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plant tank info



 Hi all,
 	Sorry for the length of this post but I need some feedback.  I think I am
finally ready to begin purchasing equipment and supplies for my 29 gallon
plant tank.  I have done a lot of shopping around and reading.  Please feel
free to give me any sugestions/comments/advice about the setup.  
  
 Lighting-- 1 30" double bulb strip light with 1 coralife 50/50 and 1 triton
(both bulbs are 20 watts and 24") and a single fixture with a grolux or a
cheap bulb.  Would it be better for me to get 2 coralife 50/50 than 1 triton
and 1 coralife?  I would have 60 total watts of light.

 Fish--after cycling the tank, there will be a school of 10 or so cardinals,
about 5 otos, 3 rams, and if I can find any, I will get 3 checkerboard cichlids.
Is this too many fish (don't count the otos, they're so small anyway)?

 Snails--malaysian trumpets

 Substrate--(need comments here) a 2" layer of a mix of garden topsoil (from
outside), Hyponex potting soil, vermiculite, and Canadian Sphagnum Peat.  On
top of that would be a 1" layer of #16 sandblasting sand.  Also I would add
Tetra Initial D sticks and the Tetra Crypto tablets.  I don't know if the
peat will acidify the water or not.  I am trying to follow the rich
substrate plan of Vinny Kutty, but I read a post by Jim Kelly saying peat
and potting soil would decay under water.  Is this true?  I also might just
add laterite if I feel like spending the money.  Would a regular red pottery
clay be rich in Fe like laterite?

 Plants--(suggestions needed) possibly Giant Hygro, Bacopa, Hygrophila
Difformis and polysperma, telanthera roseafoila, various anubias, apongeton
crispus, various echinodorus, and various vallisneria.  Would my lighting
setup be considered moderate or high light?  Could I grow some crypts?  What
I'm looking for here are fairly easy-to-grow plants that at least look
decent.  About how many plants would I need to buy to have dense plant
growth (tank is 30" long by 18" high by 12" deep)? 
  
 Fertilizer--Kent FW supplement and the Tetra fertilizers mentioned earlier

 CO2--DIY yeast method

 Filtration--Fluval 103 with foam, bio chem stars, and pre-filter

 Heater--Ebo Jager 150 watt

 	Most of this stuff I will be getting mail order from That Fish Place
except the plants (from Arizona Aquatic Gardens, I think) and the fish
(local pet store).  My main goal here is to have excellent plant growth with
a small amount of beautiful fish.  Can someone suggest some reputable mail
order places for the plants?  Has anyone had experience with Arizona Aquatic
Gardens?  PLEASE!! I need some input.  Thanks in advance!!  Also, don't
hesitate to email me privately!  Again, sorry about the length.


B.J. Smith
jesmith at sonnet_com