# As Low Tech as I can go....10 Gallon Experiment



## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

While reading through Frank's thread (http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/p...-franks-new-challenge-how-master-planted.html), a lot came up about philosophies about both high tech and low tech, as well as general thoughts on keeping an aquarium. One part of the conversation was not limiting yourself to a budget. I am going to take on this challenge.

My Goal: Figure out how much I can do with absolutely no budget (for now). I also want to see how "low tech" you can really go and be successful. This is an experiment, I may or may not be successful. I figure I may as well try.

All equipment/plants are already owned. I plan to spend exactly $0 on equipment on this tank. That may change.



*Specs* (will update if things change)

Tank: Standard 10 Gallon
Lighting: Standard 10 Gallon Incandescent Hood with 15 watt CFL x2
Substrate: Gravel from my yard (pretty sure it's basically inert, may raise water hardness).
Heater: None
Filtration: None or Marina S10. 

*Plants*: (will update as I add)
I am buying no plants for this tank. I am just trimming plants from other tanks and adding. The list will grow over time. I will do my best to keep track

So Far:
-E. tenellus
-Blyxa japonica
-Star grass
-Sunset Hygro
-Limnophila aromatica
-Rotala wallichii
*Ferts*
None (may change)

*CO2*
None and I don't plan to use Excel either.

*Livestock:*
None for now. I am thinking Endlers as I have never had them. I also am thinking Guppies. Nothing fancy most likely.

I hate journals that start out without pictures but I just wanted to get this typed out as I clean my old 10 gallon off. 



*Question, assuming people are into this, I am willing to swap out my "back yard gravel" with Petco Blue Sand. Let me know if you care.*


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

*Start*









Planted E. tenellus. If this works, it will grow very SLLLOOWWW. It will also grow much more compact with the lighting and CO2. Not sure it will work, had enough to try.









Cloudy but some Blyxa japonica. This seems to do reasonably well without a lot of light/co2


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## josolanes (Feb 28, 2012)

Very interested - can't wait for updates


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## Aquatic Delight (Mar 2, 2012)

Yeah old school backyard gravel!

if you want to go super low tech, use sunlight, and instead of a marina s10 just get in there once every couple hours with a wisk! i'm pretty sure its cheaper.


either way i can' wait to see how this turns out.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

Cool experiment. I've grown both Blyxa japonica and E. tenellus without CO2 and ferts. the Blyxa was in 5 year old Florabase which was very broken down in an established tank though, while the E. tenellus was grown in inert gravel with a 28 W T5 NO light and EI dosing. The Blyxa is currently still growing, although it's floating now, as my growout BNP's keep uprooting it. 7 W LED light.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I updated the plant list and added a few more plants. Unfortunately I just trimmed the tank I am getting these out of so I am not starting with as big of a plant mass as I would like. I will have a basically endless supply off all those plants as they grow very quickly in my other tank.

I also expect issues with the plants transitioning from high light/co2 to lower light and no co2. I think the star grass will suffer the worst. 

Added:
-Star grass
-Sunset Hygro
-Limnophila aromatica
-Rotala wallichii

Sad looking but here is a new pic:


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Aquatic Delight said:


> Yeah old school backyard gravel!
> 
> if you want to go super low tech, use sunlight, and instead of a marina s10 just get in there once every couple hours with a wisk! i'm pretty sure its cheaper.
> 
> ...


I am seriously debating on swapping out the gravel. This is my one opportunity to go crazy with the color choice. I have used gravel before but it was always under the pretense of trying to look somewhat natural. I would like to try something different, just because this tank is not likely going to stay around forever.

I am really thinking red gravel or blue sand. I honestly think either could be done relatively tastefully, though maybe a bit gaudy. I have to go inert so why not? The irony is that it would be the most expensive element of the tank, not including what I own. If you include what I already own, it's _almost _the most expensive part of my tank. 


It's weird not having a filter. My tank has such a slight cloudiness if I just look at it wrong that doesn't go away for awhile. Even when it settles, it's far from what I am used to. I may use a filter, only because I think it's still pretty "fair" for my experiment, even for super low tech. I don't even know if my Marina fits. It wins the the biggest HOB per GPH award for sure. I may not run any media in it though, just a glorified power head. At best it will get some Eheim biomedia I have and maybe some filter floss.


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## Aquatic Delight (Mar 2, 2012)

oh man i like the idea of red gravel! thats cool. i have a black and blue gravel in my 10, and i really like the gravel cus they aren't all the same shade, i think blue sand would drive me nuts. 


would it be wrong to run a filter just long enough to get good bacteria growing, and then remove the filter and just use it for curriculation?


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

that reminds me of my driving trips down to either kentucky or the carolinas, cant remember due to age, where you could see red dirt off the high way. i always thought that was neat...

your tank setup sans filter is typical of our planted bowls. fairly popular setup on the nano forums, except yours is likely twice the water volume. as long as you keep the bioload to a minimum, you'll be fine without a heater and filter. As you are doing plants, i recommend a full spectrum light bulb. i use 37 watt 6500k cfl over my tanks, but you can do fine with the 16w version of this daylight bulb.


