[Hector_Hinojosa]

Introduction

Hello friends,

My name is Hector I’m a local here in southern California San Diego. I been living here all my life. I was born and raised. I’ll tell you a little bit of my background how I got into planted aquariums.. Like most of us the beauty of nature is what I’m really looking to replicate in my aquarium. My biggest inspiration comes from the man himself Mr Takashi Amano witch he really has inspired thousands of people all around the world, the nature of aquascaping. Like Mr Amano said once,

“To know Mother Nature is to love her smallest creations. We recreate the natural eco-system in our aquarium, which leads to a better understanding of the global environment.

The first time I saw this man’s work and passion I was instantly in love with nature style Amano aquascaping. It’s been years since I wanted to really dive in to this beautiful nature world just never seemed to have time. I was always to busy on my reef tanks and marine tanks. Luckily I’ve had enough and couldn’t take it so this is where my journey starts, on the beautiful journey of aquascaping.

So this is my story..

Equipment:

-ADA 60P & ADA Garden Mat

-ADA Aqua screen foggy

-UNS STAND (Natual wood) Mite cut the door the middle part and add a ultra clear glass to show case ADA filters and C02 system. Display luxurious.
Looking for the glass ADA Stand can’t seem to find it.

-ADA SUPER JET FILTER ES-300 VER. 2

-ADA Glass Lilly pipes

-ADA Drop Checker

-ADA Check Valve

-CO Art Pro-Se Series Advance dual stage Co2
regulator

-10lb tank for Co2

-Twinstar Nano(Getting later)

Twinstar Light 2 600E

I will be getting more equipment in this coming month or so. This build is going to be a little slow in the beginning. Need to make sure I get the products that I want to buy. Buy it once buy it right.. Expensive but I think way worth it in the long run. I’ll update this thread as I add equipment and livestock.

Enjoy and if you have any advice at all I really would appreciate it positive or negative. It’s all good I’m learning as I go..

Thanks, Hector

 

[misterdom]

Hello Hector sounds like you have a great start on your hands! I look forward to seeing your tank progress. Best of luck to you!!

 

[Hector_Hinojosa]

Hello Hector sounds like you have a great start on your hands! I look forward to seeing your tank progress. Best of luck to you!!

Thanks for stopping by!


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[Hector_Hinojosa]

Update should be getting my ADA jet filter es300 ver2 on Tuesday. I was kind of hesitant about getting the ADA filter price was kind of high it set me back $564 shipped. It does come also with the ADA Lilly pipe set and hoses. Aqua Forest website for anyone that mite want to pick one up. I guess I don’t mind as long as it last me a life time.. Fingers crossed.

As for pictures I should be able to post pictures on the first of next month. I exceed my limit for the month? I tried getting the lifetime membership I can’t seem to make it work. Should be able to post pics in a few days. Thanks!


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[EdWiser]

I have several superjet filters. They are very well made units.

 

[Hector_Hinojosa]

I have several superjet filters. They are very well made units.

Thanks yeah my first one. They look beautiful.


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[Hector_Hinojosa]

Here’s a few pics of the equipment I should get my ADA jet filter in tomorrow. Most likely going to start a channel on YouTube for this build. I’ll post link once I start working on it. Thanks


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[novato]

That's a lot of ADA! Out of my price range now as a parent, but it's art, and enhances tanks instead of detracting like my old 75 g rimmed. Good luck, looking forward to planted pics

 

[Hector_Hinojosa]

That's a lot of ADA! Out of my price range now as a parent, but it's art, and enhances tanks instead of detracting like my old 75 g rimmed. Good luck, looking forward to planted pics

Thanks I’m also a parent this is just a passion and hobby of mine. I buy everything piece by piece not at once. Yes expensive but your right it is like an art it’s very stunning and very unique experience. I rather do it now and not wait we only live once.. Don’t tell my wife this.. lol

Definitely enjoying every second of it. Thanks for stopping by. I’ll update this thread soon.


