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Mini M - Classic Nature

igirisujin

Member
Joined
21 Feb 2020
Messages
122
Location
Between Japan (Kyushu) and the UK (East Anglia)
Hello!

Yesterday I had a call from the shop saying my ADA plants had arrived, so I popped over to the city (slowly - apparently it snowed in the mountains!) to collect them. This morning I took down my >Iwagumi< and started on the next scape. Finally got it balanced, took pictures and dismantled it. Hope I don't regret not keeping it a little longer.

This time I wanted to go back to a classic NA style, a little bit like those in ADA books one and two. Unfortunately my copies are back in England, so I'm just going from rough memories. For hardscape I decided on six pieces of driftwood, partially covered in moss, and a couple of moss-covered stones. Plants are mostly fast-growing, for added challenge - lots of stems and Monte Carlo especially.

ADA Mini M
ONF Flat Nano+
Eheim Classic Filter, standard media
ADA Amazonia II, plus some leftover soil at the base to boost the height
Do!Aqua CO2 kit and DOOA Music Glass diffuser - Just under 1bps, from one hour before lights on
ADA Brighty K, Green Brighty Mineral, Green Brighty Nitrogen - 1ml each, daily

Plants
Monte Carlo
Staurogyne repens
Ech. tenellus
Rotala 'green'
Rotala rotundifolia (maybe? - can't remember, had it ages!)
Rotala nanjean
Hygrophila pinnatifida 'UK' (denser than regular)

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Fish and shrimp have gone in a 'rice box' for the time being, and the rice has been moved elsewhere!!
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I pulled a whole load of Monte Carlo out of the iwagumi. Not sure what to do with it now. I don't know any other scapers in Japan. Might try growing it emersed in leftover Aquasoil.
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Here's the Hygrophila pinnatifida 'UK'. I hadn't heard of the 'UK' version before, but apparently it grows more densely than the regular form. Hopefully it's not too wild for a Mini M. Didn't realise until I got the bill, but it was blooming expensive! Better not melt, haha.
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Bit like this - I'm wishing I'd put all of the R. nanjean on the left, now, and used more R. 'green' on the right. Will let it grow in for now and see about switching it about. Also, the other 'redder' Rotala at the back might shift right a little, where the central Staurogyne is now. That might give a better balance. That's what you get for rushing the planting in between work!
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I might play with the piece of wood on the left, too. What do you think? Looks a little too bolt upright to me. Might be OK when the stems and moss grow in.
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Filled and filter running. Day 1.
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As I had trouble with EI last time and switching to ADA ferts solved all my problems, that's what I'm starting with this time. Might double the dosage as the plant mass is higher this time. Thanks for reading. Any suggestions, feel free to fire away!
 

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Hey nice scape, I read that you like the ADA fertilizer I have been looking into them aswell how are you finding them? Are you using the ADA aquasoil aswell? Or even the power sand? I have just got my self some ADA aquasoil but was sure about using the power sand as I only have a 30l cube
Anyway great work look forward to the progress
Matt
 
Really love this scape, I'm a big fan of the classic NA style. I don't think your driftwood is too upright, once the stems grow in they won't stand out so much :)
Thank you for your comment. I hope so - I'm hoping the left side in particular will grow in dense and bushy, and should mask any awkwardness in the driftwood. I also wondered if they were too linear, but the classic scapes weren't quite as concerned with an extreme sense of depth as today. I think I'll keep the plants at the back-center lower (currently Staurogyne and Monte Carlo), which should give a nice shape. Maybe the Monte Carlo will flow over the wood towards the front, too.

Hey nice scape, I read that you like the ADA fertilizer I have been looking into them aswell how are you finding them? Are you using the ADA aquasoil aswell? Or even the power sand? I have just got my self some ADA aquasoil but was sure about using the power sand as I only have a 30l cube
Anyway great work look forward to the progress
Matt
Yeah, when I think about it, I've only ever had success when using the ADA ferts - right back to 2007 in my first tank. That probably says more about my poor technique than anything else, but I think I'm learning to stick with ADA. It's Aquasoil Amazonia II, yes. My first time using Amazonia with the new pellets. No power sand - I've never used that. As the 3 liter bag of AS wasn't gonna be enough for the slope in this tank, I used old Amazonia underneath to give some more height. With a bit of luck that'll still be holding a good amount of bacteria and good stuff from the previous layout I took down that morning.

I highly recommend both Aquasoil and the ADA fert range - but as many will tell you, they are not a cheap option. I've just never been able to achieve a balance with EI powders or other brands.
 
Which Eheim model are you using? The reason I ask is because I'm trying to find one with the right amount of flow for my 27L tank
 
I have aquasoil here its the first time I'm going to be using it, just wasn't sure about the ferts, I like the ADA fert range because of the simplicity 1ml pump for 20l per day there you can not really go wrong, as with the price I suppose you pay for the brand which is normal, and I would expect for nano tank with say 20 liters its not that expensive but for a tank that is 100 plus liter the ADA fers would be expensive in the long run,
I have a 20l cube so I think the ADA ferts are perfect 👌 thanks for your imput
 
Which Eheim model are you using? The reason I ask is because I'm trying to find one with the right amount of flow for my 27L tank
I'm using a 2211. I have another one on my 45P with a heavy fish load. Seems perfectly capable.

