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Hello everyone!
I’m starting this journal to document my ADA 90P aquascape and get feedback from the community as it evolves.
This will be a moderately planted, CO2-injected setup with a focus on a natural, balanced look.
I’ve kept planted tanks before, but this build is meant to be my most refined project yet — a clean, rimless layout inspired by ADA-style aquascapes.
I am using the following apps to help me:
— ChatGPT to help with prep work and to draft this journal.
— Amazing Marvin to organize my thoughts during this process.
— Copilot, an iOS-only app, to track my spending. I figure the calculations may help someone else planning to get into the hobby. (Spent $2,500 on the previous tanks.)
I am in the early stages of planning and do not have all my equipment yet.
I will either add updates to this post or pin another one lower down as I go forward with the scape.
I work in the healthcare field and have a weird schedule with long stretches of time off, so I can devote time to this hobby.
I have two elementary-age kids who have not yet begun showing interest in my hobby, lol.
I have a bad back, so I’m constantly looking for hacks that prevent me from hurting it more.
I had a fish tank growing up stocked with a few guppies and swordtails, which was eventually converted to a turtle tank due to poor maintenance.
My interest in aquascaping started in late 2023 after viewing a bunch of Instagram reels. The hobby helped a lot with my mental health.
My first tank was a Waterbox AIO 20, which I bought off Facebook Marketplace.
I learned the basics of lighting, CO2 injection, fertilization techniques, etc. from this tank.
Lessons learned from the experience:
I decided to go the Walstad route for this next tank. I went down the Father Fish rabbit hole and ended up ordering his substrate mix. I used ADA La Plata sand as a sand cap, and I guess, due to its finer texture, it induced anaerobic conditions.
It is no longer self-sustaining, so I am dosing with ferts intermittently. I’m also using it as a grow-out tank for future plant retrievals.
I’m aiming for a balanced nature-style aquascape with a triangle layout — strong hardscape slopes on one side with either an HC Cuba carpet or La Plata sand on the other.
This aquarium by Dave Pierce, owner of Aquarium Gardens in the UK, is my inspiration:
This cinematic is awesome
A detailed descriptive video by George Farmer.
Most of the faucets in the house aren’t compatible with standard attachments like those used with the Python water change system.
There is a garden hose outlet a few feet outside which may be compatible and I should look into.
On the bright side, the patio is right next to the tank location, which will make draining water during maintenance much easier.
There is one power outlet at the site, although it’s not GFCI-protected.
I eventually plan to set up a larger tank, possibly a 120P or Waterbox 4820 in the basement. My main concern at this time is protect it from my young kids’ boundless energy. I might install a protective screen or barrier around it to guard against stray soccer ball kicks!
I wonder if I should make a separate thread requesting advice about this stuff. I will see the level of engagement on this thread and then decide.
I have some stuff from the previous iterations but planning on buying a lot of new equipment. Have been sourcing used equipment from Facebook Marketplace. Luckily, I am a couple of hours away from Chicago, so that increases my options.
Tank:
Will be ordering an ADA 90P when it becomes available. I am also waiting for the Waterbox Blue Friday sale to see if the 3620 is discounted. There is a 2 inch overhang with the 3620 on the stand that I have ordered. I was thinking of addressing this with a piece of marine plywood placed over the stand but now second guessing.
Stand:
I have the Archaea Modern Cabinet in Driftwood on the way.
I was looking at ideas regarding undertank organization and could greatly use some advice.
I saw this image on Instagram and was instantly hooked:
This is an old image and the account is not very active.
I wonder if anyone has any idea about what waterproof felt pads are used under the filters and on the door.
This is what I am thinking:
I have a Jebao auto doser with dosing containers that will go on one side inside the cabinet.
Will mount an ATO device to the same side
I plan to attach two power strips to the back, one for the stuff that I can turn off during water change and the other for the rest.
Motion activated rechargeable light pucks go overhead.
One door will have a magnet to hold aquascaping tools on one side.
The other door will hold racks for fish food and chemicals/fertilizers.
Filter, CO2 and RO reservoir on the floor.
Lighting:
I got a good deal off Facebook Marketplace for a WeekAqua L 900 so will be going that route.
