30 Gallon Low Tech Planted Fire Tank Build

[Ribica]

I finally took the plunge and got back into the aquarium world after a number of years and man, have things changed! I was loving all the rimless nature tanks I was seeing online and I was sold except that I found it pretty hard to find what I wanted in Ottawa so ended up making the trek to Aqua Inspiration during my last trip to Toronto.

In order to ease my way back in, I decided to go low tech (no CO2) get slow growing, low light plants and use some of the existing equipment I already had such as an Aqua clear HOB filter and heater. I really liked the idea of using sand around the island of aqua soil but had to forgo that idea and go with gravel due to the HOB filter. The driftwood, aqua soil (LAMBO) gravel and rocks were from Aqua Inspiration as well. I wish I would have bought more soil (this is 5 L) since I really wanted a greater slope.

Like I mentioned, this is a low tech planted tank so my plant list included Java Fern, Anubias nana, cypts, elecharis sp. (long grasses in the back) and one chain sword and bunches of eleocharis parvula in the foreground. This list took me to three different stores in Ottawa but ended up getting what I needed.

Here is where I am right now, the tank is 3 weeks in the midst of a fishless cycle. I'm just waiting for the nitrite to drop. Other than the buoyant driftwood that I tied to a rock with some fishing line, it seems like things are going well.  Keeping my fingers crossed that at my next water check the levels are good enough to get some fish.

[Brine]

I like it!

[Ribica]

Thanks Brine. I'm just itching to get my fish but learning about the virtues of patience 

[charlie]

Hi Ribica, thanks for sharing, you have a nice set up  & can only get better as the tank matures.
Any idea of what livestock you will be acquiring for this build?
If i may, did you try tipping the driftwood a tad more to the right?, would be interesting to see what impact that would create , if any.
Errol

[TLe041]

Looks good so far.

I would consider adding some small rocks where the two substrates meet. Right now, the sharp division that you have looks a little unnatural and jarring. The rocks will help serve as a natural border.

[exv152]

Very nice setup!

What kind of light are you using?

[Ribica]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! The driftwood is causing me some grief as it's taking a while to sink. It was previously waterlogged but I left it out too long before using it again. I've got it tied to a rock in the background with some fishing line. Hopefully I can do some adjustments if and when it sinks.

I was thinking the samething about the soil and was debating between getting more rocks or hoping that the foreground grasses fill out over the soil.

I got the light from Aqua Inspiration, it's called VS from a company in China called Foshan city Nanhai Jinqiu electronics co.,ltd.

[charlie]

Best way to anchor the DW , is to attach it to a piece of slate with a stainless steel screw.
If you need help with that ,shoot me a PM.
Errol

[exv152]

I got the light from Aqua Inspiration, it's called VS from a company in China called Foshan city Nanhai Jinqiu electronics co.,ltd.

Just a word of caution on that light. It puts out huge amounts of light. I have the ADA aquasky601 version on a 25g, and I'm pumping lots of co2 & ferts, and I still have to battle algae because I can't control the light intensity. Someone in Europe has a website and did PAR measurements on this LED and it was measured at, I believe if my memory serves correctly, 170 something micromoles/square meter/sec of PAR. For a low/medium light tank all you really need is something in the range of 20-60 PAR.

[Ribica]

Yeah, I was worried about that but the price was great compariable to the other LEDs. Hopefully I won't be paying in grief instead. I'm running the light for 6 hours and I was planning on getting shrimp and algae eaters in addition to some cardinal tetras, rummy nose tetras and maybe danios and gold gouramis... haven't decided yet. Do you think the shrimp and siamese algae eaters will help with the algae control?

[exv152]

Yeah, I was worried about that but the price was great compariable to the other LEDs. Hopefully I won't be paying in grief instead. I'm running the light for 6 hours and I was planning on getting shrimp and algae eaters in addition to some cardinal tetras, rummy nose tetras and maybe danios and gold gouramis... haven't decided yet. Do you think the shrimp and siamese algae eaters will help with the algae control?

Here is the link I found, you'll see at the bottom of the page the chihiros version of that same LED (which is basically the ebay knock-off using the same diodes) puts out more than 150 PAR, and the aquasky601 is 125-145 at 40cm height. I don't mean to sound pesimistic, but some algae eaters and a 6 hour photoperiod is no substitute for the lack of co2 & ferts. You could cover the tank with something to block the light, or look into getting a DIY dimmer, or you can add pressurized co2 (not the yeast kind) and some ferts.

http://www.prirodni-akvarium.cz/en/technikaSvetlo

[Ribica]

Thanks for that article and advice exv152.

[Ribica]

First additions to the tank, cherry shrimp 

[Ribica]

Two months in and I'm pretty pleased with the results. I've added 5 Cardinal Tetras, 5 Chili Rasboras and 3 Nerite snails. Everyone seems to be getting along really well with the shrimp. I've even got a female tending her eggs. Loving the Chili's, they are always interested in seeing what's going in around their tank and not skittish at all. I think I'm going to get me some more and add some Cory's and some Threadfin Rainbows. Weekly water changes, gravel vacuum and my clean up crew seem to keeping the algae under control.   

[Ribica]

It's been a while since I provided any updates to my first tank build, better late than never. It's been just over a year since my first tank build and happy with the outcome. I've had very few issues building my low tech tank some of which being managing some cyanobacteria when I first set the tank and trying to grow a carpet. The cyanobacteria cleared up on its own once the tank matured and the carpet plants I tried are the the eleocharis parvula on the left side of the tank which is slowly spreading and failed to get a staurogyne repens carpet in the front of the island. I decided to try some Cryptocoryne parva with some anubias nana petite instead. Hopefully it will achieve the carpet I'm looking for to cover the soil. The other plants I've got in the tank are some anubias nana, cypts, java fern, elecharis sp and rotala rotundifolia. The elecharis sp. are staying short but spreading and the other plants seem to be doing well. The livestock that I have are a good number of cherry shrimp that seem to be happy and breeding, cardinal tetras, chili rasboras, gold white cloud minnow and three 3 Nerite snails. I do have some hair algae on the two eleocharis but the shrimp seem to love it so I'm keeping it maintained it so it doesn't get out of hand. Other than that things are going great and very happy to have got back in to the hobby...no regrets  .