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frrok's ADA MINI-M - A Slice of Nature --What has a Begininning must Have an End.

64K views 352 replies 40 participants last post by  frrok 
#1 · (Edited)
***Latest Update 11/13/2012*** ---(photo taken in late October)



I've broken down my 3.5 and set up this mini-m that I got for xmas. took me all day and was a lot of work. I didn't realize how many plants i had and with such thick roots! took out my fish and shrimp and placed them in a bucket with a heater and airstone. removed plants and substrate. I kept some of it for later. i was planning on re-using the tank but it broke while i was clean it out outside. its a cheapo acrylic tank from petco so that wasn't surprising. anyway, here are some pics of the set up stages in my tank. For substrate I layered, eco - complete on the very bottom, some of the old dirt and gravel mix from the old tank, then MGOCPM(dirt), filled it black beauty blasting sand then a light coating of fine black gravel or sand from substratesource.com. I really like this gravel as it has a nice dark color and is soft. easy to plant in. the black beauty has some brown mixed in. anyway, layed out my hardscape with Manzanita wood and black lava rock. then planted and filled. i am currently running a red sea nano filter but planning on swapping it out with a zoomed 501 with acyrilc lily pipes that are currently running on my 10g. i will get a powerhead for that tank soon. right now i have the tank filled and planted, i am going to test water today and if everything is cool i will add the fish and shrimp back to the tank. here are some pics of the process. thanks for looking and let me know what you think. any advice would be appreciated. Although, this is far from the final result i am happy with it how it looks. def planning on adding more crypts possibly. This tank will be lo-tech for now.

here is the list so far. ---updated 7/15
fauna
2 male black bar endlers
13 sakura grade red cherry shrimp
2 Amano shrimp

flora
Rotala rotundofolia
Ludwigia sp. 'red'
Bacopa caroliniana
Sagittaria subulata
Taxiphyllum barbieri (Java Moss)
mini xmas moss
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'red'
Cryptocoryne petchii
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'mi oya'
javern fern "needle leaf"
Mini-pellia
suberwassertang

Hardscape
Manzanita Wood
Black Lava Rock

Equipment
Zoomed 501
Tom's 13w perch light fixture with 6500k cfl bulb( may upgrade later)
archaea mini heater


break down

this is before i added the black sand on top. just bb, looks good.

substrate


hardscape

notice more subdued black sand coating

closeup hardscape


planting

all filled

full shot - next day

I also shot some video documenting the progress, check it out here, http://www.youtube.com/user/frrok1/feed
 
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#183 ·
Ok, so you see now what I'm talking about how "brightness" means something different when discussing LEDs. It is "bright" but not the same way as CFLs because they leak a lot of light and the eyes see their light differently than LEDs. I was very skeptical initially when I saw them, though I too agree with your conclusion about the build quality. I have always used CFLs and over the years my eyes just became acclimatized to the way they shine light everywhere, all the time, direction nonspecific. With these, you get the PAR the same as you would with a CFL but without as much light leakage. I guess ultimately the proof is in your tank's results. I can't wait to see that CO2 bubbling away!!

BTW, IWANNAGOFAST - it's nice to see you around these days!!!
 
#190 ·
Now that tapatalk is back I can easily upload shots. Here is one from the other day. By the way, most of these are taken with my iPhone. I haven't had a chance to break out the canon and get a good one. I'm waiting for the money shot anyway. Hopefully I can get to home depot this weekend and get the materials I need to build the light stand. I also need to fill up my pb tank. I'm not sure that'll I'll have enough time to get this going the way I want before the end of the aqua botanic contest. Oh well. I'll wait until I get the stems a little further and I'll set up the shot. Won't be perfect.

sorry for the glare and the fan on top of stacked up books. Lolll.... ;)
 
#191 ·
Errrr... Why does life get in the way of having fun with your tanks!! >:-(

No time set up my Co2. Too much work. Then when I have a day off... There is house stuff to do that takes precedence. Anyway, I shouldn't complain. I own a home now!

Well , I got my light but I need a piece to set it up anyway.
Waiting for the friendly folks at GLA to locate a piece of rail that attached to the Aquaray LED so that I don't have to buy the long one and cut it down to fit my light. More updates coming soon...
 
#192 ·
I like the way it's looking, everything seems to be growing in nicely. As for the shimmer effect, it's something I've always liked in saltwater tanks as a result of halide lighting, so I bet it looks great in your planted. I kind of want to go the LED route.

Also, two weeks ago I was down in Rockaway Beach for work. Nice place!
 
