# Twenty Seven Thousand.



## Ady34 (28 May 2020)

Hi,
thought that I would begin the journal for my ADA Cube garden 30c: 30x30x30cm tank.

After aquascaping for many years and owning several nice tanks I have progressed from standard all in one systems such as Juwel aquariums, to more decoratively considered aquaria, and onto several rimless braceless optiwhites, most recently with my current ea aquascaper 1500 which I love. The Aquascaper tank is pretty flawless, however when a newly established aquascaping store opened up on my doorstep offering ADA products it got me thinking....I’ve never really felt the need to splash out on ADA equipment as there are many more affordable, and still beautifully made aquarium products out there.  ADA has however always been the pinnacle, Takashi Amano being the pioneer of the nature aquarium and the biggest name in the aquascaping hobby. The quality of products is market leading and I began feeling a draw to own a set up. I feel after aquascaping for over a decade that I wanted to have a slice of the ADA brand, but it comes at a cost. I therefore began looking at the smaller systems for a more cost effective option that would also offer more rescaping opportunities. Small tanks cost less to buy, less to run and less to fill with hardscape flora and fauna. So the 30c it was, off I popped and ordered one up. The plan was always to buy in stages but due to Covid, this has been a slower process than expected. Anyhow, the first instalment was the tank, garden mat and light unit......purchased early March with a plan to buy cabinet and filter shortly afterwards......


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## alto (28 May 2020)

Possibly the BEST title ever


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## Jayefc1 (28 May 2020)

Great start to the journal but such a tease cant wait for chapter 2


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## Deano3 (28 May 2020)

Really looking forward to this mate great start to journal, drew everyone in , and why not treat yourself to ADA only here once the 30cm cubes look great in person totally flawless. Cant wait for more updates.

Dean

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk


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## Ady34 (28 May 2020)

alto said:


> Possibly the BEST title ever


Ha, thanks alto 



Jayefc1 said:


> Great start to the journal but such a tease cant wait for chapter 2



I couldn’t either,  that’s why I made some schoolboy errors which you will here about below 



Deano3 said:


> Really looking forward to this mate great start to journal, drew everyone in , and why not treat yourself to ADA only here once the 30cm cubes look great in person totally flawless. Cant wait for more updates.
> 
> Dean
> 
> Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk


Yeah they are lovely tanks, but it is just soooo tiny, I’m just not used to working in such a confined space, it was really tricky for me.


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## Jayefc1 (28 May 2020)

Ady34 said:


> couldn’t either, that’s why I made some schoolboy errors which you will here about below


Oh now that is intriguing so even after 10 years of scaping we still make school boy errors I'm glad to hear it's not just me lol


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## Ady34 (28 May 2020)

I have to say, it was all a bit exciting, but a little short lived as soon afterwards it became apparent that getting more equipment would be a waiting game. The cube cabinet Clear 30 was the only glass cabinet not stocked, it needed to be made to order, and that combined with the current global situation meant that I have only just taken delivery of the cabinet. The superjet filters are still unavailable but hopefully not too long. Slow and steady is favourable to be honest and this won’t be a quick build.

Once it was obvious that the cabinet and filter were going to take months rather than days I began tinkering with bits of hardscape here and there just to get a feel of the tank size and the direction I wanted to go in. Originally I wanted a minimal iwagumi, but then became lured by my favoured wood hardscape material. I tried a few  musings here:
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/2-stones-shrimple.60251/ They were testers really, but then I found some stunning millennium wood at my local and had a vision of what I wanted to create. I tend to follow that process. I always start from a vision and try to create that vision. I’m less off the cuff and more see what I want with hardscape.
Anyway, once decided on the wood and stone combo and a sand foreground I set about creating a hardscape, pushed along by the UKAPS hardscape challenge  it was great to see so many members getting involved and there were a lot of stunning creations.
This tank was to be all ADA, so substrate is made up of powersand, Amazonia light, la plata sand and graded gravels. I also have the powder supplements which currently are not in the tank as I forgot to add them  I may remove the substrate and add them or I may not.....

