# Pictures of my ~1.5year old low tech tank



## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

Hello all!

I always like it when people pop in and post pictures of longish term stable running tanks, so I figured I'd share mine with everyone! 

This is a 10G tank that is about 1.5 years old. I just changed this over to LED lighting hoping for a little more light, but up until now it has been lit by a 15W T8 and sunlight through the window. I do use ferts at extraordinarily low levels but the tank has never had CO2.

The one secrete of success with this tank is Duckweed. It helps keep nutrients low so I don't have algae problems. 

First,.. here is a FTS:

IMG_8168 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

Originally the tank was setup just for these little guys,.. They are breading well in there:

IMG_8263 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr


IMG_8304 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr


IMG_8368 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

But eventually a couple of these found their way in as well:

IMG_8443 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

Along with a few Zebras that were not playing nice with the Discus in my 75.

Hope you like it!
Whiskey


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

luv it! Thanks for taking the time to post the pics.


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## Paintcraze (Apr 4, 2013)

Beautiful tank!


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## Sajacobs (Aug 24, 2012)

Beautifully lush.


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## hedge_fund (Jan 1, 2006)

Looks nice, I like it.


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## morelight (Jun 2, 2013)

fantastic


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## Galaxy Hunter (Jul 12, 2013)

Beautiful tank and great pictures !


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

Thank you everyone! This has been a really wonderful tank, I hope it does as well with the LED Lights 

Whiskey


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## JDS1212 (Mar 18, 2012)

Very nice!!


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## hambone870 (Feb 13, 2013)

Awesome tank

What's your substrate?


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

hambone870 said:


> Awesome tank
> 
> What's your substrate?


Thank you!

The substrate is Fluval Stratum,.. it is kindof a light substrate, but after the plants get rooted in there, holds them down remarkably well.

I also noticed that it had an effect on KH/GH, in the beginning it dropped them to about 0, and may still be doing that even in the hard CA water. 

But! I've been thrilled with it otherwise, I've always used Florite in the past, but my next large tank will use this stuff.

Whiskey


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## design_desire (Jul 21, 2013)

Wow! What is the name of that beautiful little black, yellow and blue fish!? 

Your tank looks great, by the way! Love the shrimp, too! =]


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

design_desire said:


> Wow! What is the name of that beautiful little black, yellow and blue fish!?
> 
> Your tank looks great, by the way! Love the shrimp, too! =]


Thank you!

That is called an Endler - they are kindof like wild guppies. I got a pair of them at a club meeting I went to for a couple bucks and let me tell you - they breed like guppies.

Whiskey


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## RusselltheShihTzu (Apr 27, 2013)

Beautiful tank. Nice denizens, too! Thanks for sharing.


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## Saxtonhill (Dec 28, 2012)

Beautiful!


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## turtlepower129 (Mar 14, 2013)

I feel better about keeping my 17 watt T8 on my 20L after seeing your pics. I have my tank by the window too. I should be just fine with that light. Thanks for posting the pics and info. It helped me with my tank I am about to start.


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

turtlepower129 said:


> I feel better about keeping my 17 watt T8 on my 20L after seeing your pics. I have my tank by the window too. I should be just fine with that light. Thanks for posting the pics and info. It helped me with my tank I am about to start.


Your first post! I am honored! Welcome to TPT!

If the tank gets direct sunlight than this sounds like a fantastic plan! If the back is painted, or it does not get direct sunlight you might want to think about 2, 17W lamps. One of the easiest and most rewarding tanks I ever had was a 20H with 2 T8's over it.

Whiskey


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

Just a quick update about that LED light I was trying out.

I ended up pulling the LED light back off the tank - I loved how bright it was, and I loved the shimmer effect, but I ran into a bit of an algae issue, it seemed like it was just too much light for the carbon level.

I'm sure with CO2 it would be no problem at all, but that is not my goal for this tank, so I simply went back to the 15W lamp, and I can already see the algae dying back again.

Whiskey


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## tattooedfool83 (Mar 15, 2013)

Awesome tank. I have to say I just put a 6500k bulb in an 18" t8 and for low tech it's perfect. Enough light but not to much. Glad I came across this thread


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## Mojo028 (Jan 25, 2013)

Whiskey said:


> Thank you everyone! This has been a really wonderful tank, I hope it does as well with the LED Lights
> 
> Whiskey


What kind of LED's did you get?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2


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## zoragen (Nov 3, 2009)

Beautiful tank!

I thought about LEDs but my tank is doing well w/ a single t8 & I don't want to start down the CO2 road.


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## NWA-Planted (Aug 27, 2011)

I need to find room to do a low tech setup... I always end up down the high tech road! Well except my nano

Looks very pristine, like it 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

tattooedfool83 said:


> Awesome tank. I have to say I just put a 6500k bulb in an 18" t8 and for low tech it's perfect. Enough light but not to much. Glad I came across this thread


I've always liked those 2 foot T8's,.. I had a 25 tall with 2 of them over it running low tech for years, it was an amazing tank! I really messed it up by trying a 65W PC over it.

