Low Tech Setup

[Jen]

Hello everyone. I hope there are some familiar faces still around, but would definitely love help from all the people I don't know as well.

In the past I have had a fairly high tech setup (co2, daily liquid ferts, 3.2 wpg), but am looking to get back into the world with a tank more about the fish than the plants. However I cannot do artificial. Just can't. The tank I am looking at is a 55gal (48" x 13" x 20"). I really want to avoid upgrading the hood and getting into all that craziness. It comes stock with 2 17 w bulbs, which gives me around .60 wpg.

I am thinking Angels and Harlequin Rasboras, so I definitely want some tall plants. I love the really wide val gigantea which my store stocks regularly, but I know from my last tank that they love light, and tend to go mushy without enough. I definitely want crytps and some Anubias. I plan on having some wood in there, so some java fern or moss. I think I can figure out my foreground pretty well, but the background is a little more tricky, as I would like some bushy plants for hiding spots.

Basically I am looking for advice on, first off, if 35 watts will do for any plants, and if anyone has any suggestions for good plants that will do what I am looking for.

Thanks so much,
Jen

 

[Channti]

I've got a low-tech 46 gallon. Low light (about 0.65 wpg), no CO2, dosing with Nutrafin PlantGro at waterchanges. For background plants in it right now, I've got some Wisteria and Hygrophila polysperma (and some Cabomba, but that's dying off slowly due to not getting enough light). While the Wisteria is a little "messy" (the leaves seem to have a very short lifespan, though it is just starting to take root in my tank after being in there over a month), the Hygrophila Polysperma has taken off in my tank. It's about 13-14" high (with my tank being 20" high) right now, took root almost immediately in the tank, and continues to grow at a fairly fast rate. I've already taken clippings from it to plant my betta tank (4-5" long clippings). I'd definitely recommend it.

 

[lljdma06]

Hello everyone. I hope there are some familiar faces still around, but would definitely love help from all the people I don't know as well.

Welcome back Jen! I remember your tank very well. .60WPG is totally fine for the hardies (anubias, crypts, swords, mosses, ferns). For background, go Crypt spiralis. It is tall like vallis, but a crypt. This is the background in my tank. Aponogetons will work for you too and large swords. For bushy plants, go smaller swords, java fern, and bunches of bolbitis maybe.

Check out PARC

llj

 

[Jen]

Thank you both. I would love Hygro Poly, but I have really only had luck with it when I added a ton of light. It just got tall and stalky until I upped the wattage. I will have some clippings available to me in the near future, so I will give it a go.

Llj, glad to see you are still around Those are all pretty much the plants I was thinking of - crypts, anubas and the javas. I would love the entire foreground covered in crypts of all different heights. That bolbitis looks very interesting. I will have to see if I can find a supplier around here.

Here's my focal piece. I love the line the wood creates, and plan to work with it to create a big dense section on the right either with the swords or a more bushy plant, then have the section to the left be a little more sparse with lots of swimming room. I haven't decided on rocks yet, if I could make some cave like areas on the left for bottom feeders or if something behind the wood would work. Still lots of time to work it out though. The only thing I know for sure is the fish. I want this to be a tank about the fish, not the plants; I've had it with co2 and ferts and all that stuff.