Step by step:

Hardscape choice;




an empty tank;




wood positioning;




and choosing rocks to create the main wall face to seperate soil and sand;










I added filter wool to fill the gaps to try and reduce substrate mixing;







and then began adding, and forgetting to add substrate elements ;
















this is where I added extra stones to give the direction of the scape and also added more floss to fill any gaps;







An ADA pot noodle soil dispenser was also utilised in this tiny tank to pour the fine soil accurately into the appropriate areas ;




I then added some more detailing and filling stones and added the La Plata sand to the foreground. Detailing twigs were then used to refine the scape to give an appearance of wood and rock naturally interacting......that’s what I was telling myself by now a few vodka and cokes in;







Anyway, it was finished and I was quite pleased with the result, a few detailing gravels added and that was the hardscape finalised;




Just had to 'patiently' wait for more equipment now.........
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## hypnogogia (28 May 2020)

I think you should have used a Kingsize Curry flavour one, instead of chicken and mushroom.


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## Ady34 (28 May 2020)

hypnogogia said:


> I think you should have used a Kingsize Curry flavour one, instead of chicken and mushroom.


I used to be a simple man, now all ADA, on reflection that is another ‘schoolboy error’


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## Jayefc1 (28 May 2020)

I think it looks amazing mate really beautiful scape that wood is stunning


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## CooKieS (28 May 2020)

Ady, I had used this dragon wood in an previous scape and it has released some toxic stuff in my tank resulting in a loss of all the plants...I highly recommend to let it sink in a bucket for some weeks if this is the same wood


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## CooKieS (28 May 2020)

https://riverwoodaquatics.co.uk/millenium-wood-xl2-1865-p.asp

‘Soak wood for 8 weeks prior to adding fish.’


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## Siege (28 May 2020)

CooKieS said:


> https://riverwoodaquatics.co.uk/millenium-wood-xl2-1865-p.asp
> 
> ‘Soak wood for 8 weeks prior to adding fish.’



definitely 👍


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## jaypeecee (28 May 2020)

Hi Folks,

Is it not possible for the supplier to pre-soak this wood for 8 weeks before selling it? At £79.99 per piece, surely it's not unreasonable to expect the supplier to do this? BTW, what exactly is Millennium/Dragon Wood?

JPC


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## hypnogogia (28 May 2020)

It be wood from Lord of the Rings, used to make Frodo’s clogs.


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## Ady34 (28 May 2020)

Jayefc1 said:


> I think it looks amazing mate really beautiful scape that wood is stunning


Thanks Jay, it’s much appreciated and I agree the wood is lovely. 


CooKieS said:


> Ady, I had used this dragon wood in an previous scape and it has released some toxic stuff in my tank resulting in a loss of all the plants...I highly recommend to let it sink in a bucket for some weeks if this is the same wood





CooKieS said:


> https://riverwoodaquatics.co.uk/millenium-wood-xl2-1865-p.asp
> 
> ‘Soak wood for 8 weeks prior to adding fish.’





Siege said:


> definitely 👍


Thanks guys, yes the store I bought it from cautioned me on this with mixed reports of nasties being released. I plan on running this scape empty for at least one month anyway to allow a maturation and ammonia release from the soil. I may choose to extend that period but it has such mixed reviews. I would not introduce fauna until completely satisfied that all was well.



jaypeecee said:


> Hi Folks,
> 
> Is it not possible for the supplier to pre-soak this wood for 8 weeks before selling it? At £79.99 per piece, surely it's not unreasonable to expect the supplier to do this? BTW, what exactly is Millennium/Dragon Wood?
> 
> JPC


Millennium wood is just a type of wood much like redmoor root or manzanita wood. Just a name used to identify its unique formation. As for the toxin part, I don’t really know, but have heard about it being an issue in some cases.
Cheerio,


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## Siege (28 May 2020)

Never heard of it killing plants before.

But yes the tank needs to be fully cycled before adding livestock. The larger pieces are packed with a clay type substance which I believe (no scientific fact though) alters ph massively to begin with.

