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Is it old substrate you are going to use back in the tank after you empty it? If not,and you are going to use new substrate,should be little issues with snails or eggs if you scrub tank after draining it with mild bleach/water solution. No need to fill the tank for scrubbing down sides and...

I see mostly diatoms,and might consider some cherry shrimps that are relatively hardy,and love grazing on everything.(algae & diatoms especially). Keep floss/foam in filter clean by rinsing it out frequently in old tank water. Don't see much livestock in photo,and might use peroxide treatment...

Would not worry too much bout biological media, and would instead run with mostly mechanical media (Floss). Maybe also foam over filter inlet's, to clean weekly with each water change.

I agree and maybe next time do weekly water change and then introduce new fish. In that way,the fish or fishes have a week to adapt to new tank condition's before water change time.;)

I might be tempted to drill hole through Perspex and use stainless steel wood screw into wood, should super glue let go at some point.

Any type soil based substrate ,under white top substrate or cap,, does not lend itself well to white cap be it sand or fine gravel remaining white for long IME Assumes that the bottom soil based substrate is to help feed plant root's. Planting,uprooting and moving plant's,is tricky to keep...

Title to thread "Aquascaping vs Loving nature" are one and the same for me. I spend many day's and evening's in nature and aquascaping ,caring for tropical fishes, are my way of bringing a little of nature inside for my own selfish pleasure. Some serenity. for me ,cursed with tortured soul and...

Well damn!

Sometimes maybe back glass isn't bad, and can swap front to back?

With large plant mass from the outset,and assuming the hobbyist is providing what the plants need and they are doing well,,then I would agree with Her. One could add a few small fish straight away to heavily planted tank,perform weekly water changes and tank would mature or "cycle" at it's own...

Colisa Ialia (Dwarf gourami) are quite prone to iridovirus. Said to be untreatable. As much as 45 % of those imported affected. Honey gourami,or Pearl gourami said not to be affected by iridovirus. You may not be doing anything wrong ,just bad odd's.

Size of tank ,.numbers of fishes,food's offered to same determine how often my filter's get serviced. Always mindful that the filters don't really remove anything, but rather trap the dirt.mulm,detritus until such time as I clean the filter media. Monthly for me. ,.

If re-filling the tank from the tap,,it's not too difficult with Python water changer tool to adjust temp by mixing warm and cold. If refilling from tub or barrel where water is stored,It's not too difficult to plug in a heater a day before using the water. If they are simply hooking a hose to...

With tanks that might also house numerous fishes along with daily feedings of same,50% water changes each week produced best result's for me for close to four decades. With plants also.(Saw no harm from it) Have seen no reason in my tanks to change from 50% weekly.Just a habit now. Trick is to...

Light energy, just enough and no more, is what helped me turn the corner. Could easily realize less CO2 or nutrient's needed than might be needed with 50 or 100 PAR at the substrate that many fixate on. Nobody talks about limiting light energy, but will jump through hoops for a long long while...

I think in 4 to 6 week window (any tank),plants are still adapting under often times high light energy(too much maybe?), and low or poor CO2 environment, and possibly low nutrients.(fearful of nutrient's = algae). Tanks don't mature for month's IMHO I would want to hedge my bets with lower...

Yes,very nice place to get away to, and love the water fall minus the old tire and wheel someone was so kind as to leave there. I sometimes collect stones and wood from around stream's or bank's of river's after the high water from rain's has receded. Some wood pieces I take home and plop in...

If other side of tank looks better,then turn tank around? stains will be much less noticeable on back glass.. 6% cleaning grade vinegar and warm water has worked for me in the past.

Could be filters due for cleaning?

Sorry no photos ,but I have buce "Arrogant blue" that is performing well in low tech, and sends out spathes or flowers once a month. Bought about eight small sprigs about eight month's ago and all are bushy looking but painfully slow getting there. Smaller than a tooth pick when I bought them...

All the member's have helped me! Just be being here. I can remember year's before the interweb where I floundered .

In the bottom of my eheim 2217's I have a layer of ceramic. So long as I leave it alone,i can wash the four blue foam pad's under the tap without issues but I only wash filter material from one filter and do the other one the following week. To clean the ceramic media, I drain the filter into a...

