# Dan's ADA 45-C fitted with bulkheads



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Hey all, I decided to start another journal now that I have some time for it. I purchased a second hand tank that just happens to be an ADA 25 gallon 45-C a while ago at a steal of a price. :icon_smil

I wanted to do things differently this time. I want a clean, clutter free looking tank just like in the pictures submitted to the aquascaping contests. You know, when all of the equipment is taken out of the tank. So I got to thinking and decided to go with bulkheads. Clearly inspired by Tom Barr's 60 Gallon Tank. You can see the bulkhead in the rear of the tank.

I followed some great advice and settled on a 3/4" bulkhead which meant drilling an 1 1/2" hole in the tank. Not one but two! Believe you me, I really thought about not doing it but my wanting a clutter free looking tank took precedent over any apprehension I had about screwing up.

So I ordered the Diamond Glass Drill Bit last week and it arrived this morning. Needless to say I got right to work. First things first though, I had to have my cup of coffee before I did anything to steady my nerves :biggrin:. 

I did it but boy was that *nerve-racking!!!*. I got the holes drilled in the ADA 45-C roud::










It was a lot easier than I had anticipated. The key is not to put pressure on the drill but let the weight of the drill do the work for you. Also be *very patient, do not rush through it*, keep it slow and steady and don't forget to use lots of water. I know I did.

Now I'm just waiting for the other parts I ordered to arrive, bulkheads, loc-line, barbs and some other nick-nacks that I thought I might need. I also have to order a 9L bag of aquasoil. I think I attempted to drill the tank because I got it so cheap. Oh and yes, I know the tank needs a cleaning but thats a minor thing. I'll post pics of the stand once I'm done with it. I just need to adjust a few things first.

I think its going to be a pleasure not have a bunch of equipment hanging off the sides of the tank for once but thats just me, to each their own. I was actually inspired when I saw Tom's tanks and finally had an excuse to try it.

Dan


----------



## endgin28 (Feb 9, 2010)

Cool, I love the idea of a clean cube. It will be fun to see where this goes.


----------



## prototyp3 (Dec 5, 2007)

Thanks for being a guinea pig. I've been reading conflicting opinions on whether this method is safe or not with regular canister filters. The few pictures I saw using this method had Lifegard systems below, which are quite different in design. 

Fluval makes its designer aquarium with bulkheads on the bottom for the canister. However, they do use tall stand pipes on both bulkheads. There has to be a reason for that. I'm guessing it's to relieve some of the water pressure? It's definitely not for cosmetic reasons..


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Here is a link to another drilled ada :icon_smil and another :wink: and one more for good measure :tongue: and just one more

Reef people have been drilling their ADA tanks for a long time now, we're the ones who looks at a drilled ADA planted tank in mortal fear, well some do :biggrin: Believe me I had my reservations as well but what's life without taking a risk?

Seriously though, ADA sells tanks with pre-drilled holes in them and many others has successfully done the same. I didn't say it was going to be easy because all of this is a learning curve for me, from here on out its unchartered territory. However if I run into a brick wall I have you guys to help me out. roud:

Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

You're correct about using a canister filter. I'll be using my 2217, we'll see how that goes. I don't foresee a problem having discussed this extensively with a few individuals however the concern with using a canister filter is oxygenating the water. I'm hoping the 2217 is strong enough to supply ample current. If that doesn't work I can always move the Loc-Lines around to help agitate the water.

I can also use a wye and split the flow coming into the tank with the Loc-Lines like Tom Barr has done on a number of occasions or I can just use a Vortech to help with the circulation.

Dan


----------



## prototyp3 (Dec 5, 2007)

Maybe you misunderstood my concerns. Drilling the tank is fine, no problem there. All the links you provided were using a sump, again no problem there. That's a standard setup, works great.

The concern is using a canister filter, which is completely different in design when compared to a sump and return pump. Canisters weren't made to withstand the pressure of 18 inches of water. Think about the difference of running filter pipes over the wall vs having them under the aquarium. With standard over the wall installations the canister works on a siphon, there really is no pressure being exerted on the lines. When you move those lines to the bottom of the aquarium you now have water pressure fighting against both your inlet and outlet. I'm not confident that the canister seal will handle that for an extended period of time..


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Actually your concerns are legitimate because that was my very concerned before I drilled the tank but they were put to rest very quickly. Its been done many times before but if mine fail I’m blaming you! :icon_wink

When I get the bulkheads delivered I’m going to let it run for a week before I do anything to it just to see how things go. I know you are concerned with problems arising further down the road but I was told on several occasions that it will hold up just fine.

Hey, time will tell.

Dan


----------



## oldpunk78 (Nov 1, 2008)

That a nice job. What canister are you planning on using?


----------



## prototyp3 (Dec 5, 2007)

Who put your concerns to rest? I have read where people say they've done it, yet never see one picture or journal of this setup in action. That makes me wonder.. 

The only ones I stumbled upon were either using a Lifegard filter (heavy duty pump and seals, PVC through out) or using stand pipes that rose nearly to the surface of the tank. (which reduces pressure, but looks ugly) Believe me, I really want this to work. I just see the potential for bad things. If I recall correctly I think Tom Barr was using a big Ocean Clear filter under his cube, which is a heavy duty in-line design like the Lifegard. Those aren't built like your standard hobbyist Eheim or Fluval canister.


----------



## seahunter (Nov 29, 2011)

I did it. You may not like the way it looks but it works like a charm lol


----------



## prototyp3 (Dec 5, 2007)

seahunter said:


> I did it. You may not like the way it looks but it works like a charm lol



Just looked at your thread. You mentioned your canister crapped out within a week of hooking it up, can you elaborate on that? Perhaps the pressure caused additional strain on the motor causing it to fail?


---


Btw, I don't mean to junk up your thread with this. I'm just genuinely concerned.


----------



## seahunter (Nov 29, 2011)

prototyp3 said:


> Just looked at your thread. You mentioned your canister crapped out within a week of hooking it up, can you elaborate on that? Perhaps the pressure caused additional strain on the motor causing it to fail?
> 
> 
> ---
> ...


Naaa I took a chance hooking up the 405. This filter never worked well and I had repaired it about 5 or 6 times in the past. I used this on a goldfish tank I had at my business about 6 years prior and it had taken a very big fall. The canister itself had broken and I had stuck it back together using plastic I melted onto it. It did its hard time lol


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

What do you mean who put my concerns to rest? I didn't think I needed your permission to get anything done... oh wait, I don't! Here's an idea, sit back and enjoy the ride and see what happens or ...

Moving right alone, The stand is finished. I will post photos of it tomorrow, too tired now. It's a shame my bulkheads won't arrive until next week. I knew what size hole to drill because I called the place I ordered the bulkheads from and they gave me the size needed for the bulkheads to fit.

