# New setup advice



## popeye (6 Aug 2020)

Hi all

I have been out of the hobby for a few years now due to family constraints.
I use to have a 5x2x2 full discus system on a continuous water change.

I am now starting from scratch and looking to setup a ADA 60P orequivalent Hi tech plated setup. 
I want to get things right from the outset so all the fundamentals like lighting, Co2 equipment I want what shall work best in the long term.
Can anyone advise if the ADA solar RGB is suitable on a 60P or am I likely to run into difficulty with balancing CO2?
Can anyone recommend a high quality CO2 reg that is extremely stable and reliable.

any advice and words of wisdom going forward would be much appreciated.
Cheers Popeye


----------



## Alex Papp (6 Aug 2020)

Chances are you'll receive a load of different suggestions here. Best thing to DL is go to Aquarium Gardens / Horizon Aquatics/ Scaped Nature / Riverwood/ Fishcove/ Aquatic Design Center and buy a full setup from there, based on one of their display tanks. 

I would go for
-ADA Aquasky RGB... I know ADA have used the solar rgb on a 60-p but its not worth the risk, especially with hard tap water (higher risk of algae
-Oase Thermo 350T
-CO2 art pro se (solenoid+regulator) or JBL m001+ solenoid

-ADA power sand special or JBL volcano mineral +JBLplant start+ JBL volcano powder
-ADA or Tropica aquasoil.

First option of each is best option in my opinion. 
Ferts: fillipe oliveira's seachem system or ADA ferts system (vv expensive, both options are baisically low nitrogen fertilisation methods.)


----------



## popeye (6 Aug 2020)

Alex Papp said:


> Chances are you'll receive a load of different suggestions here. Best thing to DL is go to Aquarium Gardens / Horizon Aquatics/ Scaped Nature / Riverwood/ Fishcove/ Aquatic Design Center and buy a full setup from there, based on one of their display tanks.
> 
> I would go for
> -ADA Aquasky RGB... I know ADA have used the solar rgb on a 60-p but its not worth the risk, especially with hard tap water (higher risk of algae
> ...



thanks for your reply. What’s considered hard tap water. Where I am is fairly soft and even with my 5x2x2 discus setup, HMA was all that was needed.


----------



## Alex Papp (6 Aug 2020)

If you're keeping discus in tap, its probably soft enough. I know Wales is considered soft. 
https://www.scaleguard.co.uk/img/Hard Water Map of Uk.jpg
Anything Pink /Purple is hard.
I suppose a Solar RGB would allow you to upgrade. But it could be a risk. Keep the light hours short and you'll be fine probably?


----------



## Alex Papp (6 Aug 2020)

Life Aqua Master Pro has adjustable light intensity. But if you're spending that much I'd want to get ADA.


----------



## popeye (6 Aug 2020)

Alex Papp said:


> Life Aqua Master Pro has adjustable light intensity. But if you're spending that much I'd want to get ADA.


Just checked map and in a patch of green and purple but I don’t get any scale really at all in the house.

why would you go ADA, just as it’s a proven name? I want a high quality pendant and don’t want to be thinking I wish I went for..... in a year or so time. I assume the ADA would just have to be sited higher.
Will it make balancing CO2 challenging?

thanks again.


----------



## popeye (6 Aug 2020)

Alex Papp said:


> If you're keeping discus in tap, its probably soft enough. I know Wales is considered soft.
> https://www.scaleguard.co.uk/img/Hard Water Map of Uk.jpg
> Anything Pink /Purple is hard.
> I suppose a Solar RGB would allow you to upgrade. But it could be a risk. Keep the light hours short and you'll be fine probably?


----------



## Siege (7 Aug 2020)

Hi @popeye -    I run 3 solar rgb at home and have been thinking about the question of one on a 60-P after our conversations. 2 of mine are on 60cm tanks but the Aquascaper 600 so deeper front to back than the 60P (50cm v. 30cm).