Initially, was planning to use an old Chihiros WRGB Pro 45 that i have but fell short lengthwise. Was planning to rim mount but did not like the aesthetic of the black Chihiros one.
I really love the ADA Solar RGB mount but 350$ is too much. I looked into DIY stands and currently researching 8020 T slot builds but it looks like too much work.
For now will use the rim mount that came with the Week Aqua.
If you have any ideas, let me know.
Hardscape:
I had a terrible time with driftwood on my first aquascape. I introduced it later after planting was done. I tried gluing it down on to a piece of slate that I got from Floor & Decor but it would neither stick nor stay down.
This time, I will be gluing Driftwood to black egg crate and place it in the tank before I layer the substrate. I won't glue down the rocks so that I can move them around.
I bought a large piece of Driftwood from Belinda's Driftwood which I will start soaking soon. It is Osage Orange apparently.
Will start foraging for smaller pieces soon. Planning to go to SR Aquaristik and other stores in Chicago.
Also looking for Frodo Stones and Black Lava Rock or Black Basalt.
If you know any deals, let me know!
Filter:
Oase Biomaster Thermo 600. Looking into filter media setup.
Debating between steel vs glass lily pipes. Outflow will have a skimmer.
CO₂:
I have a 5lb CO2 tank with GLA Pro Double Stage regulator, glad I went with this for the previous build.
Planning to get the ARC CO2 Reactor. This needs more research.
Heater:
Integrated in the Biomaster Thermo. I have another smaller Oase heater for redundancy.
Substrate:
ADA Amazonia II with Power Sand Advanced (layered). I will also get the powdered version if I plan to go the HC cuba route.
Base will be washed lava rock in mesh bags at the left hand corner to add height. This will be layered on top of black egg crate.
Fertilization:
Bought a gallon of GLA Nectar AIO after reading up quite a bit on this. I do not have the time to mix my own dry salts.
Will be doing EI dosing.
Using Jebao 2.4 WiFi 4 channel doser for auto dosing. Got it off FB marketplace for cheap.
Maintenance:
Water changes
I think part of the problem for my loss of interest in the previous tank was water changes. I hated carrying the heavy 5 gallon buckets and the mess that I made with them.
Recently, I saw people using eheim canister filter water intakes with strainer to do water changes. Seems like the perfect solution, hose won't fall off the tank and the strainer will filter out shrimp. Refilling should not cause hardscape disruption either with the strainer diffusing water flow. I will use a Python hook to hang the outflow to the bathroom sink or toilet.
ATO:
XP Aqua with an Ikea tote as reservoir.
RO water:
I had an Aquatic Life RO system jerry-rigged to a plank of wood to make it portable:
I will be look into installing a permanent one in the basement.
Tools:
Aquascaping tools from Hygger bought off Amazon.
Python water change system.
I have a power head for water changes.
Will probably get an additional Sicce Syncra 2.0 if I can find a good deal.
Plants:
This is the plant list that I came up with:
Foreground: HC cuba
Midground: Staurogyne repens, Cryptocoryne parva and Alternanthera reineckii
Background: Crinum calimistratum, Cryptocoryene spirali, Rotala rotundifolia, Cabomba caroliniana and Hygrophila pinnatifida
Epiphytes: Anubias nana petite, Bucephalandra kedagang, Microsporum pteropus trident
Planned Livestock:
Holy wall of text! Thank you for reading till the end! Will keep updating as I go along.
Edited for better formatting. Added ATO
I’m starting this journal to document my ADA 90P aquascape and get feedback from the community as it evolves.
This will be a moderately planted, CO2-injected setup with a focus on a natural, balanced look.
I’ve kept planted tanks before, but this build is meant to be my most refined project yet — a clean, rimless layout inspired by ADA-style aquascapes.
I am using the following apps to help me:
— ChatGPT to help with prep work and to draft this journal.
— Amazing Marvin to organize my thoughts during this process.
— Copilot, an iOS-only app, to track my spending. I figure the calculations may help someone else planning to get into the hobby. (Spent $2,500 on the previous tanks.)
I am in the early stages of planning and do not have all my equipment yet.
