A tale of 4 tanks

[seangee]

All low tech, all low maintenance.
There have been several posts recently where people have done their research on planted tank sites and get all scientific about minerals, testing, CO2, light etc. Frankly I am to lazy for all of that and prefer a KISS approach. I am also slightly bemused by those who post quarterly about their re-scapes. Fish like a stable environment and I would not want to put them through that kind of stress that often - and did I mention I am a lazy git

So here they come in descending order of age. Pics were all taken today with no special treatment, its just what my tanks look like today

 

[seangee]

Tank 1 was set up in late 2014 when I downsized from a 450l tank. Many of the fish are still from that tank. It did get a major facelift (new substrate) in Sept 2019
Substrate: Limpopo black sand
Tank: Aquaone 180 litres
Livestock: Paracheirodon axelrodi, corydoras paleatus, corydoras sterbai, nannostomus marginatus, ancistrus sp, otocinculus, malaysian trumpet snails
Plants: Cryptocoryne wendtii, hygrophila costata, vallisneria spiralus, anubias nana, Limnobium laeviatum
Ferts: Root tabs for the cypts and hygrophila. TNC lite at recommended dosage once per week.
Water changes: 100 litres per week using pure RO
Substrate cleaning: No
Glass cleaning: Front only
Filter media: Sponge only, rinsed weekly
Light: standard tank light 12 hours per day

I recently cleared loads of plants and remove several jugs of frogbit per week. Since my signature pic I have lowered the level of the tank to allow the frogbit to cover the whole tank - but this does mean I have to clear it more often as I don't want it too thick.

 

[seangee]

Tank 2 setup in April 2018, tank bought used
Substrate: Limpopo black sand
Tank: Fluval flex 54 litres
Livestock: Celestichthys margaritatus, red rili shrimp, otocinculus, nerite snail malaysian trumpet snails
Plants: Cryptocoryne wendtii, Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis 53B', anubias nana, Limnobium laeviatum, echinodorus ?
Ferts: Root tabs. No liquid ferts
Water changes: 30 litres per week using pure RO remineralised to 6dGH using salty shrimp GH/KH+
Substrate cleaning: No
Glass cleaning: Front only
Filter media: Sponge only, rinsed weekly
Light: standard tank light at 55%, 8 hours per day

The Heteranthera zosterifolia in the left corner is brand new because I thought that corner looked a bit gappy. Almost all of the frogbit died in the recent heatwave, but there are 2 surviving leaves. So far I have resisted the urge to steal some from the community tank as I want to see if it will grow back.

 

[seangee]

Tank 3 setup in September 2019, emergency purchase because my dwarf chain loach in the community tank started terrorising the tetras.
Substrate: Limpopo black sand
Tank: Marina lux 75 litres
Livestock: Microdevario Kubotai, ambastaia sidthimunki, malaysian trumpet snails
Plants: Cryptocoryne wendtii, Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis 53B', anubias nana, echinodorus ?, hygrophila costata
Ferts: Root tabs. TNC Lite at 50% of the recommended dose once per week
Water changes: 40 litres per week using pure RO
Substrate cleaning: No
Glass cleaning: Front only
Filter media: Sponge only, rinsed weekly
Light: standard tank light at 50%, 8 hours per day

This tank was very much a throw together with everything scavenged from the 2 tanks I already had. Interesting to see the difference in the Hygrophila corymbosa between this tank and the flex. Here I planted a few stems and left them alone. In the Flex I regularly chopped the tops off and replanted - making it much denser in that tank.

Time to feed the 4 legged pets and give the dog her jab - back later with tank 4.

 

[seangee]

And finally tank 4 setup in mid June
Substrate: Kivu sand
Tank: Clearseal 85 litres
Livestock: Hyphessobrycon amandae, boraras (various), trichopsis pumila, corydorus pygmaeus, otos
Plants: ceratopteris (3 different kinds), Hygrophila polysperma, echinodorus reni, helanthium tenellum, heteranthera zosterifolia, ludwigia repens
Ferts: Root tabs. TNC Lite at 50% of the recommended dose once per week
Water changes: 40 litres per week using pure RO
Substrate cleaning: No
Glass cleaning: Front only
Filter media: Sponge only, rinsed weekly
Light: Nicrew Classic light at 50%, 9 hours per day

 

[ClownLurch]

Bravo Sir*








*cap doffed.

