My 60p ADA 17 gallon tank: Some ideas with Unzan Stone

Tom Barr

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In looking at the ADA examples and the one at AFA, as well as some ideas from Bonsai, the Unzan stone seems like a fun way to use the larger rock.
I will certainly be using this concept to do at least 2-3 scapes in the coming year.

From natural systems, the islands on Ha Long Bay
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/vietnam/northeast-vietnam/halong-bay/images/titop-island-halong-bay$22072-35

And Phang Nga Bay
http://www.phuket.com/island/phangnga.htm

Are representative of what many of the ideas I was thinking about, with the water as a foreground type plant.

The tops of the "islands" would poke out of the water with emergent growth and adding moss or drilling holes into the lava is fairly easy to do.
Given the nature of EI dosing to the water column, Crypts, and various other stem plants can be be roped onto these islands, think about WabiKusa, but larger and on a good sized or medium sized stone.

This makes a nice flooded forest look also.

One idea I was discussing with Gerry was using these in a depth perspective forest approach:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...ku5UfGmAunTiwK-qYHwDw&ved=0CDEQ9QEwAA&dur=405
The rocks are not nearly as narrow, but Gerry's tank has the larger dimension to toy with this concept.

Like my old 60p ADA emergent non CO2 tank, the joy and lower maintenance of emergent growth is a good goal for many.
As each island grows, it becomes lusher, but it is not overly difficult to trim, and you do not "uproot" the sediment.

I have some excellent Seiryu stone for my 60p ADA, but........I might try this at a small scale on my own tank.
I'd wanted the Seiryu stone and then manzy creeping over the rock with moss etc.
The other idea is to fuse the mazy wood like roots coming off the Unzan lava stone in the ADA 60p.

This tends to make the tank look smaller as it gives some tree like scale to the rock, but the tank is already small to begin with.
Gerry's tank is much larger, so this addition might be unwise. Also, Seiryu contrast well with the darker Manzy wood, but not so well with a dark rock like lava/unzan.
Still, the cardinals darting between such islands will offer a nice contrast.

Ohko stone will contrast well with Manzy, and can be used in a similar manner, as it is soft and you can drill into it and it has many natural holes already.

But......finding larger pieces is tough.


So, I did a quick hardscape with the lava today in the 60p ADa tank, I think I'll go with it.
2 stones, one taller and larger sticking out of the tank, another smaller, but with potential for the plants to become emergent.
The larger stone will hide the in/out flow pretty well. So this is a bit like the older non CO2 emergent growth, but with stones this time.

No heater for this tank also.

Not sure what foreground plant I might use.
Might use belem grass and HC mix.

I'll be using some H pinn and Bolbitus as emergent plants on the stone.
Then some smaller Hydrocotyle. Maybe some xmas moss and Mini pellia on the rock.
Some backgroudn stem plants might be added behind the stones and trimmed(topped)

No heater.

SSS CRS and then some smaller surface range fish.

One of the goals for this tank is no uprooting horticulture, 100% topping and pinching leaves here or there only.
 

Tom Barr

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FTSUnzan60p_zps1dd15a4c.jpg


BacksideUnzanstone60p_zps75a5847b.jpg
 

Tom Barr

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Wabi kusa could be placed on top of the lower stone and will likely become emergent since the water level is about 3 cm lower than the top of the tank.

This provides ample emergent planting area.
 

jerrybforl

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Very cool Tom. I would like to see your Wabi kusa growth as I don't know much about it. Those rocks are very cool. I'm sure it will look great.
 

dantra

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Tom sounds interesting can't wait until you finalize the scape. When I saw the two independent rocks standing next to each other these scapes came to mind. I hope you can use them to get the creative juices going, a little inspiration goes a long way. (not that you need any)
proud.gif


87-1.jpg


awesome.jpg


twoislands.jpg
 

Tom Barr

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Filled the tank today, but will get the filter running later tonight.
 

Tom Barr

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Also, drilled new holes in the rear for the overflow, the 20 month old daughter's hands shall break it otherwise.
Fairly safe now, and the rock hides the front and most of the other view.

Will add modified custom glass outflow to the tank at some point and to the rest of my tanks, but not like the lily pipes, I have a much more practical and simple design, and one that will likely be made and sold.
I'll need to have a special glass patent for them also. Some knock off thief will certainly come along.
 

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denske;116160 said:
Any updates? Been looking forward to this, lol.

I'm cycling the tank and getting the moss to start on the rocks, and also some rare plants like L sphaerocarpa, L. tornado, E. hydropiper etc for the emergent parts.
I added a modification to the Mame and it works much better now.
Increased the flow rate etc.

Still pondering.
 

Mark Lem

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I'm becoming interested in emergent growth applications in my tanks as well, looking forward to seeing this develop
 

Tom Barr

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So far the moss attaches nicely and all, but I think for what I had in mind, the wood and smaller moss covered branches looked/looks better IMO.
 

Tom Barr

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MrAlmostWrong;121365 said:
How did this one end up turning out?

I redid Gerry's 220 with the stone and made the 60p into a reef.
Well, it was a macro algae tank, but the refugium is done, so I removed the macros from there and put them into the sump a couple of days ago, so now after another week or two, ready for corals.
 

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MrAlmostWrong;121365 said:
How did this one end up turning out?

I redid Gerry's 220 with the stone and made the 60p into a reef.
Well, it was a macro algae tank, but the refugium is done, so I removed the macros from there and put them into the sump a couple of days ago, so now after another week or two, ready for corals.
 

denske

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I'd love to see a journal on your reef tank, I'm starting a salt tank as we'll in the near future. Is there any reason why people keep the macro algae in the sump instead of the display?
 

Ach1Ll3sH33L

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Tom Barr;121380 said:
I redid Gerry's 220 with the stone and made the 60p into a reef.
Well, it was a macro algae tank, but the refugium is done, so I removed the macros from there and put them into the sump a couple of days ago, so now after another week or two, ready for corals.

Those 2 rocks went a long way in the 220! :applause:
 

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denske;121387 said:
I'd love to see a journal on your reef tank, I'm starting a salt tank as we'll in the near future. Is there any reason why people keep the macro algae in the sump instead of the display?


Invasive and will carpet the reef and live rock fast.
Imagine Gloss on slow growing live corals that grow maybe 2-3" a year, vs 2" a day?
 

Tom Barr

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denske;121387 said:
I'd love to see a journal on your reef tank, I'm starting a salt tank as we'll in the near future. Is there any reason why people keep the macro algae in the sump instead of the display?


Invasive and will carpet the reef and live rock fast.
Imagine Gloss on slow growing live corals that grow maybe 2-3" a year, vs 2" a day?