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Thread: Small Low Tech Tanks

  1. #1
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    Small Low Tech Tanks

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    Hi,

    For the last 1 year, I have been travelling a fair bit. I am more settled now. I intend to start planted tanks again. This time, I decided to go low tech, that is, no CO2, no cooling device, little or no fertilizing and hopefully no filteration or water change.

    I need advises and any inputs from you will be appreciated.

    My plan:
    Tank: Likely to be 1 or 1.5 ft cube
    Substrate: ADA Amazonian soil
    Lighting: 13 watts flourescence
    Filter: Either hang on back type or Matten Type
    Plants: Foreground (either hair grass or tennelus) Background (either mosses or java fern on wood)

    I will do a Matten filter if I can find pump with rating of 2 watts and below.

  2. #2
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    Hey Freddy, I knew you can't go long without a planted tank. My low tech ones literally have no tech; no filtration, aeration, fertilization and no lights. Just mosses, crypts and shrimps which I feed occasionally!

    If you're looking for low-wattage pumps, try Eden. Small, efficient and less than 2 watts, I think. Keep us updated!!
    I'm back & keeping 'em fingers wet,
    Ronnie Lee

  3. #3
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    For foreground Tennelus is better because it does not so much light as hairgrass and it looks narrow

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    Just did marketing today

    I got myself:
    Tank: 40Lx23Dx25H (in cm) @S$15 (Euro 7 / USD 11)
    *Rounded/folded front glass
    Substrate: ADA Amazonian soil @S$19
    *Shop offered half bag
    Lighting: 11 watts flourescence @S$14
    *I like the look
    Filter: Tiny hang on back type @S$8
    *3 watts, comes with surface extractor!
    *May add sponge to inlet to act as Matten filter

    Total S$57 (Euro 27 / USD42).
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Ron,
    Thanks for your reminder... "cannot da han" (I admire) your tanks...fully ignored and yet works.

    Mars,
    Thanks.
    I like tennelus when they are short (<5cm). In my previous "medium tech" tank, I failed to keep the tennelus low/short.
    I am not sure if this tank setup with ADA soil will do better.

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    Freddy,
    For small low light tank, you might also want to consider Mini pellia and C parva. I have both in a small tank with no light and filtration and they looks great.
    If you are into Nature, check out the new NSS Nature Forum.
    See my Nature photos and Butterfly Blog

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    Welcome back, Freddy.

    You know, you should never have sold away everything in the first place. Always keep the equipment somewhere in the house even when you are sick of the hobby because you never know when you want to start again.

    If you had not already bought your tank, I would recommend that you take a look at the tanks at Keong Seong at Havelock Road. The tanks are from China and they are of a very high quality. The prices are a bit high but considering how well the tanks are made, I would say they are very reasonable.

    Loh K L

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    Hi Gan,
    Thanks. I like C parva but I understand that its' growth is very slow. What was your experience with it? Can you post the tank picture here?

    Hi KL,
    Thanks. You are right. The tank you saw may be the same as what I got, they come in various sizes and are very nice. I will post some pictures next week.

  8. #8
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    I have a tank that sounds much like yours, but smaller (about 40L). I got it at the AGA auction from Tom Barr who had manged to find several of them. It came with ADA soil, CO2 injectors, filters, heaters, etc. [It was a huge bargain.]

    I like it a lot, but uncovered tanks are very impractical in our low humidity, as well as being unsuited to most killifish. [They insist on moving up the evolutionary ladder by trying to live on the carpet. It usually does not work out well.]

    As I recall, Tom said they came in with several sizes that nested together to make shipping more practical. Does anyone in SG have a wholesale source that could ship the tanks to the US? They are truly beautiful (but not very cheap). I have not seen them for sale here. I did manage to smuggle home from SG a much smaller one that now houses my Tiger Shrimp.

    Also, does anyone make a closed hood (20-30W min.) that will discourage jumpers? At present, I can only keep White Clouds, Barbs and Rasboras in mine. The rounded front corners make normal hoods fit poorly, and there is no ledge for a glass cover.

    At a RH of 15% or less on average, I simply must have covers. OTOH, chilling is easy with a good air stone! I plan to even install a swamp (evaporative) cooler on my greenhouse that is nearly completed.


    Wright

    PS. I'm registered to go to the annual AGA Convention in Atlanta GA in Nov. LMK if anyone (but Prof. Tan) will be there, so we can share a beer or three and swap stories.
    01 760 872-3995
    805 Valley West Circle
    Bishop, CA 93514 USA

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    Hi Wright,
    My tank capacity is only 23 litres. And for USD11, it comes with glass cover :P. The quality is quite good - see the pretty single folded front panel!



    Yes! They come with several sizes that nested together to make shipping practical. There are 2 makers/brands, one provides cover and the other not. Otherwise, the design/size are identical. The price difference (lees than US$1) is negligible. I find the quality of the former being better.

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    Photos...

