# Need guidance for my 29 gallon.



## christian_cowgirlGSR (Aug 2, 2011)

It is my understanding that crypts and swords are heavy root feeders (hopefully someone else will post and verify this for me). At the very minimum, you'll probably want some root tabs.


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## touch of sky (Nov 1, 2011)

Along with the root tabs, you can dose with Excel to supply a carbon source.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

You may be able to keep plants alive with tht light fixture, but you won't see much growth. 17 watts of T8 over a 29gal is very, very low light.

Is upgrading your light fixture in your budget? A dual bulb T5NO would be my personal recommendation, as that's what I run over my own 29gal low tech and I find it works perfectly; just enough light to keep low light plants doing well, but not so much that CO2 is necessary. You can get those for ~$50 or so, shipped.

You could certainly use CO2 at that light level, but IMO I wouldn't bother using CO2 with your current light fixture.


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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

Meh, co2 is always beneficial, you just won't need too much. For root fertilization I recommend rootmedic's complete+ tabs. Or osmocote, I've never tried the osmocote but some people do and they seem to have good results from it as well.. You shouldn't need anything other ferts save for maybe some csm+b dry ferts for traces or a liquid variety like seachem flourish, pferts, rootmedic has one, there's tons out there. The lighting should be fine.


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## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

Thank you for the replies! Yes, I'm counting on buying tabs and liquids as far as ferts go!

The lighting... is there any way around buying a new hood for now? My current hood only accepts one 24" bulb. Are there better bulbs that I can buy that will fit into my current hood?


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## allaboutfish (Oct 14, 2011)

nope. try home depot though. they have some T8 fixtures for pretty good prices i got mine for my 55 for like 30 dollars.


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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

Seconded! I got mine from lowes for about the same, dual t8 fixture. And if your handy and ever want to step up to pressurized co2 and high light plants, can just ODNO the bulbs. That's what I'm running on my 29 right now.


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## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

I didn't know that Lowe's had aquarium hoods! I'll go check it out!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

kcartwright856 said:


> I didn't know that Lowe's had aquarium hoods! I'll go check it out!


They dont, but you can pick up cheap T8 shop light fixtures and then DIY them. I've seen some nice looking ones where people installed fixtures inside of rain gutter and spraypainted it all black.

But there's no bulb you can put inside a flourescent fixture that will be able to magically increase the light output of that fixture. Light output is controlled by the ballast, not the bulb. And all flourescent strip bulbs are standardized sizes- so the only bulbs that would fit inside your current hood will be a 15/17 watt.


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## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

Do those fit onto the aquarium lid?


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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

They can lay on it, or you can get some wielding wire or something like it that you can bend and fit into the shoplight fixture so it'll stand above the tank. I can take pics of my setup here in a bit so you can get an idea. Or hang it If that's a possibility.


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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

Here, it's a bit ghetto lol, but definitely gets the job done. These bulbs are 2xodno and still are barely warm to the touch so they *should* be fine laying on a glass top or just above it. I have a ghetto foil reflector covering the front and back of the fixture so it directs any over spill directly into the tank instead of in my eyes, you can see that better in my journal.

Here's where they fit into the fixture:









And what the 'stands' look like:


















Just to give you an idea of what can be done ^^


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## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

Thank you for the pictures! Unfortunately, I have cats, so I need my hood, plus the cover that I have on top of it. I'll go take a look at these contraptions at Lowe's and see if there's any way I can get it to fit! Thank you again!


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## touch of sky (Nov 1, 2011)

As laurelleellbp mentioned, a t5no dual bulb fixture would increase your light, but not so much that you would need CO2. If you do a search for Aqueon (it is the same fixture as Coralife) t5no, you will find it. It is a very lightweight, and very narrow fixture, that could sit over the glass panel on your current canopy.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Cons of the the shop lights are that they are sold 2 ft and 4ft. Plus the bulbs are not the best for plants. 

I have a 29 G too. I started with the under counter fixtures. Now have a coralife light strip. I feel I wasted money trying to DIY a light strip. 