No problem with good water changes just need to be more careful with this type of wood 👍


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## Ady34 (28 May 2020)

Oh, did I say I got a stand......
....nothing to see here......
🤤


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## jaypeecee (28 May 2020)

Hi @Ady34


Ady34 said:


> Millennium wood is just a type of wood much like redmoor root or manzanita wood. Just a name used to identify its unique formation. As for the toxin part, I don’t really know, but have heard about it being an issue in some cases.



Thanks for answering my question.

JPC


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## Jayefc1 (28 May 2020)

Oh my that is something else isnt it dont know why but I didnt expect it to be so pretty cant wait to see the tank on the stand now gunna need lots of polish lol any water Mark's would do my head in


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## Deano3 (28 May 2020)

Wow that stand is defently worth the wait, lools amazing and like jay says bet looks amazing with tank ontop cant wait to see it.

Love the hardscape looks great.

Dean

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## Ady34 (28 May 2020)

Jayefc1 said:


> Oh my that is something else isnt it dont know why but I didnt expect it to be so pretty cant wait to see the tank on the stand now gunna need lots of polish lol any water Mark's would do my head in


Yeah, it’s the new puppy’s nose and teeth I’m more worried about  That wood base looks a little too tempting for nibbles and the glass, well dog snot magnet springs to mind


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## alto (29 May 2020)

Ady34 said:


> new puppy


and where is the Requisite Puppy Gallery


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## XxrubyxX (29 May 2020)

Puppy looks adorable 😋can I ask where you purchased your stand from? was it direct from ADA? 😊


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## Jayefc1 (29 May 2020)

Haha the snot is so funny 
The stand and tank look amazing well jealous lol


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## hypnogogia (29 May 2020)

Look at that beard and those bushy eyebrows!  Handsome little dog.


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## PARAGUAY (29 May 2020)

Looks like the opening scene from Ace Ventura


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## Ady34 (29 May 2020)

alto said:


> and where is the Requisite Puppy Gallery


Erm.....















XxrubyxX said:


> Puppy looks adorable 😋can I ask where you purchased your stand from? was it direct from ADA? 😊


Hi, I purchased it from my local aquascaping store Horizon Aquatics who ordered it from ADA. You will be able to order from any ADA stockist such as our forum sponsors Aquarium Gardens who would be glad to get one for you I’m sure 


Jayefc1 said:


> Haha the snot is so funny
> The stand and tank look amazing well jealous lol


Cheers Jay.


hypnogogia said:


> Look at that beard and those bushy eyebrows!  Handsome little dog.


Ha, we have the schnauzer door stop and a new miniature schnauzer puppy who hasn’t got his full beard or eyebrows yet


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## cbaum86 (29 May 2020)

Both scape and equipment are incredibly beautiful. Looking forward to seeing it progress although if you just left it as is it's very magazine cover-esque.


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## Deano3 (29 May 2020)

Ady34 said:


> Yeah, it’s the new puppy’s nose and teeth I’m more worried about  That wood base looks a little too tempting for nibbles and the glass, well dog snot magnet springs to mind
> 
> View attachment 149416
> View attachment 149417


Cute puppy, i never thought i would be too bothered or want to own a full ADA setup but that is a statment aquarium isnt it, looks so flawless and professional, they are truely a masterpeice. Dont see many either, will look great with the filter and everything all on.

Keep us updated ever step mate
Dean

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## Ray (29 May 2020)

I’m loving this scape, subscribed. 

Also loving the Japanese approach of making the contents of your aquarium stand so beautiful you don’t need to hide them!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Jayefc1 (29 May 2020)

He is a stunner of a puppy will be a joy for years to come mate


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## CooKieS (29 May 2020)

Siege said:


> Never heard of it killing plants before.
> 
> But yes the tank needs to be fully cycled before adding livestock. The larger pieces are packed with a clay type substance which I believe (no scientific fact though) alters ph massively to begin with.
> 
> No problem with good water changes just need to be more careful with this type of wood 👍



actually my water got muddy And smelly because of this wood and it Gets fungus/mold everywhere, which finally got on the plants and killed everything. 

Tank was an small volume like this cube and with lot of wood in it...daily water change couldn’t get rid of it.  Wouldn’t recommend this wood.


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## Ed Wiser (29 May 2020)

The glass stand is such a crazy design. It just takes the aquarium to another level.


