# Can I build this style of tank but do it low tech?



## Xiaozhuang (Feb 15, 2012)

Yes, but you probably won't use UG which is more difficult. I've seen it done low tech with glosso. Which means DHG will work as well. 

In fact I'll go farther and say its not that hard. As long as you can grow a low tech ground carpet, the moss on the tree/closer to light is easy, but it may take time to grow/prune it into shape without CO2. Of course, hunting for suitable branch, and placing a path that looks good in perspective in a photo will take time. Also, easier to do in a smaller tank.


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## amh0001 (Sep 30, 2014)

Thanks for the reply Xiaozhuang.

What do you think about a combination of DHG and Dwarf Baby Tears? Also, for this low tech, what do you recommend for substrate and lighting? I dont want to fert to often/at all if i can get away with it
.


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## lochaber (Jan 23, 2012)

You can do a walstad tank pretty cheap.

Getting that look with low maintenance might be a bit trickier, those types of tanks are pretty high-maintenance.

If you find the right carpeting plant, that part might be easier, it just might take a lot longer to grow in. The moss tree will be more difficult.

I've got some moss that looks pretty similar to that, and it doesn't stick to wood real well, but it does matt on top of it pretty easily. But you would have to regularly trim/remove the excess.

The tank is small enough that substrate probably won't be a huge cost, but even so, you can go with something like MGOCPM and SafeTSorb, and have material left over for several more tanks, and not spend more then $20.


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## amh0001 (Sep 30, 2014)

Hi Lochaber, the guy at the fish store recommended MGOCPM too.

Okay so far I'm thinking MGOCPM with a regular dark colored fine gravel on top. I have a T5 florecent light fixture I can use. I just have to figure out how to mount it.

For the ground cover I could try DHG and Dwarf baby tears.

As far as the moss on the tree, I was thinking I could continually tie it down as grows and trim it up.


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## Xiaozhuang (Feb 15, 2012)

amh0001 said:


> Thanks for the reply Xiaozhuang.
> I dont want to fert to often/at all if i can get away with it
> .


This type of answer is scary Hmm. If you haven't tried growing dwarf baby tears with CO2, I don't think you should try them low tech. People fail often enough even with CO2. 

Low maintenance wise, DHG and crypts probably work well. Dirt substrate is good, and you could add base fertilizer to make it last a long time without active fertilizing. Fertilizing water column actually gives flexibility when dealing with algae/balance issues. You need sufficient light if you're going to grow any form of ground cover, and with more light comes more balancing issues/algae. And if you're really copying the scape in the link with little/no stem plants, you may lack the competitive plant mass to eliminate algae from the tank.

The moss tree will grow in lower light, but carpets generally need more light to spread within a reasonable time. A substrate lighting of about 40-50 PAR should be okay. You can get any light that puts you into that range, but have a fixture that you can dim or raise so you can change lighting levels.


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## amh0001 (Sep 30, 2014)

Yeah Xiaozhuang, Ive never done a planted tank so I dont know much on plants. I will do some more research and take your advice on to the easiest ones. This is the light I have. 
http://www.hydroponics-grow-light.c...t-Lighting-hydroponics-growlights-366x261.jpg


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## EndlerGame (Oct 19, 2013)

There is a a tank in this thread that has a dense Dwarf Hairgrass carpet with a tree:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=404649&page=17

Here's a picture of it...



You may be able to eventually achieve a carpet with dwarf hairgrass in a low-tech dirt tank, though to get very dense would likely take quite a long time.

A Glosso carpet in a low tech tank would take even longer, but could be done with a bright enough light (and your picture of a light doesn't tell us anything about brightness, we need to know the specs...I can see its a T5 in the link...).

A carpet of Dwarf Baby Tears, or Hemianthus callicthoides (usually called HC on the forum) would be all but impossible in a low tech/low maintenance tank, especially if you've never kept a planted tank before.

Your best bet would be to stick with the hairgrass, and if you can grow that, the moss on the tree shouldn't be a problem.

If you want to carpet with one of the other species in your picture, you'll likely need to spend a little more money, invest in CO2 and bright lighting..

There are other "lower"-tech carpeting species that can be use in larger tanks, Pygmy Chain Sword or Dwarf Sagittaria would both be good options for low tech carpets in a 16 gallon tank.


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## amh0001 (Sep 30, 2014)

Thank you Endlergame! I've actually been reading for hours after posting this, and still learning how hard it can be to carpet using a low tech style tank. I'm still determined to give it a try. 

Thank you for your input. Seems like the DHG and perhaps Glosso will be my try. What is your thought on starting with those using a Dry Start Method? If i get them growing then fill up the tank will they start to die on me?

I checked the Pygmy chains and dwarf sagittaria, but they are way too long for the look im aiming for. I'l check that light, and get back to you, I also might just put a diff bulb in my tanks florescent socket.


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## Ziggy (Sep 2, 2011)

I'm no expert, but can he/she dry-start a DHG carpet?


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## amh0001 (Sep 30, 2014)

OK well I am setting up my substrate right now. Just cleaned all the old tank. It had wallpaper algae lol. I will make a journal thread of my start up with pictures so I can get some feed back.

One thing I did, that I'm rolling the dice with, is I strained the miracle grow, and added about 2 % worm casting gold, and elementz rock dust. Hopefully I didnt mess that up.


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## amh0001 (Sep 30, 2014)

Here is a journal thread im starting with some pictures

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=736033


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## drewsuf82 (May 27, 2012)

I can vouch for dwarf sag carpeting in a low tech setup using just a t5 bulb over a 20L it'll take some time (and some root tabs, I use o plus caps) but it will do its thing. In 6 months I've gone from 4-5 nodes to well over 100 through runners


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

_Micranthemum umbrosum_ 'Monte Carlo' will do better without CO2 than HC if you want to have a similar looking plant.


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## amh0001 (Sep 30, 2014)

Thanks for the replies

Hi drew, I might be being picky, but i think dwarf sag looks to stemy for the look I'm after, I definately will try it, if i cant get the others to grow.

Monster Fish, when I type that into google, it tells me its baby tears and Xio mentioned earlier that it is hard to grow in a low tech


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

_Micranthemum umbrosum_ 'Monte Carlo' is different from _Hemianthus callitrichoides_ (Dwarf baby tears).


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