Decided if I wanted a pendant light on a 60-p, I’d do it in a heart beat 😃

Remembered this evening that @Ryan Thang To has one on his 60-P without issue.  The salon where the tank is located is super brightly lit and only that light would even make the tank look like it is lit up at all.

That said, the light is bright but not too bright for a usual home. I got them for the brightness and colour rendition. Nothing comes close in my opinion.

If you search for Ryan’s posts you will see photos. Excellent scape and set up 😃

Also check out @Geoffrey Rea journals. He has 2 of them on a 1200 tank. More importantly for you he is running 2 X ONF lights on a 600 tank. Now that is super high light as they are only 10 cm from the water top. Basically a ceiling of light! 
In no way will you be that extreme, but Ryan’s and Geoff’s tanks are examples of super nice scapes run with high lighting .

Ryan I assume uses hard water. Geoff has used both RO water and super hard water on his tanks, both with success.

Hope that helps.

👍😃


----------



## Alex Papp (7 Aug 2020)

Siege said:


> Also check out @Geoffrey Rea journals. He has 2 of them on a 1200 tank. More importantly for you he is running 2 X ONF lights on a 600 tank. Now that is super high light as they are only 10 cm from the water top. Basically a ceiling of light!
> In no way will you be that extreme, but Ryan’s and Geoff’s tanks are examples of super nice scapes run with high lighting .


Forgot about @Geoffrey Rea  ...Do it...try it on a 60-p. After all, I ran two twinstar 900S on a 70cm tank with no issues.
I'd go for ADA just because of the brand, yeah. But @Siege is more qualified to tell you the difference between the Life Aqua and the ADA lamps.


----------



## Alex Papp (7 Aug 2020)

That's definitely soft... lucky. And in terms of CO2, no, I don't think there would be an issue. As always, try to put the maximum amount of CO2 possible in the tank, in soft water, you don't need as much to turn your drop checker green-yellow, because there are less carbonates in the water.... I don't completely understand the science behind this, but it's true.


----------



## Luketendo (8 Aug 2020)

I have the same size tank,  ADA Aquasky RGB (10 hours per day), Eheim 2215, CO2art reg (the cheaper one). Power Sand Advance S topped with Amazonia II and Amazonia Powder. Kind of wish that I didn't use the powder as it has just mixed in really. Full ADA ferts.

According to API test kit my water is somewhere between 2 and 3 GH. I think 3 GH is equal to 50 mg/l above. 

Plants very happy apart from a few deficiences which I amend by increasing the relevant fert. I was underdosing CO2 until the last week or so when I raised it and plants started pearling like crazy, but that didn't seem to be much of a problem.

Struggling to get red colours on Rotala colorata and H'ra, but potentially that's because the tank is relatively new, plants still transitioning and low CO2 might not have helped.


----------



## Ryan Thang To (10 Aug 2020)

thanks for the kind works @Siege 
i appreciate that. i use ro on all my tanks. ro use less co2 and the pearling is amazing.

hi popeye
are you CRAZY going for a solor rgb on a tiny 60p lol just kidding. well what can i say. you would need a ton of plants good substrate and fertiliser. if you can start off with out livestock and have the co2 on high that would be better. 
i trim my plants every time it grows 5cm and that way the plant grows super red and slow

better to use ro water and do a lean dose straight away. of course do your wc every 1 or 2 day and so on

if you don't mind i drop a picture down. 

1st picture i use aquasky rgb 
2nd picture i use solor rgb


----------



## popeye (10 Aug 2020)

Ryan Thang To said:


> thanks for the kind works @Siege
> i appreciate that. i use ro on all my tanks. ro use less co2 and the pearling is amazing.
> 
> hi popeye
> ...



thanks for your reply.

I am thinking about a Dutch style scape so would be heavily planted. Obviously I can play about with the height of the lights and for me, the higher the better. 
I am wanting to have a fairly unrestricted top down view as the tank will be viewable when coming downstairs.


