HIGH TECH VS LOW TECH PLANTED TANKS
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- čas přidán 29. 06. 2023
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I cant believe my little scape is still running, all thanks to great maintenance from tropica!
Even though i have a high tech/high energy scape, I feel like I enjoy my low energy scapes the most, theyre the right balance of having something beautiful but manageable.
“Beautiful”
I’ve only ever done low tech and I’ve found a good combo of plants that thrive and give it that high tech look after about 6-8 months! I want to dive into co2 one day, but I’m very happy with my current low tech 9 gallon fluval flex scape! It’s completely full of plants and the background is full of eleocharis montevidensis and helanthium bolivianum quadrostatus! And helanthium tenellum green has formed really thick carpet in the foreground! Plus my buce’s and anubius nana petite! I love the ease of maintenance and no need to trim every week! Hope all is well George! Thanks for the great content!
I love low tech. I've been in the hobby over 50 years and have no intention of changing to high tech
I have both high tech and low tech among my nine tanks. I love them both, but for me low-tech wins out. In the short term, you get far better results with injected CO2, but in the long term, I find low tech to give stable, lush growth without the need for replacing substrate and so on. I realise many people look forward to rescaping, but I have tanks that have been ticking over nicely for years on low-tech, low-light, slow growing plants.
I was using CO2 back in 1990 when few others were using it. Had a small aquatic shop and people were amazed as many had never see CO2 used.
Since retiring I now have just 3 tanks and have gone Low Tech on all 3, my reasons being I enjoy not having to change cylinders, clean pipes and diffusers, monitoring parameters etc.
I have lovely tanks with superb plant growth and with a little practice and experiment it's surprising just how many species will grow.
Using lots of stems to use up nutrients keeps the tanks lovely and clean and algae at a minimum. In a tanks full of fast growing plants I find higher lighting helps, even in low tech. I like quality filtration and plenty of steady water movement and I fed the plants daily at recommended doses. Now 83 years old and I still love the hobby as I did back in the '60's.
"I am too hot, Cheerio" You are killing it George : D
Im a low tech kind of guy. I have been running g it for years and am really enjoying it without all the extras. I know the co2 and better lightning are great improvements but I am really enjoying it. Plus I learned from the best! Thanks George!
Always been low tech, primarily due to overall cost. I have found oodles of plants that do very well in a low tech environment.
Can you recommend some please?
@@robertwelsh6878rotala (mostly green species), cabomba, water wisteria, alternicka reinki mini, dwarf hairgrass (best low tech carpetter), vallisneria, cryptocoryne lucens, Pygmy, bucephelandra, Java fern, trident fern, anubias, Java moss.
(These are only plants I have had personal experience with, except bucephelandra)
These plants are in my tanks with only amazon cheap lights.
The dwarf hairgrass however, I used diy co2 for it.
I'd suggest just using (diy)co2 as it will make a medium difference.
However all he plants I previously mentioned can grow without diy co2 too.
@@mistervgw8307 Out of interest do you have soft or softer water?
@@robertwelsh6878ambulia, diandrum, elatinoides, xmass moss, val, monte carlo, hair grass (parvula)… i use medium hard water.
I've always preferred the plants that grow well in lower energy conditions. CO2 can be enjoyable, especially if you're short on patience. Nothing as satisfying as a lush jungle in low tech conditions though.
"short on patience" - that's what I thought would be fun for me until I just setup my first high tech tank a few months ago lol! It requires lots of patience.... to maintain! - because I'm constantly carefully trimming everything. I couldn't believe the amount of growth you truly get with CO2. I have to trim weekly to keep the look I want to avoid having to do serious trim backs if i let it go a few weeks.
I only have one high tech tank now and I'm thankful for that lol. Requires more time and care. The low tech tanks i get to just sit back and enjoy.
With CO_2 I'd need to ramp-up ferts, trim more often and watch out for sudden increase in CO_2 increase (faulty valve, something else?), parts breaking... Without CO_2 it's easier to some degree, but some plants may struggle, esp. with duckweed issue.
Huge fan here of ultra low energy tanks. There’s just something so satisfying about sitting back and watching how they evolve over the years.
Low tech for me; creating an ecosystem that requires little in the way of intervention is what I love.