I will either add updates to this post or pin another one lower down as I go forward with the scape.
About Myself
I work in the healthcare field and have a weird schedule with long stretches of time off, so I can devote time to this hobby.
I have two elementary-age kids who have not yet begun showing interest in my hobby, lol.
I have a bad back, so I’m constantly looking for hacks that prevent me from hurting it more.
I had a fish tank growing up stocked with a few guppies and swordtails, which was eventually converted to a turtle tank due to poor maintenance.
My interest in aquascaping started in late 2023 after viewing a bunch of Instagram reels. The hobby helped a lot with my mental health.
My First Tank
My first tank was a Waterbox AIO 20, which I bought off Facebook Marketplace.
I learned the basics of lighting, CO2 injection, fertilization techniques, etc. from this tank.
Lessons learned from the experience:
- A 20-gallon was too low of a volume.
- An AIO tank does not really fit the aesthetic of an aquascape like a clear one does.
- Some Amazon swords are too big for nano tanks.
- The tank had a snail problem and inspired me to create a pea puffer species tank.
I decided to go the Walstad route for this next tank. I went down the Father Fish rabbit hole and ended up ordering his substrate mix. I used ADA La Plata sand as a sand cap, and I guess, due to its finer texture, it induced anaerobic conditions.
It is no longer self-sustaining, so I am dosing with ferts intermittently. I’m also using it as a grow-out tank for future plant retrievals.
Inspiration
I’m aiming for a balanced nature-style aquascape with a triangle layout — strong hardscape slopes on one side with either an HC Cuba carpet or La Plata sand on the other.
This aquarium by Dave Pierce, owner of Aquarium Gardens in the UK, is my inspiration:
This cinematic is awesome
A detailed descriptive video by George Farmer.
Residence Layout
Space is somewhat limited in my house, so the aquarium will be placed in a specific spot beside the fireplace.Most of the faucets in the house aren’t compatible with standard attachments like those used with the Python water change system.
There is a garden hose outlet a few feet outside which may be compatible and I should look into.
On the bright side, the patio is right next to the tank location, which will make draining water during maintenance much easier.
There is one power outlet at the site, although it’s not GFCI-protected.
I eventually plan to set up a larger tank, possibly a 120P or Waterbox 4820 in the basement. My main concern at this time is protect it from my young kids’ boundless energy. I might install a protective screen or barrier around it to guard against stray soccer ball kicks!
Equipment
I would be grateful for any feedback or suggestions regarding the equipment list below.I wonder if I should make a separate thread requesting advice about this stuff. I will see the level of engagement on this thread and then decide.
I have some stuff from the previous iterations but planning on buying a lot of new equipment. Have been sourcing used equipment from Facebook Marketplace. Luckily, I am a couple of hours away from Chicago, so that increases my options.
Tank:
Will be ordering an ADA 90P when it becomes available. I am also waiting for the Waterbox Blue Friday sale to see if the 3620 is discounted. There is a 2 inch overhang with the 3620 on the stand that I have ordered. I was thinking of addressing this with a piece of marine plywood placed over the stand but now second guessing.
Stand:
I have the Archaea Modern Cabinet in Driftwood on the way.
I was looking at ideas regarding undertank organization and could greatly use some advice.
I saw this image on Instagram and was instantly hooked:
This is an old image and the account is not very active.
I wonder if anyone has any idea about what waterproof felt pads are used under the filters and on the door.
This is what I am thinking:
I have a Jebao auto doser with dosing containers that will go on one side inside the cabinet.
Will mount an ATO device to the same side
I plan to attach two power strips to the back, one for the stuff that I can turn off during water change and the other for the rest.
Motion activated rechargeable light pucks go overhead.
One door will have a magnet to hold aquascaping tools on one side.
The other door will hold racks for fish food and chemicals/fertilizers.
Filter, CO2 and RO reservoir on the floor.
Lighting:
I got a good deal off Facebook Marketplace for a WeekAqua L 900 so will be going that route.
Initially, was planning to use an old Chihiros WRGB Pro 45 that i have but fell short lengthwise. Was planning to rim mount but did not like the aesthetic of the black Chihiros one.
