(03-24-2017, 01:42 PM)Thor Wrote: Yeah, I can sum it up shorter. Low tech means for lazier people like me. High tech means for less lazy people like you who are willing to put in more effort. I might change, but it is not the time yet. Have a lot on hand right now.
I really want to be "Mid tech". Just enough to get the plants to utilize most of the nitrates in the tank. Everyone seems to either gravitate to "low tech", no Co2, lower powered lights, etc, Which leaves you needing to do a lot of water changes to remove the excess nitrogen and phosphorus. Or "high tech", injecting Co2 to a minimum of 30ppm and high PAR lighting, heavily dosing ferts with the E.I. method or something similar, to keep the plants fueled enough to deal with all the CO2 and light. This leads to needing a lot of water changes to deal with what I think is the overuse of fertilizers. I want to be lazy, less water changes, etc, lol.
Quote:Yeah, one thing the algae can't live without is the lights. Yet the plants can't live without lights either. But the plants are more developed "higher" species, they can handle periodically darkness better than algae. A lot of people split the time they have lights on, and use it as one of the method to combat algae. It is why I have recommended it a while ago with putting one hour of darkness in the middle of lights on period. Some people split it more.
True. Interesting fact. The reason the split lighting schedule works, according to a lot of tests, is because when you turn the lights off, the plants metabolism changes, including their respiration. They let off Co2. So you actually build up a little more Co2 in the tank by turning the lights off.
Quote:You may also get some "algae eaters" to take care of the very little algae. We can't relay on them to combat the algae, but they will help.
Yeah, I went ahead and added a few ottos to the tank too. Can't hurt, lol.
I might change, but it is not the time yet. Have a lot on hand right now. 
