Low(est) maintenance planted tank

[meadeam]

Moving tanks soon, going from 36 bowfront with cannister filter w/ internal heat, and inline CO2 to most likely a 75 with a pair of sponges and a pair of AC heaters.  No more CO2!  It will be a peninsula, so hiding the equipment is a concern.  I've learned to match maintenance with lowest level of enthusiasm for the hobby though, not the highest.  My current tanks are healthy but overgrown and hard to clean.  I'm shooting for a naturalistic (not a stickler for biotope, just natural looking) planted tank that isn't a nightmare to maintain.  I've got water changes down to a science, but that 36bf is hard to clean and I've grown to hate canister filters.  My 10gallon betta tank runs a pair of AC nano sponges and does wonderfully.  I just need to come up with a planting strategy that looks good, and still allows me to easily remove the sponges for cleaning the 75 peninsula without rearranging the tank.  Advice and comments appreciated!

[JChristophersAdventures]

I'm currently working on a 75g display tank set-up with the same basic idea... low maintenance and simple maintenance. As for me, I am going with (1) plants that can be attached to rock and wood, and (2) floating plants (ie only things "in" the substrate are the stone and base of the wood). In other words, easy low-med light water column feeding plants. Nothing to up-root when gravel vacuuming and no need for special soils/substrates and no need for root tabs.

If you do have other ideas on ways to build ease of maintenance (low maintenance) into a 75g, I'm all ears! Thanks.

[JettsPapa]

On 8/16/2023 at 11:33 AM, JChristophersAdventures said:

. . . Nothing to up-root when gravel vacuuming and no need for special soils/substrates and no need for root tabs.

If you do have other ideas on ways to build ease of maintenance (low maintenance) into a 75g, I'm all ears! Thanks.

I hope you don't mind me asking, but if you're going for low and simple maintenance why are you gravel vacuuming?  If you have enough plants you won't need to.  I haven't done it in years, even in the open spots.  When doing water changes I just hang the intake tube in the tank and take the water from the top or middle of the tank and call it good.

Gravel vacuuming might be good for new tanks, but for well established ones I don't see a reason.  If mulm or other material builds up it breaks down to feed the plants.

[Lennie]

On 8/16/2023 at 8:53 PM, JettsPapa said:

Gravel vacuuming might be good for new tanks, but for well established ones I don't see a reason. 

If not vacuumed, Bottom dwellers will swim in decaying stuff including poop, high in bacteria location nonstop. If there is no bottom dwellers I think one can try but otherwise, I personally wouldn't like my plecos or corydoras to swim in poop their entire life

Edited August 16, 2023 by Lennie

[JChristophersAdventures]

@JettsPapa Thanks for asking. I should have been more clear, apologies. While I did technically gravel vacuum, when I kept up to 55 gallon tanks (when I was last in the hobby in the 90s), I did it as I used my Python to do weekly water changes. I would only change as much water as came out of the tank during the gravel vac process (only 10% on average in most cases). Other than filter maintenance and topping off, it was the only vacuuming/water changing I ever did and never had any issues, either with appearance or performance of my tanks). So, you could call it a gravel vac or a water change, I guess. All I know is it was what worked for me. Thanks.

[JChristophersAdventures]

@Lennie Honestly, I was never aware of the potential issues with Corys/Plecos and mulm build-up back then. I mainly did it since I was pulling water out anyway and it seemed to work out fine. Back then I used a fine gravel (almost a sand but coarser) that was mostly brown, but with a slight mix of other colors. With that mixture (or a similar colored sand) the mulm of course wouldn't show much.

However, this time around, I am trying something different. I will be using a black, coarse sand with about 20% coarse white sand mixed evenly throughout (a much darker over-all substrate) That means the mulm will be more visible, although not as much a problem as with straight black sand. So, honestly I will be sticking with light/often gravel vacs in order to maintain the aesthetics better.

