# ADA 90p "Dream Tank"



## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

I just got the 90p setup that i bought at ADG, Im really excited to get everything setup im still waiting for the Filter though and still thinking on where i can buy nice plants.

Im planning to join the International Aquatic Plants Layout 2008 :icon_mrgr

*Specification*

TEK Lightning 4 x39watts
Ehiem 2217
Lily Pipe Outflow P-4 13mm
New Lily Pipe Inflow V-7 17mm
Aqua Soil- Amazonia x3
Tourmaline BC
Brighty K 500ml
Green Brighty STEP 1 500ml
Garden Mat 90X45
Clear Hose (3m) 13mm
Clear Hose (3m) 17mm
Garden Stand 90cm metallic
Pollen Glass Beetle 30
Power Sand SPECIAL-M 6liter w/ Bacter 100 and Super Clear





































Thats it for now!!!!!!!!


----------



## UG Dude! (Apr 12, 2007)

Nice setup...


----------



## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

Wow it looks like a flash back of when I got almost the exact same setup curious to see what you do with it.


----------



## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

arowanaman said:


> Wow it looks like a flash back of when I got almost the exact same setup curious to see what you do with it.


Why your using Water Softener? and how the coralife pro works on your tank, still thinking with light though?

And you got a nice tank there


----------



## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

How much did all that stuff cost? I understand if you want to keep it private but, OUCH!!! Bump for the nice setup


----------



## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

styderman said:


> How much did all that stuff cost? I understand if you want to keep it private but, OUCH!!! Bump for the nice setup


$1200 includes shipping (Light and filter seperate)


----------



## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

xcooperx said:


> Why your using Water Softener? and how the coralife pro works on your tank, still thinking with light though?
> 
> And you got a nice tank there


The Coralife pro is the perfect light for this tank great for all lighting cycles even moon for night. You could actually get away with just using one 150 watt HQI on this tank just dont get a pendant circlular one get a rectangular one which will have a wider throw for the light angle. also, a good portion of the time I just use the HQI on mine.

As for the softenizer I use it because most aquatic plants prefer softer water, plus Co2 dissolves better in softer water.

What filter are you planning on using?


----------



## marke14 (Mar 27, 2007)

Alright! I am anxious to see how you set this up!

Dream Tank is right! Ahh, ADA goodness ... rayer: 

Are you going to split a third line off your CO2 bottle, and run all three tanks off the one tank? What kind of manifold do you have for that? And, I assume that means you have a needle valve and bubble counter for each tank? Inquiring minds want to know!

-Mark


----------



## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

arowanaman said:


> The Coralife pro is the perfect light for this tank great for all lighting cycles even moon for night. You could actually get away with just using one 150 watt HQI on this tank just dont get a pendant circlular one get a rectangular one which will have a wider throw for the light angle. also, a good portion of the time I just use the HQI on mine.
> 
> As for the softenizer I use it because most aquatic plants prefer softer water, plus Co2 dissolves better in softer water.
> 
> What filter are you planning on using?


Really, i thought 150 watts is not really recommend for a 90p, i was planning to buy the solar 1 but i read a lot of stuff that its not good.


----------



## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

marke14 said:


> Alright! I am anxious to see how you set this up!
> 
> Dream Tank is right! Ahh, ADA goodness ... rayer:
> 
> ...


Im just gonna use 1 pressurized co2 on this tank and 1 beetle diffuser, my co2 system is JBJ it already comes with needle valve and bubble counter and im using 5lbs cylinder


----------



## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

Do you have any plans for the aquascape yet?


----------



## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

For aquascaping, im thinking about making a concave layout and more of nature style and still thinking of plants that im gonna put


----------



## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

arowanaman said:


> The Coralife pro is the perfect light for this tank great for all lighting cycles even moon for night. You could actually get away with just using one 150 watt HQI on this tank just dont get a pendant circlular one get a rectangular one which will have a wider throw for the light angle. also, a good portion of the time I just use the HQI on mine.
> 
> As for the softenizer I use it because most aquatic plants prefer softer water, plus Co2 dissolves better in softer water.
> 
> What filter are you planning on using?


What about if i use 100% RO/DI water, is that fine???


----------



## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

xcooperx said:


> What about if i use 100% RO/DI water, is that fine???


I use 100% RO water in all my tanks, but don't bother with using DI resin too. I remineralise with Seachem Equilibirium, but only add small amounts of that to give 3dGH.