I really love the ADA Solar RGB mount but 350$ is too much. I looked into DIY stands and currently researching 8020 T slot builds but it looks like too much work.
For now will use the rim mount that came with the Week Aqua.
If you have any ideas, let me know.
Hardscape:
I had a terrible time with driftwood on my first aquascape. I introduced it later after planting was done. I tried gluing it down on to a piece of slate that I got from Floor & Decor but it would neither stick nor stay down.
This time, I will be gluing Driftwood to black egg crate and place it in the tank before I layer the substrate. I won't glue down the rocks so that I can move them around.
I bought a large piece of Driftwood from Belinda's Driftwood which I will start soaking soon. It is Osage Orange apparently.
Will start foraging for smaller pieces soon. Planning to go to SR Aquaristik and other stores in Chicago.
Also looking for Frodo Stones and Black Lava Rock or Black Basalt.
If you know any deals, let me know!
Filter:
Oase Biomaster Thermo 600. Looking into filter media setup.
Debating between steel vs glass lily pipes. Outflow will have a skimmer.
CO₂:
I have a 5lb CO2 tank with GLA Pro Double Stage regulator, glad I went with this for the previous build.
Planning to get the ARC CO2 Reactor. This needs more research.
Heater:
Integrated in the Biomaster Thermo. I have another smaller Oase heater for redundancy.
Substrate:
ADA Amazonia II with Power Sand Advanced (layered). I will also get the powdered version if I plan to go the HC cuba route.
Base will be washed lava rock in mesh bags at the left hand corner to add height. This will be layered on top of black egg crate.
Fertilization:
Bought a gallon of GLA Nectar AIO after reading up quite a bit on this. I do not have the time to mix my own dry salts.
Will be doing EI dosing.
Using Jebao 2.4 WiFi 4 channel doser for auto dosing. Got it off FB marketplace for cheap.
Maintenance:
Water changes
I think part of the problem for my loss of interest in the previous tank was water changes. I hated carrying the heavy 5 gallon buckets and the mess that I made with them.
Recently, I saw people using eheim canister filter water intakes with strainer to do water changes. Seems like the perfect solution, hose won't fall off the tank and the strainer will filter out shrimp. Refilling should not cause hardscape disruption either with the strainer diffusing water flow. I will use a Python hook to hang the outflow to the bathroom sink or toilet.
ATO:
XP Aqua with an Ikea tote as reservoir.
RO water:
I had an Aquatic Life RO system jerry-rigged to a plank of wood to make it portable:
I will be look into installing a permanent one in the basement.
Tools:
Aquascaping tools from Hygger bought off Amazon.
Python water change system.
I have a power head for water changes.
Will probably get an additional Sicce Syncra 2.0 if I can find a good deal.
Flora & Fauna
Plants:
This is the plant list that I came up with:
Foreground: HC cuba
Midground: Staurogyne repens, Cryptocoryne parva and Alternanthera reineckii
Background: Crinum calimistratum, Cryptocoryene spirali, Rotala rotundifolia, Cabomba caroliniana and Hygrophila pinnatifida
Epiphytes: Anubias nana petite, Bucephalandra kedagang, Microsporum pteropus trident
Planned Livestock:
- Small schooling fish (e.g., chili rasboras, and Pearl danios
- Amano shrimp × 10–15
- Nerite snails × 3–4
- Cherry shrimp
- Maybe some Blue dwarf Gouramis.
Holy wall of text! Thank you for reading till the end! Will keep updating as I go along.
Edited for better formatting. Added ATO
21 Replies
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2732 views
Staff member
I Donated 2026
Founding Member
Well, as this thread exists in a few places, I figured why not have it here also. Perhaps we can take up the baton and keep it active and bring some value to hobbyists.
For those of you that don't know, I got into thinking much more about my micros when I read this thread on another forum. It was started by our very own @GreggZ. It was spurred into existence because of our own @Burr740 and his work with micro fertilizers. Some really good discussion followed and a lot was learned.
I don't want to steal Gregg's thunder with this so I hope he posts his current thoughts on the subject and we can all take it from there.
