[KentCurtis]

For Christmas my girlfriend got me the tank I had been planning (read procrastinating ) on buying since the summer. I had initially asked for her to get me the Do!Aqua Mini-M, and that is what she ordered and was billed for, but to my surprise I received the ADA Mini-M complete with sticker and all. I didn't take a picture of it considering the camera in our apartment is a synonym for "Kent's phone". Maybe they mixed the stickers up? Not sure, but lets just go on thinking it is the ADA version.
So far I have my tank, stand, filter, CO2 cylinder, regulator, and light. I have some ryouh (spelling?) stones coming through the mail as well as some UG from Ramos. Anyways, onto the poor pictures I do have. PS - the stand was homemade by my dad and I. We are not craftsmen by any means, and neither of us can measure or cut wood worth a damn. I think this is the first thing either of us has ever built with his smattering of tools in the garage, including the tablesaw which took us 20 minutes to turn on because the safety key was missing . It looks good to me considering the supplies were all off hand, and I hope to make the aquarium the focal point anyways.

Here is my cat checking it out

And here is the tank and stand. Note: the material underneath is cabinet liner and I will be replacing it with an appropriate sized piece, I just happened to only have some random small square of it in my junk drawer.

I expect to get the UG in sometime later this week as well as the rocks. I plan on starting things off dry, so if anyone has any pointers send them my way! This journal will probably die for a few weeks as I dry-start, but I will definitely be picking it back up as far as picture updates go.

 

[Outlawboss]

Very nice! Looks like you have a gray, furry helper too.

 

[MARIMOBALL]

Yep thats an ADA tank. Nice looking stand and it sound like you have all the right equipment. What a great Christmas present. We had a secrete santa exchange and I happen to walk in on my sister looking through the ADG website and I got all excited thinking She had me to give a present to, but I got something else instead . Anyway keep us updated.

 

[KentCurtis]

Yep thats an ADA tank. Nice looking stand and it sound like you have all the right equipment. What a great Christmas present. We had a secrete santa exchange and I happen to walk in on my sister looking through the ADG website and I got all excited thinking She had me to give a present to, but I got something else instead . Anyway keep us updated.

Ahh man that stinks. Most of my money has been spent on all the other equipment since the only gift was the tank. Ill post up a picture in a few days once the UG gets here. I will definitely need some hardscape critique, I have only used driftwood in the past.

 

[problemman]

ur not going to do igwaumi are you. please dont!!! o how i dont want to see one more tank like that!

 

[rrrrramos]

Subscribing to this journal. Can't wait to see how my plants turn out in this tank. The UG will compliment that Aquasoil you got there very well
Any idea what kind of layout you'll be going for in here?

 

[KentCurtis]

Well I hadn't really planned on any certain type of layout, personally I like Iwagumi and think it is a great style for such a small tank....I guess it is what it is. I will most likely be introducing some plants that aren't so nanoish...I love stem plants so you will probably be seeing some soft water species since I will be doing changes with RO water rather than my awful tap water.

 

[lilsoccakid74]

looks good so far. i would love to find a light like that for my mini-m. where did you get yours?

 

[Ugly Genius]

Your girlfriend sound like a keeper. My girl bought me the same tank for my birthday.

Thought of dry-starting the UG? I did it in my Do!aqua Mini-M and, while patience-testing, the UG grew out well that way.

 

[KentCurtis]

looks good so far. i would love to find a light like that for my mini-m. where did you get yours?

It is the Archea 27W fixture from Aqua Forest Aquarium (http://www.adana-usa.com/) The only catch here is that they do not put it on their website. You have to go to the contact section of that site and send them an email or call them and ask to order one. They are $60 which really beats the Mini Solar lights for around $150 more.

Your girlfriend sound like a keeper. My girl bought me the same tank for my birthday.

Thought of dry-starting the UG? I did it in my Do!aqua Mini-M and, while patience-testing, the UG grew out well that way.

Yes she really is, I am glad she lets me have my little hobby. I plan on dry starting it for a month or so if I can resist the urge to fill it, looking at your tank and Ramos' tank gave me the inspiration to do so - UG seems to be the new HC and I am jumping onboard because I am bored of growing HC. How long before you noticed growth from the inital planting, about a week or so? How about from then on, did it spread somewhat quickly?

 

[KentCurtis]

Also UG (or anyone else who wants to chime in), what brand of diffuser did you use in Source and/or Riverrun? I had one of the cheap ebay diffusers but I broke the stem of it the night I got it, was pretty upset after the endless ship time. I think I will be getting another one from GLA because I like the one I have in my 20g from them, it is nice and sturdy even when i am putting the tubing onto it. Then again I have a hard time discerning which one to get if the cheapest GLA one will do just as good of a job as the ~$30 ones from them does.

 

[ermano]

Lookin good Kent!

 

[rrrrramos]

I plan on dry starting it for a month or so if I can resist the urge to fill it, looking at your tank and Ramos' tank gave me the inspiration to do so - UG seems to be the new HC and I am jumping onboard because I am bored of growing HC. How long before you noticed growth from the inital planting, about a week or so? How about from then on, did it spread somewhat quickly?