I still have to make a decision about what light I'm going to use. My choices are:

1. 24" Tek- which I already own.
2. fishneedit- 70W Metal Halide Pendant Lights
3. ADA Solar I

The wife and I agree that the Tek just doesn't look right sticking out as much as it does. The Tek is 24" and the tank is 18", it may not sound like a huge difference but you can clearly see size discrepancy right away. I love my Tek but it just isn't the right size. 

The fishneedit lights has me concerned about quality. I don't want to come home to find my place burned down because of the lights. I read it was hit and miss with their product.

The Solar l may just be too much light. My wife and son both said they like the way it looked the best but I'm not convinced. I don't want nor need pea soup.

Decisions, decisions...

I also got the Garden Mat for the tank to sit on. Pics will be up tomorrow.

Dan


----------



## Uptown193 (Apr 25, 2011)

Hey, nice work on drilling the holes, I know I would have been nervous as well. I know gl[censored][censored][censored][censored][censored][censored][censored]s dot com sell the drilling kits which people use for drilling the reef tanks, which comes with some putty to put around the hole so you can put water near the hole your drilling and it is contained there until the hole is made obviously. I am looking forward to seeing more pics on this build. Oh and whatever you do, do not use the Power Sand stuff from ADA. It is so annoying and I can't get rid of it in my tank. Good luck.

P.S. If and only if you have the extra cash flow in hand I would shoot for the ADA Solar light. I would more uniform with the tank you have.


----------



## prototyp3 (Dec 5, 2007)

dantra said:


> What do you mean who put my concerns to rest? I didn't think I needed your permission to get anything done... oh wait, I don't! Here's an idea, sit back and enjoy the ride and see what happens or


Great attitude man... 

*subscribed for fun*


----------



## londonloco (Aug 25, 2005)

:bounce::bounce: subscribed.....


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Uptown193 said:


> Hey, nice work on drilling the holes, I know I would have been nervous as well. I know gl[censored][censored][censored][censored][censored][censored][censored]s dot com sell the drilling kits which people use for drilling the reef tanks, which comes with some putty to put around the hole so you can put water near the hole your drilling and it is contained there until the hole is made obviously. I am looking forward to seeing more pics on this build. Oh and whatever you do, do not use the Power Sand stuff from ADA. It is so annoying and I can't get rid of it in my tank. Good luck.
> 
> P.S. If and only if you have the extra cash flow in hand I would shoot for the ADA Solar light. I would more uniform with the tank you have.


Ok so you're voting for the Solar l which is my families choice because they simply like the look of it. I'm concerned about it being MH 150w, that's a lot of light.



prototyp3 said:


> Great attitude man...
> 
> *subscribed for fun*


Now that's hilarious. Seem like that's what you've been rooting for all along disguised as concern. It's okay, I'm not upset, just having fun. It will be the naysayers and doubters that will help make this thread very interesting.

I will say this, no matter the success or failure of this journal, I will show it all no matter what.

Dan


----------



## prototyp3 (Dec 5, 2007)

I seriously want it to work. Water on your floor does nothing for me. I was researching the possibility because I'd like to do this on my ADA tanks. 

Regarding light choice, the Solar is really nice. They are built like a tank. You can reduce the light intensity by raising it up, using screen, etc. With concerns about quality of the fishneedit light, you might want to look into the German-made Aqua Medic Ocean Light 70w pendant. It's what the fishneedit light was modeled after.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

I'm almost finished with the stand I built for the tank with the bulkheads. Here are a few photos of the stand:

*You can clearly see the holes for the bulkheads.*










*Door wide open*










*Stand all by itself*










*Last but not least, I'll be using the mat to sit the tank on
and also line the bottom of the stand with to limit vibration
and noise.*









Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Here are a few more:

*ADA 45-C on stand*









*ADA Garden Mat on stand*









*Another ADA Garden Mat on stand photo*









Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

endgin28 said:


> Cool, I love the idea of a clean cube. It will be fun to see where this goes.


To be honest with you so am I. There's no turning back now 



oldpunk78 said:


> That a nice job. What canister are you planning on using?


I will be using an Eheim 2217 canister filter. I don't know what the flow will be like until I test it and even then I have to cut that flow rate in half to simulate plants, rocks and driftwood in the tank.

I have an Eheim 1103 Compact+ Marine Needle Wheel Pump that was given to me awhile back. I used it on a previous tank I had and I just may incorporate it into the lines if I need a boost in flow or I could just drill two more holes and add another canister filter :icon_mrgr

The pump can boost flow and I can use it for CO2 because its a needle wheel pump. roud: Here is a photo of the tank that I used the 2217 and the pump on:









Here is the other tank my son took over for me. Actually he kind of just took over, with my supervision of course. He implemented EI for dosing, used the 2217 filter and the 1103 needle wheel pump. I was just getting him use to the basics of taking care of the plants. He loved it and enjoyed every minute of it. He has been with me every step of the way with this tank as well.

*I have not posted a photo of his tank anywhere so this will be the first. Be gentle with your critique, he's only 7 years old:*










I know the tank doesn't have the best scape however he has a greener thumb than I do. Inspite of his age, the kid can grow some plants. He was consistent and adamant about taking care of the aquarium. Connor (_my sons name_) would clean the filter every month without failure. I told him that it wasn't necessary to clean the filter so often but he would reply, "Dad, it's no problem." Every week while doing a water change, he would also clean the glass, give the rocks a slight scrubbing and prune the plant, making sure all of the dead/dying leaves were removed. He did so much more and had a better maintenance schedule than I ever had.

We all get lazy sometimes with maintenance but Connor was border line annoying with taking care of the tank/equipment. The planted tank was his puppy and he took good care of it. He's hinting about taking over this one as well but we'll see.

I took him to ADG in Houston where I spoke to Jeff Senske briefly and my son Connor and I hung out with Frank Wazeter a bit. Jeff Senske didn't mind us hanging out in the warehouse while I showed Connor the pallets of the different types of driftwood, rocks, equipment and tanks that were there, in fact that's where ADG houses everything they sell. Jeff Senske walked right inside while Connor and I had free reign of the place, he had a blast.

Frank Wazeter is a great guy. He showed us around the showroom. He was very patient with Connor and encourage him to look around. On our way out he gave Connor a copy of "The Book Of ADA", well needless to say he hasn't put that book down yet, looking through it every day. That's why he is hinting at me to get the Solar l and that's why he wants to take over the tank. 



seahunter said:


> I did it. You may not like the way it looks but it works like a charm lol


I read your journal and I think it looks great. I see nothing wrong with it :icon_mrgr



Uptown193 said:


> Hey, nice work on drilling the holes, I know I would have been nervous as well. I know gl[censored][censored][censored][censored][censored][censored][censored]s dot com sell the drilling kits which people use for drilling the reef tanks, which comes with some putty to put around the hole so you can put water near the hole your drilling and it is contained there until the hole is made obviously. I am looking forward to seeing more pics on this build. Oh and whatever you do, do not use the Power Sand stuff from ADA. It is so annoying and I can't get rid of it in my tank. Good luck.
> 
> P.S. If and only if you have the extra cash flow in hand I would shoot for the ADA Solar light. I would more uniform with the tank you have.


