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First low tech - advice needed

Sacha said:
have tested my tap water and it is over 400 TDS (around 420-440). I am very wary about using this for soft water fish.
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going by local water reports, I raised (wild) Dicrossus filamentosus in 300TDS tap water, they had begun breeding (successful eggs to free swimming) when I lost all tank inhabitants following a routine water change - I’d passed the water maintenance crew less than a km away but didn’t even think about possible consequences :(
 
alto said:
going by local water reports, I raised (wild) Dicrossus filamentosus in 300TDS tap water, they had begun breeding (successful eggs to free swimming) when I lost all tank inhabitants following a routine water change - I’d passed the water maintenance crew less than a km away but didn’t even think about possible consequences :(
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This is awful sorry to hear, did you ever find out what they'd done to the supply?!

alto said:
for substrate, look for one with mixed grain size, this will help prevent “tight packing”, good root growth from plants will also aerate substrate (& “move” compounds through it)
A deep banked substrate is not recommended with fine gravel/coarse sand as it packs so much more tightly than any aquarium soil
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Really helpful advice, thanks. So based on this I think I will go for Unipac Nordic 2-4mm gravel:

https://charterhouse-aquatics.com/shop/aquatics/decoration/unipac/unipac-nordic-2-4mm-gravel-10kg

What do you think?

I think I am pretty clear on planting, livestock etc. I am going to plant very densely from the outset with a photoperiod of about 6 hours, gradually increasing to 8 hours. I will have a load of fast growing stem plants from the outset along with anubias, crypts, java fern and some staurogyne repens (not sure how this last one will hold up but we'll see). Livestock will only be added after a month or so. First otos, then my current fish will move over (different varieties of tetra).

I'm not too keen on shrimp (too delicate IMO) but will probably get some nerite snails in there.

S
 
P.S. will 10KG be enough gravel to cap the 15-20L of soil that's going in there?
 
Hey, late to the party but will add my 2 cents worth...

My paludarium has been running 3 years now with very low stocking, monthly get a squirt of tropica ferts, light feeding and about 3 water changes a year.
It was started with JI no3 compost and gravel and topped up with rain water.

Its very doable but I would say that my success is likely due to having a lot of philodendron, ficus and umbrella plant above the water to suck up any nutrients that may accumulate.

I would say it does like a glass clean every month or it gets grubby.

Good luck.

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Just to add that I did start the tank as normal with weekly water changes and then reduced month by month once established. After about 6 months I was water changing about every 2-3 months and now, 3 years on, only about 2 WC's a year.

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Thanks Iain, that's good to know.

Another quick question regarding scaping. Should I put my hardscape (rocks, wood) in the tank before adding substrate? Or add all substrate first and then put hardscape in on top?
 
alto said:
Is there a journal?
I’m drawing a complete blank on this project :eek:

:)
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There is but it hasn't been updated much and I can't find it. If I can't find it I'll start a new one tonight. Her is a pic from today.
4a98bf9b2c5bb7d59fbd23cf3c67cc37.jpg


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Sacha said:
Thanks Iain, that's good to know.

Another quick question regarding scaping. Should I put my hardscape (rocks, wood) in the tank before adding substrate? Or add all substrate first and then put hardscape in on top?
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Depends on your scape but assuming it's a fairly simple scape then add compost, gravel then rocks and wood.

Flickr account has the images of set up.

Looking at the date it's been 2 1/2 years.



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Beautiful tank Iain, really nice work.

So... a BIG update! I had a busy weekend...

15wgg35.jpg


2yucd3b.jpg


There's a layer of aquatic compost under the gravel. I'm hoping that the plants will take quite easily. As you can see I've got Java Fern & Anubias on the wood, Lobelia Mini in the foreground (right), Staurogyne Repens in the foreground (middle), crypts and swords on the left half.

I know the tricky part will be getting the Stauro to grow:

29c41lh.jpg


So I'm starting with a 6-hour photoperiod, full EI dosing and double-dose of Easycarbo daily. I will keep this up with weekly 50% water changes for a few weeks in order to give the plants a kick-start, then gradually taper off the dosing to ramp it down to 'low-tech' (no carbon dosing, ferts only once a week). From all the advice I've got here that seems like the most sensible way forward.

Any comments & suggestions on the scape very welcome!

Many thanks again for all the help.

Sacha
 
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P.S. I've ordered a Koralia Nano 2200 lph which I hope will help with circulation of ferts. When i move the fish over from the old tank, I will also move over my Eheim external filter 1600 lph. So in total I will have 3800 lph turnover (with 1000 lph internal Juwel filter).
 
Hmm I'm wondering whether a 2200 powerhead may be too much flow for the fish and whether I should have gone with 1600 instead. Any advice?!!
 
I wouldn't worry, more flow is generally better within reason. You could always bounce it off the back glass and get some flow round the back of the tank that would take a bit of over flow out of it if it turns out to be a bit much.

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I’m on the lesser flow team ;)
(90cm x 45cm x 55cm tank, 2 Kessil A160, Tropica diffuser, Eheim Pro 4 350 (1050l/h), intermittent Eheim skim, lean dose fertilization... minimal algae tank)


Unless you’re planning riverine fish, many tropical fish are from low flow areas and will struggle in high flow systems
Seriously Fish species profiles include natural habitat information so easy enough to select fish more suited to a high flow tank

For plants, we try to prevent any “dead” zones but these offer respite to fish

Tank looks grand :)
Not sure about double dosing the liquid carbon, some plants are sensitive
Daily 25% water change may do more re increased CO2
S repens may lose all leaves, just wait for root growth & new life - read Tropica’s article
Remove any damaged/deteriorating leaves
 
:p even “high tech” I believe good flow has nothIng to do with LOTS of flow :D


But back to some outstanding Vlogs showing two very distinct natural habitats & the respective fish found

Collectimg Wild Fish in Peru

from Cory of Aquarium Co-op in Edmonds, Washington (state) who connected with Go Wild Peru (Michael Barber & Ian Fuller) for their trip

(excuse the Collectimg :oops: )
 
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