I have aquasoil here its the first time I'm going to be using it, just wasn't sure about the ferts, I like the ADA fert range because of the simplicity 1ml pump for 20l per day there you can not really go wrong, as with the price I suppose you pay for the brand which is normal, and I would expect for nano tank with say 20 liters its not that expensive but for a tank that is 100 plus liter the ADA fers would be expensive in the long run,
I have a 20l cube so I think the ADA ferts are perfect 👌 thanks for your imput
Yeah, I can see that it'll get quite expensive for larger tanks. Good for the Mini M, though. I watched an ADA video the other day on YouTube where they were dosing a 120P with Brighty K - I could almost see the ¥ dissolving into the flow like CO2 bubbles.

Stunning, posted on UKAPS Instagram page ;)
Thanks :D
 
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<"I'd have cried">. I really don't understand how you can persuade people to buy <"bespoke dilute fertiliser mixes">. You talk about aesthetics <"with a light or a filter">, but with fertilsers <"an ion is an ion is an ion">.
In my last few tanks I've experimented with KNO3, PH2SO4 and trace mixes and never had success. In fact, despite following the guides as far as I understand, they've all been disasters. I completely admit that I haven't gotten my head around the maths and dosing amounts and so those failures come from my lack of understanding, but for me that experience has made me wary of mixing my own. Here in Japan, ADA isn't mind-blowingly expensive. It's not cheap, but neither is it much more than the next brand. Personally, for the ease of use, in my small tank I'm happy to pay for peace of mind and a system that works.
 
I really like the look of the hardscape. Any chance you know what kind of wood that exactly is?
 
Hello! Long time no see!
I'm sorry I haven't updated this. Been pretty busy recently, and also had a couple of initial minor issues with the scape. I started with ADA Brighty Mineral, K and Nitrogen, but have since dropped the Nitrogen. Also had some CO2 leaks, and dumped a couple of months worth over a couple of days. That caused a few issues.

Firstly, the Monte Carlo carpet started looking like a repeat of my iwagumi at the beginning - it turned more or less totally brown-yellow with tiny leaves. Then the stems (particularly the R. nanjean) just didn't grow. It went brown and looked very sick. It's just starting to look a little better now, although older leaves remain brown. I'm not sure if it's leaf colour or algae. I'm gonna let it grow out and replant the tips if need be.
I also quickly found some BBA on the wood and older leaves. I trimmed the leaves, and attacked the wood with mokusakusu (not sure in English - some kind of vinegar apparently also used on bonsai branches). Stinks like crazy for a couple of days, but really does the trick.

Anyway, here it is now. Just an iPhone picture for now, and at a funky angle to stop reflections. I'll take a proper update photo in time.

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Quick update.

The pinnatifida started getting quite big, so I hacked it right back - it's growing back in more densely and with smaller leaves, so I'm happy with it.
I also cut the tenellus back too, and am waiting for it to come back.
The lower stems and the Rotala 'green' on the right side of the tank also look pretty ugly. I might have to replant the front-right stems next time. The R. nanjean is also not coping well. The new, top leaves are a nice green, but soon turn an ugly brown. Am considering replacing them with more R. 'green'.
I recently trimmed the Stauorgyne, but next time I trim the carpet, I'll probably hack that back too. The lower leaves are not good, and the upper ones have been turning fuzzy.
Also still battling the BBA, just like in the iwagumi.

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That's all for now!
 
Quick update.

The pinnatifida started getting quite big, so I hacked it right back - it's growing back in more densely and with smaller leaves, so I'm happy with it.
I also cut the tenellus back too, and am waiting for it to come back.
The lower stems and the Rotala 'green' on the right side of the tank also look pretty ugly. I might have to replant the front-right stems next time. The R. nanjean is also not coping well. The new, top leaves are a nice green, but soon turn an ugly brown. Am considering replacing them with more R. 'green'.
I recently trimmed the Stauorgyne, but next time I trim the carpet, I'll probably hack that back too. The lower leaves are not good, and the upper ones have been turning fuzzy.
Also still battling the BBA, just like in the iwagumi.

View attachment 168182
That's all for now!

It's a lovely looking tank, with so much healthy growth it causes me to wonder what could be causing the BBA!
 
No idea! Straight from the tap.
In my country the waterworks publishes avg. water parameters each year. Had some problems with green algae in the beginning and they were probably caused by a high amount of potassium (tap water + potassium/nitrate fertilizer). So if there's a chance you can get the water parameters (for at least for nitrate, phosphate and potassium) maybe we can find out what's the cause for your BBA.

Do you know how much CO2 is in your scape (drop checker or something)? BBA are often caused by lack of CO2 - although your plant growth speaks otherwise.
 
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