# ADA 90H, the quest for nature aquarium



## Chrispowell (8 Jan 2019)

Hi all,

This journal is abit thin on the ground to begin with but as the build pics up pace a plan to document it further. 

Tank - ADA 90H
Stand - Custom built ADA replica 
Lighting - Twinstar 900S
Filter - Oase 600 Termo 
Eheim 350 surface skimmer

Hardscape 
Talawa Wood and approx 40Kg Frodo stone, ADA la planta sand.

The scape will hopefully be a mixture of ferns, bolbitis, Anubias, Crypts, mosses and buce. 


Pics to follow -


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## Chrispowell (8 Jan 2019)




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## Tom Michael (8 Jan 2019)

Hi Chris - will be watching this with interest as I am also about to set up a 90H! can't seem to access your photo?

How do you intend on diffusing CO2?


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## Chrispowell (8 Jan 2019)

Hi Tom, yeah I have mucked up with the image, will try again in a min. 

I will diffuse in the tank via a neo diffuser


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## Chrispowell (8 Jan 2019)




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## Tim Harrison (8 Jan 2019)

That's a very bold hardscape...


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## Tom Michael (8 Jan 2019)

looking good, are you intending to fill the space top left with any stem plants? I'm interested to see how you get on with flow and distribution with the Oase 600 and Eheim skimmer. I also intend to use the same Oase, with a Ehiem classic 600 to boost the flow, and hopefully distribute C02 adequately given the high shape of the aquarium.

Lighting was the other area of interest given the depth - the twinstar looks nice but might be a little underpowered, although I see you are intending on using mostly low light plants.


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## Chrispowell (8 Jan 2019)

Yes so this setup will be low light plants but I do intend on adding some fine textured stems in the background..

Maybe Ceratophyllum demersum. I have also wondered about the flow disturbing this, unsure at the moment how I will arrange things. I have a JBL in reserve if I need a second filter.


Lighting wise my idea would be the Solar RGB but it's too expensive for me now. Plus the twinstar matches my other tank..


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## DutchMuch (8 Jan 2019)

that floor, those stands, those tanks, those walls....



Is this heaven?


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## FJK_12 (8 Jan 2019)

Love the dimensions of the 90H, unique. Also absolutely love the rock composition you have created. If it were me I might choose a different wood though, maybe something more curved. Look forward to seeing this come together!


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## Konsa (8 Jan 2019)

Hi
Hi
Lovely setup.The only thing that catches my eye is the sawn like flat bit on the big rock on the left.U may consiger placing a smaller rock in front of it to soften the transition to substrate or do it with planting.
Any journal on the other tank going?
Regards Konsa


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## Chrispowell (8 Jan 2019)

​


Konsa said:


> Hi
> Hi
> Lovely setup.The only thing that catches my eye is the sawn like flat bit on the big rock on the left.U may consiger placing a smaller rock in front of it to soften the transition to substrate or do it with planting.
> Any journal on the other tank going?
> Regards Konsa




Thanks, I will look at this again tonight - no journal on the smaller tank but heres the last pic 



 

Heres a tidier room pic too


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## Ady34 (9 Jan 2019)

Great hardscape, I love Talawa wood but I have a proper rock envy going on just now 
Think the plant selection will work really well and with that rock and detail shards it will very much remind me of Adam Paszczelas work 
Look forward to following this one.
Cheerio,


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## Chrispowell (11 Jan 2019)

It's very much Inspired by Adam's work so it's great for me that you saw this! 

I visited last year! Heres a pic of his main tank, hes an artist!


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## Chrispowell (11 Jan 2019)

Back to my design, I used epoxy to fix the wood to rocks. It's my pet hate when hardscape moves during maintenance!


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## Ady34 (11 Jan 2019)

Chrispowell said:


> It's very much Inspired by Adam's work so it's great for me that you saw this!
> 
> I visited last year! Heres a pic of his main tank, hes an artist!


Such an inspiring tank. I’m sure yours will be equally fitting in your room. Again i am a little jealous that you have visited the idea studio, another one for the bucket list 



Chrispowell said:


> Back to my design, I used epoxy to fix the wood to rocks. It's my pet hate when hardscape moves during maintenance!


A good idea with lots of intricately positioned rock  

Cheerio,


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## Chrispowell (5 Feb 2019)

I forgot to update the thread! Been planted for about 10 days now, lots of crypt melt but hoping most will recover, other then that so far everything is looking nice.


