Need some advice on going low tech

[Matt Warner]

Hi all, my juwel rio is currently a high tech system with co2 and EI dosing and very fast plant growth. However, I am thinking of re scaping this tank and making it a low tech tank. I'm currently running 2x 28w t5 lights with reflectors. Would this be too much light for a low tech setup or should I remove the reflectors? Also, what substrate is best for a low tech tank? Could I just use something like TMC Nutrasoil on its own or would I need to cap it with gravel or sand?
What kind of plants grow best in a low tech setup? I was thinking of loads of crypts and anubias along with a few stem plants but have no idea which stem plants grow best in low tech conditions, as I've only grown them with co2.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Michael W]

I use one 11w t8 bulb for all my 30 litres with floating plants consisting of duckweed, Frogbit and Red Root Floaters in my low tech. The lights are on for 5 hours a day. Substrate wise you can use almost anything you please so Nutrasoil can be used too and you don't have to cap it but you can, its all up to you.

Plants to consider (Ones I have and am able to grow at the moment):

Anubias
Java Ferm
Crypts
Enchinodorus
Vallis
bolbitus
Mosses
Ludwigia Repens
Microswords
Pogostemon Helferi
dwarf hairgrass
Elodia Anachris

Michael

 

[Matt Warner]

Thanks for the reply. My tank is 125l so two 28w t5 lights are around just under 2wpg. Would this be too much light for a low tech tank?

 

[Michael W]

I believe so, you can take off the reflecters and add some floating plants such as Frogbit and Red Root Floaters or light the lights higher above the water or have lower the time in which you have your lights on.

Basically the lower the lighting level makes the need for CO2 and Nutrients less than that of a high tech tank and therefore less room to make mistakes and cause algae etc.

 

[Matt Warner]

So do you think if I took the reflectors off and added loads of floating plants then I wouldn't have too many algae nightmares!

 

[Michael W]

Well light is just one factor in causing algae as they can adapt better than plants to changing lighting conditions. As long as your plants are healthy then algae will be unlikely to strike. But yes i believe you should take off the reflectors and add some floating plants. You can always remove the floating plants if they don't appeal to you once you get sufficient healthy growth in plants but don't expect growth to be as quick as that of a high tec tank.

As Ceg would put it algae are like predators and plants are prey, predators won't attack strong/healthy prey but rather weak ones.

 

[Alastair]

youll be fine with just the tmc nutrasoil mate, or you could add some of the original pond aquasoil under the tmc like ive done. for a low tech your best to aim for no more than 1.2 wpg i believe and definitely remove the reflectors. rotala rotundafolia is another good plant for low tech as i grew it in my puddle and it thrived

marsilea hirsuta is also a good one for carpet plants, tennelus, lileopsis, elocharis species etc

 

[Matt Warner]

I'm thinking of doing something a bit like your previous puddle Alastair, and use loads of crypts and floating plants. I'm starting to get fed up of the high tech side of the hobby now and want to slow the pace down quite a lot and just enjoy the tank and fish rather than having to tinker with it all the time.
Thanks for the great advice.

 

[Matt Warner]

What kind of water turnover am I going to be aiming for, for a low tech tank. Will the internal juwel filter be ok on its own?

 

[Alastair]

What kind of water turnover am I going to be aiming for, for a low tech tank. Will the internal juwel filter be ok on its own?

Yes mate the internal will be fine. I only ran about 2 times tank volume per hour on my puddle and this new tank only 3 and half currently.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Matt Warner]

My only issue is the lighting really, I don't want to have more algae growth than plant growth. The high tech stuff has made growing plants very easy really and there seems to be a lot more skill in growing a nice planted tank with no co2 or ferts than with co2.

 

[Alastair]

Not sure if ive worked it out right but if you've got 2 x 28 watt t5s with a 125l tank which is around 33 (us) gallons then you have around 1.6 watts per gallon which if your using floating plants to diffuse the light should help alot.
Im running at 1.4 wpg but can raise my unit or lower it.
Im sure the wpg rule works off of us measurements and not uk as if uk then it would be even higher lighting.

You can always take off one of the tubes if you start to see algae forming, but I think both high tech and low tech have varying levels of difficulties both quite different from each other but both with an end result we envisage from the offset.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

 

[faizal]

Matty here's wishing you all the best mate with the new low tech set up. Love to see it in here real soon.

... want to slow the pace down quite a lot and just enjoy the tank and fish rather than having to tinker with it all the time.

This is so awesome,....wish it really works out for you.

 

[Matt Warner]

Thanks Faizal for the encouragement. I am looking forward to going over to low tech. I am getting my own place very soon and could really do without the 50% water changes and pruning and faffing about when I'm going to have other things to do.