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Setting up my Ada 60 f-p again

Deano3

Member
Joined
8 Feb 2012
Messages
2,503
Hi everyone not been on for a while as just had baby girl 10 month ago and life been a bit busy haha, anyway I am wanting a tank setup and Fish I had troubles in past with not much growth but hopefully I with your help can over come it, anyway I am unsure weather to use my ada 60f or 60p I want low tech easy plants but I am going to have small amounts of c02 injected through up inline diffuser , I am going to have rocks and wood in tank but I want easy plants that will be slow-ish growing and hopefully survive I was thinking Anubis and Monte Carlo to start and maybe some moss ? Also you think the 60f or the 60p would be best to give another crack at ? I work 12 hour shifts so when finish at 7 cannot be bothered with huge water changes but off work for a 12 days now so want to get setup so first week water changes arnt to bad,

I will be using enheim pro with heater built in, cannot remember exact model will get back to you and I have 2 led light units with the option to adjust , want to get it right this time as my son wants fish also now anyway any opinions or plant suggestions welcome bit with the 60f it is very shallow but some people make it work and it looks great, also I will be Ei dosing with the kit from aqua essentials, and the soil is my ada Amazonia from my last failed attempt

Thanks dean


Thanks Dean
 
Go with the 60P, at basically double water volume it will give you a lot more room in terms of your fish, not just in choosing species & numbers, but also in water quality for those times when you may not be able to get water changes done "on schedule" (most kids are quite keen on fish collecting ;))

You can definitely get all the substrate & hardscape in the tank & start the filters & daily water changes.

When you broke down the tank, did you wash & dry the ADA, or just store it as sludge?
Sometimes re-used ADA works just fine, other times it's rather messy (more water changes, potentially more algae etc so critically assess your soil state).

Initially I'd add in some fast growing stem plants while establishing the tank - take a look at Tropica's 90day App & just follow their protocols, including their fertilizers for the first few months, by then plants will be established & tank parameters stable (note Tropica's "auxiliary plant" list).
Tropica covers plant handling & follows growth (& trimming) in many of their videos.
If you decide to invest in new soil, the Tropica version does very well in my area.

With lower amounts of CO2, be conservative of light duration (& intensity as you get to control this with LED), especially while plants establish (again Tropica covers this in their App).
Sticking with mostly "easy" plants, & a few "medium" plants should be all that's needed in terms of plant choices.

A nice population of shrimp & otocinclus added as soon as tank water parametres are safe, goes a long ways to preventing algae becoming established, they'll also clean up any melting plant bits so less work for you ;)

If you just rinsed & stored your filter media in the filter over the last year or so, you may be pleasantly surprised at how quickly tank cycles.

The Twinstar has it's following (& naysayers), if it fits into your budget, consider investing - George Farmer adds one partway through this journal
 
thanks alto yeah I have seen the twinstar and looks quite good actually maybe when get more money I may invest in one, the filter in enheim 2324 with only 700lph turnover so quite weak for the 60p I also have a fluval g6 but the pipes are 16mm and no lily pipes etc and look huge on the tank so might have to set up the 60f first then maybe the 60p, as long as few otos and nice shoal of green tetras or something similar will look great, I have downloaded the tropica app as heard good reviews of it from a few people.

the soil has been out of tank for a year or so and completely dry and looks decent wasn't used for long to be honest. Will have a look at tropicas easy/medium plants on AE today as want to get ordered any plant recommendations apart from anubias and repens and montecarlo ?

you think normal EI and low amounts of co2 will work ?

the lighting Is tmc aquabar 50cm I have 2 of these with adjusters how many you think I should have on just 1 and what intensity should I start with ?

thanks dean
 
Alright Deano? Long time no see. Congratulations on the daughter!

That plan sounds alright to me, I'd be tempted to go with sand though if you're not bothering with a carpet. the easiest set up I had was this one. Mini Java ferns and mini anubias on rocks and wood, maybe a bit of moss and a few floaters and Bob's yer uncle.... what can possibly go wrong? :crazy:
 
hey james nice to hear from you and thanks been away a long time but kept all my aquarium as stuff and getting some fish this time :crazy:, firstly looks like our ada style stand post is famous thanks to your measurements :), I fancy setting up the 60f as less water to change after long day at work etc, you think small amounts of c02 with easy plants is the way to go then ? was going to put some monte carlo in as carpet but like you say I might try sand for once and sand looks great any recommendations of sand ? to be honest just want easy with fish in there ;) want plants ordered tonight as off for 10 more days o so, so first week water changes out the way also I still have the kit for EI from aqua plant food would you just dose as recommended and I have seachem prime that I have had for years does this stuff go off or any recommendations on new one ? and would you use the co2 ?

