# ADA 60p Low-Tech "Cheburashka"



## Tzac (May 18, 2013)

Sounds awesome! I have a 20g dirted, med light with the Corries and Neons as well. The Dwarf Sag has taken over and is on its way to making a nice thick carpet.


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

Thanks! So, do you have CO2 or are you dosing ferts/excel for the dwarf sag?


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

*Update!*

So here is the update..:bounce:

I'll pick up the filter and heater tomorrow, today I just attempted my first scape. I'm quite happy with it.

The only thing that's bugging me is I didn't use the whole bag of Amazonia (9 l). It's about 1/3 left, should I put the whole thing in there or leave it as is?

And here is the pictures.. (pardon my crappy pics..)


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

And as for light, I ordered Current USA Sat+ from Drs. Foster & Smith. Can't wait for it to come=)


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## Wolf19 (Jan 24, 2013)

Hey mihnata,

First thing I noticed is you're also from Calgary. I just moved there from Edmonton! Nice to see a fellow theplantedtank forum member near by.

Doesn't look like you need anymore ADA soil.


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

Wolf19 said:


> Hey mihnata,
> 
> First thing I noticed is you're also from Calgary. I just moved there from Edmonton! Nice to see a fellow theplantedtank forum member near by.
> 
> Doesn't look like you need anymore ADA soil.


Yay Calgary!!! 

Thanks! I put just a little bit more soil.. just in case. I don't know when I'll be planting since I don't have light yet, but I'm planning to flood it, and let it sit..


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## Wolf19 (Jan 24, 2013)

You'll without a doubt need to cycle it because of the Amazonia soil.

Check out my journal (I think on page 2 now?) and you can see my plant order. I will happily get any of it that suits your needs once I grow some of it out in my tank.


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

Wolf19 said:


> You'll without a doubt need to cycle it because of the Amazonia soil.
> 
> Check out my journal (I think on page 2 now?) and you can see my plant order. I will happily get any of it that suits your needs once I grow some of it out in my tank.


Thanks! Yes, I was planning to cycling it a couple of months before adding fish.


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## Wolf19 (Jan 24, 2013)

Months seems long ... in my opinion you'll want some ottos once your tank has cycled to help keep the algea / plants clean.


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

Wolf19 said:


> Months seems long ... in my opinion you'll want some ottos once your tank has cycled to help keep the algea / plants clean.


Yes, ottos would be nice, I read they are sensitive fish, but i'm up for a challenge=) :icon_roll

A little update, I've received the filter and heater, set it up and started it. The ammonia test showed in between 4 and 8 ppm, I'll be doing a little water change tonight. 

As for Ehiem 2215, I like it (I can only compare with underwater filter.. he he) but I can hear it working with cabinet doors closed, it's not annoying or disturbing sound, like a vibration sound =) he he . Is that normal or I'm just going crazy over nothing? I read it's the most soundless filter, but on the other hand since it's working it should make some sound=))

The light should be arriving on Friday!!!!


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## aquabruce (May 10, 2012)

The Eheim filters make some noise until all the trapped air works its way out.

You can tilt the filter back and forth a little to help make sure there is no air trapped in there.

Looking good! nice start!


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## Wolf19 (Jan 24, 2013)

The filter will go silent once the air is out. Was about a full day for me until it turned quiet. 

The ottos I have had are really easy to keep. Although they are difficult, you can quickly tell if they are stressed as their color fades to a really light grey. If you introduce them slowly I've successfully kept them between a pH of 6.4 - 7.2


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## chew (May 18, 2012)

I shake mine for probably about 30 minutes on and off to get all the air out whenever I clean mine. After that its soundless


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

mihnata said:


> As for Ehiem 2215, I like it (I can only compare with underwater filter.. he he) but I can hear it working with cabinet doors closed, it's not annoying or disturbing sound, like a vibration sound =) he he . Is that normal or I'm just going crazy over nothing? I read it's the most soundless filter, but on the other hand since it's working it should make some sound=))


The filter should be very silent. Did you put the black rubber tabs on the bottom of the canister? That's help a lot if the canister is sitting on a shelf in the cabinet. Otherwise tilt the canister until all the air is worked out.


