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ADA 120P "I've Lost My Mind"

66K views 216 replies 48 participants last post by  HBdirtbag 
#1 · (Edited)
Sooooo.....10 weeks in and on my 3rd tank....this one is officially going to be titled "Lost My Mind".

What started as a betta in a 1.5 gallon for my 4 year old, quickly turned into a 26G Bow Front....and then an ADA 45P......well.....I've learned a life lesson over the years. "do things right, the first time.....and buy the best you can afford" (otherwise you end up doing things at least twice from my experience).

This is going to be a very slow build to start, we just closed on a new house and won't move in for almost a month. But figured i'd start a journal as I start collecting everything.

I've got two toddlers at home, and a stay at home wife. I work roughly 70-80 hours a week and travel a good amount. I find whatever I can to keep my sanity....up until I got into fish 10 weeks ago the two most relaxing things for me were:

1. Washing my cars
2. Getting on an airplane with now wifi

Staring and playing with my fish tanks has quickly joined the list.


Tank:

ADA 120P
Archaea 120P Stand (Sold by Aqua Forest Aquarium)

Equipment:

48" Current USA Sat Plus Pro (check) (x2)
GLA PRO-1 CO2 Reg
Eheim 2075
Up Aqua Inline Diffuser
Hydor 300W Inline Diffuser

Scape:

4 Bags ADA Amazonia
20+ lbs Ohko Stone (3 big rocks so far, will likely add more as I can find)






Update 10.3.15:
Stocking List

Stocking update:

Here's what's in here now

15 - celestial pearl danios
7 - Cardinal tetras (tank raised)
15 - emerald dwarf rasbora
9 - Microrasbora kubotai (all they had)
10 - Chili Rasbora
7 - Otocinclus catfish
5 - Hasbrosus Cory
3 - SAE's



Shrimp
6 - amano shrimp
17 - RCS
15 - CRS
10 - Blue/Black Rili Shrimp
3 - Sunkist Orange CS

 

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#3 ·
Awesome dude! Nice specs you got going already. And yeah, hobbies are always a great way to chill and unwind.. Can't wait to see updates. :)
 
#4 ·
I'm drooling thinking of what your gonna do with that sick set up man.

Welcome to the hobby and good luck with your first bout with multi-tank syndrome...when I first got into the hobby a couple years back I turned around and had 5 tanks I admire your restraint so far.
 
#6 ·
ADA 120P "I've Lost My Mind"

Still debating that piece. As mentioned I've got some ohko stone. Sometime today I'll probably clean it off and do some test placements. Trying to decide if I want to add some driftwood as well. Gonna start laying things out in my head. Will most likely be a mosh posh of styles but with a good flow.


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#7 ·
AFA crushed me last night by calling to inform me that they didn't have the 90P that I just placed an order for in stock & wouldn't be getting any for 2-3 months. They DID inform me that they had 120P's in stock... I'm starting to think my kitchen will either lose counter space or my leatherworking table will. I need to just sign my VA Disability check over to AFA. That's where it all goes now anyway!
 
#8 ·
Ya, I called a few Saturday's to see if I could pick up my 120 and they only had them in the warehouse. I got impulsive and luckily the 90's were out of stock!


Here are the 3 ohko stones I have so far. Smallest is around 10 lbs biggest is 18 if I remember right.

Probably going to cut the flat long one in half. Trying to determine how that's going to go down

These things are caked in mud. Gonna soak for a bit and give them a decent scrub while being careful.




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#11 ·
Your tank is gorgeous and the planned setup looks really promising. Are you going to have to tear everything down in a month when you move into your new house?

Couldn't agree with you more about doing things right the first time even if it costs you. I tried to set up a cheap lighting system for a riparium using bulbs bought from China. To make a long story short, too many problems with the bulbs and Chinese sellers led to me just spending about $600 on a new LED system (with just 3 LEDs) using the best parts I could find.
 
#15 ·
I vote no wood. Stones all the way. Have you considered how you want to scape this tank? Like full on iwagumi or more nature style?

