Hendre
Member
Hi all!
I have noticed in my limited time researching aquascaping that high tech and low tech are the predominant thought camps when it comes to aquascaping/planted tanks. I have a tank that's currently sitting somewhere in the middle. Initially a full on aquascape, it has sort of descended into a chaotic regular planted tank after I had to pull out my carpet and went to university, leaving it under family care for weeks at a time. Every time I come back though, the tank is overflowing with H pinnitafida, mosses, crypts, and my buces are simply ginormous:
This is after removing about 2 fists full of moss, loads of duckweed, a bunch of crypts and some micro swords
(Note the giant wavy green buces, only 18 months of growth)
Now the weird thing is, I run Co2 and decent lighting but the tank is unheated and running on almost no fertiliser at all. Some NPK about once every 6 weeks, and shrimp food. There is some deficiency here and there, but almost no algae and the plants look genuinely fantastic. Much like braising meat, this "low and slow" method seems to make delicious growth. Has anyone else done something like this? I think it holds promise for nice planted tanks if you're not in a rush. Can't wait to properly rescape this one day and see how it grows.
To sum up the slowtech:
-Medium light (12W LED on 60l)
-Co2 running
-Unheated (South Africa so mild to warm)
-Low macro dosing
-Fill and forget really
Has anyone else experienced similar things with similar methods? What are your thoughts?
I have noticed in my limited time researching aquascaping that high tech and low tech are the predominant thought camps when it comes to aquascaping/planted tanks. I have a tank that's currently sitting somewhere in the middle. Initially a full on aquascape, it has sort of descended into a chaotic regular planted tank after I had to pull out my carpet and went to university, leaving it under family care for weeks at a time. Every time I come back though, the tank is overflowing with H pinnitafida, mosses, crypts, and my buces are simply ginormous:
This is after removing about 2 fists full of moss, loads of duckweed, a bunch of crypts and some micro swords
(Note the giant wavy green buces, only 18 months of growth)
Now the weird thing is, I run Co2 and decent lighting but the tank is unheated and running on almost no fertiliser at all. Some NPK about once every 6 weeks, and shrimp food. There is some deficiency here and there, but almost no algae and the plants look genuinely fantastic. Much like braising meat, this "low and slow" method seems to make delicious growth. Has anyone else done something like this? I think it holds promise for nice planted tanks if you're not in a rush. Can't wait to properly rescape this one day and see how it grows.
To sum up the slowtech:
-Medium light (12W LED on 60l)
-Co2 running
-Unheated (South Africa so mild to warm)
-Low macro dosing
-Fill and forget really
Has anyone else experienced similar things with similar methods? What are your thoughts?
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