Hi Tech / Low Tech

[squishy_1984]

As i have mentioned in a previous post i will be saving up a little a week to get my new tank set-up but i have come to a crossroad. Do i go for the low tech which will cost around £400 for all the hardware and have a few easy plants or go high tech and get involved with co2 system, ph controler t5 lighting and an ro unit which would bring the total up to over £800. Thats before any substrate, decs or fish go in. What do you think, can i have a succesful low tech tank with a fair few plants with just upgraded lighting or am i going to have to go down that dreaded money bleeding route?

Would like all opinions, especialy if you have tried low and high tech on your aquariums

thanks in advance

jon

 

[Wanda hornsey]

I say go 2nd hand and get it that way n save yourself a fortune its totally amazing what you can get (for free somtimes) if you ask around and let it be known at work etc your starting up fish keeping...friend of friends at work can come up with amazing thngs just cos there moving house and giving up on fishies etc...

 

[juelz]

well i have 2 low tech tanks and i havent had any problems

i dunno about everyone else but i personally think that u dont need high tech equipment to have a successful tank

i always thought that it was the owner who makes the aquarium not the equipment

but maybe other people have different opinions

 

[squishy_1984]

not many people i know have a tank. Getting the basics is fine. Im def getting a Juwel rio 240, fluval/eheim external, 2 visitherm 200w heaters and t5.
Its just the extras as i mentioned, they are pretty expensive, suppose i could get the tank running on basics and add evrything else at a later date

sorry was replying same time as you. How many plants etc do you have. I want a natural looking tank, would i get away with a simple setup for that?

 

[juelz]

if i was u i would start with the basics and then if u have sum money laying around just get the extra items u want later on

this is my tank here which i personally think came out pretty good for what i paid

http/img349.imageshack.us/img349/9519/picture0083ne.jpg

it also depends on what u want

do u want high maintenance fish, real plants, etc.

once u have those answers we can give u the best possible choice

 

[squishy_1984]

more plants then that but i dont want a really high maintenance tank.
I want enough plants plants to make it full but not too many that i cant have a fully stocked tank.
Want to have a comunity tank, would tiger barbs and clown loaches go together, *sorry to jump off the subject*

 

[colen]

just got what you need or what you can afford.

 

[juelz]

well the only problem i know of is that sumtimes tiger barbs tend to nip the fins of other fish in the tank and that tiger barbs like open space so if u want tons of plants maybe tiger barbs arent the best fish

maybe sumone who knows more about tiger barbs and clown loaches would say something different

but thats what i understand to be the case with those fish

 

[squishy_1984]

its not that i cant afford it, want to know if i could have a succesfully planted tank without going over board with technology. I earn enough to get evrything i need within 2 months but i want it to be my project for the year.
If i had it setup within 3 or 4 months i know MTS would soon be kicking in.

 

[itsmedeanna64]

If you go low tech you can always upgrade later?

Funny, I was just thinking this morning how much I have in my 55 gal setup and I'd say this is very low tech other than buying a new tank and cabinet which I did look for a used one but didn't like what I found. I'm on day 26 fishless cycling so I have no fish expense yet.

Right now I am set on ready for adding fish. The upgrades I want to do later is a better filter and upgrade lighting but what I have now will do. And, as far as it looks, I'd say it's beautiful!

I haveover $500 in it and I think that's on the low side compared to other set up price comments I've read elsewhere.

For my 29 gal I have about $300 in but I did upgrade filter, heater and air pump.

But I am satisfied.....for right now anyway!

 

[squishy_1984]

i try it with my basic setup and c how it goes. would prefer not to get too technical.
How planted do you think i could get it with just upgraded lighting?