# ADA 60F "Les Montanges de Top Gear" last shots before shutdown



## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

So my girlfriend bought me this tank for my birthday back in September.









After having it sit in a corner of my house for a few months I decided to finally set it up after I sold my riparium

Here's how it sits now









This was my inspiration for the scape









The tank has azoo substrate and ohko stone I bought from a club member a few months ago. Lighting will be my 11x3watt LED set up I ran over my riparium. I'm doing an HC dry start for now. The plan is to have HC pretty much everywhere and some fissidens or mini pelia on the rocks. I still have to get my co2 stuff so I'm waiting on that before I plant the rest of the HC (Still have 3 pots)

Thanks for looking!


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## zergling (May 16, 2007)

Dude!! Subscribed!

You got a keeper there with your lady! roud:


With that nice mound, I'm sure you know you have to *VERY* careful with filling with water and your water changes!


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

Haha yeah I like her. 

The mound is actually mostly rock with a 1 inch layer of soil. Once I flood it I'll leave it be for a month before I add any animals so that the hc has time to take hold.


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

Update on the tank.

I filled it in because I was getting impatient. Planted some HC on the slopes too. Hopefully they stick and grow because in some places, there's not a very thick layer of soil before it hits the rock. now I just need some moss


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

ok so the hc did not fare very well because my light wasn't putting off the right spectrum. I've added some 2700k and 4500k white LEDs to counter balance the 10000k whites i've had on it and so far it's doing better.

I removed all the HC, and got some Mini Pelia and fissidens in and glued onto the rocks. I'm going to get some more HC this weekend and do another dry start.

the plan is to have HC all along the bottom and the mosses on the mountains. Need more moss too

Anyways, some pics

















and a FTS


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

First photo is the best photo.


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

Thanks! this tank has been an exercise in patience


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

IWANNAGOFAST said:


> Thanks! this tank has been an exercise in patience


Aren't they all though. 

Anyway, your old perspective mini-m was pretty boss, and I have a soft spot for the -f's so I am excite for this tank.

They guy on 'baaps was right though, where's the mini Jeremy Clarkson? :icon_neut


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Blender the moss with some juicy nutrient rich tank water, then paint it all over the rocks. 

Mist once a day.


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## mizu-chan (May 13, 2008)

Beautiful scape. I can't wait to see it all grow in!


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## SearunSimpson (Jun 5, 2007)

plantbrain said:


> Blender the moss with some juicy nutrient rich tank water, then paint it all over the rocks.
> 
> Mist once a day.


I'm not sure if this form of "graffiti'' has hit your city yet, but with Vancouver being so full of art student/hipsters, you can randomly find words and pictures on the sides of buildings from people who do this. 
They blend the moss with water and nutrients (probably old tank water) and add a little bit of buttermilk (not exactly sure what that does) and then they use a brush and paint words like "Love" and "Beautiful" or whatever on the sides of buildings. Secretly at night they mist them and then randomly like a couple weeks later there is a word on the side of a building ''painted'' in moss...
Pics:
https://www.google.ca/search?rlz=1C....,cf.osb&fp=c945e1bdc8e076ff&biw=1366&bih=667


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

I've seen the article on those moss paintings, pretty cool. 

I chopped up the moss with some scissors and just sprinkled them all over the substrate. My worries is that it won't stay down once flooded and the moss will just float up into the tank. The moss thats on the rocks is glued on now.


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## gnod (Mar 24, 2011)

update???! 

i want this tank now..


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

ok, so I attempted to do what YouJettisonMe did and have the mini pelia grow on the substrate directly, but after reading zeldar's journal, although initially successful, the MP eventually started floating away from the substrate, not what I want to do after having grown it out for so long.

I tied it all to stainless steel mesh and placed them all along the top of my mountains instead and the rest is glued to the rocks so they're not going anywhere.

















I also added the elatine hydropiper from Raymond, really cool plant. It's yellowing a little because I was out of town for 4 days and was unable to spritz it (plus my spritz bottle broke)









My HC is growing in nicely too









And finally a FTS. I'm moving to SF in May so this tank will remain dry start until then. I don't want to set it all up to only have to tear it down in a few weeks.


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## daphilster08 (Oct 21, 2009)

Looking good! and your a lucky guy with a great gf! Mine bought me a Fluval Ebi! Pretty exciting!


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

i'm not sure it will look natural later with the steel mesh
if you go with dry start method why not just put the moss there? it will cling nicely by itself


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

ikuzo said:


> i'm not sure it will look natural later with the steel mesh
> if you go with dry start method why not just put the moss there? it will cling nicely by itself


the moss will cover all of the mesh so that no steel can be seen. the moss will cling to the soil, it's just that it'll probably very very easily uproot itself once it grows in a little thicker. The soil already isn't the heaviest substrate. It might work if I went with a heavier substrate like akadama.

I got worried after i read this journal
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/p...34-zeldars-mini-m-mist-really-sticking-5.html


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

daphilster08 said:


> Looking good! and your a lucky guy with a great gf! Mine bought me a Fluval Ebi! Pretty exciting!


thanks! Aren't girlfriends great?


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

This is going to be great. Is that a 45-F or 60-F, and which filter are you planning to use?


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

Thanks! It's a 60F and I'm going to be running an ehiem 2232. I'm going to be flooding it this week, I don't have the patience to wait anymore!


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## Pooch (May 2, 2011)

Fantastic inspiration for the scape mate! Subscribed!

