Hi! Newbie here. Low tech outdoor tank.

[harryxing]

I had a 2ft tank someone threw away and decided to throw in feeder guppies 2 years ago.
My tank is on a hdb walk way so it is in direct sun. Full of algae.
Recently decided to go into some low tech planting.
uploadfromtaptalk1387726167452.jpguploadfromtaptalk1387725996016.jpg
And I also like to raise a RCS army
uploadfromtaptalk1387726265373.jpguploadfromtaptalk1387726365097.jpg
Hair algae is the most common in my tank.
Threw in 10 amano shrimps and 2 oto today to fight my algae.
I m quite keen in using my top filter to plant something.
Look forward to finding similar hobbist who goes this path of lowtech outdoor tank. Cheers! Feel free to comment and give any crazy ideas. But my stand is no expensive equipment for me because anyone can walk to my house and take it away. Hahahaha! Great outdoors.

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[felix_fx2]

Welcome to the outdoor club..

You can grow creeping plants which can flower, used in foreground for OHF, use gravel (those are better for BB) and ditch the foam.
Glosso, Hairgrass both do flower.

Depending on the sunlight exposed to the tank, you might as well go heavily planted on the sections exposed to the sun during peak hours.
You can just paste some oyama or stick plastic sheet on the back to control the light from being too over powered.

btw. hairgrass just use a old toothbrush to scrub them when you see hair algae. every few weeks i do some brushing if i can find any.
Just something i discovered, Hairgrass/windelov & normal java ferns/moss are hair algae magnets

I have 1 question, you not scared someone goes and pull the OHF's pump wire? I tried to do that and... my mom made a HUGE FUSS over it.

Cheers & go see my photo blog....i am more crazy then you hehe

[harryxing]

Woah! Hi five! Meet someone who likes to keep aquarium like this.
I don't think anyone will pull the wire.
The worst thing that can happen is they steal my lights and filter and even my fish. But I doubt anyone will do that because it is quite stupid and they won't get much money out of it. No one did that to me so far.

What is your blog? And can you guide me some steps to planting on my hof. Now I just throw water hyssop in wire mesh inside it and it is growing but with yellowing too.

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[harryxing]

Welcome to the outdoor club..

You can grow creeping plants which can flower, used in foreground for OHF, use gravel (those are better for BB) and ditch the foam.
Glosso, Hairgrass both do flower.

Depending on the sunlight exposed to the tank, you might as well go heavily planted on the sections exposed to the sun during peak hours.
You can just paste some oyama or stick plastic sheet on the back to control the light from being too over powered.

btw. hairgrass just use a old toothbrush to scrub them when you see hair algae. every few weeks i do some brushing if i can find any.
Just something i discovered, Hairgrass/windelov & normal java ferns/moss are hair algae magnets

I have 1 question, you not scared someone goes and pull the OHF's pump wire? I tried to do that and... my mom made a HUGE FUSS over it.

Cheers & go see my photo blog....i am more crazy then you hehe

Nice to have you comment. I really want to get some ideas from you. Maybe you can give me a link to your photo blog.

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[bennyc]

Hi harry,
not be rude, but felix's blog link is already in his signature. It is always below his comments.

[felix_fx2]

Hi harry,
not be rude, but felix's blog link is already in his signature. It is always below his comments.

He browse from tapatalk time will not be able to see the signature.

This is my signature

Learning the hardway, not the highway.
Photo Blog - http://impervious-endeavors.fish-aqua.com/

AQ Algae club

[bennyc]

Oh i see. My apologise, harry.

[Urban Aquaria]

Some of those RCS look quite red, might attract the attention of walk-by "shrimp-nappers"... probably a good idea to do regular headcount to check that none of them mysteriously "disappear" over time.

[felix_fx2]

Some of those RCS look quite red, might attract the attention of walk-by "shrimp-nappers"... probably a good idea to do regular headcount to check that none of them mysteriously "disappear" over time.

harry never say where he live

i think the birds will like his tank.. cause i have birds all the time "fishing"....

[harryxing]

Hahahaha! I live in a flat 5th floor. No birds. No thieves yet. And thanks for the link for the photo blog looking through some interesting stuffs.

