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gcpenn's ADA 60H 45 CO2 Disaster Update

G

gcpenn

Seedling
Joined
4 Jul 2010
Messages
10
Greetings from across the pond.

I have learned so much from and enjoyed reading journals on this forum. As a member of multiple aquatic plant forums, I have consistently impressed by what UKAPS members are doing. Since I have learned so much from the work of others, I felt compelled to start this journal about my ADA 60H 45. Hopefully it may be helpful or at least enjoyable to read when it all goes south in a month. After months of saving up and planning, I finally got everything together this weekend.

I have taken as my starting point the layouts from Aqua Journal 111, with some modifications. I highly recommend checking out that issue.

The goal is to have a tank that is lush but not a giant headache (finger's crossed). That means mostly plants with mid to low light requirements.

Without further ado, the requisite lists:

Hardware:

ADA 60H 45 tank
ADA Solar I MH light fixture and stand
Eheim 2215 and ADA lily pipes
GLA Primo CO2 system
Waterplant inline CO2 diffuser
Hydor 200W heater (not yet attached -- one benefit of Florida living)
Custom stand by local carpenter

Hardscape/Layout Materials:

Aquasoil Amazonia I (regular and powder)
Power Sand Special
Penac W and P, Tourmaline additives
Orinoco Decorative "Forest" Sand
ADA Horn Wood
Various stones

Plants:

Needle Leaf Java Fern
Anubias Nana Petite
Bolbitis
Flame Moss
Cryptocorne Balansae
Cryptocoryne Wendtii (brown and green)
Vallisneria nana
Cyperus Helferi

Most of the plant list was stolen directly from the Aqua Journal 111 tanks, but I added the Cyperus Helferi because I couldn't resist. Let's hope that I can keep the gigantic plants I received alive.

The tank was planted on the 14th, so I am in the middle of the first week, with its attendant 50% daily water changes and 6 hour photo periods (I plan on keeping the 6 hour period for the first month). CO2 is running only when the lights are on, but the drop checker is mostly yellow, so the inline diffuser appears to be working nicely.

In creating the layout, I found the Amano presentation from the 2008 AGA conference to be invaluable. It is otherwise difficult to get a good handle on the use of the various substrate elements. That video is worth the price of joining the AGA.

Some photos:

Installing the brackets for the Solar I in my cabinet.

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Close up of the brackets (I was impressed by their quality, which is why I took a photo of them). Alert to novices (like me), the brackets are not identical. The bottom one is narrower as it cradles the pole. Look at them before you rush to screw them in.

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Tank being fit on top of the stand. No, the fixture did not end up being that far off of the top of the tank. I did, however, locate it at 40 cm, which should be close enough to allow good growth without creating a problem.

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Phone Camera shot of the Horn Wood. Since it is a new kind of ADA driftwood, I thought it may be of interest to some. I was very impressed. It is hard as a rock and is a nice color. Note, however, it does release tannins. My water is definitely yellow.

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Substrate and sand in place.

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Wood in place.

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Planting.

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Tank full and running.

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I will try to get better, more detailed photos, this week, though I can't promise the photographic excellence of so many members of the UKAPS.

Thanks for looking.
 
Re: gcpenn's ADA 60H 45 journal.

Really good journal, keep up the good work!
:thumbup:
 
Re: gcpenn's ADA 60H 45 journal.

Great start and what healthy looking plants! I am envious!
 
Re: gcpenn's ADA 60H 45 journal.

Thanks for the kind words.

Some more photos as the tank settles in.

Full tank shot from three days in. I know I need to fix the alignment of the cabinet door.

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Straight on shot showing some additional detail. Not a great photo, but the best one I have. Crypts don't look fantastic, but they aren't melting yet.

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Shot from above.

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Finally, the cabinet interior. Sexy stuff. I need to rearrange the tubing to get the Hydor to fit. The inline diffuser complicates things. Being in S. Florida, I can put that off until November or so.

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Thanks for looking.

Graham
 
Re: gcpenn's ADA 60H 45 journal.

Two week update.

Still tannin-riffic. Because of the frequent water changes, the water stays yellow. Hopefully the tannins will be gone soon.

I pulled out three of the helferii plants to increase the flow and butchered the java fern (looks lousy now, but I hope it will be more manageable -- just not dead).

Crypts are hanging in there, some melting but not too bad.

Had a bit of fungal outbreak, hopefully a good sign for cycling. Ammonia is gone but Nitrite is still 1 ppm with low Nitrates, so another week or two until we see daylight.

Tank shot. You can see some of the fungus -- which is now gone.

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Horrid close up of the fun fungus on the roots of the java fern.

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Re: gcpenn's ADA 60H 45 journal.

Photos should be fixed. Let me know otherwise.
 
Re: gcpenn's ADA 60H 45 journal.

how bloody sexy is that tank.

(something id never thought id be writing on the internet about 6 years ago)
 
Re: gcpenn's ADA 60H 45 journal.

Time for the one month update.

The tank cycled in about 2.5 to 3 weeks.

