S

I am posting this question for a friend who is interested in setting up a low tech planted tank...

I am wanting to get an Oceanic 180g tank, oak stand and oak canopy (non-reef-ready). I am wanting to use two Eheim 2128 filters for the tank and have a tank of community fish. I do want to have plants, but not a crazy amount, just enough to make the tank look good and give the fish some cover.

Here are some of the fish I want to keep:

Pearl Gourami
Clown Loaches
Moonlight Gourami
Paradise Fish
Angelfish
Silver Shark
Banded Rainbow
Rummy Nose Tetras
Long Fin Rosy Barbs
Pictus Catfish
Fancy pleco species to be determined

I am wanting to have a nice, large community fish tank with plants, but main emphasis on the fish. I really want the plants for more nutrient control and natural habitat...I do not care for fake plants at all. That said, I don't want to use CO2 or high powered lighting. I am not opposed to using Fluorite for the base, or river gravel and Fluorite. I just don't want to have to trim plants and change water on a weekly basis. I am looking at more of a monthly waterchange with minimal pruning, if any. Can I get your thoughts?

tsunami

Might want to recheck that stocking list. Mixing angelfish with fin nipping rosy barbs is a bad idea.

I am curious to know what the person means by silver shark. Bala Shark? Pangasius? Colombian Shark? All of these will get far too large for this community. The last two will try to eat the rummynose tetras.

Carlos

trenac

So your friend wants a low tech tank... This can be done by keeping the wattage under 2WPG. This way you will not need any C02 and very little ferts. Even on low tech tanks you need to do at least a bi-weekly water changes, monthly water changes are not a good idea.

whiskey

The "walsted" method advocates water changes every 6 months, and using a soil underlayer, I have set up a few tanks this way and so far I REALLY like the results. She wrote a book on it and I have found it to be the most usefull book I have read yet.

Whiskey

Error

Yes, the Walstad method I have used with much success. My most successful tank to date, in fact, was one which imployed her style.

It's pretty straight forward, actually...all you need is a little natural light (though it can be done without this, I bet it works a lot better with it), 1 to 2 watts per gallon (1.5 is perfect), top or garden soil under regular natural gravel, no water changes, and a little extra feeding with a light to moderate fish load.

Edit: I do suggest you buy her book though...it really tells you a lot more than that and why it works

AaronT

Clown loaches get fairly large too and fancy plecos can be plant eaters. I suggest about 2 wpg of lighting w/ a flourite base. Stick to plants like swords, crypts, anubias, and mosses to keep trimming minimal. With that setup you could just dose flourish excell once in a while to provide some carbon for the plants and dose the macros and micros less frequently than with a high-tech tank.