# Who says low tech can't look nice ! Check these tanks out !



## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

People dont say you cant use an under gravel filter in a planted tank. They say you shouldnt with heavily rooted plants as the roots get tangled in the filter plates. Huge difference.

I spend about $10 a month on DIY CO2, as for ferts I spent $30 for a yrs supply from Greg Watson. I change 40% of my water a week in my 125


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

fshfanatic said:


> People dont say you cant use an under gravel filter in a planted tank. They say you shouldnt with heavily rooted plants as the roots get tangled in the filter plates. Huge difference.
> 
> I spend about $10 a month on DIY CO2, as for ferts I spent $30 for a yrs supply from Greg Watson. I change 40% of my water a week in my 125



How big are you tanks? And do you think it'd be better to just go with pressurized CO2 if you're spending that much on DIY per month?

I'm thinking low tech tank too, and from those pictures, I think I might be able to pull it off nicely! (I hope!)....but I want to have a nice setup. DIY seems like a PITA....but since I haven't done it, I have nothing to base it upon.


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## kimo (Jul 15, 2006)

I have a 150g very low light (1 - 10k 40W actinic because of the depth - 27.5") that has been up going on 9 years in this location. I don't own any testing equipment. Have approximately 400 fancy guppies of all sizes in there (low bio-load). Use it mainly as a growout tank. Dose the plants once a week with FloraPride and Coralife Iron supplement. Change 50% of the water 2x a year (Nov - May) between topoffs. Have an undergravel filter w/2 power heads (turned off) and a 350 magnum cannister (off). Over the UGF is 2 - 4" gravel with most of the plants growing in the deep gravel which is not all towards the back... wherever it landed when I set up. There are Crypts that have been flowering since April, Saggiteria that's just started flowering, Mondo grass that is growing like a weed, Java fern that just won't stop putting out leaflets, 5 ft Bamboo planted along the back (grown a foot in 3 months). Still have only half the tank planted but its growing great. Never any disease or deaths. Think this tank has cost me no more than $4 a month in all the time it has been set up (set up continously going on 39 years).
Also have a 20gL, 2 - 10g's that are loaded with plants. :icon_bigg


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

epicfish said:


> How big are you tanks? And do you think it'd be better to just go with pressurized CO2 if you're spending that much on DIY per month?
> 
> I'm thinking low tech tank too, and from those pictures, I think I might be able to pull it off nicely! (I hope!)....but I want to have a nice setup. DIY seems like a PITA....but since I haven't done it, I have nothing to base it upon.


I have a 20L that is currently empty, a 46 and a 125. Yes it would be cheaper to go pressurized in the long run, however, I am a disabled vet living on disability. So that kind of expenditure is out of the question. I am saving a little each month to buy a pressurized system.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

kimo said:


> I have a 150g very low light (1 - 10k 40W actinic because of the depth - 27.5") that has been up going on 9 years in this location. I don't own any testing equipment. Have approximately 400 fancy guppies of all sizes in there (low bio-load). Use it mainly as a growout tank. Dose the plants once a week with FloraPride and Coralife Iron supplement. Change 50% of the water 2x a year (Nov - May) between topoffs. Have an undergravel filter w/2 power heads (turned off) and a 350 magnum cannister (off). Over the UGF is 2 - 4" gravel with most of the plants growing in the deep gravel which is not all towards the back... wherever it landed when I set up. There are Crypts that have been flowering since April, Saggiteria that's just started flowering, Mondo grass that is growing like a weed, Java fern that just won't stop putting out leaflets, 5 ft Bamboo planted along the back (grown a foot in 3 months). Still have only half the tank planted but its growing great. Never any disease or deaths. Think this tank has cost me no more than $4 a month in all the time it has been set up (set up continously going on 39 years).
> Also have a 20gL, 2 - 10g's that are loaded with plants. :icon_bigg


I would love to see pics of your tanks.. please..roud:


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

kimo said:


> I have a 150g very low light (1 - 10k 40W actinic because of the depth - 27.5") that has been up going on 9 years in this location. I don't own any testing equipment. Have approximately 400 fancy guppies of all sizes in there (low bio-load). Use it mainly as a growout tank. Dose the plants once a week with FloraPride and Coralife Iron supplement. Change 50% of the water 2x a year (Nov - May) between topoffs. Have an undergravel filter w/2 power heads (turned off) and a 350 magnum cannister (off). Over the UGF is 2 - 4" gravel with most of the plants growing in the deep gravel which is not all towards the back... wherever it landed when I set up. There are Crypts that have been flowering since April, Saggiteria that's just started flowering, Mondo grass that is growing like a weed, Java fern that just won't stop putting out leaflets, 5 ft Bamboo planted along the back (grown a foot in 3 months). Still have only half the tank planted but its growing great. Never any disease or deaths. Think this tank has cost me no more than $4 a month in all the time it has been set up (set up continously going on 39 years).
> Also have a 20gL, 2 - 10g's that are loaded with plants. :icon_bigg



Wow, that's pretty amazing. I can barely get my plants to grow. Stupid 15 watt bulb in a small 10 gallon tank. =/


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

fshfanatic said:


> I have a 20L that is currently empty, a 46 and a 125. Yes it would be cheaper to go pressurized in the long run, however, I am a disabled vet living on disability. So that kind of expenditure is out of the question. I am saving a little each month to buy a pressurized system.


Ahh, I understand. I can't really afford pressurized CO2 yet, either. Ever penny I save up is to pay back my student loans.


