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My first tank was this same kit, it was a surprise gift from the spouse. I replaced the filter with a Penguin 125, I think I still have the original heater.

In retrospect I wish he had gotten a 20 long or 30g (both of which I now have ) The 29g is high and I've found it difficult to aquascape.

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

The six inche in height does actually make a big difference in your stocking, as some fish like the top and others like to muck around on the bottom. Others, still, prefer the middle range of the tank.
But what I wanted to comment about was that, as pookie said earlier, the more gallons in the tank, the easier it is to maintain your water parameters. with smaller tanks one must be religious with their tank maintenance and water changes, as a nitrate spike can come out of nowhere. (OK, it comes from not changing water enuff). good luck katie, with your new tank.:88):88)

Sorry for making you repeat yourself
I had quite a loooong day yesturday

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

The 29 offers you a few more choices. It allowas more room for a top level swimmer such as hatchets or killifish. you could then have some active mid level swimmers and some bottom dwellers.

The 29 can handle a bit higher level of stocking, as I was saying before.

Pookie,

I have decided that if I am allowed to buy another tank, it would be better to put it together myself. I was wondering if the stocking abilities of a 20L were different than a 29. The 29 is only 6 inches taller and I wasnt sure if that really made a big difference.

Thanks for the advice - katie

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

The 29 offers you a few more choices. It allowas more room for a top level swimmer such as hatchets or killifish. you could then have some active mid level swimmers and some bottom dwellers. The larger the tank, generally the more stable. Your kit will do well with java ferns and java moss. The filter is very adequate for most usages. If you intend to "overstock" you may want to upgrade the filter. But really, the one with the kit will work well for you. A heater is only 10-15 dollars, in my opinion it is worth it.

Quick question:

Im thinking of either a 29 or 20L....does the difference in height (6 inches) alter the stocking limit significantly?

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

Hi Katie:
This is like the light I have on my tank:


Mine was 48 Inches though and I paid 299.99
http://www.bigalsonline.ca/catalog/product.xml?product_id=23375;category_id=1875;pcid1=1843;pcid2=

Last edited by sneaky_pete at 21-Jun-2005 20:30

Come Play Yahtzee With Me!
http://games.atari.com
Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames

My first tank was the same kit, only from Topfin, the Petsmart brand. Kits imo are just fine, especially for the beginner. Yes, the heater could be upgraded but the 100w heater that came with mine works very well and the entire tank stays at the same temp. The instructions will tell you place it in the current, preferably near the filter to more evenly heat the tank. If or when it goes out I will likely get a better one but for now its working fine.
Same thing for the filter. The whisper 30 is a fine filter but filters are kinda like fish IN THAT people like what they like and some people think and want certain and or better filters. Thats just fine there's nothing wrong with that. IMO re: filters is you can't have too much.
The tank and hood come standard, but it will come with a 20 watt bulb(standard in flourescent, the wattage is a function of the bulb length) which will give you about .66watts/gal. It will work ok unless you desire live plants in which case you will want a double tube fixture or a high wattage compact or something.
The adhesive thermometer will work great, I really like them.
You will need other equipment like gravel, decorations, a nice assortment of plastic plants .
The kits are not designed for people who want the best tank, filters etc, they are intended for the beginner and will work. upgrading is optional. BTW, I also got the 10 gal starter kit and the filter that came with it worked fin for a while but gave out after a few months so I upgraded to a much nicer and better one. I am a fan of the kits because they contain the necessary equipment at a lesser cost, but am very willing to upgrade components as necessary.

Last edited by divertran at 21-Jun-2005 20:28

Last edited by divertran at 21-Jun-2005 20:29
why don't I proofread?

Last edited by divertran at 21-Jun-2005 20:30

Last edited by divertran at 21-Jun-2005 20:32

Thanks for the info, Fish, youve cleared up a lot Im thinking of doing a mix of low-light plants and fake plants.



This thread has cleared up a lot of concerns i had, thanks all.





