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Journal of a Mad Scientist: ADA 120-P (56K warning!)

202K views 591 replies 153 participants last post by  AaronT 
#1 · (Edited)
This will be my first attempt at keeping a tank journal! I hope to document everything in painstaking detail. I don't have much so far but a stand, and my intentions.

So Here's the stand - It's a Sedona Stand made by Marineland. It's made for 75/90G tanks, but shares a compatible footprint with the ADA 120P.



And these are my intentions:

First, the tank will not be located where the stand is sitting now (by the TV). As soon as I can, I'm going to move my 45G and put this stand where that is - It will have its own wall. The 45G has been transformed into a farm tank to grow plants for the ADA tank. I intend to "build up the 2 inch opening that the tank would normally sit IN, so that the tank is just about flush with the top of the trim. I'll use MDF and an ADA Garden Mat to do this. I'll have to install locks on the doors and drawers so my daughter doesn't drink the ferts. I have the canopy, but obviously that's not going to go over a rimless! I may try to use it as a "housing" for the Teklights.

I will plumb as much as I can using PVC in the stand. My Auto Water Changer, and Fert Auto Dosing Systems will be hard-plumbed into the new setup. I also intend to put my temp and pH probes inline to get them out of the tank.

Filtration: Eheim 2128 (which will also heat the tank) and Eheim 2217. I'll use ADA Lily Pipes on the 2128, and CalAqua Labs Lily Pipes on the 2217. This is not to save money, but to vary the flow of water in the tank. There will also be a Coralife 18W Turbo-Twist UVS inline.

Lighting: Teklight T5 4x54W. Still deciding on the color rating I'm going to use. Probably 6500K only - maybe half 10000K...not sure yet.

Substrate: ADA Aquasoil Amazonia with PowerSand Special-M and Tourmaline BC.

CO2: Pressurized via ADA Beetle 40 diffuser. I'm considering adding a second diffuser. CalAqua Labs is going to be coming out with what I'm told are some VERY unique diffusers in about 2 weeks. I'll decide when I see what they look like.

Water Changes will most likely be 10% daily, fertilization will be such to maintain the following levels:

NO3 15-20ppm
PO4 - 3-4ppm
K - Enough
Micros - Enough
GH 4-6
KH - well, out of the tap is 2, I won't be adding anything to that most likeley
CO2 - 30-40ppm based on Drop Checker.


The tank is on its way, should have it late this month. Same with the substrate. The lights have not been ordered yet. The filters are already running on the 45 to get a bacterial colony building up.

I am having a VERY hard time finalizing a decision on hardscape! Wood or rock?!?! Leaning toward wood for the past few days.


I'm getting very excited about this tank! Any comments questions or suggestions will be appreciated!!!
 
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#66 ·
OK, I can see the peristaltics. Are those boxes underneath them part of the delivery? Well, I'll wait for the write-up! That's pretty interesting outflow on those beakers or what ever they are called. It does look ala "Mad Scientist" laboritorish.:eek5:

I decided to mix my trace, K and KNO3 together and dose PO4 separately for now. Apparently, the trace (well, Flourish or TMG) is pretty stable with everything except PO4 which makes it nasty fast, right? At least that's what I read on Wasserpest's cheap auto dosing thread.. Didn't want to pop for four peristaltic setups so am doing the Aqar.Systems 606 pump dosing method. I may pop for a couple of peristaltics for the PO4 eventually.
 
#67 ·
You actually have a magnetic stir bar and plate set up too...I love it. You have to come over my house. I have a freaking lab set up as well. I even use my hood as a laminar flow...hahahaha ya freak. I can't wait to see it.
 
#68 ·
Dosing

Sergio,

So… if you are going to us a magnetic stir bar and plate then are you going back to RO water. Also, depending on your water source, you might be able to blend the RO/DI with the sediment/carbon block filtered water to arrive at the macro levels you need. Using a needle valve on the pre RO/DI water allows you to set the flow very accurately. Your union joints can blend the two sources that you can then test and adjust until you have what you need. With respect to the back pressure you mentioned, are you referring to the peristaltic pumps? If so, take a look at the LiterMeter III. I purchased this recently and absolutely would recommend it. It is almost silent (the latest release) and has a draw height of 25ft and a delivery height of 60ft!!! Further, you can add two additional pumps that are controlled by the main microprocessors in the base unit. Last but not least, I would look into the AquaController, since I saw some X10 controllers in your power strips I know that you are using X10. By blending the best of the best of these technologies, I can tell you that you’ll have complete control of the various elements you need to adjust. Whatever you decide, I know it will be a great solution and I look forward to seeing your posts!

I said this before but posts like yours and the others provide a great source of info that helps all of us. This post lead me to the check valves I need to blend my water sources. Also, this weekend I am adding a second float switch to my sump that serves as a safety stop on my automatic water drain system. This enables me to remove the ball valve I had on my drain line that I used to synchronize my drain and fill rates. I am beginning to really enjoy this hobby!:icon_lol:

Jim
 
#69 ·
That's one crazy high tech setup you've got there. :D I think you made the right choice going with wood for a hardscape. In my experience, the larger the tank, the harder it becomes to scape using rocks.

