced by plants than could otherwise be matched. So we let them get on with their job.

You will need good lighting, the single most important aspect of a planted tank. Full spectrum (rated around 6500K) is the best. We can discuss specific tubes when you're ready. What light fixture do you have? There are some options, and your choice will determine what type of tubes you can have (T5 or the regular, one or two tubes).

Byron.

 

I will take pictures of all of the things i have so far, and get ya'lls opinions, and yes arkamaic i do enjoy and care about this hobby, i dont want fish dying for no reason. i believe taking your time and doing things right is the ONLY way to do things, i'm that way about all things in my life. Byron, I'm not sure what fixture i have, its a single bulb fixture but i'll look into it.. this aquarium was originally used to house my 3 baby res but they were released into my cousins new stock pond. i bought the complete package at petsmart, its the 29g Top Fin kit. i scrapped the 30g topfin filter in favor of the emperor 280. I bought the api master test kit, but i forgot it at my gf house which is 30 miles away lol. im gettin it tomorrow from her. thanks for ya'lls help, i appreciate ya'lls time!

 

Sounds like its fluorescent with one tube. That is OK. You'll need to know if it's regular (T8 or T12) or T5; the new tube will be whichever and they won't fit alternatively. B.

 

hey guys, i found a 50g aquarium with a wooden stand, its 75bucks on craigslist, should i get it? i called about it and im gonna check it out tommorow. i'd really like to have the bigger aquarium but im not sure if its going to effect the difficulty of the aquarium plans, i know it will be more expensive ( more substrate, more water, bigger filter, lights, ect) but im up for that part. i am confident that with ya'lls continued help i will have no problems

 

If it looks good, and you're up for it, go for it. Got any pics of it ATM?? It really shouldn't change the plans much, if at all.

I wish I had a bigger FW tank, I got a 16 gallon, which I'm starting to get back into. (got into the salt water realm of the hobby ) It gives you more stocking options, plus more options for your aquascaping as well. It'l just take more of your time during your scheduled maintenance (as you know =))

 

yeah, my gf bought me the emperor 280 filter the other day as previously posted, if i get the 50g im gonna return it for the emperor 400. might go back and get another peice of small mopani to consume more space of the larger aquarium. what do you recommend for the filter media? one of you said just to empty the e size cartridge and use the blue part of the filter with no carbon? ill be making a trip to a few different pet stores on friday so im making a list of things needed.

 

For my emperor 400, I have bought filter media from Dr Fosters, they come with clam shell frames. The frames are great for putting together your own media. Aquarium Filter Media: Drs. Foster & Smith Bio3 Emperor 280 and 400 Filter Cartridges

Sometimes I buy the bonded blue pads to fill the clam shell frame, you can find that for cheap in bulk on Ebay. I also use Polly fill batting from Walmart. You can buy queen size batting at Walmart and it last a long time. If you go that route, buy the cheap stuff with no chemicals added. (not flame retardant)

 

twistersmom- So you just trim the batting to the size needed, And simply clamp it in between the clam shell frame? Nothing in between there? Not questioning, Just making sure i am not missing anything. I can go to wal mart tomorrow and pick up some batting if thats the case, then order the frame. On the website you linked me to can you get 2 frames? Because the 400 takes 2 filter cartridges right, One on each side?

Byron- I'm more than likely buying the 50g tank tomorrow if everything looks good on it, Im not exactly sure if it does or doesn't come with the lighting and top. if not, what would you suggest?

Arkamaic- Yeah if everything does check out good, I'm def. going to be getting the 50g setup. I'm going with Eco-Complete Substrate. I believe I read somewhere on the forum that theres a website that has a calculator that tells you how much susbrate you'd need to buy. I do have pictures of my current things. My 29g, the 280 Filter, And Mopani.. If i get the 50 im going to go look into antother small peice of mopani for added decor, since its a 50g im planning to take more time to learn about things. When putting that much money into something, I want it to be correct on the first attempt.



I'm hooked on the cardinal tetra look. what else could I introduce into my 50g aquarium. I've decided on a "theme, african river." Ya'll have already pre-warned me that cichlids would bother with my plants, so what else is out there that can co-exist with cardinal tetras?

 

twistersmom- So you just trim the batting to the size needed, And simply clamp it in between the clam shell frame? Nothing in between there? Not questioning, Just making sure i am not missing anything. I can go to wal mart tomorrow and pick up some batting if thats the case, then order the frame. On the website you linked me to can you get 2 frames? Because the 400 takes 2 filter cartridges right, One on each.

Thats how I do it.
I think if you buy the large size box, it comes with two frames. Think the small boxes only come with one frame. Its been a while since I have ordered any, so you may want to call Fosters to make sure.

The media kit will come with some sponges that fit in side the clam shell. I use mine for extra bio support and only clean them in removed tank water. I do not run carbon, so I use 4 clam shell frames in the Emperor.

If you do not want buy 4 frames, jeaninel sponge would work well.

 

Do you mean and Amazon based theme? As Cardinals are from the Amazon Basin.

But as for good fish to company them, hatchetfish are pretty cool. Corydoras are always nice too, there are many types of these, some pretty, and some not so much, IMO. There are other types of tetras as well, such as rummy nose tetras.You could possibly try a pair of Blue Rams, tho, some caution may be needed when placing them with smaller tetras, they are known to eat them, but cardinals should be OK. The Rams are a cichlid, but known as a "New-World" Cichlid, meaning they are smaller (rams grow to about 2"-3"), and less aggressive towards non-cichlids.

 

ok, I think for now im going to stick with about 7 cardinal tetras.. i love schooling fish, maybe adding 1 or 2 of the smaller cichlids wouldnt be bad after about a month of having the tank established.

