# 60cm Scape



## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Well the day finally arrived that I was able to set up my 60cm ADA tank. I've only been working on this thing since Feb.  The photos were taken minutes after I filled it up, and as you can see I had NO cloudiness at all from the Aquasoil/Powersand. In fact I can't remember a tank being that clear at the beginning. Also had a lot of pearling yesterday which was nice to see.

I still have a long way to go, but I'm pleased with the beginning anyway. I have HM, didiplis & some crypt tropica on the way this week, so it should be filled in a little better by the weekend. I also need to find another bright green stem plant that I like, and some HC for the foreground. I will be replacing all of the green Eheim equip. with ADA stuff eventually. Anyway here is what it looks like at the beginning.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Looks like a good start. What are some of the other parameters:

lighting, co2, ferts, etc.

BTW - What are kind of tube is suspending the light.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

houseofcards said:


> Looks like a good start. What are some of the other parameters:
> 
> lighting, co2, ferts, etc.
> 
> BTW - What are kind of tube is suspending the light.


Lighting: 65w x 9 hours/day

CO2: 1 BPS for now

Ferts: Haven't started yet

All of the water parameters are unsettled, and are varying quite a bit. I probably won't do any further testing for a few weeks. Maybe ammonia & nitrates, but that's it.

That is actually a solid bar that I bent using heat. You can find more info on it in my ADA stand post in the DIY forum.


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## freydo (Jan 7, 2006)

great start on the tank. can't wait to see the new plants added in, and the current plants to fill in.

what are your plans for hardscape?

keep us posted!


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

I can sell you some HC. I have some on Aquabid … seller name j_t_p.

I want an ADA tank!


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

freydo said:


> great start on the tank. can't wait to see the new plants added in, and the current plants to fill in.
> 
> what are your plans for hardscape?
> 
> keep us posted!


Thanks! I can't wait to see it fill in either. Believe it or not I found some myriophllum mattogrossense at Petsmart yesterday! That was one of the plants I was considering to wrap around the rotala macrandra sp. And it was only $1.99 a bunch! By this weekend I should have all my plants in, and will post a new pic on Monday.

Hardscape will be just the 3 moss covered rocks.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

John P. said:


> I can sell you some HC. I have some on Aquabid &#8230; seller name j_t_p.
> 
> I want an ADA tank!


Thanks bro, but I think I have it covered. Jdinh sold me some yesterday


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

By the way, that swing away light design is brilliant.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

John P. said:


> By the way, that swing away light design is brilliant.


Thanks man, appreciate that! I used to do work on my dad's salt water aquarium years ago that had a halide suspended over it, and the things I remember most are how many times I banged my head on it and how it was always in the way. I wanted to solve that with mine


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## shanman (Apr 2, 2005)

*Wuz up with that stand light/light bracket?*

Your stand and light bracket look really nice. Did you build this yourself or did someone construct this for you?


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

shanman said:


> Your stand and light bracket look really nice. Did you build this yourself or did someone construct this for you?


Thanks! Yup...built it all by myself  I've had quite a few requests to build some of the light supports, but I'm not sure if it will be feasible given the work load at the shop right now. We make down hole drilling equipment, and as you know, EVERYONE is drilling for oil right now.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

This weeks update. Started ferts on 6/17/06. Plants had massive pearling after todays water change & ferts. HC was pearling so much that it pulled some of the larger clumps out of the substrate. All plants seem to be growing like weeds with the exception of the R. Wallichi. Only plant that has algae, and the nice pink color has all but disappeared. Hoping that the fert regimen. will rectify that. Added 15 cherry shrimp, and 3 Amano shrimp that hitched a ride. Still need some Didiplis Diandra for the back left corner because the plants I got in were garbage.

On a side note, I got to see the new ADA catalog at ADG yesterday....it's unbelievable! The front section is an instruction manual on how to set up an ADA tank with some really awesome looking tanks. Amano is even selling his own wine now that is supposed to enhance the viewing pleasure of a nature aquarium or something to that effect!

Enjoy:


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

John,

I can not believe how nice your tank is looking right now. With the crystal clear water, it really brings out the colors of the plants that reside in your tank. It looks you spread the HC really well, thats how I planted it and within 2 months the foreground was covered. I can't wait until your tank grows in ... keep it up!


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

My 1 gallon with the 19 watt....


