# 10 Gallon Low Tech Planted Tank



## Bogey (May 7, 2017)

Hello,

I recently prepared for my 10 gallon low tech aquarium. I want to ask you all if this setup is going to be alright for my tank.

Plants:
Java moss,
Java fern,
Drawf sags,
Amazon sword,
Rotala rotundifolia,
and lastly, Anubias.

Im also debating to add Drawf baby tears or Drawf hair grass because a worker told me they need Co2?!?

Light:
18 watt led light (30 whites, 4 blues, 2 reds )

Substrate:
ADA Amazonia Aqua Soil.

Co2:
None! Isnt that the point of low tech? ;0
I may be doing yeast and sugar diy Co2.

Liquid ferts: 
Not planning to.

Filter:
Aquaclear 20!

Livestock (When finshed cycling)
6-10 Neon tetras
2-3 RCS
1 Mystery snail 

I am also wondering about if adding 'raw shirmp' to the cycle the tank. Will it even work?

Keep in mind that i am a kid and if i make any spelling mistakes just bare with me!

Thanks!


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## aquaBender (Aug 18, 2016)

If you are interested in keeping a low-tech planted tank, I would read about the Walstad method - https://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Walstad_method


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## Bogey (May 7, 2017)

Thanks!


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## Surf (Jun 13, 2017)

Many people that do have low tech planted tanks need to use a fertilizer simply because tap water doesn't have enough nutrients in the water. good results can be achieved with Sachem Flourish Comprehensive or Brightwell aquatics florin multi fertilizers. While some people do well without fertilizers. many don't.

I wouldn't bother with ADA Amazonia Aqua Soil. Yes it has nutrients in it. But within a year most of those nutrients will be gone and you will need to use fertilizer. Regular gravel or sand works very well with fertilizer. You can see a lot of low tech planted tanks on the fishforums.net

To maximize the CO2 in your tank aim for as much aeration of the water that you can achieve with your filter. Try to possession it so the output water has to fall about 1/2" through the air. That will pull a significant amount of air into your tank. and insure stable CO2 levels and oxygen levels.


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## Bogey (May 7, 2017)

Alright, what if i do diy co2?


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## Surf (Jun 13, 2017)

> Alright, what if i do diy co2?


No problem with that and the extra aeration. Although you may want to have a drop checker in the tank to insure DIY system doesn't over dose the tank. Most DIY systems wont put much CO2 in the tank But if yours puts out a lot (unlikely) for some reason the drop checker might help you catch that before your fish suffer.


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