Je®vis' ADA 60 Stone Formation Project

[Jervis]

Hi guys

Revealing another project in the making... don't dare to use the big word "Iwagumi" for the time being as I have not really decided on my flora list yet... so let's call it ROCK FORMATION PROJECT for now

Here are some basic specifications:
Tank: 60x30x36cm ADA Cube Garden with Juwel cabinet
Filter: Eheim Professional II 2026 canister with ADA Lily Pipes*
Filtration Media: Eheim Substrate Pro, ADA Bio Rio & ADA Bamboo Charcoal
Lighting: ATI Powermodul 4 x 24W HO T5
Chiller: Arctica Mini 1/15hp*
Substrate: ADA complete substrate
* Coming soon



Let's take a closer look at the lighting fixture... an old 2ft ATI Powermodule (can see all the battle scars)... I will decide on the final tube mixture tomorrow... it's nice to see a hanging fixture over a braceless glass tank



Nothing out of the extraordinary... my usual way of preparing the substrate... I am really getting the hang of it



My first mistake... I think I am too used to buying rocks for nano tanks



Putting all those small pieces of Black Granite to use will be my biggest challenge!

[sfk7]

Wow bro

really envy you always having such nice stuff

will surely await for more updates on this tank!!

[oblivion]

from what i can judge in the pic, you indeed need some bigger rocks
or at least a bigger main and side rock for the iwagumi formation
the rest can remain as the sub rocks

[DanNiErSi]

another project nice one bro =)
hope to see more picture and update=)

[Jervis]

will surely await for more updates on this tank!!

Yes will update more these 2 days

from what i can judge in the pic, you indeed need some bigger rocks or at least a bigger main and side rock for the iwagumi formation the rest can remain as the sub rocks

Well bro... after spending hours on the rocks... sorta settled for this layout



What you guys think?

I leave plenty of space for planting...



looks not bad
you stacked rocks above another on the left side to achieve the height?

some of my comments based on your pics:

the left rock grouping seems to point up a little too straight
a little slant may give it more of a natural look

and the center front rock looks a little out of place
maybe a bit further back and bury it a bit deeper so that it looks shorter and flatter may be better?

and an additional rock to the right to make a small grouping there as the lone rock looks kinda lonely and makes the right side a little empty

and lastly, if you can get some real small granite rock bits to scatter around the base of the groupings it would be perfect

hope you find these comments useful
am quite impressed by the detail you put into your scaping projects and online scape journals and am looking forward to see how your tanks develop

you make me envious!
i can only wait till i settle my house-hunting before i can even begin to dream of trying similar projects

[EvolutionZ]

so this is your secret project!

haha.. anyway.. like what lee1224 said, maybe you want to change your rock in the middle front piece to a smaller one... but overall look, the formation is very nice.. anyway, can you pm me where you got the rocks from?

oh ya... for your chiller. maybe you want to change to a 1/10hp one for this 2ft. 1/15hp might eat up alot of electricity.

my 2 cents

[o2bubble]

Wow, another ada tank! You are really a big customer of biotope. Thio really must be all smiles for this month income! Anyway, i think the left slope can be higher.

[Jervis]

looks not bad
you stacked rocks above another on the left side to achieve the height?

some of my comments based on your pics:

the left rock grouping seems to point up a little too straight
a little slant may give it more of a natural look

and the center front rock looks a little out of place
maybe a bit further back and bury it a bit deeper so that it looks shorter and flatter may be better?

and an additional rock to the right to make a small grouping there as the lone rock looks kinda lonely and makes the right side a little empty

and lastly, if you can get some real small granite rock bits to scatter around the base of the groupings it would be perfect

Will consider all your suggestions... but I do have my reasons for some of the elements... I believe my vision will only be complete with plants in it. I will continue to look for a taller slanting peak

haha.. anyway.. like what lee1224 said, maybe you want to change your rock in the middle front piece to a smaller one... but overall look, the formation is very nice.. anyway, can you pm me where you got the rocks from?

oh ya... for your chiller. maybe you want to change to a 1/10hp one for this 2ft. 1/15hp might eat up alot of electricity.

my 2 cents

Once my plants grow taller the middle front rock will not appear as it is now... I am trying to avoid having a nice rockscape to only be buried by plants 2 months later. About the chiller, I've had previous experience with this little guy... in one of my marine setups with a lot more heat generated by internal pumps, wavemaker and skimmer... IME this 1/15hp will be perfect for the job... not to mention it being extremely quiet

I bought the rocks from NA

[PlAnTaNoOb]

wow... you sure are rich, bro.
Also, your clever use of rocks as hardscape has greatly tempted me to get a new tank started with rocks.
Just a little comment. There's this thick wire that comes down at the side of your tank. Are there any ways of hiding it? It spoilts the first impression a little.

