"medium" tech tank advice?

[Leiura]

Sorry if I get some things mixed up. I'm new to this planted aquarium thing. I'm hoping I can get some second opinions here. I posted a similar question on another forum but was hoping to get more replies.

Originally I was going to go Walstad style with a low tech, low maintenance 3 gallon tank. But I keep coming across conflicting opinions about carpeting plants (HC, dwarf hair grass) needing high light. (It seems agreed that HC needs high light but I keep seeing some people say the hair grass is medium light and others saying it's high light?)

Anyways, because I decided along the way that I want to have faster growth I decided to go ahead and purchase a paintball CO2 system (with aquatek mini regulator) and the Finnex planted+ light for my tank.

I was hoping that I would be able to have either california blackworms or MTS to help with the (eventual) fish waste and decaying plant matter (from clippings) as well as anaerobic bacteria gas in the substrate. I was also hoping this would remedy the need to have a filtration system.

Opinions? I don't even know if this is considered medium tech simply because the CO2 system seems high tech imo. (LOL)

Thanks for any replies.

 

[Coursair]

"medium" tech tank advice?

Such a small tank is a balancing act. I haven't done Walstad. I have had a 2.5g planted without a filter, but it was low tech and only had a single Guppy in it ( unplanned Rescue).

Any reason you don't want an HOB filter ?

The only fish that would fit in a 3g is a Betta IME.
You can adjust flow so you don't blow him around the tank.

 

[NickNaylor]

The carpeting plants do require high light and, per most sources, CO2 injection in order to get a true carpet. I had some dwarf hairgrass in my tank, and while it was growing, I couldn't get it to carpet to any significant degree. Admittedly, I only tried for about 6 weeks, but I decided to give up and pulled all of it out and just replaced it with some larger plants. Most sources I've read suggest that without adequate nutrients, the HG will grow - it's just that it will grow vertically, not horizontally, thus you will never get that carpeted effect.