# Setting up a low tech tank for a beginner?



## Seditro (31 Aug 2016)

Hi guys i have a few questions id like to ask you about setting up a low tech tank 

My set up will be a Juwel Lido 120 with the T5 lights 24w each (currently has 2x reflectors)
running a all pond solutions 2000ef external filter

My lights are to high right? what should i aim for here?

My filter it has a decent flow rate on it without the spray bar kind of slows right down with it on 
do low tech tanks need good flow?

what substrate is good for low tech tanks?

what plants could i grow in low tech tanks?

My idea of plants to have is things like 

sagittaria subulata to maybe kind of carpet the whole tank 
have a peice of driftwood in the back  (rocks and stuff around it as u do) 
then maybe have some vallisneria at the back of it some amazon swords to the sides some staurogyne repens infront of the wood moss java fern and possibly anubias on the wood aswell and if theres room maybe some ludwigia repens rubin to give a little colour to the green maybe the odd rock pile with some kind of crypts around it? i dont know 

Are these plants possible to grow in low tech tanks? if not what kind of set up should i go for 
i kind of have a blank canvas here as i not bought anything yet but id like to grow some of these plants 

any advice or from your own experience will be greatly appericated 


Many Thanks 

Ben


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## Tim Harrison (1 Sep 2016)

Hi your lighting is too high one tube without a reflector will be fine.
You don't need high flow in a low-energy tank, around 5x total tank volume per hour is fine, but 10x with good surface movement to max gas exchange is better.
I'd seriously consider using soil as your substrate, it has many benefits, and is dirt cheep. 
Check out the tutorials section http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/the-soil-substrate-or-dirted-planted-tank-a-how-to-guide.18943/ for more info; there's also a plant list at the end of the article.


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## ian_m (1 Sep 2016)

Most Juwel tanks using T5 even without reflectors are in high light "plant melting" region. Unfortunately due to the electronic starter they use you have to run both tubes at the same time.

Best bet, if you want a low light, low energy, low tech, low maintainance tank is say foil rings around the tubes to block say 1/2 the light and/or diffused plastic sheet and/or floating plants. You could crack open the lighting unit (not recommended as a bugger to reseal, been there, got the tee shirt and failed) and replace the tube starter with a dimmable starter. Or buy an iQuatics Juwel replacement light and change the starter to a dimmable one. The iQuatics units come apart easily.

Or bite the bullet and go hi tech, CO2, ferts, water changes, plants growing cm per day, carpeting plants etc etc.

Loads of options.


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## Seditro (1 Sep 2016)

I do like the sounds of hi tech but abit unsure where to start with it all


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## ian_m (1 Sep 2016)

Seditro said:


> I do like the sounds of hi tech but abit unsure where to start with it all



1. CO2 regulator from CO2SuperMarket or CO2 art. I have a single stage dual guage regulator, cost £50 4 years ago. Works fine.
2. CO2 diffuser of some form. I have a 22mm inline difuser in the outlet pipe of my filter.
3. CO2 source from fire extinguisher. Use yellow pages to look up fire extinguisher suppliers and phone them. I get mine for £10 for a 2Kg.
4. CO2 tubing to connect it all up.
4a. Timer for CO2.
5. Bigger filter to try and get x10 tank volume flow rate.
6. Fertiliser starter kit from www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk.

Done.


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## Seditro (1 Sep 2016)

you make it sound so simple lol guess you have done it for many years so it kind of comes natural now 

i was lookin at the fire extinguisher method with a co2art dual reg with solenoid

this 1  

http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections...regulator-dual-gauged-solenoid-magnetic-valve

as for a diffuser i was looking at these inline diffusers and read alot of good things other than the price seems to be abit high for abit of plastic 
now my hose for my external filter is  Outer 25mm (0.8"), Inner 18mm (0.6") the all pond solutions 2000ef i cant seem to find one that will fit? i think biggest i have seen is 22/16mm?

if i cant get a inline co2 diffuser is there a certain size diffuser i would need for 2ft tank? any good diffusers you can recommend? 


so substrates i was doing abit of reading and come across this one 

https://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/ca...0.html?zenid=6e0df0ed0a64597be7f2b01e425c54b4
Does this need capping? im abit unsure on that one

and for dosing the ferts i assume i just need this 

http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/bundles-starter-kits/bundles-6/starter-kits/ei-starter-kit.html 

then just buy the top ups?


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## ian_m (1 Sep 2016)

To cope with bigger pipes and smaller CO2 diffusers you do like in my post below. Follow the thread to see how to do it in flexible piping. The valve is a must to force water through the smaller bypass, many people find it doesn't work if they don't haev the valve.

http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/fluval-fx6-with-16-22m-hose.42310/#post-455324


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## Reayman (5 Sep 2016)

Hey @Seditro and welcome, following this intently as I have a new Juwel Lido 120 and have the same questions/ considering high tech set up. I wondered what size CO2 canister because I'd want it to go seamlessly in the cabinet below.

Any pics of your setup?


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## Seditro (5 Sep 2016)

Hey there my tank is not set up right now trying to figure a few things out so not wasting my cash but i know the cabinet is wide enough and tall enough to fit in a external filter ( aps 2000ef which is a large canister  290 x 290 x 485 mm)+ a 2kg FE if that helps

Cabinet being 73x41x61 cm HWL and a 2kg fe being around 50cm high or so and 10cm diameter so plenty of room above it for all the pipes and wires


http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/new-to-pressurised-co2-ready-to-purchase.30617/


I found this it has a picture of another members set up with a juwel lido 120 do you get the general idea of what i mean


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## Reayman (6 Sep 2016)

@Seditro took me a while to realise you meant Fire Extinguisher and not Iron(FE)! I'll have a read of that other blog cheers... find myself sat at work staring at a 2kg CO2 extinguisher right now and looking if there's camera's about jk but it seems like a good route when I save up 

Reayman


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## Seditro (6 Sep 2016)

Dont worry i do the same thing at my work but there is cameras 
Besides you can buy a new 1 for like £25 online and i hear refills are pretty cheap depends where u live i suppose but there is a section on here that tells u where people have found good sources for them and refills 

Have you thought about regulators for your tank yet? 

Im looking at these co2 art and co2 supermarket unsure which one both look the same but one cheaper than other and cheaper one i think you get section cups

http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections...products/advance-complete-aquarium-co2-system


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## Reayman (7 Sep 2016)

@Seditro I've heard nothing but good things about CO2Art so worth a look.
I was ready that link you gave before about their dual regulator deal for £50 down from £177, bargain of the century.

For me this will be all post-wedding shopping, no point setting things up and going away on honeymoon, I won't see the results!


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