 

I have a Emperor 280 on my 37 gallon. I do the same as Twistersmom and use quilt batting from Walmart in the clamshell frame. It comes in a roll and I just cut it to size and put a couple layers in the clamshell. It lasts quite awhile. Just rinse it in tank water when it gets dirty and when it get really dirty just cut some new pieces. I also use a foam sponge in the filter. It's for a Rena Filstar cannister filter but fits nicely into the Emperor slot. So I have the sponge first, then the clamshell with the batting, then, of course, the biowheel. Here's a link for the sponge: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals FilStar Foam 30

 

Ay Yi Yi... I went to day and swapped the 280 out for the 400.. should I swap them yet again for a better filter? i was thinking about a rena external filter. would the 400 work assuming i did what twistersmom said with the batting? I got my test kit from the gf's house today, im going to test out my water now, but im going to have two peices of mopani wood in the aquarium, a medium and small peice. how much will that effect the pH of my water. also will i need to add any drops of the water treatment or anything? i saw a CO2 machiine at petco, it was 34 bucks, should i need to buy that? ill let ya'll know about the water in a few minutes.

My Readings:
pH - 7.6
NH3/NH4+ (Ammonia) - 0.50
NO2- (Nitrite) - 0 ppm (mgL)
NO3- (Nitrate) - 0ppm (mgL)

These results were all done from the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. I used my regular tap water from the kitchen sink. This testing kit is fun, its like being back in hs lol. Now that I have posted that ya'll will probably be able to better diagnose my situation as far as what fish would be best for my water, what plants, and ect. Thanks, I really appreciate you guys helping out a newb to the hobby. :-D

EDIT: One more question!! The new aquarium I bought was previously used as a saltwater aquarium, it has some white build-up on the sides ( hardwater i'd assume??) whats the best way to remove that? I've tried CLR with a small kitchen scrub brush and it did work to a point. I did that on my 29g tank, But there was still a slightly visible "stain" so I'm not sure as to how I'd remove it completely, I've though about CLR and a scotch brite pad? maybe one of those metal sponge type things would do a better job, then finish it off with the scotch pad. Ideas anyone?

 

I would recommend keeping neon tetras rather than cardinal tetras considering the pH you posted from tapwater? I would also recommend a full function water conditioner such as PRIME to be added to new water that you add to the aquarium whenever water changes are performed. In my view, the effects of driftwood at lowering the ph are slow to negligible due to water changes that will need to be performed on regular basis to ensure the health of the fish. Over time.(months) the natural chemistry in aquariums will tend to lower alkalinity and ph level may become closer to neutral than what you have now. Driftwood will help ,but in my view the results are negligible in that regard ,for any appreciable lowering of the pH in most tanks with alkaline water as opposed to soft water.
Until recently ,I ran an Emperor 280 on a 29 gal tank with sand substrate and live plants such as crypt,java fern,and anubia without issues. I kept the water level just above the plastic trim around the top of the tank so that the water 's surface was disturbed as little as possible considering the filter I had. I also utilized root tabs monthly.
Byron is much more expierienced with planted tanks and judging from photos of his tanks, I would follow his advice closely with regards to filtration if plants are your main focus. Once the plants are established,,then we can further discuss fish for your particular tank.
Too many people in my view want the planted tank and fish nearly overnight and in my expierience,,they often become frustrated when one or the other doesn't quite go the way they think it should.Were it me.(and it ain't) I would train all my efforts on getting the plants established while also researching the fish that I was interested in . The plants,once eastablished,, will make stocking the tank much less stressful for both you and the fish. opinions vary.
P.S. After you have srubbed the white residue as best you can, fill the tank with water and see if the slight remaining stain from residue is visible. Often times it isn't. I would not use any metal srubbing material on the tanks glass.

 

I fully agree with what 1077 has advised and suggested.

On your question of CO2 machines, this again depends upon your goal for the planted tank in the end. I have never used CO2 and have no intention of every trying it, simply because I have the look I want without it; I have healthy, thriving plants, and there are a few species I kow I cannot grow so I don't try. Adding CO2 does also mean adding much more light and nutrients to balance. All of this costs money, to set up and to run. Four times the light power over the course of a year is significant. But of course, there are other considerations besides money in the end, I only mention it because I see no need to spend more than what is necessary.

Several types of filters will work; I only suggested canister because that is in my view the best for a planted tank, reasons for which I explained previously. In a healthy planted tank you do not need mega-filtration. There are planted tank authorities who suggest no filtration. I like some water movement--this will occur in any aquarium with heated water and fish, filter or no filter, but a filter does increase it and stabilize it--but that plus mechanical filtration (trapping particulate matter in the water) is the sole purpose of my filter.

The test results on your tap water indicate ammonia is present (common in many areas) so 1077's suggestion to go with Prime as your water conditioner is good. As for the pH, this is slightly basic (alkaline) and I would suspect your hardness is moderate; pH is often connected to hardness (though not always, as in my own tap water) and the amount of carbonate hardness acts as a buffer for the pH. This means that it will not be easy to adjust your pH down, should you think of trying; do not under any circumstance use the chemical mixes designed to adjust pH. The buffer in the water will act contrary and the pH will fluctuate up and down which is far worse than stable pH. Choose your fish to match your water. We can discuss this more later.

Many of the available plants will do fine in basic water. The light is the single most important thing, I explained about that previously, but if you have any specific questions before buying a fixture or tubes I'll do what I can to advise. My recommendation is to get the equipment working (light, filter, heater) and decide what "look" you want, both from the plants and the probable fish you'll keep. Once that is planned out, realizing there will likely be some changes later, get the plants and plant them, along with the wood you have. Lastly, begin adding the fish, a few at a time; plants will do the cycling if they are sufficient in number and healthy.

Byron.