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My EA Aquascaper has just arrived.. :D

Matt1994

Member
Joined
12 May 2020
Messages
140
Location
North Yorkshire
Hi everyone,
hope everyone is well and ok during this horrible time!!
I am new to this group, My name is Matt and
i am 25 years old and my hobby is fish keeping/aquascaping...
I had what i classed as high tech tank approximatley 5 years ago, it was the Jewel Rio 180, the T5 model.
this to me was my first high tech aquarium, i dosed an all in one fertiliser and i used co2 Injection. I then shut this down after around 18 months due to not having the time to maintain it (was working away from home, basically no spare time to make it the best it could be. I have in the last year moved on in my career and now work around 30 minutes from home and now have time to for-fill my true hobby again.
(this is my new tank, ordered before the lockdown arose and has just arrived today) long wait, but worth it..
My new tank is the Ea Aquascaper 600 (Ultra Japanese pear cabinet)

the photos i will attatch are around 5 minutes after the delivery was made and was simply unboxed to check for any damage...
the tank is now (just) positioned in what i hope is its forever home!

My plans for this tank (following months, maybe longer depending on global situation, no rush for me)

To have a high tech tank, Using a Twinstar 600sa light
Between Tropica or ADA Amazonia substrate
To run injected co2
To dose individual ferts, micro and macro
And not 100% sure on plants, hardscape etc....
i am wanting a mixture of rocks and wood, want as natural look as possible...

i hope this makes sense to everyone and that you will follow my journey, over the following months (or as long as needed)

This is my first post, so i hope A) ive done it ok and B)hope its welcome and just looking for any advice, ideas, inspiration and just to chat about my hobby with others...
 

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Fantastic beginning :)

- especially the cabinet as I’ve been wanting to see that colour

You can mix Amazonia (bottom layer) and Tropica (top Powder layer), if you want to rescape multiple time with the same soil, I’d suggest Tropica as it muds less than the ADA soil
Filipe Oliveira demonstrates reusing soils and re-loading substrate nutrients in this video


If you want a single long term scape, then I’d boost nutrients in the bottom (ADA supplements or Tropica Nutrition capsule or some combination re Jurijs mit JS)
 
Hi, alto and jayefc1 !!
Thankyou for the welcome,
it was out of stock when i ordered it but finally the wait is over, i personally love it!
i have so much planned for this tank and have seen many ideas but just really want to put my own twist on it, been out of fish keeping for a few years and just want something wow..!
Alto, thanks for the video will have a look at that now, i am more than tempted by the tropica that would be my first choice, but just want to get it right, i plan on running an oase biomaster thermo 250 on the tank,
and running injected co2
its more of a timed proccess for me as i just want to get in from work and just have that "wow" everytime i look at it, if you know what i mean!
i plan on keeping (once setup, however long it takes) galaxy rasboras as the main feature.

The tank on the other hand, the quality seems outstanding, its my first ever true aquascping tank and it just looks great, even empty.
I am going to sit the twinstar unit on it tomorrow and get a feel for it. (will upload some more photos at some point tomorrow)

it is going to be a fairly long process
and i will keep everyone updated, again longer due to the current situation, but thanks for the warm welcome and if you have some time over the upcoming months keep an eye on this post!

Thanks
Matt
 
Unless you’ve already bought the filter, I’d go with the Oase 350 - especially if you later want to run anything inline - but swap out the 200w heater for a 150
 
Hi matt great choice of tank and light i think maybe the oase 350 would be better i have the 250 on a 45p and flow isnt the most powerful so i would up it to the 350 personally.

Looking forward to following this one and some more update pics.

Welclme to the forum plenty of help on here mate.

Dean

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
 
Unless you’ve already bought the filter, I’d go with the Oase 350 - especially if you later want to run anything inline - but swap out the 200w heater for a 150
I have just said exactly the same as your message wasnt on when i started mine totally agree .

Dean

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
 
The twinstar 600 sa is a nice light
I do agree with alto and dean the 350 is a better filter for the 600 I have the 250 on a 45p and a 350 on a 60p you can see the difference you want to get a decent flow around the tank from the start if you havnt already brought the 250 I'd defo reconsider mate I also.prefer the tropica soil less leaching to start with than the ADA and the tropica capsule are good but if you want to add nutrient tads the neo ones are extremely good
 
Hi Deano3 :) and sparkyweasel :)!!


Thanks to for the welcome guys.
and again thanks to, Alto and Jayefc1 for your comments and suggestions so far.