Water sprite would quickly grow to hide the equipment, Crypt balansae,will take over a corner but is slower to do so. Both seem unaffected by glut in my low tech tanks.

OOPs my apologies:rolleyes:, does indeed indicate EI dosing which should (if truly EI values), ensure enough nutrient's to draw from independent of root tabs that sometimes are little more than iron by %. I use Miracle Grow plant food spikes pushed deep into substrate.

Well,you make no mention of what nutrient's are available to the water column? If substrate is inert? and no water column dosing,then the plant has little to draw from. As mentioned.. it is not uncommon for plant's such as echinodorus to lose a few or nearly all leaves developed under emmersed...

Fish food's,fish waste,dirty filter's,decaying plant matter all left unchecked as Clive mention's, likely to have more of negative impact as they too contribute to TDS. TDS from mineral salt's alone would be temporary depending on plant mass drawing from them me thinks. Still could be too much...

I have fairly hard water at 12dgh, and that,combined with sharp increase in TDS from the mineral salt's is too much I think, for some soft water species I have barely been able to keep in said water before. I tend to keep fishes that do better with my moderately hard water now day's. I have...

Have seen some nice Willow branches offered for sale on websites,I have not seen any teak wood that was not in plank form . I bought some spider wood a while back and it was quite pricey.

Yes ,plants make best bacterial filter or biological filter for they can take up ammonia directly (prefer it),, and thus little in the way of nitrate build up. Add too much fish foods for possibly too many fishes, and too few plant's, and things become skewed towards condition's that favor Algae...

I Keep painted fire red shrimp and cherry shrimp in 55 gal tank that houses three adult plecos' and a few guppies. Plecos pay the shrimp no mind,and guppies can't put a dent in population much,or so it appears.

50% weekly in my low techs or any other tanks holding fishes. Once I get out the hose and small pump to move the water,it is no bother to change more water as opposed to less.

Yes, My tanks are all low tech and I have seen no harm to flora /fauna with large frequent water changes. I have a few fishes that I feed well also.

Not much bacteria free floating about in the water. Most of the bacteria will be found on hard surfaces like glass,wood,rock's,substrate,filter media,filter tubes. Really no need for such water changes with such small bioload.

Would think 50% every other week would suffice or maybe even less than this if it is for the benefit of a few shrimps.? If this is Dry start method for establishing a tank which has now been flooded,then I should think after a couple near 100 % water changes,, that it would help clear the water...

I suspect most people(except for lower lit tanks) could stand to decrease light intensity 15 % or more without issues regarding plant growth, so proper glass top would not be much of an issue.(keep it clean) Would provide added benefit of making possible shortcomings with regard to CO2 less of...

Is not just bioload from fishes waste in a closed system but tendencies to over feed when more fishes are added = increased waste which can cause trouble.(ammonia spike) At pH < 7 ammonia is less harmful ammonium which plant's and biofilter can still assimilate . As Darrel says, Oxygen or...

Over here in U.S. we can see aquaphonic shops but police often note the visitor's there and jot down vehicle license. Mostly generic plant/fish selection's at large chain stores here. Often marvel at the plant and fish selection's/shops you all speak of, but fear I may become worm food before...

Floating anacharis,water sprite,duckweed, seems to work for me. Agree with the dissolved organic's, and possible protein's that plant's might respire,dirty filter media.

I simply cannot grow regular broader leaf java fern in my low tech, but my sister who knows nothing about plant's,ferttz, grows it like a weed. How did I solve my problem? I quit going over to my sister's house.:rolleyes: I am able to grow the lace java fern fairly well however.

Hygrophilia,Crypt Pontederiifolia,leaves would add some contrast with present plant's and suitable for mid ground.IMHO

Windex window cleaner here in U.S. with vinegar.(comes mixed) Best glass cleaner in my view for auto glass ,window's,is ..one part ammonia,one part alcohol,one part water. Resist's freezing,streaking, when used with paper towel or wadded up newspaper which is about all the latest news here is...

You say I speak of old tales, with no basis in reality. With the exception of my opinion as to fishes intelligence(or lack thereof),I defy you or anyone else to point me to any untruth's I have submitted. What I have submitted may not fit YOUR reality but that don't confront me, and that which I...

