My Humble Low Tech Setup

This is a very cool setup.

 

@HeinrichvH: Thanks still want to add some moss and cork screw vallis to the setup. No other plans for live stock though my tank is pretty much stocked to the max.

 

Wellcome back dude !

 

This is what the tank looked like when I bought it for R 500 off Gumtree:

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@gdt78: Thanks

 

@Swagasaurus: I realy like the idea of the planted filter.

 

@HeinrichvH: Yeah someone else introduced me to the idea, you would be amazed how great it works for your nitrate and ammonia levels in your tank. I went from doing water changes each week to a 50% once a month. Also I noticed my fish are much happier, I am guessing the plants also absorb other nasties out of the water. But I have to say there are some amazing planted HOB filters out there:

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@Swagasaurus what do you have in your planted filter, how do you attach the plants?

 

@HeinrichvH: Well I have two terrestrial plants growing in it. Lucky Bamboo, which you can pick-up at any Chinese shop or mall for R5 a plant, I bundled them in pairs of 5 plants and put them strait into my HOB filter.

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The second plant I am using is calledPhilodendron you can buy it at the local Nursery for about R 30 a pot, both these plants don't need soil to grow in and can be grown in water there are many other plant species that can be grown like that.

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The Lucky Bamboo is just sitting in the filter, the I planted by making holes in a filter sponge and sticking the clipping in those holes after a few month the roots started to take hold of it and it ends up looking like this:

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I also planted some moss on top of the sponge and it has already taken hold and growing nicely will take a picture when I have the time.

 

I have a very very Similiar sized tank. I think almost exactly the same size. Will poke ur brain for more info when i set it up

 

@Ziyaadb:Anytime, having a bit of a battle with GDA Algae, but I am guessing it is the new globe I installed so I need to cut down on my light time.

 

@Ziyaadb: Here is the moss growing on top of the sponge:

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And here is the moss growing on my ramp I made:

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So was a bit bored today and since I had the itch for some DIY I decided to point my attention to my water storage for my tank. So I took my 30 litre water canister drilled a hole big enough at the back for my 200 WATT heater to fit in snugly. I took my favourite material (Plastic from a a ice cream tub) and moulded a mounting for the airpump and glued it to the side of the canister. So now it pump slots in nicely, I can remove the pump and heater if I want to clean it out. Also it makes it easier to carry around to different locations:

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I can also remove the heater and stick a hosepipe in the back to fill it up with much fuss.

 

Nice

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I prefer to just fill water straight from the tap declorinator and in the tank it goes.

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@Ziyaadb: I have had incidents were I did that and even when I used dechlorinator and lost 50% of my fish, with the quality of our drinking water going down I would rather not take chances, and I really don't loose anything by letting the water stand between my water changes.

 

nothing wrong with your tank. Well Done

 

@DerikPelser: Many things still wrong with it that I want to fix There is always room for improvements, thanks for the kind words.

 

I hear you. Luckyly we have great drinking water on my end. TDS is around 150 outa the tap. but if it works for you why change it.

 

@Ziyaadb: Yeah used to be like that on my side too, till I tried what you are doing lost about a R 1000 worth of fish...