----------



## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

The solar 1 is plenty of light for a 90P not sure where you read that it was not OK but, I would have no problem just using one of those on my 90P. It is nicer to have more controle by having PC's and Moon lights but in reality 75% of the lighting power on my tank is the HQI. 

I would not use DI water but Full R.O. is fine but like Ed is saying just suppliment with Seachem minerals. I don't have the privlage of using R.O. and I have no problems growing whatever I desire in my tanks with the basic water softenizers. Plus I do not need to suppliment any minerals in my tanks either.


----------



## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

Jeff told me that its much better if i i'll go with tek or some other products rather than Solar 1.

How about if i use water softener media,?


----------



## Brilliant (Jun 25, 2006)

I would avoid using certain 'water softener'. Sometimes this method uses whats called a ion swap, taking out harder minerals for softer less desirable ones. Using something like peat pellets does not have the effects I mentioned. I dont now which media your speaking of so I covered both.

I meant to post the other day when I saw this amazing setup. Its really top notch! I hope some of my plants can grace this setup.


----------



## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

If you use RO water then the TDS will be lowered meaning you have mineral poor water just like most natural soft waters. As Brilliant said some 'Water softeners' practise Ion replacement where Ca and Mg ions are replaced by Sodium or sometimes Potassium ions. This is those resins that can be recharged by running salt through them. 
The resins that are used after RO units and have to thrown away once they are exhausted, sometimes called mineral depletion resins, strip away the hardness to give a low TDS whereas the ion exchange resins don't lower the TDS, just reduce the Ca and Mg ions, reducing the GH.
I don't know what type the sort of softener Arowanaman uses but I'd go for the RO ahead of an Ion exchange resin if you want mineral poor soft water, however it obviously works for him!!! If you aren't going to keep Soft (or Low TDS) water species then tap water should be fine!


----------



## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

i think arowanaman is using ADA water softener the one that has a resin http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?main_page=afa_product_info&cPath=26_63&products_id=252


----------



## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

You can get a real water softener for the same price of that ADA DI mixed resin.


----------



## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

That uses Ion exchange resin, http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?main_page=afa_product_info&cPath=26_63&products_id=258 like many domestic water softeners.

I'd always thought that would cause major problems with adding sodium to the water in exchange for calcium and magnesium, but it obviously works ok for Arowanaman and many others or I'm sure many people would complain at those prices!!! Personally I'd stick with RO water as I'm sure it's the mineral poor water my fish got in the wild or seem to prefer to breed in IME.

BTW I bought my RO unit for £55 all-in, about $110, and it produces more than enough soft water for all my tanks. Bit cheaper than ADA!!!


----------



## gf225 (Mar 26, 2005)

xcooperx said:


> What about if i use 100% RO/DI water, is that fine???


Jeff Senske uses 100% tap water (that I understand is hard in Houston) in all his set ups, even for discus. Why not use that?


----------



## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

im just wondering whats the difference of hard water and soft water when your using ada aquasoil and whats the best for it.


----------



## arowanaman (Jun 14, 2006)

I actually use the knock off ADA style softenizers which are a fraction of the price of the ADA ones I get them from a Ebay store.http://stores.ebay.co.uk/hartinc0233_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ0QQftidZ2QQpZ2QQtZkm


----------



## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

I don't know if the hardness makes a difference for the plants, but the low pH that the Aquasoil maintains surely makes a difference for the roots.

Also it's no secret that Jeff filters the tap water through activated carbon. The list of substances that activated carbon removes is very long, but if you test the water before and after the activated carbon you will see very small difference. Chlorine is definitely gone (no smell) but TDS is the same, hardness is the same and so on. Jeff himself will tell you that the activated carbon will not "strip" the water of everything (like an RO unit will for example). I have come to believe that there is nothing better/simpler than using water ran through activated carbon as long as you keep an eye on the efficiency of the media. The carbon could stop working without any warning and a lot of chlorine/chloramine may end up in the tank. 

An $40 carbon filter sistem from Home Depot lasts for ages though.

Mixing RO with a little dechlorinated/dechloraminated water is a good trade off but it becomes a burden after awhile. Playing with mixing your own RO with salts is fun in the beginning but usually hard to keep up with in the long term. Using an active carbon filter is very simple and inexpensive.

--Nikolay


----------