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## lazybones51 (29 May 2020)

Absolutely stunning setup  really looking forward watching it evolve.

The one thing that makes me slightly nervous is the branch just sticking around the corner of the wall. I can imagine somebody accidentally brushing against it


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## nayr88 (31 May 2020)

Really a very nice scape so far @Ady34 , of course i expect nothing less from you 

Aside from the actual contents of the aquarium, I always enjoy your journals, the surroundings of your tank - furniture etc is always very pleasing and the clean lines and aesthetics of the ada gear as well as the quality, clean scapes you produce really seem at home as  part of the room.

just an observation


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## Conort2 (31 May 2020)

I’d half be tempted to leave it hardscape only and not plant it. I think it goes really well with the clean minimalist style of the cabinet. 

It’s a beautiful set up, ADA is expensive but when you see the quality of the gear you can understand why.

cheers

Conor


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## Ady34 (31 May 2020)

Ed Wiser said:


> The glass stand is such a crazy design. It just takes the aquarium to another level.


It is, i was never sure about them until i started looking at the full systems. Hiding equipment etc below the tank is always the aim, however when you are choosing the superjet filter you want to be able to see it  I love the glass cabinet now, the tank seems like it is floating and it looks less intrusive in limited space situations.



lazybones51 said:


> Absolutely stunning setup  really looking forward watching it evolve.
> 
> The one thing that makes me slightly nervous is the branch just sticking around the corner of the wall. I can imagine somebody accidentally brushing against it


Thanks, yeah i know what you mean, they were longer and i broke them off where i could but plan on trimming them with a tool before finished.



nayr88 said:


> Really a very nice scape so far @Ady34 , of course i expect nothing less from you
> 
> Aside from the actual contents of the aquarium, I always enjoy your journals, the surroundings of your tank - furniture etc is always very pleasing and the clean lines and aesthetics of the ada gear as well as the quality, clean scapes you produce really seem at home as  part of the room.
> 
> just an observation


Ah, really nice of you to say Ryan, i do enjoy making the tanks part of our living space, they are just part of me and our family now, i can't ever imagine not having aquaria within the home. Both my boys have tanks also, my eldest has my first ever planted tank, the Fluval Studio 900, and my youngest has the old Aquanano 40 which had my crystal red shrimp in  



Conort2 said:


> I’d half be tempted to leave it hardscape only and not plant it. I think it goes really well with the clean minimalist style of the cabinet.
> 
> It’s a beautiful set up, ADA is expensive but when you see the quality of the gear you can understand why.
> 
> ...


I had at one point considered simply adding botanicals over the soil areas with floating plants......not tannin stained water though 
People that have seen it as it is have said that it looks like a piece of furniture and a really cool feature as it is. Realistically though, i have decided to plant it so that will be the direction 

Thanks for all the comments, unfortunately there won't be anything to update for a while now until the superjet filters become available again......then i need to decide on the 150 or the 300 and which lily pipe choice 
Cheerio,


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## Tim Harrison (31 May 2020)

Somehow missed this Ady. It's a really well executed scape using minimal materials, less is definitely more, and very hard to do, especially in a nano. The lovely ADA stand is the icing on the cake


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## Steve Buce (31 May 2020)

Great looking setup, i love the minimal clean lines of an ADA setup, fits in nicely with your decor.


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## Ady34 (31 May 2020)

Tim Harrison said:


> Somehow missed this Ady. It's a really well executed scape using minimal materials, less is definitely more, and very hard to do, especially in a nano. The lovely ADA stand is the icing on the cake


Thanks Tim, the nano was tricky for me to work in to start. Choosing rock was definitely more of an intricate process than what I’m used to. The detail of each rock is more important as they individually make up so much of the hardscape.


One thing I forgot to highlight which is worth a mention is the foreground. The rock appears to come right the the front glass in each corner. This was important to shape and frame the sand foreground. As it is the foreground though you need to be able to keep the area and glass clean. Mindful of this i utilised two much smaller rocks in front of the two main rocks to finesse the finish. This gives me the option to easily remove and reposition them for more involved substrate and glass maintenance.
Although I didn’t specifically image this you can see in the images below what I mean 

In this above shot, the foreground with the main stones positioned has plenty of foreground space to enable maintenance:





here you can see the front left small finishing stone added which frames the foreground and follows the direction of the scape:




from the front here you can see the stones used:




cheerio,


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## Ady34 (31 May 2020)

Steve Buce said:


> Great looking setup, i love the minimal clean lines of an ADA setup, fits in nicely with your decor.


