# Mistakes, trial and error - novice ADA-60P



## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

Greetings to APC members from Houston!:wave:

This website is a great resource and I have learned a lot from reading the posts and enjoyed the stunning tank pics! I have had aquariums on and off since I was a kid (most with real plants, since there was no such thing as plastic plants in those days). I have not had a tank in the last 20 yrs, but setting up the kids 6-gal betta tank last year reminded me of how much I enjoyed the hobby. So I jumped right in with both feet/ADA into my first attempt to at aquascaping. Pls forgive the amatuer photography! 

I began slowly acquiring the equipment from ADG last November, but I did not get around to setting things up till mid-January. I am using an ADA 60P (see my sig for equipment list). The HC were only plants at the start. Rookie mistake #1 - not having enough plant mass to compete with the algae . Thankfully, it finally came under control. The tank is about 7-8 weeks old now. 

I initially went through about a dozen different stem plants. Some did not look quite right, others grew funny and still others were algae magnets. I nearly pulled out the all the Blyxa because they seem to melt and melt again, but now the new growth looks OK, so I have decided to leave them in. Through trial and error, I finally came up with this setup, which is now over 3 wks old. All plants (except HC) were from Lowcoaster.

Plants - HC, Nana petite, Blyxa japonica, Mirophyllum matogrossens, Rotala sp Vietnam, Ludwiga arcuata, E parvula (damn weed!), C. helferi and P. helferi
Livestock - 14 Cardinals, 4 Otos, 8 Cardina japonica

Next big challenge in the next 3-4 weeks how best to trim.....

Thanks for looking! Your comments and suggestions are welcome!


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Tank looks good i like how you have it. Looks like a stream coming out of a forest.


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## guppy (Mar 7, 2004)

Growth looks good. Only thing I suggest is a mid ground plant is needed. Maybe hair grass or sag.


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## Jervis (Feb 22, 2008)

I find the layout and plants too symmetrical... and the foreground rocks are too clean... how about growing some pygmy Moss there?


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## jeremy1 (May 6, 2007)

Plants look healthy. What kind of lighting and ferts?

Jeremy


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## Amsterdam (Sep 17, 2006)

I think its wonderful!, certainly for a first scape.


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## Jareardy (Feb 14, 2008)

looks nice, do you just strip of the top layer of sand and replace it with more to keep it looking nice?


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

patrick76 - thanks! In fact that is the was the source of my inspiration. We like to vacation in the Canadian rockies, where scenes such as you describe are in abundance along the hike trails.

guppy - I agree. There is some parvula on the left, but its somewhat invasive with its runners, that is why I removed it from the right island. I am hoping that the downoi or blyxa might grow out enough for me to replant in other spots

Jervis - point well taken. The left island is in fact a little larger than the right. The stream is somewhat off center too. Moss would be great! Lowcoaster does not stock them. I found other on-line sources lacking in quality. I will be joining NASH, so I might be able to trade with some members. 

jeremy1 - Thanks for the compliment! I use RO/DI water that I reconstitute is Equilibrium and Alkaline buffer to 2-3 dGH/KH (Tetra Laborette). I use Green Bacter, ECA according to ADA instructions, and ADA Step 1 and Brighty K three times a week. I have just started with Brighty Special lights but only once a week.

Amsterdam - Thank you! the kids like it too making it all the better. 

Jareardy - It does not always look that nice. The Amanos have a tendency to mess up the Bright Sand river with AS during their foraging. I change the water 2x week I use a 1/2" hose to vacuum the AS off the Bright Sand. Every few weeks I will have to replenish the sand. I put clean wet sand in a zip lock bag, cut off the corner and "frost" the needed areas.


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

jeremy1 said:


> Plants look healthy. What kind of lighting and ferts?
> 
> Jeremy


Lights - Aqualight 2x65 watts. 8 hrs total period. 65 watts in the early AM and late PM, with 130 watt burst for 4 hrs mid-day.


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## TNguyen (Mar 20, 2005)

Looks great for first time setting up. Great job. Mine didn't look like that when i started. No cool plant then. 


cheers,
Thanh


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

TNguyen said:


> Looks great for first time setting up. Great job. Mine didn't look like that when i started. No cool plant then.
> 
> cheers,
> Thanh


Thanks man! Good to meet you and everyone else at the last NASH meeting.

Here are previous versions of the layout. The first version is the one with the Old Black from ADG. To my eyes there were 2 major problems there: 1) the 2 pieces of wood (tied together with cable ties) in the 60P took up way too much real estate for plants. They would be more suitable for a 90 or 120 P; 2) the character of the pieces were dominant that I could not envision a background that could stand up to it - maybe lack of imagination on my part....

So I removed the wood and replaced it with Yamaya stones. After the wood, it felt a little stark and my intention was to get smaller pieces of old black from Jeff. Unfortunately, none of the recent shipments really measured up to the first 2 pieces I got from him, so the stones stayed.

I got some R. nanjenshan and Bylxa While the rotalas looked very nice initially no algae and light green, two problems emerged as it grew. Instead of growing taller, the plants turned 90 and started to grow sideways! A while later I noticed that the najenshan were no longer pearling - a closer look revealed that they were covered with algae! I pulled them and got a second batch from Lowcoaster. These also met the same fate despite adding Otos' and Amano's. Then, the lower parts of the Dipidlis started to turn ugly brown. I almost threw in the towel then. But decided to select a totally new set of plants. Fortunately, the last set of plants seem to get along in my tank. After that, I got the fauna to populate the tank.


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## Bunbuku (Feb 10, 2008)

Its been a couple of weeks since I updated. As you can see, things are starting to get overgrown. The M. mattogrosense, and L. Vietnam have really taken off. The latter is so tall its now arching over. The L. arcuata on the right side of the tank is starting to look like a tangled mess.

For you aquascape experts out there, how much should I trim them?

Strangely, the arcuata of the left has not fared so well Color is not as vibrant and the leaves tend to shed. Maybe there is not as much water movement or too close to the heater (set at 76 F)? 

I am thinking the arcuata on the right and replant with cuttings from above, or perhaps add a small group Blyxa auberti? Any suggestions on controlling the E. parvula?

TIA for the advice

PS: 3rd pic is a new inhabitant - its partner moves to much to get a clear shot.


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## roybot73 (Feb 5, 2008)

Any updates on this sweet setup?


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