Tips needed to set up a low tech tank successfully...

[adi99]

Hello all,

I will be setting up my 4X1.5X2 FT low tech tank soon and need some advice to hopefully get this correct. Never ventured into low-tech of this size so really hope you pros can provide some guidance.

1. Lighting

Is T5 lighting an overkill even if the wattage is kept at 1-2 WPG? Or normal lighting is ok? What is the recommended wattage for my choice of plants? Heard that HC is a really difficult plant to grow in low tech style...

Any suggestions on brand and type of lighting will be appreciated.

Not thinking of PL as it is generates more heat than T5/T8s?

2. Substrate
Is Onyx sand recommended for a low-tech setup? How about ADA branded substrate?

3. Base fert
Heard that if Onyx sand is used, we do not need to put base fert, is that true? How about ADA substrates?

If not what is a recommended base fert? Is 1 inch height thick enough?

4. Cooling system
2 X fans (maybe 5 inch diameters??)

5. Filter
1 X Ehiem Pro 2028

6. Planned Plant list

a. HC as foreground
b. Java moss and christmas moss on Driftwood
c. Anubias nanas
d. Java ferns background
e. Windelov ferns background
f. Blyxa Japonica
g. Hairgrass (mid ground plant)

7. Planned Fauna (after 1-2 weeks of tank cycling)

a. Cardinals X 30
b. Malayan Shrimps x 10
c. Cherry shrimps X 10
d. Oto X 2

What do you think of the above plan? Is there something really wrong or I should change to increase my chances of success?

Please kindly feel free to just provide your valuable comments. Looking forward to it!

Thanks!

[|squee|]

Lighting:
I'm not sure about this since I've never touched a 4ft tank before.
Substrate:
It's a matter of personal preference. Imho I'd use ADA Aquasoil only. It helps the plants establish and for the first few months no fertiliser dosing should be required.
Base fert:
Not sure about Onyx sand, but Aquasoil is good enough on its own, supposedly even better with Powersand. Powersand is the "base fert" equivalent for Aquasoil. I'd just go for pure ADA Aquasoil Amazonia.
Cooling system:
Yeap why not.
Filter:
I don't know, I don't have a 4ft tank.
For the rest:
Sounds good.

Just in case:
Just plant thickly at the beginning. Very very thickly. Make the tank look like it has already grown in for a few months. Good water circulation is essential. Overfeeding is advised against.

Don't do water changes, just do water top ups. This helps to maintain a stable concentration of CO2 in the water so plants adapt and stay at that adaptation level and grow. My low tech tanks never get BBA.

Have you read Tom Barr's Non-CO2 method yet? Stuff can be learnt from it and applied in your own context. I'd go his way if I were using Lapis sand with a choice base fert. You could also follow his way if you see that Aquasoil isn't supplying enough nutrients (observe plant and algae growth).

[Ssur]

Hi,

The choice of your background plants, java fern and windelov, these need to be tied to DW. Or are u planning to root them into substrate?

Although i have no experience with T5, i think they will do the job better than PL, in terms of heat and light spread. (with reflectors).

I suggest ya get ADA aquasoil too.

On your filter, 2028 is good enough, but what u may want to concern yourself with, is circulation and water flow. I used to have some dead spots in my tank, and BBA grew, when i added another bigger/powerful filter, my water circulation was much better, the BBA is now gone. :P

[eddyq]

Since most of the plants are ferns which are all tied to driftwoods, IMO go for lapis sand with base fertiliser (spread out only in the front and back of tank). In case you wants to plant background or foregrounds plants. All these are much cheaper. Though I've never grown HC or hairglass, read they are demanding, needs good lighting, nutrients-hungry and cooler water temperature.

[GaspingGurami]

I've mild success with a low tech tank using ADA Aquasoil Amazonia and Powersand.

It's a 1ft cube but I've got 4-6 inches of Aquasoil, thus making it around 15L in volume. For lighting, I'm using 2x13W PL making it very high lighting intensity for 10 hours daily.

I've 3 types of hairgrass, Hottonia palustris, 2 types of Java fern, Vallisnera nana, MM, Cryptocoryne parva and C. tonkinensis growing in it.

Fauna are 5 Harlequin Rasboras, 5 Yamato shrimps, 2 nerite snails, 10 Boraras brigittae, 10 B. merah, 10 B. urop, 2 dario dario and 2 liquorice gourami.

All plants grow well, even the Crypt parva which is notorious for its slow growth. There is no algae other than a tuft of cladophora which I'm trying so hard for it to to spread. However, I don't seem to be able to lower the lighting without the plants doing poorly (even with supplementary dosing of NPK, Equilibriun + TE). Also, I've been unable to grow HC in this tank.

The trick I learnt is not to change water at all. I do 50% waterchange around once every 2 months when it gets to yellow for my liking.

