# Planning ADA Cube Garden 60F - Equipment Advice Needed



## isu712 (Jan 11, 2008)

My only advice for you would be regarding the CO2 regulator. I would be careful with that one and make sure that the regulator has a low-pressure gauge. That way you will be able to control it and set is to the 15-20 psi that is desirable for best use. I think this is why most people use the dual-gauge regulator. That way they can monitor both the pressure in the tank and the pressure going through the line.


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## volatile (Feb 13, 2007)

What are you planning on stocking the tank with? Fish or shrimp or both? If I'm reading correctly, that tank is 7 inches high? I'd be careful of jumpers. Definitely don't fill the water up to the rim of the tank. I have the ADA Mini M and in the past I had multiple tetra deaths due to jumping =(


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## jasa73 (Jun 3, 2007)

Thanks for the regulator advice isu712.,,, i didnt consider that it doesnt have a low-pressure gauge. 

Volatile - i'm planning on stocking with pearl danios which are very small... i have 5 of them in 55 gallon and would love to get a school of a dozen or so. I'd possibly throw in some amanos. I had thought about jumping. I'm going to see if they make a top for it, or make a top out of plexiglass.


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## volatile (Feb 13, 2007)

As someone pointed out in another thread, ADA does make a top for their tanks. 










But then you have the problem with condensation and hard water spots and junk accumulating on the underside of the top. Also, I don't know if your iwagumi setup was going to have pieces that rise above the waterline/top of the tank, which would prevent you from using the top anyways.

As for filtration, how much is your budget? I haven't used the Zoomed 501 but I did consider it at one point for my tank. I ended up using the Red Sea nano HOB and I don't recommend it. It was clear acrylic, so it got very dirty and stained a shade of brown. When cleaning it you had to be careful because it scratched easily. Even after bleaching it, it never reverted back to its original color. If you go with HOB, I wouldn't use a clear filter. 

If aesthetics are a big deal to you, and price is not a big factor in your project, I'd recommend using glass lily pipes to a canister filter. I've used both the nano pipes from ADA and Calaqua, and they are both good, but the Calaqua's are better, and cost a lot less(both intake/outtake combined from Calaqua including free shipping cost less than the price of 1 ADA intake OR outtake, not to mention shipping isn't free).


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## jasa73 (Jun 3, 2007)

Thanks Volatile -

I wasnt aware of the tops for ADA. I didnt see them online from Aqua Forest Aquarium, but i may give them a call to see if they do carry it for this model. 

Budget isnt an issue for filtration. But with that said i'm unwilling to pay for the cannisters from ADA. As far as lilypipes go, thanks for pointing me in the direction of Cal Aqua. I wasnt aware of them. Sadly their nano sizes are out of stock but i can wait as im going to start this tank emersed (which is a first for me). I definitely will go with the lily pipes with the canister to keep the look clean. 

Anyone have any thoughts about my lighting?


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## volatile (Feb 13, 2007)

I forgot to mention I'm using the Eheim Ecco 2232 canister and recommend it. I wouldn't use the ADA canisters either.

14 watts of light over 8 gallons seems kind of low. But you are only growing HC and hairgrass so that should probably be okay? Anyone else have success growing those 2 plants under 1.75wpg?


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## jasa73 (Jun 3, 2007)

I guess that boils down to my question about lighting. Yes it's 1.75wpg, but does the wpg rule for plants hold in a nano environments and given the shallow nature of this particular tank?

I suppose i could look for a higher WPG light and scale down the lighting if i have to. I will have pressurized c02 and dosing EI and Excel, so hopefully i wont be growing algae too badle. Also i hope the plants will be well established by the time i flood the tank.


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## charpark (Jan 29, 2008)

Normally the WPG rules does not apply to nano tanks due to the footprint of the tank. I believe lumens/sq. inch etc is a more accurate measure of lighting for smaller tanks since you will require an effective higher WPG to achieve the same amount of light intensity. Basically your denominator (gallons) in the watts per gallon calculation is artificially low given the square inches in area your tank covers. I forget where but someone has a great discussion on this method of lighting measurement for nanos.

One idea to determine your lighting is on a square inch basis. For example take the watts/sq. inch on a medium-light 10 gallon that successfully grows the plants you need. Convert that measure to the number of sq. inches for your tank for a relative light requirement. That could give you a ballpark figure of the number of watts required to grow certain plants. 

I would of course reduce that figure slightly given your tank is only 7 inches deep. Even a 10-20% reduction in watts to account for the shallowness of your tank will result in a neglible difference (i.e., 20watts x 0.2 = 4 watts) since lighting intensities are difficult to scale up and down in such small intervals.


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