# ADA 55 gal aquascape (new pics)



## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Supports are glued and screwed








Started fitting the supports








Supports in








Planning the base








Everything glued and srewed








Where I went crazy with the polyfiller


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Sanding.....








Primer....








Paint (rear)








Paint (front)


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

tank








silicone thickness








fingers crossed


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Cut hinge hole (35mm)









Spacing of doors]

















Doors hung









Doors closed


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

filling after planting


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)




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## Bushkill (Feb 15, 2012)

That looks like absolutely awesome work. MDF by any name is just very heavy. Great job taping off the outer silicone beads. One of the cleanest DIY's I've seen in some time. What adhesive do you use?

What are you planning on keeping in the cabinet long-term? It looks like it may be a little too air-tight depending on what's in there.

Can't tell how thick the glass is, but have you seen any bowing across the long panels?


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

adhesive for silicone was plain bostik aquarium silicone. the glass is bpar and 10mm thick.
their is a few holes (sides and back) so its not air tight at all. Inside the cabinet is the filter, co2 bottle, ADA ferts, timers ..etc
Their has been no bowing and this tank is regit!!
tank dimensions are
120x45x45 (cm)


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## menoseloso (Dec 2, 2006)

nice DIY


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks all!!


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

update:
week 1









week 2









week 5









Now


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

SURPRIZE!!! 

Layout










filling









Next morning









Next few days/weeks

















Trimmed









sorry for the crappy phone pics


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## kwheeler91 (May 26, 2009)

Do you have any pics of the tank building process? Looks great I never would have guessed diy.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Have a few, but nothing showing the tank build.


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## thesawguy (Dec 26, 2011)

That's very nice, I really like how the simple clean lines of the stand and rimless tank bring all the attention to the contents of the tank. What kind of rocks are those and where did you get them?


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

thanks!!

Its Granite rocks, and i got them from a dumpsite. I tested them and soaked them for a while before using them in my tank.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Just a little progression pic


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## fishboy199413 (Jan 20, 2010)

Wow amazing progression montage. I really like all of your setups but I truly love the last one, good work.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks!


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## HokieFish (Feb 5, 2012)

Awesome tank. I have a 55 gallon and stand in my garage that I was going to sell, but since I have all the pieces i might go with a tank set up like this. 
I have been doing a DSM 2 gallon pico, and it seems to be filling in nicely, so now i have the itch to set up the larger tank again.


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## habitat (Aug 19, 2012)

I love your progression pics! Very nice work.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

tank is now more of a clipping tank till i get all my ADA goodies.

so far:


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi guys

I have a question, is the 6x54w ATI sunpower light unit to much light for this tank. I am looking at upping the lights and I can get a new ATI at a good price. ANy of you had experience with this unit?

Thx


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## flowerfishs (May 6, 2009)

I like the big rock scape.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks, but these rocks influenced my water and i have now bought 20KG of ryouh stone for the next scape.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

okay so it was rescaped time. good thing to do when waiting for 2012 to end and 2013 to start. took me 2 days but i finally did it.
I added ADA substrate additives and powersand and some new aquasoil. so now i am sitting with 60L of substrate.
The rocks are 20KG of ryouh stone. And i just love the detail on those rocks.

So pics

Substrate additives









Power sand and substrate additives









Rock placement









Planted


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## DogFish (Jul 16, 2011)

Really nice! Looking forward to seeing the new scape grow in.

BTW - That was a pretty ballsy move leak testing the rimless indoors. :icon_wink


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi DogFish, I am really gonna have a fun time trimming this scape to awesomeness!!

And it looks like i leak tested it inside but it was on the back stoep, so if it would have leaked all the water would have gone straight to the grass outside.

but thanks for the comments.


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## OKnights112 (Oct 17, 2012)

I really like you new scape. I can't wait to see it grow in.


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

awesome stand and amazing tank!


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks guys. Cant believe this setup is a year old now and i went through 4 scapes.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

So its time to update:
just some pics


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## synaethetic (Oct 4, 2011)

Such a great aquarium! I wish I had that many stems in my tank! Beautiful! Be proud.


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## hisxlency (Jan 26, 2013)

love your center stone, really looks the part


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## plecostomouse (Jun 9, 2011)

Stunning


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

Looks great, you built the tank yourself? 

Also you ended up using the 6 bulb ATI? all six bulbs on?


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## Redtail84 (Nov 27, 2012)

Do your neons and cardinals all school together? Great looking tank, and I love the rescaping!


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks for the comments guys!! 

@Green Flash - Yes built the tank myself and i did went for the ATI 6x54w unit. But staggering the lights. only running all 6 tubes for 2 hours a day.

@Redtail - Yes my neons and cardinals school together but weirdly enough only when i take photos. The rest of the time they everywhere in the tank.


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## BoxxerBoyDrew (Oct 16, 2005)

FREAKIN AWESOME BUILD!!!

You did a great job on the stand, and the attention to detail is perfect! I can't believe that is a DIY tank!!! FREAKIN AWESOME!!! How much was the glass after polishing and beveling the edges? Did you save much money DIY'n it over buying a prefab tank? 

You have done some AWESOME SCAPES TOO!!!! You truly have a eye for Aquascaping!!!

What kind of water temp are you running? Just wondering because your fish look great even though the cards and neons like different water temps. 

How did you like the in the tank thermometer? Was it very accurate? 

Thanks for the info, and KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK!!!!!!!!
Drew

p.s. subscribed!