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

Thanks everybody!! 
I will definitely shake the filter once I get home. The noise it makes is more like a vibration (and I checked that all rubber tabs are in place yesterday), and it didn't sound like air bubbles coming out. But I'll give it a try. It doesn't bug me, just I don't know what to expect from canister filter..


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

Should be virtually silent, unless it's touching something then it can make a vibrating noise.


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## Wolf19 (Jan 24, 2013)

Any updates?


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

*Update!*

Hey guys!!! 
Got the light today! So far I'm loving it. roud: Looks sweeeet !!

Here is the picture (very crappy :angel: oh well).. plants supposed to come tomorrow or Thursday=) 

Also, I should do a water change, maybe later tonight=)


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## urbach (Apr 16, 2009)

Try to do 50‰ water change. When planting try having only 50% water in it. Easily for planting. Even off your soil in the front portion. Recommend repositioning your woods. Trying putting together in one corner. Add in some rocks for your scape.


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

Yup, you could definitely use some plants!  I look forward to seeing this planted!


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

Plants coming in today, I just HOPE I will make it in time to pick up from post office.

I tried to pick medium light plants, since I'm using only one Current Sat+ which I LOVE!!!!!
Here is the list:

Sword Vesuvius - will go in the far left corner to hide the intake
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides 
Crytocoryne Wendtii Red and Green
Anubias barteri - will be attached to bigger wood
Anubias barteri var nana - will be attached to smaller wood
Marsilea quadrifolia - as a carpet, I read it can be grown in medium light but slow, well I have time=))

My ultimate goal was to have Blyxa Japonica on the right side by the small wood, and Fissidens , I'm still looking for those


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

Got the plants :bounce:!!! I did my best planting everything, and I'm SO not happy with it. I got the Brazilian Pennywort instead of another Hydrocotyle I ordered :angryfire, oh well. At least I know what do on the weekend=)) Visit to LFS =)

Here is a picture:


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## Wolf19 (Jan 24, 2013)

Great planting! Did you tie your anubias or did you use coral glue? In a few weeks I should have some plant trimmings I can share. (Just planted my tank the other day, added new pictures in the journal).


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

Wolf19 said:


> Great planting! Did you tie your anubias or did you use coral glue? In a few weeks I should have some plant trimmings I can share. (Just planted my tank the other day, added new pictures in the journal).


Hey! Thanks! I didn't do much with anubias just stuffed it in between btanches.. haha, i will tie it, some time! 

Which lfs store you go to? I usually go to Pisces pretty good selection.


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## Wolf19 (Jan 24, 2013)

Yeah I went to Pisces - seems they have the best plants in the area. I like that they keep assassin snails in their tanks - doesn't guarantee 'no snails' ... but sure helps keep the numbers low.


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

About 2 weeks after initial planting everything seems to be growing good. Crypts melted and came back nice and healthy, pennywort looks decent and I really grown to like it. Anubias nana has 2 leaves coming.. The "carpet" seems to be growing very slow haha I've seen only 1 runner... Oh well I didn't expect it to grow fast.

On Saturday we put black background and a couple of new plants.. Cabomba, " blyxa japonica" and another stem I don't know the name. And I'm not sure I ended up with blyxa... I still want to add some dwarf sag to the left front.

Anyways here is picture


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## Wolf19 (Jan 24, 2013)

Looking very healthy!! Any chance you attend the CAS meetings??


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

Wow nice tank! Looks like u did much more research than me ! Lol... Good job  I wuda thrown the whole bag of soil if I were u... Keep the substrate nice and thick for happy rooting... All my tanks is 3-5" depth. Haha. Can't wait to see how urs fills up!


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

I think your tank is looking good! You've definitely got a nice start!


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Looks great so far. I am definitely going to pay attention to this as I am thinking about staying low tech with my tank and we have basically the same equipment outside of the light (which I am considering buying).


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

Thanks everyone!! Honestly I was surprised that it turns out like that. I had a totally different idea at the beginning. 