When I dry started my UG, I could notice a little bit of growth right after the first week. Within about three weeks it was spreading. Since I've had great success with one month dry start then fills, I only dry started for four weeks. But it took off after the fill, along with dosing and the like.

Also UG (or anyone else who wants to chime in), what brand of diffuser did you use in Source and/or Riverrun? I had one of the cheap ebay diffusers but I broke the stem of it the night I got it, was pretty upset after the endless ship time. I think I will be getting another one from GLA because I like the one I have in my 20g from them, it is nice and sturdy even when i am putting the tubing onto it. Then again I have a hard time discerning which one to get if the cheapest GLA one will do just as good of a job as the ~$30 ones from them does.

I know UG used one of the Do-Aqua! diffusers, this one, I believe. I'm personally using the GLA Nano Diffuser in mine, it came with a post-body kit I got for my regulator and is still working great. I'd love to get one of those Music Glass 10D's but don't feel like dropping $40 shipped on something I already have haha.




Oh and I forgot to ask, what equipment are you using for this? You said you have the filter, Co2, all that stuff and whatnot, but I didn't see if you said what kind.

 

[KentCurtis]

When I dry started my UG, I could notice a little bit of growth right after the first week. Within about three weeks it was spreading. Since I've had great success with one month dry start then fills, I only dry started for four weeks. But it took off after the fill, along with dosing and the like.



I know UG used one of the Do-Aqua! diffusers, this one, I believe. I'm personally using the GLA Nano Diffuser in mine, it came with a post-body kit I got for my regulator and is still working great. I'd love to get one of those Music Glass 10D's but don't feel like dropping $40 shipped on something I already have haha.




Oh and I forgot to ask, what equipment are you using for this? You said you have the filter, Co2, all that stuff and whatnot, but I didn't see if you said what kind.

Ahh yes that looks like the one. I really like that diffuser, but I have a feeling I will be putting it off since I am going to kick things off dry. A months time sounds good to me, maybe a tad longer if my patience permits. You are right though, $40 shipped makes me a little sad, might be looking at one of the GLA ones for ~$15, but after paying shipping you almost wish you would have gotten the more expensive one anyways.
And you are right, I didn't post that!
Equipment:
Filter - Eheim 2215 (read below)
Light - Archea 27w Clip On (love this thing)
Regulator - Milwaukee MA957 (have one on my other tank, works great for me)
Cylinder - 2.5# cylinder


As for the filter, I have a new Eheim 2215, but I am currently using a 2213 on my 20g so I think I am going to pull a switcheroo and upgrade my 20g with the 2215 and use the 2213 on my Mini. The only thing about this is that I like the idea of having a brand new filter on the brand new aquarium, and since after the dry start I should have a jump start on cycling using the cycled 2213 on the Mini-M is not that much of a benefit. I hope this makes sense as I am getting tongue tied just typing this. On that same note, do the 2213 and 2215 use the same size media?

Thanks for the comments everyone! It is nice to finally be posting something other than algae pictures like I was last year when I first got into planted tanks haha!

 

[KentCurtis]

Hey all, just got some rocks today. I have 2 pictures at the moment but will probably take more later.....Could use any suggestions on the scape that anyone has to offer. This is with 3 of the 5 rocks I have. The other 2 rocks I have are larger, and fairly flat - not too interesting but I may just need to change my perspective.

Here is straight on

and here is from the left, not flattering angle for the right rock up front (not a good photographer)

 

[KentCurtis]

Just after I posted this I got the UG in the mail. It was pretty darn cold to the touch but I rinsed it under warm water for a second and planted it a bit throughout the foreground and a little in between the rocks. I also put a little bit in my 20g with pressurized co2 and 2x24 T5HO - hopefully either the submersed or emersed portion will show signs of life. After planting in the Mini M I covered it with plastic wrap and started the light on it. EDIT: screw it, picture of what I have now.

Not very entertaining picture, but its nice and moist in there. Wish me luck guys!

 

[KentCurtis]

Anyone with any tips/comments on rock placement? I am not set on the current setup (check the last post of the 1st page)
EDIT: Here are some pictures of the 2 other rocks in relation to my hand. The rocks in the aquarium now are all a bit smaller than the larger one pictured below.

rock 1 top

rock 1 bottom

rock 2 top

rock 2 bottom

From above with the plastic pulled back, can kind of see my layout. Im thinking maybe put more AS under the back right rock to raise it up a bit above the one in front of it.

 

[KentCurtis]

Not much going on so far, I have been leaving the light on from 7:30am until about 10pm everyday, and the water level is right below the substrate. It is nice and warm/moist in there and I remove the plastic every once and a while to get some exchange going on. One thing is that a secton of the UG higher up in my scape is not as moist as the others since the aquasoil is higher there, should I be pouring just a tiny bit of water on it throughout the day to keep it moist there as well?

Here is the tank straight on, wiped the glass so you guys could see.

and here is from above and from the right, no plastic.

 

[JennaH]

i think grouping the rocks closer together to one side more will help, i like the pointy one in the corner though

 

[Fat Guy]

where'd you get those rocks btw? The placement of them has got to be one of the hardest things. I've been tinkering with the ones in my tank and am 80% satisfied. Try messing with the ones that you have placed horizontally. Try placing one of them at a steeper vertical angle and see what happens. Looking like a great start though!