# Who's running low tech no Co2?



## TheOtherGeoff (Feb 11, 2003)

i go low tech with all my stuff. its very nice with decent results. i trim every now and then, and just kinda let things go where they go. i fertilize if/when i remember and the plants dont seem to mind it much. it makes it much easier to be sitting around to watch the tank versus having to worry about doesing this or that, checking to see if the bottle is full etc etc.


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## bastalker (Dec 8, 2004)

Its pretty low tech although he uses DIY co2...But to win 1rst place with it....Thats just amazing!!

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.or...vol=2&id= 112


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## dogdoc (Feb 26, 2006)

I tried and failed at low light/no CO2. Algae got the better of me. It drove me nuts. 

I have since added pressurized CO2 and ferts. Still low light (3x32w T-8's on a 75), but the plants are doing much better. I'm upgrading the lighting next. Might as well since I went this far.

Would love to know how to do a low light/low tech setup without the algae taking over though.


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## Ryzilla (Oct 29, 2005)

I have a 38g low-tech. 1.5wpg, no ferts, no Co2, water change one time a month. I top the water off when ever the sound of my emperor 400's waterfalls becomes annoying. Ill post a pic soon. This tank only requires feeding the fish, everything else is supplied by waste. Interestingly I thought my sword was going to die, but it shed all it's leaves one by one in the corse of 2 months and put out more well adapted leaves to the low-tech conditions.

My plants:
Hygro polysperma "giant"
Bolbitus heudelotii
crypt lutea & wendtii
java windelov
anubias barteri var. barteri
radican sword


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## nddonegan (Apr 11, 2006)

I had a fantastic looking low-tech, heavily planted tank for about 3 years that was extremely low maintenance. It was just a standard Eclipse System Six with all the original bits -all I did was paint the back edge black for asthetics and I took the carbon out of the filter. I had set it up in my office at work so my goal was "no maintenance".

Some of my "keys to success":

1.) Tons of low-light, zero maintenence plants, mostly various crypts in 100% Flourite substrate,
2.) Small amounts of fish - I had 3 cherry barbs and an otto,
3.) Patience!

It took forever for the crypts to grow and fill the tank - maybe about a year - but once they did the tank looked awesome. The water was always crystal clear - after the first few months there was virtually no algae growth and almost zero detritus. Only work was putting in a new filter every so often and I did 20% water changes about once every two months. 

The two main drawbacks: 1.) it wasn't the cheapest setup with the Eclipse, the Flourite and all the crypts - around $150 for everything, and 2.) as I mentioned before, it definitely wasn't for immediate gratification. Plant growth was *extremely* slow.

All-in-all it was one of my favorite tanks! I have photos somewhere...


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## CrownMan (Sep 8, 2005)

I have 4 tanks that are heavily planted with no CO2, low to medium light and dose a weekly EI with Excel and do 50% water changes about once a month. I trim plants at about the same time. I keep HC, Ludwigia Cuba, Glandulosa, Repens, Rotala Rotundafolio, Blyxa Japonica, E. Tenellus, Java Moss, Fern, Didipilis Diandra, 5 varieties of Crypt Wedtii, Crypt Lucens, Crypt WIllissi, Hemianthis Traian, Tonina Fluviatalis, Bacopa Caroliana, Wisteria, Alternathera REneicki in these tanks.


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## BluSponge (Apr 2, 2006)

magicmagni said:


> All the rage is high light/ Co2 tanks. Great stuff, but what about low tech no Co2 tanks? Can anyone share their experiences with low tech? Maybe post a pic or two of your tank and share your experiences?


YES! Please tell. I'm strongly considering going this route for my own aquarium and really want to know what has worked and what hasn't.

Tom


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## jimjimson (Feb 10, 2006)

i have a low tech/ no co2 algae grow out tank. it's coming in beautifully.


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## GraFFix (Feb 21, 2005)

I have 2 low tech tank with no Co2. One with Xmas moss, dwarf sag and Limnophila sessiliflora. The other tank has water lettuce, Limnophila sessiliflora, some unknown crypt and a small java fern. I get a little bright green dust algae on the rocks in both tanks but i think it gives it a more natural look. 

Actually in these tanks the Limnophila sessiliflora looks better then it did in my "high tech" tank.

Id say what works are plants that grow fast even with low light and no Co2, plants that pull alot of nutrients from the water. My water lettuce definatly sucks the bad stuff out of the tank, and grows like crazy. Some plants just wont work with this setup and the longer they take to grow the more prone you are to haveing a little algae on them and not as nice to look at.