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## Syncmaster (Feb 22, 2008)

talontsiawd said:


> I am seriously debating on swapping out the gravel. This is my one opportunity to go crazy with the color choice. I have used gravel before but it was always under the pretense of trying to look somewhat natural. I would like to try something different, just because this tank is not likely going to stay around forever.
> 
> I am really thinking red gravel or blue sand. I honestly think either could be done relatively tastefully, though maybe a bit gaudy. I have to go inert so why not? The irony is that it would be the most expensive element of the tank, not including what I own. If you include what I already own, it's _almost _the most expensive part of my tank.
> 
> ...


Keep an eye out in the free section of craigslist, or check out some garage sales. You will find a filter for little to no money in due time. That would go along with your "no budget" theme.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

For the filter, if I choose to use one, I know I can come up with something. I honestly probably could have found a better setup for free on CL, you can always find tanks 55 gallons and under for free with equipment if you are patient. 

The bulbs I have I like a lot. They are 6500k. They are attractive and work well for plant growth.

If I swap out the gravel, I think I may try red out. Not sure when I will get a chance to. I may skip it if I don't get around to it soon.


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## Ptjameso (Jan 1, 2012)

Talon (I hope you own one...sweet boosted awd clutch dumps :icon_twis) 
I've been following some of your journals and I really liked your input in Franks thread. If you ever need anything I'm in the area. I like this idea and I may have to start a twin journal when I move into my new place next week. I have a 10gal, AquaClear 20, and incandescent hood still in a box brand new. Im gonna have a lot more room in the new place so I can actually set it up. I'm also getting a new laptop this weekend and I'll start up my 20L journal finally. Good luck with this journal and experiment I'll be following along for sure!


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Ptjameso said:


> Talon (I hope you own one...sweet boosted awd clutch dumps :icon_twis)


I had one for about 6 years. I have most definitely done done some sweet AWD clutch dumps. The first forum I ever when on was DSMtalk and wasn't creative and kept using that name.

Here is a picture of when I owned one:












Ptjameso said:


> I've been following some of your journals and I really liked your input in Franks thread. If you ever need anything I'm in the area. I like this idea and I may have to start a twin journal when I move into my new place next week. I have a 10gal, AquaClear 20, and incandescent hood still in a box brand new. Im gonna have a lot more room in the new place so I can actually set it up. I'm also getting a new laptop this weekend and I'll start up my 20L journal finally. Good luck with this journal and experiment I'll be following along for sure!


I appreciate the offer. I really don't foresee myself needing anything. If you want to exchange plant clippings ever or see anything in my tanks you would want to try, let me know. Good to see someone in the area on the boards.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

*4-16-2012 Update*

Tank is not looking so hot right now. You can see that almost everything looks bad. I have had plants melt this bad before, as they came from high light/co2 to no CO2. Also, there is a major temp difference. However, when this has happened, the recovery would have started. We will see how this pans out. 

I added some Bacopa today, so obviously that looks fine. I also added some fish food (way too much) as I feel it is a fair low tech fert routine. I likely will have to suck some out because it will get pretty nasty.

Remember, this is an experiment, it isn't guaranteed to work. My goal for this is to find the minimum requirements to grow plants relatively well on a large budget restraint. I am a bit surprised how bad it is going but I do attribute at least some of the state of the plants from a combination of co2, light, and temperature change. If I am right, we should see recovery in anything that isn't to far gone. I think the Bacopa, and anything else I add from a non co2 tank will be very telling in my next update. Oddly enough, the Rotala wallichii is the only plant relatively unfazed. I think it's an easy plant but others say they have issues with it. It may just be to early to tell.

Pics:


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

*4-23-2012 Update*

This is UGLY. That's not necessarily a bad thing as this is an experiment. I have not cleaned anything, changed the water, or really put my hands in this tank at all. To be honest, I am a bit scared lol.

In the last update, I decided to add some fish food as a low tech fert. As said I put to much in. Well, not only do I not have a filter, I have absolutely no water movement. The lack of this...speaks for itself.

However, I am 95% positive that the plants that melted and aren't doing so great are only having problems because of the transition from CO2/high nutrients to this tank. I see absolutely no perking up from the added "ferts" but where they didn't melt, they are doing no better and no worse. 

The plants I added from a non co2 environment are doing fine. That would be the Bacopa and Rotala Indica. They actually have shown good growth and look pretty healthy. The Rotala wallichii was the only plant that was from a co2 injected tank that didn't struggle much. It's still doing fine. 


I only updated this journal in this state because it is an experiment. Hopefully this doesn't turn people off of super low tech. I plan to replace some plants and see if others make an immaculate recovery. I suspect the new plants I add will do fine.

Ugly pics:


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Hopefully nobody was too interested in this. After a water change/getting out the food, everything was doing pretty well. Only GSA. However, I have to tear it down. I really need a grow tank for for my other tanks. I have had trouble with my 29 and stems melting, my 20L has no stems anymore, I just need to keep what I got.

I will post a new journal if anyone is interested. It will be pressurized co2 with potting soil, nothing but plants.


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