    Initial setup and place above book shelf ... soaking the soil while waiting for new home.


    Now sitting on sofa's side table :P


    I got myself hair grass which seller says is new species from Japan




    To keep foreground plants properly weighted, I always shove them into substrate at an angle


    Found this nice helping chap which floated nicely throughout the filling up

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    Quote Originally Posted by fc
    Hi Wright,
    My tank capacity is only 23 litres. And for USD11, it comes with glass cover :P.
    That is a perfect size for many killifish. I must have converted cm and inches and gallons/liters incorrectly.

    Yes! They come with several sizes that nested together to make shipping practical. There are 2 makers/brands, one provides cover and the other not. Otherwise, the design/size are identical. The price difference (lees than US$1) is negligible. I find the quality of the former being better.
    I wonder when we will be able to buy such attractive tanks here in the US.

    I think I see how the glass cover is held without any inner shelf for it. I may try to devise something similar for my present tanks.

    Wright
    01 760 872-3995
    805 Valley West Circle
    Bishop, CA 93514 USA

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    Freddy,
    The moss in my neglected tanks are overgrowing and need a trim. Not sure what these are but if you like what you see, help yourself to the excess. I don't work Saturdays, so sms me.
    I'm back & keeping 'em fingers wet,
    Ronnie Lee

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    Hi Wright,
    I have no experience in trading or shipping. I can get the shop name and contact for you if you need. Let me know if I can help in any way.

    Hi Ron,
    I have done the first planting, see below. Now, I am lost what to do next.


    More photos...

    The S$8 filter has skimmer (located at upper part of the inlet tube) that actually works beautifully!


    The lamp I got is powered by electronic ballast



  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by fc
    Now, I am lost what to do next
    Huh? For someone who plans pretty well, I'm kinda surprised to hear you say that! You're just out of practice. Look at Kwek Leong, he tears down and rescape tanks more often than I change underwear, and you never hear him say he's lost.

    But if you ask me, I think your tank needs a nice piece of driftwood or complimentary pieces of rocks to create focus. How about some taller plants in the backdrop like Crypt. balansae or narrow java fern? These two aren't demanding for light.
    I'm back & keeping 'em fingers wet,
    Ronnie Lee

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    Freddy,
    parva is indeed slow growing, not suitable if you want to cover the whole tank. I grown them in a bush in one corner. Will try to take a photo later.

    Another plant which i like is Potamogeton gayi. It makes a nice backdrop for tank with simple layout.
    If you are into Nature, check out the new NSS Nature Forum.
    See my Nature photos and Butterfly Blog

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    Ron,


    I originally wanted narrow leaf java fern as backdrop but looking at tank's 23cm width, the leafs would stretch to reach the front panel very quickly. Then, moss wall come into picture but I do not like the usual double layered plastic mess as it takes up space. Any idea?

    Or may be the twig-thin wood branches would be a good focal point?

    Gan,
    Thanks.

  17. #17
    Hi Freddy,
    you might also use these plants for your tank:

    • downois -> best choice as a rosette plant in such a small tank
      Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite' -> I keep it for 2,5years now and it stays small
      narrow/needle leaf java fern in one corner in the background -> I have the same one in a 40cm x 25cm x 30cm low light tank for years
      Windelov java fern for the other corner in the background
      Cryptocoryne sp. 'Legroi' -> small brown variety which reaches only 3-4"
      C. parva -> plant 3-4plants together and in small groups
      C. wendtii 'green' -> stays smaller than all over varieties and would be suitable for the background
      round pebbles covered with mini pelia
      DW covered with Monoselenium tenerum or even better covered with Lomariopsis lineata fern prothallium
      Amblystegium serpens -> a tiny, very undemanding moss which grows like stringy moss and would cover well the Matten filter


    That's all I can imagine so far. I grow all the mentioned plants for years in low light tanks without extra CO2. They do pretty well but some of them grow very slowly. With hair grass I never had much luck. It lasted some months but not much longer because it was too demanding. Even HC would be more suitable IMHO.

    Luwdigia repens and Najas would also do but they require more maintainance. You have to replant them at least every 3 weeks. So I wouldn't recommend them.

    best regards

    Robert

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    Hi Robert,
    Thank you for your suggestions and sharing with me your experiences.
    Currently, other than hair grass, I had installed cork wall with Singapore moss on it and a piece of plain drift wood as focal point.
    I wish to add stem plant. For its' vibrancy and beauty, I do not mind the maintenance.
    I will post pictures after my travel (Mon~Sat) next week. I hope to get suggestion on how to go on from there.

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    Tank updates:

    Photo taken on 25Aug08.


    On the same day, I add glosso.

  20. #20
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    Freddy, are you using cork bark for your background? It looks very nice. I tried it also, but eventually had problems with it deteriorating after several months in the tank. The bark sections began to float to the surface and I could no longer attach them to the tank. Also, the bark stained my water a yellow color. I hope you have better luck with the cork bark.

    Duane

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