[Seedreemer]

I'm sure this question has been asked before but I couldn't find it.

I've been doing low tech for over a decade. In 1998 I took the noisy HOB filter off my heavily planted, lightly stocked 55g, it thrived, and I've never looked back. I only in the last year added an Eheim for water clarity.

I do low tech because I don't like to fiddle with things like messing with Co2 or even replacing bulbs. I don't even like to trim my plants. Maybe my method should be called Lazy Procrastinator's Jungle Technique.

 

[deleted_user_12]

i love low tech because i dont trust any form of co2 and i think fish are happier in a less bright, manicured environment, and its also easier and looks better

 

[bpb]

I love to tinker, and I love high tech things in general, but when it comes to my tanks, there are two reasons I go low tech. 1). I have not nearly enough money to even DIY high tech components. 2). I have lots of time and patience. Just fits with my life better.

 

[BruceF]

Cheap. Lazy.

 

[Madfish]

Its nice and easy, my reef tank takes all of my time and money. But its nice to see some green for a change. I love my reef but sometimes its nice just to sit back and enjoy watching my shrimp tank.

 

[littlebittyfish]

I like keeping it simple. And im broke. haha

 

[im2smart4u]

Cheap. Lazy.

+1
Same as this guy

 

[AshleyMac]

I'm terrified I will od my tank and all my sweet little fish/shrimp will die or the copper in excel will stress my shrimp. Their comfort comes first....which is why I still have the ugliest rock sculpture from my very first tank in my 15 gallon - the ottos and shrimp just love it too much for me to take it out.

 

[OverStocked]

I'm terrified I will od my tank and all my sweet little fish/shrimp will die or the copper in excel will stress my shrimp. Their comfort comes first....which is why I still have the ugliest rock sculpture from my very first tank in my 15 gallon - the ottos and shrimp just love it too much for me to take it out.

There isn't any copper in excel.

 

[JSA]

See recent post above yours: "I gassed my fish..." Sounds like something I would do if I had to mess with complicated valves and pressure, etc. Low tech=the KISS method. Keep it simple. For me, that's the only way to go.

Julia

 

[lauraleellbp]

Cheap. Lazy.

Ditto.

I love that my tanks can pretty much be on autopilot for months on end... :thumbsup:

One of the bulbs has been dead over my 46gal for several months now. One of these days I'll go out and get a replacement, but the only difference is the Hygro has gotten really leggy and the rest of the plants just aren't growing as quickly. So... no urgency, I'll get around to it eventually... :fish:

 

[audioaficionado]

I originally started a low tech tank because I didn't know of any other way until I found this forum. I had mostly crypts and vals that were nourished by my overstocked fauna. Worked very well and was stable for several years until I took a decades long hiatus from the hobby.

I'm doing a high tech tank to see how well I like it. I plan on starting a couple of new tanks in the near future and they will be semi low or medium tech depending on the fauna such as shrimp. The main goal in any of my tanks be it high or low tech is to enjoy them and keep 'em as simple and low maintenance as possible. I've already got plenty of yard work to do and I don't want to be mowing the lawns and trimming the bushes indoors too.

 

[falcooo]

Low Tech enthusiasts....how often do you do water changes? i keep reading about people saying once a week and it just seems so often. I feel as though once a month would suffice.

 

[lauraleellbp]

90gal- 30-50% once every 2-3 months
46gal- 50-75% once every 2-3 months
My 29gal has had 2x 75% water changes this year.

All are lightly stocked and heavily planted- the tanks in my sig.

 

[audioaficionado]

I just topped off my tank with RO water weekly and eventually did a 50% change every couple of months or so when the water started getting slightly yellow colored from organics buildup.

 

[driftwoodhunter]

I'm low light/low tech for several reasons. Money is tight. I don't want to fool with Co2 because I'm a forgetful clutz. I prefer the low light plants to high maintainence stems - they remind me that I need to weed my 1400+ sq.foot garden! Lazy and forgetful (yes, I meant to say it twice!). I like the sloooow pace of growth, and I'm not the least bit into constant trimming, I want to sit back & veg out in front of the tank. Working it is not what I enjoy about it. I keep fish with plants, not plants with fish. I'm sure I would screw up the delicate balance of Co2/light/ferts. I also like the look of tanks that are as dark, moody and mysterious as possible. Lastly, I think the less I do that messes up what can be a natural balance, keeps the fish in a better mental state!

 

[bpb]

I change water on my 75 low tech once a month or so because of the tannins. I soaked Malaysian driftwood for like 4 months to get it waterlogged so it would sink. It is now about at the 10 month mark and still leeching like mad. In a month without water change, it makes me tank look filled with coffee! Once it gets so dark I cannot see in the tank with the lights off, ill do a 50% water change. That is about monthly. Otherwise I would just top off.

 

[Seedreemer]

I see we all have a lot in common what with being cheap, lazy, forgetful, procrastinators, and our perception of "fiddling" as work (I'm sure a lot of high-techies see it as enjoyable).

Low Tech enthusiasts....how often do you do water changes? i keep reading about people saying once a week and it just seems so often. I feel as though once a month would suffice.

I do a 70% change about 3-4 times a year plus topping up. My fish are healthy, live forever, plants grow nicely, and very little algea (especially this time of year when the sun moves around and it gets a couple hours of sunlight each day).

 

[oldpunk78]

I have a low tech tank so I at least have one that I don't have to mess with all the time. I love how its just on auto pilot.

 

[driftwoodhunter]

I see we all have a lot in common what with being cheap, lazy, forgetful, procrastinators, and our perception of "fiddling" as work (I'm sure a lot of high-techies see it as enjoyable).

lol - It's the workaholics vs the lounge-chair-with-a-lemonade crowd