Thanks Steve


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## Tim Harrison (31 May 2020)

Good tip, and love the way the cracks all line up and point in the same direction. Gives the impression of a totally natural formation.


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## Ady34 (31 May 2020)

Deano3 said:


> Cute puppy, i never thought i would be too bothered or want to own a full ADA setup but that is a statment aquarium isnt it, looks so flawless and professional, they are truely a masterpeice. Dont see many either, will look great with the filter and everything all on.
> 
> Keep us updated ever step mate
> Dean
> ...


Ah cheers Dean, somehow I didn’t reply to this earlier. Yeah, like I say I never really felt the need before, but having had alternatives and having the bigger tank I felt more drawn to the ADA brand as a progression I guess. The larger systems were always out of my price range but this nano allows me access and I do love it, they are so easy to fit into your home.
Cheerio,


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## Deano3 (23 Jul 2020)

Any news or updates on this one mate or still waiting on a few bits and bobs ?

Dean

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## Melll (23 Jul 2020)

That is one sexy tank set up, the stand just elevates it to a totally new level.   Beautiful 👍


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## Putney (23 Jul 2020)

really like the adjustments you made there.  Also love the setup, it goes so well with all the wooden floor and furniture.  

Would like to know you review on that expensive filter when you get it


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## Ady34 (24 Jul 2020)

Deano3 said:


> Any news or updates on this one mate or still waiting on a few bits and bobs ?
> 
> Dean
> 
> Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk


Hi Dean, yeah I’m still waiting for the filter which isn’t available yet. It’s not a bad thing to be honest as I’ve just spent the money I had saved for it on the ea600 


Melll said:


> That is one sexy tank set up, the stand just elevates it to a totally new level.   Beautiful 👍


Thanks, yeah the stand is a lovely piece of furniture and when your trying not to take up too much space in a room it really has very little impact 


Putney said:


> really like the adjustments you made there.  Also love the setup, it goes so well with all the wooden floor and furniture.
> 
> Would like to know you review on that expensive filter when you get it


Thanks Putney, I’ll definitely share my opinion on the filter. I think I am going to opt for the smaller es150 superjet with standard lily pipes.

This is like the ultimate delayed gratification process that George Farmer illudes to enjoying so much about this hobby


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## Ady34 (10 Oct 2020)

I have a filter 









I just need to purchase co2 equipment now as I used the set up I had allocated for this tank on the ea600.
After the epic 4 month wait for the filter I am in no rush to set this up, but in comparison it won’t be too much longer 

cheerio,


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## Jayefc1 (10 Oct 2020)

Whoop whoop at long last


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## Tim Harrison (10 Oct 2020)

That's going to look pretty epic sitting in the bottom of the glass stand


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## Deano3 (10 Oct 2020)

brilliant cant wait to see it all set up, glad finally arrived mate

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## Geoffrey Rea (10 Oct 2020)

Looking forward to this one @Ady34 

Even empty with just the hardware it’s the pinnacle of aesthetics that the hobby has to offer. With your scaping talent it’s gonna be great


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## Ady34 (11 Oct 2020)

Jayefc1 said:


> Whoop whoop at long last





Tim Harrison said:


> That's going to look pretty epic sitting in the bottom of the glass stand





Deano3 said:


> brilliant cant wait to see it all set up, glad finally arrived mate
> 
> Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk


Ha yeah I know, I’ll unbox it and sit it in there soon for a proper look  Seems the superjet 150 only comes with spin pipes so that made that decision for me 


Geoffrey Rea said:


> Looking forward to this one @Ady34
> 
> Even empty with just the hardware it’s the pinnacle of aesthetics that the hobby has to offer. With your scaping talent it’s gonna be great


Thanks Geoffrey that means a lot and I love it.


