The Natural Tank

[Sonny Disposition]

I have to say that I'm intrigued by the concept of a low-tech tank that allows for decent plant growth. I hate to say this around you guys, but I'd prefer not to inject C02, especially if I can find another way to stimulate plant growth.

I'm thinking, too, that it might work better (for me, anyway) to modify the concept.

The live sand tank is working out really well. That construction sand I got from Sarah is fine and packs fairly densely, so the detritus doesn't sink into the sand bed. And the cories, loaches and gymnogeophagus keep the surface constantly agitated, so the detritus gets stirred up and drawn up in the filter stream.

I still need to build the light for it, so I haven't added any plants yet. I'm thinking of adding fast growing plants at first--Val, najas, bacopa, and that stuff that I brought back from Florida that I can't identify. The fast growing plants, theoretically, should compete pretty well with the algae.

After I see which one does best, I'll start thinking about slower growing plants for the foreground.

I'm thinking, too, instead of putting soil over the entire bottom of the tank, it might be best just to use it for selected plants that might benefit from it, like the Echinodorus uruguayensis. My idea is to selectively plant one or two in a pot with some soil, just below the surface of the sand, and then cover it up with a layer of sand.

There are a couple of scapes - not hers, they are out of her state. Mostly using dwarf sags, swords, crypts, vals....

I'm pretty sure you could make a decent scape in an NPT. Just not gonna have some of those collectoritis plants I like to try.

Someday, I'll get off my butt, get a fully automated dosed tank going, and collect the rest of 'em, all those synoganthus, tonina, and Eriocaulons that hate my tanks so far.

[ingg]

Bob, it is perfectly fine to say!

Sheesh, I hope no one thinks hi tech, or hi light, is the only way to go (or that any of us suggest that). It *is* fun to try and to do, but certainly isn't for everyone - nor for every tank.

For the record, I have more than one tank with 2 wpg, no co2, and only simple plants in them. They just aren't display tanks for me.

Keep the plant selection simple, selective to those that do well in moderate light and without fert routines in water, and you can make it decent. It'll never "pop" with crazy colors or be as dense growth as a hi tech tank can be, but that is okay and sometimes preferable!


Heck - just wait for pics of what I'm about to set up for my brother, hehe.

Total low light, simple plants in Eco complete and under 2 wpg. It'll be done with loads of anubias of a few varieties, java ferns of three varities, crypt spiralis and willissii, plan is to pretty much completely fill the tank right from the get go.

78 watts of T5HO light over a 57g tank. Simple, low light.

And I'm looking forward to scaping it to be honest, will be a big departure for me to not use any stems or foreground plants at all.

[John G]

Keep the plant selection simple, selective to those that do well in moderate light and without fert routines in water, and you can make it decent. It'll never "pop" with crazy colors or be as dense growth as a hi tech tank can be, but that is okay and sometimes preferable!

I've never had a problem with getting "dense growth" in very low tech tanks; and while I've never had "crazy colors" it is pretty easy to get reds with various crypts, which go nicely with various shades of green in the other plants.

[krisw]

Yep, and I would also encourage anyone doing low-tech to think that they can't aquascape. You can setup a beautifully scape aquarium with low-tech methods, if you take into consideration the things John mentioned about plant growth, fullness, etc. The nice thing, is that once you have it looking good, it'll likely stay that way for a long time. It might take 6-12 months to grow in exactly how you want it, however.

[SCMurphy]

I'm thinking, too, that it might work better (for me, anyway) to modify the concept.

Rule No. 1 of aquarium keeping:

You make your own rules for your own tanks.

Yep, and I would also encourage anyone doing low-tech to think that they can't aquascape.

You mean that you would tell people doing low tech who think that they can't aquascape that they can. Right?

[Sonny Disposition]

I'm among the artistically challenged, so it may not be possible for me to come up with a beautiful scape. (I'm just shooting for competent.)

Yep, and I would also encourage anyone doing low-tech to think that they can't aquascape. You can setup a beautifully scape aquarium with low-tech methods, if you take into consideration the things John mentioned about plant growth, fullness, etc. The nice thing, is that once you have it looking good, it'll likely stay that way for a long time. It might take 6-12 months to grow in exactly how you want it, however.