Low-tech aquarium...Update

[Tim Harrison]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

We do go down this route every now and then and have some "lively" debate. You might like to have a look at this post:

Hi, sorry I don't have the time to read through the entire thread. Would you be so good as to sum up the point your trying to make. I might have some answers. Many thanks

 

[Tim Harrison]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

Thanks for the info. So what does the soil and grit do?

The soil holds nutrients that plants can utilise, the grit just adds structure so the substrate is more conducive to root development, water movement, nutrient transference, and gas exchange.

 

[foxfish]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

So - is basic layman's terms - you are suggesting that by using a specific soil based substrate you can achieve very good results comparable with "high energy" (C02 injected) tanks?
However You are using high lighting because the pants are getting not only nutrients but a C02 supply from the substrate?
You allow a break in the lighting because you feel this helps prevent algae & further allows C02 levels to recover?
However you do not add any fertiliser to the water column - are there fish in your tanks?

I am very interested in your methods even though I am very content with the "high energy" tanks I keep, I am a techie born & bred but perhaps an easy maintenance tank could find a space in my den!

 

[dw1305]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

Hi all,

Hi, sorry I don't have the time to read through the entire thread. Would you be so good as to sum up the point your trying to make....

You are not obliged to read anything, but I looked back through the forum to find this particular thread, as I thought it may be of interest to you.

I think that it may give you a fairly good idea of where we are, or aren't, coming from.

cheers Darrel

 

[Tim Harrison]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

are there fish in your tanks?

Hi yes there are fish in my tank, it is up to and probably beyond the capacity of my minimal filtration, so perhaps there lies the answer .

I am currently writing an article for this site by way of an introduction to my methods, so all will be revealed shortly, that is if they publish it. Either way It will make its way in to the public domain or on to the Interweb in one form or another, or one forum or another, I'll keep you posted it you like.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

You are not obliged to read anything, but I looked back through the forum to find this particular thread, as I thought it may be of interest to you.

Hi Darrel
Reading my reply back it seems a little rude. I will read the thread you kindly picked out for me sometime this weekend, it sounds intriguing.

 

[foxfish]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

Hi Troi, your article will be most welcome....
I help to manage a large forum (not aquarium related) & we always welcome fresh input with relish! - I see no reason why your opinions would not be received with much interest & support on this forum - bring it on

 

[stan1973]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

Thanks for the info. So what does the soil and grit do?

The soil holds nutrients that plants can utilise, the grit just adds structure so the substrate is more conducive to root development, water movement, nutrient transference, and gas exchange.

Im going to try and get hold of the peat and stuff this weekend. I have a 5'x12"x15" I want to get set up this weekend. I got some baby xenopus frogs and have been keeping them in a 64L really useful box in my bedroom but now they're half grown they've started croaking and keeping me awake at night so need to be moved lol.

 

[stan1973]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

Thanks for the info. So what does the soil and grit do?

The soil holds nutrients that plants can utilise, the grit just adds structure so the substrate is more conducive to root development, water movement, nutrient transference, and gas exchange.

Im going to try and get hold of the peat and stuff this weekend. I have a 5'x12"x15" I want to get set up this weekend. I got some baby xenopus frogs and have been keeping them in a 64L really useful box in my bedroom but now they're half grown they've started croaking and keeping me awake at night so need to be moved lol.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

Im going to try and get hold of the peat and stuff this weekend. I have a 5'x12"x15" I want to get set up this weekend. I got some baby xenopus frogs and have been keeping them in a 64L really useful box in my bedroom but now they're half grown they've started croaking and keeping me awake at night so need to be moved lol.

Hi any news to report on how you got on?

 

[stan1973]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

Im going to try and get hold of the peat and stuff this weekend. I have a 5'x12"x15" I want to get set up this weekend. I got some baby xenopus frogs and have been keeping them in a 64L really useful box in my bedroom but now they're half grown they've started croaking and keeping me awake at night so need to be moved lol.

Hi any news to report on how you got on?

Hi

I got hold of all the ingredients (laterite for grit) plus gravel tidy and have mixed well and put down as a layer in the bottom of the tank and moistened. I haven't got further than that yet as I want to get some plants and am also waiting for a filter to come. I read that some people leave it to adapt to being under water for quite a long period but I don't think the peat will need that step.
I'm also thinking of trying this in my other tanks but using tesco cat litter in place of gravel, I've got as far as washing 2 bags so far. My big tank is 5x2x2 so I think i'll need about 8 bags of cat litter so could be some time. I have a 3'x18"x18" I'll most likely try first with cat litter & your soil mixture. Gravel tidys seem to have gone out of fashion, I might try using fleece that you use for protecting plants from frost as I heard that it can be used instead.
Have you tried using clay in your substrate? eg the red stuff that you make pottery from, I just haven't found where to get it yet, I've heard that that can be good. What about organic choice miracle grow compost, how do you think that compares?

 

[foxfish]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

I dont know how suitable this would be but, I mix it with baked clay cat litter (& chicken manure) for my trees!

