Llj's Low-light Nano Tanks...

[lljdma06]

Hello everybody. Thought I'd post some recent pictures of my two nano tanks. I have an 8g and a 2.5g. Both are planted, and both are low-light tanks with no CO2, no difficult fert regimen. These are my lazy bones tanks, and I wouldn't have it any other way right now. Water was clear and sparkling and the fish were swimming, I just had to take pictures. I'm weak, very weak.

2.5g planted betta tank

full tank shot

Close-up of the betta, no name yet. It's narrowed down to either Fleance or Donalbain. I like odd Shakespeare names. He's a marble DT.

8g planted nano

Full tank shot

Close-ups of platies. These are suburst dwarf platies. At least supposedly they are dwarfs. Such a great little fish, very active and hardy.

From an angle

From the opposite angle

Thanks for looking, I promise not to bore with more photos.

llj

 

[Mr Miagi]

Now that is awsome! Im glad to see some other planted tanks that went low tech! A testimate to what you can achieve! (Not saying that high tech is any less drop dead gorgeous)!

 

[dasmall1]

Both tanks are very well done . I especially like how you were able to make the 8g look so full yet keep it low tech.

 

[tattae]

Very impressive. I love the fact that it's no CO2

 

[PaPeRo]

I LOVE your 2.5! It's gorgeous! It doesn't even look like a 2.5 with the way you have it planted..makes it look huge. That's a cute Betta too.

 

[lljdma06]

Now that is awsome! Im glad to see some other planted tanks that went low tech! A testimate to what you can achieve! (Not saying that high tech is any less drop dead gorgeous)!

Now, that I've had both, I really agree that one isn't necessarily better than the other. Low-tech is obviously better for those strapped for cash. I loved the endless planting options I had with my high-tech setup, but I think I managed to create a colorful, pleasant tank with the limited options available to me. It's really quite easy to maintain and with a good bioload, ferts other than some trace on occasion are not really essential.

Thanks for the comments, everybody. I really just wanted to show some options for low-tech setups. The rotala has really surprised me, I didn't think it would do well. I think the 8g is going to go in the members planted tank section pretty soon as another low-tech representative. Once I determine whether or not Seachem Flourish is essential.

Keep 'em coming, this is fun!

llj

 

[Miki]

I also have sunset Platys in an 8g tank. The only difference is mines is bare with a clump of java moss in the corner that im trying to carpet
Hopefully mines will look like yours in about 5 years time

 

[Miss Wiggle]

very nice, nice to see what can be done low tech, working on mine at the moment and i just don't understand all this EI and Co2 stuff so I'm keeping it easy! I'm really pleased with flourish and flourish excel though, definately making a difference.

 

[Naughtygirlrlw]

So lush and so pretty!

 

[pimpmac]

what plants are they m8

 

[mikster]

Yeah i love the 2.5 too, gotta love the jungle look and i agree it does make it look huge, i have a 7 gallon with virtually nothing in and on photos it looks small.

 

[lljdma06]

what plants are they m8

You don't have to blush, Pimpmac, I'll give the list gladly. All the plants with the exception of some of the anubia petite nana, the Rotala, the moss, and the HM are readily found at a big chain LFS that sells pretty decent (sp?) plants. I did that on purpose, as I don't have much of a budget for online orders. The shipping is something else, I can't pay $30 shipping! I also took advantage of FKNM's generosity and swapped plants with her.

8g Plants

Cryptocoryne wendtii red and green, Cryptocoryne willisii or parva, Cryptocoryne lutea and lucens, Hemianthus micranthemoides, Rotala rotundifolia, Ceratopteris thalictroides, Cryptocoryne wendtii v. Tropica, Egeria densa.

2.5g Plants

Egeria densa, Christmas moss, Willow moss, Cryptocoryne wendtii red, Cryptocoryne lucens, lutea, wendtii "green", Microsorium pteropsus.

Mikster, do you have a picture of your 7g? I'm interested in seeing it. I'd like to see yours to, Miss Wiggle. I'm finding as I go that even the addition of Flourish and Excel have been excessive for these too tanks. At first I had both, but I eliminated the Excel, and I found, because of my bioload that the Flourish had to be reduced as well.

Thanks for the complements. These tanks are fun.

llj

 

[pimpmac]

Thanks m8

 

[invader]

Go with Donalbain, it suits him more than Fleance. Donalbain is royalty, after all.

 

[lljdma06]

Go with Donalbain, it suits him more than Fleance. Donalbain is royalty, after all.

That's what I thought, Donalbain it is then!

llj