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Supporting
Last reply · posted in Journals
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.




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.

1762262141921.webp

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.

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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:

1762264442171.webp

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:

1762286827779.webp

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:

IMG_8519.webp

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.
(Will finalize stocking once tank stabilizes)
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 · 2393 views
Art
Art
Staff member I Donated 2026 Founding Member
Last reply · posted in Planted Aquarium Discussion


There is A LOT of history to this that is tied to some of the biggest names in the hobby's past. I tried to get them into the USA with Clause Christensen back in the 90s but no-go.

This would be big news for US hobbyists as availability of healthy, aquarium-ready plants is THE limiting factor in expanding the hobby in the USA.
26 Replies · 609 views
S
Last reply · posted in Planted Aquarium Discussion
Hey guys, I've made a couple of yugang reactors some horizontal, some vertical (soda bottle with a hole in it).

I've noticed a reoccuring issue constantly in that it will eventually fill up with air (oxygen) from plants pearling.

Once the co2 + oxygen concentration gets high enough, Oxygen from plant pearling will eventually make its way into the reactor. After a few days, this severely reduces its efficiency.

You would think the oxygen just gets pushed out by the co2 coming, but plants pearling will kinda just refill it up extremely fast.

Is yugang better in lower light tanks where you won't get intense pearling? I usually find co2 misting much more consistent in this case and might swap back to just using a ceramic diffuser for consistency. I only have 10 gallon tanks... a ceramic diffuser is fine, its just easy to nuke your tank with too much co2 where yugang limits your co2 ppm based on reactor size.
23 Replies · 948 views
JayP
Supporting I Donated 2026 Rockstar
Last reply · posted in Planted Aquarium Discussion
We often talk about how fragile glass lily pipes are. I've only broken two of those, but today I broke my 4th (at least) drop checker. Maybe I need to start handling them more carefully like my lily pipes. It doesn't help when you're cleaning them over a granite counter top. :confused:
7 Replies · 46 views
Kwyet
Supporting I Donated 2026 Rockstar
Last reply · posted in Plantopedia
IMG_7512.webp
CO2 injected 1.4 pH drop (50 ppm per Hanna test)
Light 50-60 par at substrate
PPS-pro ferts for high tech tanks
50% water change weekly
8 dgH
0-1 dkH
4 Replies · 730 views
HardeeParty
Rockstar
Last reply · posted in Journals
Time to start a new thread.

I’ll fill in some details later, but I’m working on the hardscape now. Any and all criticism is appreciated. The vision is nothing more, and nothing less, than something appealing to the eye.

90cm x 30cm x 30cm Lifegard Aquatics ultra clear bookshelf tank. Buce and anubias on the hardscape, stems towards the back and center, mid to front carpet with some changes in shade and texture down to a flat grade on the right side of the tank.

Lily pipe inlet and skimmer will be in the back left corner with the outflow in the front left to hopefully achieve circular flow. I’ll be running an in-line diffuser. Light will be the P600 Pro that I regrettably did not upside to 900. Oh well. I’ll mount it high and hopefully it’ll have enough spread.

I have some dragon stone and red lava rock rubble I’ll use at the base to blend into the substrate, as well as some stratum I may or may not cap with.

IMG_1824.jpeg


IMG_1874.jpeg

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IMG_1875.webp
278 Replies · 30614 views
artandsoul
· posted in Planted Aquarium Discussion
Sounds like a joke question but for reasons unknown I cant get moss to grow period, Got a huge baseball of moss for free from shrimp breeder. I put some in 5g shrimp tank, low light no heater around 74 its dead. 3 other tanks 76 degree low to medium light its all dead or looks dead its grey color I'd say it's dead. water parms are pretty spot on no big shifts or other plants would have issues imo.