My recent scape is a high tech nature aquarium, that i run in a "low energy style". So with Co2 and strong light, but with a shorter photo period of just 5 hours and fewer fertilizer. And it really works amazing! But i do also have a small fluval flex lowtech tank (everything stock) with a single Betta and a big root with just bucephalandra on it! Really both styles have a place in the hobby!
finally I found another enthusiast with the same ideology. it's kinda a mid energy style. i have an innovative marine 20 w/ 2 Fluval Plant Spetrm LED & recently dialed the intensity down to where in the morning from 5-9 it's in a low tech state @ 40% warm white with subtle pink. then from 10-4 it revs up to 85%RBW w/co2. then from 5-11pm it's really just for display as it revs down to 15% cool white/blue. it's cool to see the community chill as it all dials down. photo period still lengthy but it's worked out. cool to know tho. sorry for the long thread lol
edit: & I too have a marine land 5 planted low tech off to the side that holds it's own. hey neighbor lol
Have both! I like both. All depends on the plants/ setups I have done. I have seen the pearling happen in both kinds of tanks. All seem to do well with the good lighting and filters.
My experience is that soft Vs hard water is equally if not more important. Of course soft water naturally carries more co2.
I'm a bit of both. Love doing low tech Nanos. And go high tech with my bigger tanks.
I had low energy set ups Cichlid tanks with little planting and switched to planted tanks with CO2 and better lights. I noticed that the high energy tanks, take more time but are much easier to maintain. They are much more forgiving. You see, when I now make a mistake, I can tweek things, I can reduce the lighting or increase it I can add more CO2 or I can add more or less fertilizer. With a low tech setup, there is not much more you can do then do a water change.
have a low and high tech setup love them both
I moved to C02 a few months ago and I wouldnt go back to not running it. The plants grow healthier and algae is non existent. I dont go mad with fertilizer and only do water changes every two weeks. And so far everything is running well. Plants, fish and shrimp happy 👍
Another great video Matt. Definitely would love to see more like this.
How does the plant ferts affect algae? My concern was always that more nutrients might mean more algae? I’ve always only doses as I see nutrient deficiencies. Would love to know your thoughts :)
I am somewhere in the middle.
I used to have "low-tech/energy" aquariums: tubes for lights, filters with just enough capacity and a heater. And algae, always and everywhere.
But since going "high-tech/energy": pretty powerfull LED-light, large filter capacity, and CO2 (but lower temperature, and only using the heater during winter) I doubt I''ll go back. Because in this particular tank (a Dennerle 55l), there's not a spot of algae to be found, anywhere. I guess I should thank the Otocinclus as well.
Somehow, I dialed in enough of everything to get the "best" tank I ever had. A Twinstar 450 CIII at not even 50% during 8 hours, an Oase Filtosmart Thermo 100 at 23 degrees Celsius, roughly one bubble of CO2 per second. I don't even clean the glass, just change some water from time to time and trim the plants when I feel like it.
It's a miracle. 😅
Low tec guy, due to time and maintenance , but going to try it.
Another great Video. After all i am a Fan of "Strietman-Tech" - greetings from Germany.
I’ll let him know 😃
I really love the lowtech..
is that a built in hob filter attached to the lowtech on the right side?
I love and enjoy the low tech version because of the low tech plants of course. Love those anubias and never before seen only in one vid with Joana the anubias stardust.
I would put some Tanichtis Albonobes on that low tech aquarium
Hi George, I have a challenge for you. I have limited room for an aquarium, and have purchased a corner tank. 350l. I can’t find anyone scaping corners. I really really want some inspiration!
I am trying a hybrid setup. I have an airstone with sponge filter, HOB filter, soil substrate w/sand cap, tons of native sourced flora and microfauna. LED controlled lighting, no chemical fertilizer. 6 gambusia, few bladder snails, scud, daphnia, 1 assassin snail. I believe there is a place in both sides for elements of each.
I vote for Chili Rasboras in the Fluval aquarium!
I have most of my experience on low tech. Have never felt the need to use co2 injection
I've had great success with budget C02 setups. Ive been using smaller internal filters that have activated carbon along with the typical sponge media, nicrew/fluval lights on a long photo period, C02 from a citric acid reactor, aquasoil substrate, and lots of plant mass. I'm using low iron rimless tanks from brands ive only really seen on Amazon, like Allcolor, Hiro, etc. . Id rather be using canister filters, but in my budget for tanks right now this is what I'm using and it works as long as I clean the filter media often. Hi-tech ... no. High energy... yes.
Great video! I am wondering if one should rather speak about high gas (CO2 or O2) or low gas content, since in a planted aquarium with light and fauna one type of gas converts into the other... Maybe, it is primarly important to make sure either of both, CO2 or O2 comes in sufficient amounts into the water. There are enough examples in CZcams of people who achieve amazingly lush plant growth without CO2 injection. On the other hand, the reason I put back CO2 injection my tank is when I realized the O2 was visible less without, as some big fish were breathing a bit quicker in the morning, whereas the did not seem to care so much. Remark: and true, you see earlier "perling" with CO2, as a directly visible effect.
