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Low tech tanks
My 20 gal tank is low tech, I guess. No hi tech control devices, that is.
I use DYI CO2, an Eheim 2215 with bio bale (why I'm not sure yet); the
CO2 feeds into the inlet of the filter canister; 2 20 watt GE "plant &
aquarium" lite tubes 12-14 hrs/day, backed up by an "aqua mirror"
reflector, no glass between tubes & water; the eheim surface
extractor(cool gadget); substrate is half 1/8" gravel and half cat litter
(2"), not enough Duplarit G, and a hand full of peat under 1" plain
gravel. In-line heater after filter.
Alkalinity: 228 ppm
pH: 7.4
Nitrates: non-existent
No other tests made
I use Dupla plant 24 every other day: 1 drop
Duplaplant at every weekly 25% water change: 1/2 tablet. Any less of this
additive starts the Hygro. Polysperma to yellowing
Starter Plants: 12 Valisneria Americana (turns redish brown at water
surface)
3 bunches of Anacharis
2 bunches H. Polysperma
3 C. Wendti
1 C. Balansae
3 sprigs H. Difformis
1 small bunch Echin. Tenellus
1 way cool Apon. Crispus (if this thing gets past the tank
lid, I'm posting a guard.)
2 sprigs Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (I think)
1 bunch red ammannia (these wilted away within a month)
Lots of exposed root growth on the bunch plants
3 weeks after strart up (23 Aug 97) I added:
1 young angel fish
3 serpae tetras
2 "dwarf" rainbows
2 ottocinclus
3 small brown snails
Soon, I'm taking someone's APD advice about rosy barbs for thread algae
control. (Replacing the tetras) as I do have a small outcrop of
hair/thread algae. At this point reasonably controllable via harvesting
once or twice every two weeks.
The tank is a weed patch. It grows like crazy. I trim the val and
anacharis once a week. the A. crispus is so graceful, but it demands a
lot of space in this little tank. The H. polysperma trimmed only once
since the tank was started: Possibly the lack of nitrates?
I read the talk on tank cycling. This helps my understanding a lot.
This has been a great project and I have all the contributors on this
list to thank for my enjoyment. Thank you all. I am developing some
questions for a later post, so until then, this is Robin in balmy Santa
Cruz, CA. Hey, if anybody in the Santa Cruz/ San Jose area has any
Mexican Oak Leaf plants I could get some cuttings from, give me a holler.