What is a MID TECH tank?

[thebaldingaquarist]

Up to about 8 months ago, i have always told fellow hobbyists that i have a 3ft low tech tank and a 2ft mid tech tank.
Then i met one hobbyist, who told me that my tanks are all mid tech. which stumbled me, as i realised that my definition is wrong... or is it...?

What is a low tech tank anyway? I figured that low tech is not low maintenance. you can have a low tech but high maintenance tank. the "tech" in the name must refer to the level of technicalities used in the set up or maintenance of the tank. so a low tech tank "must be"

tank with filter and soil... and ..
controlled lighting of <1 watt per gallon T5Ho lighting power.


Then a HIGH tech tank "must be"

tank with filter and soil.. and..
controlled lighting of >3 watt per gallon T5Ho lighting power
chiller and/or heater to control temperature
CO2 with solenoid
Co2 reactor or diffuser
Co2 counter


A mid tech tank is therefore anything in between the 2 levels.

is this your definition of low, mid, high tech tanks?
if so, if i have additional stuff like under gravel heating, auto dosing and auto top up tech.. this will make the tank ultra high tech..

if i remove the light and use natural sunlight (in Diana Walstad tanks), its an ultra low tech tank?

Sorry for noob questions. I am still learning.

[bennyc]

hi eric,
i also have the similar problem. Recently, i visited a member house tank. We were talking, and i told him i am running a 1bps with 2 T5ho, he told me is low tech.. i was like huh but because of face issue, i never ask further, haha.

My defi of high tech is co2 introduce plus high light and fert would make the tank high tech. But i stand to be correct as many people have different understanding so i am curious to find out what is the general consensus.

[Jubs]

My personal definition would be higher light and maybe DIY co2 and or Excel, I don't personally use the WPG rule anymore and use PAR to measure my light (I have access to a PAR meter via my aquarium club). My understanding is a Walstad tank is considered a "low tech" tank.

[thebaldingaquarist]

hi eric,
i also have the similar problem. Recently, i visited a member house tank. We were talking, and i told him i am running a 1bps with 2 T5ho, he told me is low tech.. i was like huh but because of face issue, i never ask further, haha.

My defi of high tech is co2 introduce plus high light and fert would make the tank high tech. But i stand to be correct as many people have different understanding so i am curious to find out what is the general consensus.

Me too, I am not a guru or a person of authority. hoping to see some definition if possible.

My personal definition would be higher light and maybe DIY co2 and or Excel, I don't personally use the WPG rule anymore and use PAR to measure my light (I have access to a PAR meter via my aquarium club). My understanding is a Walstad tank is considered a "low tech" tank.

Some of Walstad tanks are lit by filtered sunlight. which means the controlled lighting aspect of the tank is removed. in other words, low tech means tank + water + soil?

[Ingen]

Interesting topic.

I always thought a low tech tank refers to one that require minimum maintenance, example not only any strict fertilizer cycle, weekly or fortnightly top up of traces. While high tech tank refers to one that's on a co2 enrichment program with strict fertilizer cycle like EI with weekly water change.

That's my beginner understanding of these two definitions. Would like to know the true definition too haha.

[blue33]

I don't use CO2 counter & I use atomiser, does that mean low tech or high tech? Lol. When we talk about high tech, usually we refer to using CO2, high growth rate of plant, high lighting, regular supply of ferts, etc... As for Chiller is optional as it involves in your surrounding environment also, you could be using plant/moss that can withstand higher temperature or you could be using fan also.

The most notable in high tech tank is high supply of CO2/Excel, high lighting(8hrs or more most time), regular fert supply, at least weekly water change(at least 1/3 or more). The rest can be what ever you like to call, individual preference. Lol...

Just my 0.0002cts opinion.

[thebaldingaquarist]

Interesting topic.

I always thought a low tech tank refers to one that require minimum maintenance, example not only any strict fertilizer cycle, weekly or fortnightly top up of traces. While high tech tank refers to one that's on a co2 enrichment program with strict fertilizer cycle like EI with weekly water change.

