Thought I'd share this with everyone. This is my 20H low-tech tank. I have a near-full-time job and a full college schedule as of right now so I had to change this tank from your normal "weekly water changes, daily ferts" tank to low tech.
As of now, I am doing 50% water changes every six months. Yes, that's 180 days in between water changes, and my nitrates have never topped out above 10ppm. So here it is.
I know it's a bit sloppy but I still love it. Several people have told me to ditch the Java Moss in the front, but I wouldn't touch it for anything. I think it's the key to super-low tech. That, and 3/4 of a Marineland canister filter devoted to biological filtration.
This is my Cryptocoryne wendtii "Bronze". I should have taken a side shot showing the base of the plant; it's probably a good 4 inches across and shoots off daughter plants like there's no tomorrow.
Anubias barteri var. nana with one of my super red RCS. I have three of the Anubias and at least one of them is usually flowering.
Rotala rotundifolia. My lighting is a Coralife 24" T5 dual tube fixture, so only 2.4wpg. The Rotala still turns hot pink under the lights, even though this pic doesn't do it justice.
So there's my low tech plants, but I have quite a few plants that shouldn't grow in anything less than heavy lighting and massive fertilization. For example...
My Ozelot Sword. This baby shoots up new leaves almost daily.
Nymphaea lotus "Zenkeri". The colors are so much brighter than what the pic shows them to be. This plant sends up about two leaves DAILY. No exaggeration. Recently, it also sent out 2 daughters which are now growing very quickly.
Echinodorus "Red Devil". I've only had this one for a couple of weeks and it's doing great. The new leaves are deep red and gradually turn green as they age. This sword is extremely rare in the hobby. I got it from a buddy who got it from Aquabid.com.
And finally, my male GBR.
By the way, did I mention I never fertilize? Ever. I used a bottom layer of Fertilome Seedling and Cutting Starter and covered it with Flourite. The only other fertilization the plants get is from the fish.
So there it is. Let me know what you all think about it
Adam
As of now, I am doing 50% water changes every six months. Yes, that's 180 days in between water changes, and my nitrates have never topped out above 10ppm. So here it is.
I know it's a bit sloppy but I still love it. Several people have told me to ditch the Java Moss in the front, but I wouldn't touch it for anything. I think it's the key to super-low tech. That, and 3/4 of a Marineland canister filter devoted to biological filtration.
This is my Cryptocoryne wendtii "Bronze". I should have taken a side shot showing the base of the plant; it's probably a good 4 inches across and shoots off daughter plants like there's no tomorrow.
Anubias barteri var. nana with one of my super red RCS. I have three of the Anubias and at least one of them is usually flowering.
Rotala rotundifolia. My lighting is a Coralife 24" T5 dual tube fixture, so only 2.4wpg. The Rotala still turns hot pink under the lights, even though this pic doesn't do it justice.
So there's my low tech plants, but I have quite a few plants that shouldn't grow in anything less than heavy lighting and massive fertilization. For example...
My Ozelot Sword. This baby shoots up new leaves almost daily.
Nymphaea lotus "Zenkeri". The colors are so much brighter than what the pic shows them to be. This plant sends up about two leaves DAILY. No exaggeration. Recently, it also sent out 2 daughters which are now growing very quickly.
Echinodorus "Red Devil". I've only had this one for a couple of weeks and it's doing great. The new leaves are deep red and gradually turn green as they age. This sword is extremely rare in the hobby. I got it from a buddy who got it from Aquabid.com.
And finally, my male GBR.
By the way, did I mention I never fertilize? Ever. I used a bottom layer of Fertilome Seedling and Cutting Starter and covered it with Flourite. The only other fertilization the plants get is from the fish.
So there it is. Let me know what you all think about it
Adam