All the best,
Art
For those of you that don't know, I got into thinking much more about my micros when I read this thread on another forum. It was started by our very own @GreggZ. It was spurred into existence because of our own @Burr740 and his work with micro fertilizers. Some really good discussion followed and a lot was learned.
I don't want to steal Gregg's thunder with this so I hope he posts his current thoughts on the subject and we can all take it from there.
All the best,
Art
96 Replies
·
16274 views
Supporting
I Donated 2026
Rockstar
When I was walking around Aquashella Chicago, I crossed paths multiple times with Logan Rando while he was filming. I was wondering if he had posted a video of the show yet so I checked out his channel. No video of Chicago yet, so I instead watched his video of New Jersey. About half way through the video, Father Fish rolls by on his scooter and announces he'll be making an announcement that will destroy the tropical fish industry. LOL! I didn't know Father Fish was actually a speaker at Aquashella. Seems funny that a guy who preaches about not giving money to the aquarium industry was invited to speak. I figured WTH, I'll bite and go to his channel to see what the big news was. I couldn't bring myself to watch the whole thing, but I did scan through it and still don't know what the big Earth shattering news was. Just the same ole preachy stuff and I regret destroying the brain cells. I have to be more careful of that, as I'm older and can't afford to lose many more. I'm sure glad my path into this hobby was seeing the work of Takashi Amano, other knowledgeable aquascapers, and all the great folks in this community.
28 Replies
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1142 views
Hello, can anyone running the ARC small acrylic reactor on a 40 breeder tell me what your outlet position is and what ph drop or co2 ppm you are getting?
14 Replies
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411 views
Supporting
I Donated 2026
Rockstar
Article Contributor
Skip to the actual journal here.
I'm known here for high tech, high nutrient, inert substrate scapes -- but I also love NO tech, rich substrate scapes, too!
This thread is three-sided:
But there is a new modern kind of fish bowl, one where plants, substrate, bacteria, water changes, and proper inhabitant selection all work together to create healthy, mini ecosystem-worlds in our homes:
My first bowl attempt in 2020
My second bowl, a true "no tech" in 2021
My third bowl scape (no tech) in 2023, and by far my favorite and most successful!
The point is, these are smaller, affordable, beautiful little worlds of light to enliven our living spaces and create art, nature, and beauty -- often with very little maintenance and upkeep besides a partial water change and feeding the fish.
quano_aqua on Insta
waterplantslover on insta
hanahiyori1112 on insta
Sono aqua pfm on Insta and on Youtube is one of the pioneers of this method, and
deserves a TON of credit for popularizing this technique across many Japanese communities!
kazuaki387 on insta
qball_aquatics on insta has many small bowl scapes.
Nanoscape on insta
syo_aqua_plants on insta follows the "Sono" method.
Aquadream in Vietnam on insta and on Youtube has TONS of no-tech bowl scapes.
Almost 20 bowls in his store/gallery. Lots of info on his youtube channel!
pokomama_medaka on insta
tinyecosystems_ on insta, also sells "kits" to make your own tiny ecosystem jars.
the_bettabowl_project on insta
MJ Aquascaping bowl on youtube, beautiful setup.
MJ Aquascaping vase on Youtube
MD Fishtanks on Youtube has done a few planted no tech bowls
aquashopuha on insta
jp72363 on insta
y0shi_n9 on Insta
kermitDE on Reddit
buiscape on insta has a tiny Fluval bowl scape with crabs!
nakayamachiyomi on insta
ichistarium on insta
chandan0616 on instagram
Few-Focus8050 on Reddit
KrishTheBaker on Reddit and on Youtube
@HardeeParty here on Scape Crunch
@bradquade here on Scape Crunch
10-gal bowl featured on Tank Tested on Youtube
And that's just the ones I have found over the last few years! I have no doubt there are many, many more out there.
I'll add to this thread as I find them, and would love it if you would, too!
I'm known here for high tech, high nutrient, inert substrate scapes -- but I also love NO tech, rich substrate scapes, too!
This thread is three-sided:
- To act as a journal for my new No-Tech bowl scape, and
- To act as a discussion board for no/low tech bowl scapes, and
- To collect and share accounts and examples of bowl scapes from around the world!