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[Hector_Hinojosa]

Hey guys update! I just received my ADA Jet filter! I opened up the box to check and make sure everything is perfect shape. Everything seems perfect! The quality and build on these ADA filter is in an another level. I try to look for any blemish not one. Incredible seriously guys worth every penny if you truly love and find this hobby to be an art form.

Going to be ordering the stand this week. Not sure if I should go with a nice natural wood stand or the ADA glass. Price is not in issue here. I’m just scared the glass stand will break in the move. Going to me moving out of state next year. Don’t want to break it in the move.

I could always order the glass stand once I get over there.

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[Ben Belton]

Looking forward to your build. I have an ADA 60p. I haven't done the best with it. Mostly because about the time things are looking up with the tank, work and life gets in the way and everything goes to poop. I just restarted from scratch though and we will see how it goes. The biggest hurdle I've run into is that because of Covid the plants I want haven't been available for months. I've pieced a little something together. Good luck with yours!

 

[madmark285]

That's a lot of ADA! Out of my price range now as a parent,

I would not be a parent if i brought home an ADA system, my wife would say "Go sleep with your fish".

But as you say, this is about creating a piece of art.

Personally, I am old school and I like rimmed tanks with a hood. I like the darkened room where the aquarium looks like a window into an water world. I also like the prices of rimmed tanks, $100 for a 75 gallon tank.

Mark

 

[Hector_Hinojosa]

Looking forward to your build. I have an ADA 60p. I haven't done the best with it. Mostly because about the time things are looking up with the tank, work and life gets in the way and everything goes to poop. I just restarted from scratch though and we will see how it goes. The biggest hurdle I've run into is that because of Covid the plants I want haven't been available for months. I've pieced a little something together. Good luck with yours!

Thanks, This will be my first attempt. Wish me luck I been into reef tanks for years. Currently running a 50 Lagoon by Innovative marine. I hear you with everything that’s going on the world is not easy. My wife recently had a newborn.. Very difficult to have any time to work on my hobby. Hopefully everything goes smooth fingers crossed As for plants try Buce plants website has a great selection of plants. There’s where I’m thinking of purchasing mostly all my plants.


I’m trying to look for the Grey ADA stand like the one you got by Grey. Can’t seem to find it? Where did you purchase yours from? Thanks

Few pics of my reef tank for fun.

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[Hector_Hinojosa]

Update on the ADA 60P Stand. So after a lot of research and looking everywhere for an ADA stand I ended up settling for this UNS Wood stand. I ended up finding it online PetZone they are a local LFS in San Diego about a 30min drive from my house. I didn’t even know this store existed! Lol Nice find a lot of nice plants hard scape stones fish ext.. (Heaven)

I ended up paying $524 add tax $564 but I picked up a few pieces of manzanita wood that set me back to $594 exactly. California taxes are a joke!

Now let’s talk about quality I brought it home unpacked it and everything is very high quality. Seems like they really take pride in the design and craftsmanship from the builder that actually builds these stands. In the box it does say they are made in Taiwan. Hand built stand wood looks very nice and the stand is almost perfect.. Upon inspection the interior on the stand on the top and front top panel seems liked they missed to stained it? Maybe in a hurry the builder of the stand did not notice? Maybe just accidentally on his part he missed it. Not sure how it got passed by QC not sure how strict they keep that..? I would think it’s very tight inspection since you are paying a premium for this product. I could of got an ADA stand but couldn’t find one. I did find the glass one and the 60P garden stand. I guess not a big deal for some people, but if you are paying premium I expect close to be perfect. I really do like the stand. I talk to Roger there at the LFS he was a real nice guy. I’m sure it would be no problem to exchange it. Reason for this I guess I want it to be perfect going to be displaying my ADA filter and equipment inside the stand pretty much aesthetics reasons.