You can get a coralife light fixture at Pet Blvd. Another option is a T5HO strip hung above the tank as Hyzer did. Using a light hanging you would need to cut the back portion of the hood and replace it with glass. ACE hardware cuts glass.



HolyAngel said:


> If your handy can just ODNO the bulbs. That's what I'm running on my 29 right now.


Note HolyAngel changed his ballast to over drive the bulbs.


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## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

That sounds like what I need, Hilde...

I'll go measure some things and make sure that puppy will fit and then start setting the money aside.

Will my current lighting keep my low-light plants alive until I can get the two-bulb strip?


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## CAM6467 (Feb 11, 2009)

I second Hilde's suggestion of Coralife fixtures. However, I would suggest just saving until you can get the 30" t5HO fixture that comes with two 31 watt bulbs. That's what I ran on my 20L, and that's what I'll be running in my new 29 gallon setup. Great fixture!


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

CAM6467 said:


> The 30" t5HO fixture that comes with two 31 watt bulbs. That's what I ran on my 20L, and that's what I'll be running in my new 29 gallon setup.


On the 29 gallon you are injecting Co2. Did you do the same for the 20g?


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## gabysapha (Oct 26, 2011)

kcartwright856 said:


> That sounds like what I need, Hilde...
> 
> I'll go measure some things and make sure that puppy will fit and then start setting the money aside.
> 
> Will my current lighting keep my low-light plants alive until I can get the two-bulb strip?


I just quickly read through your thread because I am also considering buying a new bulb for my 29g. 

To answer your question, I run the standard light that came with the standard hood on my 29g. I think it's a 17 watt light? I dunno, and I don't really care  The surface is also covered in frogbit! The entire surface of the water. I like the shadiness of this tank.

It is super low light, but it for sure keeps my plants alive: anubias, jungle val, java fern, moss, dwarf sag, hornwort, crypts, wisteria..... I will say my ludwigia does not grow under this light, but it does not die either. So yes, it will keep plants alive if you have appropriate plants! I assume your surface isn't covered in floating plants like mine either  I'm very happy with the lushness of my tank. 

I'm a little confused, and I don't mean to hijack your thread, I promise 
The standard bulb over my 29g has not been replaced in 3 years. 
I thought buying a new bulb will help the situation?

My understanding is, if I find fluorescent bulbs at Lowes that are 24" long and say "made for plants," it will not fit in my standard light hood????

So, what bulbs do fit in my standard hood?
I'm fine with keeping the wattage at 15 or 17 watts or whatever it is I have right now, because it works for me. I have no need for a new light fixture nor do I have the budget for it.

thank you very much!


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## leigh (Jan 9, 2012)

I don't mean to hijack either!! Thank you for posting gaby.....I've seen your questions on another forum and I think I have the same light as you. I was wondering if that would keep anything alive and I've finally gotten an answer from you! Everyone else says it won't grow much and some say possibly....but you've done it! Thanks again


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## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

Thank you to everyone, and no worries about hijacking or anything like that. Forums like these are great for learning, and the more knowledge spread around, the better!


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## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

Oh! I almost forgot!

I have a lighting upgrade in order for until I can afford something better. My mother had an old incandescent hood (the kind with two bulbs) laying around and another thread on this forum advised using one of those and placing CFLs in.

I should have it by this weekend! What two bulbs should I be looking at placing into the new hood to get more light into my tank?


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Which fixture did you end up getting?

You want "daylight full spectrum" screw in flourescents for the temporary incandescent hood. Look for one in the 5000-10,000 kelvin range. U-shaped bulbs would be the best (you can sometimes find those at walmart) but spirals will work as well. Get the highest wattage bulbs you can find that will fit in your fixture.


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## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

I haven't decided on the permanent upgrade yet... it will likely depend on what funds I have left after the tank is complete.

I'm hopeful that this temporary fix will give my plants some nice growth in a few months' time.

I'll write that bulb information down and take a look at the store. Thank you so much!


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