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## Ady34 (26 Oct 2020)

Hi,
I took the filter out of the box the other day for a closer look. They are aesthetically and functionally lovely. This looks like a piece of equipment that will stand the test of time with minimal areas that could fail. It is a simple design and although quite expensive, the filters do come with initial media, hoses, glassware, glassware cleaning brush and even a metal polish, so maybe a little better value for money than the price tag suggests.




Cheerio,


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## Deano3 (27 Oct 2020)

They do look the PART i must say and as you say considering comes with pipes and brush and lilly pipes and even metal polish  wasnt expecting that one they do seem very good value and will look the buisness in that glass stand of yours 

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## Ady34 (27 Nov 2020)

Not quite ready to plant and fill this little tank, but was tired of looking at it without soul......I decided to make more of a feature out of it temporarily so ordered some preserved moss from Scaped Nature and ‘greened’ up the little sucker......










Hopefully early next year I’ll be in a position to get this fully operational 
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## Wolf6 (27 Nov 2020)

At least its lovely to look at already, even if it is preserved moss  If you can manage this same look with actual aquatic mosses I will be in complete awe


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## Nico Felici (27 Nov 2020)

Lovely little scape and I can see why their equipment are so expensive now!

One question - would it not be worth filling the tank up in the mean time even with no light/plants and get the filter running? Let the bio media mature, bacteria populate all the populable, water parameters getting over the initial sickness etc - by the time you're ready to plant the tank is much more mature.


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## Ady34 (27 Nov 2020)

Wolf6 said:


> At least its lovely to look at already, even if it is preserved moss  If you can manage this same look with actual aquatic mosses I will be in complete awe


Yeah, it’s certainly given me food for thought.


Nico Felici said:


> Lovely little scape and I can see why their equipment are so expensive now!
> 
> One question - would it not be worth filling the tank up in the mean time even with no light/plants and get the filter running? Let the bio media mature, bacteria populate all the populable, water parameters getting over the initial sickness etc - by the time you're ready to plant the tank is much more mature.


Yep, it would be a perfect opportunity however I have a bit going on currently and dont want to commit to water changes. Also would like something interesting to look at. I’m quite happy to follow the four week water change routine with plants in when I’m ready


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## Tim Harrison (27 Nov 2020)

Looks great Ady, what's the nature of preserved moss?


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## Ady34 (29 Nov 2020)

Tim Harrison said:


> Looks great Ady, what's the nature of preserved moss?


To quote from scaped natures website:

“Preserved Flat Moss is also 100% Natural, it's a flat sheet of moss in various shapes and sizes.  Use on Interior Moss Walls, base to flower displays, top dressing displays or to use for scenery, set displays.  



The Bun and flat moss is grown sustainably, harvested and preserved using a unique process that includes natural dyes and glycerine so that the item maintains its soft appearance.  As this is a preserved item it does not require water, only occasional dusting with a feather duster to keep it clean. If you are using Preserved Bun Moss for Green Walls we do advise that placing the Green Wall in direct sunlight is not advisable as the product will fade over time as none of the products are UV resistant.”


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## Tim Harrison (29 Nov 2020)

That's a nice very low maintenance stopgap until you can get it up and running 👍


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## Ady34 (10 Mar 2021)

Well, the preserved moss was removed as I finally got the incentive to fill and plant this little scape.
I wanted a pretty simple looking plant plan and wanted to keep it all green, not dissimilar to the look offered from the preserved moss.
Plant list:
Micranthemum Monte carlo
Hydrocotyle tripartita
Nymphoides aquatica banana lily
Glossostigma elatinoides
Staurogyne repens
pogostemon halferi
Mini Christmas moss (still in the bag @Iain Sutherland sent me many months ago for the ea600. I simply retied the bag after using some and it has acted like a sealed terrarium surviving beautifully )
Riccardia chamedryfolia
Anubias nana petite

.....there are some new ones to me and I have some nemesis plants in staurogyne and pogostemon halferi so fingers crossed and time will tell how it fares 

I added a lightground to the tank as I like the fresh look the illumination and blue graded foil offer.
For the first couple of days the water quickly became murky, I think from the ADA Amazonia soil, however is now much clearer and I am carrying out every day 90% water changes. The millennium wood is growing a film, but thus far is not overbearing and I can keep on top of it with a toothbrush before water change.
I’m running a 6hr photoperiod with a maximum intensity of 65% for 2hrs with the rest ramping up and down around the 40-50% range. I will look to increase both duration and intensity in the coming weeks depending upon progress.
The tank is running injected co2 via in tank diffuser.
Fertiliser is via the ADA system, currently green brighty mineral and brighty k.

cheerio,
Ady.

test fill....