Here's a link to another site that was useful to guide me in natural planted tanks.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/

[Ssur]

I've mild success with a low tech tank using ADA Aquasoil Amazonia and Powersand.

It's a 1ft cube but I've got 4-6 inches of Aquasoil, thus making it around 15L in volume. For lighting, I'm using 2x13W PL making it very high lighting intensity for 10 hours daily.

I've 3 types of hairgrass, Hottonia palustris, 2 types of Java fern, Vallisnera nana, MM, Cryptocoryne parva and C. tonkinensis growing in it.

Fauna are 5 Harlequin Rasboras, 5 Yamato shrimps, 2 nerite snails, 10 Boraras brigittae, 10 B. merah, 10 B. urop, 2 dario dario and 2 liquorice gourami.

All plants grow well, even the Crypt parva which is notorious for its slow growth. There is no algae other than a tuft of cladophora which I'm trying so hard for it to to spread. However, I don't seem to be able to lower the lighting without the plants doing poorly (even with supplementary dosing of NPK, Equilibriun + TE). Also, I've been unable to grow HC in this tank.

The trick I learnt is not to change water at all. I do 50% waterchange around once every 2 months when it gets to yellow for my liking.

Here's a link to another site that was useful to guide me in natural planted tanks.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/

Hi Lawrence,

Just curious, wat type of filter are u running for your 1 feet cube? And the water temperature?

Thanks.

[GaspingGurami]

300L/hr China made powerhead over a sponge filter. Temp is 29-30 deg depending on ambient temperature. Evaporation rate is around +/- 1.5 L daily, cooled by fan during lights on hours.

[adi99]

Hello People,

Thanks for the advice...

About the substrate to use....a bit confused here. Do you mean using ADA Aquasoil do not require base fert?

I will be attaching the ferns to the driftwood. The last time I tried planting into the soil and all i get is a bunch of rotting roots. It is a no no for ferns to plant in the soil. The only plants I will be putting in the soil will be Anubias hairgrass and HC.

How about Fert dosing? what types are recommended for Low tech tanks? Any brands to recommend?

I had already read Tom Barr's advice and am reading Diana Walstad's book now. Very chem...a lot of chemical processes, how the plants and fishes counter balances each other Zzzzzz.....
She recommend strongly to place the tank in sunlight. Err...guess no bros are attempting that much I think.

Hope more pros can contribute to this thread so that newbies to low tech like me will accelerate our progress to share share with all.

Prob will make a separate thread on my progress once I start....

[Ssur]

Hello People,

Thanks for the advice...

About the substrate to use....a bit confused here. Do you mean using ADA Aquasoil do not require base fert?

I will be attaching the ferns to the driftwood. The last time I tried planting into the soil and all i get is a bunch of rotting roots. It is a no no for ferns to plant in the soil. The only plants I will be putting in the soil will be Anubias hairgrass and HC.

How about Fert dosing? what types are recommended for Low tech tanks? Any brands to recommend?

I had already read Tom Barr's advice and am reading Diana Walstad's book now. Very chem...a lot of chemical processes, how the plants and fishes counter balances each other Zzzzzz.....
She recommend strongly to place the tank in sunlight. Err...guess no bros are attempting that much I think.

Hope more pros can contribute to this thread so that newbies to low tech like me will accelerate our progress to share share with all.

Prob will make a separate thread on my progress once I start....

Im just using ADA Aquasoil only, some pple add in the ADA powersand, so it really depends what you want. But aquasoil alone is fine.

I use Ferka lines of fert, because looks easy enough, and nice cool pump bottles. :P

For me, the hardest part in setting up was the hardscape and planting scheme, its really not easy.

Good luck with ya setup!

[Sleepy_lancs]

Not true. I am putting my nana tank near windows where sunlight hits the tank for about say 2-3 hours. Its a 3 ft tank with 2 x FL lighting. So far my nanas grows well.. although there are traces of BBA. Although its still in an experimental stage. I think its worth a try.

[bay4215]

Hi, dun mind my butting in here.

I am also a novice with planted tanks...actually tried a couple of setups but all failed. Anyway, now only into low-maint plants ie nanas and ferns.

What does it mean when my nana leaves turn yellow? Too much/little lights? Lack of nutrients? Light intensity too strong/not enough?

Thanks!

By the way, also just did a 4ft with some plants (nanas, ferns, moss) all tied to DW and using fine sand. Lights are FL white lights. No CO2 and using overhead filtration (I know this is not the correct "planted" setup....pls don't flame me). My focus is more on my fishes and just wanted some plants in there to enhance the look. Btw, the above question does not relate to this tank.

[Sleepy_lancs]

Hmm.. Your Nana seems to be starving. Try this, Keep your FL to about 1-1.5 watts per Galleon. Use Tom Barr's Non-CO2 tank setup method. Change the overhead filtration to either internal filter or Canister (minimise CO2 lost) and do just water top up