# Lowtech recommendations for newbie?



## slate (Nov 3, 2015)

Hey guys, just bought a 20 gallon tank and want to start a planted tank!

I want to keep it low tech and am looking for recommendations on what type of plants I should put in the tank. The current light source is a marineland led fixture. I will be ordering a Finnex FugeRay Planted+ next month.

Can you guys give me some recommendations? Also, what type of fish/snails/shrimp should I get to keep the algae under control? Chinese algae eaters, mystery snails, ghost shrimp?

Here's a picture of my new tank - will be sorting out the hardscape this week (driftwood and rocks).


----------



## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

though this is a higher tech setup, maybe it will give you some ideas?


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

First, the substrate looks like inert gravel. You might want to bury some stick fertilizers under it. Jobe sticks work well.

Next, determine how much light your LED is. Is it low light or medium light? You have more options if it's medium light.

Here are some plants that work well in a low-tech tank:
- Jungle Vals
- Water Wisteria
- Cryptocoryne
- Staurogyne Repens (+light)
- Pearl Weed (+light)

For algae eaters, I highly recommend the following setup:
- 1 Siamese Algae Eater (not Chinese!)
- 3 Amano Shrimps
- 6 Nerite Snails


----------



## jimmyjam (Nov 6, 2007)

plants: nano vals/ jungle vals
any type of moss
umbrosum monte carlo 
mini four leaf clover fern
most crypts 
rotala rotundafolia


are all good option 
SAE
Malaysian trumpet snails
nitrile snails
amano shrimps cherrys are all good options

happy scaping


----------



## Aceken (Nov 9, 2015)

Hey there, where are you gonna order the finnex lighting? I'm trying to order one but it seems that I can only get it in the US


----------



## mossball (Apr 3, 2015)

I just started my first planted tank about 6 months ago. I have a low tech 5g with stock light (Fluval Spec V).

I have the following:
Java moss / taxiphyllum barbieri
Staurogyne repens
Marimo balls / Aegagropila linnaei
Stargrass / Heteranthera zosterifolia (this was growing great in my tank at first, but doing less hot now, probably needs more light/CO2)

For cleanup crew I have:
2x Amano shrimp / Caridina multidentata
10+ Cherry shrimp / neocaridina heteropoda

One thing that I did when I first started was go through Tropica's website and look at the "easy" category to pick plants that matched what scape I was going for. Then you can phone/visit your local pet store and see what they have in stock 

http://tropica.com/en/plants/?tabIndex=1&alias=Easy


----------

