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Low Tech Tank Show-and-Tell (low tech can be lush, too! =)

2M views 2K replies 841 participants last post by  LidijaPN 
#1 · (Edited)
Been a while since we had a thread like this, so I thought I'd start another, since this is the way I like to share and learn from other people. :smile:

The idea in this thread is to post a picture of your low tech tank(s), explain the setup (equipment, lighting, substrate, ferts, etc) and briefly explain a few things you've learned that do or don't work with your setup.
 
#834 ·
aside from the very high lighting (15 wpg) and the occasional root tab --i really havent done much with this 2.5 gallon tank, in terms of maintenance of water chemistry and fertilization...
originally this was to be a high tech tank, then my CO2 tank broke it's valve...and i never got around to replacing it. stopped chem dosing too, and some 5 months later, it ended up like this:



not too shabby if i say so myself. ;)
 
#835 ·
oooh, I love this tank! It looks so much larger than 2.5 gallons. The way you created a mysterious cave is fantastic! I love this style of scaping - heavy on the wood & rock - that's my kind of tank!
 
#836 ·
My awesome low tech, low budget 2.5 gallon tank.

Some Crays, shrimps, nerite snails and MTS.

Water Vertebrate Pet supply Organism Plant


The DWL is blocking the way, but there are two Azoo palm filters and a cheap beamsworks light on there. The tech on this tank literally costed $34 for me.

It isn't lush but the moss should grow in.


MABJ's iDevice used for this message :p
 
#844 ·
I went from this Low light, low tech tank. Window light only. 30 gallons

To this tank a couple days ago. Didn't add any plants. Less then one inch soil with gravel on top.
Also low light, low teck tank 64 watts of light and indirect window light. 55 gallons.
 
#845 ·
Looking through this thread, I see amazing tank after amazing tank! Very inspirational to see time and time again, amazing low tech tanks. Makes me reflect on how great it is to have a lush planted tank to stare at.

So here is my main tank I think a fitting name for it would be "Pumpin sunshine", it's always changing, always trying a new plant. Here are 2 pictures taken months apart:



Here are the specs:
14g Biocube
Light: 70W Sunpod (16.5") HQI metal halide
Sub: Fluval Shrimp Stratum
Ferts: Osmocoat +
CO2: No, I want my shrimp to succeed
Inhabitants: Shrimp...various
Happy Plants: Various moss, E. tennelus Chain sword, marb queen sword, limnophilia hippruoides(new not pictured), Pho Rotala indicata, Misc Crypts.
Fav plant: E. Tennellus, Spreads furiously, the LFS loves to buy it off me. Does great in my setup.
Plants that did not work: Ludwigia peruensis, HM, HC, These plants did not appreciate the lack of CO2, and/or were impossible to keep planted given my horrible substrate.
Low tech Lesson learned: Do not use the tap water in my area. Began to use it, in came the black brush, went back to RO, no more BBA.
 
#848 ·
Here is my tank..
20g
Light: 28W T5NO
Substrate: blue gravel (with root tabs)
CO2: none
Ferts: Seachem Flourish, Excel
Fish: 7 white clouds, 5 h.rasboras
Plants: Java fern, Amazon sword, Frogbit, and something else

I really love my tank, of course I would change the substrate and maybe redo the scape, but for now it's good like that:)
 

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#854 ·
it is low-tech. I use a wide spectrum fluorescent light. My two filters are a penguin 150 biowheel and a aqueon 20 quiet-flow. I fert with florin multi planted supplement using 3 drops a day.
Stock:
1 Flame Gourami
2 serpae tetras
3 lemon tetras
3 cardinal tetras
2 bleeding heart tetras
1 BN pleco
2 cory cats
4 amano shrimp
Plants:
1 Cyprus plant
1 moneywort
2 anachris
2 pennywort
It is a work in progress and still have a lot to do aquascaping
this is my first tank hope you like it. Suggestions are welcome.
 
#855 ·
it is low-tech. I use a wide spectrum fluorescent light. My two filters are a penguin 150 biowheel and a aqueon 20 quiet-flow. I fert with florin multi planted supplement using 3 drops a day.
Stock:
1 Flame Gourami
2 serpae tetras
3 lemon tetras
3 cardinal tetras
2 bleeding heart tetras
1 BN pleco
2 cory cats
4 amano shrimp
Plants:
1 Cyprus plant
1 moneywort
2 anachris
2 pennywort
It is a work in progress and still have a lot to do aquascaping
this is my first tank hope you like it. Suggestions are welcome
Suggestions:

1:Anacharis to the back.
2:return either the lemons or the serapes (I'd return the serpaes, they're kinda mean IMO)
2a:boost your Lemon school up to 6-8ish
3: I wouldn't keep both cardinals and bleeding hearts. Return the bleeding hearts and boost the cardinals to 6-8ish
4: figure out what type of Cory cats you have and boost their colony to 5-6.

Every fish you have multiples of is a schooling / shoaling fish. If you keep them mismatched they'll never show you their true colors.



MABJ's iDevice used for this message :p
 
#860 ·
Anything can happen, man, but I'll tell you something I've learned. It may seem like something is a certain way in the short run, but in the long run, it typically isn't.

I only say what I've seen myself. I was stubborn about having a betta, mollies tetras and cories together. I said it was fine, because for a few weeks everything was fine. Obviously it blew up a few weeks later.


At least yours are all tetras, and you're probably not stubborn like I was lol. My only point is it is good to go with what works historically. If you do try something unorthodox, make sure you document it all!

After all, a common phrase here is "Pics or it didn't happen!"

Best of luck and good choice on the cories :)


MABJ's iDevice used for this message :p
 
#870 ·
haha - sorry I wasn't more specific, it's late here ; )

I meant the large leafed ones, which I thought were Coffeefolia. I've never grown Barteri, but they could be that too - I was looking at the three with the large ribbed leaves in the first pic of Oct 2012...the whole tank is stunning, but to me those especially make a statement!
 
#871 · (Edited)
Ah, that one... That's Caladifolia with 7 leaves in total. It's VERY similar to Barteri and Nana -- near indistinguishable with young specimens in fact -- but is much larger as a mature plant. Have an even bigger specimen in my tropical tank -- it's almost a foot tall. Will be selling some of those off, in fact (if anyone's interested let me know). The placement is actually temporary as I was giving it time to attach itself to a piece of lava rock (can still see the string used to hold it in place while it attached). It's ready to be moved now, though. Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Appreciate your feedback on this tank =) Thank you kindly!
 
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