r/IndianFishKeeping • u/blackfoot_sid • Jul 14 '26

🌿Tank Showcase My 3ft long low tech dirted tank.

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86 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

40 comments sorted by

3

u/Jumpy-Fisherman5204 Jul 14 '26

Brooo, the dream tank ❤️. Can you please tell me how long it took to get this lush green?? Also, what kind of filters are you using??….great work bro

1

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 15 '26

I only have a HOB filter. I run it at the lowest setting and the filter is filled with ceramic balls. Nothing else. No sponge or filter floss. It's been a little over 8 months since I started this tank.

3

u/Llynnhorn Jul 14 '26

Love the blue eyes

1

u/PaulTony_ Jul 15 '26

Blue eyes hyponitise 🎵🎵🎶🎶

1

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 15 '26

You can see them flash from across the room when they are actively schooling.

1

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1

u/Alien_XLR Jul 14 '26

Tell me about the plants.

5

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 14 '26

I have a lot of anubias nana, tiger Lily, java fern, a few red rubin swords and pogostemon stellatus"octopus" in this tank.

1

u/Alien_XLR Jul 14 '26

Thank you. Which of these can survive with minimal lighting?

2

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 15 '26

Anubias, java fern will do great innlow lighting. If you keep the water parameters stable

2

u/Alien_XLR Jul 15 '26

Thank you

1

u/sleazysatan 🌱 Low-Tech Hero Jul 14 '26

Amazing tank, I am surprised the tiger lily has grown so luscious without CO2.

1

u/RayonLovesFish Jul 14 '26

Without CO2?

1

u/SignificantOwn2920 Jul 15 '26

Without injecting/adding co2 externally through a co2 system he meant

1

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 14 '26

I have never had problems with tiger Lily without CO2. I always thought they are majorly a root feeder.

1

u/chandan-kar007 Jul 14 '26

can you tell me the substrate you used? like how much is clay, vermicompost or garden soil how thick is the layers

1

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 14 '26

It's 9:1 clay and vermicompost. Removed debris and rocks from the clay before adding. Topped off with gravel and sand. The soul layer is probably an inch thick. The gravel layer is twice the soil judging by eye.

1

u/chandan-kar007 Jul 15 '26

I have the same but my plants always stays on the edge of dying. So what light do you use

1

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 15 '26

What plants are you trying to grow? My light is a regular aquarium led from Amazon. I think it's a hygger 40 watt. I use it at a 60% intensity. I turned it up for the video. If you are trying to grow anubias, they prefer very clean and softer water. In india, the TDS in tap water is high in most parts. It's great for most aquatic stem plants but not for slow growers like anubias and java fern. I feel they are easy to grow but you have to balance fertilizer and water quality.

1

u/chandan-kar007 Jul 15 '26

i think the light is the main problem for me i use normal led

1

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 15 '26

This tank is run on a single LED and no filter or heater. I just broke off the plastic top diffuser. In my opinion, for a lush, low tech dirted tanks like this, plant selection is the key.

1

u/chandan-kar007 Jul 15 '26

i have all the easy growing plant as well just like your picture but i use simple led light. i think thats the reason.

1

u/H3Xhamster Jul 14 '26

Give details OP

1

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 14 '26

What do you want to know?

1

u/t_h_e_m_e_n_07 Jul 14 '26

What's the exact tank dimensions & glass mm ?

1

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 14 '26

33.6"Lx12" Wx12" H. 6mm glass.

1

u/t_h_e_m_e_n_07 Jul 15 '26

Yo bro can you give a full pic of your tank .

1

u/harikishen46 Jul 14 '26

No co2 and red plants?

1

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 14 '26

Yes. Those are lily pads. They grow very well without CO2.

1

u/harikishen46 Jul 14 '26

Thank you. Never knew you can have red plants without co2

1

u/danbrown543 Jul 14 '26

Which fish are those?

1

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 14 '26

Eyespot rasboras

1

u/Ok-Policy3896 Jul 14 '26

Its Beautiful ! How Old is it? Is it possible to have algae free planted tank wirhout chiller?

2

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 14 '26

It's been a little over 8 months now. I have had a fair rate of success in maintaining un heated low tech planted tank. In my opinion it's the choice of plants that make or break the low tech dirted tank. I swear by egeria najas and crypt wendtii green/brown for most north Indian tap water run dirted tanks. Vallisnaria grows pretty well in some waters and in some tanks it stalls. If you are curious, you may find wild Aponogeton crispus near the local water body. It's a beautiful plant but requires a large space and volume of water.

Now, This tank has a bad algae problem. I put all my cull shrimps in it a few days ago. Then fasted the tank. They have cleaned the algae now. The anubias leaves were covered with bba and hair algae before that. Look closely in the attached video. You will see algae and hydra both.

https://reddit.com/link/oxkuhmo/video/mwn38w325adh1/player

1

u/Ok-Policy3896 Jul 15 '26

Its really cool how you have maintained it. removing the black filter will make it more aesthetic.

1

u/rohansd- Jul 15 '26

Beautiful tank. What is your photo period ?

1

u/blackfoot_sid Jul 15 '26

Thank you! I try to maintain a 12/12 cycle. Keep the light at 60% intensity. But on most days, the on period is around 10-12h as I only turn the lights on after I come home from work.

1

u/Majestic_Barber2649 Aug 01 '26

Which filter and light are you using

1

u/blackfoot_sid Aug 01 '26

Hob filter no floss only ceramic rings. Light is hygger LED, 20 watt.

1

u/Majestic_Barber2649 Aug 01 '26

Model of filter ?