You know, after drilling those holes, I think I would do it again. We all get nervous doing something for the first time but the more you do it the better you get at it roud:. The ADA Solar l would have to be raise significantly if use with this tank. Not sure though.

Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Well not much progress, I'm still waiting for the bulkheads to arrive. I did receive the grommets and installed them. I used a total of three, one on each side and the third one was placed on the lower back of the stand. Clearly the inspiration for the stand and the addition of grommets came from Jason Baliban.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Well, the bulkheads and Loc-Line finally arrived. I installed them but they seem to sit a bit low to me. I picked up a couple of risers to raise the Loc-line and strainer to about 3.5".

I drilled the holes on the top of the stand for the bulkheads. The ADA Garden mat was easy to cut out and cleared the bulkheads nicely.










Here are the photos of the Loc-line and strainer without the risers installed:










Here is a photo looking into the tank from the top:










I also got the rest of the barbs I was waiting for, a Hydor Heater and a few other things I'll need for the build. I was thinking about using a Rex Grigg reactor as oppose to the 1103, not sure though.

More to come.

Dan


----------



## fusiongt (Nov 7, 2011)

I know it's a waste of money but it would be sweet if the sump was an ADA tank as well =)


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

LOL that actually made me laugh out loud. :hihi: That would be a waste of a beautiful tank.

The only thing that's from ADA so far is the tank and the Garden Mat, maybe the lights not sure we'll see.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Here is the riser I used to raise the Lock-Line and strainer to about 3 inches.










The setup is coming together. I still need to place an order for Aquasoil and plants. I have just about everything else. The regulator, reactor, rocks, driftwood, filter and the aluminum CO2 tank are from the ADA 60p I had. Got me a heater, and pretty much everything else I need to get started. The only thing that's up in the air are the lights.

Dan


----------



## aretreesfree (Jun 19, 2011)

why not LED?


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

I know LED's are trendy, fashionable, the "in thing" to get, the next great light fixture that a lot of people seem to rally behind but I just don't see it yet. I know it consumes less energy and all but they can't touch T5HO or MH.

People I know and trust back east gave me mixed reviews. Some say the LED's are significantly dimmer than the power compact they used and others say they can't touch T5HO's or MH. While others tell me its just right. I translate that to mean underpowered for anything other than specific plants they chose to use in their scape.

They may be great and all but my tank is 18" deep and I really don't want to replace the LED's I got because they weren't up to task. If my Tek fixture was 18" wide I would use them in a heart beat but they are 24" and stick out on both ends. It doesn't look visually appealing to the wife and my son voted along with her.

The tank is going to be placed where it will be seen all the time so I would like it to look decent enough for all to enjoy. I know long answer but there you have it.

I haven't discounted the 70w fishneedit lights yet which are inexpensive but the quality is questionable to me. I would rather buy quality any day than save a few bucks and having to replace it later down the road but that's just me. Hope I answered your question :smile:.

Dan


----------



## fusiongt (Nov 7, 2011)

dantra said:


> LOL that actually made me laugh out loud. :hihi: That would be a waste of a beautiful tank.
> 
> The only thing that's from ADA so far is the tank and the Garden Mat, maybe the lights not sure we'll see.


Agreed it's a waste but a sump that is an ADA tank = baller status for sure! Regardless, subscribed and looking forward to seeing more.

As for LED lights, bleh leave those to the people who barely grow plants lol


----------



## zergling (May 16, 2007)

A local sfbaaps member has a custom 3-channel LED fixture on his 12" cube, with first gen 3W cree xr-e's. At 1 channel at 100%, and another at 25%, he was getting 1340 umol at the surface, and 530 somewhere in the middle. He has anywhere from 210 down to 75 umol at the substrate, depending on how far away from the center and how much lower the substrate it.

LED's can be anywhere from just enough to serious overkill. Comments about being significantly dimmer only means that the light spill is minimized due to good optics (?) and thus seemingly less dim to the human eye. This is especially important to know when comparing to PC lights - where even if you have the best (MIRO-4) reflectors, you'll still have light spill / glare. This glare makes it look "bright" but it's actually less light landing inside the tank / more light outside / wasted.

I have a 18" cube with a single 36W PC light - ADA 8000K bulb and so-so reflectors. This makes for a nice low light low maintenance tank. If I want faster plant growth, I'll just another of the same light, pressurized CO2 and EI dosing.

I'm a fanboy of T5HO (have a ATI Powermodule on my ADA tank) - but for an 18" planted cube, I think the 36W PC's are actually an (almost?) perfect fit.


......now how about you let me pay you to build me a stand just like that, huh? :hihi:


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

You know what, it could very well be true. I really don't know much about LED's so the "spillage" may be occurring. That's one of the reasons I didn't want to use the Tek fixture I have. I would like to keep the light concentrated in the tank as opposed to the surrounding area. Don't misunderstand me, I would use T5HO's if it came in 18".

The ATI Powermodules are a beast of a light with a price tag to match. The 24" ATI Powermodule is just about the same price as the ADA Solar l, however the ATI Powermodule doesn't come in 18" otherwise my problem with light selection would have been solved.

The Solar II w/2- 36W Power Compact is about 22" and to be honest with you, I'm really not interested in power compacts. That doesn't leave me with a lot of fixtures to choose from.

If I can build that stand I'm sure you can build it too. Its easier than it looks. If you weren't so far, I would give you a hand building one. I'm actually a very generous guy. :biggrin:

Dan


----------



## zergling (May 16, 2007)

I don't like the inefficiency of power compacts either, but the length of the 36W PC's and the color of the ADA 8000K fits the 18" tanks so perfectly. Heck, if I can find a nice deal on a Solar II, I'd actually get one for the aesthetics hahaha!

In your case, a custom LED fixture or a MH pendant sounds like the ticket.

As for the stand, my (lack of) DIY skills means that it will not qualify for wife approval hahaha! I need it to be professionally done, or at least look like it is.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

*If* I made my mind up today to purchase an ADA Solar l I still would be forced to wait because there aren't any in stock at ADG. In fact I am waiting for Jeff Senske ADG Shop to get their shipment in from Japan so I can order the rest of the stuff I need for the tank.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

O.k. so I've been testing the tank for leaks for about a week now and all is well. I initially had a leak coming from one of the bulkheads but I quickly remedied that by tightening it. I also had the filter going the entire time as well. I even went as far as having the filter unplugged for 48 hours, no leaks not even a drip. The Eheim 2217 withstood the water pressure just fine for the 48 hours it was unplugged. In total, I tested the equipment 10 days and still going.