Do I recommend this stand by UNS? Absolutely! It’s a beautiful stand no doubt! I just hope they keep a more tightly inspection on this product. Especially if they truly want to be the big dogs like ADA. I went to this LFS petzone they had a few UNS tanks in display very nice quality tanks. I would say very close to ADA by a hair.. Almost.. But ADA quality is insane the glass down to the silicon basically I would say perfect. (QUALITY)

Here’s a few pics of the interior outside the stand looks very nice. Pictures don’t really do it justice especially the color of the grain. Also another thing there logo they suppose to put in the outside on the right side. They accidentally put the logo in the inside on the door in the right cornerIt’s all good but it’s little things like that that really do make a huge difference in quality. Maybe I just have bad luck and got one that went through.. Unfortunately.

Pics

Pic the logo inside the stand door.. Wrong spot

Like I said in this post it really is a beautiful stand.. Just a few little things that did bother me. But not a deal breaker. This stand is a part of my house like a piece of furniture ART to look beautiful.

Moral of the story if you’re looking for the best of the best ADA still stands the test of time for quality and craftsmanship the king of aqua for a reason!

This is the true color of the stand. My pics looks dark but it’s not. Beautiful design and I love the natural wood affect it brings. They also sell it in white and black. For those who mite be interested in purchasing one.

 

[novato]

Real wood looks so good with planted tanks, especially if there is wood inside the tank, really ties it together.

 

[mboley]

As for plants try Buce plants website has a great selection of plants. There’s where I’m thinking of purchasing mostly all my plants.

Hector, I'm also in San Diego; you dont have to order plants by mail, there are excellent stores here. Pet Kingdom is best. Pet Zone and Aquatic Warehouse are good too.

 

[Hector_Hinojosa]

Hector, I'm also in San Diego; you dont have to order plants by mail, there are excellent stores here. Pet Kingdom is best. Pet Zone and Aquatic Warehouse are good too.

Nice to see a local on here! Awesome! Yeah I went to petzone pretty good plant selection. I also been to aquatic warehouse but I never been to pet kingdom. I’ll have to definitely check them out! I’m also on sdreefs forums I’m sure you been there. I have a reef tanks for many years at the moment I’m running a 50 lagoon. Recently just wanted to switch it up.. I’ve been captured by nature style aquascaping beautiful! Thanks bud!


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[misterdom]

I’m really digging the UNS stand Hector, congrats! And I prefer the logos to be hidden, so I think the stand actually looks better that way.

 

[Teddyboy]

Nice tank Hector! I have a 90P currently running. I’ve ordered all my plants from Buce Plant and some from Aquarium Plants Factory. For me, PetZone and Aquatics Warehouse does not have the variety of aquatic plants that Buce Plant has. My aquarium was set up in the middle of the shut down, so mail order was the best way to get most of my stuff. I was lucky that I was able to get my 90P at Aquatics Warehouse, because it wasn’t available anywhere else. It wasn’t cheap either. I need to start a thread for my tank. It’s been set up for 5 months now, but I just recently did a reset because I wasn’t happy with the layout. It’s actually doing better now then when I first set it up. Pet Zone is great for fish. They have species that you don’t usually see at other stores. I bought my six dwarf chain loaches there. I’m looking forward to seeing your tanks progression.

 

[Hector_Hinojosa]

Nice tank Hector! I have a 90P currently running. I’ve ordered all my plants from Buce Plant and some from Aquarium Plants Factory. For me, PetZone and Aquatics Warehouse does not have the variety of aquatic plants that Buce Plant has. My aquarium was set up in the middle of the shut down, so mail order was the best way to get most of my stuff. I was lucky that I was able to get my 90P at Aquatics Warehouse, because it wasn’t available anywhere else. It wasn’t cheap either. I need to start a thread for my tank. It’s been set up for 5 months now, but I just recently did a reset because I wasn’t happy with the layout. It’s actually doing better now then when I first set it up. Pet Zone is great for fish. They have species that you don’t usually see at other stores. I bought my six dwarf chain loaches there. I’m looking forward to seeing your tanks progression.

Thanks for the kind words! Definitely check them out Buceplant. I have order from them before. Not plants but I’ll give them a shot!

You should definitely start a journal of your tank would be cool to see your progression on your tank.


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