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## blang (Jul 10, 2005)

I have a 90 gallon planted tank, 2.4 wpg, no co2, half flourite/half gravel. I dose once a week with kent fertilizers and do a 20-30% waterchange about every three weeks. 

I do have a small algae problem but nothing to make it worth spending on a pressurized CO2 system. I just need to find the right combination of nutrients and plants and hope that my new addition of amano shrimp get to work.


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## tekknoschtev (Feb 1, 2005)

Our 55gal tank is running with 80W of NO Flourescent lights, no CO2, weekly (or biweekly at least) water changes, and a HOT Magnum filter. Thats about it. Everything is growing well, stocking list includes:

Anubias (nana and barterii)
Java Fern
Java Moss
Crypt Lutea
Amazon Sword(s, like 6 of them)

And probably more fish than it should have. We do have a touch of hair algae, however, I dont think its worth adding CO2 for. We recently added the java fern which is growing quickly, along with some hornwort and water sprite, so hopefully it will out compete the hair algae, but its not that bad to manually remove during a water change.


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## mr.gaboozlebag (Feb 22, 2006)

I have a 20g tank with 15w lights, no co2, and just a huge jungle of elodea (anacharis) floating on the top. It's pretty cool, the elodea blocks most of the light, so I have to have a seperate light coming in from the side for the fish.


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## Pooky125 (Jul 30, 2002)

I have a 30g low tech tank, 2x65 watts per gallon, no ferts, no co2, no algae, eco complete substrate. Plants include h. polysperma 'ceylon', java fern, anubias, dwarf sag, vals (americana or jungle i think, not sure which), c cillata, c. wendtii, c spiralis, duckweed, cabomba, p. gayi, and pealrweed. It's an easy going tank, gets trimmed somewhere between every 10 days, to 2 months depending how dilligent I am with water changes. A relatively low bioload, and a very well established Eheim 2213 keep everything in relative balance. I'll post pics up one of these days...

Actually, quick story about this tank. I'm 17, don't have much time or money to spare, but it's been going so long now it doesn't really matter. Anyway, a friend of mine came over, on one of it's worse days, just before a water change. It looked pretty nasty, duckweed completelycovering the top, the water brownfrom the tannins, and she sticks her nose up to it and sniffs. She looks at me and goes, "it doesn't smell, why doesn't it smell?" I just laughed...


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## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

How is it that you have 130 watts no CO2 over your 30 gallon and you don't have any algae?


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## bpm2000 (Feb 16, 2005)

I;ve got a couple of nanos running excel+EI and other than my anubias being overridden with green spot the one tank is coming along nicely. The other has developed cloudy water all of the sudden and I can't seem to figure out why, although it doesn't suffer from the green spot.

:icon_eek:


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## RoseHawke (Mar 10, 2004)

I'm very interested in the low-tech right now as an alternative to my hi-tech, high light 55. I've just (today) set up a ten gallon that I intend to be low tech. I'd kind of like to see a forum for low-tech.


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## Naja002 (Oct 12, 2005)

> I'd kind of like to see a forum for low-tech.


I Second that Idea....roud:


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## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Yeah I think we should. There is only one place I know that deals in this niche, but its home is being shut down. A lot of beginners or folks on low budget or anyone low on time would benefit for sure. I think it's a great alternative to the "Ferrari" tanks a lots of folks run. Hey, they are beautiful, and everyone wants one, but it's not always practical or affordable. Low tech is also a great way for folks to try out their green thumb with minimal investment in time and money. In many cases one could use much of what they already have from their fish only tank. There are alternatives to weekly water changes regimented dosing, expensive lighting and Co2 regulators.


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## tazcrash69 (Sep 27, 2005)

Naja002 said:


> I Second that Idea....roud:


I'll third the recomendation. 

I'm going to give the low-tech, low-light, no CO2 a run in a 5 gallon sized eclipse. Basically Flourite, 11 watts over 5 gallons, mosses, and possibly some petite nana, cherry shrimp, and some guppies for the Mrs (It's her tank  ). 

Right now I'm waiting for my driftwood to stop leeching in it's tub, and then full steam ahead.


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## BluSponge (Apr 2, 2006)

RoseHawke said:


> I'd kind of like to see a forum for low-tech.


Same.

Or fourthed, rather.


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## BluSponge (Apr 2, 2006)

mrbelvedere138 said:


> How is it that you have 130 watts no CO2 over your 30 gallon and you don't have any algae?