----------



## Ryan Thang To (10 Aug 2020)

popeye said:


> thanks for your reply.
> 
> I am thinking about a Dutch style scape so would be heavily planted. Obviously I can play about with the height of the lights and for me, the higher the better.
> I am wanting to have a fairly unrestricted top down view as the tank will be viewable when coming downstairs.


Dutch layout would be fun. good lucky on the trimming them plants


----------



## popeye (10 Aug 2020)

Ryan Thang To said:


> Dutch layout would be fun. good lucky on the trimming them plants



I sense sarcasm! 
I assume you suggest not to go down the Dutch route?


----------



## Ryan Thang To (10 Aug 2020)

popeye said:


> I sense sarcasm!
> I assume you suggest not to go down the Dutch route?


well it only a 60cm tank with that much light your going to need luck. going to be a lot of work to keep it nice and neat 😀


----------



## popeye (10 Aug 2020)

Ryan Thang To said:


> well it only a 60cm tank with that much light your going to need luck. going to be a lot of work to keep it nice and neat 😀



what would you suggest? Having the light about 15” from the surface help?
It’s looking like the consensus is the RGB is too much light for a 60P


----------



## popeye (10 Aug 2020)

@Ryan Thang To  your tank looks awesome. If Dutch not wise I’ll just do something like yours. 
I want red/pink stem plants with lots of contrasts in the scape.


----------



## popeye (11 Aug 2020)

@Shinobi i saw your tank and looks amazing. 
do you have any advice or thoughts for having a solar RGB over a 60p like yourself?

thanks.


----------



## rebel (11 Aug 2020)

The ADA solar RGB might look too large for a 60P from an aesthetic point of view also? Something to consider.


----------



## popeye (11 Aug 2020)

rebel said:


> The ADA solar RGB might look too large for a 60P from an aesthetic point of view also? Something to consider.






This is a shot of @Shinobi tank. Certainly doesn’t look too big to me.


----------



## Shinobi (11 Aug 2020)

Fits perfectly on a 60, certainly a high light option where the Aquasky is more of a medium-low light option.
The 'dangers' of high light is in my opinion highly exaggerated. Do your water changes, chose a good substrate so you can do a leaner water column dosing and you're good. You go lazy on maintenance, things will go wrong faster with high light. Consider the time and effort you're willing to put into weekly maintenance


----------



## popeye (11 Aug 2020)

Shinobi said:


> Fits perfectly on a 60, certainly a high light option where the Aquasky is more of a medium-low light option.
> The 'dangers' of high light is in my opinion highly exaggerated. Do your water changes, chose a good substrate so you can do a leaner water column dosing and you're good. You go lazy on maintenance, things will go wrong faster with high light. Consider the time and effort you're willing to put into weekly maintenance



Thanks. 

In my mind there are two factors using the Solar RGB on a 60P. Height and light duration. 
Surely both of these factors can be adjusted to suit individual specifics. 

Am I right in thinking,  that growth will be different with a high intensity light like the Solar RGB as the plants won’t be growing to “reach the light?”


----------



## Shinobi (11 Aug 2020)

popeye said:


> Thanks.
> 
> In my mind there are two factors using the Solar RGB on a 60P. Height and light duration.
> Surely both of these factors can be adjusted to suit individual specifics.
> ...



Light wont be your limiting factor in terms of plant selection and growth patterns/coloration if you choose the Solar. I would stick with the recommended hanging height of 30 cm from surface, the light spillage is pretty intense, shade attachments are pretty much a must if tank is placed near a living area


----------



## Luketendo (12 Aug 2020)

With Aquasky RGB I am running 10 hours without issues on a 60p. Algae growth is minimal and this level of light seems fine for the plants - they are closing before lights off.

I am not yet getting red colours on my Rotala colorota and H'ra which I would expect under this light dosing (although everyone seems to have a different explanation on how to get reds). It could be that I am trimming them too early rather than letting them hang and stress at the water surface.

If I had inifinite money I would try the Solar but I wouldn't think it should be necessary.


