• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Rivers Edge - ADA 45P - planted and filled

Kalum

Member
Joined
8 Jan 2018
Messages
1,090
Location
Scotland
After initially having my halfmoon rosetail betta in his own tank and moving him to a peaceful community tank I've decided while he seems happy, he definitely enjoyed being on his own more so this will be tailored to him, plus it satisfies my MTS....

Simple low tech mini jungle theme with manzanita wood and variations of java fern, mosses, frogbit and a few other tbc plants

Tank - ADA 45p
Lighting - Chihiros A-series plus (A451)
Filter & heater - Eheim 250t
Cabinet - IKEA Besta

Hardscape made with 5 pieces of manzanita and I used bastel plastik to join them, will all be covered with java fern and moss so the white bits will be hidden

Excuse the reflections

20180319_102145-756x1008.jpg
20180319_114032-1008x756.jpg
 
Your betta will love it if you find a solution for dimming that 451. Plants too I guess, if you're going for slow growers and no CO2. Otherwise, expect algae.

It has an inline dimmer but will also be running a TC421 controller, on the fence whether I'll use liquid CO2 or not but definitely no gas
 
Excuse the reflections and glare, impossible to get a good shot during the day

Last shot is gravel I'm on the fence with adding to give the substrate a bit more texture, but I kinda like it simple as well....

20180401_151739-1008x756.jpg
20180401_151835-1008x756.jpg
20180401_151926-1008x756.jpg
 
Running a VIV Lily Pipe Spin coupled up to an Eheim 250t on this, overkill as it's 950lph but i'm restricting flow by using the spin pipe and reducing tubing from 16/22mm directly from filter down to 12/16mm so i can use 13mm inflow/outlflows.

Had the filter turned right up initially and the spin pipe does a good job of keeping the gentle flow throughout the tank.......the only downside which my poor betta can testify to, is that it creates a vacuum at each side of the pipe which sucks anything near it in. Upon inspecting the lily pipe my betta had the washing machine treatment and the filter is now turned down to half way. Very slight movement of plants but more importantly the betta can swim close but get away from the outflow without the fear being sucked in and being dazed and confused for the next 10min

Wanted to try the spin pipe out of curiosity but will be keeping an eye on it and see how well or not the betta and plants react to it, the juggling act of keeping a very gentle flow for the betta and a healthy enough flow around the tank!
 
I always avoid liquid carbon with my beta's, not because I have scientific proof of it being harmful to them, its more just a general instinct. You may find good results with simple ferts and water changes with the plant selection, a further consideration would be floating plants, but may not be to your aesthetic tastes
 
I always avoid liquid carbon with my beta's, not because I have scientific proof of it being harmful to them, its more just a general instinct. You may find good results with simple ferts and water changes with the plant selection, a further consideration would be floating plants, but may not be to your aesthetic tastes

Floating plants are already in (frogbit and salvinia). That's exactly my thinking, i'm going to try and run this on ferts only (1/5 EI) and see how i get on. Liquid carbon will only be added if plants struggle. I'm still trying to find a balance in my high tech so don't want to over complicate this one
 
Thanks mate I got it from Aqua Essentials, I've noticed the lighter manzanita and also ADA hornwood and have to say it does look more like hornwood, it was sold as manzanita but it's quite soft and smooth so not sure if either aged or just named incorrectly

This is the main lower piece when I first got it
20180123_194952-756x1008.jpg
 
Last edited:
Cool, thx for the link.

That is going to be one happy betta. :) Wish I had got the 45p for mine instead of the Mini M for the additional space. Have you given your betta a name yet? My daughter insists that all of our bettas must be named. :)
 
Back
Top