# Low Tech 45g



## TetraQueen (Jul 6, 2014)

beautiful combination of fish and plants! I'm fairly new to plants as well, so I don't have much advice, but I really like the looks of your tank.


----------



## jmf3460 (Aug 21, 2013)

you have done an excellent job on this for your first tank. if you want honesty, I think you will soon stray from the unnatural looking substrate. That is my only critique. I think it is beautiful. the wallpaper behind the tank looks good too!


----------



## sophieydg (Nov 19, 2013)

Thank you both!



jmf3460 said:


> you have done an excellent job on this for your first tank. if you want honesty, I think you will soon stray from the unnatural looking substrate. That is my only critique. I think it is beautiful. the wallpaper behind the tank looks good too!


Yeah I am wanting to change the gravel to something more natural but I know it will be a huge job so I'm putting it off


----------



## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

Use your plants to hide equipment and add a black background and grow out!


----------



## philipraposo1982 (Mar 6, 2014)

He is my tank as of recent. Just over 3 months old.


----------



## sophieydg (Nov 19, 2013)

Here are some update photos! It's amazing to see how much the hyrgro polysperma has grown. I rearranged the plants and added some ambulia, once that grows it will look better.


----------



## sadchevy (Jun 15, 2013)

Personally, I think your gravel looks fine. I would add a black background and more water. Maybe down the road a bit add some reddish colored plants.
Overall your tank looks really good. Great start.


----------



## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

sadchevy said:


> Personally, I think your gravel looks fine. I would add a black background and more water.


Exactly what I was about to say. Off to a great start.


----------



## Thenoob (Jan 15, 2014)

Looks very good! Besides for a black background a think a Lilly would look very good on the left side in front of the wood.


----------



## RUNuts (Jul 20, 2014)

Is there a reason you are keeping the water low?

I added a bubbler and it is throwing water all over the lights and I do not like that. Stopped the bubbler, but don't want to raise the lights, so I think I will pull that out.

I like the val hanging over everything. Yep, need some val.


----------



## Land_lubber (Aug 28, 2012)

It won't actually take that long to change out that gravel and put new stuff in. If you want something natural looking I just got some Cemix builders sand from Mitre 10 mega which was only $7 for a 25kg bag and it doesn't affect your parameters either


----------



## sophieydg (Nov 19, 2013)

Thanks for the responses everyone  I am hoping to change to sand sometime soon, in the next week hopefully. Does anyone have any advice for preventing the filter from sucking up the sand?


----------



## Land_lubber (Aug 28, 2012)

As long as the filter intake isn't sitting on the substrate itself it won't suck it up.


----------