Now here is where I'm kind of stumped about the flow of the 2217. I believe it doesn't provide enough current for a planted tank. I think the current would improve if I did away with the wye and ran a single Loc-Line in the tank, that and perhaps adding another filter? I'd like to add another 2217 which would provide more current in the tank, it won't be in the way or visible in the tank and it provides extra filtration.

I could add a pump but I wouldn't reap the added benefit of additional current in the tank plus filtration that I would with a filter. I could use a powerhead but that would be visible and sort of defeats the purpose of going for the clean look of not having anything hanging or sitting on the side of the tank.

I need to figure which way to go. :confused1:

Anyway I just thought I keep you updated on the progress of the tank.

Dan


----------



## zergling (May 16, 2007)

The Koralia Nano Evolution is pretty small for the 240 and 420gph models. 

Go with a sump and a powerful return pump, but that would mean getting an overflow.

Add another 2217; use a lily pipe (tucked in the back corner?) for the intake, and the output either plumped to your locline, or also with a glass lily pipe.

I think you can also get a strong pump, them put it inline on the 2217's output. This way, the water still goes through the 2217, but you get higher gph with the stronger pump.

The easiest approach, I think, is to upgrade the 2217 with a bigger stronger canister.


----------



## endgin28 (Feb 9, 2010)

I run a an 18X18x22" "cube" with 150w MH over the top of it (ada bulbs) and it grows stuff like a weed. By shifting the height of the unit up and down you should easily be able to control the upper end of the output. Admittedly the depth of my tank is quite a bit deeper, but simply adjusting the height of the lighting unit will counterbalance that issue. It is not an algae factory, and I have run it dilligently and lazily, and it has produced insane amounts of high quality growth. Love the architecture of the set up so far.


----------



## Jeff5614 (Dec 29, 2005)

zergling said:


> The Koralia Nano Evolution is pretty small for the 240 and 420gph models.
> 
> Go with a sump and a powerful return pump, but that would mean getting an overflow.
> 
> ...


I think a bigger canister would be the easiest solution also but adding a stronger pump inline is also fairly easy, just might require a reducer or two to fit it on the output tubing. Lily pipes are a good idea if you don't mind spending the cash and needing to clean them every few weeks. Aside from being unobtrusive, they will increase the water movement in than tank by pulling more water into the flow they create.


----------



## endgin28 (Feb 9, 2010)

I would go with a double 2217 set up, if I were living the dream. I would love to be able to set it up so that the filters are removable one at a time, with ball valves, as maintenance time with classics is a little higher than trayed models. I am not a plumber but I would think about this potential arrangement. I am sure there are major flaws with this theory but it would make maintenance a snap.

intake 
ball v
split manifold 
2x Ball v
filters- heater one, reactor other
2x Ball v
split manifold
ball valve
outtake


----------



## Ibn (Nov 19, 2003)

Looking at this tank reminds me of my old ADA 24x18x18. The tank was also drilled with dual overflows in the back right corner and a custom overflow was implemented to hide the stockman, as well as act as a drybox for one of two MP40w. The stand is very familiar as well, only my door was centered and was beveled into the front face (instead of the typical ADA with the fully open front). 

Some old pics from that tank. Water testing in the backyard with attached bent conduit. 


















P.S. I'm the guy that zergling referenced in regards to the 30c w/the custom LED. 

Always been a fan of LEDs since I started using them. The integration on them is spectacular and the overall looks are very clean. The fixture that I used had a built-in timer for controlling all 6 channels (independent of each other). Best thing about them was the low power consumption - 13w per channel and even with 4 channels running, it was plenty to grow SPS. 

I really like the direction that you're taking with this tank.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

zergling said:


> The Koralia Nano Evolution is pretty small for the 240 and 420gph models.
> 
> Go with a sump and a powerful return pump, but that would mean getting an overflow.
> 
> ...


The lily pipe sort of defeats the purpose of going with a clean look. I really thought long and hard about adding a pump but I would rather have the extra filtration which provides extra current plus filtration. I'm leaning toward adding the 2217 as you and others have suggested. 



endgin28 said:


> I run a an 18X18x22" "cube" with 150w MH over the top of it (ada bulbs) and it grows stuff like a weed. By shifting the height of the unit up and down you should easily be able to control the upper end of the output. Admittedly the depth of my tank is quite a bit deeper, but simply adjusting the height of the lighting unit will counterbalance that issue. It is not an algae factory, and I have run it dilligently and lazily, and it has produced insane amounts of high quality growth. Love the architecture of the set up so far.


Thanks endgin28, I realized that the ADA Solar l isn't as strong as I thought it was. After reading this at the Barr Report. That thread really opened my eyes to how important having a par meter can be. Sadly they are really expensive especially if you only use them once however they are very helpful.

Raising and lowering the fixture is always good to do depending on what you're looking for. You also raised a good point with the depth of the tank so I would want the fixture, no matter what I chose, to be able to penetrate to the bottom and provide enough output to grow whatever I put down there. 



endgin28 said:


> I would go with a double 2217 set up, if I were living the dream. I would love to be able to set it up so that the filters are removable one at a time, with ball valves, as maintenance time with classics is a little higher than trayed models. I am not a plumber but I would think about this potential arrangement. I am sure there are major flaws with this theory but it would make maintenance a snap.
> 
> intake
> ball v
> ...


Having two 2217 means having to drill another hole in the tank. I am willing to do that since this tank is sort of the test tank. Being able to clean one filter at a time without having to stop the other one would be cool . As I said, I'm leaning toward adding another 2217 so I may just start drilling soon.

Dan


----------



## zergling (May 16, 2007)

BTW - you probably already have a plan for it, but just in case - your scape should also have a way of hiding those loclines and the intake strainer. Black plastic tubes are less "clean look" than clean glass lily pipes.

Glad you're looking into adding another 2217. As the movie said, overkill is underrated! :hihi:


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Ibn said:


> Looking at this tank reminds me of my old ADA 24x18x18. The tank was also drilled with dual overflows in the back right corner and a custom overflow was implemented to hide the stockman, as well as act as a drybox for one of two MP40w. The stand is very familiar as well, only my door was centered and was beveled into the front face (instead of the typical ADA with the fully open front).
> 
> Some old pics from that tank. Water testing in the backyard with attached bent conduit.
> 
> ...


Thanks Ibn, you have a great looking setup there. That, I think is a bit too elaborate for the cube. If I had a larger cabinet I would have thought long and hard about that. I have about 16 1/2" of space to work with inside the cabinet, wish I had more. I'm looking ahead at perhaps a 90p and implementing a BeanAnimal which is very similar to what you have. Here is jcardona1's thread that explains what a Bean Animal is. If and when I go larger that will the way I would like to go.