I find the most satisfaction somewhere in the middle. I want the plants to have the best performance meaning the looks, but not the fast growth.. I hate trimming it so often! So I use Co 2 about a bubble 1-2 second. For natural light reduction I let Vallisneria (yes, low-tech plant) to shade a bit (floating plants would do the same trick). Also I use alder cone and natural tannins which makes it a bit harder for the light to penetrate the water and at the same time makes the whole tank so much more natural. The fish love it, they´re more active etc.. So as a result I don´t have to maintain the tank so often as I would have to, the plants thrive but don´t grow so fast, fish are happy. So yes, you can have low-tech tank or somewhat low-energy tank with Co 2. Why not..
hey neighborhood. another with similar ideology. I just mentioned by set up in the comment above but have def been thinking about adding a blackwater effect to the tank. 👌🏽👌🏽
Shrimp, snails, and half moon betta are a fantastic combo for any low tech tank.
My biggest concern is the co2. It's normal to use to kill animals for snake food, (rabbits, rats) so I'm not feeling comfortable having co2 in my living room.
And the price.
I was transporting a reasonably large CO2 cylinder in my car on a hot day, 8 hour drive. I spoke to a guy who transports industrial gases when I stopped for lunch and asked him if it was safe to leave the gas cylinder in the car on a hot day (35 deg C ambient). He told me not to. I frankly have never felt safe having this large CO2 cylinder in a small bedroom (confined space) in the event it leaked. I don’t use it anymore.
I have 3 no CO2 tanks and 3 medium energy tanks. 1 of the low tech tanks is a 60S in my office and there is no room for CO2. I’ve been thinking of adding CO2 to the 40g breeder Iwagumi tank.
I did try CO_2 for few years in smaller tanks and I don't know if I was doing something wrong with the set, but it comes down to valves and bottle. I don't know if it's needle valve, bottle laying on the side or something about CO_2 acting different when the bottle gets near-empty, but I had situations when CO_2 dosing would increase out of nothing, 4-5 hours later it became critical and some fish died. Bio CO_2 sets are safer, but more time consuming and pre-made sets often forget cleaning bottle to stop yeasts getting in the tank (EU also threw a wrench with the non-detachable caps). I'd like to have at least one high-tech tank, but currently all the tank are low-tech and unless duckweed or plants like valisneria cover the surface, I can grow even some plants which often have "requires CO_2" for some reason. Cryptocoryne Spiralis Red, Nesea Gold, Althernatera Reinickii, etc. On the other hand creating a carpet is really difficult without CO_2.
CO_2 injections:
Pros:
* Possible to create actual carpet, way more difficult with low-tech
* More dense plants, growing faster, Java moss might have some chance in a tank with SAE
* Well-balanced High-tech tank looks more lush tank low-tech, almost like a picture
* All aquatic plants should grow, unless there's some unknown issue
* Refill is cheap, just remember to wake up early when the bottle is low, go to the extinguisher shop for refill, pay less than a visit to a pub/cafe and you should be fine for a few more months
Cons:
* More CO_2 means more light, more untrients
* More trimmings, more water changes, more maintenance required
* More parts to break and replace. I had to replace a bubble counter and non-return valve after a year
* Bigger risk of fish dying: Always CHECK THE BUBBLE counter in the morning, turn the CO_2 OFF FOR HOLIDAYS
Low-tech:
Pros:
* More natural in a way, except some aquarium plants grow more at river edges
* Most plants can grow without CO_2 injections, but slower
* Less light, less fertilizers, less water changes, less trimming (once a week or two)
* With time well maintained tank can look almost as good as high-tech tank
Cons:
* Usually plants cannot get all the excess nutrients from the water
* Adding light often leads to algae issue or plants screaming for CO_2
* Less compact plants, carpeting plants are more difficult to grow
* With duckweed problem only the easy plants survive (Angels, large tetra or goldfish eat the duckweed)
* Same with stem plants or valisneria
I definitely prefer high tech, i like the unusual/rare colours in plants and love doing maintenance.
How would I change from high tech to low tech? My concern is algae bloom.
