AquaNano 60 - First attempt at a high tech planted

[stryder]

So this is my first attempt and thought I would share my journey here to learn from mistakes (i'm sure I will make many!) and get feedback.

Tank is an AquaNano 60 - 60cm long, 40cm depth and 47cm tall.

Substrate:
ADA Power Sand Special S
ADA Amazonia aquasoil
ADA Mekong Sand

Lighting:
Standard 4 colour LED that came with the tank, potentially upgrade in the future.
[EDIT] Replace Standard LED with Kessil A150W Amazon Sun (first gen)

CO2:
CO2art Sodastream kit, running currently at 1 bubble/second. Fishless (about 6 weeks) running at 2-3 bubbles/sec

Ferts: Tropica premium/specialised, now switched/trialling TNC Complete 10ml per week (post water change), looking at building a DIY doser.

Plants:
Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba'
Rotala sp. Wallichii
Rotala sp. Vietnam
Ludwigia perennis
Staurogyne Repens
Anubias sp. Barteri Nana
Anubias sp. Barteri
Microsorum Trident
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Weeping Moss Vesicularia ferriei

Livestock (current)
12 x Rummynose tetra
6 x Corydoras Adolfoi
5 x Amano shrimp
4 x Ottocinclus sp.

Livestock (future)
Dwarf cichlid, either a pair or Apistos or Rams, undecided.
Maybe a school or ember or green neon tetras, but this will push stocking to just beyond limits.

A few progress pictures, its been running for 9 weeks currently.

 

[SeanOB]

looking good and very healthy growth! subscribed

 

[stryder]

Thanks! Time to start trimming a little more

 

[Zeus.]

Looking good, nice growth

Son has same tank which we have just modified the sump slightly so he can fit more media in there.

What light are you using ATM ? as its obviously not the one that came with the tank.

 

[stryder]

Thanks

Yeh i've done the same regarding the sump - compressed the supplied sponges and added some filter floss along with not using those (useless) "slide in" type carbon/media trays they provide and used more media. Also I changed the pump outlet to use a spray bar from another filter to reduce flow, working quite well.

In terms on light - its actually the standard one that came with the tank! I thought I would give it a try and it seems to be working out ok for the moment, I have to say I was in a store this week which had the tank for sale and it did have a different light with it so I might have an updated model. It has two goose neck that clamp on the back of the tank, and 4 colour LED.

 

[Zeus.]

Sons only has one gooseneck on his original light. His HC failed, but he didnt have CO2 at the time and wouldnt listen.

 

[stryder]

Ah that's probably a shorter light as well. To be honest the HC struggled to get going for me, its my first time use ADA Aquasoil and its quite large and soft...which made it difficult for me at least to get the HC to stay put! I would have to almost daily replant pieces that would be floating. But it eventually did take hold. Still a little patchy but hoping it will fill out over time.

No pearling or anything but steady growth by the looks of things..

 

[James Bamford]

Hi mate,

I have the exact same tank and I'm currently running my low tech setup on an eheim Ecco pro 300. I've done away with the filter media in the back and just use my eheim.

Your tank is coming on really well I hope everything's still running smoothly. I'm hoping to upgrade mine to high tech soon. Are you still using the standard sump filter in the back chambers along with the pump and the original media that comes with the tank or are you using a canister?

I'm just trying to weigh up my options

 

[stryder]

Hello mate,

Yeh its still going, some small changes to the tank.

I am using the standard sump, but compressed the sponges a little and added some filter floss into the mix, and a mix of ceramic media that came with and mature media from another tank.I add extra in there as well for more tanks should I need them. Other than that the pump is the same, I use a mini spray bar as the outlet which is underwater just to slow the flow a little - also the compressed sponges so it down so the normal outlet nozzle pushes too much water through and cause the level to drop in the pump chamber.

For me the standard filtration has been fine, I guess it depends on your livestock choices as well...

I'll get some pics up in the next couple days.

 

[James Bamford]

Sounds good mate I remember the initial setup of mine before I changed to my canister. I recall the pump being super powerful blowing at the glass and disturbing the substrate even when angling it up quite a bit haha. I am contemplating the idea of trying it again though if I can convince myself of a decent setup with it.

I remember getting a thick biofilm on the surface of the water in the chambers too because the water's surface is still. What's your experience with this?

Pics would be good, I'd be interested to see how you have your spray bar and the back chamber set up if it's possible to get a photo some how . I'm just waiting on my CO2 to arrive alongside a few other bits and bobs and then I'm more or less ready to start.

My eheim Ecco pro 300 is a good filter nonetheless but I just didn't know if it cuts it flow wise once it's filled with its media and a bit of gunk.

Cheers.

 

[stryder]

I was also getting a biofilm in the chambers - what I did at the time was put some spare frogbit or salvina in the chambers so they covered the surface 100%, this worked quite well. But in the end I ended up putting some Pothos in all the chambers which also worked - but not as well. The tank has an eheim surface skimmer as well that kicks in for an hour or so a day.

Couple pics of the tank following a water change so you can see what's what, I removed the HC Cuba, it was growing well but started to suffer when the mosses started to grow out and block its light- they got huge and out of control! But i've since cut them back, also the Crypt in the corner is huge, but I like it like that Also my Anubias is flowering

 

[miah431]

I was also getting a biofilm in the chambers - what I did at the time was put some spare frogbit or salvina in the chambers so they covered the surface 100%, this worked quite well. But in the end I ended up putting some Pothos in all the chambers which also worked - but not as well. The tank has an eheim surface skimmer as well that kicks in for an hour or so a day.