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## wantsome (Sep 3, 2006)

Awsome tanks! I'm a newbie to the whole planted tank scene I just set my first tank up 5 days ago. I dont know what many plants are but could someone tell me what the plant is in the second picture from the top. In the upper right coner of the pic with a bunch of rasboas swimming infront of it.


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## Mangala (Jul 23, 2006)

epicfish said:


> Wow, that's pretty amazing. I can barely get my plants to grow. Stupid 15 watt bulb in a small 10 gallon tank. =/


Hey, I had that problem... is it like, a screw-in bulb? 'cause you can get one of those bulbs that's like a flourescent, but screws in, y'know? they're all curly looking? Usually sold as "energy saver" bulbs. I've got a 15W one that's equivilant of a 60W for light output, fits in the narrow tube slot of the normal dim 15 watt bulb... Just a thought. They seem to be catching on to the point of being sold in slimmer/bigger sizes finally. I found mine at Target. ('twas 8$ and change... but it'll last me a few years.)


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## eklikewhoa (Aug 29, 2006)

those tanks look cool!

i remember growing up and visiting the lfs with my pops and seeing cool planted tanks and would sometimes buy a few stems here and there but they never lasted and i was not educated about any of it. if memory serves right i the display tanks i seen back then didnt have all the gadgets i see today.


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## Otis (Jan 4, 2006)

*plant name*

the plant in the second picture is Rotala rotundifolia or Rotala indica(the name I called it for years).


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## swannee (May 22, 2005)

This Diana Walstad El Natural (low tech) tank got water changes of about 10% every 4 months, and the panda corys where breeding like rabbits :eek5: 

For those of you who aren't fimiliar with El Natural, it's 1" to 1 1/2" top soil and 1" to 1 1/2" gravel/sand and 1.5 to 2 wpg, and depending on your water source, basically no ferts, the top soil takes care of the best part of that








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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

Yea, I've seen these tanks and they are definitely impressive. Esp. the 75g, it's veiwable on 3 sides which is a real treat. Nice work Tim, your experience shows!


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## GreenerSideofLIfe (Dec 24, 2005)

Mangala said:


> Hey, I had that problem... is it like, a screw-in bulb? 'cause you can get one of those bulbs that's like a flourescent, but screws in, y'know? they're all curly looking? Usually sold as "energy saver" bulbs. I've got a 15W one that's equivilant of a 60W for light output, fits in the narrow tube slot of the normal dim 15 watt bulb... Just a thought. They seem to be catching on to the point of being sold in slimmer/bigger sizes finally. I found mine at Target. ('twas 8$ and change... but it'll last me a few years.)



I have been using the energy saver bulbs as sort of a test or the past 4 months or so... and they are working great for my nano tanks. Virtualy no algea  I cant complain...


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## Burks (May 21, 2006)

Would that place happen to sell those huge algae balls? I'm looking for a couple of big ones for a cheap price. I have two smaller ones that aren't growing worth a darn but everything else in the tank is growing like mad. Even slow growers.


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

He might be open to that, send private message to "Otis".

Don't let the picture fool ya, the marimo balls aren't taht big they are just in a 5-7g tank, making htem look big :hihi:


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## Mangala (Jul 23, 2006)

GreenerSideofLIfe said:


> I have been using the energy saver bulbs as sort of a test or the past 4 months or so... and they are working great for my nano tanks. Virtualy no algea  I cant complain...


I've been thinking of making kind of a strip light for a bigger tank using those for my 30gl... Been growing water wisteria and some kind of ludwigia and some kind of sword in there with just one "100w" bulb (20W energy saver) but of course they're all growing towards the point light, which kinda sucks. This will have to wait until I've got roughly 40 bucks spare cash, though.

not trying to steal the thread, I'll stop now, promise! If I get around to building it, I'll maybe post it in DIY. :fish:


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

Otis said:


> the plant in the second picture is Rotala rotundifolia or Rotala indica(the name I called it for years).


I talked Otis into a few clippings from this one and its been a week since I got it and seeing some new stems in my low tech tanks with no co.


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

esarkipato said:


> He might be open to that, send private message to "Otis".
> 
> Don't let the picture fool ya, the marimo balls aren't taht big they are just in a 5-7g tank, making htem look big :hihi:



speaking of PM's have you checked yours , still waiting?


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

esarkipato said:


> Yea, I've seen these tanks and they are definitely impressive. Esp. the 75g, it's veiwable on 3 sides which is a real treat. Nice work Tim, your experience shows!



i corrected the post , stop by tonight and that tank is a 125 gallon on top.


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

these are good examples of low light tanks. they are primaily root feeders and low maitnence plants... mosses vals crypts anubis with some exceptions. the problems with big tanks like this is it takes a long time for them to settle out if you mess up orriginally. i personally have a style of keeping plants similer to this, in my 10g it owns everything,... in my 55g, im still working on it. i basically have high to med light and almost all root feeders + mosses so you dont have to dose the watercollum. the 55g is having algea problems but im on no hurry and slowly killing the stuff. as in any tank you want a ton of plant mass, esp. in low light tanks. the ones that do the best have the most plants. 

back on topic....

those are nic tanks. lots of moss in there. i dont know if anyone knows this but dwarf hair grass grows awsome in med light low tech. over time.

thanks for sharing these pics,

- fish newb -


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## tritan (Feb 11, 2005)

dwarf hair mosses, what does it look like?


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