[defiant]

Hello everyone. Its been over three years since I put together a tank due to moving and other personal issues. If you have been following my other postings those tanks have all gone to new homes because of my move.

Im back home now and got the ok from "The Boss" to start my tanks up again. :icon_bigg

My dream was always wanting to build an Ada room with a bunch of tanks and different layouts but compromise narrowed it down to 2 larger tanks.

This will be first of my comeback builds.


I knew this day would come so I was picking up equipment slowly this past year to prepare myself and to ease the wallet.

I decided to go with the ada 120P for my first build and the location will be an addition to my theater room which I also just completed 2 months ago.

Thanks to Aquascapes here in Honolulu they were able to order this monster of a tank for me and get it here safely. Practically all my equipment was purchased there. Gotta help the local storesroud:

First part of my build was my stand which i just completed today.

It is made up of 3/4in Red oak hardwood
I decided to make it like how i made my previous stand
[URL=http://s861.photobucket.com/user/808Nikonshooter/media/Iwagumi%20Madness%20Returns/Stand-5_zpsb07cde5e.jpg.html][/URL]

its 36in tall and 48in long and 18in deep

I put it together first with a nailer to hold it together so that i can drive in the screws easier later.

[URL=http://s861.photobucket.com/user/808Nikonshooter/media/Iwagumi%20Madness%20Returns/Stand-7_zpseb3b03ac.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s861.photobucket.com/user/808Nikonshooter/media/Iwagumi%20Madness%20Returns/Stand-10_zpsa56659d9.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s861.photobucket.com/user/808Nikonshooter/media/Iwagumi%20Madness%20Returns/Stand-12_zps748b5bf6.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s861.photobucket.com/user/808Nikonshooter/media/Iwagumi%20Madness%20Returns/Stand-13_zps8397e587.jpg.html][/URL]

I originally wanted to stain it a darker color to match the flooring but i think going with black will attract less attention to the stand since it will be a big piece of furniture.
[URL=http://s861.photobucket.com/user/808Nikonshooter/media/Iwagumi%20Madness%20Returns/Stand-15_zps596da527.jpg.html][/URL]

Here is the completed product with the tank and hanging light installed
[URL=http://s861.photobucket.com/user/808Nikonshooter/media/Iwagumi%20Madness%20Returns/Stand-26_zpsd78f4781.jpg.html][/URL]
[URL=http://s861.photobucket.com/user/808Nikonshooter/media/Iwagumi%20Madness%20Returns/Stand-29_zps8e4a78c7.jpg.html][/URL]
[URL=http://s861.photobucket.com/user/808Nikonshooter/media/Iwagumi%20Madness%20Returns/Stand-23_zpse8bc7f38.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s861.photobucket.com/user/808Nikonshooter/media/Iwagumi%20Madness%20Returns/Stand-31_zpsdee55763.jpg.html][/URL]

I will clean this up tomorrow and take some pictures of what i will be working with.

Thanks for looking. And to those that have followed me on all my previous builds, thanks for following. I'll try to keep a detailed account of this journey.
More pics to be posted soon.

 

[defiant]

Quick question. I just installed the wood laminate flooring 2 months ago also but does anyone have any tips on how to place these heavy tanks on this floor. Should i put some kind of felt pad under the stand or do I just sit it down and fill it up. I wanna make sure before i start adding things into the tank and it becomes immoveable.

 

[Kai808]

Hooo Brah!! Welcome back! I was looking through my journal tonight and reread your post... I was thinking when were you going to start your journal. Then I look up and see your thread!

The stand and tank are looking sweet! I can't wait for updates. Jojo said you were collecting a lot of hardscape stuff.

Sorry, I'm not sure about the padding on the floor.

Take care and A hui hou.

Kai

Haha thanks for your kind words. I didn't think anyone had pictures of that tank lol. I'm slowly getting back in the game again and will be starting a couple new journals for probably two 120p's or a 120 and 90p. Just collecting all the necessary equipment and stuff right now. Just let me know if you need any help with anything. I'll try and help the best I can. Keep up the good work

 

[defiant]

Thanks Kai. Yeah spent about 5 bills on hard scape lol. I don't even know what I'm going to do yet. Got a bunch of stuff for different types of layouts. I will definitely keep everyone posted with pics.

