Setting up a low maintenence tank

[ibanezfrelon]

Hi !

I'm raising money from sponsors to buy a tank for a town kindergarden.
The tank in plan is Juwel RIO 240 and i was thinking of scalars and tetras for fauna.
The tank has 2x54w T5's and is 20 inch high , i plan on planting it heavily.
Obviously i would want it to be a low maintenence tank , no co2..

Anyone have some advices ?

Maybe i should lower the lights with wraping some alu foil around t5's on some places..?

Would it be better to put flower soil or non macro supstrat?

What plants , fish , or scape style do you recomend for such ''low maintenence'' aquarium?

Any advice would be appriciated..

 

[dutchy]

Well, low maintenance means first of all low light, maybe try without reflectors first. Furthermore, Non CO2 setup, no water changes, plants that grow easy like Vals, Hygros, Crypts, and other weeds.
Low water temperature, like 24 C. Some algae eaters like SAE's. Angelfish as a focal point, together with some cardinals and hatchets.

Scape, not very elaborate, easy to access and work on plant groups or Amazon style with big Echino's

regards,
dutchy

 

[ibanezfrelon]

Thanx for advices Dutchy!

Amazon style , great idea..

I guess it's better i use flower soil rather than commercial supstrate than?

 

[dutchy]

It depends, I noticed that plants rooted in plain substrate grow slower, so in aspect of maintainance that would be better. I'm not sure if Echino's can do well like that, because they develop big root systems and get their nutrition through the roots for an important part. personally I'd use some nutritious bottom layer.

regards,
dutchy

 

[ibanezfrelon]

The tank has arrived yesterday, me and few friends set it up.
I've had the plants for this tank floating in my tank for over a week now and is in pretty bad shape.
Unfortunatly i havent been able to even plant it because of the time limit.
I will do it tomorrow.
here are some photos..

 

[ibanezfrelon]

After two month i should update:gw

The tank is stabile now, plants growing very well..
I have started the tank with as much plants that i could find, by now it has become a jungle so today i had to do some changes..
I arranged the plants in groupes so it will be easier for me to trimm and do maintenence in the future.

The tank has 2X54W T5's wich i have reduced 30% , i covered parts of t5's with aluminum foil , so the tank is kinda low light.

There were some issues with cyano near the front glass because the tank is stacioned in a pretty bright (sunny) position, but after a few vacuming now there's only micro traces of cyano.

In the start i've dosed everything in the tank because there wasnt any fish inside and now i just throw in some kno3 when i see weak new growth.

There are 5 scalars, 5syamese algae eaters, few botias and a dosen corydoras in the tank. I will throw in a couple of ancistrus that i have but they are too small so i'll wait for them to grow up a bitt.

I must say i love this tank , non co2, no điđimiđi and the best thing is that kids love it! Every day when i come to feed the fish, there's children around the tank looking at fishes , it is something special

 

[ibanezfrelon]

3 month later...

 

[Gerryd]

Looks really nice. The water clarity is excellent.

Plants and fish seem happy and healthy.

Well done.

 

[Biollante]

Do Not Touch... Words To Live By... Držite ruke na sebe

Hi,

That is a beautiful tank... :gw

Love the title of the 'scape---Molimo ne dirati---

Biollante

 

[ibanezfrelon]

Thanx Garry, Bio!