But there is a new modern kind of fish bowl, one where plants, substrate, bacteria, water changes, and proper inhabitant selection all work together to create healthy, mini ecosystem-worlds in our homes:
My first bowl attempt in 2020
My second bowl, a true "no tech" in 2021
My third bowl scape (no tech) in 2023, and by far my favorite and most successful!
What does No Tech mean?
In general, it means that these scapes have:- No Filter
- No Heater
- No Air Pump
- No Skimmer
- No CO2
- No Circulation
- A Light (usually low to medium-powered)
- A Substrate (inert, aquasoil, or sand-capped soil like Walstad method)
- Plants (usually quite low-tech plants, though a surprising number will thrive in this method!)
- Inhabitants (Since these bowls are usually between 2-12 gallons on average, this limits selection to nano fish, shrimp, and snails).
The point is, these are smaller, affordable, beautiful little worlds of light to enliven our living spaces and create art, nature, and beauty -- often with very little maintenance and upkeep besides a partial water change and feeding the fish.
Gallery and Links to bowl scapers:
quano_aqua on Insta
waterplantslover on insta
hanahiyori1112 on insta
Sono aqua pfm on Insta and on Youtube is one of the pioneers of this method, and
deserves a TON of credit for popularizing this technique across many Japanese communities!
kazuaki387 on insta
qball_aquatics on insta has many small bowl scapes.
Nanoscape on insta
syo_aqua_plants on insta follows the "Sono" method.
Aquadream in Vietnam on insta and on Youtube has TONS of no-tech bowl scapes.
Almost 20 bowls in his store/gallery. Lots of info on his youtube channel!
pokomama_medaka on insta
tinyecosystems_ on insta, also sells "kits" to make your own tiny ecosystem jars.
the_bettabowl_project on insta
MJ Aquascaping bowl on youtube, beautiful setup.
MJ Aquascaping vase on Youtube
MD Fishtanks on Youtube has done a few planted no tech bowls
aquashopuha on insta
jp72363 on insta
y0shi_n9 on Insta
kermitDE on Reddit
buiscape on insta has a tiny Fluval bowl scape with crabs!
nakayamachiyomi on insta
ichistarium on insta
chandan0616 on instagram
Few-Focus8050 on Reddit
KrishTheBaker on Reddit and on Youtube
@HardeeParty here on Scape Crunch
@bradquade here on Scape Crunch
10-gal bowl featured on Tank Tested on Youtube
And that's just the ones I have found over the last few years! I have no doubt there are many, many more out there.
I'll add to this thread as I find them, and would love it if you would, too!
66 Replies
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6030 views
Wrapped up my AGA submittal a few weeks ago, and I just can't seem to bring myself to take care of my tank right now 
I think I'm experiencing burnout. I go through these cycles where my tank is all I can think about for a few weeks/months, and then I need a break, and I can't bring myself to do my usual water change and trim schedule. The good news is my tank has so much healthy plant mass that algae doesnt grow even after a few weeks of neglect.
Any tips on fighting this tendency? I think my first idea is to slow everything down, lower my nitrate to more of a zero-bound system and try to reduce my stem trimming frequency. My second idea is making my water change easier. Right now the hardest part is siphoning detritus into buckets that I walk to the toilet. After that I pump the tank down the rest of the way. How do you guys do this? I would siphon straight to the toilet but I'm bound to accidently send a shrimp to their doom that way.
I think I'm experiencing burnout. I go through these cycles where my tank is all I can think about for a few weeks/months, and then I need a break, and I can't bring myself to do my usual water change and trim schedule. The good news is my tank has so much healthy plant mass that algae doesnt grow even after a few weeks of neglect.Any tips on fighting this tendency? I think my first idea is to slow everything down, lower my nitrate to more of a zero-bound system and try to reduce my stem trimming frequency. My second idea is making my water change easier. Right now the hardest part is siphoning detritus into buckets that I walk to the toilet. After that I pump the tank down the rest of the way. How do you guys do this? I would siphon straight to the toilet but I'm bound to accidently send a shrimp to their doom that way.