I've always had a hard time pulling off the wood/stone combo. I do like the way it looks when both are used to make it look like you've got a sand foreground with rocks used to create a boarder between the wood and plants area. You really don't seem to be going in that direction though.
 
#17 ·
Hey Punk,

So, more nature style. Definately want it pretty heavily planted so iwagumi isn't gonna do it for me.

I'm having the same thoughts in my head on trying to combine both. I think I pulled it off well in my 45P, but it's such a small tank and the rock isn't big. It's a hard thing to make work.

I have been considering something like this where the color contrast is similiar.

 
#19 ·
Yea, staying in Walnut Creek. It's tough on the pocket book (esp after spending 3 years in North Carolina). I'm an LA guy born and raised....only up here cause of work (currently run sales for a company that puts those annoying ads on your cell phone). Figuring 5-10 years then I'll make my way back to a beach somewhere (spent 10 years in Huntington down south before the NC move).


The wait is driving me bonkers. Think I'm gonna have to put a towel over the tank to pretend it's not there.



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#21 ·
Small world. Yea I grew up in Arcadia (next to Pasadena). Then moved to HB for school (long beach state). Had a start up fold in 2009 and the wife was knocked up so we got in a car and headed east as we realized we wouldn't be affording California anymore. When we hit Raleigh realized we couldn't go further and settled in for 3 years before I realized humidity and me don't get along (although $300k houses were nice). I was out in SF 1 week a month so the move seemed natural and got us closer to family. While the creek isn't my ideal location, the wife is happy. And she stays home with two toddlers so whatever it takes I abide (plus I travel a ton, mainly international...so even more reason to make sure she's happy). We were starting to look in Marin before we found a great house (we are a block away from north gate high now, new house is a block away on the other side)


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#24 ·
That is the plan :)

Closed on the new house today. Plan on getting the new tank over there in the next few days and start playing with the hardscape.

We don't move in for another 2 weeks so I will have some time before I start planting.

Cable Ties = Zip Ties?


I plan on sloping pretty heavy in the corners, I picked up two more bags of Amazonia last weekend, bringing me to 6 total right now. I want to use the Stones and egg crate to help keep the slop holding up and then have a sort of valley coming down the center if I can pull it off.
 
#25 ·
I'm planning on some massive sloping as well. Wondering if the pantyhose filled with dirt method will hold, or that combined with the plastic "egg crate" light diffusers is the way to go. BTW, I got so wound up waiting for you to get your tank set up that I bought my GLA 120-H. Glad I have an understanding wife! Congrats on the house!
 
#29 ·
Ooooooooo looks good.

Not sure what your intent is on the banking so feel free to ignore my comment, but I would personally bank the substrate up even higher than you've got it. The banking at the back will look a lot smaller once water goes into the tank. That;s assuming that you want the banks to be large though.

Can't wait to see the finished product!
 
#32 ·
gonna go stop by AFA this week and see what else I can find. Went by a few weeks ago and they were out.


Tank isn't flooded yet.....

Bump:
You got your 120 & while reading your thread I said "screw it, I'm getting a 120". I got my scape laid out & went higher on the right, & find out you went higher on the right. I'm adopted, are you? We've got some weird long lost twin psychic aquascaping thing going on here lol. Looks good, can't wait to see what you (we) do next! :hihi:

that's awesome!!!!! love it

Bump:
Ooooooooo looks good.

Not sure what your intent is on the banking so feel free to ignore my comment, but I would personally bank the substrate up even higher than you've got it. The banking at the back will look a lot smaller once water goes into the tank. That;s assuming that you want the banks to be large though.

Can't wait to see the finished product!

I've still got two 9L bags left....this was done quick late last night after unboxing this new house for 3 days straight. Tank is in my office so I'm going to stare at it for the next few days and make some tweaks
 
#31 ·
You got your 120 & while reading your thread I said "screw it, I'm getting a 120". I got my scape laid out & went higher on the right, & find out you went higher on the right. I'm adopted, are you? We've got some weird long lost twin psychic aquascaping thing going on here lol. Looks good, can't wait to see what you (we) do next! :hihi:

 
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