# Low Tech Tank



## Kdizzle (Jun 28, 2012)

i was looking into doing a 10 or 15 gallon low tech planted tank. This will not only be my first planted tank but my first tank in a while. I was wondering if this tank would be to hard for a first tank and even just looking for a few pointers.(lights, substrates, filters, etc) i would like to add fish so info on cycling as well would be awesome.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

keep it as simple as possible....the more you mess with things ; the more problems you create for yourself....and failure drives so many out of this fantastic hobby...
i would do at least a 1520 long or 29 or bigger would be nice..check craigs list for great deals on bigger tanks..

lights....try for about 2 watts per gallon.. www.aquatraders.com has good deals on T5-HO strips for all size tanks..

substrate.....i would use a natural fine gravel(about 1/8" diameter).....sand may look cool but it can be deadly for a novice..gas pockets form and kiil the fish..

good filtration is important...try to achieve a 10x turnover rate..20 gallon tank needs a 200 GPH filter....not a filter rated for a 20 gallon tank..i like the aquaclear filters...in the long run they are easier and far less expensive to maintain..

plants.........low light plants are great...java ferns...anubias...cryptocoryne...and many others are good...and if you get a deeper tank like a 29 or 55 some aponogetons will knock your socks off...for great deals on all kinds of plants try www.aquabid.com ...

cycling....this gets a little touchy with some folks but i have cycled tanks every way you can think of...and some you can't think of...i set up my tank..the only conditioner i use is "DECHLOR" made by "WECO".....inexpensive and effective...i have been using it for almost 40 years..
once the tank has been running a bit i will add a few fish.....let them be for a few weeks and then add a couple more...
just make sure you do plenty of research on what you want..adult size and compatibility are major factors.....

this is all from my experiences and veiwpoints....what i do may not work for everybody..i am by no means an expert....the world is full of them ; i am still in the learning stages of this hobby...


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## Kdizzle (Jun 28, 2012)

I would love to do a bigger tank but my school only allows 10 gallon but i am pretty sure I could get away with a 15. 

As for a substrate I was looking into Eco-Complete. I am not opposed to other methods but it seems like a good purchase. 

As for cycling I have read about silent cycling, fishless, and with fish. Fish wise I would like to Have guppies but I have read conflicting stories about guppies as beginner fish. i would like to add some invertebrates as well, or do a multi species tank which is hard in a small tank since most of these fish like to school.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i wouldn't think guppies very hard for a beginner...i now keep about 10 varieties of them...
some dwarf cories would be great too...


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## Kdizzle (Jun 28, 2012)

ok thanks so much for your help.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

As for the gas pockets forming in sand, I just added some Malaysian trumpet snails who dig through the sand in the search of food. By doing this they make sure no gas pockets are able to build up because the sand is moved so often. On the other hand they reproduce like crazy


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## Kdizzle (Jun 28, 2012)

Thats good to hear because I really like the look of sand and I did want to add some invertebrates


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

The thing with sand is that while it looks pretty, it is not great for plants to grow in. Carpeting plants like it because it is easier to spread in (my theory, correct me if I'm wrong), but almost all carpeting plants require high lighting, CO2, and fertilization. The low light plants that lohachata talked about prefer gravel like he said, so I would go with gravel and anubias, java fern, and any other low light plant you like.


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## Kdizzle (Jun 28, 2012)

when you say use the gravel do you mean just gravel with nothing under it? like fluorite or eco-complete?


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

I'm really not a pro at all with plants, I just have one planted tank. But if you put gravel ontop of a substrate that has a smaller grain size than the gravel it should be fine. I don't know how big of a grain size flourite, or eco complete are because I have never used them. I think the low light plants that you will be putting in the tank don't require you to have special plantig soils but I don't know. My anubias grew fine in just gravel, but it really took of after i took it out of the substrate 2 weeks ago. Have you ever thought of putting in a few pieces of driftwood or decoration and attaching anubias, java fern, or any kind of moss to it? that way you don't have a substrate problem. 

If you want to plant something in substrate though, I would say go for a one inch layer of smooth rounded fine gravel and some low light plants. Anubias and java fern look really cool on driftwood, but the driftwood takes away a lot of swimming space. Just go to jour lfs and look at the plants. Do some research about the ones you like and decide which ones to buy based on that.


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## Kdizzle (Jun 28, 2012)

I have thought about putting some driftwood in this tank I think it looks really nice as well. I will have to look into it. Thanks for all your help!


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

My low tech tank is my 10g community tank. I rarely ever have water problems and my fish all get along great,

Fish in there is
3 guppies
4 plattys
6 mix fruit tetras (white skirt) 
1 pleco 
2 goldfish (a lot of people say no to that but they have been fine for months) 

I clean it once every month and a half. I don't have real plants but it looks pretty good with my fake ones. This was also my first community tank and from here I progressed. I want to add java fern but I can't find any at lfs or Petco


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## Kdizzle (Jun 28, 2012)

Wow you have put a lot of fish in there! Have you had any problems with platties or do you add salt?


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Never added salt to any of my tanks a day in my life. It's not over stocked because all the fish stay vary small. Like I said I don't have to do anything with it at all. I add food 2-3 times a day and that's it. It has been running for 6 months almost 7 with all them fish in there and they all seem happy.


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

I also think my 4 plattys look better then any of them and have grown almost to there full size since I've got them. 
Here's a picture of it.



















They love to hide when I want pictures lol


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## Kdizzle (Jun 28, 2012)

That does look awesome. well I will have to keep that in mind when I go to the store to get my fish.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Isn't 10 gallons way to small for just two goldfish alone without even taking the pleco into consideration. I mean common plecos get huge.


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Idk if i posted in this thread but it has not grown at all in 4 months. Also I have 2 different 55g tanks to pick from to put it in if it does ever grow bigger. Also the goldfish I have are feeder goldfish I think they are called comet or commen or something I can't remember but there about as big as a platty and won't get any bigger. I've carefully considered all the fish I stocked in there. Only problem I may run into is the pleco and at the rate he's growing I don't think he will come out for like a year.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

comet goldfish can reach 14-16 inches...i have seen common plecos over 3 feet..
now i don't know who told you that the comets didn't get any bigger than the platies ; but they lied...goldfish can live a great deal longer than a human...last i heard it was something like 250+ years...


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Then its not a comet. I have pictures of them cycling my 55. They are pretty tiny. And I know Plecos get big and I wish he would so I could put him in my 55 I just don't think he will eat enough in that tank yet.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

I'm not saying that you overstocked your aquarium yet because the fish are so tiny. I just don't think we should give kdizzle the idea of buying two goldfish plus a pleco for his 10g


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

There are goldfish that do not get big, if you go to any pet store tey have "feeder goldfish" they are just plain silver fish. They are not going to grow any bigger then they are now and have not gotten any bigger. I will agree with you that a pleco can outgrow a 10g tank pretty easy. I was just saying mine has not grown at all. Also it's always a good idea if you do get bigger fish to prepare to where you will re home them to when they do outgrow your tank.


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