36 Replies
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655 views
I Donated 2026
(I hope this is acceptable as the start of a journal, new here).
Greetings, I’m Alec and this will be my third aquascape. I plan on rescaping my 60p (current scape pic below). The first time I did it, I sort of winged it in the moment. The second time, I came in with a design but it wasn’t strong enough and slowly was buried by aquasoil and plants.
So this time I’m coming in with those learnings and trying to design with intention.
Second pic below is my potential new hardscaping.
I have never done an island composition, and usually I am not a fan of them visually. But while messing around with my rocks I found this tower layout impressive.
My idea is to have the right side be a lower sandy area with some smaller rocks (not shown in pic) along with my big ass Anubias and the various crypts as well. Floaters would be above this area.
Front middle and left would be the Monte Carlo carpet, along with some Ludwigia or other stems tucked along the rocks to become bushes.
Tucked into the cracks of the rocks would be Monte Carlo & Java moss to accent it, along with my Hygrophilia.
Back-left would be stem-city. Big Rotala area with some Bacopa and Ludwigia in front of it, especially towards the center.
The middle area surrounding the top tower rock itself would be Cardamine Lyrata, as it grows naturally well in vertical bushes.
Focal point to the right of the top of the tower stone would be Ludwigia Diamond, which gets decently red.
Looking for potential feedback from those with more experience! Some of my concerns:
1. My Anubias are massive, at least for the small. I’m mostly saving them for my fiancés betta tank we hope to setup later this year. I’m a bit worried they won’t fit well into the right side area.
2. The tower is very central, which is the point of island compositions, but I worry my plants might detract from the island look, especially with my plans for the left side.
3. A commenter on my Reddit thread suggested I remove the left side “slope cliff”, instead do another smaller tower there with a sand path. Thoughts?
Thank you for reading. I will probably update this journal with other composition ideas & tweaks as I go, and of course progress pics once I actually rescape it.
Greetings, I’m Alec and this will be my third aquascape. I plan on rescaping my 60p (current scape pic below). The first time I did it, I sort of winged it in the moment. The second time, I came in with a design but it wasn’t strong enough and slowly was buried by aquasoil and plants.
So this time I’m coming in with those learnings and trying to design with intention.
Second pic below is my potential new hardscaping.
I have never done an island composition, and usually I am not a fan of them visually. But while messing around with my rocks I found this tower layout impressive.
My idea is to have the right side be a lower sandy area with some smaller rocks (not shown in pic) along with my big ass Anubias and the various crypts as well. Floaters would be above this area.
Front middle and left would be the Monte Carlo carpet, along with some Ludwigia or other stems tucked along the rocks to become bushes.
Tucked into the cracks of the rocks would be Monte Carlo & Java moss to accent it, along with my Hygrophilia.
Back-left would be stem-city. Big Rotala area with some Bacopa and Ludwigia in front of it, especially towards the center.
The middle area surrounding the top tower rock itself would be Cardamine Lyrata, as it grows naturally well in vertical bushes.
Focal point to the right of the top of the tower stone would be Ludwigia Diamond, which gets decently red.
Looking for potential feedback from those with more experience! Some of my concerns:
1. My Anubias are massive, at least for the small. I’m mostly saving them for my fiancés betta tank we hope to setup later this year. I’m a bit worried they won’t fit well into the right side area.
2. The tower is very central, which is the point of island compositions, but I worry my plants might detract from the island look, especially with my plans for the left side.
3. A commenter on my Reddit thread suggested I remove the left side “slope cliff”, instead do another smaller tower there with a sand path. Thoughts?
Thank you for reading. I will probably update this journal with other composition ideas & tweaks as I go, and of course progress pics once I actually rescape it.
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I bought it used off marketplace from a guy who had it with a kegerator. The cylinder looked brand new and unused. Filled it 3 months ago no problem, but all of a sudden it was empty yesterday so I went to fill it. The guy brought it out and said it was leaking. I could feel the gas coming out of the connection between the brass spigot and the cylinder body. It’s a 2.5 lb, and the beverage guy I refill with only has 5lb and up. Maybe I should have just bought one of his tanks, but I’m on my lunch break and barely had time to think. Just super annoyed right now since I’m leaving for a 10 day trip tomorrow morning. I think my tank will be okay, just not looking forward to the algae outbreak later.