No In my view, your just kickin a dead horse or not reading. With research,comes knowledge so that one does not have become a fish collector buying,replacing,medicating fishes as opposed to one who cares for the fishes in their charge. Research ain't trolling forums searching for other's who...

Well As I said,I killed untold number's of fishes while learning about how to lessen stress, and provide for them per species.(research their need's) Quality food's, stable water chemistry that suites individual species considered (many ignore this),clean/fresh water,suitable temp's/tankmates...

Killed untold number's of fishes when I began in the hobby some four decades ago . Largely out of ignorance. Now I can say happily,,that the majority of the fishes I care for die of old age. Except the bait fish. I see many examples of planted tank's where fishes are but for aesthetic values...

I might add a few more Threadfin's if space allowed, and feed maybe twice a day small amount's to increase Nitrate (nitrogen) level's. Photo look's to be slower growing,lower light demanding Aunbia, next to maybe plant's that need more of everything in comparison.?

Yes,is easy to wax philosophical. If I were a fish,I would be quite happy to live in my aquarium's I think. I would not be so happy to be a fish in the bait tank's,or store tank's where I might be purchased for bait,or by the masses of fish collector's in the hobby as opposed to those who care...

I sometimes get paid for putting people on fish to catch for sport.(sport fishing) You don't get paid for long, if you don't know where and when to go fishing so that the people can catch fish. I also catch fishes to eat, and do not feel any remorse for doing so. Yes I catch same fishes...

I'm not in the habit of lying about fighting,fishing,or fornicating. Shortcoming's are quickly realized. Clearly, you have fished for neither Crappie or largemouth bass in pre spawn or spawning. As mentioned previously,one you begin to study the habit's of the fishes you might be angling...

Closest I have seen to what you may wish for is from an old movie.. "The incredible Mr. limpet":lol: About as close as you are likely to see in the real world.IMHO

I am merely replying to the question (thread title), and offering up feeling's on same. Have been an avid fisherman for nearly fifty year's and in my mind,,.Once you study the habit's of the fish you might be angling for they are fairly predictable, unlike human's. I am a fish whisperer, and...

I mean that attempting to place human qualities on cold blooded fishes is delving very close to fantasy/wishful thinking.IMHO

Believe most tropical fishes are only slightly smarter than the rock's or plant's they hide behind. Yes they can be programmed to recognize the person feeding them,or trained to perform tricks followed by reward , but after that, they are just fishes. Some behavior certainly ingrained within DNA...

Dirt capped with sand or fine gravel is fairly inexpensive, but not suited in my view for those that move plant's about frequently. If cost were of no concern,then the ADA Aquasoil's would be my choice.

I do not know if the fluctuation's of CO2 at water change has much of an effect on CO2 injected tanks but.. maybe more of an affect on NON CO2 tank's. I am not certain that Rubisco mechanism operates same eeficiency in CO2 injected tank as NON CO2. I change 50% of the water in my tanks weekly...

Might try reducing high lighting(intensity, hours) and increasing CO2 a bit more to 2 or 3 bps? Maybe also try two pumps of the fertilizer solution at dosing time. Would see what this did over two week's Me thinks under high lighting ,plant mass may have increased to point where what was once...

Crypt parva under low light non CO2 flatten's out in my tank, but under medium light, and liquid CO2 supplement, grows upright while still staying small enough for stated purpose.

Got some fist sized glob's of moss that I am planning on attaching to wood soon.(need to find right piece(s) of wood. last time I tried(year ago) ,I attached it too thickly, and the bottom of the mass of moss died and only the top portion remained green. Will take my time this go around and...

Biofilm or diatom's looks to me. I clean the front glass and side glass each week during water changes with clean paper towel folded in to fourth's. I can more easily feel any hard particulates(sand substrate for me)) between the paper towels that might scratch the glass than with algae magnet's...

Product might be of some use in new set up, but I believe most any mature substrate will over time develop all manner of micro organisim's/bacterium, and regular use of the product would be moot point for most.(would/will develop naturally can't stop em). But some folk's still swear by aquarium...

Believe crushed coral might limit the type of fishes somewhat to live bearer's,danio's,white cloud's,some rainbow's, other fishes that might thrive in hard alkaline water. Plain sand minus the crushed coral ,might allow for wider range of fishes.?