No i haven't ordered the filter yet so happy to take your advice mate, other than the slightly less flow, how do you find the filter mate? is it as good as the reviews say? my main draw to that filter was firstly the inbuilt heater into the system but also the pre-filter, (not that i skimp on any tank maintenance or have any plans to once tank is set up, i love the maintenance side as much as sitting back and viewing the tank.. lol..

So will definitely if i do ahead on ordering the Oase filter will go with the 350.. unless you guys have any better suggestions, which also house a heater..?


i mostly went for the 600sa due to the colour spectrum and wanting to keep red plants too (something about pearling red plants and just the contrast against the green) this was purchased the same time as the tank but arrived after a couple of days tank only came yesterday so havent even unboxed the light yet its been sat in a safe place, this afternoons task is to sit it on and get more of a feel for it.. (will uplodad some pics, i also ordered the twinstar function controller but that is yet to arrive...

i have decided on the larger sized tropica substrate 2-3mm (i believe it is)
as will think personally this will add more depth to my scape... (Also hopefully making the plants less likely to float, or so ive read)
i am so excited myself to see this progress over the coming months..
what a lovely group this is ..
thank you all for your kind comments and warm welcome,

so yes if you guys have any other suggestions on filter , either better, the same the pros+cons of it compared to the Oase, if not i will go with the Oase but go for the 350


and not using the filter before to swap over heater to a smaller one, would this just be a case of purchase an Oase Smaller Watt heater? or is it an option on adding a preferred make of heater,
thanks again all!!!!:D

Cant wait to keep you lot posted and updated with the progress, will upload some photos of the light on the tank later,

Thanks Matt
 
@Matt1994 welcome! It looks like you will have the tank in your bedroom. The Oase is a great filter for the reasons you state. I’m running a 600 Thermo and love it for the heating and pre-filter. It’s quiet, but not the quietest. I know they are more expensive, but if you want a really quiet filter for in the bedroom, Giu. Ichthyology want to consider an Eheim.

I look forward to seeing how it develops.
 
Random tip...... Put/stick a little bit of foam or something at the bottom of the circular cut out on the cabinet, on the side your filter pipes will be. Reduces any extra noises caused by the tubing resting on the cabinet cutouts resulting in vibrating or droning noise.
 
Just my opinion I think there great filters for the price the pre filter and heater are brilliant little extras as long as you clean the pre filter weekly stop almost every thing getting in to the main body and you only have to clean them once every 3 months and then it's not dirty you could leave it double that I'd order the 45psi pre filter sponges the not as fine as the 60 and do allow for better flow but it's not a issue either way
As for the substrate if I was you I'd order a bag of the soil and a bag of the powder to top of the soil the finer grains help with smaller rooting plants if your having any ie MC or HC and I think it gives a cleaner finish you would need 2 bags for the 600 in any case
The 600 sa is that the adjustable twinstar if so looks really nice hung above the tank
 
Hi everyone got the light on the tank will upload some photos now, bed is not staying next to the tank, part way through moving it around ha (so dont worry) i think i am set on the Oase 350 filter, and oh thanks Jayefc1 for that help on the pre filter!!

And 2x 9L?
never used tropica soil before mind, is the smaller grain not more likely to float, (i know a bit will but just unsure?)

i am tempted by a MC carpet but still not 100% certain yet, i want something different...


here are the pics of the light sitting on the tank, as i say bed is moving so dont worry about that (large bedroom advantages..)

And yes the 600sa as far as i am aware the only difference is the adjustable legs


let me know what you think?
i think it looks great, seems very good quality and very very bright! :D
 
photo 1 - light just sat on the tank -
 

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they are really bright!!
hopefully controller turns up soon and i can have a play around with that


Lovely tank mate!!
is that the twinstar nano? if so how do you rate them, heard mixed things mostly about them adding a lot more oxygen to the tank..?

what filter are you running ?
 
It is mate I have them.in all my tanks even if it helps to oxygenate the water a little dont know if it does anything but anything that can help is worth a go
The oase 350 on that tank that's the ADA 60P
 
never used tropica soil before mind, is the smaller grain not more likely to float, (i know a bit will but just unsure?)
The reverse actually - the Powder with its finer more uniform size is “easier” to plant in, and better “holds” small plants such as 1-2-Grow HC etc (fewer plants will float up after initial planting)
I prefer spray dampened soil for planting and have very few (if any) floating soil particles
If the Aquarium Soil has dried out somewhat, it’s more likely to “float”, just mist heavily and soil will absorb water again (while still remaining basically dry, allow several hours for process if Soil has sat for some weeks, eg, if you create hardscape then wait before planting)
If Soil appears a lighter brown out of bags, it’s just drier and will be slightly more floaty

The Soil usually becomes more water saturated after a few weeks submersed
 
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