Cryptocoryne wendtii ''brown'' Tank

[Jaap]

Hello,

I would like to know if I could keep Cryptocoryne wendtii and a few anubias in a small 20L tank with a 7w light. The substrate is clay based. A small shoal of tetras will also be kept and lots of amano shrimp.

1. Can this be done without any dosing of fertilisers or liquid/pressurised CO2?
2. How many hours should I keep the light on?
3. What is the ideal setup for such plants?
4. If I want minimal hustle what plants should I go for?

Thanks

 

[jack-rythm]

1. Can this be done without any dosing of fertilisers or liquid/pressurised CO2?

Sure can, your plant selection is seeming like a low tech set up. crypts dont like loads of lighting, they are generally shade plants so this is ideal. As for anubia they also grow very well in low tech. So no need for co2 of any form or fertz IMO. The fertz is of course your choice. If deficiencies start to show then the plants would be lacking in some sort of nutrient. but the choice of plants you mention should be fine.

2. How many hours should I keep the light on?

If its a new set up which from what I read it is, then 6-7 hours wil be plenty, your lighting is a pretty decent choice for a new low tech tank. remember you should always start low and increase not the other way round. your spec seems fine to me. maybe at a later date you could up it to a 11w quite comfortably.

3. What is the ideal setup for such plants?

There is no 1 ideal method to doing this, so my advice is of course my own opinion again, but many members have their own ways, to be honest the low tech, low maintenance set up your going for is fairly simple to go by. If the substrate is nutrient rich in a low tech then its fine, so fine you coud even do with out any ferts. We only really introduce additional fertz and co2 when the demands on our plants rise due to high lighting or certain deficiencies.

4. If I want minimal hustle what plants should I go for?

Sounds like you have it bang on.. slow growers are ultimately the easiest to grow, you have stated two pretty decent low tech plants already. You could look at:

Java ferns
riccia
different mosses: Weeping, java, willow etc.
all anubias
most crypts (check)
amazon sword
dwarf sagitaria
ambulia (Limnophila sessiliflora)
hydrocotyle
vallisneria

The list goes on. Just look at low tech journals on the forum and see what you can find Good luck. Hope to see some photos when you get things sorted.

 

[stu_]

Pretty much agree with this ^^
The only thing i would add is that 20L (you don't give the footprint) is pretty small for a school of tetras.
There are some smaller Rasboras out there (hence the footprint question), still a bit of a squeeze IMO
Just an opinion
Good luck, and don't forget, pics or it didn't happen

 

[gramski]

I'd recommend Ember Tetras if you want to stick with characins,

 

[Jaap]

Maybe I will start off with a few amanos and take it from there...I will keep the number of fish to a minimum though, maybe even none if the setup is unsuitable for tetras....I hope that the plants will do good without fertilisation and a carbon source but if worse comes to worse I will dose EI and some Excell. Does that sound good? Or is Excell unnecessary?