My 37 Gallon Low Tech Adventure

[NateBW]

Well, I had a 20 gallon tank about 10 years ago. We had Endler's Livebearers, Clown Loaches, and other small fish. Over time I added a few live plants - Java ferns and anacharis, mostly. Then we moved down to Florida from Chicago and gave the tank away. In the meantime, we've had a betta, but that only lasted about 2 years.

Now that my kids are big enough (3 and 5), I've been itching for a bigger a new tank. So here it is, 4 days into a fishless cycle:




(The kids did the background.)

Lighting - 18W X 2 T5HO

2-3 inches of Gravel w/ 25 %fluorite

The plants, so are are the easiest most basic I could find:

• java Fern - Microsorium pteropus, a couple of different kinds, I think.
• Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘green’, tiny, on the left
• Anubias nana, 3 on the right
• Water Onion - Crinum thaianum, just 1 as an experiment.
• Water Wisteria - Hygrophila difformis, 4 in the back

I want to get some floating plants too, since it is a tall tank, and some java moss. Not sure after that.

I don't want to do CO2, but may wind up using Flourish Excel. I specifically avoided vals and anacharis, just in case (I'm hoping someone can advise about the Water Onion and sensitivity to Excel).

So that's it. I'll probably post another pic after we get some fish.

[GMYukonon24s]

Nice startup! You have some nice plants in there. There are a lot of mosses that are good easy plants. Some of the Rotalas are easy too.

[NateBW]

Thanks. I'm having fun. I''ll look into those.....

[NateBW]

Same plants.

Livestock -

3 Dwarf gourami
13 neon tetra
3? ghost shrimp

Pruning the Wisteria tonight. Thinking about getting some more Crinum and maybe some Platys..... Not sure.

[Ruchit]

Beautiful tank.. Lush growth of plants in a months time.

[NateBW]

Thanks! I didn't even realize the extent of the growth until I went back and looked at the early pictures. Your tanks are fantastic, Ruchit.

[NateBW]

I rearranged some plants. I need to trim the wisteria again.

[Bserve]

That's some nice wisteria!

[NateBW]

Well, thanks. I'm trying to build up the left side to match.

[NateBW]

Short closeup Video:

http://youtu.be/jqW6nfSo0iM

[NateBW]

How many ghost shrimp can you find in this picture?

[Rbp917]

My kids loved the bubble toys, I was horrified at first, but eventually joined in, they have outgrown it now, but it was fun while it lasted.

[NateBW]

I'm not really sure where I am going with the aquascaping. I'm mostly trying to figure out what will survive in my low-tech tank right now.....

I'm open to suggestions.



Most recent photo:

Plants: Left to right
Background:
Crinum thaianum (water onion)
Vallisneria americana (Jungle Val)
Ceratophyllum submersum (Hornworn)
Hygrophila difformis (Wisteria)

Foreground:
Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘green’,
Microsorium pteropus, (java Fern)
spathiphyllum wallisii (Peace lily)
Anubias nana

Livestock

~10 Yellow Lyretail mollies
1 black molly
5 neon tetra
6 Endler
4 otocinclus
~8 ghost shrimp

8 random decorations.