does anyone have pics of what is possible to achieve?

[slroo]

Hi everyone! I have a tank that has been set up for almost a year, furnished with resin rocks, fake plants, sand substrate, etc. I'm bored with it. I love the look of planted tanks, but have neither the money or the knowledge to mess with CO2, upgraded lighting, etc. Does any one have pics of what it is possible to accomplish using only plants that will grow in low light without any special equipment? I am trying to decide whether to just be content with what I have, or try something else. Really don't like the sparse stringy look though, was hoping for something lush and creeping. Does that make sense?

 

[mr funktastic]

here is my 10 gal tank. no dosing. i have 2 14 watts t-6 bulbs over it(u could use the screw in spiral flourescents) and i have a DIY co2 system that cost nothing to make. i think this is what u mean by lush and creeping lol

 

[Jchillin]

75gal, 110w Compact flourescent.

 

[JustOneMore20]

29g with 65w of Compact fluorescent lighting (medium light), no CO2

(secret is lots of stem plants=not too much algae)

I fertilize twice a week...KNO3, KSO4, and trace (Tropica Master Grow)

 

[crazyred]

29 gallon with 2 x 20w NO bulbs for 1.37 wpg. No CO2 and only Flourish for ferts:

 

[JustOneMore20]

Thats a beautiful tank Melissa!

 

[rich311k]

Nice tanks guys.

 

[WaterPond]

here is my 5gal planted. No special equipment really, i have a nutrafin co2 system (about 20 bucks), A 9w CF light and a 26w CF screw in spiral light. Lighting cost me nothing pretty much. You can get a screw in outlet light thingy(sorry, i dont know what they are called) and what i did was wired up a CF screw in spiral light bulb to my hood. It has glass around it to keep it from getting wet from condesation. I drilled 4 holes into my hood, made a little glass box for the lightbulb to go in (i used silicone) and wired it to the top of the hood, This is really hard to explain. Here is a picture of my tank, it is filling in even nicer than in that picture.

 

[crazyred]

Thats a beautiful tank Melissa!

Thanks Kristin! And might I say, your tank looks AWESOME. I love that red plant, just gorgeous colors in there.

 

[czcz]

Great tanks.

10g, 23w spiral CF in an arm lamp and by a window. DIY CO2 with irregular bottle changes. No filter.

2.5gal, 13w CF desklamp. Only Excel and pinches of stuff when I had nothing better to do.

 

[7Enigma]

I prefer the overgrown look, and am lazy so its normally like this before I have to do a 2hour overhaul....20gallon high, DIY CO2, 65w CF light, Excel dosing, nitrAte when needed (not often), potassium and CSM+B Day 1, phosphate Day 2, rinse and repeat....

 

[Zezmo]

Here are a couple of my low tech tanks....

29g Tank: 2x 32watt Power Compacts, built into the hood. No CO2, Only ferts are Equilibrium at the monthly water change. Cichlid sand substrate.

This tank was a all in one set up. Tank, Stand, Hood with lights. Filter built into the hood. ($249.00 at LFS + $36.00 for substrate, Total before plants, animals, wood, and tax was about $275)

This tank was the one that the one above replaced. IT was a 10g with 2x 15w normal fluorescents. Gravel substrate. No ferts, No CO2, weekly water change.
This tank was dirt cheap. (Tank=$11.00, Lights; one aquarium light, and one home depot "under cabinet light"=$30.00, Gravel $8.00, Glass cover=$18.00, Total before plants, animals, wood, and tax was about $67)

 

[Lonewolfblue]

10G tank, 2 20W CF screw-ins, no CO2....

 

[zenkatydid]

Zezmo your tanks are stunning! Some of the most natural-looking tanks I've seen - just awesome!

 

[GlitcH]

You could always try and reproduce my freak of nature. LOL

My shrimp tank[link in my sig] is still kickin butt and still only gets light.

No ferts or co2.

 

[MiamiFishy]

Hey everybody,
Just browsing around and found your posting, EXCELLENT defenetly BEAUTIFUL planted tanks you all have. Wish mine could someday get there.
Got a question, Glitch, what kind of plants are the one that are covering your foreground???

I want to do some covering of of the foreground of my tank and at the same time provide my fish with a place to have their fry hidde and grow ( or at least get a better chance than hidding between the substrate pebbles spaces.)

I have a 29 gal too, with - after upgrade something in the area of 40 to 50 w or 1.4 to 1.7 w/p/g lighting-. Penguin 350b over edge filter, air stone/ air wand and 300 W heater...
pebble substrate for 15 zebras danio, 2 crorys and 2 plecos... What plants do you suggest???

 

[Jchillin]

MiamiFishy - I moved your new thread to the planted tank forum (perhaps you noticed it?). I'm sure you will get some responses to your questions there.

I ask that this thread not be hijacked with a separate topic.

 

[MiamiFishy]

Sorry Jchillin,
Didn't notice I was out of the planted forum, got misslead by all the nice picture! Wasn;t trying to hijacked anything, really thought my question was related to what this thread topic was about.

Thank you again though.

 

[Jchillin]

No worries Miamifishy, your questions aimed at Glitch are perfectly suited. Once you ask for a suggestion for your tank, it becomes an "inadvertent" hijack.

 

[GlitcH]

Got a question, Glitch, what kind of plants are the one that are covering your foreground???

Hi MiamiFishy.........that plant is Glossostigma elantinoides aka glosso. I wouldn't suggest trying to grow that at your light levels. It may grow but it if it did it would grow alot higher and IMO it doesn't look very good when it starts to grow upward.