Start high tech then switch to low tech for maintenance

[hencpu]

Start up with high light & pressurize CO2 to accelerate growth. Then once everything is growing nicely, you cut down on lighting, fert & remove CO2 altogether. So you can have low maintenance after that.

Has anyone done this? What are the foreseeable implications?

[AlexHcp]

Hi bro, i have always this question on my mind too! From what i think and read through, i believe certain plants would somehow be affected. An example would be like HC, in a CO2 rich enviroment, they will tend to spread out more, but if slowly the area is being lessen on Co2, the plants will tend to grow taller - kind of to reach more to the surface for Co2.

There is another thread in the forum that talks about Co2 and the distance of leaves inbetween stems. They did say that if Co2 in water is less - the distance will be greater comparing to a water with more C02.

I am no expert in this, but i do hope any bros out there would be able to answer more of your queries.

[hencpu]

Hi bro, i have always this question on my mind too! From what i think and read through, i believe certain plants would somehow be affected. An example would be like HC, in a CO2 rich enviroment, they will tend to spread out more, but if slowly the area is being lessen on Co2, the plants will tend to grow taller - kind of to reach more to the surface for Co2.

There is another thread in the forum that talks about Co2 and the distance of leaves inbetween stems. They did say that if Co2 in water is less - the distance will be greater comparing to a water with more C02.

I am no expert in this, but i do hope any bros out there would be able to answer more of your queries.

Thanks bro. Yeah, I notice my HC growing taller on my low tech tank, they were growing to the sides initially during dry start.

[AlexHcp]

I wanted to start a low tech tank using Glosso and HC, but then i am also afraid they wont spread nicely .... haha.. i would still go ahead and try though, got to start my new scape soon... Maybe there can be other cheaper alternative to the Co2 tanks?

[felix_fx2]

During initial few months (after plants root properly) will have finer leaves.

Plants do adapt abit to conditions. In general almost all like fine small leaves.

That is for foreground, may apply to some background or stem plants.

Lowered fert dosage when lowering photo-period/light wattage have some effect.

Guess how "low tech" it will be determined when the plant grows the way you like.

[felix_fx2]

I wanted to start a low tech tank using Glosso and HC, but then i am also afraid they wont spread nicely .... haha.. i would still go ahead and try though, got to start my new scape soon... Maybe there can be other cheaper alternative to the Co2 tanks?

Don't focus on co2. Focus growing plants.

If you taken things like GNC mass gain, if never train up and condition you'll gain mass fat not mass muscle.
It's kind of like a rule of thumb.

Hope you can understand.

[AlexHcp]

Bro Felix, I don't quite understand what you mean... Would you mind to elaborate abit?

[felix_fx2]

Co2 , fert and lighting is what naturally advaliable already ( as in real outdoors )

Plants in short use these to make food and grow. Carbon/nutrient/light

More carbon (when you inject) dissolved in water for the plant to make food and grow need to couple with sufficient of the other 2 requirement.
Too much or too little may stunt growth, produce algae farm...

[felix_fx2]

You should know the food process ( photosynthesis) mainly require what correct? If not can use wiki or google.

If you want fast results, co2/hi-light/good fert dosage. If low tech it will take time.

The gist of it is.
Low tech=less light to make food=less carbon needed.

The example I given in essence is the same. (since I have many friends think eating mass gain alone they will have nice big biceps and abs)

We advertise alot on co2 injection for 1 good reason. If you don't know can search the forum. Give you some research also. else read later all forget.

[hencpu]

Thanks, bro felix_fx2. So u think can be done?

Say i start my tank with 3wpg or more, inject co2 & regular fert dosing for the 1st month. Then after all the HC & stem plants have carpeted nicely or grown strong, i dropped the light to 1.5-2wpg, removed co2 injection & minimize fert altogether. Do u think the plants suffer any withdrawal from the "steroids" & die? or they will just stagnant (which is exactly what i'm looking for low maintenance).

