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

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Hi Guys,
here's an update of my NPT tank after about 16 months.


some of the older fish have died off a few months ago so i decided to try to keep a few discus in this tank. hope they grow well hehe.

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My 2 low tech's

[jpalimpsest]

extrame: How huge is that tank? The discus look tiny! Or are they juveniles? The wall of vals is beautiful

shift: Very green! The fish are brilliantly colored. They must must be healthy and happy. I spend some time in the photography forums to learn how to take photos like that.

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jpalimpsest : thanks for the comment, its a 55 gal tank. discus are about 2-3 inch diameter.

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jpalimpsest - thank you. - if your camera has a manual mode, try using a very low fstop and bump up the iso. you should be able to get some nice low light shots.

[jpalimpsest]

shift - I have a Nikon D3000 for years... but I always use it in automatic. I guess it's time to actually learn how to use it

[shift]

Originally Posted by jpalimpsest

shift - I have a Nikon D3000 for years... but I always use it in automatic. I guess it's time to actually learn how to use it

Its all about the manual mode For a reference my pics were in manual mode, 50mm prime lens. aperture was from f1.8-3 and iso was from 100-1600 (just play with it and see how it looks.. you get an idea how to tweak it pretty quick.. gotta love digital!)

[jpalimpsest]

Here is a bad photo of my low tech tank. It's about a month old.

[amajoh]

Originally Posted by jpalimpsest

Here is a bad photo of my low tech tank. It's about a month old.

Lookin' good! I hope mine looks that good after only a month! I just dirted mine two days ago. Still trying to get ahold of the plants I want to put in it. It's a slow process as my LFS doesn't have a very good selection.

[jpalimpsest]

amajoh - Try posting in the WTB (Want To Buy) section. I got some of mine through other hobbyists here.

[LyzzaRyzz]

Here is my 15 gallon 'Bedside" tank. =]

Its standard size, though its my first 'dirted' planted tank, so im having a bit of problems, but im blundering though it with many water changes.
[My other planted tank has only sand!]

Its Miracle Grow Organic Potting Soil, sifted though a wide tank cover, and capped with half sand/half gravel. I had a hard time coming up with the final scape, so i moved plants around and some of the soil has come up in the back, but im not sure what i want to do about it.

Lighting is a bit wonky, but i try to stay to a five to six hour night/day cycle. It works because i can have it on from the timei wake up til i go to work, then when i come home i can turn the light on for another six hours, til i go to bed. [Sometimes, it stays on for nine or ten, if i fall asleep. When that happens, i give the tank a longer night period, about three more hours, then turn the light on. The tanks never complained!

As for ferts, in another tank, [which is where i stole the seeded sand from] there were osmocote tabs, which are not in this tank. ive tried pushing them all down in the sand, but theres spots i cant quite get to, or see. Other than that, i dose Flourish Comprehensive. I plan on adding iron caps/ potash/dolomite tabs and osmocote tabs, once i am finally sure this is what i want. Not sure if i should continue to dose flourish after adding the tabs, though ill jump that hurdle when i get to it! =]

For Flora:
Banana Plants
Aponogeton Bolivianus
Aponogeton Ulvaceus
Aponogeton Undulatus
Crinum Calamastratum
Pennywort
Melon plant
Marsilea Quad.
dwarf red lily
sword plant
repens x arcuata
caboma
anacharis
ambulia
rotala rundifolia
java fern
anubias
bacopa monnieri

Fauna: endler males
leasy killifish juvies
two ADF
five otos
apple snail
[soon to be adding more!]

[boredincubicle]

My low tech parva crypt forest with some other common low light plants. Just flourish excel and root tabs for ferts

[LyzzaRyzz]

Love your driftwood!

Originally Posted by boredincubicle

My low tech parva crypt forest with some other common low light plants. Just flourish excel and root tabs for ferts

[Aquaticz]

What kind of sand are you using?
How long has it been in use and does it get black anywhere below the surface. I ask because I love the look of white sand but apparently did not use the right kind when I tried.

I have a crypt tank also and will post a pic or two as soon as a mini cycle is complete.
Long story as to why


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[boredincubicle]

Originally Posted by Aquaticz

What kind of sand are you using?
How long has it been in use and does it get black anywhere below the surface. I ask because I love the look of white sand but apparently did not use the right kind when I tried.

I have a crypt tank also and will post a pic or two as soon as a mini cycle is complete.
Long story as to why


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I use play sand i bought at a local hardware store. It's hard for me to say if it will turn black or not. There is some sand mixed in with it that i had in a tank for years that is a bit of a darker and different color, but i don't think any of the new sand has changed its color. i try to stir up the sand a little bit every time i do a water change though too so the 2 are kind of blending together over time

Edit: Just realized i have a second, brackish tank ive used play sand in for years. for the most part all of that sand kept it's color, but some of it had turned ugly from where algae has died and been mixed in i think..