I might refrain from running lighting all night no matter moonlight's,, or other. Might would try cherry shrimp that are fairly tough and many have them in tank's with Full EI and CO2 injection.(way more nutrient's added to these) 10% of suggested ranges for the nutrient's is just that. Would...

Or,,you could move plant's less often:lol: I normally shut down filter's when working in the tank and let everything settle before turning filtration back on.(Don't forget) I then clean filter's and filter material next day. My tanks are all soil based with safe-t-sorb cap so the less I move...

Photo gallery here might give some inspiration/idea's. Nice wood pieces.

Maybe sit quietly and read more is in order if knowledge is the goal. PAR values are far more important than spectrum from plant's perspective.. Photo in my avatar for example, was operating under combonation of 10,000K/6700K bulbs(Hamilton) from old Reef tank.

Near any bulb advertised as "Daylight" or "Full Spectrum " will grow the plant's just fine. Plant's will indeed use whatever light they can. This is not surprising to most, but is always a matter of debate. In the wild,plant's may only receive a couple hour's of high noon lighting before the...

I change bulb's when they burn out and have spares for just such an occasion. Other than black light,I have yet to try a bulb or combination of bulb's that would not grow plant's in my low tech low light affair's. Was a thread here at ukaps discussing "Spectrum matter's,or does it" that seem's...

Eheim ceramic impeller shaft's for me. Don't know why they can't make them from stainless steel. Have other canister's,powerhead's,HOB filter's, that all use stainless steel:rolleyes:.

EI is but one of a few method's, but easily (in my view) the most favored for those who wish to largely eliminate deficiencies when first starting out. Leaves only light and CO2 to focus on. Can start with EI level's and scale down till poor performance or algae becomes problematic, and then...

Girlfriend's 7 yr old wanted a fishing pole, and would settle for nothing but a pink rod/reel combo with princess theme adornment's. Fast forward 2 yrs, and she spied my graphite spinning rod and one of the more expensive reel's of the many cheaper ones I own mounted to it. After a day of...

Ha! Ha! I pulled the age five year old out of the air in previous reply, but OP's godson could be five day's or five month's old,and my sentiment remain's unchanged. Spoil the wee ones rotten, while they are blissfully ignorant to the stark realities of growing older by the day. I very much...

If a five year old want's pink/blue gravel, and pirate chest with scuba diver,then By god that's what they should have. IMHO If your older than fifteen with same desire,well...Time to expand your horizon's a bit me think's.

I wannna see the 3000 l or it don't exist.:watching:

I do like sumps for their ability to increase the volume of water, and thereby increasing dilution capabilities of organic matter therein. But they also result In more stuff to keep clean in my view/experience, and not sure I agree that they do a better job than properly sized/maintained...

Well depending on size of Discus, babies need a few small feeding's a day to achieve potential growth, water changes and filter cleaning's are needed more frequently than Adult Discus.(otherwise stunted,poorly formed fish) Not really low maint with juveniles in my experience. If money was of...

If it were just crypt's,val's,and anubia and low maint,a shop light with a couple 32 watt T8's would suffice and is fairly cheap option. I believe two 54 watt T5's would be a bit much light even on tall tank without CO2 injection. Root tab's and replacement every three or four month's, and...

I am not a fan of blood worm's that OP mentioned, and merely offered alternatives to beef heart and or bloodworm's as title of the thread suggest's. Fish poop should look well formed and segmented as opposed to white/grey/stringy looking, which would indicate intestinal parasite's IME For what...

Bit's of black worm's,red worm's,earthworm's. Have yet to see any cichlid's that did not readily eat them. Let fishes go without food for four or five day's and they will eat near anything that hit's the water that look's edible IME Assuming they aren't sick.

Plant's are best biological filtration for they can/do take up ammonia and nitrates as food/fuel for growth. Bacteria also colonize's on substrate,plant leaves,glass,rock's,wood, inside wall's/hoses on filter's,and on pad's,sponges, or near anything else placed inside the filter. If I wanted to...

Any media removed from canister(s) will increase flow.(less resistance) With that said, I might wonder how often your filter get's serviced.Dirty filter material will restrict flow. In any event,I might not remove media from both filter's at one go, but rather one at a time over a week or two...