 

[Tim Harrison]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

I got hold of all the ingredients (laterite for grit) plus gravel tidy and have mixed well and put down as a layer in the bottom of the tank and moistened. I haven't got further than that yet as I want to get some plants and am also waiting for a filter to come. I read that some people leave it to adapt to being under water for quite a long period but I don't think the peat will need that step.

Be careful using laterite with peat. I always used peat on its own, so I cannot comment from experience. But peat is acidic and it could potentially solubilise metals in the laterite such as iron to toxic levels. However, the dissolved organic carbon released by the peat will go some way to countering this effect (by binding to the iron), as will hard water that buffers pH above 7.0. I've always lived in very hard water areas with relatively high pH and so have never experienced the potentially hazardous drops in pH and associated problems that others have reported.

In this case it might be prudent to leave it to stand for a while and flush a couple of times just to make sure. I would be very interested to find out how you get on.

On the whole I wouldn't be too concerned about increasing soil fertility with laterite or cat litter if you are not going to use CO2 injection, since the plants will not necessarily grow fast enough to warrant it. There should already be enough nutrients in the soil. For most purposes just adding gravel to improve the structure instead will be fine.

Have you tried using clay in your substrate? eg the red stuff that you make pottery from, I just haven't found where to get it yet, I've heard that that can be good. What about organic choice miracle grow compost, how do you think that compares?

I can't say that I have used either but I would be very interested to learn from your experiences should you endeavor to go down either of those routes. I think Diana Walstad used something very similar to the miracle grow product in her shrimp tank experiments. http://www.bookmasters.com/marktplc/00388Shrimp.pdf

Gravel tidys seem to have gone out of fashion, I might try using fleece that you use for protecting plants from frost as I heard that it can be used instead.

A company call Gardman produce a product by the 5m role that is a good choice, it's exactly the same material as the old gravel tidies but is marketed for greenhouse shading. It sounds like you're going to need most of it anyway. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gardman-Greenho ... B001P3SPIU.

If you can, check it out in your local garden centre first to make sure its what you want.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

I dont know how suitable this would be but, I mix it with baked clay cat litter (& chicken manure) for my trees!

Again I don't have any personal experience using this, but I have read on several similar forums that generally it works well. Personally, I would lay off the chicken manure if you are going to put it in an aquarium .

 

[stan1973]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

I got hold of all the ingredients (laterite for grit) plus gravel tidy and have mixed well and put down as a layer in the bottom of the tank and moistened. I haven't got further than that yet as I want to get some plants and am also waiting for a filter to come. I read that some people leave it to adapt to being under water for quite a long period but I don't think the peat will need that step.

Be careful using laterite with peat. I always used peat on its own, so I cannot comment from experience. But peat is acidic and it could potentially solubilise metals in the laterite such as iron to toxic levels.
However, the dissolved organic carbon released by the peat will go some way to countering this effect (by binding to the iron), as will hard water that buffers pH above 7.0. I've always lived in very hard water areas with relatively high pH and so have never experienced the potentially hazardous drops in pH and associated problems that others have reported.

In this case it might be prudent to leave it to stand for a while and flush a couple of times just to make sure. I would be very interested to find out how you get on.

Now you tell me, I chose laterite thinking it would be better, I wasn't sure if you just meant the usual quarts gravel when you said grit or what? anyway my tap water is GH 11 so fairly hard so should hopefully be ok, I have a test kit for iron so can check it.

 

[stan1973]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

Gravel tidys seem to have gone out of fashion, I might try using fleece that you use for protecting plants from
A company call Gardman produce a product by the 5m role that is a good choice, it's exactly the same material as the old gravel tidies but is marketed for greenhouse shading. It sounds like you're going to need most of it anyway. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gardman-Greenho ... B001P3SPIU.

If you can, check it out in your local garden centre first to make sure its what you want.

Thanks for that, I'll have a look in the garden centre. it cost me about £7 for a 6'x15" roll of gravel tidy so much cheaper.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

Just thought I'd post an update of progress so far.

This is how it all started, so from this to that in about 8 weeks.

The plants are maturing nicely despite frequent moves

 

[stan1973]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

Wow that's doing really well !
I've just filled my tank tonight, the one with your recipe of soil and have fluorite red gravel on top. I syphoned the water in from the tank above and accidently got 3 fish in there, they just wouldn't stay away from the hose, I hope they'll be ok. I filled it to about 4 inches then syphoned it back out as a flush and then filled it so its practically clear already. I hope mine does as well as yours, I bought a few plants at the weekend for it.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

Hi thanks
I've syphoned my fish before and they've been none the worse for wear. I hope your tank goes well. Keep us posted.

 

[stan1973]

Re: Low-tech aquarium

Hi thanks
I've syphoned my fish before and they've been none the worse for wear. I hope your tank goes well. Keep us posted.

I was more concerned that the soil might leach something rather than them being bothered by being syphoned. i didn't want to move them back in case they get white spot from the shock, it was a bit cooler in the bottom tank with the cold gravel etc. i doubt they will get whitespot or anything though.
I'm quite please with the filters, they were pretty cheap from allpondsolutions.I bought a 2000 litre per hour external with UV for my 5x2x2 from them for £63 which I haven't tried out yet too.

i'll have to get some photos of the new tank up, I haven't got the light wired up yet or any plants added.