Looking at your setup makes me wish I had the space to go that route. I definitely would not have had the space to keep the CO2 tank in the cabinet along with the equipment shown. . Oh, one more thing, if you can point me in the right direction about the information pertaining to the LEDs, I would really appreciate it. One of the reasons for not going with LEDs is my lack of knowledge of them.

Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

zergling said:


> BTW - you probably already have a plan for it, but just in case - your scape should also have a way of hiding those loclines and the intake strainer. Black plastic tubes are less "clean look" than clean glass lily pipes.
> 
> Glad you're looking into adding another 2217. As the movie said, overkill is underrated! :hihi:


I'm constantly going over the scape to make sure I'll be able to cover the Loc-Lines without it looking obvious. But as we all know, scapes are thought of one way and implementing them seems to always go another. :biggrin:

Yeah, the 2217 will definitely help. How much it will help remains to be seen. At the very least i'll have some very clear water.

Dan


----------



## zergling (May 16, 2007)

oh noes!! the complicated plumbing folks are invading TPT! :hihi:


----------



## chiefroastbeef (Feb 14, 2011)

Your tank looks great! Love the cabinet stand, can't wait to see your progress!


----------



## brohawk (May 19, 2008)

If you're still wanting the Solar I, here's a cheaper option that's actually in stock: http://www.aquainspiration.com/productdetail.asp?PIN=LS&PNAME=AI&PSIZE=SL&PTYPE=Lights A couple things might be slightly different, but it's even the same dimensions as ADA's. Not sure if they'll ship to the States, but maybe a TPT member near Toronto could ship it to you.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

brohawk said:


> If you're still wanting the Solar I, here's a cheaper option that's actually in stock: http://www.aquainspiration.com/productdetail.asp?PIN=LS&PNAME=AI&PSIZE=SL&PTYPE=Lights A couple things might be slightly different, but it's even the same dimensions as ADA's. Not sure if they'll ship to the States, but maybe a TPT member near Toronto could ship it to you.


Thanks for the tip I appreciate it however I am seeing a lot of ADA knock-offs lately. Here's one and here's the one you recommended. Once again I thank you for the link but I will continue to support Jeff Senske, George and Steven Lo simply because they have always treated me well and the products they sell, that I've purchased, has been outstanding. The products speak for themselves.

Perhaps I'm just as guilty, after all, I did build a stand that is similar to the one they sell 

Dan


----------



## chiefroastbeef (Feb 14, 2011)

Wow, those NA products look great! I wish they are available in Hong Kong, I would definitely get the lights. I love m 60p though, nothing compares to an ADA tank, looking to get a 30c soon!


----------



## brohawk (May 19, 2008)

Hey, if you've got the cash flow, go on supporting them. There's no doubt what they've done for our hobby and you're right, they take good care of their customers.


----------



## Uptown193 (Apr 25, 2011)

dantra said:


> You know, after drilling those holes, I think I would do it again. We all get nervous doing something for the first time but the more you do it the better you get at it roud:. The ADA Solar l would have to be raise significantly if use with this tank. Not sure though.


Sorry for delayed response but I think I might have been referring to the other non MH Solar light by ADA that sells, I think it is called the Solar II with 36W Power Compacts. Should be perfect for your size tank. I could be wrong though. But you are right, the more you do something the better you get and that includes everything in life. :icon_mrgr

P.S. Connors ADA 60P is beautifully done. I love the scape and plant placement. No critiquing needed there. He might be the next Amano.


----------



## Uptown193 (Apr 25, 2011)

Disregard the Solar II comment I made. I just read the rest of the thread and all the other comments, but I still think they would be perfect and look awesome.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Uptown193 said:


> Sorry for delayed response but I think I might have been referring to the other non MH Solar light by ADA that sells, I think it is called the Solar II with 36W Power Compacts. Should be perfect for your size tank. I could be wrong though. But you are right, the more you do something the better you get and that includes everything in life. :icon_mrgr
> 
> P.S. Connors ADA 60P is beautifully done. I love the scape and plant placement. No critiquing needed there. He might be the next Amano.


Thank you for the kind words about my son. He is so desperately trying to take over this tank. I offered to get him his own tank but he wants this one. He has helped me every step of the way so I can see how he may feel like it's his tank roud:

Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Well I purchase a used 2217 and it works well. The person I got it from was an older gentleman who only had it for a year. It's quiet and looks brand new. He gave me the filter media, extra filter pads, tubing, spray and intake bars for a great price. As you can tell I was excited when I got it. I saved myself quite a few bucks which is always a good thing .

I went ahead and took the plunge once again. I drilled the tank for the third hole to add the second filter. All went well, the drilling was actually a lot easier and quicker this time around. I added the third bulkhead, riser and Loc-Line to the tank. I configured it so that the strainer is in the middle. Here is a sneak peek :










All I'm waiting for now is Aqua-soil and lights. Not so much the lights because I have a Tek fixture I can use in the meantime however waiting for the Aqua-soil is definitely slowing things down.

Dan


----------



## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

You tanks looks really nice so far and should look great when you are finished, I read most of your post but did speed read a little. I used a larger version of the same inlet stainer and if you spray it with flat black paint it will diappear into the background a lot better and with some plants it should dissapear all together.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Thanks for the advice. The aquasoil is going to cover the risers and with the plants positioned to hide them, they should be camouflaged pretty well. I think, I hope. :biggrin:

Well, it's official. The tank is no longer mine to scape. My son is taking over the tank/project. He showed so much interest and helped me so much with the build that I decided to let him run with it.

I used a different method to hang the Tek lights than I did from my previous build a few years ago. Here are a few photos of the method of which I speak:

*These hangers were easier to use for this particular build.*









*Here they are from a side view:*









*Here is another one:*









*One final one for now:*









Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

My son was looking through the ADA Journals that I have and he started asking me about the subsrtate additives ADA sells. He's viewed quite a few "How-To" videos from ADA which he found fascinating. I explained to him that there aren't necessary but he simply asked me if I ever used any of them?

I told him I hadn't and reminded him that his mother, (my wife) purchased penac w and penac p for me years ago when she surprised me with a package of aquarium stuff. Those of you who remember my previous journal knows what I'm talking about. :icon_redf

Connor asked me if I never used the products, how do I know they aren't necessary? My reply was simple, because you and I both have grown plants without them. He then asked, how do you know if the additives doesn't make the plants grow better, healthier and give it richer color?

I got online and showed him several tank that didn't use the substrate additives but he continued to say, what if the additives grew plants better? Then he said, why don't you let me find out for myself. After talking to my wife about this we agreed to let him experiment with the substrate additives. After all, isn't life about learning and having fun in the process.

