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

[toksyn]

Not Aokashi, but the one with the round leaves is a Red Root Floater (Phyllanthus fluitans) and the little ones are Azolla (maybe caroliniana). A word of caution about the Azolla - it's got a ridiculous growth speed and will require constant reduction in order to prevent it from blanketing the surface and blocking all of the light.

On a side note, it actually fixes nitrogen so it's also used as a fertilizing agent (eg. rice).

Originally Posted by PaulG

Aokashi, what is that red floating plant? I want it!!!

[aokashi]

oh? my azolla doesn't grow that quickly. probably because my tank is pretty heavily planted. My HM grows faster than the azolla, lol XD

My personal experience is that azolla dislikes flow. until it mats together anyway. the roots actually form little curls and cling to anything and everything XD but other than that, I love the stuff!

[toksyn]

Maybe the flow part is your saving grace . I like Azolla too, but I won't try to use it again. At least, not when I want anything else in the water.

Originally Posted by aokashi

oh? my azolla doesn't grow that quickly. probably because my tank is pretty heavily planted. My HM grows faster than the azolla, lol XD

My personal experience is that azolla dislikes flow. until it mats together anyway. the roots actually form little curls and cling to anything and everything XD but other than that, I love the stuff!

[MABJ]

Originally Posted by toksyn

Maybe the flow part is your saving grace . I like Azolla too, but I won't try to use it again. At least, not when I want anything else in the water.

You said it 'fixes' the nitrate. What do you mean? And why would you not use it if you want something in the water? Could you just be more specific?

[Planted_Freediver]

This is my first planted tank. it is a 30 gallon tank and has been running for about two months now. Sorry for the bad quality cell phone pictures. I dont have a very nice camera.

[toksyn]

Nitrogen fixation is the process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into another form (ammonia) such that it can be consumed by another process (food for plants). The decomposition of Azolla releases quite a bit of N as ammonia, so it is used as a "green manure". It's not necessarily beneficial in that aspect for fertilizing aquariums (unless you go about killing it and letting it decompose in your tank ... probably not desirable), but it also soaks up a lot of nutrients in the water column. It actually does this with a symbiotic relationship with a BGA species.

I wouldn't use it if I wanted something else in the water because, for me anyway, it was a pain to keep it contained. It shaded out everything underneath it and just spread. I wouldn't mind using it again in a shallow pool or something in a vivarium where that was the focus.

I'm probably biased as I discovered that I just don't like floating plants in the aquarium.

Originally Posted by MABJ

You said it 'fixes' the nitrate. What do you mean? And why would you not use it if you want something in the water? Could you just be more specific?

[MABJ]

No I really appreciated your comment. The reasons you hate it are the reasons I want it 100x more now. + I love the way it looks + no roots. Lol.

[philemon716]

Originally Posted by boredincubicle

So, I traded some crypt for frogbit on reddit. The betta liked it so much he built his first ever bubble nest (the remains of which you can see stuck to the wall on the right.. big water change day >_<)

Love this tank. Can I ask what are the lush plants/crypts carpeting the tank directly below the floaters?

[aokashi]

Originally Posted by MABJ

No I really appreciated your comment. The reasons you hate it are the reasons I want it 100x more now. + I love the way it looks + no roots. Lol.

was just about to do a ROAK. lol! wont be able to get around to shipping it until april though~ if you want some lmk

[STG88]

still fairly new but here's my low tech beauty in the works 8)
Laura i love ur tanks!

[MABJ]

Originally Posted by aokashi

was just about to do a ROAK. lol! wont be able to get around to shipping it until april though~ if you want some lmk

A very generous member just RAOK'd me some I'm excited to try it on my CRS tank.

[Chaos_Being]

Originally Posted by hisxlency

How do you keep the tank algae clear in a low tech environment?

This is a late response, but I keep thread/staghorn algae at bay by using Excel. I overdose, but I've never had any ill effect on any of the fauna in my tank. If I stop dosing for a while, that type of algae starts to grow. I keep GSA off of my leaves with olive nerites. For a time, my plants were getting pretty coated with it until I added a dozen of those snails. Neither otos or Excel did anything about that type of algae (although otos are good for diatoms.) The only drawback with nerites in my tank is that despite having hard water, their shells slowly degrade. I probably need to add a few back to my tank as I don't see as many in there now, and I'm starting to notice a bit of GSA on some leaves again.

Originally Posted by boredincubicle

So, I traded some crypt for frogbit on reddit. The betta liked it so much he built his first ever bubble nest (the remains of which you can see stuck to the wall on the right.. big water change day >_<)

I love those crypts!

[Alaskan Fishface]

My 55g low tech

[PeterN1986]

Originally Posted by STG88

still fairly new but here's my low tech beauty in the works 8)
Laura i love ur tanks!

What lights are those, and what bulbs are in them?

[Sharpchick]

Originally Posted by STG88

still fairly new but here's my low tech beauty in the works 8)
Laura i love ur tanks!

What is that on the right side of the tank? Some kind of sword?