That's my beginner understanding of these two definitions. Would like to know the true definition too haha.

i agree with that low tech is always associated with low maintenance. But i am not so sure if its true. my nano low tech tanks requires water change every 3 days. but my so called mid tech 3ft tank requires water change every week. I don't dose fertilizer for both. and i trim more often in my nano compared to my 3ft... but thats because i am lazy. LOL

I don't use CO2 counter & I use atomiser, does that mean low tech or high tech? Lol. When we talk about high tech, usually we refer to using CO2, high growth rate of plant, high lighting, regular supply of ferts, etc... As for Chiller is optional as it involves in your surrounding environment also, you could be using plant/moss that can withstand higher temperature or you could be using fan also.

The most notable in high tech tank is high supply of CO2/Excel, high lighting(8hrs or more most time), regular fert supply, at least weekly water change(at least 1/3 or more). The rest can be what ever you like to call, individual preference. Lol...

Just my 0.0002cts opinion.

i want to understand more. do you mean that high/mid/low tech is directly related to the environment that the aquarium provides to the plants? the more favourable the condition, the higher the tech?

[Ingen]

i agree with that low tech is always associated with low maintenance. But i am not so sure if its true. my nano low tech tanks requires water change every 3 days. but my so called mid tech 3ft tank requires water change every week. I don't dose fertilizer for both. and i trim more often in my nano compared to my 3ft... but thats because i am lazy. LOL

Why is there a need to change every three days and how do you manage to have it grow so well, share share please! My 1ft foreground hardy grow... the only thing blooming is my mixed shrimps population LOL.

[blue33]

It depends on what you want to achieve and the stuff you use. You need time to digest and figure out what I mentioned. The most misleading is when someone said he's using high tech but the result comes out is not high tech.

[thebaldingaquarist]

Why is there a need to change every three days and how do you manage to have it grow so well, share share please! My 1ft foreground hardy grow... the only thing blooming is my mixed shrimps population LOL.

it is because i have pearl grass in the nano tank.. the plant grows quickly and it reaches the surface quickly.. so i snip snip every few days..

[erwinx]

High tech means more things can go wrong when there is a power failure? Or High Tech means you cannot go on 2 week holiday or disaster will strike your tank?

Then true High tech you must also have Uninterruptible Power Supply or your own generator (like Seaview), automatic doser, etc.


I am running 60cm tank with Co2 1bps, I consider my tank to be low maintenance, low tech....

[serialain]

I subscribe to the same definition of you. My tank has high lighting, I use excel and weekly/fortnightly topups of macro and micro nutrients and so I consider it to be a mid-tech tank. No pressurized CO2 because of space constraints!

[thebaldingaquarist]

High tech means more things can go wrong when there is a power failure? Or High Tech means you cannot go on 2 week holiday or disaster will strike your tank?

Then true High tech you must also have Uninterruptible Power Supply or your own generator (like Seaview), automatic doser, etc.


I am running 60cm tank with Co2 1bps, I consider my tank to be low maintenance, low tech....

I would want to think that low/med/high tech has a different definition than low/med/high maintenance tanks.

I subscribe to the same definition of you. My tank has high lighting, I use excel and weekly/fortnightly topups of macro and micro nutrients and so I consider it to be a mid-tech tank. No pressurized CO2 because of space constraints!

I assume you are subscribing to my definition?

Thanks for the replies!

[Phillipians]

Interesting discussion:

High tech - Strong lights + CO2 + fert regime + water change at least 1 time a week + frequent trimming (Plants wise, mostly stem and fast growing plants with more red plants)

Low tech - Lights + water and soil. No Co2, nothing. Nanas, crypts, ferns, buceps and HG maybe. Of course - plus fish also hahah.

Mid tech - in between the both.

I would also think that high tech means higher maintenance as well. It would be great to have an AQ standard - just like the gold standard lol.

[Dodofish]

Actually does it matter whether it is high tech or low tech? I dont know much about definition. But i recall when i first started, most of the online article refer high tech to the measurement of watts per gallon.