I would add sponge or pad from already established tank (If I had access to this), rather than squeezing the borrowed media into the newly established/cycling tank. The bacteria is clingy to filter media/hard surfaces, and more bang for the buck by inserting the borrowed media into the...

Dirted tank's are all I have ever done or plant's in pot's of dirt capped with gravel (large cichlid tank's) Plant heavily,and leave plant's alone. I have used miracle grow organic soil and plain old top soil which I add peat and cat litter to. I just remove the big pieces of wood and smoosh the...

I need only to scroll through the photo's in Face book gallery here, or planted tank gallery here, to be instantly struck stupid with the beauty of the creation's. Hard at times not to suffer from inferiority complex, but still I gaze at the photo's with admiration /aspiration.

Can add CO2 to any tank and see improvement, but use too much light,and then CO2 becomes limiting in any tank quite possibly nutrient's as well.

For sure.

High tech for me is.. CO2 tank's,diffuser's,reactor's,drop checker's,regulator's,solenoid's,frequent dosing of nutrient's,large frequent water changes. Low tech = none of the above.

I will agree that the addition of CO2 will be biggest difference in plant growth,not necessarily plant health. Plenty of low tech tanks with healthy plant's have been seen here and elsewhere on other forum's . Will also agree that lighting alone does not indicate high tech or low tech, but...

Only makes a difference in growth/health if CO2 delivery matches the amount of light energy being used. Plant's will still struggle and algae will thrive if light energy is in excess of the CO2 available for plant's to draw from. Hence the suggestion's of reducing light energy, or increasing CO2...

No one can move away from the fact that light drives the demand for that which plants need,light,CO2,fertz.(algae need's much less of everything) Less light,= less demand, and managing the tank becomes easier, which those injecting CO2 discover fairly quickly where light is driving everything...

Yes light can be quite high in low tech if...you mean high above the tank. I see your meaning though. Without the ability to increase CO2, mega lighting in low tech is only gonna cause grief unless as mentioned ,you hang the lighting high above the tank. It is the light that drives the demand...

I HAVE noticed difference when changing water with light's on, hence why I change the water at night with just lamp on other side of the room to give me enough light to see what I'm doing.(How much light does one need to drain half the water from a glass box?) I believe there is enough...

The flourish comprehensive has more micro nutrient's than macro nutrient's by content %, and although I have used it in NON CO2 tanks at twice weekly ,the plant's performed better for me with the addition of dry mineral salt's KNO3,KH2PO4,and K2SO4 and I used the flourish comprehensive as trace...

Who is to say that water changes alone did not bring relief to fishes remaining? I would be more tempted to go with 50% water changes each week before I considered pouring garlic water in the tank . Good water quality = healthy immune system. I sometimes use medciated fish food that contains...

Yes! have caught some big grass carp floating mulberry's picked from the tree under a bobber near same tree. Nothing like the sound of your drag squealing as the fish take a hundred yard's of line or more before you can turn em.

Have had frog's try and attack/breed ? with artificial frog's I use for luring black Bass from under weed bed's,lilly pad's. This activity is usually interrupted by explosive strikes from the bass which sometimes hit my frog,, or the real thing. Get a young person interested in nature,and far...

Resealing one corner or pane of glass at a time was the way I re-sealed my own tank .75 gal This way I did not have to worry bout the silicone drying too fast. I used the masking tape to make clean,straight seal and then moved to the next pane or edge. Ended up housing fishes in large plastic...

Water changes each week will determine what microbes,nutrient's,waste,is laying about in the tank and with regular weekly water changes,chemical makeup of water should remain fairly consistent/stable unless taking measures to alter it and or maint is lacking . Have run fish only tank's for...

Will alway's be the light in my view that drives what energy may or may not be needed/utilized for majority of plant's. Too much light energy is primary reason most suggest increasing CO2 as fix for many problem's. The light energy they are providing, is not matched by amount of other factor's...

To attempt to answer original question and title to this thread, I would submit that Estimative index is good place to start for most . As per it's creator, it's not anything carved in stone. I believe that one can easily increase/decrease amount's of fertz to suit their particular need's...

Have followed lot's of thread's on different forum's, and do not see much in the way of problem's with those who when having issues in low tech,or high tech high energy tank's, when they reduce the lighting . They immediately reduce demand from the plant's for that which they may be lacking and...