29gal Planted Tank

[PaleoShrimp]

I'm going to be setting up a 29gal (and possibly 55 gal) tank after Christmas.  This would be my first planted tank.  I don't have a big budget to do this with.  I am wondering if anyone has any experience with the BeamsWork DA FSPEC LED?  From my research, it looks like the BeamsWork or Finnex Stingray are both well recommended lights that won't break the bank.  Right now, it looks like I could get either light for about the same price in a 29gal size.  The plants I want to grow would be things like Amazon Sword, Java fern and moss, vallisneria, crypts, and anubias.  My hope is to set up the 29gal, and let the vallisneria and anything else propagate and then take the extra plants to set up another planted tank down the road.

[T. Payne]

I have both lights and I am currently running the stingray on a 29 now. I would go with the stingray.

[NOLANANO]

I have no experience with either light but I have a hygger on my 29g and it was only like $50 and grows plants really well. Just wanted to mention it since you were looking for cheaper light options.

[Huckleberry]

I run stingrays on my 20s and they work well. No complaints.

[anewbie]

The hygger 957 is a fairly new model and inexpensive that a lot of people like (I have no first hand usage). A lot of folks also like the beamswork I've not used it. For a 29 either should work fine; the 55 is a bit taller (also a 55 is not the best aquarium to buy because it is narrow and tall - wide tanks tend to do a better job - like a 40b or 65 or 75 whatever - also shallower tanks are better for plants 'cept if you want a tall fish like an angel.

[PaleoShrimp]

On 11/30/2022 at 1:42 PM, anewbie said:

The hygger 957 is a fairly new model and inexpensive that a lot of people like (I have no first hand usage). A lot of folks also like the beamswork I've not used it. For a 29 either should work fine; the 55 is a bit taller (also a 55 is not the best aquarium to buy because it is narrow and tall - wide tanks tend to do a better job - like a 40b or 65 or 75 whatever - also shallower tanks are better for plants 'cept if you want a tall fish like an angel.

I have been wanting to eventually keep some angels in a second tank that’s larger than the 29gal. Would they be ok in something like a 40gal breeder or would they need the deeper 55gal to be ok?

[Schuyler]

On 11/30/2022 at 9:30 PM, Plechoeco said:

I have been wanting to eventually keep some angels in a second tank that’s larger than the 29gal. Would they be ok in something like a 40gal breeder or would they need the deeper 55gal to be ok?

I like the 40 breeder. It gives you more space to do stuff and you don't have to stick your whole arm in to plant stuff.

I initially got a 55g (luckily second hand) and it wasn't until I got it home and saw it in person that I realized how cramped it would be fur trying to do any kind of scape.

[anewbie]

On 11/30/2022 at 11:30 PM, Plechoeco said:

I have been wanting to eventually keep some angels in a second tank that’s larger than the 29gal. Would they be ok in something like a 40gal breeder or would they need the deeper 55gal to be ok?

A 40B is usually too shallow for a large male adult angels; for younger angels being grown out they can be kept in a 40 for a little while but you will need a taller aquarium. There is a 50 and 65 that are similar to a 40B but taller one is 18 inches and the other 21 inches.

[Miranda Marie]

I used the beamswork light for a while before upgrading, and in my experience, it makes everything in the aquarium have a (unnatural) green tint. Which is fine in most planted aquariums, since it can make plants look lush, but it also makes algae more noticeable in my experience.