I'm gonna take a wild stab that he has A LOT of duckweed on the surface. That would cut the light intake of the tank considerably, no?

Tom


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## pjdutche (Nov 17, 2005)

BluSponge said:


> Or fourthed, rather.


Fifthed! :smile: 

I've been lurking around for ages gleaning info here and there about lower tech tanks. Hubby and I recently moved to a smaller house and consolidated the inhabitants of a 55 g and a 33 g into a single 100 g, and I'm trying to get everything balanced and happy with about 2 wpg, no co2, small amounts of ferts, etc.


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

I went low tech with my 55g about a year ago and I have no regrets. Far less testing, dosing, tweaking CO2, etc. and I'm amazed at the variety I can still keep.
Right now, the following are flourishing:
Anubias barteri var. 'nana'
Anubias barteri car. 'coffeefolia'
Hygrophila corymbosa 'angustifolia'
Limnophila sessiliflora
Alternanthera reineckii (slow, but steady)
Echinodorus tenellus
Sagittaria subulata 
Vallisneria spiralis 
Cryptocoryne cillata
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Cryptocoryne parva
Najas guadalupensis 
Java Fern
Narrowleaf Java Fern
Lysimachia nummularia (slow, but steady)
Shinnersia rivularis 

Still do 25% weekly water changes to keep the tannins down from the driftwood. Cut the light back from 4x55w to 2x55w. 1 tsp of Plantex a week is all I need, plus a 1/2 tsp of KNO3 on occasion to keep it in balance with the PO4-heavy fish food products.


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## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Good deal. That's quite a list you got going there! With around 2wpg it seems that you can grow a decent variety from what I have seen and heard. I've even heard someone claim they could grow glosso in a low tech tank and they claim it's actually much easier to deal with long term then in high tech tanks.

BTW here is a pic of the low tech tank I set up with the soil substrate. This is a couple months after setup. Today the Crypts have filled in much more and the Anubis need to be trimmed back as the fish are having trouble swimming. The only thing is I am seeing a little bit of Iron deficiencies, but nothing that a little Tropica Master grow won't take care of.


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## mr.gaboozlebag (Feb 22, 2006)

I would definetly like that, since that's the only thing I have. I guess that makes me sixth.


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## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

BluSponge said:


> I'm gonna take a wild stab that he has A LOT of duckweed on the surface. That would cut the light intake of the tank considerably, no?
> 
> Tom



That's a fair assumption. Or maybe he got the nutrients down so low that nothing is really growing, not even algae. Sort of like what it is in nature. Everything is kind of static. 

I am running a low tech no Co2. It's my ten gallon. Kind of a Frankenstein style tank cobbled together from old parts, and I must say it is lovely. It has an Eclipse 1 hood for filtration, and I took out the single strip light. I replaced it with the strip light from an Eclipse 3 (yes it hangs over the edge). Not very pretty equipment wise but it is working. Eventually I'm going to replace it with a 15 gallon (which is a much better tank in my opinion) and buy the Eclipse 1 twin light. That should be more than adequate.


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## Naja002 (Oct 12, 2005)

I requested a "Low-Tech/No C02 Forum" on "Board Problems/Suggestions", so some support would show interest.....

Low-Tech/No C02 Thread--Show Your Support Here




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## GulfCoastAquarian (Jul 30, 2002)

I did try glosso in my low tech tank. Several times. No can do. There might be nough light, but it's not gonna happen without CO2.

The biggest surprise to me is the Asian Ambulia and the Alternanthera. When I pulled the CO2 off, I thought those things were goners for sure.


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## Pooky125 (Jul 30, 2002)

BluSponge said:


> I'm gonna take a wild stab that he has A LOT of duckweed on the surface. That would cut the light intake of the tank considerably, no?
> 
> Tom


Whoops, sry guys, didn't manage to get back to this thread lately. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure how it works. The plants grow at a pretty decent pace, enough to have to trim once a week, and take out a couple cups worth of duckweed, but usually I try and keep it pretty clean on top. 

:icon_roll and its she... actually...


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## BluSponge (Apr 2, 2006)

Pooky125 said:


> :icon_roll and its she... actually...


Sorry. New here. :icon_redf


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## Robert H (Apr 3, 2003)

Well Magic what you are describing is exactly what Diana Walstad researched for years and years and put into her book Ecology of the Planted Aquarium. Her principals follow exactly what you have done. She advocates using soil, (top soil) for nitrogen and minerals, with no C02 added and very few water changes...months in between water changes.

