2ft transformation..:D

**ranmasatome** · 21st Feb 2006, 15:33

hi guys..

heres my low tech 2 footer.. all are left over plants taht i thought could fit into a low tech setup..

i thought it was interesting to see what it went thru and how it was transformed from...

Phase1...to..

Phase2...to..

Phase3..to...

Phase4

Sorry for the hurried pics.... phase 4 was taken just this afternoon..and i was a bit rushed to go out..

oh..and you can also see how i used those extra ferns i had... think it feels quite...jungle-ly....almost like trekking in the forest here..

Comments are welcomed...

**|squee|** · 21st Feb 2006, 15:40

It's very nice! I like it! This is what I want for my non-CO2 tanks!

**ranmasatome** · 21st Feb 2006, 15:42

..thanks Terence... the ferns add a nice touch..i think they were vital in the setup..

JohnC... this is what they look like in a 2fter..

**solonavi** · 21st Feb 2006, 17:22

Lovely transformation. I kinda like phase 3 more.

Cheers
JC

**ranmasatome** · 21st Feb 2006, 17:50

well..found out from a botanist taht the ferns weren't exactly aquatic..i'll leave them there for the time being until i find a substitute.. bolbitis is just to big..

**V31** · 21st Feb 2006, 18:26

I like pic# 1 most. It's like some brook waterside

great!

**Goondoo** · 21st Feb 2006, 18:37

excellent

**zoeandmaia** · 22nd Feb 2006, 08:57

Lovely tank!

especially at phase 3 & 4!

Other than the usual low-tech plants (i.e. crypts, anubias, java ferns, and mosses), would you mind listing some of the plants that you experimented with and how they faired in a non-CO2 environment? Also, what is your wpg? and do you dose with anything?

**ranmasatome** · 22nd Feb 2006, 12:35

Hi Z&M..
Firstly..Welcome to AQ!!

well..besides the usual you mentioned..which is about 70-80% of the plants in there.. i have..
1)Hemianthus micranthemoides (grows well..but is just shoved into the back wall of mosses..not in substrate.)
2)Heteranthera zosterfolia (This is the fastest growing plant in this tank.)
3)Barclaya longifolia (alos fairs quite well)
4)Echinodorus- 3 different dwarf species in there...cant remember now..grows slow but well..
5)Hairgrass - i dont know because i jsut planted it..
6)Marsilea sp. - grows quite well..
7)vallisneria nana - Slow growth so far.

Using 55watts on a 15gal..no dosing AT ALL..nor any water change for about 1 year now...
Just weekly top up of water from my co2 tank.

HTH..

**Freakin' Fraud** · 22nd Feb 2006, 13:43

Originally Posted by ranmasatome

2)Heteranthera zosterfolia (This is the fastest growing plant in this tank.)

Hi, I noticed the Heteranthera zosterfolia amount diminished gradually from phase 1 to phase 4 (where i couldnt spot any). Is Heteranthera zosterfolia suitable for a low tech tank?

The thing is, i tried to plant HZ before in a low tech tank, they flourished initially but will slowly die off after a few months (they will have smaller and lesser new leaves develop while the old leaves turn black andd rot off). I personally adore this plant but can't seem to grow them well. Care to share some experience and advice?

**ranmasatome** · 22nd Feb 2006, 14:13

IT is suitable... i just grew bored of it and truthfully..i lessened the amount of that plant because if there was too much.. i was pruning ALmost EVERY 2 WEEKS!!! which i cant stand since this is a low tech tank!!

now i prune about once a month... but it is still taht plant that i prune...

i dont see any problems with it being in a low tech tank... persoanlly..i dont do anything at all.. i jsut leave it there and it just kinda takes care of itself..
prune off the dead leaves..and stems.. they will send new ones up.

**Freakin' Fraud** · 22nd Feb 2006, 14:23

Really ar... oh well, it must be the fengshui of my tank then... not suitable for HZ...

heh, but now i know who to look for if i decide to try my hands on HZ again...

**Goondoo** · 22nd Feb 2006, 16:12

Originally Posted by ranmasatome

Using 55watts on a 15gal..no dosing AT ALL..nor any water change for about 1 year now...
Just weekly top up of water from my co2 tank.

HTH..

You top up water from your CO2 tank?

**PeterGwee** · 22nd Feb 2006, 16:22

Bad move...indirect addition of excess CO2 to a non-CO2 tank.

Regards
Peter Gwee

**|squee|** · 22nd Feb 2006, 16:26

What's the fish you have in there? Some sort of barb right?

**Ah_ZhaN** · 22nd Feb 2006, 16:58

I like phase 3 alot...

yet the addition of ferns is also doing lots of justice as can see in phase 4...

Keep it upzz,
zhan

**ranmasatome** · 22nd Feb 2006, 17:26

Peter..yah...i know you told me this already..haha... but so far its okay lah.. no problems as of yet.. and its been going like this for close to a year..

err....fishes ah?? Mostly rasboras.. vaterifloris, vulcanus, pauciperforata and dorsiocellata. that makes up about 95%.

the others are assorted.. like P.oligolepis, some tetras that i am holding for choy to take pictures of cos we dont know what they are.., eirmotus... and bristlenoses..