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View Poll Results: Which method do you use in your planted tanks?

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  • High-tech method (CO2 enriched)

    201 57.26%
  • Low-tech method (non-CO2 enriched)

    78 22.22%
  • Both methods

    68 19.37%
  • Neither method works for me

    1 0.28%
  • Hybrid method (do elaborate...)

    3 0.85%
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Thread: What plant tank methods do you use?

  1. #1
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    What plant tank methods do you use?

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    Which method do you use for you planted tank?

    Express your views...

    BC

  2. #2
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    What if we have more then one tank?
    Vincent - AQ is for everyone, but not for 'u' and 'mi'.
    Why use punctuation? See what a difference it makes:
    A woman, without her man, is nothing.
    A woman: without her, man is nothing.

  3. #3
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    You can choose option 3 if you use both methods...


    BC

  4. #4
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    My tank is “High-tech method (CO2 enriched)” and High light [MH & FL] and certainly appreciate the speed in which things happen, speed is useful in it takes you to the destination that you desire faster, but what happens when you are comfortable with what you have, how do you slow down and enjoy the view?

    I have been thinking recently about a hybrid approach as I am not far away [I hope] from having the scape I want. I will use CO2 to control my pH via a controller, so would keep that. The thought that I have been toying with is progressively reducing my MH [300w] time to just the minimum or off but keeping the FL [60w] on as normal, reducing the water changes, once a week dosing.

    It might take a month or two to slow down … anyway just wondering...

  5. #5
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    Hi BC,
    Its both for me. The learning curve is both ways, what the basics is and what the hi-tech could offer.
    Something about the water & the fishes that calms me down.

  6. #6
    i am using co2 with mh. plant grow better mah

  7. #7
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    Why I converted to low-tech?

    I started off my hobby with only CO2 enriched tank. I dose fertilisers twice per week, change water weekly, trim the plants fortnightly, refill my CO2 tank quarterly...

    After a while, I find it a bit too tedious, especially when work and family commitments demand more of my attention. When I slack in my routine, my tank turns either into a jungle of interwinding plants or an algae farm.

    Finally, about 9 mth ago, I turn totally to non-CO2. It became much easier after the initial transition. I also found that I can still grow almost all of the plants that I grew in a high tech tank. My tank stays as good looking, if not better looking continually with a lot lesser pruning... and of course, almost no water change and very little fertilisation.

    I am completely sold to the non-CO2 way...

    Come to the DARK SIDE...

    BC
    Last edited by bclee; 14th Jun 2005 at 10:15.

  8. #8
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    mine is a high tech low maintenance tank.

    co2, chiller, ph controller, filters, ada, fluorite. low maintenance plants like hairgrass, crypts (and erm hottonia).

    I change water once a week (thereabouts) and use floreal and equilibrium as fert ,dump in some kno3 now and then.

    initially I thought my bba problems were due to (nutrient defiency/not enough light), but it turned out to be too much light, raising my mh lights by another one feet totally eliminated bba (and green spot is so much less)

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by bclee
    Finally, about 9 mth ago, I turn totally to non-CO2. It became much easier after the initial transition. I also found that I can still grow almost all of the plants that I grew in a high tech tank. My tank stays as good looking, if not better looking continually with a lot lesser pruning... and of course, almost no water change and very little fertilisation.

    BC
    Hi BC,

    Did you have any critters in the tanks? Can you go without water change if you have them?

    I am tempted by the DARK SIDE but I am concerned if they would survive...
    Cheers,
    Joe

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by baranne
    Hi BC,

    Did you have any critters in the tanks? Can you go without water change if you have them?

    I am tempted by the DARK SIDE but I am concerned if they would survive...
    In my 15-gal tank (2-ft), I have 30+ fishes and 10+ shrimps: 1 ram, 1 SAE, 10+ cardinal tetra, 3 cherry barbs, 5 T. espei, 8 corys, 8 otos, 10 yamato shrimp, 1 malayan shrimp. OK so far.

    BTW... I have lotsa plants in there.

    BC

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    wow... you sure have a lot of fishes... for my 1.5 ft I had thought my 7 tetras, 5 rummies, 2 otos and 10+ cherry shrimp are too high a bioload... seems like I may be able to push for more...
    Cheers,
    Joe

  12. #12
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    Isn't High tech and Low tech on the same continuum and that one chooses too stay in the fast lane [high tech] until they are comfortable with what they have, then moves /transitions over to the slow lane [Low Tech or the DarkSide- which I thought was saltwater?] as a means of maintaining the scape or environment of choice for longer?