Inhabitants now include:

10 or so Amanos (one death shortly after arrival)
6 Pristella Tetras -- refugees from my Fluval Edge.
5 Otos
Various snails -- nerites, etc. Only the nerites are invitees.

Besides the deceased Amano, all appear healthy. 15 green neons and a dozen additional shrimp are on order for this week.

I started dosing at week 3 -- Brighty K, Green Brighty Step 1 and Green Brighty Special Lights -- 3 to 5 pumps per day. I am still working on the exact dosing.

As for the plants, the crypt melting has ended and we have some good growth. I continue to hack the cyperus back. Some moss growth and the java fern looks like it is recovering from my hacking. The water is still pretty yellow from tannins, though it seems like the leaching is slowing or ending. This would be in line with what ADA says is common with this wood. I have kept up 30 to 40% water changes at least 3 times a week largely to keep the tannins in line.

All in all, we have avoided total collapse and things look pretty good in my humble opinion.

The obligatory full tank shot:

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View of one of the otos in action:

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Side shot, ruined by reflections (among other things). One day I will take photos at night, rather than mid-day.

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Thanks for looking.

Graham
 
Re: gcpenn's ADA 60H 45 journal two months on

Time for the two month (or so) update.

Fauna has expanded to include 12 green neons, blue shrimp, and CRS.

So far, no deaths except a couple of shrimp immediately following acclimation.

The green neons survived a trip from the West Coast with three casualties enroute. While still small, they are looking good. They tend to form a loose group, much like their much larger tankmates, the Pristella tetras. It is strange to see Pristellas look like giants.

Dosing still includes 3 to 4 pumps of Green Brighty Step One, Special Lights, and Brighty K daily.

CO2 running 2 to 3 bubbles per second. Should probably increase this a bit.

It is shocking to me that I apparently have managed to exhaust my ten pound CO2 canister in two months. I foolishly thought it would last much longer. I was running it hard the first month, which was probably a factor.

I am still on the fence regarding additional fauna. I will keep dumping shrimp in as I go, but am unsure about additional fish. I am torn between a couple of German Blue Rams (local breeder only) and more green neons. Leaning toward the latter right now.

No changes to the 'scape other than a recent hacking of the cyperus. The vals that I have in the mid to rear are staying small, likely because of the shade from the cyperus.

A couple of additional poorly done photos:

Attempt to capture the neons:

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Full tank shot:

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Thanks for looking.

Graham
 
Re: gcpenn's ADA 60H 45 journal three months on

Time for a monthly update and lessons learned re-cap.

Fauna is now up to 22 green neons (though a standard neon snuck in the bag from the store -- I didn't have the heart to get rid of the stowaway), and the Pristellas and shrimp (just added 30 CRS).

I have been suffering from a slow creeping hair algae invasion, affecting, as expected, older leaves and the tips of the cyperus.

In response, I have bumped up the CO2 to probably 6 bps and just reduced my lighting to 6.75 hours.

Ferts are now 6 pumps daily of Brighty K, Step 1 (moving to Step 2), and Special Shade.

I also noticed that the cyperus was having a detrimental effect on the water flow. I have concluded that the plant is just too large for a 45 cm tall tank.

So, I have pulled all but two of the plants. The effect on water flow throughout the tank has been marked and I like being able to see through the tank a bit more. I think I am approaching a state of control over the algae. Still trimming at least 3 to 4 times a week to get rid of the affected leaves.

I also added some more bolbitis (trimmed to the root) and crypts purchased at the big AGA Convention auction last week.

On to the lousy photos:

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Re: gcpenn's ADA 60H 45 journal three mons -- new photos and

An unexpected quick update for a couple of reasons. First, my impeller shaft for the Eheim 2215 broke this weekend and I took that opportunity to upgrade to a 2217. This was the filter this tank should have had from the beginning.

Running the inline diffuser and heater had clearly reduced my flow from the 2215 more than I guessed. The co2 flow from the lily pipe was still causing my drop checker to turn lime green but the bubbles were basically dribbling (and clearly gassing) out -- a giant waste and clearly not providing a good mist to the entire tank. I had been weighing buying a powerhead, but the impeller break pushed me to the do it the American way -- go big! Anyway, a big difference with 2217 -- a nice fine mist that is much better distributed. Consider this a vote for the 2217 for this tank with a similar layout. I am enjoying not having any additional equipment in the tank.

Second, I finally took some semi-decent photos and have uploaded a video to Youtube (as had been requested). The video is kinda lousy, but it does show the shimmer effect, etc. You'll see from the photos that I now need to buy a glass intake because of the larger diameter of the 2217.

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA_iwwrCVRE

Photos:

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Re: gcpenn's ADA 60H 45 journal three mons -- new photos and

looking really good mate, and some saaaweeeet equipment. is there an ada food holder storage thingy on the side of your tank?

i think you need something with a broarder or wider leaf like an anubias nana and maybe a staurogyne bushy area like in place of the mose centre right. or to replace the rocks far right? also some p.helferi on the far left, with anubias nana petite in the dark area aboth the moss that is centre left.

:) its a nice scape as it is im just trying to chip in a little.

Ryan.
 
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