I think it is also a matter of what "low" maintenance means. To me it means not doing 25, 50 & 75% water changes or heavy plant trimming sessions. I never had a problem with a quick weekly routine. But, I can certainly understand to the desire to get as close to a"set it and forget it" plan as possible, but that's just not me. Thanks. 

[meadeam]

 

On 8/16/2023 at 1:59 PM, Lennie said:

If not vacuumed, Bottom dwellers will swim in decaying stuff including poop, high in bacteria location nonstop. If there is no bottom dwellers I think one can try but otherwise, I personally wouldn't like my plecos or corydoras to swim in poop their entire life

I haven't noticed a lot of mulm build up in my sand bottomed tank, but then again it is very heavily planted.  The Java Fern and Java Fern Windlov and a couple moss covered rocks are probably holding a lot of buildup.  The cories love sifting through the sand, and the pleco spends all of her time in a hollow log covered in moss.  Something to consider though. I don't want to vaccum if I don't have to but I may not be able to avoid it in the new setup.  I am thinking about sand again but using planters for my plants to avoid uprooting should I need to vaccum, and when I pull the sponges for cleaning.   As long as I can get it looking decent.  

[Lennie]

On 8/16/2023 at 9:33 PM, meadeam said:

 

I haven't noticed a lot of mulm build up in my sand bottomed tank, but then again it is very heavily planted.  The Java Fern and Java Fern Windlov and a couple moss covered rocks are probably holding a lot of buildup.  The cories love sifting through the sand, and the pleco spends all of her time in a hollow log covered in moss.  Something to consider though. I don't want to vaccum if I don't have to but I may not be able to avoid it in the new setup.  I am thinking about sand again but using planters for my plants to avoid uprooting should I need to vaccum, and when I pull the sponges for cleaning.   As long as I can get it looking decent.  

My experience is weird about this. In my big tank where I keep sterbais, I dont notice much detrius accumulating too. But in my juvenile grow out tank of gold laser cories, I had to siphon the top of sand once every 2-3 days, otherwise they were literally swimming in poo. I think there is also an effect of HOB having better circulation and sponge filter being bad at mechanical cleaning. 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Lennie

[JChristophersAdventures]

@meadeam If you are doing any water changes at all, it doesn't take much to do a little vacuuming while the water is draining, if you are using a Python or similar system. However, if you are using a water change system, a plain siphon hose or buckets, then it would be a significant amount of extra work.

@Lennie I know a lot of folks don't like HOBs and I get it. Sponge filters are cheaper, use less power and are usually quieter (depending on your pump arrangement, of course)... but... for a display tank, I like a little more tech and power... I will be doing HOBs at each end of the 75... if I wasn't doing that, then I would likely do an under-gravel with power heads attached to both uplift tubes. Bubble driven sponge filters are fine for smaller tanks, but on bigger tanks I would at the very least power them with power-heads of their own. But, that's just my preference. Back in the day, our version of the sponge filter was a little plastic box that went in the corner and held the sponge, media and carbon (I hated those filters). Just say'n.

[Lennie]

@JChristophersAdventuresI love HOB but it is costy when you have 26 tanks running. I use HOBs in my bedroom tanks and sponge filters in my fishroom to be budget friendly. Sponge filters have benefits too, being able to use it with USB air pump during travel or power outs is the biggest plus to me.

Edited August 16, 2023 by Lennie

[JChristophersAdventures]

@Lennie All very true! If one is traveling with fish, or has a lot of tanks (especially for breeding) then sponge filters and air pumps are the way to go... no doubt about it! Thanks.