Couple pics of the tank following a water change so you can see what's what, I removed the HC Cuba, it was growing well but started to suffer when the mosses started to grow out and block its light- they got huge and out of control! But i've since cut them back, also the Crypt in the corner is huge, but I like it like that Also my Anubias is flowering

What's your current live stock. I have the same tank as well. Do you have a lid on your tank?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

 

[stryder]

What's your current live stock. I have the same tank as well. Do you have a lid on your tank?

Current stocking:
5 Amano Shrimp
3 Corydoras Adolfoi (3 perished)
10 Rummynose Tetra
6 Kubotai Rasbora
1 Otto

And i've literally just added these - my Dad shut down a tank so I took the fish:
1 Bronze Corydora
5 Harlequin Rasbora
4 Cheery Barbs

 

[miah431]

Current stocking:
5 Amano Shrimp
3 Corydoras Adolfoi (3 perished)
10 Rummynose Tetra
6 Kubotai Rasbora
1 Otto

And i've literally just added these - my Dad shut down a tank so I took the fish:
1 Bronze Corydora
5 Harlequin Rasbora
4 Cheery Barbs

Do the rummynose school together and are they active? I was looking to get some for my tank in future.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[stryder]

Do the rummynose school together and are they active? I was looking to get some for my tank in future.

Absolutely, in my opinion they are one of the tightest schooling fish i've ever kept. With the latest additions they are a little spooked at the moment but I'm sure this will settle down.

 

[James Bamford]

That's looking really well Stryder thanks for the photos they've given me a better understanding.

Can I ask which powerhead that is you are using? Is it a Koralia Nano 900? That was another thought, to run one alongside my canister and see how I go rather than just straight out buying a larger filter.

How are you finding the eheim skimmer? I have one too, have you had any daredevil fish/shrimps caught inside it? I have mine tucked in the back left chamber where the inlet slots are. You don't get the extra flow obviously as it is literally aiming at the glass in the chamber but you get a bit more protection against livestock getting sucked in.

Also what are your thoughts on the TNC Complete. I'm torn between giving that a go or just doing standard E.I dry ferts.

My fire extinguisher came today that I'll be using for my CO2 so now I've pretty much got everything on my list for the setup. Just a case of stripping mine down and re-doing it all when I get a free weekend.

Cheers

 

[stryder]

That's looking really well Stryder thanks for the photos they've given me a better understanding.

Can I ask which powerhead that is you are using? Is it a Koralia Nano 900? That was another thought, to run one alongside my canister and see how I go rather than just straight out buying a larger filter.

How are you finding the eheim skimmer? I have one too, have you had any daredevil fish/shrimps caught inside it? I have mine tucked in the back left chamber where the inlet slots are. You don't get the extra flow obviously as it is literally aiming at the glass in the chamber but you get a bit more protection against livestock getting sucked in.

Also what are your thoughts on the TNC Complete. I'm torn between giving that a go or just doing standard E.I dry ferts.

My fire extinguisher came today that I'll be using for my CO2 so now I've pretty much got everything on my list for the setup. Just a case of stripping mine down and re-doing it all when I get a free weekend.

Cheers

No problem

Yep that's the Koralia Nano 900, what with dampening the flow with the mini spray bar I wanted to make sure I still had good circulation and it does the trick.

I haven't had any issues with fish jumping into the skimmer yet! One rummynose did jump into the sump chamber once when I was running it without the lid and spooked them at night so the lid is back on! I only run the skimmer for an hour a day on timer and so far no issues.

TNC complete - well its been ok, although I found that running the tropica ferts at the beginning was doing a better job - this was fishless though and I had my CO2 cranked up as well, so might be just that. Others have had great success with it.

Awesome, i'll keep an eye out for when you start your tank! I'm getting the urge to re-scape and switch things around...but like you say its more about time to do it!!

 

[Kitbag]

Hi, I’m looking at this tank as a possible option for my first planted tank. I have a few questions and would appreciate it if any owners can answer some/any of them:

1. What is the internal dimension from the front of the glass to the front of the filter, I.e. the usable display part of the tank?
2. How are you diffusing your co2?
3. Do you think it would be possible to put the return pump on the base of the back compartment and connect a pipe to it? I thought that may enable the use of an inline diffuser.
4. Do you think a light such as the Chihiros which sits on the aquarium glass sides could be used with the cover glass in place?
5. Would you recommend the tank?

Thanks in advance.

 

[stryder]

Hi @Kitbag

I have some answers for you

1. What is the internal dimension from the front of the glass to the front of the filter, I.e. the usable display part of the tank?
   It's 12inches / 30 cm from front glass to sump.
2. How are you diffusing your co2?
   I use a bazooka diffuser which bubbles into the pump and into then the tank.
3. Do you think it would be possible to put the return pump on the base of the back compartment and connect a pipe to it? I thought that may enable the use of an inline diffuser.
   Yeh there is enough space, if I remember correctly it even came with some pipe you could use to do this and an elbow..if memory serves.
4. Do you think a light such as the Chihiros which sits on the aquarium glass sides could be used with the cover glass in place?
   Hmm.. you might need to cut some slots into the plastic lip that holds the glass
5. Would you recommend the tank?
   Yes, it's a decent tank with filtration tucked away in the rear sump with space for bits and bobs

 

[stryder]

Couple of updates:

- Added a pic of the plastic lip that holds the top glass cover in place.
- Got hold of a second hand Kessil A150W Amazon Sun for a decent price on eBay.
- Moved some bits in the tank to open up more space and planted some crypts from the mother plant in the corner as well as trim and plant some of the S. Repens.
- Added 6 baby Cory Adolfoi that just came out of quarantine along with 2 Ottos
- It needs a clean! Will do this shortly
- Next I will get some new carpeting plants and potentially a DIY fert doser.