# low tech, Going dirt



## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

https://picasaweb.google.com/114031713331282985714/Aquarium


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## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

I've got java ferns, and anubias, tied to the decor, several amazon swords in the center, some cryptycorne wyndte in the front, false bamboo rising out of the water in the back, and an unknown plant in the back right that is also rising above the water level which I was hoping someone could id for me.

I have several questions

1. I know that three t8s is still low light, but will it work for my low tech set up.

2. I'm running an air stone on the same timer as my lights, hoping to stablize my co2 level during the day, because most of my fauna are surface breathets, and I dont want to supplement co2. I have it off at night hoping for a co2 build up while the plants aren't synthesizing. 

3. Is there a risk of nutrient build up, from the flourish if I dont do regular water changes?

4. What other plants might do well in this tank?

5. I think I've got plenty of nitrates, from my fauna, and feeding schedule, and I'm dosing, basic ferts, so is my limiting factor light or co2.

I think I'm pretty well balanced, but for all the hours I've spent researching this still I feel pretty


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## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

Lost


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## DerekFF (May 24, 2011)

The airstone isnt going to do anything for you other than give your fish oxygen. Youre keeping all those fish? Good luck keeping plants planted! And flourish wont cause a nutrient imbalance

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## DerekFF (May 24, 2011)

> it now has 3 fluorescent t8s on it. 36",24", and 18". With different color temperatures for each bulb.


Why 3 different size lights and K ratings? Thats not needed and probably looks like a fest



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## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

DerekFF said:


> Why 3 different size lights and K ratings? Thats not needed and probably looks like a fest
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2


The middle size light came with the tank I added one that was the full length of the tank, and a smaller one I already had

I always mix up the k ratings to try to get the full spectrum, because manufactures ratings aren't always accurate, and not every one agrees on the ideal bulb

I just want a balanced aquarium with healthy plant growth and am not real concerned with how it looks


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## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

DerekFF said:


> The airstone isnt going to do anything for you other than give your fish oxygen. Youre keeping all those fish? Good luck keeping plants planted! And flourish wont cause a nutrient imbalance
> 
> Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2


I read a rather long article explaining that air stones dont just add oxygen, they bring oxygen and co2 to a baseline. I believe the surface agitation just mixes surface air into the aquarium, meaning if there is more co2 in the air than in your tank, it can be beneficial. I if I'm wrong I would love to shut it off, because I really dont like the bubbles. after tons of online searching I still want sure on the air stone, but decided to run it for now

I know those types of fish create there own challenges, but for now this tank is going to stay stocked that way, but it will be the last one I do this way. The eel may go when/if I dirt the larger tank, just because he's so huge, but he never digs (yet), because the hollow fake log hides him so well.

My ten gallon is going to be heavily planted with a dirt substrate, with only ghost shrimp, and guppies,

I thought there was a concern of build up of iron, magnesium, and stuff like that when dosing?


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## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

The concerns about build up of specific nutrients usually applies to the EI dosing method (where they basically pore in more of each fert than the plants can possibly use and then change out the water to get rid of the excess).

CO2 is usually a limited resource in all planted tanks that lack CO2 injection of some sort. That means that you also want to limit the light. 

There are so many different ways to go about things but in a low tech tank like what you have I would say that you should just keep doing what you are doing and then wait for a specific problem (if any) to appear before changing things.

You don't have an ideal set-up (if such a thing even really exists) but you probably have a set-up that can be made to work for what you want.

I would definitely recommend floating plants though since they are less CO2 limited (they have access to atmosphere rather than just tank water) and can be great nitrate and nutrient sponges (which may well be needed since you are doing heavy feedings).

Just keep an eye on water quality tests and hopefully you can just tweak things until you eventually find a balance point.


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## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

BTW, what part of Kansas are you in?


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## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

madness said:


> BTW, what part of Kansas are you in?


The far southeast corner. I'm within 3 miles of both missouri and oklahoma


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## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

madness said:


> The concerns about build up of specific nutrients usually applies to the EI dosing method (where they basically pore in more of each fert than the plants can possibly use and then change out the water to get rid of the excess).
> 
> CO2 is usually a limited resource in all planted tanks that lack CO2 injection of some sort. That means that you also want to limit the light.
> 
> ...



I've always avoided floating plants for fear of blocking to much light from my other plants, so I guess that isn't much of a problem


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## DerekFF (May 24, 2011)

It seems the aquatic plant community is shifting more towards PAR rating rather than wpg or kelvin ratings. Obviously there is an acceptable K range were after and wpg can give a very rough estimate on light levels but just fyi using 3 different K rated bulbs wont really make a difference because you want to cover the whole spectrum

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## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

polypterus491 said:


> I've always avoided floating plants for fear of blocking to much light from my other plants, so I guess that isn't much of a problem


Just keep the floating plants in mind. If you run into algae issues or have trouble keeping nitrates down with the heavy feeding then I strongly encourage you to look into them.

