# Starting a 29gallon planted dwarf cichlid tank



## bhcolex50x (Sep 3, 2009)

So i've had cichlids in this 29gallon tank and they out grew it so i started a 75 gallon tank and moved them over. I did this 3 months ago and now I have this 29 gallon tank running with no fish. I'd like to convert it to a planted tank. So far I plan to remove the under gravel filter and the gravel and change the cover of the tank to an all glass cover so i can add lighting. I plan on buying 2 30" coralife freshwater aqualight t5 double linnear strip and adding them to the 17watt t8 fixture i already have for a combined 89watts between the 5 bulbs with a possibility of adding another fixture later. I'm swaying between this and a 30" power compact coralife that puts off 130watts by itself. I could use advise on the lighting, the SUBSTRATE for sure, and the co2. I currently have a hang on the back power filter that should do the trick it worked well with the large cichlids i had. Also anything you can tell me about dwarf cichilds would be great as i realize they are different from normal breeds.
Thanks in advance
Cole


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## bhcolex50x (Sep 3, 2009)

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## bhcolex50x (Sep 3, 2009)

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## bhcolex50x (Sep 3, 2009)

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## Oscar Madison (Mar 24, 2008)

bhcolex50x said:


> ??


I was thinking the same thing.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Hey *bhcolex50x*,

Lots of recent threads in regards to small planted cichlid tanks.

I'll add my usual response. Photos.

Maybe a pair of Laetacara dorsigera









Or a pair of German blue rams









Or a trio of Apistogramma agassizii









Or a trio of Dicrosus filamentosus


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

A few tips for planted tanks:

Definitely use Eco-complete planted substrate or something similar, perhaps mixed with regular gravel to stretch it as it is expensive. This will help root your plants and feed them, helping them outcompete the algae.

Do not go over 3 watts per gallon with a small tank -- unless you're very experienced.

Plant very heavily from the onset to outcompete the algae. Some good options: swords, crypts, wisteria, giant hygro, crinium (onion plants), vals. Also java fern and anubias.

If you're doing higher light, you must do C02. I have a Milwaukee regulator. I use an old injector from a Red Sea C02-yeast set up.

Fertilize lightly to begin with, so you're not feeding the algae . . .

Good luck!


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## bhcolex50x (Sep 3, 2009)

i have gotten started and now have a layer of pure laterite underneath about 2" of caribsea planted eco complete. 2x 30" double linear freshwater aqualight coralife t5's. planted 2 plant blubs just to try it out about a week ago and already have growth. Still havent bought fish for it i currently have an injured eureka sumthin peacock cichlid in it right now but he shouldnt affect the tank he's healing scales got bit pretty good in my 75gallon cichlid tank. I have a few limesonte rocks in the tank to build a little scenery. Have the temp. around 80 deg farenheit for the peacock which is a little high for plants i think. I run a aqueon 30 power filter as i know planted tanks don't need alot of filteration. I'm about to start a diy co2 system. I plan to link 4 2-liter bottles with yeast, water, and sugar together and turn 2 bottles off at a time with valves (start 2 bottles at a time so i can switch 2 bottles every few weeks) i plan to run the air line either directly into the filter or to the bottom of the filter to where it sucks it in that way and disberses the co2 into the tank with the water flow. let me know what you think about what i have done and plan to do as all your posts help!
thanks alot guys
Cole


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Hey *bhcolex50x*,

Just a couple of quick notes.

The limestone rocks will likely raise the tanks PH level, while most SA cichlids come from nuetral or low PH waters.

Are you sure planted tanks don't need high filtration? It is possible to have a high turnover rate without high currents in a tank.

I run two canister filters on all my tanks, with spraybar returns. I have one spraybar positioned on the rear window of the tank at the top water level, with the spraybar directing flow across the surface. The flow hits the front window, runs down to the bottom, then pushes detritus towards the rear of the tank where the filter intakes are.

The other spraybar is attached to the side window of the tank at the opposite end, with the return holes facing the glass to difuse the power of the return flow. Water from this return flows down the side of the tank, then along the bottom taking detritus towards the intake of the other filter.