thanks james buddy I am back now so hope to see whats been going on, seen Georges new setup with maintenance vids etc very helpful

going to look through your journal now
thanks dean
 
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I always like the light coloured unipac sand, can't remember what it's called now though. I would try going lower tech with one Aquabar and easycarbo if I was you, it depends on your plants though I suppose. You don't need to complicate things too much to get a nice looking tank in my opinion, that one in my journal looked really nice in my living room and pretty much looked after itself.
 
Some Tropica plant ideas

Bacopa compact - Tropica has an excellent info page on this plant, there's linked video detailing plant handling, trimming, growth shown over 90days

Ludwigia palustris - note Tropica version of this plant is especially red

Micranthemum umbrosum - this is a long time favorite, though I suspect you'll need to add CO2 (gas rather than liquid CO2)
Both it & Bacopa australis have a fine, soft leaf. If you're adding CO2 both are nice fast growers that suit smaller tanks

Rotala sp - there are many color strains of this plant, most are "easy" & fast growers with a fairly small leaf, again adding this type of fast growing stem plant really helps with establishing new tanks

Just a comment that both M Monte Carlo & S repens (not sure if this is the "repens" you're considering) have reports of "melting", so having a few alternate plants in the tank as well, would be my suggestion

Anubias (I'd choose a nano variety for both these tanks) does better if "shaded"

Cryptocoryne becketti is a fairly fast growing crypt that stays quite short/small

Echinodorus Aquartica is a fantastic small sword, I've yet to see it grow taller than 10cm

Both these plants just need appropriate trimming to keep contained:
Sagittaria subulata is always an nice addition, you can set in on a side or back corner where it'll look good regardless of the height it settles in to

Vallisneria nana is a very nice "grass" type plant


If you've not done so already, take a look at George Farmers "Superfish Home" tanks (FB or Utube), most are set up as "easycare" tanks with good examples of plants that will do well - especially if you've similar hard, alkaline tap water.

Adding soil (whether ADA or Tropica or Colombo etc) will tend to lower hardness & pH, which generally improves availability of liquid CO2 to plants (note that not all plants can access the liquid CO2 equally).
Your slightly used ADA should be great, you may see less of an ammonia spike.

Using both CO2 & liquid CO2 can be beneficial (the latter has oft noted effect as an algaecide) - I'd certainly invest in gas CO2 over a Twinstar ;)
Running low levels of CO2 24/7 can also promote plants over algae

Given the Eheim 2324, I'd still set up whichever tank you prefer, both are fairly small tanks & I suspect that if you play with CO2 diffuser location/type, either tank will "work" given your objectives.
Hardscape likely impacts flow more than actual filter flowrate - especially as IMO the 2324 works just fine for a 60cm tank ... I used a 2324 on a 60cm cube but I'm not in the high flowrate club ;) I think that balance is the key: there are many dense vegetation areas in nature where flow is minimal.

Lighting - I've not used the Aquabar (limited distribution in my area so it's not a common light) but it seems a decent LED for your tank, I'd begin with 1 light unit, check the light distribution over/across the tank & not which areas are shaded, especially once you have hardscape in place.
I'd likely begin at 50% - 100% intensity (depends which tank & how you have CO2 set up) but limit photoperiod to 4-5 hours.
If there is significant ambient light, run CO2 24/7 - I don't believe you need to blast CO2, try 1-4 bps (again this efficiency is going to vary with water parameters).

You might ask TMC for details on the LED system (type, intensity etc), especially if they have PAR diagrams at various depths & distance from the light position (note your model # as it's possible that LED's have changed)

One review - note the linked tmc aquabar video (hope Ian H was consulted before his photo was used)

Adding shrimp & oto's early on, definitely helps limit melt & algae - I use Seachem's ammonia alert (note I have soft acid tap water so you might confirm with Seachem as to how effective this technology is in your tap water - your local water supplier should be able to provide a detailed & accurate analysis) & add in livestock as soon as the reading is "safe"
 
thanks for the plants you listed there alto very helpful :thumbup: you think these plants would work in low tech without co2 and low light ? using EI and easy carbo


