Little Mini M - Mal Pais

[dougiefresh]

Hello! This is the start of my new setup for an ADA mini m tank, these little tanks are about 5.5 gallons. Being a design junkie, I've always appreciated the clean aesthetic of ADA equipment. Dreaming of a tank like a 60h or 90p, when I ran across a deal on used ADA mini light and ADA Co2 items, I couldn't pass it up and went the economy route with the Mini. Luckily, ADG shop is here in Houston and I picked up the mini tank and a few other things to forgo the shipping to make this setup very economical.

The title theme. After I picked out one of the big rocks as the anchor point in the tank, it reminded me of the beautiful natural jungle beach in Costa Rica on the southern tip of the nicoya peninsula called Mal Pais where I've vacationed quite a few times. I'm hoping to loosely recreate the rocky feeling of this beach in a minimalist iwagami style. This will be big challenge for me. But please don't be disappointed when the thing never gets off the ground and falls apart.

The Hardware is:
Mini: Ada mini M
Light: ADA Solar Mini
Filter: Eheim 2011 with lily pipes: ada v-1 and p-1
Substrate: Aqua Soil Malaya normal
Co2: ADA 74-YA/ver.2 and Pollen CO2 Diffuser 1000 from Green Leaf
Stand: Vintage square metal laboratory table.
Ferts: I have a few bags of left over greg watson ferts, not sure on the schedule and dosing for the little tank now. May break down and by the brighty stuff.

Photos:

Starting new tank and hardscape:




Add water:


Co2:




ADA commercial:


Adding Plants and moving things around:




Canary in the Mist:


This is all I have now. Will keep you posted on updates. I'm plan on planting some HC tomorrow. Thanks for looking at my journal.

[mott]

Oh, it's so exiting seeing another new mini m journal!
Awesome setup, are you planning HC only?

[Dollface]

Those rocks are awesome, what kind are they?

[dougiefresh]

Mott:
Thanks I really like your mini tank, it's cool...
I'll plant HC as most the carpet and some higher plants in the background like a dwarf hairgrass. I've attached dwarf java fern to the big rock with super glue.

Dollface:
Not sure of the rock type. They are somewhat soft like slate. Thanks for checking it out!

[SnyperP]

It's a bit early to be adding the shrimp. Aquasoil leeches quite a bit of ammonia in the first few days. It helps initial plant growth and feeds nitrifiying bacteria. Don't rush to dose anything but potassium at the start. There will be plenty ammonia and nitrates for the plants. After 3-4 weeks start Step 1 or your own traces.

[Down_Shift]

Very nice looking!!!

[tremendotron]

I like the last picture with the shrimp :-)

[dougiefresh]

Thanks for the nice words.
Snyper: Thanks for the tips on the ferts. On the shrimp, the tank has had water and AS in it over about 10 days when I put the shrimp in - hope he makes it...I have about 100 in another tank just in case

[dougiefresh]

Put in some HC. I don't have patience to plant stem by stem, so it doesn't look zen meticulous, but hope it gets the job done.





Back View:


Shrimp:


Thanks for looking! D

[Craigthor]

Nice I liked the way the big rock was positioned in the first pic better IMO.

Craig

[MARIMOBALL]

DF your set up is very nice and clean. I love the look of the mini m with the ADA lamp I think its the best way to go on a mini. The color of the substrate really brings out the color of the stone. most of the time dark rock works better but this scape really looks good. My only suggestion is that the small stone in the front is too aligned with the one in the back. maybe if it is moved to the right in front of the largest stone, but not dirrectly in front.
let me suggest a school of Danionella translucida http://fishbase.mnhn.fr/Summary/spec...me=translucida that milalic will have soon

[dougiefresh]

Craigthor:
Thanks for the advice, I'll try to tilt that rock back more. I actually took that rock out and cut the bottom off to reduce to size a little, so it may have changed the natural tilt some but I'm sure it can be adjusted.

Marimo:
Thanks for the compliment! I see what your seeing about the two rocks. I'll play with the staggering them more tomorrow evening. I do like those fish, very unusual. What do you think of a male scarlet badis for an accent? The colors are beautiful.

[SnyperP]

Glad to see the look shrimp alive and kicking

[MARIMOBALL]

Badis are very nice as long as they have some where to hide. they don't like open water but when they come out you will be glued to that tank watching there every move.

[dougiefresh]

Hi, Just added some dwarf hairgrass to the scape. Moved the rocks around a little and switched out one of the rocks...Stress