Crystal Valley

[Nuno M.]

Well here goes my new personal setup for 2017/2018 season, I'm planning in keeping you all Up to Date, as it develops and hope you have the time to follow it !!! 🙂

Started:
04/09/2017

Tank:
ADA 60P (60x30x36)

Stand:
MDF ADA Style Cabinet (lacquered in sanded matte antracite 60x30x80)

Lights:
TWINSTAR LIGHT 600S

Filter:
1x EHEIM 2178 (600T) THERMO-FILTER

Filter Media:
Original Blue Pad
Sera Siporax 2l
Seachem Matrix 4l
JBL Symec Syntetic Filter Floss

Other Equipment:
TMC Reg. w/Solenoide Valve + 2Kg Cylinder
ADA Glass Counter
ADA CO2 Indicator
NEO CO2 Difuser (Small)
ADA Outflow P - 4 (13mm)
ADA Inflow V - 5 (13mm)
TWINSTAR M5

Hardscape:
Ryuoh Stone
Red Moor Wood

Substrate:
ADA Aquasoil Amazónia
ADA Power Sand Special
ADA Tourmaline BC

Ferts:
ADA

Plants:
Anubias "Pangolino" (DENNERLE)
Bucephalandra "Belindae" (BUCEPHALANDRA EU)
Bucephalandra "Brownie" (DENNERLE)
Bucephalandra "Broad Wavy Leaf" (DENNERLE)
Bucephalandra "Fake Catherinae" (BECEPHALANDRA EU)
Bucephalandra "Kedagang" (AQUASABI)
Bucephalandra "Mini Needle Leaf" (DENNERLE)
Bucephalandra Motleyana "Braun/Rot Narrow" (AQUASABI)
Bucephalandra Motleyana "Riam Macam" (AQUASABI)
Bucephalandra "Velvet Leaf Entikong" (BECEPHALANDRA EU)
Cryptocoryne "Flamingo" (DENNERLE)
Elatine Hydropiper (AQUAFLORA)
Eleocharis Pusila (DENNERLE)
Hygrophila Pinnatifida (DENNERLE)
Limnophila "Vietanam" (AQUASABI)
Microsorum Pteropus "Green Gnome" (DENNERLE)
Riccardia Chamedryfolia (DENNERLE)
Rotala "Coin Leaf" (DENNERLE)
Rotala "Gia Lai" (AQUASABI)
Rotala "Green" (DENNERLE)
Staurogyne "Porto Velho" (DENNERLE)
Staurogyne "Repens" (DENNERLE)

Here's the FINAL HARDSCAPE 😉

_MG_4264 by Nuno Matos, on Flickr

_MG_4270 by Nuno Matos, on Flickr

 

[Planted Bows]

Very nice!! Can't wait to see this planted!!

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[greedy]

Cha, good as always 🙂

 

[Paulo Soares]

Evening mate,

Looks promissing.
Best wishes.


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[Nigel95]

Great start

 

[Nuno M.]

Very nice!! Can't wait to see this planted!!

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Hi there Planted Bows thank you for your words,

You will not have to wait long as I will post some close-ups from the planting fase next !!!

Cha, good as always 🙂

Thank you greedy 🙂

Evening mate,

Looks promissing.
Best wishes.


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Thank you Paulo 😉

Great start

Thank you Nigel95

And here it goes some photos before flooding it !!!

In this way I think you can see all the plants location !!!

_MG_4355 by Nuno Matos, on Flickr

_MG_4356 by Nuno Matos, on Flickr

_MG_4357 by Nuno Matos, on Flickr

_MG_4358 by Nuno Matos, on Flickr

 

[Mikeba]

This is going to be stunning, for sure! 😀

 

[Planted Bows]

Wow!! So jealous!!

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[Tim Harrison]

Nice...but how about a square on FTS 😉

 

[doylecolmdoyle]

Look great, always good when you plant heavy from the start! I am sure this will be stunning!

 

[Nuno M.]

This is going to be stunning, for sure! 😀

Thank you Mikeba 🙂

Wow!! So jealous!!