Planting.....












thanks @MirandaB also for the cabochon ruby check valve you can see working here.....


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## Aqua360 (10 Mar 2021)

Ady34 said:


> Not quite ready to plant and fill this little tank, but was tired of looking at it without soul......I decided to make more of a feature out of it temporarily so ordered some preserved moss from Scaped Nature and ‘greened’ up the little sucker......
> 
> View attachment 157020
> View attachment 157021
> ...


That's a fantastic idea on the moss btw, which type is it, on their site? 

Also how much did you need for the above? 

Cheers!


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## CooKieS (10 Mar 2021)

Beautiful start Ady, did you soak the wood before ?


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## Whitebeard (10 Mar 2021)

Hi Ady

Beautifully executed and the scale of the scape looks perfect for the 30c.

Any plans of having some reds/purples somewhere in the layout or planning to go with only greens?


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## Tim Harrison (10 Mar 2021)

Cracking nano scape Ady, looking forward to seeing this develop, shared on Instagram 👍


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## Ady34 (10 Mar 2021)

That's a fantastic idea on the moss btw, which type is it, on their site?


Aqua360 said:


> Also how much did you need for the above?
> 
> Cheers!



ha, yeah it definitely served a purpose and there was no maintenance at all which was a bonus.
It’s this:








						Preserved moss mix | Bun & flat
					

Preserved Flat Moss is also 100% Natural, it's a flat sheet of moss in various shapes and sizes.  Use on Interior Moss Walls, base to flower displays, top dressing displays or to use for scenery, set displays.   The Bun and flat moss is grown sustainably, harvested and preserved using a unique...




					www.scapednature.com
				



I think I only purchased one pack tbh.



CooKieS said:


> Beautiful start Ady, did you soak the wood before ?


Thanks mate, nope, maybe should have though being as I’ve had about a year to prepare 
It’s showing a film but nothing unusual so far and manageable.



Whitebeard said:


> Hi Ady
> 
> Beautifully executed and the scale of the scape looks perfect for the 30c.
> 
> Any plans of having some reds/purples somewhere in the layout or planning to go with only greens?


Thanks, no plans for any other colour, just wanted a fresh green look but will see how it goes. I did consider h’ra or similar as a background but will see if my little green lily offers the look I want first.



Tim Harrison said:


> Cracking nano scape Ady, looking forward to seeing this develop, shared on Instagram 👍


thanks Tim


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## Ady34 (1 May 2021)

Update.
Another tank with issues but gradually on the right track..
I suffered melt with the glosso, p. Halferi, and staurogyne on the initial weeks, and heavy diatoms particularly on the rocks. I kept up with maintenance and things began to improve. The p. Halferi wasn’t salvageable and I replaced some staurogyne after about four weeks once some kind of biological maturity was reached. The rocks were scrubbed with a toothbrush and thankfully they are now relitively algae free. The addition of shrimp and some horned nerite snails have helped in this case.
The tank is now stable and improving although I have recently suffered a huge filamentous algae outbreak.
i initially added a small group of amano shrimp as the cuc, but have recently added blue bolt shrimp which were always my plan for this tank.
really enjoying the freshness of the greens offered from this scape, it’s great having a permanent tank in the kitchen diner 

blue bolt shrimp are subtle in here but stunning:




Horned nerites, these are tiny currently but are a better choice than other nerites as they are less prolific egg producers:




And the tank currently after a little trim last night:














cheerio,


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## Deano3 (1 May 2021)

The whole setup looks great stunning tank, i was so close to buying some of the horned clithon corona from horizon the other day as know they are meant to lay less eggs but was still a little worried let me know how you get on with these mate as would love snails apart from my millions of pest snails 

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk


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## Courtneybst (1 May 2021)

Deano3 said:


> The whole setup looks great stunning tank, i was so close to buying some of the horned clithon corona from horizon the other day as know they are meant to lay less eggs but was still a little worried let me know how you get on with these mate as would love snails apart from my millions of pest snails
> 
> Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk


I had a big issue with zebra nerites laying eggs all over my previous scape. I bit the bullet and changed to Clithon Corona and I haven't seen a single egg so far.


