# Planted Tanks > Aquascaping >  Low Maintenance Low tech Tank

## Ryan Peh

Hey guys! After quitting high tech planted tanks, I sold 1 set of my 2ft cabinet and I decided to keep the other and set up a simple low maintenance and low tech tank with simple equipments. 

I'm running a Azoo External power filter which is basically a hang-on canister filter. I will also be adding an internal filter to increase the water circulation in the tank! 

It's a simple tank and I'm only using Christmas Moss and some floating plant which I cannot identify. I don't intend to plant any thing else as I don't have CO2 and I'm probably not going to add ferts. 

My trouble here is... I cannot decide what fauna to add..... That's where I need you guys help! If this was your tank, what would you guys add? In your list, do include 3 Otos and 3 Horned Nerite snails as I'm definitely adding those! I just want it lightly stocked with as much to see as possible! If you agree to my stocking mentioned below, do let me know too! 



(The bag at the back is ANS clearmax) will be removed 1-2months later.

I currently have 2 possible scenarios for the tank stocking:
A) 3 Otos, 3 horned Nerite, 10-20 Fire Red shrimps, 6-8 Espei Rasbora 

B) 3 Otos, 3 horned Nerite, 2 Electric Blue Rams and 6 schooling fish which I haven't thought of...

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## AQMS

The floating plant is Pistia stratiotes aka water lettuce.

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## Fish Fish

On schooling fish, I really love pygmy cories these days. You might want to have a look at them. But bad news is, they mostly move around in the middle and lower part of the tank. 


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## tetrakid

My general guideline motto for fish tanks is "the less fish, the better". That will ensure the tank water will not foul up quickly. If I want to keep more fish, I will make sure the tank is big.

Incidentally, the tank in your picture has only a small total volume of water, much of the tank space being occupied by the deco items. With such a small water volume, you can expect the water to foul up quickly thus requiring more stringent maintenance.

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## fireblade

a school of cardinals will be nice...
else a school of Boraras brigittae will be nice too...

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## Ryan Peh

I think maybe I'll go with 2 German Blue Rams, 5 Leopard Danio, 3 Otos and 3 Nerite snails. 
Until the day my German blue Rams die, then I'll get some blue shrimps for the tank!

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## happydanio123

I wouldn't go with rams for the simple reason that they space they need is too much for your tank. I have a 20l tank that has ample space but Still not enough for those beautiful creatures. Another reason is that rams love to dig so your sand and scape May get destroyed due to Their incessant digging. One final reason is that Rams need groups of even numbers prefably above 4 to give them a sense of security and your tank cannot offer them this luxury. Therefore, my suggested livestock is:
1) Otto
2) Nerite Snails
3) Cardinal or Neons
this combo is pretty good as the neon will have enough room to actually shoal and make the display more attractive. 

Cheers,
Happydanio

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## Ryan Peh

Hello I'm back! Decided to change up the tank a little and go into low tech but planted! 
I'm planning to keep only cardinals, Otos and fire red shrimps! 

Here's how it looks now, without the fishes tho! 


Have a few questions tho! Hopefully someone can guide me with this since I haven't been into this low tech planted for awhile.

First of all, I'm using ANS shrimp soil so I doubt there'll be much nutrients. But since I'm getting low tech. I'm not sure if I even need ferts at all. If I do, I'm getting from AquaticLawn on carousell. That guy makes his own ferts and I've used it before. Seems decent! 
Secondly, my lights will be Beamswork Hi-Lumen 60cm, on 6hrs a day photoperiod. 
The plants I'm getting are only Anubias Nana Petite, Brazilian Pennywort and maybe eleocharis parvula. 
So my questions are, 
Does eleocharis parvula and Pennywort grow in a non-CO2 tank? Or is it able to grow with only seachem excel?
Can I use seachem excel with shrimps in the tank? And do I have to dose daily or can I choose to dose only weekly? 
Last but not least, with so little plants, do I just dose NPK once awhile or do I have to also dose trace elements? 

Thanks in advance and every advise and comment will be appreciate! 



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## jackychun

Welcome back, bro Ryan! I am using Excel for my tank with shrimps inside, so far OK. On Seachem Excel info, it also says safe for shrimps. I think with proper dosage, should be alright. 


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## Danny Archer

Looking like a good comeback, I think for the NPK is about balance so if you're going Low tech then should be in awhile

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## Ryan Peh

> Looking like a good comeback, I think for the NPK is about balance so if you're going Low tech then should be in awhile


So even for low tech, I'll still need to dose NPK in future? How about trace elements! 


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## fireblade

Thats the basic requirements for plants..
like we need food and vitamins to grow




> So even for low tech, I'll still need to dose NPK in future? How about trace elements! 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## Ryan Peh

But very minimal right? Since I'm not using CO2 and my plants are mostly low requirement ones.
Then for excel can I just dose it once a week? Or is it a MUST to dose everyday? 


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## fireblade

what plants are you keeping now?
from the picture only a little bunch of moss.. for that I think is ok

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## Ryan Peh

I mean when I rescape I'll be adding anubias nana, Brazilian Pennywort and possibly, eleocharis parvula. 


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## gnesnah

Hi Ryan

I have eleocharis parvula grown from Tropica 1-2-Grow pot to give away(Already transitioned to submerged form with strong rooting).

Enough to fill up a 1 feet tank and no worry about pests. It's a hairgrass only tank.

PM me if you are interested.

My location is Tiong Bahru.

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## Ryan Peh

> Hi Ryan
> 
> I have eleocharis parvula grown from Tropica 1-2-Grow pot to give away(Already transitioned to submerged form with strong rooting).
> 
> Enough to fill up a 1 feet tank and no worry about pests. It's a hairgrass only tank.
> 
> PM me if you are interested.
> 
> My location is Tiong Bahru.


Hey I tried to PM you but you don't allow pm? I'm interested but I can only collect on Friday night is it okay? 


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## gnesnah

> Hey I tried to PM you but you don't allow pm? I'm interested but I can only collect on Friday night is it okay? 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Text me this Friday on the time you will be coming over.

Mobile : 841Six 262Two

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## aza

Ryan, my low tech 20L tank has these plants: nana petite, Java Fern, small buceps, S.repens, mini Bolbitis n floating plants covering the surface as nitrate absorbers due to lack of stem plants.

I dose PMDD dosage according to Lushgro Aqua n Micros instructions but only after water change which could be between two weeks to a month.

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## Ryan Peh

> Ryan, my low tech 20L tank has these plants: nana petite, Java Fern, small buceps, S.repens, mini Bolbitis n floating plants covering the surface as nitrate absorbers due to lack of stem plants.
> 
> I dose PMDD dosage according to Lushgro Aqua n Micros instructions but only after water change which could be between two weeks to a month.


Oooo S repens will grow even in low tech? And what's your stocking and filtration setup like? Would be very helpful if you could share! 


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## aza

> Oooo S repens will grow even in low tech? And what's your stocking and filtration setup like? Would be very helpful if you could share! 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The S.Repens and Bolbitis don't actually grow very well haha. I just have them in my tank. The rest are okay surviving. Maybe I'll post a thread soon when I have more time and better camera. Hate posting low quality pics  :Razz:

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## Ryan Peh

Update!

So in the end, I decided to go with only anubias nana petite (for now idk) and turn it into a shrimp friendly low tech tank. 









Can't wait to see the fire reds start breeding!! 


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## fireblade

where did you get the cardinals? they looks nice

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## Ryan Peh

> where did you get the cardinals? they looks nice


Got them from East Ocean Aquatics! They're quite small but their colour looks good! 


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## fireblade

oic... thanks!

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