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Thank you Planted Bows 😛

Nice...but how about a square on FTS 😉

Comming up next !!! 😀

Look great, always good when you plant heavy from the start! I am sure this will be stunning!

Thank you doylecolmdoyle,

Having a good plant mass from the start is always good for having a good clean start, and the stems sure help a lot !!!! 😉

 

[Nuno M.]

As promised here goes the FTS hope you like this one !!!

_MG_4354 by Nuno Matos, on Flickr

 

[Daveslaney]

Looks fantastic Nuno..
Is the Twinstar S alot more powerful than the E/ES models?. Looks alot wider in the pictures, Should give much better coverage?.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Looks great, your planting is superb 😉

 

[EdwinK]

Nice scape. Microsorum sp. could be smaller though.

 

[Nuno M.]

Looks fantastic Nuno..
Is the Twinstar S alot more powerful than the E/ES models?. Looks alot wider in the pictures, Should give much better coverage?.

Hi Daveslaney,

The TS S models have about 40% more light output than the E models, S goes for Special and E for Entry , I really like this fixtures color mix, really beautiful to look at in both models ...
As for the wideness keep in mind this last photo was taken with a 10mm lens so it tricks you on the real depth !!! But in reality the S model is wider than the E model having 2 extra led rows !!!
In my opinion 1 TS E is enough for a 60P layout, I'm now testing the S model in this one, keep on following and let's see were it goes, I will also take my one considerations into account in the coming months ...

Looks great, your planting is superb 😉

Thank you Tim 😀

Nice scape. Microsorum sp. could be smaller though.

Hi there EdwinK,

Thank you for the comment 😉

As for the Microsorum sp. this one is a variety that I've never used is called "Green Gnome" by Dennerle farm, it's now on it's emerse form, I hope that being submersed the leaf size will minimize !!!

But will have to wait on it !!!

Thank you all for starting to follow this one !!!

 

[Paulo Soares]

Evening,

I bought a model E and i can confirm that for more than 30 cm width one Unit is not enough so a second unit will be required.
Although i also must say that in my experience even with one only Unit for a minor width it is advisable to fit or assembly those considered hard plants ( red ones) right beneith the light Unit.
Plants that doesn't required so much light could be rooted in the rear or front of the tank. Or if you wish and according to plantation put the light Unit more behind or to the front and not centered. Play with it.

My tank is 40 cm width and with one unit i had this issue. The model E is 11 cm led width.. it remains 29 cm for filled. The model S is 14 cm.

Best regards to all



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[Daveslaney]

Thanks Nuno.
Will be following this one for sure.Always find your journals great and very informative.

 

[Nuno M.]

Evening,

I bought a model E and i can confirm that for more than 30 cm width one Unit is not enough so a second unit will be required.
Although i also must say that in my experience even with one only Unit for a minor width it is advisable to fit or assembly those considered hard plants ( red ones) right beneith the light Unit.
Plants that doesn't required so much light could be rooted in the rear or front of the tank. Or if you wish and according to plantation put the light Unit more behind or to the front and not centered. Play with it.

My tank is 40 cm width and with one unit i had this issue. The model E is 11 cm led width.. it remains 29 cm for filled. The model S is 14 cm.

Best regards to all

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I must agree with you here Paulo,

Actually I'm using 2x 600E in a 60x40x40 tank (https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads...-a-casa-dos-discus-06-04-2017-portugal.50051/), and they fit there like a glove, but it really depends on the kind of layout we are planning, for thick colorful stems in a 40+ depth layout i must agree that 1x E series is not enough, but let's say for a Iwagumi style layout it can be more than you can chew !!

Now the S and SP series, just from looking at it is a really nice addition to the TWINSTAR lineup, in my opinion to more experienced aquascapers that can handle it's light !!!

Thanks Nuno.
Will be following this one for sure.Always find your journals great and very informative.

You are welcome Daveslaney,

And thank you for following this one !!!

 

[Tom Ryan (@aquascaperay)]

Great photos! Do you guys think that the Twinstar 600SP will therefore have enough power for the ADA 90f tank as there may be too much light with the 900SP?