So basically accelerated growth but low maintenance.

[felix_fx2]

Thanks, bro felix_fx2. So u think can be done?

Say i start my tank with 3wpg or more, inject co2 & regular fert dosing for the 1st month. Then after all the HC & stem plants have carpeted nicely or grown strong, i dropped the light to 1.5-2wpg, removed co2 injection & minimize fert altogether. Do u think the plants suffer any withdrawal from the "steroids" & die? or they will just stagnant (which is exactly what i'm looking for low maintenance).

So basically accelerated growth but low maintenance.

i fear when you tone-down to low tech. the plants will not grow as nice. I keep a few tanks with same plants but conditions that vary between them.
I liked high tech glosso alot as they have small leafs. (Hi tech setup plants more folks will like.)

Oh ya, guess this is a reminder in case you forget.. HC is quite demanding and many have failed when doing low tech. (Even my HC mixed with glosso tank the HC not doing well.)

There is someone who had glosso and HC and switched to lower lighting slowly and removed Co2. But i don't see him post quite for quite sometime already.

The best way is to try and find out. We all can advise but talk is cheap :P

[AlexHcp]

Bro felix, thanks for all the advice.. so what happened to the glosso when the C02 is not present?

yeah i do know that HC are quite demanding, i have also read up that it is possible to have HC in a CO2 free enviroment, just that they will not be as nice definitely. - in the long term, i feel it is quite costly to support this, and i do not have a cabinet, hence i think the Co2 tank is not feasible for me.. haha

I do thought of doing DIY Co2 - will be reading up more on the net, as really i am unable to afford a Co2 tank.

[felix_fx2]

Bro felix, thanks for all the advice.. so what happened to the glosso when the C02 is not present?

yeah i do know that HC are quite demanding, i have also read up that it is possible to have HC in a CO2 free enviroment, just that they will not be as nice definitely. - in the long term, i feel it is quite costly to support this, and i do not have a cabinet, hence i think the Co2 tank is not feasible for me.. haha

I do thought of doing DIY Co2 - will be reading up more on the net, as really i am unable to afford a Co2 tank.

1. Co2 is always present, just the concentration. If light is not that strong the demand will also be lowered. (i think phasing it like that is quite misleading. You agree?)
2. Check out shadow's old scape. DIY Co2. Should be a good example. a Co2 tank may look unsightly if using WI stand, as i am not having a cabinet also.

The startup cost for Co2 is less then $100 include manual regulator, Electric Solenoid is a heavier burden but it may be more wise as injection is started when needed so thus in a good sense easier to control BPS and save having to manually on...
(I tried 1 BPS whole day but not wise.. run out too fast.. and having turn on too fast hard to control BPS.)

The drop checker in my Crypt tank with Cherries using lapis sand is always showing Light green. Low demand tank

P.S: Army now have good pay.. imagine i had $190 last time. even more crap.

[AlexHcp]

haha ... i still thinking, i might DIY a CO2 from what i saw on Shadow's blog...
Hope it works well enough for my low tech tank too haha

[felix_fx2]

Start low tech. Get poisoned. Change hi tech

[Jon-san]

Start low tech. Get poisoned. Change hi tech

That's what happened to me... Especially when you see how well the plants grow with hi-tech setup..w.

[Shadow]

poison-poison

[felix_fx2]

That's what happened to me... Especially when you see how well the plants grow with hi-tech setup..w.

True, same here.
Low tech hard to achieve small lush leaves & full lawn.

[hencpu]

This thread turns into poison thread!!

Anyway, thanks for the advice, bro felix, guess i have to experiment a bit. Right now I'm still hesitant to go into pressurized CO2 yet, since I'm just a newbie so wanna learn from basic low tech first. At the moment excel seems ok for my needs.

[AlexHcp]

Poison !!1 but i do like the idea - still i am going to try the DIY Co2 first...