Are you going to get 'cute' and craft a mini-Jeremy to look off into the foothills?

(great work on your vision BTW. You've given me the itch for a 12)


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

Thanks! I'm hoping to have this ready by the IAPLC deadline so I'm going to flood it, the plants grow faster submersed. I'm going to crank the co2 to deathly levels to help with the transition and then throw some fish in there on the last few days. Crunch time!


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## mcqueenesq (Aug 29, 2011)

IWANNAGOFAST said:


> Thanks! It's a 60F and I'm going to be running an ehiem 2232. I'm going to be flooding it this week, I don't have the patience to wait anymore!


I don't know how I missed that in your title, lol.


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## ADAtank (Jul 26, 2011)

very nice!


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

Thanks everyone!

I just finished moving and I set the tank up in my new apartment. A lot of they hydropiper melted unfortunately so I just went and got 4 more pots of HC to fill in the rest of the tank. I'm hoping everything will fill in nicely by IAPLC... 23 days to go!


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## ChadRamsey (Nov 3, 2011)

wow, it looks great. Nice scape. Jam up job!


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

Thank you very much!

I'm going to be doing daily waterchanges for the next week. I don't know if the azoo plant grower soil leaches ammonia like aquasoil does but I figure the more water changes the better. Plus now that I'm in SF, I get the experience the amazing hetch hetchy water!


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

SO MUCH ALGAE!!!!

I got blue green algae all over the place. I thought it'd be fine if I dosed ethryomycin and bumped up the co2 but it's not working.

And it's not for a lack of flow either, I have the 2232 running full blast and some of the thickest spots are run in front of the blast


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

Ok so I reset the tank. The azoo soil was not doing very well for me and I was getting non stop BGA. I think because the azoo soil just buffers pH down and doesn't actually have any nitrogen in it. I wasn't dosing my nitrogren at EI levels since I assumed the soil would release some (as aquasoil does). 

I tore it down, and refilled it with aquasoil powder type. Never used powder before but it fits with the scale of the tank. I also replaced my cal aqua lab outflow with an ada mini p-2 lily pipe. While the aqualab pipe looks great, the flow gets pointed downwards, and in a shallow tank like this, all it was doing was blowing the soil around.

I tried to reset the scape the same way I had it but couldn't get it just right. I think I like this one better anyhow!

On to pics!

Boo, it has the new logo 









Wish this was Amano's signature!



























Stuck some stems behind one of the mountains to soak up excess nutrients. I think it's rotala sp. vietnam









FTS


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

Looking great


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## ThatGuyWithTheFish (Apr 29, 2012)

That would be Rotala wallichii, if I'm correct.


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

not wallichii, the leaves are much longer on this one then on wallichi.


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## chris.rivera3 (Apr 15, 2008)

what photo did you submit for the IAPLC?


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

I didn't enter unfortunately. 

The tank was in no shape for any competition. Next year!


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

It's looking good so far, will there be a lot of trimming involved with this aquascape? Also your mounds are fairly steep are they filled with rock or did you use anything to help hold them?


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

Updated the tank. No more HC, all moss now. full and expensive carpet of mini pelia and mini rose moss in the front row.

Added a few more rocks too


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## wetbizquit (Jul 9, 2006)

wow.... contest worthy tank.... looks stunning great job! let me know when you are in need of a trim  i will gladly take any growth off your hands to add to my collection


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## HokieFish (Feb 5, 2012)

I love this tank (and the Top Gear Show). I only hope I have half this much success in my build. I started a journal for my 6 gallon long that I want to begin, so if you have a chance and could check out my plan and give me any feedback that would be great. Thanks!

Subscribed!


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

Thank you guys! The moss carpet is nice, very easy instant carpet but ridonkulously expensive, there's like, $250 of moss right there.


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## ramen lover (Jun 22, 2012)

wow! one of my favorite tanks! and it doesn't look like it uses co2? very nice.

what kind of steel mesh did you use for the moss? do you have any algae problems? what light fixture is that? 

subscribed!


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

Thanks! I'm actually running into some BGA issues right now, and it's def. a pain in the butt. I am running co2 in this tank, doesn't hurt to have it.

The light is an archaea 36w PC light from aqua forest. 

The mesh is just standard stainless steel mesh, I actually bought it already tied down to the mesh.

This tank is going to be shut down or at least changed soon, I have to move to a new apartment


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)




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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

Last few shots before this tank comes down. I'm moving to a new apartment so I'm going to tear this down to make the move easier. Probably going to try a different set up as i'm getting quite bored of this tank now, the moss carpet is just too easy to take care of, nothing to do = boring.










I was never able to win my battle w/ BGA, i chalked it up to not having enough flow at the front of the tank with the way I had my tank scaped, but my new plans should be better as far as flow goes.

One of my favorite views of the tank. I added some riccia to the moss and it's just spread out beautifully. I can understand how people hate this plant but it's not so bad if you have it all attached to mosses, keeps it held down and the pearling is sweet.









Lastly, I picked up a vuppa a few days ago, I love it! After the first day of being very noisy, it's settled in and is now silent. I think running this from the start would've really helped with the BGA.









Thanks everyone, stay tuned for the next scape!


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

good luck with the move... great lookin tank - interested to see what the next scape will be


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Nice mosses!


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

that is a great looking tank. im surprised i havent noticed it sooner.

good luck with your move


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