So I set out to get him the additives for the substrate. I purchased the Aqua Soil from AFA along with Bactor 100, Tourmaline BC and Clear Super. I actually forgot about the Iron Bottom and the Multi Bottom so I picked them up personally from Frank today at ADG. 

Connor is excited and spent the better part of the evening setting up different hardscapes. He's using Seiryu Stone that I purchased back in '07 and driftwood that he picked out.

Here are the photos of his latest addition to what is now *his* project/journal:

*This was purchased for me in '07:*









*ADA substrate additives:*









*and of course the Aqua Soil:*









Just so that we are clear on this, I will be helping him out and keeping an eye on things. He has certain restrictions like not touching anything electrical. He is not, I repeat, not to do anything to the aquarium without his parents supervision. That is what he agreed to when I handed the project/journal over to him.

Dan


----------



## samamorgan (Dec 31, 2011)

Great project! I love seeing someone do something different, this is how things advance.

A commend on your lighting: I see you already got the tek fixture, but you should check out the new kessil amazon sun LED pendants. One would easily cover that tank with halide equivalent power, if theyre anywhere near as powerful as the reef version. LEDs arent as weak as a few posts on this tread have made them out to be, lots of people including myself are running high light tanks with relatively low power fixtures.

A thought on the filter: If you raised one 2217 up as high as you could get it inside the cabinet, wouldnt that raise the head to sufficiently in crease the flow? You don't have to wrry about siphon distance since its bottom drilled and there is no siphon, so the higher you raise the filter, the more flow it would have since it's not working against gravity as much.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

My son Connor was really excited to get all of the substrate additives from ADA. He remembered seeing them being used on so many of the ADA videos that he wanted to get started immediately. For those of you who are parents you know what it is like trying to tell a 7 year old to wait. :frown:

We had already received Bolbitis, Needle leaf Java Fern, a couple of crypts and anubias. We are waiting for Trident Java Fern and Crypt Parva to arrive. He asked for a few specific plants that he saw at ADG in this tank. For those who don't know, the tank looks totally different than what's pictured there and is growing out very nicely.

The plants he asked for are difficult to get at times so the hunt is on for those plants. Like I was saying, just like any other 7 year old he didn't want to wait, he wanted to get started so I indulged him.

*Here he is checking his arm length to see if he can reach the corners of the tank with the spoon in his hand:*









*He didn't do bad at all. This is 3 spoons of Penac W and 3 spoons of Penac P*









*This is the finished product, 10 spoons of Tourmaline BC, 3 spoons of Clear Super and 3 spoons of Bacter 100:*









*Here Connor added Iron Bottoms and Multi Bottom:*









*Here is the all important Aqua Soil. He's using a cup because the bag of Aqua Soil was too heavy for him to hold up and pour into the tank so he decided to use a cup instead.*









*That's right, spread it out* :biggrin: roud::









He couldn't be prouder of himself if he tried. I helped him tie the plants to the driftwood for times sake but he told me exactly what he wanted where and how much plant to use. I really tried to let him make all of the decisions but there were a few times I had to correct him and explained to him why it's done a particular way.

After the plants were done he moved some things around in the tank, positioned a few Seiryu Stones where he wanted them, added the filter media to the filters and added some water to the tank. He added just enough to plant the crypts then I helped him get the python hooked up to fill the tank.

More photos are coming as soon as the rest of the plants arrive which should be in a day or two.

Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

We are still waiting to purchase a lot more plants for the tank but so far, it's coming along nicely. Most of the plants we received from SNS thus far were in bad shape. Most covered with algae, some arrived with browning and/or dead leaves. It has become difficult finding good decent plants.

We ordered two different plants from AFA which arrived in great condition. It was packaged in a material that looked like it came from the space shuttle. :biggrin: Thank you for selling beautiful clean algae free plants. By the way Frank, I want to thank you for the info you shared with me. I haven't pursued it yet but I will very soon. I've just been extremely busy. Connor thanks you for the stuff I picked up for him.

Here is a sneak peek of what he has done so far with the plants we received. Keep in mind I have quite a few more plants that I intend on picking up for him so he can finish his idea of a scape:










It took him a long time to settle on a hardscape that he was satisfied with. Prepping the plants and tying them down to rocks and driftwood took hours to do but we enjoyed ourselves in the process. :icon_wink

Stay tuned...
Dan


----------



## endgin28 (Feb 9, 2010)

Looking good, love the project. Keep it up. Nice to get your son involved.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Thanks endgin28, he was interested for some time now but I never took him seriously because kids change their minds like the wind. When he asked to come with me to pick up the materials needed for the build I was surprised. Then when he helped me put the stand together I was stunned. Then he became a pain in the rear about wanting to do his own planted tank so I caved and let him take over.

It's difficult sometimes because as adults we do things one way and kids do things another but in the end it all works out. I mind my business and let him ask for advice thus giving him control however I do correct him only when absolutely necessary. Personally I would have done things differently but I don't say a word.

Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

I do plan to get myself a tank in the near future. He'll have his and I'll have mine. I'm considering an ADA 90p or a 120p not sure which one I will go with yet.

Dan


----------



## Francis Xavier (Oct 8, 2008)

Great Dan!

Connor really is something else I have to say, he'll be a master one day.

I'll plant a seed of knowledge for him with Houston area water: use RO/DI if you can. It will create much more ideal conditions (ADA gallery quality water). The water here is very hard and the mineralization will clog plant cell pores and inhibit growth. 

We use RO/DI in the 60-P and the 180-P.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Francis Xavier said:


> Great Dan!
> 
> Connor really is something else I have to say, he'll be a master one day.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the kind words. Maybe... one day roud:

I will certainly look into it the RO/DI system. Like it isn't bad enough that he looks through "The Book Of ADA" you gave him constantly. You know he has at least 10 things circled in the book that he's asking for. He even added those Post-It Page Markers so I can find the pages easier. :biggrin:

Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

I'll be coming to see you soon for scissors. That will be one of the things off his list.

Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

I finally got the CO2 up and running so the plants should really take off in a week or two. Everything has been coming along nicely. My son and I went to The Fish Gallery today in Houston and the guy who helped us really looked out for us. We needed a washer for the CO2 tank and he provided one for us.

Thank you very much!!! You save my rear end. Naturally we picked up some stem plants while we were there that my son was interested in. So everything seems to in place and going well.

Dan


----------



## prototyp3 (Dec 5, 2007)

Pretty sly move letting the son take over the tank so dad can get a bigger one. :thumbsup:
Really though, it's great to share a common hobby. 

That's a nice heavy plant mass to start the tank with. Looking good so far.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

prototyp3 said:


> Pretty sly move letting the son take over the tank so dad can get a bigger one. :thumbsup:
> Really though, it's great to share a common hobby.
> 
> That's a nice heavy plant mass to start the tank with. Looking good so far.