BTW, my family is from the Fort Scott area. My great grandparents had 15 children and a handful were born on the Oklahoma side, a handful on the Missouri side and the rest in Kansas as they moved around the area. Very pretty area but isolated down there in the corner in terms of being close to a big city.


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## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

madness said:


> Just keep the floating plants in mind. If you run into algae issues or have trouble keeping nitrates down with the heavy feeding then I strongly encourage you to look into them.
> 
> BTW, my family is from the Fort Scott area. My great grandparents had 15 children and a handful were born on the Oklahoma side, a handful on the Missouri side and the rest in Kansas as they moved around the area. Very pretty area but isolated down there in the corner in terms of being close to a big city.


Small world huh. joplin and pittsburgh have all I need, and 2 1/2 hours to k.c. Is as close to big city as i need

Could you recommend a floating plant? Duckweed seems like a mess to me


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## Zefrik (Oct 23, 2011)

polypterus491 said:


> The far southeast corner. I'm within 3 miles of both missouri and oklahoma


I lived in that area for a few years back in 2004. I lived in Coffeyville Ks.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

polypterus491 said:


> https://picasaweb.google.com/114031713331282985714/Aquarium


You have one of my favorite fish.

You need to get some TALL plants for him to hide under. Its so cool to see him completely vertical before a strike.


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## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

JasonG75 said:


> You have one of my favorite fish.
> 
> You need to get some TALL plants for him to hide under. Its so cool to see him completely vertical before a strike.


I assume you mean the endi. Yeah, at 12" he's a beast, just the other day he ate my butterfly fish. I'm going to trade my eel to a lfs for some plants and order another bicher. Probably a weeksii.


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## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

Zefrik said:


> I lived in that area for a few years back in 2004. I lived in Coffeyville Ks.


Cool, I'm in baxter springs.


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## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

polypterus491 said:


> Small world huh. joplin and pittsburgh have all I need, and 2 1/2 hours to k.c. Is as close to big city as i need
> 
> Could you recommend a floating plant? Duckweed seems like a mess to me


I would recommend frogbit.

You are correct that duckweed is a pain in the butt.

Frogbit is more pretty and when grown it is larger and grows in sort of clusters (3 big leaves that branch down to one stem) so it is far easier to remove from the tank if you decide to do that.

It can be found at times on this forum and is always available for a decent price on AquaB.

I have friends who live in Joplin. I love the woods in the area. Compared to the prairie I live on it seems like a jungle. Haven't been there since the tornados though.


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## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

Well I traded my eel in today for a big crypt with a runner and baby plants attached, some wysteria, and a red leaf ludwigia.

I think its gonna be a big improvement, although ive never kept ludwigia, or wysteria before. hopefully they do well. I will post pics later.

should I let my new crypt acclimate for a while in my tank before i remove the runners?

the baby plants are actually pretty good size with their own roots

I think i will get some frogbit, and then grow some lucky bamboo through the tank lid


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## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

madness said:


> I would recommend frogbit.
> 
> You are correct that duckweed is a pain in the butt.
> 
> ...



yeah, I love this area. Joplin is rebounding really well. I'm amazed that relief organizations and volunteers are still here a year later


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## Blah4Life (Jan 13, 2012)

I know Baxter springs well. I grew up in picher, ok.


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## polypterus491 (Apr 12, 2010)

polypterus491 said:


> I've got java ferns, and anubias, tied to the decor, several amazon swords in the center, some cryptycorne wyndte in the front, false bamboo rising out of the water in the back, and an unknown plant in the back right that is also rising above the water level which I was hoping someone could id for me.
> 
> I have several questions
> 
> ...




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## gelbschnee (Jan 23, 2012)

I have pennywort in my 10g right now and it seems to be a great floating plant. each stem grows a new leaf every other day or so. It kind of looks like lily pads.


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## steven p (Jun 22, 2012)

In one of my tanks, i ran bubble stone for circulation over a period of about ten days in a low light/low tech(timed lighting) 

Druring this period, my wisteria shed all but the top few leaves. Ludwigia was all but gone, swords were yellowing..

I'd rather grow in standing water.


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## mitchfish9 (Apr 30, 2012)

steven p said:


> In one of my tanks, i ran bubble stone for circulation over a period of about ten days in a low light/low tech(timed lighting)
> 
> Druring this period, my wisteria shed all but the top few leaves. Ludwigia was all but gone, swords were yellowing..
> 
> I'd rather grow in standing water.


?? You should have used dirt.... if you didn't


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

AquaB?


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