----------



## rebel (12 Aug 2020)

Luketendo said:


> If I had inifinite money I would try the Solar


My sentiments also. Also in that case I will try every light (order all at the same time) until I find my favourite and if not, get a company to custom make a light for my needs. 

I think the OP only cares about the best light for high light needs so Solar might be the go!


----------



## popeye (14 Aug 2020)

rebel said:


> My sentiments also. Also in that case I will try every light (order all at the same time) until I find my favourite and if not, get a company to custom make a light for my needs.
> 
> I think the OP only cares about the best light for high light needs so Solar might be the go!



Yes having been there with Marine and always wishing I had more/better light, going forward with this setup, it’s my number one priority. 
Solar RGB is cheap compared with the high end marine lights!


----------



## popeye (14 Aug 2020)

Well I’ve done it....

All ordered, 
ADA 60P, 
ADA Solar RGB, 
ADA Substrates and ferts.
 Oase Biomaster 350 thermo
Co2art full setup

Watch this space.


----------



## Ryan Thang To (14 Aug 2020)

popeye said:


> Well I’ve done it....
> 
> All ordered,
> ADA 60P,
> ...


awesome looking forward to the scape.

you didn't fancy a superjet 600


----------



## popeye (14 Aug 2020)

Ryan Thang To said:


> awesome looking forward to the scape.
> 
> you didn't fancy a superjet 600



Nope, and as it’s all going to be hidden and no on show, no point. 👍🏻


----------



## Ryan Thang To (14 Aug 2020)

cool. did you get the bar to hang the light or you having it hand down the ceiling


----------



## popeye (14 Aug 2020)

Ryan Thang To said:


> cool. did you get the bar to hang the light or you having it hand down the ceiling


No but having my own plumbing and heating company, it’s something I can sort out rather easily. 🤪


----------



## Ryan Thang To (14 Aug 2020)

nice one. good luck buddy


----------



## popeye (15 Aug 2020)

Morning Guys 

@Ryan Thang To @Shinobi 

Just a quick question. Having now ordered the 60P and Solar RGB I will be using Amazonia and ADA ferts. 
All the plants will be 1-2 grow. What lighting period would you suggest from day 1/initial setup?
Also should I go with the recommended fert dosing amounts straight away, being that water changes will be performed daily for the first week or so?
Want to do my best to hold back algae as best as I can from the outset. 

Cheers guys. 👍🏻


----------



## Luketendo (15 Aug 2020)

popeye said:


> Morning Guys
> 
> @Ryan Thang To @Shinobi
> 
> ...



With Aquasky RGB I went 8 hours then up to 10 hours after not too long. It helps if you plant heavy to use the light and prevent algae. Solar you might want to be more cautious.

Wrt ferts I went by recommended amount and upped certains ferts if the plants complained. ADA recommend K and Mineral from day 1 but I also had to introduce iron soon after because some of my plants were growing very pale/bleached.

I had basically no algae, apart from a large amount of fungus (maybe diatoms?) on my branch wood, which were cleared up by Otocinclus and shrimp once added.


----------



## Shinobi (15 Aug 2020)

popeye said:


> Morning Guys
> 
> @Ryan Thang To @Shinobi
> 
> ...



I usually start with 6 hours and then add an extra 20 min for each week that passes, until reaching a total of 8 hour photoperiod.
As for dosing, I usually wait two weeks before I start when using nutrient rich soil. If you're using ADA ferts I would just stick with Mineral and Neutral K.


----------



## popeye (16 Aug 2020)

Plants I am currently thinking of. 

Alternantheria Reineckii  Mini. 
Blyxa japonica  
Hygrophila Araguaia
Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo'
Myriophyllum 'Guyana'
Phyllanthus fluitans
Rotala "Green"
Rotala Wallichi
Rotala indica 'Bonsai'
Rotala macrandra
Rotala 'Vietnam' Hra
Vesicularia dubyana 'Christmas'
Eriocaulon cinereum

Thoughts?


----------

