# First Low Tech - Advice Needed



## jp303 (6 Dec 2016)

Hi all,


I have just purchased an AquaVogue 135 which arrives later this week.


*Aquarium Model: *AquaVogue 135

*Dimensions: *42 x 80 x 50cm

*Aquarium Volume: *135L

*External Filter Flow Rate: *850L/Hr

*Light Wattage: *44W LED


I have kept fish before but this time I would like to set up a planted tank. I don’t have a huge amount of time on my hands due to work so I would like to set up a low maintenance, fairly low cost tank. First question silly question is, does the set up purchased allow me to do this?


What substrate is recommended without spending a fortune on specialist substrate. If this is the best option, then I am happy to do so but I am curious to hear about what is best to use as a first timer in a low tech set up.


Which plants are best suited to this type of set up and with the lighting/filter I have?


Any other tips/learnings from people who were once in a similar position. I fly home for Xmas next week so realistically won’t be able to do much before then but it would be great to get some advice on what to start thinking about and planning so I can hit the ground running in the new year.


Apologies for all the questions, I am sure there will be many more.


Joe


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## zozo (6 Dec 2016)

Hi,

44 watt LED doesn't say anything about it's output power.. It only tells you it's power consumption.. Regarding output it can be high, medium or even low. All depending on type of led buildin and where it is suituated above the tank. But leds say  it is High light, than a dimmer will be something you need or an option to place the lights higher above the tank.. To much light above a low tech will definitively grow a lot of algae.. How much it needs in the end while it matures is something you need to learn along the way..

For plants look at the Tropica.com database, there you can choose from easy to advanced plants.. Anything listed under Easy is suitable for low tech.. Some listed under Medium might do as well, this depends on several parameters and will be a trail and error..

For substrate it doesn't realy matter what you use, in here you have to make choices in what you want and how fast you want it all to happen. Are you the type with loads of patience you can go with a lot of options of inert substrates, sand, gravel, lava, clay (akadama or cat litter) or a mix of several types.. Inert startups take a bit longer to biologicaly mature but in the end (after maturing) it all will be a bit the same. Also the choice of fish has a saying in this, do you like digging fish than a fine grained substrate is the way to go.. Diggers can't dig in coarse substrates and might hurt themselfs while trying. Darrels Soil Thread. Definitively is a good read to start with. Do you want to speed it all up a bit read Tims "The Soil Substrate or Dirted Planted Tank - A How to Guide." All have pros and cons, something you have to deside on yourself what suits you the most, choices enough.. 

Filtering is depending, hardscape setup and also how much and what kind of fish sp. you want to house. Some like flow others hate it. Moderate flow is generaly the best mid way to go for the majority of fish available. Pump rattings are always a bit vague and ussualy rated in a free flow without any filter restrictions. So depending on the media used and how dirty it gets over time it will always be less than what the label tells you.. This is also something you have to see and feel along the way what suits your aquarium best.. 850 litre p/h on a 135 litre lowtech sounds a bit much.. But hard to say how much you realy need.. I'm running my 110 litre with less than 400 litres p/h turn over and it runs like a charm. But what you have probably will be more than enough.


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## greenmac75 (6 Dec 2016)

For substrate check out this tutorial for a cheap but good option
*The Soil Substrate or Dirted Planted Tank - A How to Guide*


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## jp303 (6 Dec 2016)

Thanks for the replies, I will give those articles a read. 

Another silly question I am sure, but is using a dimmer as simple as using one of these? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mercury-Pl...8&qid=1481055895&sr=8-1&keywords=light+dimmer or is this not suitable?

Will post back some thoughts after a little more research to cross check and might start a journal once I get going.


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## zozo (7 Dec 2016)

jp303 said:


> Thanks for the replies, I will give those articles a read.
> 
> Another silly question I am sure, but is using a dimmer as simple as using one of these? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mercury-Pl...8&qid=1481055895&sr=8-1&keywords=light+dimmer or is this not suitable?
> 
> Will post back some thoughts after a little more research to cross check and might start a journal once I get going.



It all depends how the led setup is build and the led driver this needs.. Dimming leds can be accomplished in different ways, depending on the type of leds used. Mainly the driver must be dimmable. If you have bought a ready made aquarium led light setup it comes with a driver it is best to ask the vendor if it also has a dimming option and or what kind of dimmer it needs. The dimmer in your link most likely will be no option.

Tho 44 watt led power in general seems a tad much for a low tech. But as said it doesn't say anything about how much light it realy gives and how it will work out when the aqaurium is up and running.. If a dimmer aint an option with what you already got, if it comes to that, there are other simple ways to prevent to much light getting into the tank.. That's something you realy do not need to worry about that much from the start. Just set it up and wait and see and go from there.


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## jp303 (7 Dec 2016)

Thanks for the reply.

So I have been having a little read and decided on the soil capped with 2-4mm gravel as the substrate.

Anyone know if the canna soils are okay for this purpose? For example the one listed in the link below:

Canna 50L Terra Professional Soil Mix Bag https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008MJXGOS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_87bsybX6BAPRB




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## HannahFergusonFan (13 Dec 2016)

Canna Soil will be a disaster if you ask me, I was in same situation of Low tech setup about 2 months ago did all my research and started my low tech tank and my tank (29g) is similar to your tank. I used two bags(9kgs) of ADA substrate. Your lighting is in medium lighting category. So the low light and low CO2 plants will do a good job for you. instead of looking for all low light plants, its better to look for the low light plants that are available to you. some of the low light plants I used are Japanese hair grass, java moss, java fern, Dwarf hair grass, Marisala hirsuta. Apart from that I used to dose Seachem Flourish Excel(not costly) in order to provide some kind of CO2 supplement for plants, it did a great job my plants, they looked greener and healthier than before. Plan the hardscape before planting or it will be a mess.


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## sanj (16 Dec 2016)

Start out with a lot of plants, aim for 80% of the substrate covered. At least don't start out with few plants.


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