 

[Wills]

Looks fantastic Are you going to let the Hellanthium carpet in tank 4? Think that will look awesome

Wills

 

[seangee]

Looks fantastic Are you going to let the Hellanthium carpet in tank 4? Think that will look awesome

Wills

I hope so. I bought it because it can thrive in a low tech environment. I do know how good it can look and how invasive it can be in a high tech tank - but nowadays I am committed to minimal effort so those days are over unless I ever get around to a plants only nano tank (although I am also keen on a reef only nano tank ).

I have left the wood as it was. I initially bought the tank with a trio of Apistos in mind and marked out their territories - which of course they would completely ignore but it was always going to be 3 distinct zones. But once I started adding nano species I could not stop. For some time I have dreamed of a massive tank with hundreds of nano fish. Well this isn't massive - but it has eveolved into a macro nano community and I am really enjoying it. the left side will retain its sandy bottom for the sake of the cories. At one stage I did think of attempting to carpet the ludwigia as a ground cover.

 

[ClownLurch]

I hope so. I bought it because it can thrive in a low tech environment. I do know how good it can look and how invasive it can be in a high tech tank - but nowadays I am committed to minimal effort so those days are over unless I ever get around to a plants only nano tank (although I am also keen on a reef only nano tank ).

I have left the wood as it was. I initially bought the tank with a trio of Apistos in mind and marked out their territories - which of course they would completely ignore but it was always going to be 3 distinct zones. But once I started adding nano species I could not stop. For some time I have dreamed of a massive tank with hundreds of nano fish. Well this isn't massive - but it has eveolved into a macro nano community and I am really enjoying it. the left side will retain its sandy bottom for the sake of the cories. At one stage I did think of attempting to carpet the ludwigia as a ground cover.

I get the massive nano idea.
I’ve been holding off adding anything else to my tank as I’m now thinking I shouldve gone that way with a lukewarm, smaller, liquid rock version of one from the off. WCMM, EDR, Medaka, Least Killifish, Pseudomugils etc
Would that lot put up with a handful of guppies?

 

[utahfish]

Good thread, i know ive been on a few of the same threads as you recently where people had had questions about plants and algae and lighting and CO2 and i think im along sone of the same lines as you and other posters like Byron to just keep things simple. Ive done the whole CO2 thing and the big expensive lights and ive had less problems with algae and more success with plant growth with just a pretty basic set up.
I use CFL shop lights, no fancy led set up. I have an inert sand, no fancy aqua soil or dirt just put in some root tabs about once a month or so. I also use RO water which i think makes everything so much easier. I remineralize it and add a liquid fert and if there are signs of deficiencies in plants i try to identify what they are missing and add that but really the comprehensive liquid fert is all i need for water fert.
Its less of a mess less time measuring stuff out and less money. I do a weekly water change feed about 3 times a week and easy peasy. Your tanks look solid! Heres mine

 

[AbbeysDad]

Kudos. Your opening remarks struck home. I also participate in a planted tank forum where there's a different type of hobbyist. I'm a fishkeeper with plants for naturalization and water purification. But there are aquatic gardeners that focus on plants and only seem to have a few fish, if any, for decoration.
I think the high tech tank may be great for plants, but not so much really for fish. This is clearly evidenced by the number of times I've seen reports of fish loss when CO2 delivery went bad.
Anyway, nice looking tanks!

 

[seangee]

I'm a fishkeeper with plants for naturalization and water purification. But there are aquatic gardeners that focus on plants and only seem to have a few fish, if any, for decoration.
I think the high tech tank may be great for plants, but not so much really for fish.

I am ok with planted tanks without fish. I am also (mostly) OK with serious fishkeepers who choose high tech as long as the fish come first. What really annoys me is when someone responds to a correct suggestion in a "help my fish are sick / dying" thread with "Can't do that it might hurt my plants".

 

[ClownLurch]

Whats your water hardness in Berks pre RO Sean?

 

[seangee]

Whats your water hardness in Berks pre RO Sean?

dGH=16, dKH=18
The other big factor behind my decision to switch to RO is nitrates are 50ppm out of the tap.

 

[Wills]

To be fair after a few months of high tech I am about ready to strip it out never had so much algae. If it wasn’t for the amount my light cost I would definitely be going low tech about now - I’ve just had to pull out most of my medium- advanced plants and replace them with easy stuff like Siamensis 53b.

Wills