MAD Tank

[FC]

I was at Park Mall when I saw a very interesting planted tank shop. It is located at level B1. There are 4 display tanks there.

What's new
1) The owner, Michael (MAD = Michael Aquatic Design) creatively made them into furnitures. 3 of them looks like side boards and 1 like Sofa coffee table.
2) All tanks are low maintenance tank that needs no fertilizer, so claimed. He uses garden soil as base fertilizer. Low light setup. CO2 enriched.
3) Require water change every 2 years, so claimed.
4) The greyish gravels are 5~8mm grit which look great and refreshing.
5) He uses only tall rossette plants.

I am now very tempted to convert my 4x2x2 tank into side board look. I just need to carefully plan how I hide the filter and CO2 tank. Michael uses DIY internal filter which is also worth considering.

[Piscesgirl]

Sounds very interesting -- I'd love to see pictures!

[ruyle]

Freddy,
Yes, the next time you're there, ask if you can take some pics of these tanks.
Also pics of this internal filter...is it like the Mattenfilter?

Bill

[zmzfam]

Bill,
The internal filter is just the normal overflow. He pumps back the water through pipes under the gravel or via the top.

These are some of his display tanks at the shop. I've told Michael that I will be posting his tanks pictures on the forum when he started his shop about 2 months back but as usual the 'Round Tuit' never did come.
Since Freddy started this thread, here are some pictures.


The Bar Ctr:



The TV Console



The Side Board



The Coffee Table



A wall-mounted emersed setup. This was a production model, just something he recycled out of the empty tank.

[itssg]

The tanks are fully covered. How to keep the temperature? Is it need to top up the water all the time? And, no algae problem?

I went to the main dealer of maintenance free wall tank imported by Aquatic Group in Kuala Lumpur. They claimed just need to top up the water and no need to do water change. But they still dosing the algae away and some liquid fertilizer. Some hardly plants do growing well. But algae problem can be solved.

I like that coffee table!

[FC]

Thanks, Zulk.

The tank top is open except topped with the glass. The shop is air-conditioned, otherwise, fan will be required.

The tanks are made of crystal glass. See the demostration glasses on the left side of the coffee table. The left one is crystal and the other is the regular glass.

My view
1) It is true/possible that no water change is needed and still keep the plants/fishes happy. My present tank is one of them.
2) No water column fertilization is possible with rossette plants and low light setup. They can rely the nutrients from the soil.
3) Algae can be avoided with right food and less feeding.
4) With the right design for fan location and vent, closed top actually boost the efficiency of the cooling. Moreover, the fan can be concealed. That's what I will be doing.

[Green Baron]

2) No water column fertilization is possible with rossette plants and low light setup. They can rely the nutrients from the soil.

Some people have even managed to keep stem plants and red colour plants in low maintenance tank. However, the main challange is during the start-up phase. With low tech, the plants will take a long time to grow their roots and establish and some will not make it. One way around this is to start with high tech and switch to low tech after the plants are established.

Also, it is much easier to go low tech when the water temperature is 24~25C, typical office temperature in Singapore. Both my office tanks are low tech and the plants and mosses are so green and lush.

[timebomb]

He may be MAD but he is certainly not crazy

I like the concept, especially the one where the tank beomes a coffee-table.

Loh K L

[ruyle]

Thanks for the great pics, Zul! I especially like the sideboard and coffee
table

Bill

[Piscesgirl]

Beautiful tanks -- I too like the coffee table the best, but then I keep thinking I would be laying on the floor all the time trying to see it.

[FC]

I tried to imagine how my tank would look like after coverting it into sideboard form while sitting on my leanable chair. With that view, I seems to downgrade my otherwise dominant looking tank in my room. Not really a bad things as it helps to harmonise the place quite a bit. And I can dcorate the tank's top with photos or something. However, I have problem viewing it fully at the comfort of my favourite chair. If that happen, I will have to also downgrade myself to the floor... should I?

[timebomb]

If that happen, I will have to also downgrade myself to the floor... should I?

Better not, Freddy. When Deborah mentioned laying on the floor all the time to see the tank, a picture came to my mind. Imagine there are guests in your house and they are sitting around the coffee table tank. Imagine that some of the guests are young women with short skirts. Then imagine yourself lying on the floor and looking at the tank. What would you see?

Loh K L

[FC]

Not a problem for my case, the tank's back is still facing the wall.

Actually, the coffee table is not as bad as imagined. The actual tank can be view from all sides and from the top easily. It's worth the visit, go this weekend.

[zmzfam]

An idea of what Freddy's wanted to do to his tank:


Look at his plant growth and health. Unfortunately the internal filter is not covered and can be seen through.

[RonWill]

Imagine that some of the guests are young women with short skirts....

I'll get an eyefull and probably a hangover the next morning!

Of the tank designs, I like the sideboard best as it offers ample height for plants and can be used as a 2-way divider to define living space, say, dining from living area. It might even make for a more interesting altar!

But now that Kwek Leong mentioned additional benefits of the coffee table...

[FC]

Zulk,

Whose tank is that? The photo was taken with flash which distorted the actual colour/look, I think the actual tank's look is nicer. However, the tank's crown should have been overhang to go with the base. Just like MAD tank.

Yes, something like that but I prefer:
1) The tank's top to be wooden like the MAD's TV console. Fully closed top with fan cooling (I am yet to locate the best place which will be hidden).
2) The side cabinet which keep the external filter/CO2 tank to be more harmonise with the tank, like one piece. I don't know how yet, it's a the greatest challenge here.
3) The overall height to be 750~800mm high.
4) The light will be regular 4 footer, cheap and ideal.
5) etc.

Anyone know drawing software (freeware) which is simple to use? If I can get hold of one, I will start drawing.

[zmzfam]

Freddy,

that's MAD tank - the original concept. His tanks are constantly evolving and lhe strives to achieve an artistic as well as a functional piece of art.

I've got one of the sideboard pieces from his version 1 sitting nicely at home - courtesy of MAD.

It gives a different perspective when looking at the tank and I like it better than when the tank is at eye or higher level - when you are sitting down on your favourite sofa. No need to lie down on the floor and getting cross-eyed trying to look at something else....

[FC]

After two hardworking days , my tank's base finally gets rejuvenated . I added Dennerle base fertilizer, topped it with old lapis gravels and then new coarser greyish gravels. Of course, the plants were re-scaped which I hope will turn out well .

Initially, I thought of using the cheap S$2 (and good) garden soil but when I saw the Dennerle (medium size tub, good for 120 litres tank) going at "ultra low" price of S$38 (usually more than S$80), I changed my mind. After all, I always wanted to try this fertilizer.

[PeterGwee]

Freddy, pack the tank with plants...that is way too little plant mass. Consider planting the same species of plants in groups rather than your current way which would look better.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[stormhawk]

Freddy, you made a good choice by choosing Dennerle's base fert. It gave me excellent growth rates in my crypts and other plants, even though I wasn't dosing CO2 then or using PL lighting.