But the problem is i can never relate this back to how the plants can benefit even if i get my definition right.

So what if using high light and co2? I can still fail in some plants which i cant cultivate. Some have grew their plants so well even when they used the minimum. Thus i feel experience is more valuable than the definitions.

No offences bro. I know how it feels like when we hear something we dont understand.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk

[blue33]

You've hit the jackpot, it really doesn't matter, as long as you get optimal plant/moss grow but.... talking about getting the optimal grow you need those high tech/good discipline/experienced inorder to achieve it. I don't really care what tech as long as i can achieve what i want.

High/Mid/Low tech is just for lazy people to understand or you may not understand. Different people will have different result using the same method. I can still get good result by everyday changing water, no algae and good plant grow but not optimal that i want, it'll be too tire for me to do that.

[Urban Aquaria]

For me, the "tech" label in a tank's setup description refers to equipment and additives used (which is derived from technology), but it isn't based on specific levels of usage of those equipment or additives.

High-Tech = Filter + Lights + Co2 Injection + Carbon Supplement + Fert Dosing
Mid-Tech = Filter + Lights + Carbon Supplement + Fert Dosing
Low-Tech = Filter + Lights

Then i further split the label by "high maintainence" or "low maintainance", depending on how the equipment is setup, the plant selections and the intended growth rate of the plants.

So for example, its possible to have a high-tech low-maintainence tank... by moderating the light, Co2, carbon, ferts dosing and using slower-moderate growth plants, most of the "tech" equipment and supplements are used, but in this case its adjusted more to keep the tank conditions stable (to ensure no deficiencies) and grow plants at a moderate pace, hence less maintainance and allowing for a wider margin for errors.

On the otherhand, there can also be low-tech high-maintainence setups, like using insufficient filtration and having too high bio-load, then end up have to do water changes a many times a week just to keep the tank in balance, or using lights that are too strong and left on too long, so have to keep cleaning algae from the tank every week.

[Phillipians]

You've hit the jackpot, it really doesn't matter, as long as you get optimal plant/moss grow but.... talking about getting the optimal grow you need those high tech/good discipline/experienced inorder to achieve it. I don't really care what tech as long as i can achieve what i want.

I actually disagree with the statement as these terms help us categorise tanks and their set up better. If that is the case might as well tell everyone I have a fish tank period. Its after all just a tank containing fish and of course in our case, plants.

These terms helps us understand what care/technology goes into maintenance of such a tank. It's not for the sole purpose of comparison - I do not think low tech is less of a tank than a high tech. In fact it is lazier for us to just say i have so and so plant, so and so light and put fert at so and so time and i dont know how come everything grows lol.

With some sort of category, we will be able to ascertain how much time or money needs to go into a particular setup. That's just my take.

[blue33]

Is a never ending story/discussion, as i've mentioned earlier even the same setting but done by different user the result will be different. Still low/mid/high tech still confuse people, especially the newbies or even the old bird when they try to follow/hear this or that will work for them, most of the time it don't work out.

I've seen too many suggestion in many threads in AQ, this will work that will work but did they really work out for them? The more you tell them low/mid/high tech they get confuse. All this is based on experienced and really tried it out then you'll understand.

[bennyc]

Actually does it matter whether it is high tech or low tech? I dont know much about definition. But i recall when i first started, most of the online article refer high tech to the measurement of watts per gallon.

But the problem is i can never relate this back to how the plants can benefit even if i get my definition right.

So what if using high light and co2? I can still fail in some plants which i cant cultivate. Some have grew their plants so well even when they used the minimum. Thus i feel experience is more valuable than the definitions.

No offences bro. I know how it feels like when we hear something we dont understand.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk

i also disagree, just like philipians, with the statement of that there is no point in knowing the definition. It serves as a start point where you can adjust it according to your tank parameters to better suit and achieve optimal plant growth.

Lazy people won't even bother about definitions. they will just dump in everything they know or hearsay and hope for the best with as many fingers crossed as possible.