Low Tech Cheap Planted Tank

[Snype2live]

Okay I am wanting to start a cheap low tech planted tank. I need some advice and help on how to start it. If any of you remember me I was the one that started my 29 gallon community tank here. Well it's doing great and well nothing to do with it except enjoy it. So i went out and purchased a used 10 gallon tank. Well out of all the stuff I had laying around because I am a collector of junk, I managed to find a Aquaclear 50 filter, a Tetra 5-15 gallon heater, and some sand substrate that will later cap whatever I decided to use as plant substrate. As far as lighting, I have 2 10 watt, 6500k aquarium plant bulbs from lights of america. SO thats where I am at. I need help and direction I am wanting to do a nice shrimp tank with 3 rocks with some sort of carpet and smaller swords or grass.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

With the 2 bulbs you could grow anything, but, you will need daily ferts containing nitrate and phosphate, CO2 or some liquid carbon like seachem flourish excel and you want around 100 gallon per hour filter at least. Hopefully I didn't just kill your planted ideas but I like to point people in a good direction quick when they have a fair bit of light.

 

[mike455555]

if you want idea's of look's have a look at my sig, theres a link to my journal. is that the type of look your going for?
good small carpeting plants would be riccia, its fairly easy to grow and doesnt need co2, it needs to be attached to something though like a moss, you could go for HC cuba but that NEEDS co2, the co2 and fert's root isent to hard to go down once you get your head around it all. its just a little bit of work each day
what types of plants are you looking for, iv found that i cant grow drawfhair grass if thats unless its under high lights with co2, although start grass is faily easy to grow. but it is a stem plant but if you keep trimming it low down it can have a nice effect

advice on how to start it, umm you can have an idea of what you want it to look like or you can just fiddle around with rocks ect until you get it looking right (i did the second one) put your hard scape in first.
watch out for high levels copper in ferts as some think its harmfull to shrimp. although some tanks thrive with it (i think iv lost 2 blue pearls from dosing copper at the start)

 

[Snype2live]

I am not really looking to do a low tech tank with no ferts except maybe once a week i wantinag to do wastad method with Miricle grow organic choice potting soil (50/50 mix of composed bark , stagenum peat moss is what it is with organic wetting agent) with unfired clay under that with a .5 cap of sand