I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

Im thinking of buying a 29gal All-Glass kit, but ive heard that kits often times have inadequate equipment. So, im wondering if this kit has good equipment:

•Size 29 High Aquarium
•30" Fluorescent Full Hood with Bulb
•Whisper® 30 Power Filter
•Whisper® 30 Bio-Bag® Filter Cartridge
•100 Watt Submersible UL Listed Heater
•Aquarium Net
•Adhesive Thermometer
•Aquarium Kit Instructions
•AquaSafe® Water Conditioner - Trial Size
•TetraMin® Fish Food - Trial Size

I know i will probably get a better bulb(if i want plants) and get a different thermometer. Im more worried about the filter and heater. Will these be enough long term, or at least until i buy better ones?

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

In my research so far, and to my limited knowledge, lighting that is placed directly on the tank (unlike hanging lights) require a glass top to protect the electric fixture from moisture.

Plus, your fish can’t jump out

If you buy a kit I would assume that the glass top is included, but, the dimensions (not the outer ones) are different for single and double hoods. Single ones have a deeper front section that you can flip up to feed your fish and the light hood fits right between the plastic strips in the middle section. Double lights are deeper and require the front part of the glass top to be less deep in order to fit in the middle part.

Now that was deep

Anyway, my 30” long AGA 29G (and I assume you have the same dimensions) has only 2 20W lights (although the hood is 30” there is some space required to hold the lights which then are only a net of 24” ), so maybe about 1.3 WPG, which is rather low.

Hope this helps,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

When i buy the hood, will i have to buy a glass top to protect the bulb or is it included?

Ill keep an eye out for a double hood, im sure theyre not hard to obtain. If not theres always lowlight plants

Last edited by katieb at 21-Jun-2005 19:29

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

katieb,

[font color="#000080"]Im planning on getting a VHO flourescent bulb. 24inches and 75 watts

[/font]

I would assume that this would not work in your hood. My AGA 29G double hood is laid out for a
max of 60W, more cannot be handled by the ballast. Your default hood would be then a max of 30W.
You would have to replace the entire hood.

[font color="#000080"]My climate has supported my fish so far without a heater, so im not too worried about a few weeks with a 100 watt heater.

[/font]

And then you buy a larger one? So why get this one in the first place?

[font color="#000080"]The Whisper 30 is up to 150 gph

[/font]

True, just found this info (actually 600 liter per hour) on a site myself.

[font color="#000080"]Maybe i will put this one together myself after all.

[/font]

Yes, do that, you will not regret it.

Ingo


Last edited by LITTLE_FISH at 21-Jun-2005 19:15

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

The Whisper 30 is up to 150 gph. Maybe i will put this one together myself after all.

Thank god i have a job



Thanks for the help, Katie

Last edited by katieb at 21-Jun-2005 18:56

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

Ill probably get the kit and upgrade as needed. For some reason I like the kits a little better than piecing it together myself

So why ask?

...anyway....check the filter, use their list as a guide and make your own list of what you'd buy.
30" means it's quite likely 30 watts or less. With floros more often than not lenght = wattage. VHO lights of course will be different but you'll know price wise that you're paying for more watts.

I'd worry about making a decision on lighting then worry about the substrate. What will determine all of it is how much money you're willing to put into it.

^_^[hr width='40%']"Has someone taken your faith? It's real, the [link=pain]http://babelfish.qwertydigital.com/" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link] you feel.
The life, the love, You die to heal.
The hope that starts, The broken hearts...
I’ve got another confession my friend, I’m no fool.
I’m getting tired of starting again, Somewhere new."

"How many GPH does the wisper 30 run? IMO you generally want @least 7X's per hour to 10X's/hour. With a 29 since it's taller you may want a little more, especially if you're thinking of increasing the stock."

Ive searched all over the internet and havent found the flow rate. Ill most likely hit the LFS within the week and ill check then.

"With the light, that gives you about 1wpg, which is very low light. You can't just switch out the lightbulb like you can with an incandescent, you'll likely need a dual bulb fixture either a DIY job or purchased seperatly...possibly getting a new tank clear cover (the ones that come with the tanks are often jsut for one bulb and have a black lid for feedings)."

I think its a 30 inch bulb, not a 30 watt

"For that size tank the general rule of 5wpg per heating would have you looking at a 150watt heater. This rule of course will vary depending on how much you'll need your heater to work. If you keep your house over heated in winter and don't run the AC much in the summer you may be fine with an underrated heater."

Im planning on changing the heater, but my fish have never had a heater and my house is a good temperature. So, i think it should suffice for a few weeks.

