# 30 litres aquarium



## Nat N (Jun 6, 2010)

Hi all,
I don't think I ever posted any pictures of my tanks. Here's one of them. it is 30 litres (24 litres of water after scaping - roughly). I think it does not look too bad, especially so being a low tech one.
Stats:
No Co2 (thinking about one)
Tap water (I add potassium bicarbonate to keep the KH stable as it is slightly too low/fluctuating in my tap water) 
DI water for top ups to compensate for evaporation
Average parameters:
KH - 4-5 German Degrees
GH - 9 -10 German degrees
PH - 7.2
Ferts - minimum, every two weeks or so (general liquid plant fertilizer) plus occasional Seachem Flourish Excel
Substate - plain (!!!) fine gravel with accumulated mulm and occasional addition of JBL balls (crushed to make smaller pieces)
Light - used to be 2 x 9 watts Arcadia with Arcadia Original Tropical bulbs. However, I hated the pinkish hue and changed it to a cheap overhead one (1 x 8 watts Hegen Aqua glo plus 2 x 8 watts standard 6500 K HO T5).
Going strong, to my opinion. I do not spend much time on looking after it but more time enjoying.
Any comments would be appreciated. (I really hope this copying photos business works - does seem to be a little bit to complicated to jus post a photo!)

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquarium-pictures/files/2/9/8/0/4/p9280555.jpg

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquarium-pictures/files/2/9/8/0/4/p9280555.jpg

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquarium-pictures/files/2/9/8/0/4/p9280558.jpg


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## Nat N (Jun 6, 2010)

Hi guys,
Well, it appears nobody has anything to say... I am at a loss here: it could be the tank looks not nice and my ferts, etc. regime is horrible and completely silly.  However, I posted this just to show that it is not always needed to go high tech to achieve visually pleasing results. Well, I like the look and so do other people - I was given a lot of compliments on the tank. 
It may be no comment appeared because I did not post any questions and did not ask to help with a problem... Never mind.


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## Blitzhill (Sep 2, 2006)

Well Nat, for the record, I think your tank looks great. I am trying to go the lower-tech route as well (cheaper for a college boy!), and your tank is surely an inspiration. What kind of plants do you have in there? I see some crypts I think... 
Also: what kind of fish/inverts do you have in there? I'm always curious as to what people stock their smaller tanks with. Good work!


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Hi Nat,

Your tank looks really good! I, for one, have been really busy lately and haven't had time to spend on the forum.

You might be interested in this thread: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquascaping/78536-aquascaping-low-tech.html Feel free to post a photo of your tank there. About photos, yes the process is rather cumbersome. I like to attach photos as a thumbnail to my posts--it's a little easier. In the "thread starter" or "new reply" window, look for a paper clip icon.

--Michael


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## makk (Oct 3, 2011)

Hi Nat

 Tu tanque esa muy chido, gran trabajo.
Me gustaria saber que tipo de plantas tienes (me gusto mucho la que esta al frente) y si tienes fauna en el. 

Saludos!!

Alex


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## Nat N (Jun 6, 2010)

Thanks guys! I did "scrounge" some compliments after all! 
The aquarium is now about 18 months old and it has been evolving into what it is now gradually. I did the last major replanting long time ago though (over 12 months, I think) and only minor things were added or changed since then as I rather like it as it is and the minimum care it requires. 
My point of pride is I never ever had any major algae issue at all! It started with some White Cloud Minnows and Amano shrimps, with the current crypt (Beketii), some Vallisneria Nana and some Sagittaria sibulata. Ah, yes, and a piece of Mopani wood with some moss. Sagittaria was a really-really good helper - it spread over the tank in no time, so much that I had to pull excess out every couple of weeks. Than I decided to plan the tank loosly around South East Asia and gradually added Cherry Shrimps. The Crypt stayed relatively small for a while but after I replanted it at the last big "re-vamp" and added some JBL root fertilizer, it just went for it. 
I think the reason I did not have any major algae issues is the fact that I increased the light gradually (first there was an 11 w light which came with the tank, than 18 w, and now it is 24 w). The plants used at the initial set -up were not very light demanding and grew well.
Now I have the original Crypt, some remaining Sagittaria (this will be pulled out), Pogostemon Helferi, Eleocaris Parvula, Cardamine Lyrata and Cyperus Helferi (the latter was hit-and-miss: one clump is thriving and the other one has deteriorated - it's a puzzle).
The fauna is White Cloud Minnows (currently 4 and I am waiting for some Vetnamese ones to be sourced for me), 4 Amanos, uncountable Cherries and 1 Sewellia Lineolata (Vietmanese Hillstream loach), a nerite snail and some MTS. I have had a reasonable filtration in the tank all the time (Hydor external with glass Lily pipes bought cheaply from Hong Kong).
Now as I switched to 24 w only recently, I am thinking about a nano CO2 and pobably dozing the same basic plant food into the water column a bit more often.
I rarely clean the gravel but still do light "hoovering" every few months. And I have MTS in there which take care of the rest... 
Michael, thanks for the tip on attaching the photographs  trying now.


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## Nat N (Jun 6, 2010)

To Makk:
Alex - muchas gracious!


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## Nat N (Jun 6, 2010)

To Makk:
Alex - muchas gracious!


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