Low Tech Tank Low tech tanks for inspiration

[Yugang]

Some may recognise the link from another forum, but unfortunately the thread posted there is no longer in existence. I repost it here, what these competitive scapers from Hungary achieve is truly remarkable, and at least I was not aware of it.

Low tech akváriumok

Can this be true? Perhaps here and there 'creative interpretations' of the rules? What would be the conditions to make it possible?

We know that Sudipta Shaw, well known to @GreggZ and others, has great results without CO2 injection. Besides Sudipta, are any of the Hungarian scapers perhaps already with us on ScapeCrunch, and could they share some of their experience?

 

[Art]

There are some tanks there that make it hard for me to believe they are not using supplemental CO2. Unfortunately, I don't know Sudipta but would really like to learn more about their techniques.

 

[Unexpected]

I wonder if they run their tanks cooler. There was a journal over on TPT with a tank that looked like it was a CO2 tank achieved with water around 68 degrees or lower. Not sure if he’s still there after the great purge.

 

[Yugang]

I wonder if they run their tanks cooler. There was a journal over on TPT with a tank that looked like it was a CO2 tank achieved with water around 68 degrees or lower. Not sure if he’s still there after the great purge.

Sudipta has amazing tanks, non CO2 injected, and indeed if I remember well, a.o. , he runs his tank cool. He posted pictures and shared his experience on the other forum's thread, that has been deleted (*). He's one of @GreggZ friends, very knowledgeable and definitely not overstating his success, hope that we will see him soon on this forum.

I greatly admire the work of Tom Barr, @plantbrain, not only for EI but also because his postings helped me to recognize (years ago, when these were not yet generally understood/practised) the role of CO2 in the tank and how CO2 potentially contributes to problems. I therefore usually targeted 30-40 ppm CO2, and focussed on stability and distribution. As I continue to read and learn, I am guessing more recently that (much) lower CO2 ppm's could work well, as long as stability and distribution are good, be it at a more reasonable lighting level.

But how low can we go with CO2 without compromising too much on the health and appearance of the plants, or the aquascape? My tank, in sub tropical HK, is usually around 79-84 F, how relevant would that be? Am I the only one who suspects I have unlearned some 'low tech' skills after I got the benefits of CO2 injection? I would be very interested to learn from the best low tech plant growers / scapers, as I suspect that low tech and high tech are two expressions of a continuum, rather than two 'different worlds'.

(*) send me a PM if interested to know what event triggered the ban, with countless valuable posts and threads deleted, rather than the made-up 'official' narrative posted on the forum.

 

[Aquascape_SG]

Low tech akváriumok

I notice that a majority of them seem to be using WeekAqua lights. I'm not familiar with the various models but I do know that certain WeekAqua lights have UV led modules. I wonder how that plays a part in the growth and color of the plants.

Personally I know of friends who run WeekAqua lights with UV and their plants are amazing. to say the least.

 

[Art]

I would be very interested to learn from the best low tech plant growers / scapers, as I suspect that low tech and high tech are two expressions of a continuum, rather than two 'different worlds'.

Great way to put it.

I too would love to learn more from Sudipta as I've never gone without CO2.

I too have started thinking that CO2 levels can be lower in tanks that are cooler and have enough flow. I guess flow is important in all tanks. Many years ago, Claus Christensen, Tropica's then general manager, told me that we need enough flow to disrupt the plant's cuticle that forms around leaves.

 

[Yugang]

I too have started thinking that CO2 levels can be lower in tanks that are cooler and have enough flow.

It seems, from what I remember from Sudipta, that cooler is helpful. I am just not sure if this disqualifies warmer tanks, like mine?
I would love to hear experts opinion about flow. Water flow could help to facilitate CO2 transport to the plant's surface, less limited by diffusion, which could especially be helpful when CO2 is scarcely available for the plants as in low tech tanks. Not sure if if these low tech champions confirm this?

Note: I tried to convert my tank to low tech, was not successful and gave up.