Starting next month she is moderating her own forum on Aquatic Plant Central, which I arranged for her. That is where you will find her and her followers. She and her "students" have some great pictures. You can find them on my WEB site until the end of the month.


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## RoseHawke (Mar 10, 2004)

Pooky125 said:


> "...:icon_roll and its she... actually..."


Thank goodness! I was a wee bit taken aback about a guy having a signon of "Pooky" :icon_lol:!


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## Pooky125 (Jul 30, 2002)

Haha, I didn't think it was that easy of a name to confuse. Although, I did meet someone else who's family nicknamed HE as Pooky...


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## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

Robert H said:


> Well Magic what you are describing is exactly what Diana Walstad researched for years and years and put into her book Ecology of the Planted Aquarium. Her principals follow exactly what you have done. She advocates using soil, (top soil) for nitrogen and minerals, with no C02 added and very few water changes...months in between water changes.
> 
> Starting next month she is moderating her own forum on Aquatic Plant Central, which I arranged for her. That is where you will find her and her followers. She and her "students" have some great pictures. You can find them on my WEB site until the end of the month.


Yeah that I what I just heard. I'm glad that it is still going to be around on APC. I will have to get off this site and check out APC a little more often now! 

It's funny you mention her book. I've been meaning to buy it and read it one of these days.:icon_wink


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## Robert H (Apr 3, 2003)

Well she has been on my forum for a couple years now and is really unique for internet forums. Most forums really do not embrace her methodology. Her methods seem to be quite the opposite of what is trendy now, such as Tom Barrs EI method. I don't really agree with everything she does either, but I respect her and have become friends with her. And seeing pictures from some of her followers it is amazing what they can accomplish. Some have even achieved some aquascaping skills.


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## toofazt (Jun 18, 2005)

*This is my low-tech Endler/Cherry Shrimp/Snail 20G. 40W of light, 50% bi-weekly water changes, Schultz Aquatic Substrait, Jobes Fertilizer Spikes.*


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## BluSponge (Apr 2, 2006)

Silly question for you non-CO2 folks as the time for me to take the plunge is fast approaching. Have any of you had success with simple gravel as a substrate?

Reason I'm asking is that my tank has been up and running for a few years currently, and I'm not eager to stress the fish with a complete change of the substrate to add a mix if I don't have to. I figure I can just use plant tabs and that there is enough gunk in the gravel as it is. But I'd rather not learn otherwise AFTER the fact.  

What say you?
Tom


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## observant_imp (Jun 30, 2004)

I've grown plants in small, plain gravel for years. I've also tried a 50-50 mix of gravel and fluorite. Some plants did respond well to the addition of fluorite (or it may have been other changes made) and it didn't make a difference for others. I've gone back to plain gravel in more recent setups as I find it easier to plant in.


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## Robert H (Apr 3, 2003)

Well, a established tank, one that has been running for years has a great accumalation of mulm, (all the gunk that settles to the bottom of the tank.) This can be rich in nitrogen and even minerals. It is like a nutrient sink or a compost pile. This can be enough to sustain plants to a certain degree.

So you can keep this tank going the way it is, and probably expect the same kinda growth as you have been getting up to this point. Or if you want to try somehting new to increase growth without adding C02, then you need to start over and do something different other than plain gravel with years of muck. You would have to strip down the tank and start all over. Use a soil and peat substrate and buy Dianas' book.


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## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

That's a healthy biomass toofazt!

BluSponge: I think Robert is right. Another thing that you can do is get some Seachem Flourish tabs to enrich your substrate a bit. One thing your current subsrate has going for it is the fact that it is aged. Full of beneficial mulm and bacteria. I'd say use what you have. You can always change it all out later on if you don't get good results.


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## toofazt (Jun 18, 2005)

magicmagni said:


> That's a healthy biomass toofazt!


Thank you  It is one of my favorite tanks I've had. I don't add any ferts except some trace once a month or so. I don't think I even need to add that!


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## LindaC (Nov 26, 2005)

Naja002 said:


> I Second that Idea....roud:


I third that idea, I'm also going to set up my 10 gallon as a low tech planted tank, I'm in the process of looking for some screw in compact flourescents now. This is a great link, getting lots of ideas.


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## Naja002 (Oct 12, 2005)

> This is a great link, getting lots of ideas.


I agree, but wouldn't a forum with different methods and ideas broken down into specific details be much better?

Plenty of folks on this thread have not shown any support for the request of a Low-Tech Forum. If You don't keep the thread up and show support--its not gunna happen....

Low-Tech Forum--Show Your Support




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