Etane's New Glass Box w/ Silicone Glue: ADA 60-F

[etane]

Originally Posted by IWANNAGOFAST

I have a 60F as well and I'm using cal aqua labs 13mm nano pipes. They're perfect for a 60F

http://greenleafaquariums.com/inflow-outflow-pipes.html

Or of course, you could always buy the ADA or Do! Aqua versions too

Hi. Thanks for your feedback. I think I saw your 60-F thread. It was a gift, right?

I checked out the Do!Aqua nano sized 13mm pipe. You know, the one without suction cups. It's 6inches long on the inflow. It's too tall for my aquarium unless I don't use any substrate. And, I think I will have at least an inch of substrate at the back end of the aquarium when I am done... And, the Cal Aqua seems to have the same height as the Do!Aqua...

Oh yah, I have to put one of those shrimp filter guards on the inflow too since I have shrimps. So, the shorter the pipes the better...

edit:

Hey, I went back to check your 60F thread. I do see your pipes but can't get a full view of the inflow pipe. Is the bottom of your inflow tank touching anything? Do you think there will be enough room to install one of those shrimp mesh guard?

edit again:

Oh, I see now. The Do!Aqua pipes I saw didn't have suction cups. The Cal Aqua you have do have suction cups, therefore, you can raise it up higher to fit your tank unlike the Do!Aqua one. I guess I can use the Cal Aqua pipe too! Thanks again for your help.

[etane]

Laying out how the substrate will be placed:



The wife is helping me to my concept to reality. She's good with paper.

He seems more patient than I am in getting his new home set up:

[etane]

Got it set up.

[etane]

Day 1 (yesterday)

Some background on the set up.

Originally, I planned to do some peaceful prairie sloping with curvy walking path with different substrate material and thickness/topography with 3 types of substrate and 5 type of plants. I was overly ambitious. It turned into mush after I turned the filter on. I tossed the whole thing save a few plants.

Second try, going minimalist. Only a manzanita branch, 5 yamaya stones and a lot of java moss wrapped around the manzanita. Clean and simple. I am much happier. I read shrimps don't like bare bottom. But, that's what I am going with. I am sick of dealing with substrate.

I got some terrarium globes in there fitted with some moss and stones. I thought the shrimps that want some cover might find it useful. Turns out, they don't like the globes. The few I saw went in either came straight out or struggled frantically to get out. So, I need to find some other method to provide cover.

The shrimps really avoid the yamaya stones for some reasons. Some taiwan moss is placed in between the branch and the stones. So, I thought the moss would entice the shrimps to use the stones as cover. But, they hardly go close to it.

Within 5 hrs of setting the aquarium up, 3 of 5 snowballs went into molting. 2 molted very quickly. 1 seemed to struggle as a CRS kept bugging it. For some reasons, they all liked hanging out at the larger size rock just underneath the branch yesterday. Today, they are exploring. 1 snowball is still hiding underneath the big rock. I think it just finished molting.

Anyways, on to day 2:





This morning, first thing I noticed is the water is hazier than it was yesterday. I guess the tank is already cycling. Did a water test with tetra strips. Ammonia seems safe although a bit high, I think, for such a young tank. Nitrate is between 1.0 and 3.0. Hardness (gh) is 75 ppm. Chlorine is nil. Alkalinity (kh) is between 40 and 80. And, pH is somewhere between 7.8 and 8.4.

What sticks out to me is the high pH. So, I did a 15% water change with RO water. A few hours later, the pH tested between 7.2 and 7.8. I think I am good water parameter wise for today.

In a tupperware bowl, I have a glass tray filled with ADA Amazonia soil with E. Acicularis planted in it. I added a bottle of Tetra SafeStart to the bowl to grow a colony of beneficial bacteria who will feed off the ammonia provided by the ADA soil. The water in the bowl is testing very high on nitrates and moderate on the ammonia. After the nitrate and ammonia is down to nil, I will add the tray with the plants and some water into the aquarium.

The aquarium has already started cycling as mentioned above. I didn't think it would start so soon at least not before I add the water and plant from the tupperware. I hope my shrimps doesn't get damaged by the cycling. I guess I have to do daily 15% water changes to prevent ammonia and nitrate spikes.

