# Noob and his ADA Mini-M Tank



## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

All you need is some DIY CO2 and your ready to go. What wattage is that light? Also give it time, thats the hardest part, to fill in.

Craig


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## merk1_99 (Nov 11, 2008)

looks good!


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

Craigthor said:


> All you need is some DIY CO2 and your ready to go. What wattage is that light? Also give it time, thats the hardest part, to fill in.
> 
> Craig


Yeah, I'm not sure if I should DIY or just do flourish excel. I'm also not sure of the wattage. The tank is in my office at work, so I'll get back to you later on that.


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

I'm learning as I go along.


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## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

Great start. 
The light's twenty-seven watts. I'd go DIY rather than Excel. It's a bit more work, but the results are more than commensurate. Especially if it's at the office and you have the DIY CO2 hooked into a diffuser. People will ask about the bubbles and you can go on to explain about how the yeast exhales and gives off CO2 and how that feeds the plants and how it's all carefully controlled ecosystem on account of the lights, the plants, the fertilizers, the substrate, and the fauna, and by the time their eyes glaze over after hearing what to them is incredibly boring stuff, they'll be out of your office having forgotten to give you the work they meant to give you right before they asked what the bubbles were.


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## ddtran46 (Jul 8, 2008)

You should add more water to it, close to the top or so. Other than that, looking good so far.


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## deondrec (Sep 30, 2008)

so i know that do!aqua is the offbrand off ada. but where did you find the do!aqua tanks? were they cheaper than the ada rimless?


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

deondrec said:


> so i know that do!aqua is the offbrand off ada. but where did you find the do!aqua tanks? were they cheaper than the ada rimless?


I got my tank from my local fish store. My mini-M was about $25 less than the ADA mini-m. The DoAqua tanks are cheaper as far I was told, is because it is an older style tank where they use the green tint glass instead of the clearer one.

btw, I got 5 Black Neon Tetra and 2 Otto's.:red_mouth


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

ddtran46 said:


> You should add more water to it, close to the top or so. Other than that, looking good so far.


I would but my table stand is not that sturdy. If someone bumps into it, it will sway a bit and I'm afraid water will get all over the place. I will look for sturdier stand soon.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

How much was the Do!Aqua tank? Is it the same as the regular ADA Mini-M?


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## cintamas (Feb 17, 2009)

Sturdy stands are a must! I had an ADA 60-P that split down the front because my iron stand was a little un-balanced. It was a 2am nightmare complete with tears of sadness! It's well worth it knowing that your tank is fully supported. 

Question...have you decided what type of CO2 route to take? I have tried almost all and I highly recommend paintball cylinders for this type of tank. You can get a cylinder for $20-$30 and get it filled for an additional $3 at Sports Authority. The regulators are sold all over the internet and sometimes local stores out here might carry them (mainly the Red Sea brand). Good Luck!


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

cintamas said:


> Sturdy stands are a must! I had an ADA 60-P that split down the front because my iron stand was a little un-balanced. It was a 2am nightmare complete with tears of sadness! It's well worth it knowing that your tank is fully supported.
> 
> Question...have you decided what type of CO2 route to take? I have tried almost all and I highly recommend paintball cylinders for this type of tank. You can get a cylinder for $20-$30 and get it filled for an additional $3 at Sports Authority. The regulators are sold all over the internet and sometimes local stores out here might carry them (mainly the Red Sea brand). Good Luck!



I just bought another stand today. It should be much more sturdier than the one I have now.

As of right now, I'm gonna try the DIY sugar/yeast co2 setup. I have all the materials except for some sort of diffuser.


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## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

You can use an airstone or a broken off wooden chopstick for a diffuser if you're in a pinch.


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

Ok, got in a new stand today and is sturdier than my old stand. Also got my diy co2 ready to go. 





Ugly Genius said:


> You can use an airstone or a broken off wooden chopstick for a diffuser if you're in a pinch.


How do you use the wooden chopsticks?


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## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

Break two inches of a disposable wooden chopstick off and stick it in the airline tubing.

Like this:









_(The rubber band is optional.)_​


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

OIC. Thanks.


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

A couple of black neon tetras and you can see my diy co2:redface:


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow that's some nice Wallichi!


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

Thanks Zoo!


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> How much was the Do!Aqua tank? Is it the same as the regular ADA Mini-M?


Hey I just realized you never answered this question


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> Hey I just realized you never answered this question


Sorry! I paid $70 for my tank and the ADA one sells for $90 at my local fish store. though I was browsing the ADA site and they were selling the Mini-m for $65 and there was no listing for the Do!aqua tanks. I'm confused on this.


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

Well nothing really changed much. Just added some feeder shrimps into the tank.

I can't get any other types of shrimp since they are illegal in Hawaii.










An Oto









more pics of my black neons


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

Thinking about adding more plants in there. I think it still looks bare. Probably near the filter intake. Don't know what type of plant though.


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## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

Tank's looking good. Don't worry about it looking bare. They all do when they're first planted. Give it time and add slowly if you do. You'll find the look you're after. (The best part of a planted tank is that they're never finished. You can always add and subtract.)


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

Thanks UG. I was originally going for an iwagumi look, but I is impatient person. lol


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## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

looks good so far  

join the club!! http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/equipment/82321-swagger-like-m-official-mini-m-4.html


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

Haha! One of my black neons committed harakiri today. Jumped out of the tank. I didn't noticed it till it was too late.


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

Changed out my regular intake/outake pipes for do!aqua lily pipes today. I must say it looks a lot better than before. I need to get some clear suction cups though.

Sorry for the crappy phone pics.


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## connordude27 (Jun 14, 2008)

nice tank if i get the money and can find Do!Aqua in the US here i would probably try it


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## cintamas (Feb 17, 2009)

Is the diameter of the intake pipe larger than that of the outflow? I noticed you have an adapter on the intake.

Nice growth in the wallichi!


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

Yes it is. I asked Jojo at Aquascapes about it and he too dosent know why its made that way. And the wallichi is growing fast. Can't say that about my hair grass tho.


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## 1slowtsx (Feb 22, 2009)

Just a small update. Got this in the mail today.


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## ddtran46 (Jul 8, 2008)

Niceee!!!!


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## pga7602 (Dec 5, 2008)

Woooo


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## cintamas (Feb 17, 2009)

How's the tank coming along? Hope the C02 has made an impact.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

Okay, now I'm all jelouse! That co2 system rocks!


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## jrsp12 (Apr 19, 2009)

*Co2 ?*

Do you know how long the CO2 cartridge lasts on that system for your tank size? 
Tank looks great! Hopefully the Do Aqua tanks will be available in the US soon.


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## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

On my Mini-M at about one and a half bubbles per second for eleven hours a day, it would last about two months. Maybe a tad less.

The Do!aqua tanks are available from AFA.


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## stefenblk (Jan 29, 2011)

I got my tank from my local fish store. My little M is less than 25 dollars in ADA mini-meters. It is cheaper Do-aqua tank I was told, because it is an old tank, they use the green color of the glass, not clear.


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