what do I need to do to grow java moss 😂? grew it for years no issues would take over now im lost! I can grow anything but moss?
0 Replies · 37 views
JayP
Supporting I Donated 2026 Rockstar
Last reply · posted in Equipment Discussions
I've seen several in the community mention purchasing an Archaea cabinet. I just recently purchased the 60x45 "Assembly Required" version in the Driftwood color and assembled it yesterday evening. It went together quite quickly without even downloading the instructions. I gotta say, I think it's absolutely a good option, if you're not wanting to build a cabinet yourself, but gag at the high cost of other aquarium cabinets sold by the high-end tank brands. I considered the slightly more expensive pre-built model, but it's cost doesn't include the freight shipping. Since this will be going in my living room, I didn't want to take chances on my own build and finishing skill. I think I made the right choice.

Archaea Modern-Nature Aquarium Cabinet
8 Replies · 127 views
artandsoul
Last reply · posted in Journals
I feel i need to do a journal so I have a internet calendar on what's happened or Ill forget lol! This is now 4 months back into the planted tank world and I'm happy to be back yet lost on true aquascapingI I have a current 29g as a farm tank for future builds going. zrdr 4l co2 bought locally full setup for 40.00, 29g free. A 20long I just bought with metal stand, hygger decent new led light.new heater. few foam bubble filters, ar a nice dual air pump. some new stratum about 16lbs , tons of good food, etc etc and 6 live plants crypts, swords, anubis about 30 stems of rotundifolia 12" tall for 85,00 it was a decent deal with what is came with , I thought!
Original plans was a 29 and 20 long. Well 3 weeks forward to 3 days ago picked up a free 36 bow front with stand, foods.heater, some dragon stone, bubbler all working freeby deal of the year for sure! The tanks pretty clean, some light hard water stains lll razor blade off very clean. Did come with about 35lbs stratum and blk rocks mix.

I threw substrate in tank after light rinse. LOL it went to pitch blk even after 2 big filters with filter floss still blk water after 36 hours later its muck now the stratum is crap imo other than deeper substrate to cover up with build. I have no clue on any age of the stratum 2 months or 5 years no info was free on side of road literally. I decided today to dump the stratum its a dam mess! may strain the stratum with my several size buckets to strain out small materials away from the blk gravel and use it with eco!? Just got 2 20lb bags of eco complete for 55 shipped my 2005 go to, easy no breakdown and same cost as bulk gravel from pet stores in the end.
I Would do the blk blasting sand its cheaper but don't want all sand and in end as I still do some gravel clean monthly oops.. The eco complete last imo forever I have 20 year old eco now in tank. Yeah its inert but still whole rocks. I"Ill be posting many pics of the my dry scapes holy hell! And more as it goes. Its been 19 years since I've done a planted tank def not a newbie just don't remember as much as I did and things have changed any help appreciated for sure! Joe burr has been help sure thanks dutchscape god!

Posted few pics of old tanks 19 years ago when I didn't know what an aquascape was lol no co2 just dry ferts, metride 14 and power compacts it worked! algae was very null. Im calling my new tanks the cheap skape 20 and now 36g the freebie. I usually try to go cheapo as I can get Im not rich rather spend 30.00 on steaks at home than 30.00 on stems lol. I'm mr diy I only buy what I cant build usually.
16 Replies · 757 views
Art
Art
Staff member I Donated 2026 Founding Member
· posted in Meet & Greet Forum

Hello  Welcome, Miro

Welcome to ScapeCrunch, @Miro!
We would love to get to know you. Please tell us about yourself. What tank do you have?
0 Replies · 32 views
JayP
Supporting I Donated 2026 Rockstar
Last reply · posted in Lounge
New (for me) reading to add to the bookshelf. Been wanting Amano San's books for some time but the price, even for used, is quite high. Finally bit the bullet on a used copy of the Complete Works since it was a little less expensive than used copies of the individual Nature Aquarium volumes. It will be next to George Farmer's book.

What other books do you have?

Nature Aquarium.webp
15 Replies · 1096 views
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