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Jdinh04 said:


> John,
> 
> I can not believe how nice your tank is looking right now. With the crystal clear water, it really brings out the colors of the plants that reside in your tank. It looks you spread the HC really well, thats how I planted it and within 2 months the foreground was covered. I can't wait until your tank grows in ... keep it up!


Thanks, so far it has come along very well. Of course it's just an Amano copy, but I wanted to get some practice. The hobby has changed so much in the past 10 years since I've been out. That is some top notch HC bro, thanks again. I had to divide 4 large clumps that pulled up because of the massive pearling


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

turtlehead said:


> My 1 gallon with the 19 watt....


Nice tank bro! I will probably try my hand at a nano iwagumi in the near future.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Just a shot with a black background.


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

Opps! In case at first glance you were wondering what the heck Ajax, I was looking at this thread and another one at the same time and posted wrongly. But I guess it fits, ADA is quite simple once you get the hang of it. Sorry about that!


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Here's a pic after the 1st major trim. I've moved some e. tenellus & hairgrass around and pulled a few wayward stems of rotala. Now that I have my ferts in a little better order, my HM & HC are doing a lot better. Now all I need to do is get some red out of my rotalas! I think the next modification will be exchanging the myriophyllum for some rotala green.


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## chadly (Dec 19, 2005)

tank, scape, and plants all look good, love your lamp.


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

Wow, amazed by the growth. Everything is looking great and it looks like that HC I sent ya is doing a fantastic job! Keep it up!


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Thanks guys. The HC is doing great. Thankfully it really isn't a fast grower. It's definitely been a learning process though. I planted a lot of it in big clumps. I should have split it up into smaller individual stems, and planted it deeper. The portions that I did that with have done a better job of carpeting. The larger clumps seem to get taller.


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

You'll be fine, eventually all will start to pile up and get taller. There are a couple areas that needs to be filled in though, but man I am jealous of how that HC is growing for you. What I sent you took about 2 1/2 months to grow, and yet you grow double the size I gave you within a month. Lucky fool!


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

Any updates here Ajax?


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Well......yes & no  It's undergone a moderate change the last couple of weeks. I removed the R. Indica (or whatever it was), and replaced it with L. Arcuata. Removed the Myriophyllum, and replaced it with R. Rotundifolia green. Removed the E. Tenellus, and replaced it with Crypt Lucens. Removed all the hairgrass that was mixed in with the HC in the foreground, and only have it in the mid-ground now. And just yesterday ripped up all the HC and replanted it. It still has the same composition, just some different plants. It's been a lot of work, but I think I'm happier with the way it looks now. I'll give it a couple of weeks to settle, and I'll post up some new pics.


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## diepvan (Aug 31, 2006)

nice looking tank. keep up the good work. do you mind tanking picture of your whole setup with light,stand and tank?. im planning to buy the exact tank and making the stand like yours. can you take the picture when the door is open?


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## Marc (Apr 27, 2005)

Nice set up!

Do you have any more pictures of the swing arm on the light? I'd like to build something similar.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

diepvan said:


> nice looking tank. keep up the good work. do you mind tanking picture of your whole setup with light,stand and tank?. im planning to buy the exact tank and making the stand like yours. can you take the picture when the door is open?


I will get a pic this weekend. My camera is filled up with pics from a trip I took to Yellowstone last week, and I need to go get them printed out.

John


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Marc said:


> Nice set up!
> 
> Do you have any more pictures of the swing arm on the light? I'd like to build something similar.


I have pics in this thread: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/do-it-yourself/27304-ada-tank-stand.html If I ever disassemble it I will try to get some more detailed pics of it. I really didn't think there would be as much interest in it as there has been


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Here's a shot from this weekend. It turned out pretty good so I thought I'd post it. It's still not complete, and the more I look at it I think the rotala green will need at least one more trim. Hope you guys enjoy!


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

WOW! Ajax very nice! I like how the 2:1 ratio is used it looks! well done. I only have one question about your new lily pipes.
Is the intake placed infront of your return? Looking at the pictures it seem to be that way.
Navarro


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## jassar (Jul 30, 2006)

Very nice! I really like your scape.
Keep us posted, and we won't mind watching!
Cheers!
-Jassar


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Navarro said:


> WOW! Ajax very nice! I like how the 2:1 ratio is used it looks! well done. I only have one question about your new lily pipes.
> Is the intake placed infront of your return? Looking at the pictures it seem to be that way.
> Navarro


Thanks Luis. That means a lot coming from you! I did have a little help on the design though  I already have my next (all original) scape in planning for this tank. Got a few ideas from my trip to Yellowstone a few weeks ago.

