# LED for 29 Gallon planted carpet tank



## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi Jayh619,

Welcome to TPT!

I just helped a newbie setting up his first planted tank (mostly I just took him over some plants and provided some advice). He also has a 29 gallon which he set up in his living room with the 24"-36" Fluval F&P 2.0 light. He does have CO2 (pressurized). Other than my first visit to drop off some plants, and a visit several days later to do some PAR meter readings for him (which I left with him), I haven't seen the tank in a couple of weeks. He has sent progress reports with some pics and reports the Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba' (H.c. 'Cuba') is growing well, in fact he had to trim it and replant the tops. 

Here is a picture he sent me showing the tank on 9/25; it was planted on 9/19. The H.c. 'Cuba' is foreground left and there is Staurogyne 'Porto Velho' on the right 1/2 back


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## Anchor (Sep 10, 2016)

I have a planted 29g, with Dwarf baby tears (hc) and the 24/7 fixture. I do not use the 24/7 mode because it's to bright at night for my bedroom, so i run it on a timer 9hrs on max.

The plants do fantastic but i feel the light is not wide enough. I'm contemplating buying a second one and using one for foreground and one for background.

I plan to stick with the 24/7 fixture though, because if i decide to move the tank away from where i sleep, i feel the 24/7 feature really would add too the tank.

Doubt anyone here will tell you you made a mistake with anything you listed.


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## Supa Mint (Jul 5, 2016)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi Jayh619,
> 
> Welcome to TPT!
> 
> ...


Here are the PAR readings that Roy took in my aquarium (with plants already planted). Please note that he took two sets of measurements:
1. PAR meter placed at the bottom/substrate level
2. PAR meter place at the mid-level. 

I tend to agree that that the Fluval 24-36" light is not as wide as I would like for a 29 gallon tank - the actual LED light is only 22" wide, while a 29 gallon tank is 29.5" wide. The PAR readings seem to show this:


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi @Supa Mint,

I'm glad you saw this thread and provided that data! If I remember correctly the H.c. 'Cuba' is planted in the left foreground so it is getting about [email protected] and I believe you said it is doing well.

@Jayh619 - The Finnex 24/7 provides [email protected] at an 18" depth (likely measured directly below the fixture) so depending upon what lenses are on the LED's you could have sufficient light. I wasn't aware that the Zetlight ZP-4000 came in a freshwater design; I have only seen the 'All Blue' saltwater configuration.


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## Supa Mint (Jul 5, 2016)

Seattle_Aquarist said:


> ....If I remember correctly the H.c. 'Cuba' is planted in the left foreground so it is getting about [email protected] and I believe you said it is doing well.


Yes, the H.c. 'Cuba' has grown quite (surprisingly?) well at [email protected] - enough that I've been able to replant some of the growth after only a week or so. Unfortunately, I've got a bit of a diatom issue going on right now, which has partially covered the H.c. leaves - so I'm a bit concerned. Hopefully my new Oto will get to work on that soon!


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## Jayh619 (Sep 6, 2016)

I THINK I'm going to go to the Fluval fresh 2.0 

Mostly because it also has the 3 year warranty. And I don't NEED to buy the wifi controller until a later time. 
I'm assuming you can also do most of the same controls without the WIFI controller right?
And if not, then I'm assuming I could ALWAYS just hook it up to a timer right? and not worry about the timer breaking the LED fixture? Or should I definately save up and invest into the wifi as well?


On a side note: For CO2 I'm planning on using a DIY baking soda mixture, at 1 bubble per 2 seconds using a co2 reactor, so it dissolves the co2 ALL the WAY into the water. 


And I currently also have some hair algae growing in 90 gallon or so shrimp breeding tank, so I RECENTLY just bought some amano shrimp so HOPEFULLY eat all of that. Since this is also the tank that I'm attempting to grow out all my plants for when I aquascape the 29 gallon tank.

I'm not planning on aqua scaping the 90 gallon until I can afford the equipment.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Jayh619 said:


> I'm assuming you can also do most of the same controls without the WIFI controller right?
> And if not, then I'm assuming I could ALWAYS just hook it up to a timer right? and not worry about the timer breaking the LED fixture? Or should I definately save up and invest into the wifi as well?


Hi Jayh619,

No, unfortunately you cannot do any programming without the Wi-Fi controller and app. What you can do with the button control is ramp up and down the brightness of either 1) blue and white lights or 2) the blue lights only...they are adjustable from 100% to about 10% brightness.

I run all of my lights, including the Fluval F&P 2.0 on timers; most recently this is digital model that I like a lot.

Home Depot - $14.97 (note it has two - 3 prong plug-ins for two fixtures)
Defiant Model 49808 Internet #203678095 Store SKU #457864
15 Amp 7-Day Plug-In 2-Outlet Digital Timer


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## Jayh619 (Sep 6, 2016)

So if you dimmed the lights to a certain setting, and had it on a timer, everytime the timer turned on, would the lights remember the dimmed settings? or would you be FULL BLAST and cause algae blooms?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi @Jayh619,

The lights remember the last setting.


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