 Re: Greetings from Wichita, Kansas
Welcome to APC. Be sure to read through the stickies of the various forums for some good information.
For low-tech, I suggest checking into the El Natural forum. Basically, the idea is to use a very thin (less than 1 inch) organic substrate with a cap of something inert (total substrate depth need to add up to less than 2 inches), giving the CO2 production needed by the plants, who in turn act as your filtration system and provide oxygen to your fish. I have this method currently in 2 aquariums and have set up a friend's betta bowl this way. Lighting requirements are generally low for this method, and once it settles in it is relatively stable.
Anyway, read through the forums before making any concrete decisions and ask plenty of questions. Chances are there's someone who's done exactly what you're going to do and can offer plenty of experienced advice. | 
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