First Low Tech Planted Tank... Now High Tech!

[MrHidley]

Your tank looks great. Did it survive the move? Any pics?

Yes, the tank did survive the move, took a few water changes to remove all the dirt and gunk that collected at the front pane of glass during it though! I'll post some pictures in the coming weeks, the room it's in is still full of boxes. In the weeks before the move I did struggle with cyano bacteria, which i treated with an initial blackout for 5 days, followed by increasing my ferts and using tropica specialised once a day.

 

[Manisha]

Beautiful tank ☺

 

[aquamania]

Good to hear it survived. I'm currently suffering with cyano and it's getting me down!

 

[MrHidley]

Good to hear it survived. I'm currently suffering with cyano and it's getting me down!

Do a blackout, that was the only thing to get rid of it for me. Increasing the ferts just prevented it coming back.

 

[aquamania]

I have done a 4 day blackout a few months back
It reduced it but didn't get rid. how long was your blackout?

 

[MrHidley]

I have done a 4 day blackout a few months back
It reduced it but didn't get rid. how long was your blackout?

I first removed as much of it manually as i could, then did around 3 separate blackouts over a month each of about 4/5 days. Plants being low energy didn't suffer at all. The most important thing is to work out what is causing it, as it will just come back if you don't change anything after the blackout. I also upgrading to a larger HoB filter.

 

[aquamania]

I'll give it another go. Will try and improve circulation. Cheers

 

[ChrisP]

I managed to pretty much completely get rid of my cyno. All I did was close the blinds. Touch of natural light was enough to trigger it. Maybe applies in your case?

 

[BettsBP]

Great looking tank. Always like the exposed plants where they break the surface

 

[BexHaystack]

Lovely tank, a real low tech triumph

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

 

[Abhishankar Adhikary]

Your tank looks really great.....

 

[MrHidley]

Your tank looks really great.....

Thanks, I think it's going to get a little rescape soon, the ferns and moss is started to wear on me a bit. Thinking of pulling it all out and then filling the background with grasses.

 

[HiNtZ]

Very nice.

 

[Abhishankar Adhikary]

Waiting for rescape picture........🙂

 

[MrHidley]

Waiting for rescape picture........🙂

So very busy with life at the moment, so it could be a while!

 

[Deansie]

Amazing little tank, so do you still only use one t5 tube in the light?

 

[MrHidley]

Amazing little tank, so do you still only use one t5 tube in the light?

Yes, only 8w.

 

[Deansie]

Amazing.

 

[Soilwork]

Perfect example of a low tech. can I ask what the GH and Kh of your tap water is and how often you do a partial water change?

 

[MrHidley]

Perfect example of a low tech. can I ask what the GH and Kh of your tap water is and how often you do a partial water change?

I've never tested it to be honest. I live in Suffolk so it's fairly hard. Used to do water changes about once a month.

The tank has now been replanted, though I've kept the same hardscape as I was really happy with it. I've implemented a some co2 this time and i'm using all three bulbs on the light fixture to try and grow a thick wall of rotala at the back.