Other observances:

1) 1 of 2 CRS is bigger than all the rest of the shrimps. I really dislike this shrimp. He keeps bugging others. He ate all the snowballs' molted skin. He's certainly developed a taste for it and tried to eat a snowball that was trying to molt. This shrimp is a feces machine too. During the first day, he hardly moves and just munches on exoskeleton and leave feces behind him. I am getting an Eheim vacuum just because of him. I think he's single handedly raising the ammonia level in the tank.

2) I wonder whether the yamaya stones is the cause for the high pH.

3) My cheapie 50mm 1.8 nikon lens does a rather good impression of a macro lens or at least it performs much better than the 17-55mm 2.8. I haven't touched the 50mm in years and was contemplating on selling it. I guess I will keep it for the shrimps.

4) The snowballs don't really like climbing on the branch though I tied up a bunch of moss to it. The CRS goes up there more often.

[fairgate]

Absolutely love those rectangular vases you have there. Good luck with the new tank, hope it all works out for you, you have some nice equipment there.

[808Hawaii]

I too ordered the cal aqua, and also is starting my 60f. I'm just waiting on soil.
My tank journal:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...0f-making.html

Good luck!

[etane]

Originally Posted by fairgate

Absolutely love those rectangular vases you have there. Good luck with the new tank, hope it all works out for you, you have some nice equipment there.

Thanks for the comment!

[etane]

Originally Posted by 808Hawaii

I too ordered the cal aqua, and also is starting my 60f. I'm just waiting on soil.
My tank journal:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...0f-making.html

Good luck!

Thanks for the comment. The 60f is a really short tank, and I found it difficult to work with in terms of fitting the lily pipes. I almost went with Aquatic Magic since it's the shortest pipes on the market that I know of. (AM=5", CA=6")

I couldn't use the Cal Aqua ones when I had the tank in the middle of the shelf. So, I had to move the tank to the right end of the shelf. This way, the hoses doesn't have to bend and hangs straight down. Looks much better this way and is probably better water flow too. The hose had to be bent at sharp angles to fit when tank was in middle of shelf.

[shrimpnmoss]

cool looking tank

[808Hawaii]

Originally Posted by etane

Thanks for the comment. The 60f is a really short tank, and I found it difficult to work with in terms of fitting the lily pipes. I almost went with Aquatic Magic since it's the shortest pipes on the market that I know of. (AM=5", CA=6")

I couldn't use the Cal Aqua ones when I had the tank in the middle of the shelf. So, I had to move the tank to the right end of the shelf. This way, the hoses doesn't have to bend and hangs straight down. Looks much better this way and is probably better water flow too. The hose had to be bent at sharp angles to fit when tank was in middle of shelf.

Or you could drill holes soothe tubing could go throug?

It is what I'm planning to do once I get a drill bit thats the same size as the tubing.

[etane]

Originally Posted by 808Hawaii

Or you could drill holes soothe tubing could go throug?

It is what I'm planning to do once I get a drill bit thats the same size as the tubing.

I may steal that idea from you since I want to put the tank in the middle of my shelf. Might be safer that way.

[etane]

Dinner will be served at the round table.



*how exciting*

[808Hawaii]

Originally Posted by etane

I may steal that idea from you since I want to put the tank in the middle of my shelf. Might be safer that way.

No problem on stealing the idea lol, I've seen people do it, so I thought to share.

[Hilde]

Originally Posted by etane

Nitrate is between 1.0 and 3.0. Hardness (gh) is 75 ppm

Seachem equilibrium would help with the low gh and benefit the shrimp. Check your ph before using RO water with water changes for you don't want to lower the ph below 7. It happened in my tank I lost a valuable fish.

[etane]

Originally Posted by Hilde

Seachem equilibrium would help with the low gh and benefit the shrimp. Check your ph before using RO water with water changes for you don't want to lower the ph below 7. It happened in my tank I lost a valuable fish.

Thank you for your suggestion.

Initially, when I first filled the tank up, I used half RO water and half Crystal Geyser water as it tests very high in water hardness. Now, it stays above 7.4 even after 15% water change with RO water.

I ordered some Seachem equilibrium just now.