If you haven't already gotten the acrylic for the Tek light sheild I would shy away from Home Depot. Their prices tend to be outrageous for acrylic. Check your local listings for a plastics shop. Most all of them have scrap bins that they sell from by the pound for next to nothing.
 
#70 ·
Jim - My tap GH is just under 2. I'm able to use the stirrer to homogenize enough Equilibrium in 1L so that dosing 30mL daily will keep my GH between 4 & 5. What I'm trying to say is that though trial and error, I've been able to determine the limits of the stirrer and pump combo. It doesn't work too well when I add much more than 50g of Equilibrium to a liter of water. The stirrer can't agitate ALL of the Equilibrium in the volumetric flask, and it "clumps" up. I need to dose about 1.5g of Eq daily, so if I use tap and a 50g/L "slurry," then dosing 30mL daily keeps me at my desired GH. My liter lasts a month this way. If I was to use RO, I'd need 4.5g of Equilibrium daily, so 90mL of the "slurry." I'd have to refill it more frequently than every 2 weeks. Call me lazy, but that's not long enough!

As far an the pumps, The micro and macro pumps have a draw height of 12ft., and 25ft. for the "slurry" pump. Not sure what the delivery head is - the manufacturer doesn't list it in their spec. sheets, but I think they'll do the trick. I will definitely look into both the LiterMeter and the AquaController, thanks for the suggestions! As soon as everything is set in stone, I'll post a separate thread on the dosing. Thanks for the kind words. Like you stated - I was able to put this together only because of the fantastic documentation by others here of their own solutions!
 
#74 ·
Sergio...Canal Plastics over here in Manhattan if you need acrylic. If y ou can't make it out, give me the dimensions and specs and I will pick it up for you~
 
#72 ·
I got wood!

So the Mopani that I ordered came this morning, and I spend a good bit of time trying different orientations. Turns out the pieces are a bit smaller than I anticipated, so I may actually wind up using the whole lot of them! Now I don't have the tank yet, but to give perspective I used my kitchen table. The tiled part of the table is the same length as the tank, left to right. The tank is as deep front to back as three (of the four) tiles. The tallest wood (on the left) will likely protrude about an inch, maybe two from the water once the substrate is in. Here's what I came up with.

Head On:




Left Side:




Left Diagonal:




Right Diagonal:




Right Side:




Slightly Above:





Ok, FIRE AWAY!
 
#73 ·
i like it so far...im sure when you put it in your tank with the substrate in place...and when the plants are grown in...im sure it would look great! you can never fully tell in the beginning, but i do like the arrangement that you have... i also have some wood arrangements that need some criticism...soon.
 
#77 ·
Talk about crappy luck...I'm sitting in the dark right now typing this on my phone because my power went out an hour ago! I was "seeding" the filters for this tank on my 45 for the past month, and now all may be lost with the tank arriving in just a few days. Well I suppose that's a bit dramatic, but come on! Im going out and getting a UPS for the new setup in the morning...
 
#78 ·
Why is your power out Sergio???
 
#79 ·
That rough. Hopefully it will come back on pretty quick. You could check out a car battery and inverter too. We had some nasty storms this year and power out over a day. A small battery and inverter kept some air stones going to all four tanks for over a day, no problem. Luckily, I have heat in the fish room which is passive LP, so I can keep the ambient temp up, if power is out.
 
#80 ·
Lynn, I have no idea! I tried calling PSE&G, but "due to power outages, we are experiencing a high call volume. Please try your call again later. Goodbye!"

Bob, the power came back after about 2 and 1/2 hours. I decided to restart the filters without breaking them down. The fish seem ok this morning - hopefully that lasts. I just hope I don't get a diatom outbreak or something from this...
 
#84 ·
#83 ·
Your not the only one. :) These build threads are awesome inspiration and great reference points. Keep it up I can't wait for setup day!
 
#85 ·
I'm looking at this UPS - was on sale for $229 last week, but I missed it!

According to the manufacturer's website, it will power a 40W load (Eheim 2128 (without heater) and 2217) for about 7 & 1/2 hours. According to one of the reviews, it can be used in a power outage without beeping!

Does anyone know where I can find the wattage for Rena's airpumps?
 
#87 ·
It's HERE!

ALRIGHT! Tank got here this morning. Just wanted to post a picture of it unwrapped, and on it's stand. I've got the driftwood in the way it will likely be placed. This gives a much better perspective on the hardscape layout than the previous pictures on my kitchen table! One thing to keep in mind is that when the substrate is in, thing will move up about 2 or 3 inches. I may actually be able to grow some emersed epiphytes on the tops of the driftwood.

So what do you think?

 
#90 ·
Put in the aquasoil and foreground sand, tie some moss, bolbitis and maybe some microsorum, plant some val nana or eleocharis vivipara (and maybe some e. tenellus in the midground), and call it a day. :p

The wood sets the pace for this layout. It could be a beautiful ADA style moss-wood layout I think, but nothing creative IMO.
 
#91 ·
Sergio, this whole thread is major league eye-candy. Thank you! I'm loving it!!!

But I've got a question... What's that black flat sheet on top of your stand, and under the 120P? IMO that make a MAJOR difference in the whole visual... letting the tank rest ON TOP of a flat surface, rather than having the bottom hidden by the some trim at the top of the stand.

What is that? And how did you build it up to support the weight? It looks great. :proud:
 
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