Wolf19 - No, I don't attend any meetings... I don't even know what CAS stands for..:icon_redf

Charrr89 - I did add a little bit more substrate, but not the whole bag, I still have a little left. I don't want to bother and add the rest, it would cover all plants in the dust, although I regret not putting the whole thing in there the first time.

talontsiawd - I was kind of following your journal. I LOVE dutch tanks! Too bad it didn't work out with CO2 for you, it would be awesome tank! I love the light even though I don't use all the presets.


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## Wolf19 (Jan 24, 2013)

Calgary Aquarium Society. http://www.calgaryaquariumsociety.com/

Check it out


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## Regenesis (Apr 12, 2011)

Wonderful looking tank


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

*Added fishes*

A little update, added 10 neons. They are very-very small I hope they'll live. 

Also, decided to give myself an early Christmas gift, Do!Aqua lily pipes. But now I have second thoughts about it. The pipes I got is VP-1 and VV-1 basically for tanks 45-60 cm which is ok. The question is, are those pipes good for Ehiem 2215? And what is the difference between original ADA lily pipes and Do!Aqua?

Thanks!!

Picture...


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## Wolf19 (Jan 24, 2013)

Any updates?


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

Not much changed to be honest.. Plants growing very slow, which I'm ok with. The only thing is that I noticed some of the old pennywort leaves got algae, the stringy one.

We put the violet pipes and I can't be happier with the flow and everything.

As for the fish... ahhh.. Originally we put 5 fishes, then added 10 more, they were very small, and right after we added 10 of them I noticed some with white patches. Of cause I thought it must be NTD, and I got so upset since it can't be cured and the tank will have to be sterilized... We lost 6 neons withing 2 days. After countless hours of reading on NTD, I came to a conclusion that my fishes don't have NTD, but some kind other disease (false NTD) and that dosing KanaPlex would fix it. So I went to the store to pick up that medicine, and the salesperson pointed out that I MUST add salt to the tank...ALWAYS. And then I got it.. the store keeps fishes in slightly salted water to prolong their life. Anyways, treated the tank 2 times with KanaPlex, no deaths so far (second week). 
Now thinking of it, it might not even be false NTD, the fish was probably just stressed and I rushed to dose meds.. dunno if I did more harm than good.


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## Brian_Cali77 (Mar 19, 2010)

Great tank and light combo on this 60P. Saw you in the 60p club and definitely liked your build. Also, welcome to the Sat+ Club!


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

So, a little update.. Back in December I had some sort of algae, not exactly sure what type, most likely BBA. And nothing really grew. Then once it was gone, the tank really started to look better, Ludwiga is nice and pink, Cabomba is very bushy, and I even got a runner from one of my crypts :bounce:

We added 3 Gold stripe cories and 6 Emperor Tetras, so I consider the tank fully stoked.

And here are couple of iphone pictures (not really good quality...)


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

Cleaning update... Broke my violet pipe, arghhh.. So upset, but I guess things happen. Good thing I still have the original pipes...


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## The Trigger (May 9, 2012)

Cool low tech tank. Like that Hardscape


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

The Trigger said:


> Cool low tech tank. Like that Hardscape


Thanks! I'm so proud of it! :icon_cool


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## parrottbay (May 14, 2012)

Could you plug the hole or take it to a glass place and get repaired?


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## Jeffww (Aug 6, 2010)

parrottbay said:


> Could you plug the hole or take it to a glass place and get repaired?



I think the piece can be reannealed as well. Shouldn't cost much either.


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## mihnata (Aug 1, 2012)

Guys! Thanks for suggestions. But for now we put back the original Eheim pipes, and it looks really really good, so we might leave it as is. 
Maybe when I have time, I'll get the glass pipe repaired, just in case=))


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## parrottbay (May 14, 2012)

You're welcome. I'm scared my pipes might break one day


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

Tank looks great! I'll be following with interest.  I'm setting up a very similar tank myself...


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## woodsjail. (Feb 3, 2014)

looks great! you should think about adding some CO2, i think you would see a lot of improvement for around a 200-250 dollar investment in your tanks future.


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