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

@BoxxerBoyDrew - Thanks man. I saved more than half the price i would have paid for a tank like this to be built. I am running at 26-28 deg Celcius, but with the summer now i leave my inline heater off as the room temp is like a heater. The in tank thermometer is not on the dot accurate but it is very good at giving me an indication.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Tank went through a rescape:













































And how the tank stands now


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

http://youtu.be/ubhTOMHmUR4


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## Fuze (Jul 26, 2012)

Great progress, loving the last scape, it's a beauty! Awesome DIY work.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

thanks


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## 808style (Sep 28, 2012)

my goodness! how are you able to break down such beautiful scapes only to come back to make another one even better? amazing work, thanks for sharing!


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## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

The new scape looks fantastic! Great work!


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## trailsnale (Dec 2, 2009)

great tank. especially like how you had the latest succession of pics showing the progress the plants made.

thanks,


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

thanks guys. have to say that the new scape is something to get used to. I am used to trim every second week or so. and now i have no stems and its a breeze to just sit back and watch the scape grow in.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

okay so this is my IAPLC entry followed by last years entry.
2013 - 677









2012 - 934


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

i love your tank. wish you all best


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## hisxlency (Jan 26, 2013)

well done, looks great!


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

update: 2013/08/15


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## ThatGuyWithTheFish (Apr 29, 2012)

Looks great! How did you make that tank?


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

please explain your question?


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## Fuze (Jul 26, 2012)

Wow, this lasts scape is growing in so nicely. Could we get a plant list?

Also, have you changed your dosing at all after getting rid of stems?

Awesome work.


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## peachii (Jun 1, 2013)

So beautiful, all of the scapes you have done.


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## ThatGuyWithTheFish (Apr 29, 2012)

How did you build it.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Plant list ill update when i back at home, and thanks for all the compliments.

Yes i have changed the dosing but only a little bit. Iv'e reduced it slightly as the stems chowed my ferts. But now with the emersed plants in i can see they also starting to chow ferts. but ill keep an eye out for deficiency.

I built the tank with glass and silicone, made sure there were no bubbles in the silicone, left it to dry for a week and did a watertest for a week. their after i started planting and this tank have been standing since. if this answers your question.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Just a better photo of my tank.

This is two months ago









This is today









*Plant list:*
Anubias petite 
Bolbitis heudelotii 
Cryptocoryne tonkinensis 
Cryptocoryne Undulata 
Cryptocoryne usteriana 
Cryptocoryne wendtii "Tropica" 
Cryptocoryne wendtii brown 
Echinodorus 'Vesuvius' 
Hemianthus callitricoides	
Microsorum pteropus "Petit" 
Microsorum pteropus "narrow leaf" 
Pogostemon helferi 
Blyxa aubertii 
Staurogyne porto velho 
Anubias sp. "nangi" 
Cryptocoryne parva 
Cryptocoryne petchii "pink" 
Cryptocoryne"pygmea" 
Staurogyne repens 
Vesicularia ferriei 'Weeping'
Pogostemon erectus
Fissidens fontanus


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## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

Nice update. It really looks great!


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks!! cant believe its been 2 months.


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## j03yYunG (Mar 26, 2013)

super nice builds for all of them.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks guys. must say im loving the low maintenance. But i am missing my stems.


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## manzpants92 (Dec 6, 2012)

amazing work. keep it up!


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## VJM (Feb 9, 2013)

Thus is exactly how I want my new setup to look. Absolutely gorgeous! Stealing your plant list.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

UPDATE:









And then just a nice pic of my bolbitis growing....


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## pwolfe (Mar 2, 2011)

looks fantastic.

Could we some detailed shots from the side glass of the riparium section?


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

A great nugget of a tank. Every scape is unreal.
Btw, isn't 65g?

v3


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

thanks guys, this is just a 55gal (220 litres)

will take some detailed shots over the weekend.

But for now, just a small update:


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

a little update

removed the papyrus plant as it was taking over the bolbitus a bit. but everything is good now.

some random stems started to pop up. rotala rotundifolia and some HM.

but here is the pic


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## horsedude (Nov 10, 2012)

vey nice, I love the wood sticking out of the tank, it gives it a more natural feel. I would end up killing the plants!


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## LICfish (Oct 9, 2010)

Amazing!


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## Tiptop (Apr 15, 2013)

Beautiful tank! What an awesome world to escape into.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

thanks guys


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

Wow, your tank looks amazing!


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## 10G (Oct 6, 2013)

Wow, looks great!


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## Dantrasy (Sep 9, 2013)

Outstanding scape. Really really great. 

Some red would make for a nice feature if ever you decided to remove the rock.


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi guys

So a little update.
I trimmed the root and re positioned some plants. plants and fish are doing good since i replaced my tubes. Running 3x8000k and 3x 10000K tubes. Got some glowlight danios yesterday. Very cool looking fish and they school pretty well.

so enough words...now for the pic....


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## Nugget (Feb 29, 2012)

update:


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## annyann (Aug 31, 2013)

Your tank looks awesome!


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## Whiskey (Feb 15, 2005)

Nugget said:


> Hi guys
> 
> So a little update.
> I trimmed the root and re positioned some plants. plants and fish are doing good since i replaced my tubes. Running 3x8000k and 3x 10000K tubes. Got some glowlight danios yesterday. Very cool looking fish and they school pretty well.
> ...


Very nice tank! I like how you've maintained the plants to keep the aquascape in shape over time. It looks very natural.

Whiskey


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## Dantrasy (Sep 9, 2013)

First class all the way Nugget. I really love what you have done.


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