Yes the intake is infront of the outlet. Not that I wanted it that way. When I have it the other way it keeps sucking my plants up in there when they grow out. I just moved it as far from them as I could get it.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

jassar said:


> Very nice! I really like your scape.
> Keep us posted, and we won't mind watching!
> Cheers!
> -Jassar


Thanks Jassar. It's actually much more of a pleasure the last month or so, than the frustration it was earlier.


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## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

Wow, makes me feel like I'm looking at one of Amano's progression shots in the Beginner's Guide at vecterpoint.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

greenmiddlefinger said:


> Wow, makes me feel like I'm looking at one of Amano's progression shots in the Beginner's Guide at vecterpoint.


Hmmmm.....I wonder why that is? :lol: I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but this really was the perfect way for me to get started on this project. I learned a lot about trimming, planting, ferts & maintenance from this tank. I would have been totally frustrated trying to learn all that plus creating my own completely unique aquascape if it didn't look good.


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## TNguyen (Mar 20, 2005)

Great job John. Keep the scape and get another tank. Ahem! 90cm :whoo:

Thanh


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## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

Ajax said:


> Hmmmm.....I wonder why that is? :lol: I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but this really was the perfect way for me to get started on this project. I learned a lot about trimming, planting, ferts & maintenance from this tank. I would have been totally frustrated trying to learn all that plus creating my own completely unique aquascape if it didn't look good.


Nah dude, totally true. I think more people should look through that thing, it's so useful. I do all the time!! 

If more aquarists were disciplined and deliberate at the start of their tanks, there would be a lot more satisfaction and a lot more nice scapes!


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

That's nice, it has that ADA essence too it, just a bit more growth.


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

There's nothing wrong with sanzon iwagumi. I too learned a great deal looking at and reading from that website. In fact, I still do every now and then. Good luck with yours, and remember to do water changes periodically 

Post more pictures for us later!


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

TNguyen said:


> Great job John. Keep the scape and get another tank. Ahem! 90cm :whoo:
> 
> Thanh


I DID get another tank! Only I went the other way :lol: I ordered the Mini-M. I just don't have the room in my apartment for another tank that big unfortunately.

When are we gonna start seeing pictures of your new one bro?


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

John, Thanks for the compliment! Any comparison to ADA is a good one. 



Paul Higashikawa said:


> There's nothing wrong with sanzon iwagumi. I too learned a great deal looking at and reading from that website. In fact, I still do every now and then. Good luck with yours, and remember to do water changes periodically
> 
> Post more pictures for us later!


Yeah, that site really helped me a lot. Now that I have the new catalog, I don't really look there as much though. Much better pics & explanations in there.

I'm pretty religious about water changes. I had discus years ago in a 75gal. that I was doing 2-3 WC/week on. So the 5gal changes a week on this tank are quick!


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## TNguyen (Mar 20, 2005)

Ajax said:


> I DID get another tank! Only I went the other way :lol: I ordered the Mini-M. I just don't have the room in my apartment for another tank that big unfortunately.
> 
> When are we gonna start seeing pictures of your new one bro?


The mini-m is pretty sweet! Don't have enough space? You can alway buy the 90cm and I'll hold it for you. You are more then welcome to come by ever now and then.  I'll be builting the stand for it pretty soon. Just looking for the right laminate for it.

Thanh


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Ok I've removed most of the pics of this layout to make room for the new scape. I left the last photo in. I'll post up pics of the new layout in a new thread after it has a few weeks to grow in.


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

Looking at this thread has again fired me up to redo all my 60cms again... i started out this hobby on the 60cm..and loved the dimension of this tank for small scapes... theres even a few issues of ADA magazines dedicated to 'lets 60'... 

John great job on the tank..and i think its really nice ... looking forward to the new pics.


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## Ajax (Apr 3, 2006)

Thanks man! Really appreciate the kind words. I set this up with the sole purpose of getting some experience behind me before I designed my own aquascape. 

My new scape has turned out pretty nice so far. I was actually very unhappy with it right after I set it up. It probably had something to do with the fact that I stayed up til 1AM finishing it :lol: It's a whole lot more work when you have to tear down PLUS set-up.


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