29 Gallon Livebearer Craziness Journal

[PineSong]

I am in the process of setting up this tank, which represents my experiences with impulsive decision making both for good (the driftwood) and for not so good (the millions of livebearer fry that mean I need another tank), lol.

The tank is a 29g with a Hygger light, ACO sponge filter from an existing tank, and new Supernaturals Peace River and Gemstone Creek substrate.

I have planted it with scraps from other tanks, plus a few stems from a recent rotala order. I actually don't expect the rotala to survive being planted in raw, mulmless, gravel, but I also don't have a dirty tank with any room for it at the moment, so fingers are crossed and I gave it a root tab.

The sword already looks a bit overpowering which is funny since it seemed 'normal' in my 20g long until I took it out and let it stretch to its full height here.

Despite my rinsing the substrate a lot, the tank is still cloudy after two days with a HOB full of floss running on it, so I am waiting for it to settle before I add critters, probably this weekend.

 

 

 

 

[Guppysnail]

You have made a lovely home for your must have wood acquisition 🙂 looking forward to following along. My 29 with the Amazon hygger light (I say amazon because I purchased one from another source that was fancier with more color settings once) I find if there are any tall plants not enough light reaches the bottom and stems in particular suffer towards the bottom of the stem. 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@PineSongexcellent appearing scape. Can't wait to see it stocked!

[PineSong]

Thanks! The window behind the tank is open all day so I am hoping that sunlight will provide some extra light for the plants on that side of the tank. It would sure photograph better with a black background.

[PineSong]

I've been adding juvenile male guppies from the kitchen tank a few at a time for the past couple of weeks. It's now housing the lone platy baby who already shows as male, and about 20 not-very-flashy guppies from the discontinued lines.

Today I removed the guppy grass I had thrown in to help the tank start out, trimmed some plants to help them thicken up (I hope) and did a 50% water change to try to remove some of the tint that driftwood created.

This is a hard tank to photograph. I live in a house of mirrors and windows, so glare is everywhere and whether the blinds are down or the blinds are up, the tank looks like heck in pictures.

Edited March 13, 2022 by PineSong

[Hobbit]

It reminds me of @Streetwise’s tanks!

[Odd Duck]

On 3/13/2022 at 12:03 PM, PineSong said:

the tank looks like heck in pictures.

But I bet it looks great in person with the light shining through it.  Pics will probably turn out best taken at night with the lights off in the room and on over the tank.  But I like what I see.

[PineSong]

Aw, thanks! At the moment it is having young tank algae issues so I can't say it looks gorgeous with the sun shining through, but it does look better than photos. 

Honestly, I'm not in love with the tank and the deepness of it kind of creeps me out. I'm scared of deep water myself and even though the tank isn't deep for a person it is deep for guppies and I'm not sure I enjoy looking at it. At heart, I am a 20L person, I guess.

I have too many fry on the way to consider downsizing it any time soon, so I just need to make it more enjoyable if I can and making it pretty is one way.

I've experimented with taking photos after draping a dark sheet over the back, but I have not tried nighttime and now I am looking forward to it, thanks for that suggestion, @Odd Duck.

Here is a photo I took this morning to document the ongoing color development in these 'B team' guppies.

[Guppysnail]

On 3/31/2022 at 8:33 AM, PineSong said:

the deepness of it kind of creeps me out.

I’m so glad I’m not the only one who feels this way. I do because it’s deeper than the surface area is wide. Every time my guppy fry swim around the bottom I feel like I need to tell them..” no it’s scary down there and there might not be any oxygen”. If I had to set up a new one I would go another 20L or 40B. First and last 29. 
I still love the impulse wood. 

Edited March 31, 2022 by Guppysnail

[Widgets]

On 2/22/2022 at 7:42 PM, PineSong said:

Thanks! The window behind the tank is open all day so I am hoping that sunlight will provide some extra light for the plants on that side of the tank. It would sure photograph better with a black background.

They make black mini blinds to give you the background.

On 3/31/2022 at 8:33 AM, PineSong said:

Honestly, I'm not in love with the tank and the deepness of it kind of creeps me out. I'm scared of deep water myself and even though the tank isn't deep for a person it is deep for guppies and I'm not sure I enjoy looking at it. At heart, I am a 20L person, I guess.

My Community tank is a 37g, it is the same footprint as your 29g only taller. I setup an 8" terrace in the back corners. It gives a deep front center,  but shallow areas in the back corners.

On 2/22/2022 at 7:36 AM, Guppysnail said:

I find if there are any tall plants not enough light reaches the bottom and stems in particular suffer towards the bottom of the stem. 

I am struggling with foreground plants in my 37g tank. They are staying alive, but not really thriving.

[drewzero1]

I agree about the depth... I had always planned to upgrade my 20 long to a 29, but along the way I tried out a 55 and realized tall and narrow really doesn't work for me. The proportions kind of freaked me out. So I got rid of the 55 and got a 40B instead, and the 20L is staying.