Fishperson
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hello AA!
This week I started my 5.5 gallon low tech tank:
Tank: 16x8x10 inches
Light: 13 watt 6700k CFL mounted in a desk lamp around 15 inches above the substrate (this might be changed to a 9 watt if I get algae)
Fertilizer: EI of sorts--I have the dry chemicals laying around so that's the best option, but I realize that a low tech tank doesn't really need much so the dosing will be modified as such. Along with that I dose 1 ml of straight metricide daily.
Substrate: Regular old play sand--$4 for 50 pounds. Also, osmocote root tabs.
Hardscape: Mopani wood from petsmart.
Filter: Marina Slim S10, with various plants shoved into it in hopes that they might grow.
Fauna: None, at the moment, and I'm not sure what will go in later. Some RCS almost certainly, and maybe an amano if they don't do a good job cleaning. As for fish, I've been considering neon tetras but decided they needed a larger tank. Boraras brigittae and Hyphesobrycon amandae are also both in the mix. Or just a nice betta.
Flora:
- Cryptocoryne wendtii "green"
- POTENTIALLY Cryptocoryne wendtii "green gecko" (not sure, need an ID)
- Cryptocoryne becketii "petchii"
- Cryptocoryne willisii
- Anubias barteri var. nana
- Anubias barteri var. nana "petite"
- Peacock moss
- Ludwigia of some sort, potentially sp. red, rubin, senegalensis, or ovalis.
- Lindernia heteromorpha "variegated"
- Elatine triandra
- Hydrocotyle "japan"
And plants that are in there now that will be moved to another tank:
- Hygrophila polysperma "sunset"
- Hemianthus micranthemoides
- Rotala rotundifolia
- Dwarf water lettuce
I ordered the hygrophila, forgetting how large its leaves are. If its new growth is as large as I expect, it'll go in another tank. If the leaves are small, then it will stay.
Anyways, time for pictures I suppose. The water is very murky with tannins from the mopani, even though I boiled it and soaked it. I may run activated carbon to get rid of them.
FTS:
Side angle:
Right side, with ET, Hydrocotyle "japan," moss, anubias, crypt willisii, and a bit of ludwigia red just 'cause:
Anubias jungle!:
Top view of the right side, with potentially green gecko on the right, petchii on the left, and lindernia rotundifolia "variegated" in between:
Floating plants (ET, HM, Rotala rotundifolia, dwarf water lettuce, and some hydrocotyle japan featuring the hair clip that I use to plants stems, holding them in place):
Plants in the HOB (these were all grown submersed, so they might die. I spray them often, but I'm not too concerned about them. They were extras, so if they die I'm not too worried):
Now one question. Can I do the following to get rid of tannins?:
- Dose ferts at 8 AM
- Hang activated carbon in front of the filter output at 3 PM
- Remove the activated carbon at 8 AM, and dose again
I've heard AC takes fertilizer out of the water, but it also removes tannins. Would doing what I described above remove tannins without removing fertilizer?
Questions, comments, and constructive criticism appreciated!
This week I started my 5.5 gallon low tech tank:
Tank: 16x8x10 inches
Light: 13 watt 6700k CFL mounted in a desk lamp around 15 inches above the substrate (this might be changed to a 9 watt if I get algae)
Fertilizer: EI of sorts--I have the dry chemicals laying around so that's the best option, but I realize that a low tech tank doesn't really need much so the dosing will be modified as such. Along with that I dose 1 ml of straight metricide daily.
Substrate: Regular old play sand--$4 for 50 pounds. Also, osmocote root tabs.
Hardscape: Mopani wood from petsmart.
Filter: Marina Slim S10, with various plants shoved into it in hopes that they might grow.
Fauna: None, at the moment, and I'm not sure what will go in later. Some RCS almost certainly, and maybe an amano if they don't do a good job cleaning. As for fish, I've been considering neon tetras but decided they needed a larger tank. Boraras brigittae and Hyphesobrycon amandae are also both in the mix. Or just a nice betta.
Flora:
- Cryptocoryne wendtii "green"
- POTENTIALLY Cryptocoryne wendtii "green gecko" (not sure, need an ID)
- Cryptocoryne becketii "petchii"
- Cryptocoryne willisii
- Anubias barteri var. nana
- Anubias barteri var. nana "petite"
- Peacock moss
- Ludwigia of some sort, potentially sp. red, rubin, senegalensis, or ovalis.
- Lindernia heteromorpha "variegated"
- Elatine triandra
- Hydrocotyle "japan"
And plants that are in there now that will be moved to another tank:
- Hygrophila polysperma "sunset"
- Hemianthus micranthemoides
- Rotala rotundifolia
- Dwarf water lettuce
I ordered the hygrophila, forgetting how large its leaves are. If its new growth is as large as I expect, it'll go in another tank. If the leaves are small, then it will stay.
Anyways, time for pictures I suppose. The water is very murky with tannins from the mopani, even though I boiled it and soaked it. I may run activated carbon to get rid of them.
FTS:
Side angle:
Right side, with ET, Hydrocotyle "japan," moss, anubias, crypt willisii, and a bit of ludwigia red just 'cause:
Anubias jungle!:
Top view of the right side, with potentially green gecko on the right, petchii on the left, and lindernia rotundifolia "variegated" in between:
Floating plants (ET, HM, Rotala rotundifolia, dwarf water lettuce, and some hydrocotyle japan featuring the hair clip that I use to plants stems, holding them in place):
Plants in the HOB (these were all grown submersed, so they might die. I spray them often, but I'm not too concerned about them. They were extras, so if they die I'm not too worried):
Now one question. Can I do the following to get rid of tannins?:
- Dose ferts at 8 AM
- Hang activated carbon in front of the filter output at 3 PM
- Remove the activated carbon at 8 AM, and dose again
I've heard AC takes fertilizer out of the water, but it also removes tannins. Would doing what I described above remove tannins without removing fertilizer?
Questions, comments, and constructive criticism appreciated!