I have more experience with low energy plants. I am hoping to attempt some high energy, high demand plants soon in a small tank that will not have any livestock at first. I have never used CO2 and will be trying a few different systems to see which one works better for me :) love the video
Chuck sugar water and gelatin into a coke bottle and mix it up, set it in the fridge overnight, add a pinch of yeast and then run a line from it to an air stone and you've got 8+ weeks of CO2. I use this myself on a 300L tank and it's great.
Feel free to experiment, most carpeting plants and divas like Hygrophila Pinnatifida seem to require CO_2 injections, but plants like Marsilea Hirsuta, Hemianthus Monte Carlo, Micrathemum Micrathemoides, Nesea sp. Gold, Althernatera Reinickii, Rotala Rotundifolia can grow well with nutrient substrate, some liquid ferts and medium light. I'd like to have a pressure bottle on one of my tanks, but last time I always had to watch the bubbles every morning... faulty needle vent, something with bottle, it's like tuning a space rocket.
@@rextherunt3135hey I have a method that makes diffusion even better than an airstone.
Use a internal filter and a plastic bottle, put the air stone right under the intake of the internal filter. And then connect the cut plastic bottle with its cap facing up.
This makes the co2 get stuck and it diffuses like almost 99%. It's kinda like a co2 reactor
Low energy tanks are just cheaper and easier to deal with so I can spend more time enjoying it more.
i think its time for me to go natural,low tech,been doing high tech for years and getting tired of that,the red plants will be little more green but...im ok with that...,nice video,thanks from CT
I'd say not only limited by imagination but care level and knowledge. High tech can go wrong really fast for someone lacking the two.
Low; works great Costs less👍
For me it’s high maintenance vs low maintenance rather than tech! Started with high tech but could keep up with the maintenance required. Then tried for a long time to go for a middle grounds CO2 and medium light, basically because i already had the equipment and surely a little bit of CO2 should be better than none, right? Well, not in my case, I just could not get the balance of CO2, light, fertilisers, and trimming and water changes right. Turned off the gas, turned down the lights, lost high light plants and trying to not to be too envious of everyone elses tanks and instead just appreciate java ferns, anubias, and cryptocorynes!
I'm a reefer so don't have any, however, high tech in a planted tank would save me so much money haha
Low tech 🙌🙌
I’m team low tech… love the self maintained and more ecosystem type of environment I love see how nature create life and thrive in a glass box high tech and high maintenance I don’t like because is very human and sterile
I have 2 eco system tanks, deep substrates so no mechanical filtration. Love how silent it is and how low maintenance it is. Used to run cannister filters and co2 but can't be bothered now.
Thanks George, the high/low tech phrase makes little sense to me, nor in fact the hi energy phrase. I understand what is trying to be communicated but both phrases are misleading. An LED floodlight combined with a yeast and sugar system is not high tech but is using high energy and CO2 injection. Add pond soil under a fine gravel and such a system will grow even Rotala macrandra.
I would also stress that planted tanks with no CO2 injection demand more skill than planted tanks which have CO2 injection, CO2 means plants have a ready supply of the key element in building their structures, carbon.
In low tech tanks, the commonest 'displays' in inferior aquarium shops, Algae and plant death and an ugly appearance are almost guaranteed mainly because the lighting is too strong or the filter is driving off all the CO2 or the water is too rich in nutrients.
On the other hand, tanks with high light and CO2 injection may need the addition of macro nutrients, then water management and trimming become more demanding.
In tap water with low macro nutrients and some CO2 still not lost during the processing of potable water, tanks can be relatively easy without CO2 injection, but hardwater tanks dependent upon biogenic decalcification require high light - and are high energy in electricity use, and water changes and precipitate cleaning is required, and also, the addition of Iron fertiliser, in such systems algae can become a problem very rapidly, especially in summer with added sunlight, more macro nutrients in the tap water and higher water temperatures.
Fancy lighting continues to baffle me, why change the spectrum when growing plants? Dennerle continue to produce very effective fixed spectrum lights and I can prove from my tanks that carefully chosen domestic lights grow plants well, fancy lights have advantages but the cost effectiveness remains elusive to me.
My pond grows plants easily in the growing season without CO2 injection but I control green water with a filter which has a strong UV bulb, surely hi tech?
There will probably be no quick phrases to sum up planted tank management and technology regimes which 'really' make sense.
Good on you for having a go.
Hi tech every time expensive to set up,I should have got you or David from AG to set up spent a bit money as my scapeing skills are zero
The Nature is low tech.
Good day. I just want to ask if your company is planning any protest or signature action against the introduction of a positive list of animals, what is the European Union planning? Such an event already exists in the Czech Republic. We must not allow the EU to destroy our beautiful hobby. Antonín Synek.