Whiskey


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

Mojo028 said:


> What kind of LED's did you get?
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2


It is a finnex (I think?) fuge ray. Fantastic light! And if my hood allowed me to space it about 6 inches off the tank, or a foot, I would definitely stick with it. Unfortunately I am using the Eclipse hood so I have to have the light inside the plastic lamp holder just about an inch off the water.

Whiskey


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

zoragen said:


> Beautiful tank!
> 
> I thought about LEDs but my tank is doing well w/ a single t8 & I don't want to start down the CO2 road.





NWA-Planted said:


> I need to find room to do a low tech setup... I always end up down the high tech road! Well except my nano
> 
> Looks very pristine, like it
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4


Thank you!

There is ALWAYS room for another tank,.. especially one as simple and low maintenance as this. I have a spray bottle with some excel and light ferts in it,.. I spray some in when I think of it. I also do a water change about once every 6 months. Or at least that's when the reminder is configured to send me an email.

Whiskey


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## ziyaadb (Apr 18, 2013)

So let me get this straight....All u have is that 1 T8 and the fluval substrate Nothing else???

Reason i am asking is because i want to setup a simple planted tank and just researching as much as i can. 

Can you also please give me a list of your livestock


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

ziyaadb said:


> So let me get this straight....All u have is that 1 T8 and the fluval substrate Nothing else???
> 
> Reason i am asking is because i want to setup a simple planted tank and just researching as much as i can.
> 
> Can you also please give me a list of your livestock


More or less, yeah. I also have a filter of course, it is the stock eclipse system hood but if I did it again I'd rather have a HOB filter and standard T8 lamp fixture.

I also use small amounts of Excel (1/2 dose every 3 days or so), and I have some macro ferts mixed in with the excel at very low doses. I added what I needed based on seeing deficiencys in the plants, mainly K and Iron. Only the Excel was needed for the first year, but I'm finding now that maybe the substrate is running low on nutrients.

Livestock is really simple, couple Zebra Danios, and some wild guppies, with a handful of cherry shrimp that have been breading like crazy.

HTH!
Whiskey


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## ziyaadb (Apr 18, 2013)

Thanks Whiskey, 
When you say Micro ferts what are those? 
Are these in a liquid form that u buy from a LFS?


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

ziyaadb said:


> Thanks Whiskey,
> When you say Micro ferts what are those?
> Are these in a liquid form that u buy from a LFS?


Macro Ferts (Micro is something different). The Macro ferts are the primary nutrients plants need in the largest quantities, K (potassium), N (Nitrate), P (Phosphate). I found that eventually I started developing deficiency in these areas which was impacting growth so I started dosing very small amounts. I also had trouble with Iron.

I use DIY because I have another high tech tank that I dose with EI, but for something like this with the small amounts I use you could just as easily buy it from the LFS. The flourish line is very good, they sell a full line of products covering each of the above mentioned nutrients.

Whiskey


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## LeomaHarpster (Aug 28, 2013)

Whiskey said:


> Hello all!
> 
> I always like it when people pop in and post pictures of longish term stable running tanks, so I figured I'd share mine with everyone!
> 
> ...


whats this orange colored beautiful called? i am seeing it for first time here, could u please tell the name of it to us


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

LeomaHarpster said:


> whats this orange colored beautiful called? i am seeing it for first time here, could u please tell the name of it to us


That is called an Endler - they are kindof like wild guppies. I have only seen them in stores once, I got a pair from a club member and they have bread like crazy for me. I'm told they are readily available online and in stores in other areas though.

Thanks,
Whiskey


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## ziyaadb (Apr 18, 2013)

Whiskey said:


> Macro Ferts (Micro is something different). The Macro ferts are the primary nutrients plants need in the largest quantities, K (potassium), N (Nitrate), P (Phosphate). I found that eventually I started developing deficiency in these areas which was impacting growth so I started dosing very small amounts. I also had trouble with Iron.
> 
> I use DIY because I have another high tech tank that I dose with EI, but for something like this with the small amounts I use you could just as easily buy it from the LFS. The flourish line is very good, they sell a full line of products covering each of the above mentioned nutrients.
> 
> Whiskey


AAAH cool stuff thanks Whiskeyroud:


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

No problem!!

I have good news! I finally bit the bullet and picked up a PAR sensor. Now I'll be able to find out exactly how much light that little T8 is putting off.

Whiskey


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## juumou (Sep 4, 2013)

Gorgeous photography of your shrimps! It's funny how fish can just find their way into tanks  Your tank looks great even after 1.5 years, that's encouraging for my own tank


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

juumou said:


> Gorgeous photography of your shrimps! It's funny how fish can just find their way into tanks  Your tank looks great even after 1.5 years, that's encouraging for my own tank


Thank you! I have this little extender tube that turns my standard lens into a macro lens, it's not easy to shoot with though.

Whiskey


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