#195 ·
Thank you for your input. At least I know Im not the only one. I just bought a new place and my gf and I have been working on it. Getting furniture and other projects... So it's been tough for me, I don't really have a lot of time for my hobbies between working and that. Plus I live at the beach and I am a surfer. So any free time I get, I like to spend it in the water.
 
#196 ·
Just a photo update. Things are growing nicely. I am pretty satisfied with growth. But not the type of growth. For example, all the plants seem to grow longer and lanky in a non-co2 set up. And the moss doesn't grow compact and attach as well. The stem plants I dont love, they are not as bushy as i would like and the rotala grows sideways, which is odd. But overall, it is an interesting look. The rail for my light should be coming soon. Looking forward to seeing how things look with higher lighting and co2. I still haven't figured out my photoperiod will be when I upgrade my lighting. Right now the lights go on early so they are on before I go to work. Then off in the afternoon. Then back on in the evening when I come home. I'm not sure how that will work with co2 and turning it on and off twice in the day. I have a separate thread asking for advice on that issue. Any ideas on a photoperiod?Anyway , here are a few shots I took last night.

Sideways shot showing filter and tubing. Almost time for another cleaning.
 
#198 ·
Just a photo update. Things are growing nicely. I am pretty satisfied with growth. But not the type of growth. For example, all the plants seem to grow longer and lanky in a non-co2 set up. And the moss doesn't grow compact and attach as well. The stem plants I dont love, they are not as bushy as i would like and the rotala grows sideways, which is odd. But overall, it is an interesting look. The rail for my light should be coming soon. Looking forward to seeing how things look with higher lighting and co2. I still haven't figured out my photoperiod will be when I upgrade my lighting. Right now the lights go on early so they are on before I go to work. Then off in the afternoon. Then back on in the evening when I come home. I'm not sure how that will work with co2 and turning it on and off twice in the day. I have a separate thread asking for advice on that issue. Any ideas on a photoperiod?Anyway , here are a few shots I took last night.

Sideways shot showing filter and tubing. Almost time for another cleaning.
One stem or two or Rotala in my aquarium does this as well. When it does this, it starts to root itself along the substrate and grow horizontally. It never made much sense to me since nothing is shading it, and all of the other Rotala grows just fine.
 
#197 ·
8 hours (6 if the light is positioned closely to the rim of the aquarium) and just use a dual outlet timer that you can plug in both the lights and the CO2 solenoid. That way, when the lights come on the CO2 will come on. My suggestion is to have it come on when you get home from work and go off when you go to bed (at least that's what I do and that's the best way for me to see it's progress and enjoy it because I'm home the entire time). You don't need a thread, I'm here. ;)

As for the current look, it is kind of a while jungle in there - which is fine if you want it that way, but I would keep the driftwood and the moss, it will improve dramatically with the CO2. everything else can go and you could go Iwugami (with a foreground) or Dutch and plant a bunch of stems on a rear slope.
 
#200 ·
Your right. I am going for a jungle type look but it's a bit too "wild" right now for my tastes. I'm hoping with the addition of the higher lighting and co2 I'll be able to tighten things up a bit. Here are my inspirations for this tank currently. They are both Amano scapes.
The wood , moss, stem combo in this tank is masterful! I can look at this tank for days!

And this is an iwagumi with stems but I really like the moss covered Unzan and liliopsis foreground. That will be my foreground but the smaller variety. Liliopsis maurtina.



As far as co2. I am leaning to what you suggested. Just have the lights on when I get home. I can deal with no lights in the am. I'll just be dosing and feeding anyway.
 
#202 ·
Next layout maybe I'll try iwagumi. I just really love the look of wood. :)

A note on the crypts. They grow more compact and lower to the substrate in high light and co2. That was my original thinking when I chose them. But I'm not sure how long it will take for them to adapt. They may go through a melting phase to get them to the look I want.

I'm hopefully buying my materials to build my light hanger today. My CO2 tank is full. I'm ready to go!! Stoked!
 
#204 ·
DAY OFF !! Light suspension has been built. Took a little tweaking but all in all pretty simple to make. I used the TMC suspension kit as it works for this light and comes with the steel wires. I was going to set up my co2 today also ...until my cheap a$$ china diffuser cracked on me while I was doing maintenance. The thing didn't even get wet yet! So... Got on my laptop and ordered a new one from GLA. it's an Up Aqua nano diffuser. hopefully that doesn't crack either. I can't spend anymore money ont he se glass products. They are so fragile!! Here is a quick shot of the RIG. let me know what you think!!
 