Here is a photo that shows the positioning of my spraybars. The photo was taken shortly after I set the tank up and was experimenting with how to position the spraybar returns. Originally I had the spraybar on the rear window facing towards the glass and the end spraybar facing the length of the tank along the surface. I ended up reversing the flow directions as I described above. The heater at the left end hides the intake of one filter, but you can see it in the reflection on the side window.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

I have an AC 30 -- but I run it on a 10 gallon hospital tank. I'd never use it as the sole filter in my 30-gallon planted tanks. I have a Fluval 205 on one (it's really not enough IMHO) and a Marineland C-220 on the other (enough, but a problematic filter from a potential leak standpoint).

I don't use HOBs in my planted tanks because water aggitation can diminish the available C02, which you are carefully trying to inject!

So if it were me, I'd rethink the filter option for your tank.

Also, I'd take the limestone out before you convert to SA cichlids.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Ah, thanks *hollyfish2000*. Now I understand why you wouldn't want to much surface aggitation if using CO2.


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## bhcolex50x (Sep 3, 2009)

planted tanks do not need high filteration due to the plants and substrate which take care of most wastes. I've read this as well as tlked to people who work at a public aquarium.. certain plants do require more water movement than others which can be solved by a power filter but high filteration isn't necessicary.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

bhcolex50x said:


> planted tanks do not need high filteration due to the plants and substrate which take care of most wastes.


Good luck with that! 

I suppose it depends on how densely planted your tank is, how lightly stocked it is and how freuqent and large your water changes are.


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## bhcolex50x (Sep 3, 2009)

i'm modeling it after a heavily planted tank moderatly to heavily stocked with south americans 20-40% water change a week.


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## bhcolex50x (Sep 3, 2009)

dwarf's **** not regular south americans*** sorry


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## bertolli (Aug 18, 2009)

*deadfishfloating*
are all the fish u showed in the pictures above compatible?


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

G'day *bertolli*,

No all the fish are not compatible. They have different environmental requirements, mainly temperature requirements. South America is a big place, just like the USA. Different water ways of South America have different PH, GH and KH values, will have different seasonal temperature variances.

Having said that, it is very unlikely that any of us can replicate any one river or creeks water variables. Yet I still recommend that people stock thier tanks with species that are found together in nature.

You will find Laetacara curviceps, Apistogramma agassizii and Dicrosus maculatus together in the creeks of the Rio Tapajos (Brazil), and the port city of Santarem. They inhabit different niches within the one waterway. Similarly you can find Mikrogeophagus rameriz, several different Apistogramma species and Dicrossus filamentosus in the water ways of the Venezualan Llanos. You can find different locational variants of Laetacara dorsigera throught Southern Brazil, in some places Apistogramma borelli are found in the same water ways, while in others Mikrogeophagus altispinosa.


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## bertolli (Aug 18, 2009)

right thanks for the answer, very informative maybe too informative  . the reason im asking is cuz i got a new tank with tall dimensions and im set on doing a planted set up with some colorful fish, i particularly liked the dwarf cichlid and the rams.


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## brycerb (Dec 23, 2007)

hollyfish2000 said:


> bhcolex50x said:
> 
> 
> > planted tanks do not need high filteration due to the plants and substrate which take care of most wastes.
> ...


I ran a heavily planted tank for a year with no filter and never did a water change. Had maybe 10 fish in a 45 tall. Had so many plants I couldn't see far into the tank. I did it just to see if it would work. Even had my water tested at a few differnt stores. Everything was perfect. The plants were a lot of maintenece though.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

> ran a heavily planted tank for a year with no filter and never did a water change


This puzzles me -- not from a nitrate perspective, but from an oxygenated perspective. I did a big replant last night in one tank and I didn't realize that the filter (Fluval 205) had gotten pretty gunked up with debris. When I got up this morning, the fish appeared to be gasping in distress. I quickly cleaned the debris out of the strainer and the flow resumed. The filter, BTW, was not completely unfunctioning, just very, very little flow. I ended up quickly lowering the water level to get some splash to return some oxygen to the tank. As the day goes on, I assume the plants photosynthesis will also add oxygen. But I'm not sure how a tank would function without any filter to create flow. Perhaps you had an airstone or something else adding oxygen? Just curious . . .


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## bertolli (Aug 18, 2009)

This is a bit different *hollyfish* but my dad has a small 25 gal community tank in our kitchen with some bamboo plants in it. In close to two years now there has not been a single water change done and there is no filter, he just tops it off. If has mollies, gouramis, tetras and a lone catfish. It puzzles me how all these fish have survived. I think two have died but that was due to obvious bullying.


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## brycerb (Dec 23, 2007)

I had a powerhead in their, but it routinely got clogged.


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