A little more tech on this one but still nothing fancy :)

up and running since 12/05

hagen Co2 latter with DIY

36 watts of t-5 (1colormax bulb, 1 6700K bulb)8hrs
20 watts of t-8 "life-glo" 10hrs

aquaclear 50 HOB

75 watt jager heater

eco-complete and small black gravel

FAUNA: 9 rummy nose tetras, 2 Aeneas corys, 2 Julii corys, 4 otos, 4 amano shrimp, 1 bamboo shrimp

FLORA: Dwarf Sagittaria, Amazon sword(2 varieties, I think black and melon?), Hygrophyla difformis, Bacopa monnieri, Rotala indica, Nymphaea pubescens(lotus)

2/26/09: added a bunch of rotala indica today, took out the java moss

3/1/09: taking a new approach to trimming today I'm going to begin a more gradual thing where i just do a few stems at a time so rotala doesn't have that "mowed lawn" look.

4/5/09: gave up on gradual trimming and mowed the lawn :D- all well! I also thinned out the wisteria today and got some credit at the LFS for my newest edition to the tank:Hemianthus micranthemoides to be grown epiphitically on the driftwood. also got some seachem potassium to add to my dosing regiment.

4/10: took t-8 fixture and glass lid off the tank. I rigged the t-5 fixture to be about 2 inches over the water surface- looking forward to some emersed growth :)

4/14: added 5 more rummys (9 total now) and a bamboo shrimp

My lowest tech tank

up and running since 2/06

lace java fern (Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'), java moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri), and anubias barteri nana

little HOB that came with tank (prob. should upgrade but it's been 3 years)

25 watt stealth heater

15 watts t-8 life-glo
excel started 2/26
no Co2

3 neons

the blue gravel was selected by the boyfriend- i don't hate it ;)

2/26/09: did a little re-scape on this tank today added a couple little piees of drift wood and spread out the java ferns and anubias, also i addedd the algae infested java moss from my 20L- snails have their work cut out for them. also started dosing excel

New one started 1/20/09

after an hour boil and a week and a 1/2 soaking i still have tannins but i started the planting (2/4)

Added new betta on 2/10

lace java fern (Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'), java moss(Taxiphyllum barbieri), Cryptocoryne spiralis, Anubias Barteri var. Congensis, Cryptocoryne ciliata, & Cryptocoryne wendtii
sponge filter
25 watt stealth heater
desk lamp with 19 watt 5500K "daylight" spiral florescent bulb

2/26/09: I added two crypts to this tank today 1 from another tank and one i picked up at the lfs, also upgraded my light bulb to an 19 watt daylight florescent, i also discovered that my thermometer had been cracked somehow-also noticed some java fern dieing, don't know if they're related or if the ferns just aren't liking their new home. I also started today dosing excel we'll see if my tank full of crypts melts like the wicked witch of the west.

4/10: rescaped today, everything is still quite "melty" the java fern is putting out new leaves. so hopefully the new tank difficulties are on their way out.

4/24: added root tabs to the crypts today