    I am not suggesting High or Low tech is better, but in the aquarists toolbox of tools & choices CO2, No CO2, MH’s, FL’s Dosing or less Dosing are used as simple control mechanisms that suit the tank or individual circumstances at the time. The tricky part is probably the transition from one regime to another and knowing when and how to transition?

  13. #13
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    Talking

    low tech sounds very interesting, have only been successful with the windelovs and some mosses [mostly ferns]
    slow growth becomes a bane and makes me wanna rescape all the time, while fast growth does change the landscape and is fun for the fish. not fun when it kills the fg plants. glosso etc. i mean tall ones taking over top cover, preventing light from reaching the short needy ones.

    the only truth is i think you do what you can afford. time money effort.
    but first must have love
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  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by bclee
    I started off my hobby with only CO2 enriched tank. I dose fertilisers twice per week, change water weekly, trim the plants fortnightly, refill my CO2 tank quarterly...

    After a while, I find it a bit too tedious, especially when work and family commitments demand more of my attention. When I slack in my routine, my tank turns either into a jungle of interwinding plants or an algae farm.

    Finally, about 9 mth ago, I turn totally to non-CO2. It became much easier after the initial transition. I also found that I can still grow almost all of the plants that I grew in a high tech tank. My tank stays as good looking, if not better looking continually with a lot lesser pruning... and of course, almost no water change and very little fertilisation.

    I am completely sold to the non-CO2 way...

    Come to the DARK SIDE...

    BC
    BC
    Most of us have non-CO2 tank ( I have 4) but the plants we keep are usually slow growing green plants : anubias, moss, ferns, crypts, echi etc.

    What plants do you keep in your no-CO2 tank and how much light are you using ?

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Green Baron
    BC
    Most of us have non-CO2 tank ( I have 4) but the plants we keep are usually slow growing green plants : anubias, moss, ferns, crypts, echi etc.

    What plants do you keep in your no-CO2 tank and how much light are you using ?

    Tank dimension: 60cm x 30cm x 30cm (bowfront)
    Volume: 60L
    Lights: 51W (15W FL + 36W PL)
    Plant list:
    Anubius barteri var nana
    Barclaya longifolia
    Cryptocoryne albida
    Cryptocoryne grifithii
    Cryptocoryne ponterderiifolia
    Cryptocoryne undulata
    Cryptocoryne wendtii "green"
    Cryptocoryne wendtii "brown"
    Cryptocoryne wendtii "tropica"
    Echinodorus tenellus
    Eleocharis parvula(?) (hairgrass)
    Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides
    Hygrophila corymbosa "compact"
    Lobelia cardinalis
    Salvina natans
    Vesicularia sp. "christmas"

    BC

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by bclee
    Tank dimension: 60cm x 30cm x 30cm (bowfront)
    Volume: 60L
    Lights: 51W (15W FL + 36W PL)
    That is more than 3W/G. With that much light and no CO2, don't you have algae problem ?

    What is plant at the left back with long green leaves ? Jave Fern ?

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Green Baron
    That is more than 3W/G. With that much light and no CO2, don't you have algae problem ?

    What is plant at the left back with long green leaves ? Jave Fern ?
    No algae problem. Many have the impression that non-CO2 tank got to have very low lights, that's not so true in my experience. However, if you do not get it right, you can get algae issues with high light.

    The plants at the left back are Cryptocoryne albida.

    BC

  18. #18
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    BC:

    What about fertiliser dosing? Do you dose at all or just depends on fish food and fish waste?

    I thought that with high lighting, plants metabolise faster and uses nutrients up very fast? And you are limiting CO2. Does that mean the uptake of the other nutrients become slowed down???

    I don't seem to understand.
    koah fong
    Juggler's tanks

  19. #19
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    Yes I dose traces & KNO3 but very infrequently. I only do so when the plants exhibit deficiency.

    Co2 seems to be the limiting component. Uptake of nutrients are much slower than with co2.

    I believe that algae growth is also limited by co2.

    BC

  20. #20
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    As far as I know the relative importance are:

    light >> CO2 >> macro-nutrients >> micro-nutrients

    So if we limit CO2, we might as well lower the light?
    Where are the plants getting the carbon source? Will it come a time where the high lighting forced the plants to use up the available carbon source and the other nutrients becomes available for algae to use? The algae may be floating and extract CO2 from the air ....

    I am impressed by your results and thinking of switching my 5ft tank to low-tech. Can I just turn off the CO2 and lower the lighting?
    koah fong
    Juggler's tanks

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