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ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (month 5)

Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 8) video

pariahrob said:
Cheers Chris. Those ottos are doing a great job. I didn't need that razor after all! The water definitely looks clearer with the purigen. Well worth it.

Thanks Tim. Glad you like it. I can (and do) happily sit and watch it for ages. It's a very calming tank to watch, except for feeding time. Then the black widows go berserk and pretty much jump out of the water. They are amazingly agile. That's a bonus as they help the micro pellets sink, so the danios get their share.

Who here uses any kind of cooling system on their tank. I was looking at crossflow fans in my LFS and wondered if they are worthwhile. The tank is in the shade but still pushing 26 for some of the afternoon. Not hugely hot I know but it's May, so can only get hotter. Oh, this is England, so maybe it won't.
Click to expand...

My current cooling system: If tank goes above 26 I lift the covers and turn the bedroom ceiling fan on ;) But I am looking at some proper fans for it cos I know its gonna get hotter when we get our next heatwave (in 2028)
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 8) video

Have you seen anything that looks good yet? I've seen a clip on the side job at my lFS but it seems a bit pricey at £60.

On another note what do people do in case of a power cut? I had one last night and had no idea if I should be doing anything. Only lasted half an hour but made me think.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 8) video

wow that a real stunning tank I love the balance between the different length of plants. Could sit and watch the tank for ages!
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 8) video

Thanks RobS. I do in fact just sit and watch it a lot. I can even stop myself from tinkering (mostly) and my fish are now very used to me being around.
Quite funny really, they know when it's feeding time and if they see me reach to open the cabinet they all get very excited and expectant. I should record them when I give them live foods, or even frozen blood worm, as they go nuts for it. They normally get hakari micro pellets but now and then they have daphnia or blood worm and they devour them in no time.
I like the one clever CPD who ignores everything and swims down to the HC and eats the worms the others miss. I'm sure he must get double what the others do. Smart fish.

Ordered some ADA brighty K and a glass feeder too. The glass feeders are just lovely and I have the excuse that the dog can't tear it open and eat all the fish food!

Tank had a trim last weekend and is already looking like it needs some pruning, so will be having a maintenance session over the bank holiday. No glass cleaning though. The ottos are doing a way better job than I can.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

Here's the DO!aqua food glass:

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I got this one rather than the full ADA version as I think this is a better shape. I think it's a better design all round as you don't need any support for it. It just stands where you leave it.
Lovely smooth action. A bit of an extravagance I know but I can't resist nice glassware!
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

It's a nice little toy. Possibly a bit OTT but I like it!

Gave the ottos a slice of cucumber. parboiled and dropped in the tank with a plant weight:
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Left overnight and they hadn't really touched it. Maybe still a bit too firm but by lunchtime today it looked like this:

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Now it has quite literally all gone! I wasn't expecting them to eat the skin but they seem to love it.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

Hey Rob, from what people have told me, do the same with Courgette now :thumbup: It is apparently much more nutritious for them :) That one looks plump, but so do I.... doesn't mean Im healthy though, LOL.

I am sure that Do!Aqua or ADA do some fancy weight for vege food :lol: :lol: If you ever get bored using your new glass toy you can always put baby M&M's in it ;)
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

Here's a quick video from earlier today. Tank is in dire need of some pruning. The pogo is looking lost in places due to the rapid growth of the quadricostatus and there are some random shoots poking up through the HC. I was hoping to do it this afternoon but didn't get time in the end.
Must be a job for the bank holiday!



Notices the Black Widows still hiding and my house guests are still there! That blue just doesn't look good in my tank!
Please ignore the filthy glassware. That'll be cleaned up tomorrow too!
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

pariahrob said:
Yep, sent my mrs out to get a courgette earlier. I'm going to have some chubby little ottos if I'm not careful!
Click to expand...

LMAO... "Darling, can you go and buy a Courgette please"?! "No we're having chips tonight" I can picture it now :lol:

I will be over run with courgettes later... have four plants at the allotment :geek: (along with practically every other vegetable under the sun. Thank Heavens for this rain.

Rob, I was looking at the flow from your lily. Is that the ONLY flow and distribution you use for your CO2 injection ? I have to say, I am astonished how well your plant is doing, with what appears to be minimal flow. It defies everything we often hear and totally proves the maxim "if it works for you: it works". Congrats. The tank is looking so mature.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

That's pretty much how it was, without the darling!

Flow took a while to get right to be honest. It now circulates quite well. Right across the top, down the right and then across the floor to the inlet. I don't appear to have any dead spots. The video probably isn't too indicative of the flow though. The water level was a bit low and an extra litre makes a massive difference to my flow.

True though, it might not work for others but my plants are looking pretty good in general. I guess hardscape has a big impact took and mine is quite bowl-like which helps.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

Well I reckon your tank is one of the best laid out I have seen in this size :) And I ask every time but forget. Whats the plant taking over the back right of the tank called again ? You know, the one I said to make sure it does not encroach over the gap ?
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

You obviously have impeccable tastes Chris, thanks! Just wait til I get my next tank. I have big plans for it.
You mean the pogostemon erectus? Or the one that looks like parsley? (which I can never remember the name of - I think it might be on page one. You can check. I'm too lazy!)
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

POST 26th may. 4th pic down, FTS. Its the plant directly above the heads of the group of widows in the middle of the gap at the back ;)
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

Looking real nice Rob.
Mark E is a lower flow success story too, and Tom Barr is an advocate of greater surface agitation so your in good company.
I like the cardinals in there, but id like them anywhere!
Whats your next tank, is it a 120? Look forward to that one.
Cheerio,
Ady.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

Cheers Ady. The cardinals aren't mine. Just looking after them after a friends tank burst! They are nice looking fish but not so keen on them in my tank.

Next tank will either be a 90cm but shallower for that panavision look, or a 120 x 45cm. I was going to go full ADA all the way but I'm intrigued by the Natural Aquario products from Portugal as well. Very similar but half the price.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

Chris, yes, that is the saggitaria. Nice slender leaved plant and a different texture and hue to the other grasslike plants I have. I have some of that popping up in the middle of my carpet. I'm going to dig it out tomorrow when I do my big maintenance session. If you want a plantlet or two let me know and I'll pop it in the post for you on Wednesday.
 
Re: ADA 60-P planted tank 'Prairie' (week 9)

Just had a good look round the tank before a bit of pruning and found a dead CPD floating under some frog bit. No obvious cause and I've tested the water. All looking good. Other fish seem to be acting normally so not sure why he died.
 
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