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I’m considering adding an ATO to my UNS 60U mainly to keep the water level consistent from evaporation, especially when I’m away
I’ve narrowed it down to a few options like the Tunze Osmolator 3 Nano, XP Aqua Duetto², and FZONE QST2.0, but I’m open to other recommendations
My biggest concern is reliability and overfill protection. Since this is a relatively small tank, it wouldn’t take much of a sensor malfunction or pump running too long to raise the water level significantly. I’d really prefer something with a backup/failsafe or some type of protection that shuts the pump down if the primary sensor fails
I’m also trying to keep the equipment inside the tank as small and unobtrusive as possible. That’s one reason I’m hesitant about the Tunze Nano. I trust the brand, but the sensor assembly looks pretty bulky for a smaller rimless planted tank
For those actually running an ATO on a planted/freshwater tank:
What system are you using, how long have you had it, and have you ever had it overfill, fail to top off, or have sensor issues?
I’m especially interested in anyone who has used one of these long enough that they’d actually trust it while away on vacation
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I'm looking to switch ferts I have a 20g low tech and 40g high tech both currently getting a mix of apt 1 and 3. I'm wanting to switch to pps pro using the gla salts (cheaper and gets my foot in the door with the dry ferts) for both tanks, but I've seen some recommend against it for low tech, I have no issues dosing daily, actually prefer it, and if I understand correctly, its actually better for the tank as far as stable nutrient levels. My question is, can this be done? Is it really that much of an issue to go pps pro on a low tech? I really want 1 solution (i.e. macro micro mixes) for both problems (the two tanks (obviously they'll need their own amounts as for as dose size)). I'm limited to 20 gallons of clean water at a time (remineralized with apt sky plus to 6 GH since I have neos, amanos and snails) due to space constraints so I can either do weekly 25% changes on the tanks or 50% changes every other week. Any and all input is welcome. TIA 
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I recently added a small adjustable powerhead/wavemaker that's set to constant flow mode to increase surface agitation, gas exchange, and overall circulation. The goal wasn't to reduce CO₂, but to use stronger gas exchange along with adequate injection to get CO₂ up quickly before lights-on and then reach a stable equilibrium instead of continuing to accumulate throughout the photoperiod
Big thanks to @Dennis Wong / 2Hr Aquarist for his articles explaining this approach. I've learned so much from them. It's completely changed how I look at CO₂ injection and surface agitation
For testing I'm using a freshly calibrated Apera PH60 for pH, Hanna Checktemp 1 for temperature, and the Hanna HI3818 CO₂ titration kit to check actual CO₂ concentration. CO₂ kicked on at 12 PM, lights came on at 3 PM, and CO₂ shut off at 8 PM
Tank/water parameters: UNS 60U, Controsoil, RO/DI remineralized with APT Sky, GH 5 to 6, KH 0. My best degassed pH reference is around 7.30, so I'm seeing roughly a 1.7 pH drop at plateau. With 0 KH the standard pH/KH chart doesn't apply, so I'm using the Hanna kit alongside pH to track the curve
Today's testing showed a really good trend. The tank was already at pH 5.60 by 2:30 PM, reached 5.59 at lights-on, and stayed essentially flat through 8 PM. Hanna measured approximately 44 ppm at lights-on and 44 to 45 ppm at the end of the injection period. Since I was essentially at plateau 30 minutes before lights-on, I now feel comfortable reducing my pre-light injection from 3 hours to 2½ hours and seeing if I can still reach the same level by lights-on
My original CO₂ target was around 40 ppm, but at this point I'm wondering if it's worth trying to make a microscopic needle-valve adjustment just to knock off ~4 ppm when the curve is this stable
Would you guys leave it around 44 ppm or bring it down slightly closer to 40?
There's no livestock yet, so I'm taking advantage of this time to get everything dialed in. Plants are doing great. Planned livestock is cardinal tetras, pygmy cories, Amano shrimp, and eventually Caridina, and I'm planning to start stoc
king next week
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