Now there's someone who figured it out. You saw right through me and my plan :biggrin: I am looking forward to the larger tank, in fact I'm already scheming on the materials I need for the hardscape. 

It does have a high biomass. Something else you notice that no one commented on yet. The reason I convinced him to plant it heavily right from the beginning was to teach him to do it properly right from the start. I explained to him the importance of a high biomass. I also shared with him the problems that comes with a high biomass, for example dead spots etc...

A higher biomass makes it difficult for algae to get a foothold in the tank providing of course you are not limiting nutrients and have good water flow, no dead spots. Tom Barr has been saying this for years. I also showed him video of Mr. Amano doing the same so it seems many agree, Mr. Amano, Tom Barr, Oliver Knott, George Booth and others. Simple really when you think about it.

Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

One of his crypt melted. He wasn't too happy about it but I told him it will grow back, just be patient. We have some stems arriving soon so that should be exciting.

Dan


----------



## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I have looked through this journal a few times. This is one crazy setup. 

That is super cool of you to let your son take over. My dad and I really bonded through hobbies from about 6 to 7 years old to when I left for college through many things from model trains to working on cars. We still get a chance to work on the car he reluctantly gave me together and it always brings me back. I just think it's very cool you let him really try to understand things and make choices, rather than just saying he can trim or something. Then again, my dad taught me about electricity and I was soldering by 3rd grade lol, maybe not the best thing but it gave me an incredible ability to problem solve mechanically, electrically, and just gave me good live skills. 

Can't wait to see this coming together. I wasn't sure if I was going to like the drilled setup on a smaller sized tank but it seems to fit in great. I am a bit jealous because I can't afford to upgrade to a 2217 ATM, and you just through another one on, and your tank is smaller. 

Conner's new scape seems pretty nice already, I think the previous ones you posted are better than many of us who are pretty happy with how far we have come.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Matt you are too kind and reading through your post, you know all too well the importance of showing interest in your kids as well as sharing and indulging them as oppose to stifling and killing/cutting short their passions and dreams. I believe parents are the number one killer of their children's dreams. That said I'll move on.

Connor's tank is doing great. He is doing a water change every two to three days. The setup has only been up for a week now and the plants are coming around. They are showing dramatic improvements and are coloring up nicely.

*Here is a peek of his C. Parva:*









*Here is a partial view of "Anubias Roots":*









*This is his C. Nurii:*









To be continued...
Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

*This plant was sold to us as Rotala macrandra 'Narrow Leaf', can anyone confirm:*









The plant was green when it arrived, after nursing it back to health it started getting really dark then leveled out. On a daily basis I can tell that it gets brighter, meaning vibrant with color. This plant was in terrible shape but it has recovered and is growing with a vengeance.

More to come...
Dan


----------



## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

dantra said:


> Matt you are too kind and reading through your post, you know all too well the importance of showing interest in your kids as well as sharing and indulging them as oppose to stifling and killing/cutting short their passions and dreams. I believe parents are the number one killer of their children's dreams.


I will just say this....I am a musician/producer (who's parents support that lol). I am one who got their first album credit the first day I went to a real studio. Only a fraction of that is talent, a lot of it was hard work (lesson from dad), a lot of it was diligence and learning my skill set (lesson from dad), and a lot of it was support (family). That isn't to say I couldn't get a great job doing something else, I have had great jobs, I have work experience, and a good education. I just learned so much from my pops because he let me learn on my own.

Sorry, don't want to clog your thread but I think it's really awesome to give your kid an opportunity to maintain a tank that 90% of us aspire to own, rather than buying him him a 10 gallon from Petco. He is already ahead of most of us in the hobby and by the looks of it, only getting better. I am sure you see why.


New pictures look great. Stone and plant choice is great.


----------



## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

Very nice looking tank your son and you have there. I still remember standing in front of my dads tanks for hours watching fish when I was a kid. My dad used to breed angelfish, cories, cichlids, and several livebearers when I was growing up and it had a huge influence on my love for the hobby and 30+ years later and I still stand in front of my tank watching fish and now my 6 year old has really became interested in fish and now has a 6 gallon Eclipse in his room. This is a wonderful hobby that I became interested in as a kid and it was all because of my dad sharing his hobby with me way back then. My dad doesn't have any tanks anymore(at one point growing up he had 40+ tanks in his fish room) but I can tell he misses them when he comes to my house and is amazed at what has become of the hobby today. It's great to see you sharing your hobby with your son and I'm sure it will be something that sticks with him the rest of his life.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

talontsiawd said:


> I will just say this....I am a musician/producer (who's parents support that lol). I am one who got their first album credit the first day I went to a real studio. Only a fraction of that is talent, a lot of it was hard work (lesson from dad), a lot of it was diligence and learning my skill set (lesson from dad), and a lot of it was support (family). That isn't to say I couldn't get a great job doing something else, I have had great jobs, I have work experience, and a good education. I just learned so much from my pops because he let me learn on my own.
> 
> Sorry, don't want to clog your thread but I think it's really awesome to give your kid an opportunity to maintain a tank that 90% of us aspire to own, rather than buying him him a 10 gallon from Petco. He is already ahead of most of us in the hobby and by the looks of it, only getting better. I am sure you see why.
> 
> New pictures look great. Stone and plant choice is great.


No need to apologize, my dad was similar in his ways. Seems we share a commonality. I learned how to run a business from my dad. Sure school will try to prepare you but nothing beats real world experience which is what I received from him. I was able to sell my business at top dollar way before the market crashed because of his advice and guidance. Now I'm able to do anything I darn well please. Following passions and enjoying life. I get to pass along what I learned from my dad to Connor and Cooper, my two boys.

Dan



ua hua said:


> Very nice looking tank your son and you have there. I still remember standing in front of my dads tanks for hours watching fish when I was a kid. My dad used to breed angelfish, cories, cichlids, and several livebearers when I was growing up and it had a huge influence on my love for the hobby and 30+ years later and I still stand in front of my tank watching fish and now my 6 year old has really became interested in fish and now has a 6 gallon Eclipse in his room. This is a wonderful hobby that I became interested in as a kid and it was all because of my dad sharing his hobby with me way back then. My dad doesn't have any tanks anymore(at one point growing up he had 40+ tanks in his fish room) but I can tell he misses them when he comes to my house and is amazed at what has become of the hobby today. It's great to see you sharing your hobby with your son and I'm sure it will be something that sticks with him the rest of his life.


I remember my dad got me a huge tank in the late '70s. I was intimidated by its size but he helped and encouraged me. Mostly gave me free reign but was always available when I needed help. That stuff stays with you forever, it can never be replaced only cherished. Personally I believe family is one of the most important things in life but that's just me.