By the way you tank is looking awesome

Kai do you have any tanks with e. flavesence as the foreground? I have a bunch that I thought I might try out in this tank

 

[defiant]

ok so here is a first look at my hardscape layout im thinking of doing one with driftwood also but i'll update that when i change around the layout.

let me know what you guys think and any suggestions.

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/Hardscape-2.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/Hardscape-1.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[Bserve]

Superb!

 

[defiant]

ok so i tried to implement a driftwood layout per the request of my wife.

here is what we came up with
let me know how this looks and which of the two layouts you would choose. either the iwagumi layout or this.

i will be adding more soil to the back to give it a little more slope and also more soil to the right and base of the tree. all the large holes in the rock base will be covered up with peitie nanas and mini pelia moss foreground will be a combination of HC and e.flauvesence

thanks

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/Hardscape-3.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[defiant]

Superb!

thanks Bserve

 

[LICfish]

I LOVE the layout with the driftwood. You did an amazing job!

 

[Bserve]

Both are AMAZING

 

[defiant]

so here is a picture of the final layout. We are going with the driftwood layout. I rearranged the rocks to give it a more natural set plus i added some driftwood to them to give them the look of roots weaving through the rocks.

Here is my secret stash of plants that I have been growing to prepare for this build. I have enough HC , E.Belem, E.Flauvesence to Carpet the entire tank if I wanted to but I don't think that the roots will become strong root systems if i do that.

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-2.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-1.jpg.html][/URL]

HC :icon_lol:

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-4.jpg.html][/URL]

And now for the fun stuff
This is probable going to be too much for this tank but im prepping to use this much foreground material.

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-6.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-7.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-8.jpg.html][/URL]

Planting Time

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-12.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-10.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-11.jpg.html][/URL]

Now for the HC

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-14.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-15.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-17.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-16.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/user/qwnyz/media/Return%20of%20Iwagumi%20Madness/TankPlanting-18.jpg.html][/URL]

The back of the tank will get planted when I flood the tank. Im just working on the foreground right now going to do the dry start method since i've had great results from my previous builds.

I hope you like the pictures. Please comment or provide input and suggestions. thanks

 

[Kai808]

Looks good either way! Great scaping abilities! I can see why you spent that much on the hardscape. That large stone looks about 20lbs ($100+). Idk but that stump is huge! You might have to skip the nana petite and just go with straight nana.

 

[Gooberfish]

This tank is looking spectacular! I love the driftwood setup. What are your midground/background plant choices going to be?

 

[defiant]

Thanks. Not quite sure what plants I'm going to use in the mid and back. Depending on what is available here on Oahu. I'm looking to try some nice bright red plants like r.butterfly and maybe some erios. Got any nice plants to raok? Lo

 

[defiant]

@kai. Yeah that big one on the left was 27 lbs and the one on the right was 12 lbs
Wife wasn't fond of the iwagumi layout so I decided t go with the drifwood

 

[du3ce]

looks like its gonna be a great start cant wait to see how it turns out

 

[kwheeler91]

I love stumps, and this is stumpy like no other

 

[xmas_one]

Very nice, that's a sweet stump!

 

[EndlerGame]

That scape with the stump is beautiful. I can't wait to see the carpet fill in on this tank, you take your time and do it right. I think an arrangement of A. nana and A. nana "petite" around the hardscape would look really nice and give a nice full, round look.

And as for red plants, I have recently had success with Alternanthera reineckii, a bright red stem plant, in a couple of my tanks.

 

[defiant]

Thanks everyone. I have a bunch of petite nanas growing outside in my pond waiting for me to flood the tank. I was planning on using it for the base of the stump. The stump is actually three large pieces of Malaysian driftwood. Once I place my moss and all the other surrounding plants you won't be able t see the joints. Although you can't really tell right now even up close.