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## ralfred (5 Feb 2019)

Lovely looking scape, and really like the  dimensions of the tank.  What photoperiod/intensity are you using to start it up if you don’t mind me asking?


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## TBRO (5 Feb 2019)

Love the rocks! Are you going for emergant growth? T


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Chrispowell (6 Feb 2019)

ralfred said:


> Lovely looking scape, and really like the  dimensions of the tank.  What photoperiod/intensity are you using to start it up if you don’t mind me asking?




Hi! I'm using the basic twinstar inline dimmer, I would estimate 60% light to begin as the plants are not high light demanding. 8 hours a day to begin, I will just watch things to see what needs to happen going forward


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## Chrispowell (6 Feb 2019)

TBRO said:


> Love the rocks! Are you going for emergant growth? T
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




I have thought about it but will be a decision as things develope


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## Chrispowell (6 Feb 2019)

Short video of the 45C

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtjVPK9h00o/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1x8i67ma91fv8


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## Chrispowell (11 Feb 2019)

So two weeks in and everything is ticking along well, kept lights nice and reserved and have started adding an all in one ei mix daily. 

Tiny amount of brown algae on the glass but very easy to remove once or twice a week... 




 



 

New growth on pretty much everything, anubias is growing really fast and the bolbitis is producing new leaves



 

Already trimmed the center stem, name escapes me! 


 

Please feel free to offer your advice and opinions!


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## Chrispowell (21 Feb 2019)

Quick video of my cube tonight

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuKCbpLhdm8


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## CooKieS (21 Feb 2019)

I like it!

Stem looks like myriophillum


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## TBRO (21 Feb 2019)

Looking beautiful. Really healthy. You might find the Bolbitis a bit big in it’s forward position? 


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## Chrispowell (22 Feb 2019)

CooKieS said:


> I like it!
> 
> Stem looks like myriophillum



Thanks! 
Will post an update tonight of how things are going!


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## Chrispowell (22 Feb 2019)

TBRO said:


> Looking beautiful. Really healthy. You might find the Bolbitis a bit big in it’s forward position?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




I hope not but they are simply wedged in areas so I can move them further back if needed


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## TBRO (23 Feb 2019)

Cool, I like scapes that are modular. Good to be able to change if you want later. T


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## Chrispowell (24 Feb 2019)

Tiny update, things are going great. Trimmed the background stems 3 times now and growth is good. 

I have been dosing some all in one ei mix but next week I will order some aquavitro line ferts and get things the same as the cube. At this point I will also turn the lights up abit and continue to watch what happens.. 

Will also add some moss to the lower rocks.



 



 



 



 

Comments and critique welcome


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## Chrispowell (10 Mar 2019)

Anyone want some plants?! Think this tank is ready to start over!


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## Ady34 (12 Mar 2019)

Great plant growth. Nice little tank.


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## Tom Michael (12 Mar 2019)

Really like your use of hardscape- you wood look all like branches from one tree, more plants/additional growth at the ends of the branches would enhance this image if that's desired, personally I would use some moss


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## Chrispowell (27 Jun 2021)

Morning all!

So a really long time without posting updates on this post! I'm afraid these are not the most exciting.. yet...

So I decided to clean up the look of my fish room, I had the water storage which was an eye sore and a lack of space for extra tanks/ projects. I decided a gloss white kitchen unit set up would be a nice way to get what I wanted to decided to modify the units to strengthen and lower slightly. This has turned out great and gives me a chance to start creating more content.
Here's how the 45C currently looks, I will upload a better quality picture tonight. It currently houses a group of breeding panda Cory's and some killi rocket fish.



 

 




Heres two images of the new setup as I was creating it..
Many thanks!

Chris


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## Chrispowell (9 Jan 2022)

Uh oh....

Here we go again!! Begun the new hardscape, decided to recycle most hardscape materials as ny personal collection is better then anything you can buy locally...

Mocked the wood up, built my "retaining" walls for the aquarium and glued around 15 bits of rock together to get where I wanted to be. Wood has only been mocked up but I can see what I want..


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## heliophyte (9 Jan 2022)

If I had such nice rocks, I'd reuse them as well. Good luck on the new setup! I'm curious how it will look with the permanent wood.


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