Isn't funny how life seems to repeat itself. Your dad with his tanks now your son with your tanks. Yup, life is good!

Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Got some new ferts in. Time to experiment. We are braking out the chemistry set :biggrin: roud: 

Dan


----------



## samamorgan (Dec 31, 2011)

Got any new full tank pics? I'm interested to see how it's progressing. Looks beautiful so far!


----------



## DTDPlanted (Apr 2, 2012)

dantra said:


> We are still waiting to purchase a lot more plants for the tank but so far, it's coming along nicely. Most of the plants we received from SNS thus far were in bad shape. Most covered with algae, some arrived with browning and/or dead leaves. It has become difficult finding good decent plants.
> 
> We ordered two different plants from AFA which arrived in great condition. It was packaged in a material that looked like it came from the space shuttle. :biggrin: Thank you for selling beautiful clean algae free plants. By the way Frank, I want to thank you for the info you shared with me. I haven't pursued it yet but I will very soon. I've just been extremely busy. Connor thanks you for the stuff I picked up for him.
> 
> ...


I like it! The set up reminds me of a stand of mangroves, with smaller plants spreading out between the shoots, excellent work!


----------



## vvDO (Oct 18, 2010)

Any update?


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

It's been a month that the tank has been up and running but just recently added the bulk of plants. Connor was somewhat undecided on a scape because the plants weren't growing... *they were growing*, it was just too slow for him. So I purchased some plants for so he can redo the scape. I sold the plants he didn't want and purchased some stems and others so he can prune and feel like he's doing something.

He added the moss a few days ago. He has a lot more to add but I just don't have the time to do it right now. This weekend I'll redo the moss for him and help him add the rest.

He is going to slow down with the water changes depending on how the clarity of the water is. If the aquasoil is still leeching tannings then he'll continue doing water changes a couple times a week however if the substrate isn't releasing as much he will do less.

Anyway here is what it looks like now:










side view:










He is going to do his first trim either this weekend or the next. He is very excited about chopping up some plants and believe you me, that's just what he is going to do, chop them up :hihi:. I'm sure after a while he will get the hang of it. I mean what's the worst that can happen? If it turns out to be a disaster he can just grow the plants out and try again.

Dan


----------



## vvDO (Oct 18, 2010)

Looks great. Is that all crypt parva up front? Seems like it's growing in very well.


----------



## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

That looks great.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

vvDO said:


> Looks great. Is that all crypt parva up front? Seems like it's growing in very well.


Actually it is C. Parva. My wife and son decided to order a shipment of C. Parva while I was in Colorado. They had an issue ordering the amount of pots they wanted and called me while I was in a meeting. Needless to say Orlando (GLA) was extremely patient, helpful and answered my emails I sent out to him from my blackberry.

Never once did I have to leave the meeting. I just forwarded the information to my wife and son and they were able to place the order. Once again, thank you Orlando . roud:



talontsiawd said:


> That looks great.


Thanks, I got some info yesterday that he will be getting some rare plants for his aquarium soon. Connor is extremely excited. He knows exactly where he wants to place them. In the mean time I am teaching him how to get the colors out of his plants. The dosing regimen I have him using is working out very well He has not had any algae yet but had to adjust the CO2 quite frequently.

He was bugging me about the moss so I straightened that out for him. Plans are we will be picking up four Amanos Frank got from Japan tomorrow.

Dan


----------



## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Orlando's fantastic! I've always been more than happy with my experiences with GLA. Great looking tank too! I hope Connor enjoys his introduction to planted aquariums. :bounce:


----------



## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

dantra said:


> Thanks, I got some info yesterday that he will be getting some rare plants for his aquarium soon. Connor is extremely excited. He knows exactly where he wants to place them. In the mean time I am teaching him how to get the colors out of his plants. The dosing regimen I have him using is working out very well He has not had any algae yet but had to adjust the CO2 quite frequently.
> 
> He was bugging me about the moss so I straightened that out for him. Plans are we will be picking up four Amanos Frank got from Japan tomorrow.
> 
> Dan


That's awesome, can't wait to see what plants he picked out. Hopefully his first trim goes well, even though he is much younger than I, he seems to have a great mentor.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Phil Edwards said:


> Orlando's fantastic! I've always been more than happy with my experiences with GLA. Great looking tank too! I hope Connor enjoys his introduction to planted aquariums. :bounce:


Hey Phil, isn't that the truth. I've always heard great things about GLA but for the most part I purchased things locally. When the wife and son ordered the plants from GLA they were packed very well, individually wrapped and in great shape. 

There is no doubt in my mind, I will order from GLA again. GLA has been added to the very short list of companies I choose to do business with.



talontsiawd said:


> That's awesome, can't wait to see what plants he picked out. Hopefully his first trim goes well, even though he is much younger than I, he seems to have a great mentor.


LOL, a great mentor... who... where... me?!?! I'm learning right along with him. Kids have a way of making you question and rethink things. I'm just a regular guy spending time with his son but thank you for the kind words. :biggrin:

Dan


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Here is a sneak peek at one of the younger wild caught male Chocolate Gourami he has in his tank. It is a species only tank and he's happy they're thriving. There is only one other male in the tank along with this one and he is much larger. I won't be surprised if the start mating soon. He certainly have been going through the motions with the females.


----------



## prototyp3 (Dec 5, 2007)

Now that's jumping right in to the deep end with sensitive fish! Good to hear they're doing well. Those fish look great when healthy and in a well planted tank.


----------



## dantra (May 25, 2007)

I've read about how sensitive they are but I'm yet to see it. Since I got them at a great price I decided to take a chance and see how they'll do in the tank. The water in Texas is hard with a KH anywhere from 12 to 18 and they are just fine.

Their appetites are not affected by the hard water because they eat two to three times a day. When the fish see my son approach the tank they anxiously wait to be feed. The Chocolate Gouramis are not as shy as they were made out to be, maybe it's because of all the plants. They were skittish at first but quickly became comfortable in their new home.

My son and I do water changes right from the faucet with a python so its straight up tap water which contains chlorine and chloramines. The fish are fine with it, swimming around looking for food as we do the water changes. I add prime to the water without any ill effects to the fish. Its been said that they are susceptible to bacterial infections and skin parasites but again they are doing just fine.

As far as dosing is concerned, Connor doses more than EI recommends for some things and the fish are not affected by it at all. He doses extra iron among other things and the fish and shrimps are fine. I really don't know what all the hoopla is about with how sensitive these fish are but it seems like we broke all the rules pertaining to the Chocolate Gouramis with no ill effects. They are happy, playing and eating well.

Dan


----------



## kamikaziechameleon (Feb 16, 2012)

dantra, all your images are broken links.


----------



## bitFUUL (May 14, 2010)

kamikaziechameleon said:


> dantra, all your images are broken links.


He hasn't logged in for 3 months.


----------

