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

[ophiophagus]

Here's my lush 30 breeder. Just did a major trim

FTS


Left side


Right side

[1aqumfish]

Here is my 55gal dirt tank. It has a 3 bulb T5HO fixture and 4" of miricale grow organic choice dirt with a 3/8" cap. The filter is a Aqua top 404. You put 6 platys in a healthy tank and this is what you get 6 months later.

No co2 no fertz just water changes weekly "most of the time" can go with just top offs. Been up and running for 14 months.

[STS_1OO]

People like you (assuming you're not fibbing here ), encourage me to try red plants in a relatively low-light conditions! Thanks for sharing, awesome tank!

[Ezfish]

Originally Posted by STS_1OO

People like you (assuming you're not fibbing here ), encourage me to try red plants in a relatively low-light conditions! Thanks for sharing, awesome tank!

I guess "relatively low-light conditions" is debatable. They posted they are running high output lights.

Any case, beautiful tank! I also like the reds very much. Thanks for sharing. :-)

[STS_1OO]

Originally Posted by Ezfish

I guess "relatively low-light conditions" is debatable. They posted they are running high output lights.

Any case, beautiful tank! I also like the reds very much. Thanks for sharing. :-)

Well I would say that high output doesn't matter. The only thing that matters are PAR levels and assuming these started out close the substrate, only those at the substrate level. A lot more than light bulb/LED output goes into factoring that.

Low tech is driven by low light - meaning they achieved slower, sustained growth without CO2.

I agree that low light tanks can have high tech, but they can sustain growth without it. High light (again, PAR levels here) tanks must have high tech.

[1aqumfish]

I think a Catalina 3 bulb T5HO on it's legs is considered High light. I feel the tank is low tech, no co2 only root tabs when the swords start to get holes in the leafs. Very low maintenance, just feed and top-off. No algae problems with the heavy planting.

[STS_1OO]

Originally Posted by 1aqumfish

I think a Catalina 3 bulb T5HO on it's legs is considered High light. I feel the tank is low tech, no co2 only root tabs when the swords start to get holes in the leafs. Very low maintenance, just feed and top-off. No algae problems with the heavy planting.

Although T5HO are bright, I doubt you're registering high light at the bottom of your tank (with those plants its probably even the entire bottom half).

Even in your picture, its pretty clear that is fairly dark at the bottom.

In any case, i don't mean to distract anyone from the gorgeous tanks, including yours 1aqumfish!

Thanks for sharing.

[oliver77]

Originally Posted by 1aqumfish

Here is my 55gal dirt tank. It has a 3 bulb T5HO fixture and 4" of miricale grow organic choice dirt with a 3/8" cap. The filter is a Aqua top 404. You put 6 platys in a healthy tank and this is what you get 6 months later.

No co2 no fertz just water changes weekly "most of the time" can go with just top offs. Been up and running for 14 months.

Wow I really like your tank! what are those red plants?

[Hilde]

Originally Posted by 1aqumfish

I think a Catalina 3 bulb T5HO on it's legs is considered High light. I feel the tank is low tech, no co2 only root tabs. Very low maintenance, just feed and top-off. No algae problems.

Wow that is an amazing tank. I always thought high light meant Co2 needed to be injected.

To me low tech meanslow to medium light which = low maintenance.

[Fizgig777]

Goldie Haven Dec. 2012. No Co2, 2 watts per gallon fluorescent lighting.
Click on photos for higher res. versions.

Looking Up


Right & Left Sides


Broad Leaf Ludwigia (6+ feet long)

[1aqumfish]

I think it is LUDWIGIA REPENS I am not the best at plant id. Also a cline bar on the right. Some crypt wenti in the fore ground center.

[Hilde]

Originally Posted by 1aqumfish

I think it is LUDWIGIA REPENS

Ditto!!

[Hilde]

Originally Posted by ophiophagus

Here's my lush 30 breeder.

Very nice!! Is the air stone for injecting Co2?

[the.koi.maiden]

I was directed here by a friend who knows I'm not into high-tec stuff. I am blow away by the stuff you guys have done. If I can even do half of that I will be very proud.

That being said I would like to show you guys my low-tec tanks and open them up for constructive criticism.

29 gal softwater community

Mechanics: single tube T8 24" 6500k daylight for 6 hours
PenguinBiowheel 150
Aqueon 150w set at 78F

Livestock: 1x Farlowella acus
Brown pangio loaches
RCS colony (new)
MTS
Adding tetra and gourami later

Plants:
Water sprite,
Anubias (don't know the species)
Java Fern,
Dwarf sagittaria (recently moved)
Pygmy chain sword (recently moved)
Rotala indica
Green tiger lotus (newly added)
Undulated crypt (newly added)

Substrate: Estes marine sand

Params: 6.8 pH, KH 2, GH 7
Ferts: weekly flourish comprehensive after water changes; root tabs as needed

The tank has been in this current state since about a week ago as I recently moved the dwarf sag to a higher flow area. The crypt and the lotus arrived a few weeks before Christmas and had a rough trip. I'm really hoping the dwarf sag will grow tall and fill in the right side of the tank. But now I'm thinking I'll have to put another tall, straight-leafed plant in there.




Divided 10 gal Plakat Betta Tank

Mechanics: single tube T8 18" 6500k daylight for 8 hours
Sponge filter
Aqueon 100w set at 80F

Livestock:
Male betta
MTS

Plants:
Water sprite,
Anubias (don't know the species)
Java Fern,
anarcharis
duckweed

Substrate: gravel

Params: 7.8 pH, KH 2, GH 7
Ferts: once weekly seachem comprehensive and a lotta fish poop



Opps! Forgot my lowest tec tank of them all! My pond!

Mechanics: I honestly couldn't tell you what kind of pump is in there; I just know it has a bog and snorkle system. I'm not trying to grow champion monster koi, so it doesn't matter to me.

Livestock:
6x koi approx 8 years old

Plants: whatever nature put in there; there are some mosses and ivy that have roots in the water and some kind of iris.

Substrate: gravel

Lights: the sun!! Although it's too shaded for lillies.

Ferts: nothing but fish poop!




Too lazy to upload this to photobucket right now.. it's from my fishkeeping forum.

[jhays79]

Love the pond! I want to do something like that, it looks sweet!