Starting a planted Barb tank

Back from vacation, enjoyed reading five different fish/aquatic plant books while I was in the mountains w/no internet. Good reading I must say...

So now I know the basics of a planted aquarium, also found out from the 'All about Barbs' book, that these are some of the best communities for a planted tank. This is good, since all my fish from last year's classroom tank are considered types of Barbs.

Now I come to you all for more specific advice. This set up will be in a 29T. I have a brand new (clearance rack) hood - but no bulbs as of yet. What plants are the easiest, have good height but narrow width, and will grow the best in a 78F Barb community tank?

A collection of zebra/glo Danios, tiger barbs, tetras, rainbow sharks, chinese algae eaters and three flounders (if I can find the little devils again in my summer tank) will be the occupants.

- Laura

They type of bulbs really doesn't matter. The only bulb that does nothing for plants is the blue atintic. Some good beginner plants that are narrow with good height are needle leaf java fern, jungle vals, Rotala rotundifolia and for a narrow leaf foreground plant nothing beats dwarf hairgrass, but alot of people find that plant difficult to grow under low light and without co2. Imo planted tanks aren't hard. Looking forward to seeing pics after you get yours going.

First off if the flounders are the kind that burrow they will mess up your plants.
Depending on your budget you could go the usual method (less time more $) of start up or you could do my version (more time less $)

My planted tank start up; get top soil, brand X tends to be best, no manure, no styro balls, no fertz in it.
Get enough of that to cover the bottom of the tank between 1/4"-1" thick. Put it in a ratty pillow case and put it in a pot of water and boil it well, changing the water a few times along the way.
You can mix in a box of laterite in the dirt and that will help the plants.
Let it cool, smooth it out on the bottom of the EMPTY tank.
Find some silica pool filter sand, something with decent sized grains. I use Crystal Sands brand, not sure if you will find it there. Look for the cancer warning and that will tell you its silica sand.
Dump some of that in a 5g bucket, roughly 1/2 full. Take a hose tuned on low and poke it about in the sand till the water overflowing the bucket runs clear.
Smooth this over the dirt in the EMPTY tank roughly 1"-1.5" thick.
Put a large clean dinner plate in the tank, slowly pour your water over this so that the sand does not get all stirred up.
Plant the tank then stock it (after adding a very well seeded filter)

You need to aim for one watt per gallon, hit a fish store with your fixture and tell them you want medium plant light for a 29T tank, they should get you a bulb close enough to what you will need.

Plants are easier than most people let on.... I have never had an issue getting the 'hard to grow' stuff to grow like weeds.
If you would like I can sell you enough tall slender plants and possibly a few small leafy ones to get your tank going.

listen 2 firn always correct

Hey now My plants love my mud pies
Len, notice I capitalized EMPTY tank