[Jervis]

Just a little comment. There's this thick wire that comes down at the side of your tank. Are there any ways of hiding it? It spoilts the first impression a little.

Great point there Alright will find ways to get rid of it (or at least make it invisible)

[Shadow]

it shouldn't be fissible from the front once you fill in the water.

[zenscape]

Another great project journal by Jevis

The rock layout looks good to me. Very stable looking and good choice of placement of rocks. Flatten the right smaller slope a tad bit will perfect the overall, IMHO. You may consider scraping the right slope all together and bring the left main cluster to off centre 1/3 from the left with one hump only.

Whatever is your choice, I see great potential in this layout. Please keep us updated on the planting.

[fireblade]

what can I say...
jaw dropped again!!

[Jervis]

Flatten the right smaller slope a tad bit will perfect the overall, IMHO. You may consider scraping the right slope all together and bring the left main cluster to off centre 1/3 from the left with one hump only.

Oh bro... I should've log on during lunch time today... I have already planted the tank If not, I will definitely take some of your suggestions

Let's continue with a closer look at my filtration system. Chose Eheim ProII 2026 as the ProII series come with stronger pumps (compared to Ecco). As I will connecting the return to a chiller later, planning ahead for considerable head loss.



The Pro II comes with 2 trays:
Bottom tray: Eheim ceramic rings and Eheim Substrate Pro
Upper tray: Coarse blue sponge (base), a bag of ADA Bamboo Charcoal surrounded by ADA Bio Rio and lastly, a top layer of fine white sponge.

Daily ADA Green Bacter dose to help enhance the cultivation of beneficial bacteria

Went look for light tubes today... bought 2 Arcadia Plant Pro (was told 8000K) and 2 Osram 6500K tubes.

The effect is quite nice and crisp... but somehow lacks yellow... might replace 1 Arcadia Plant Pro with a yellow tube (somewhere in the range of 4500K)



What do you guys think?

[eddy planer]

hi jevis,

Hmm the Arcadia Plant Pro 8000k T5 tube looks good!

Can you pm me the supplier and its price for 4ft or whatever.To ask you why do you need to replace ATI tube to Arcadia Plant Pro? I thought that ATI tube is best?

Hope that you will help me... thanks

[torque6]

Jervis,

You bought so many stuff from Thio, was wondering if he still gives out the same Customer Platinium Priviledge card with our name embossed on it ?

Rocks look nice, though i prefered if you got 1 huge main rock instead of stacking it, but getting a Main rock for iwagumi depends on luck, i got mine from Thio after 3 months of searching LFS, seems only midori and biotope were carrying granite rocks with white treaks. Believe i recalled NA got a huge box of stones about 4-6 weeks back, might want to check them out.

Was going to add getting a set of 60CM Arcadia Luminaire from Qianhu, but you've already got a customed PL. No worries. As usual, 2 thumps up for both your 30/60 projects, looking forward to seeing them as they matures.

Keep us updated. Thanks.

[Jervis]

hi jevis,

Hmm the Arcadia Plant Pro 8000k T5 tube looks good!

Can you pm me the supplier and its price for 4ft or whatever.To ask you why do you need to replace ATI tube to Arcadia Plant Pro? I thought that ATI tube is best?

Hope that you will help me... thanks

Hi Eddy

Yeah the Arcadia Plant Pro is good (as shown in their website) with spectral output that peaks at 400nm (blue) and 600nm (red). But the tube looks slightly pinkish to our eyes... that's why we need to rely on other tubes to balance its pinkishness.

Price wise... it is the most expensive T5 I've ever purchased (almost 4 red notes $40 for a 2ft... you can do the math for 4ft) I got them from Balestier.

ATI is the best IMO, but those are Aquablue Spezial and Actinic... from my marine setup.

[eddy planer]

Jevis,

thanks for the infro, hmmmm i will be watching you till you complete your tank set up. If that Arcadia Plant Pro T5 good, this will be going on my list for my new project.

[Jervis]

Jevis,

thanks for the infro, hmmmm i will be watching you till you complete your tank set up. If that Arcadia Plant Pro T5 good, this will be going on my list for my new project.

Ok I will feature more of this T5 tube... you can actually just opt for 1 Plant Pro tube to get a good mix with other tubes. If you are interested in crystal bluish spectrum, you can consider ATI Aquablue Spezial too... that tube will give more of the 400nm (blue) spectrum which will encourage growth too... but from my research, 400nm also promotes algae growth

[eddy planer]

I will take noted... I'm not too worry about algae even i get 400nm , i have 8 large yamatos, 1 SAE, 25 malaya shrimps and 1kg peat media for canister are doing a awesome job for my 4ft planted tank.