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## Courtneybst (7 Jun 2021)

Courtneybst said:


> I had a big issue with zebra nerites laying eggs all over my previous scape. I bit the bullet and changed to Clithon Corona and I haven't seen a single egg so far.


Update on this; a few of them have started laying eggs but nowhere near the rate of the Nerites who peppered every possible surface (even the front glass).


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## jaypeecee (9 Jun 2021)

Hi @Courtneybst 

The Clithon Corona is new to me so I was interested to find out more. Please take a look at:









						Bumblebee Horn Snail-Clithon corona
					

Expert facts, care advice, feeding tips and breeding information about the Bumblebee Horn Snail (Clithon corona) for freshwater aquarium enthusiasts.




					www.fishkeeper.co.uk
				




JPC


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## Ady34 (8 Aug 2021)

Little update.
This tank reached its balance and now there is very little algae. The filamentous algae has all but gone and the tank ticks along nicely with the floating plants shading below and controlling the pace of the tank. The banana lily became too large so I removed it and replaced with some rotala h’ra.
I definitely favour the slower pace as trimming isn’t a weekly part of maintenence, more a three to four weekly task.
The riccardia and mini Christmas moss offer an aged look with areas of shadows which add to the mystery within the scape. I often sit after a meal and watch the tank which holds interest despite the lightly stocked livestock. I like the way the tank draws you from the sand foreground, up the seiryu cliff to the millennium wood above and out of the tank.

I have found the superjet filter to be excellent, it is extremely functional and simple to maintain. I did swap the Ada spin lily for a dooa stream lily as it adds flow to the tank which was lacking.

Anyway, pictures speak a ‘twenty seven thousand ‘ words so here is a few of my recent faves…..





























feeding time…..












A few during maintenence shots….

















Picking out moss trimmings so they don’t take hold in the Monte Carlo…..







Removing riccia as best I can to keep it at bay from the riccardia…..







Finishing with a FTS…




cheerio,

Ady


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## Zeus. (8 Aug 2021)

Great attention to detail paying off with stunning tanks, great pics as well


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## PARAGUAY (8 Aug 2021)

Lovely tank🙂


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## Ady34 (28 Aug 2021)

Zeus. said:


> Great attention to detail paying off with stunning tanks, great pics as well





PARAGUAY said:


> Lovely tank🙂


Thank you  

I added some chilli rasbora to this little scape, rehomed from my sons tank that was discontinued. 
They are the perfect fit and add so much to the feel. I’m a real fan of these tiny fish.
Here’s an in situ image and a 40 second video of the scape, I love the way the riccardia looks so vibrant against the newly refreshed la plata sand  







Cheerio,
Ady.


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## MichaelJ (29 Aug 2021)

Unbelievable. Gives me the itch for a 3rd tank


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## Ady34 (2 Jun 2022)

A sigh of relief, a breath of fresh air and a sense of calm….
Sometimes on a morning I just pop the lights on and enjoy the little kitchen scape whilst having breakfast and a cuppa. A relaxing way to start the day.
Happy Thursday everybody, the 30c kitchen nano it’s still going strong 💚




Small but mighty 💪🏻


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## Garuf (4 Jun 2022)

I hadn’t seen this before now, what a charming little tank. 
Nicely balanced and great longevity are a credit!


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## Ady34 (23 Aug 2022)

Garuf said:


> I hadn’t seen this before now, what a charming little tank.
> Nicely balanced and great longevity are a credit!


Thanks @Garuf, longevity was strong, but also it has been decommissioned. 
One day I’ll revisit the little cube, but for now I’m streamlining my scapes.
Cheerio.


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