"Adheasive thermometers IME are very inaccurate, you'll want one that actually goes in the water to give you a good temp reading of the actual water temp."

Thats what i was thinking, im going to get a floating thermometer to replace it

"My suggestion is to look @the right equipment and find out what that will cost you, then compair it to what it'd cost to get the kit and the proper equipment. If the kits still worth it even with the upgrades you'll need then go for it.
Don't forget if you're going for plants you'll possibly wish to look into the various substrates available both thru the LFS or your local gardening shop."

Ill probably get the kit and upgrade as needed. For some reason I like the kits a little better than piecing it together myself.

Would you recommend regular gravel with laterite added as a substrate?

-----------------------------------------------------------

"IMHO none of the kits have adequate equipment if you want to utilize your tank as it should be. For example, you say you might get another bulb but, be aware: this hood (30” long tank) fits only one 24” fluorescent light and they are always only 20W. You would have to change to a different hood, for example the double light hood (=40W), but that requires also a different glass top for your tanks because the double does not fit on the given one (depth)."

Im planning on getting a VHO flourescent bulb.
24inches and 75 watts

"If you live in a colder climate, your (for sure cheap) heater might not do a good job. The Wisper 30 is good for tanks up to 30G and you are right up there. This means that it will barely be able to keep acceptable conditions in your tank."

My climate has supported my fish so far without a heater, so im not too worried about a few weeks with a 100 watt heater. Also, Ill keep my bioload light till i up the filter.

"I would do more research on what you would like to use the tank for, like planted or not, like light load or lots of fish, etc. Then I would make a decision on what to buy."

Deffinately


"And anyway, buy a bigger tank"

If only i had the space and money

Last edited by katieb at 21-Jun-2005 18:39

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

katieb,

IMHO none of the kits have adequate equipment if you want to utilize your tank as it should be. For example, you say you might get another bulb but, be aware: this hood (30” long tank) fits only one 24” fluorescent light and they are always only 20W. You would have to change to a different hood, for example the double light hood (=40W), but that requires also a different glass top for your tanks because the double does not fit on the given one (depth).

If you live in a colder climate, your (for sure cheap) heater might not do a good job. The Wisper 30 is good for tanks up to 30G and you are right up there. This means that it will barely be able to keep acceptable conditions in your tank.

The net, thermometer, and trial size packages are worth maybe 10$ together.

I would do more research on what you would like to use the tank for, like planted or not, like light load or lots of fish, etc. Then I would make a decision on what to buy.

And anyway, buy a bigger tank

Ingo

[font color="#000080"]And this is at least the 3rd time that Babelfish beat me by seconds to the post.[/font]


Last edited by LITTLE_FISH at 21-Jun-2005 18:25

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

How many GPH does the wisper 30 run? IMO you generally want @least 7X's per hour to 10X's/hour. With a 29 since it's taller you may want a little more, especially if you're thinking of increasing the stock.

With the light, that gives you about 1wpg, which is very low light. You can't just switch out the lightbulb like you can with an incandescent, you'll likely need a dual bulb fixture either a DIY job or purchased seperatly...possibly getting a new tank clear cover (the ones that come with the tanks are often jsut for one bulb and have a black lid for feedings).

For that size tank the general rule of 5wpg per heating would have you looking at a 150watt heater. This rule of course will vary depending on how much you'll need your heater to work. If you keep your house over heated in winter and don't run the AC much in the summer you may be fine with an underrated heater.

Adheasive thermometers IME are very inaccurate, you'll want one that actually goes in the water to give you a good temp reading of the actual water temp .

My suggestion is to look @the right equipment and find out what that will cost you, then compair it to what it'd cost to get the kit and the proper equipment. If the kits still worth it even with the upgrades you'll need then go for it.
Don't forget if you're going for plants you'll possibly wish to look into the various substrates available both thru the LFS or your local gardening shop.

^_^[hr width='40%']"Has someone taken your faith? It's real, the [link=pain]http://babelfish.qwertydigital.com/" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link] you feel.
The life, the love, You die to heal.
The hope that starts, The broken hearts...
I’ve got another confession my friend, I’m no fool.
I’m getting tired of starting again, Somewhere new."

umm. it sounds good, but you wil need to get the other stuff as well. i found that most lfs have kits there and they work out the prices. gravel,food,ugf, for a 20 G a fuveral 304 sounds good.