Which new set up should I go with?

[Emyr]

Hi Everyone,

Im about to start a new set up as I have had my tanks out of action for a while. Wanting to set up my 70Litre tank with dwarf puffer fish, which like a tank with a lot in it to break up their line of vision so they can each have a little territory within the tank. I want it to be relatively low maintenance as I go away quite a lot sometimes for about a month or so, so water changes etc would be done by someone else. I guess i'm thinking relatively low tech, really want a beautiful set up that is quite easy to run and minimal/no algae.

Im thinking lots of Seiryu Stone and wood branching to the top with white sand as the substrate, so quite jungle i guess. Mosses, ferns etc. NIce big Rena xp4 filter and a 15W LED light directly above the tank. (Will set up a journal when all is decided, hopefully in next few days)

I originally thought that none co2 and relatively low lighting was the best way but would a balanced aquarium with co2, medium lighting,some ferts and a smaller number of plants for low maintenance be safer in terms of having little or no algae and smooth running?

Some help with this one would be really appreciated, thanks.

 

[Iain Sutherland]

low tech = low maintenance in theory
i run a 40l with an 11w arcpod for 8 hours with no algae, just ferts and a weekly WC but to be honest im not anal about WC on it and can go weeks without any side effects.
As im sure you know, once you start injecting co2 etc then margin for error is way smaller so not ideal if you have to trust others to maintain it in your absence.
Things tend to go wrong very quickly in co2 set ups by comparison.

Somethingfishy will be jealous, he is dying to have a puffer tank but his missus wont let him

 

[Emyr]

Great, what ferts do you use on that 40L Iain? Im going to start a journal for this tank in the next few days. Exactly, that was my thought but wanted an opinion (or a few) but it seems people arent responding to much on here at the moment haha

I have been fascinated by them for a while, everytime I have gone into the LFS found myself staring. They seem like such interesting and intelligent fish. Cant wait to get them.

 

[hotweldfire]

Yeah, I'm getting to a point where I'm thinking seriously about abandoning the co2 and going for a slower and easier low tech life. I agree the margin for error is so much smaller. I've had a whole bunch of disasters with my main high tech tank, not all related to co2 but it was probably implicated in most of them. I.e. I think you're always on a knife edge when using a lot of it and the effects of other disturbances get seriously magnified.

Enjoying my low tech nano much more and tbh I think it's looking better than my high tech. Critters are much happier too. But I may be something of an incompetent when it comes to high tech tanks.

 

[Iain Sutherland]

Great, what ferts do you use on that 40L Iain?

Ive been playing around with the flourish line as i had it around but have reverted back to about 40% EI on alternate days, the plants seem to like it and moss grows quicker than in my hi tech oddly I also use about 60% RO with it as CRS will be in it soon.
The nano surprises me everyday, it gets so little care but just gets better.
Once i get the CRS i might even put up some pics