[Lennie]

On 8/16/2023 at 11:13 PM, Pepere said:

I have not gravel vacced the gravel in a year.  I have cories and kuhli loaches and no visible mulm or detritus on tank bottom…

Didnt you mention about cories helped you with  your detrius and mulm problem by their movement gradually and helped with filter taking  care of it this way a couple weeks ago? Or do I remember someone elses topic? Maybe it was someone else or I remember the topic differently, idk

 

Anyway, yes same for my HOB tanks but does not work for my sponge filter tanks as I explained it above 🤷🏼‍♂️ HOBs and similar mechanics tend to circulate better and cories movement seem to help it better for such filters to catch particles. In my sponge filter tanks, even if there is cories or any other bottom dwellers like ancistrus or red lizard whiptails, the mulm/detrius sits on. Also if you use gravel, then majority of stuff might be sitting around/under it I guess?

 

[Galabar]

For my 55 gallon, I have a UGF as well as a Sicce Shark Adv 600.  If you want lazy/low maintenance, my personal opinion is that there is nothing better than the Sicce Shark Adv line.  Putting filter floss in the bottom compartment (or single compartment on some models) and quickly changing it can't be beat.  You eliminate the time in changing a canister or hang-on back, and eliminate the sponge squeeze time for sponge filters.  You just throw the old filter floss away and add new floss.  It couldn't get lazier... 🙂

[Galabar]

On 8/16/2023 at 9:33 AM, JChristophersAdventures said:

I'm currently working on a 75g display tank set-up with the same basic idea... low maintenance and simple maintenance. As for me, I am going with (1) plants that can be attached to rock and wood, and (2) floating plants (ie only things "in" the substrate are the stone and base of the wood). In other words, easy low-med light water column feeding plants. Nothing to up-root when gravel vacuuming and no need for special soils/substrates and no need for root tabs.

If you do have other ideas on ways to build ease of maintenance (low maintenance) into a 75g, I'm all ears! Thanks.

I would say that, if you can avoid the gravel vacuuming, that would definitely make water changes easier.  However, usually it is recommended to have rooted plants when not vacuuming.  So, maybe add rooted plants to your setup and don't vacuum.  I never vacuum my planted tanks.

[mynameisnobody]

I’ve heard Cory on numerous streams talking about the benefits of mulm. I’d argue that mulm is much less detrimental than sanitized. 

[JChristophersAdventures]

@mynameisnobody Very true! It can be detrimental to so thoroughly clean things as to damage the beneficial bacteria colony, for example. Like algae, moderation is best. Remove some algae, remove some mulm but don't over think it or over do it. I know that's seems like an ambiguous statement, however, it seems being successful is staying within a pretty wide range. How else would so many of us have success doing it so many different ways?

[mynameisnobody]

@JChristophersAdventures there’s a zillion ways to do the same thing. I absolutely would never focus of removing mulm because it would ruin the system or hurt the fish. It just doesn’t do any of that. Depending who you ask, it may be unsightly, but that’s the extent of the negatives. If anything, Cory has also mentioned to pull mulm from an established tank and toss it in a newer one to speed things along. 

[meadeam]

I'm really interested in the Sicce Shark Pro.  The magnetic coupling is a fantastic idea.  I could use the nozzle on the Sicce to circulate water lengthwise in my 4" tank allowing me to keep all of the equipment on the wall end of the peninsula.  Clever planting could hide the gear, but still be able to access it from above for removal and cleaning.

 

[Galabar]

On 8/19/2023 at 7:03 AM, meadeam said:

I'm really interested in the Sicce Shark Pro.  The magnetic coupling is a fantastic idea.  I could use the nozzle on the Sicce to circulate water lengthwise in my 4" tank allowing me to keep all of the equipment on the wall end of the peninsula.  Clever planting could hide the gear, but still be able to access it from above for removal and cleaning.

 

I'm more of a fan of the ADV over the PRO.  The reason is that the PRO uses sponges for each section and the water flows from the tank through all sections at the same time.  This prevents me from having to squeeze sponges.

With the ADV, the water flows in from the bottom.  So, filter floss can catch particles, allowing the upper section to never need to be changed.  Also, it's really quick to just change the filter floss in the bottom section.  The PRO is nice, but it doesn't have the convenience of the ADV.