Bacopa monnieri 'Compact'
Anubias bart v. nana
Cryptocoryne beckettii 'petchii'
Rotala sp.'green'
Sagittaria subulata
Vallisneria nana
Ludwigia palustris

any other recommendations, also alto I have a dupla reg and FE co2 setup ready to go with up inline diffuser but not sure I want to go down this route or not :crazy: or just use easy carbo,most likely low tech with easy carbo I am setting up the 60f any other plant recommendations maybe some smaller foreground plants , I have put one of each of the above plants in basket (plants are not cheap ) lol and £8 odd for delivery from TGM :eek: but if arrive safe soppose cannot go wrong, we get any discount ?

you think one of each above or more Anubis etc

thanks dean
 
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Sorry for the delayed response as I know you want to get this going - hope you've gone ahead with substrate/hardscape/filters etc ....

Plants needn't be Tropica if you can source similar more conveniently (I believe George Farmer has been using quite a bit of Aquafleur?), I think most of the forum sponsors have good reviews on their plants & some offer discount to UKAPS members, you might also look at some of the mixed packages offered - just confirm actual plants shipped before placing your order (these are only a "deal" if you want/like everything in the grouping).

I also really like Rotala sp 'green' but if you want that appearance you see in high tech tanks, it doesn't get as dense/vivid without CO2 - will it do as well with liquid CO2 only, I've no idea (there is a rather nice journal somewhere with a liquid CO2 only, sorry I've forgotten which it is).

Lately we've been getting the 1-2 Grow version of S subulata so that is what I've put into a "scape" with (low levels) CO2 & also bits into a Spec 19 (used ADA soil, no CO2, kit LED (that everyone says is crap ;)), baby shrimp rescued from filter - why I quickly set this tank up).

After a month, Spec 19 growth is slow but no algae, plant list:
Bacopa 'compact' - rooting, new shoots, no melt
H angustifolia (the pots contained a few main stems & lots of tiny stems, several of these went into the Spec & are doing surprisingly well ... note that Tropica rates it as "medium" for light & low for CO2 - if you're not providing CO2 gas, then pay attention to this detail), new growth, no melt
S subulata - filling in very nicely
L palustris - more green/subdued pink, but definitely the fastest grower in the mix, no melt
Littorella uniflora - seems to just be hanging out in both tanks, root growth observed
H. "Araguaia” - couple bits that I expected to melt, but they are anchoring into the substrate & seem to be planning to stay
Hydrocotyle tripartite - a few bits that have surprised me with how well they've settled in & filled in
C 'parva' - apparently just sitting there (but rooting)
I'll begin adding some Tropica fertilizer this week

Anyway, my point with the Spec list is to find the plants that do well for you, with the care you provide (that includes whatever your tap may be) - choosing 'easy' plants & plants from harder/more alkaline water areas, putting in a variety will tend to stack the odds in your favor that "something" with do well.
Once the tank is established - good growth, limited algae - add in more demanding or more interesting to you, plants.

Back to your proposed list:
it's "easier" if you overplant, so possibly add a couple more pots (you might call & discuss with shop staff, sometimes the pots are very well grown & then fewer will fill in the space), if you need to ship plants in as there's no local shop, then order extra ... you can always set up your second tank as a "propagator" for the overflow

Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis 53B' - is a smaller leafed H c that is a nice shade of green
Hygrophila polysperma - can't be beat for hardy & fast (I suspect)
M keisak - looks good

I suspect that if you send Mick.Dk a pm he'll have some excellent advice

I have a dupla reg and FE co2 setup ready to go with up inline diffuser but not sure I want to go down this route or not
As you've got the kit, I'd set it up, there's no doubt in my mind that 'extra' CO2 will only help plants settle in, you can always decrease this gradually once tank is established.
If you've no algae crew, I'd add in both Excel (or whichever) & CO2 gas to help get tank established.


(I'm a great fan of Tropica for varied reasons :) )
 
Hey Deano, good to see you back on here mate, congrats on the daughter :). I would setup the 60p for low maintenance mate, ime shallow tanks with smaller water volumes will need more water changes and attention to keep them looking optimum, with the 60p once you've been through the first few weeks a 20-30% waterchange will be enough to keep it clean and looking good which is only around 15-20 litres, you'd probably end up changing the same on the 60f for what it's worth, the 2324 will still give you 10x flow which should be more than enough for low tech, as the guys have stated above easy to medium plants, low lighting and good maintenance will give you a lovely tank you can add fish too and relax in front of with the kids, good luck with your setup whichever you go for :thumbup:
 
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