#205 ·
FTS with new light. I'm really really digging it. I like the spread and there is. I more dark spot on the right side. I'm
Need dire need of a trim but I dont want to shock the plants too much with new light and different photoperiod. So I am gong to wait until I get my diffuser and set up the co2. At that point I will start to dose ferts and there will be nothing limiting for the plants. I know I did a water change but I could sear that some plants are already pearling.
 
#210 ·
Quick late night update. Got my replacement diffusor today. Not 100% happy with it. Its an up aqua glass diffusor. For one, the suction cup that it comes with slides along the shaft where the tubing connects. So it always looks crooked. Second Its making a hissing noise. I checked my bubble counter and all the connections everywhere else. ITs def the diffusor. Should have probably got the atomitizer...oh well. MAybe I'll save up for an ADA, but I dont love the pollen glass mini. wished they made a nano pollen glass beetle. Connecting my co2 was a bit of a headache. ITs hard to do something for the first time, no amount of research and reading can prepare you.. I felt like I was doing everything wrong. I didn't connect the tubing to my regulator properly and I started to hear hissing sounds...I thought something was wrong with the regulator. But after some adjusting I realized I didnt push the tubing down hard enough into the needle valve fitting. then when I got to to work with no leak, the needle valve was \turned all the way up and lots of co2 flooded my tank. :iamwithst luckily I adjusted it quickly.
what a pain... now Im tired and not in any mood to take any update shots. MY stem plants are starting to grow emersed from the rim of my tank. I def need to trim soon. I have all my settings for the co2 set. starting with about 1 bubble per second to start. ..then see what happens. I am also running an airstone for night time aeration. But I really hate it. Its really loud and obnoxious and not totally secured into the tank. I need to get some more suction cups for airline tubing. anyway, enough ranting for me...I finally have co2! the new phase begins!!

QUESTION: Is there supposed to be water in the reservoir of the glass diffusor below the ceramic disk?
 
#215 ·
OK here are some shots of the setup. Really don't like this diffusor. I am going to attempt to fix the china one with some silicone and see how that works. Everything else seems fine at this point. fish seem ok, probably a little confused and there are bubbles EVERYWHERE.... Drop checker is a nice Lime green(see pic). Started Dosing today. I am going to try EI for awhile and see how that works out. Next up is trimming. maybe this weekend. give it a few days.






 
#232 ·
9/2 UPdate!
Didn't have time to take a photo. I'll take the shot later when I'm home and the lights are back on. Did a big trim today. Cut down all the stems. Thinned out the crypts. Noticed that I had BBA growing everywhere. I didn't think it was that much of an issue. Guess it was! :( but I trimmed away as much of as I could get to. I also trimmed the moss and re-tied some of it on to the branches. I'm hoping now with the co2 and high light. I'll have a different growth pattern with the moss. I want to grow more compact and tight to wood. I'm also hoping my crypts grow darker and more compact. I also moved my last endler into my 10 gallon. I lost two so far, not sure f they jumped or died. They just disappeared. So planning on breeding them, get a bunch fry and keep only males in this tank. If I can raise 5-6 that would be good. Right now all I have is the sakura RCS. hey maybe they'll decide to breed again. They haven't in a few months. A few weeks ago, I saw a berried female but not sure if they eggs ever hatched. She looked young.

Anyway, just wanted to give a thanks and shout out to Orlando over at GLA. I had a problem with my pb regulator. And we did some troubleshooting and turns out there was something up with it. He shipped a new one out to me and it's working like a charm. That thing rules! Also, I realized that my pb tank doesn't have an O-ring! Had no idea I needed one!! Lol. Going to try and pass by lowes or home depot today and pick up a pack. Hopefully the co2 isn't leaking where the regulator attaches.
 
#234 ·
You should definitely start to see more compact growth on the moss now, and the trim was nicely accomplished. And since you don't have any fish, I would up the CO2 to 3bps and move to under the outflow (and you could get rid of the drop checker as well, but that's my own personal preference) to better disperse the CO2. I'm obviously going to have to send you a GLA atomizer, because the one's you have don't seem to do the trick (plus they have a built in check valve). Get your hands on some Seachem Excel asap to help with the BBA. That should clear it up pronto. ;)
 
#235 ·
Thanks for the great advice styxx! I know I dont have any fish but... I do have shrimp. Sakura grade RCS. I know they are the most hardiest of freshwater shrimp besides Amanos but I still don't want to suffocate them! hahaha... I will eventually get rid of the drop checker as soon as I feel comfortable knowing what my co2 levels are and knowing how my plants grow with co2. I still consider myself a co2 noob. and again, I would get Excel but there are some cases where excel has killed shrimp so I'll stay away for now. What I have been doing is dosing 5ml of H2O2 daily or every other day to try and kill it off. but its a slow process...
 
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