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[felix_fx2]

5th got... not black ones only blue LOL

Np, hope can poison you deep deep.

[tetrakid]

hi Felix,
Is it possible to keep fish in a tank without any filter? So far I always use a filter but I am also interested to try a filterless way.

Also. do you know any LFS in Bishan/AMK/Toa Payoh ? (I only know Natural in Thomson, and the small one in AMK Central). Thanks.

[harryxing]

hi Felix,
Is it possible to keep fish in a tank without any filter? So far I always use a filter but I am also interested to try a filterless way.

Also. do you know any LFS in Bishan/AMK/Toa Payoh ? (I only know Natural in Thomson, and the small one in AMK Central). Thanks.

Im a newbie but I think you can take bus 86 from amk to seaview aquarium in farmway I think quite near. Or any bus to serangoon north lots of Lfs even nearer.

I tried to keep guppies for 2 years without water change and without filter... only top up one every month. The only problem is hair algae and dirt all trapped in the hair algae. Very natural looking but ugly.

Feeder guppies breed well and I never see any dead guppies because the snails devoured them.
And trust me the smell is not stinking... more like old cabinet smell.

I wont do it again but im really keen if anyone can do it without filter and keep it presentable.

My guess is no filter means more water change and more manual cleaning.

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[felix_fx2]

@tetrakid, Bishan/AMK/Toa Payoh no longer have decent Lfs, only left marketplace ones that are super super small... no filter bioload cannot very high.

@harryxing, you will shock when you see how i do water change. depend how the conditions are... i may do WIWO until 100%.. thanks to being in old HDB..

[tetrakid]

@harryxing, @felix

I like to have minimum maintenance, so if no filter, and I add plenty of ceramic rings below (use as the substrate), will it help control the bioload? Thanks.

[harryxing]

@tetrakid
Interesting idea... Maybe you can explain more. I don't understand yet. Because I think the fish waste will still be under water. Need to plant heavily to use the waste as fertilisers.

I always dream of a tank with a tap at the substrate layer and a tap on top. When u want to change water you drain out the tank and add water by switching on both taps. uploadfromtaptalk1388817978639.jpg
A picture I got from pinterest.

Keep researching. Im very keen to have a no filter low maintenance fish keeping method too.

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[felix_fx2]

@harryxing, that you can find in giant. comes with built in tap, its actually a drink dispenser.

@tetra kid, you can always plan for such a tank. can consider the substrate called flourite instead of cr.

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[bennyc]

CR works better with water flow through them. If just use as substrate is a bit wasted. Water movement at the bottom of the CR is low so the BB is not well fed. The top will be ok but eventually the fish poo and uneaten food will sink and struck in between the gaps, making cleaning the fish tank difficult. The fine pores of the CR where the BB resides will also be clog with detritus and choke the BB to death.


I have seen neighbors tub heavily planted with lily and guppies inside without filter that has been running for a couple of years without any problems.

[tetrakid]

CR works better with water flow through them. If just use as substrate is a bit wasted. Water movement at the bottom of the CR is low so the BB is not well fed. The top will be ok but eventually the fish poo and uneaten food will sink and struck in between the gaps, making cleaning the fish tank difficult. The fine pores of the CR where the BB resides will also be clog with detritus and choke the BB to death.
I have seen neighbors tub heavily planted with lily and guppies inside without filter that has been running for a couple of years without any problems.

Yes, the problem is the settled dirt. etc. Maybe I will leave the tank bottom bare and fit the ceramic rings holder near the surface so there's more air for the BB.

[felix_fx2]

CR works better with water flow through them. If just use as substrate is a bit wasted. Water movement at the bottom of the CR is low so the BB is not well fed. The top will be ok but eventually the fish poo and uneaten food will sink and struck in between the gaps, making cleaning the fish tank difficult. The fine pores of the CR where the BB resides will also be clog with detritus and choke the BB to death.


I have seen neighbors tub heavily planted with lily and guppies inside without filter that has been running for a couple of years without any problems.

my submerse farm tank also bare bottom. lots of tau Huey tub, with soil in them... and shrimps shrimps

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