My new ADA 60f rimless nano

[jlado13]

Just picked up an ADA 60f and set it up about 2 weeks ago. Currently about 3ppm nitrite into my fishless cycle. 0.25ppm ammonia and about 80ppm nitrate. I've used Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride from the beginning and been using Seachem's AquaVitro Seed for the past week.

 

Here are the details:

 

Tank: ADA (Do!Aqua) 60f

Lighting: Kessil A160WE (awaiting delivery)

Flow: Tunze Nanostream Turbelle 476gph

ATO: Tunze Ozmolator Nano

Temp: Aqueon 50 watt heater

Sand: CaribSea Special Grade live sand

Rock: BRS Pukani

Filtration: None - Keeping it simple. Just weekly water changes for now.

 

I plan on a mixed reef with two Ocellaris Clowns and maybe a shrimp... not sure about the shrimp yet.

 

More details to come as the tank progresses and matures. Thanks for looking.

[jlado13]

Tank finished cycling and my Kessil A160WE was delivered the other day.. Here are some updated pics..

[niQo]

Nice! ADA 60F tanks are great!

[jlado13]

Nice! ADA 60F tanks are great!

 

I know, their dimensions are awesome and the build quality/precision is incredible!

[jlado13]

I am trying to keep this tank as SIMPLE as possible, equipment-wise, which is why I have chosen to run without filtration. My plan is to do about a 40% weekly water change.

 

I was hoping to have a few small SPS corals and sustain them on water changes without dosing to, again, keep things simple. From my research, I think this approach would be fine but I have only kept softies, LPS, and anemones in the past.

 

Anyone do the same or similar with success?

 

Thanks.

[Tuffryu]

I am trying to keep this tank as SIMPLE as possible, equipment-wise, which is why I have chosen to run without filtration. My plan is to do about a 40% weekly water change.

 

I was hoping to have a few small SPS corals and sustain them on water changes without dosing to, again, keep things simple. From my research, I think this approach would be fine but I have only kept softies, LPS, and anemones in the past.

 

Anyone do the same or similar with success?

 

Thanks.

 

Hi jlado,

I can say from my experience you will have some challenges without filtration. If you are planning to keep simple sps, you might be able to get away with it, but the risk you run with weekly changes are the swings in trace elements.

 

I just transferred my 9 gallon cube (predominately SPS) to an ADA and started a thread in this forum (previously in the pico forum). I never did weekly changes with 2 fish, 2 shrimp and an emerald crab mainly because the calc and alk levels would swing entirely too much.

 

Anyways, that's my .02 cents. Best of luck with tank. ADAs are just incredible.

[jlado13]

 

Hi jlado,

I can say from my experience you will have some challenges without filtration. If you are planning to keep simple sps, you might be able to get away with it, but the risk you run with weekly changes are the swings in trace elements.

 

I just transferred my 9 gallon cube (predominately SPS) to an ADA and started a thread in this forum (previously in the pico forum). I never did weekly changes with 2 fish, 2 shrimp and an emerald crab mainly because the calc and alk levels would swing entirely too much.

 

Anyways, that's my .02 cents. Best of luck with tank. ADAs are just incredible.

 

Thank you for the advice. Simple SPS will probably be the route I take for now. What did you do with yours, dose your trace elements? How often did you change the water?

[Tuffryu]

 

Thank you for the advice. Simple SPS will probably be the route I take for now. What did you do with yours, dose your trace elements? How often did you change the water?

 

No problem.

Just keep in mind that even simple sps like montis will need stable calcium and alk levels so hopefully the salt you plan to use supports those levels and/or you have a dosing pump.

 

For my tank, I do about 10-15% every 2.5-3 weeks and dose everyday - 13ml calcium, 9ml alk, and I use magnesium in my auto top off water. I'm learning that my sps actually extend much more and look better when the water is somewhat dirty so I've been feeding the fish much more regularly nowadays.

 

I don't test my tank all too often, but alkalinity is the one element i test just about every other day.

[jlado13]

Ok cool, thank you. I'll keep that in mind as the tank matures. I'd imagine at your interval of water changes you're running a sump? Or at least a HOB?

[Tuffryu]

Ok cool, thank you. I'll keep that in mind as the tank matures. I'd imagine at your interval of water changes you're running a sump? Or at least a HOB?

 

No sump, just HOB.

 

Thread is posted here for more details.

[jlado13]

Update:

 

Added an Oscellaris and a few Nassarius snails. Diatoms starting to show up a little bit.

[jlado13]

I've been laying low for a while since my clown developed brook.. the tank was new seeded with dry rock so I'm assuming he brought it with him from the LFS. Let the tank sit empty for a few months and have slowly been getting things back together. Here's the update:

 

Fish:

Yellow Clown Goby

 

Inverts:

3 small Turbo Snails

Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp

 

Coral:

Two Zoanthid frags

GSP frag

Green Candy Cane

Frogspawn

 

Hoping to swap my Tunze out for an MP10 next month and am looking into sump options. I may still keep it simple and leave the sump out. I'm currently doing weekly 3 gallon water changes. All seems well so far. Now for the pics!

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking.

[vlangel]

I love ycg. Have you had it long?

[jlado13]

I love ycg. Have you had it long?

I have had the YCG for about a month. He's awesome. I did not expect to like him as much as I do. So entertaining to watch and he comes out to greet me every time I sit down to watch the tank.

 

I've had the tank since July 2015. I just added a Firefish today so that will probably be it for fish.. they seem to be getting along just fine.

 

I'll be adding some more coral once I let things settle out.

[vlangel]

I like the way ycg hop and perch on things. Its very pert and endearing.

[jlado13]

Ok, so I'm sumping this setup with an SCA 301 skimmer and some chaeto.  I have a 10 gallon Aqueon I will be using to build it.  I built a DIY MAME out of PVC but I'm not digging the aesthetics.  So the million dollar question is:

 

Suck it up and buy the glass MAME?  or..

 

Drill the ADA?

 

I'm leaning towards drilling..

[jlado13]

I received an SCA-301 skimmer for my birthday and built my sump today!  I bought the baffles off eBay and used GE Silicone I to hold them in place.  I also placed an order with Glass Holes and will be drilling a drain and return.  Here's how the sump came out:

 

Theres an adjustable height riser I still need to attach to the middle baffle.  Just gonna let everything dry first.

 

 

 

 

[jlado13]

I bought an ADA to drill and replace the Do!aqua.  I spent the majority of the day mapping everything out and drilling the tank.  Here's the progress:

 

 

[jlado13]

After the glass holes nano box and bulkheads were installed:

 

 

[J-Ranko]

Nice work the overflow.  I like the look of these drilled ADA tanks--they're so clean. I'm too chicken to drill one myself, though. 

[jlado13]

I didn't necessarily want the box, but to get the high water level, I felt it was needed.  I didn't wanna risk drilling the drain hole too high on the glass to go with a boxless overflow..  I was sweating throughout the drilling lol.  It took a couple hours to drill cause I didn't put ANY pressure on it...  I was so scared!  This was the first time I'd ever drilled a tank.  Hopefully I can switch everything over by the end of the week.

[urbaneks]

Great start.  Looking forward to seeing this grow out. 

[jlado13]

Mixing up the saltwater for the transfer and sump addition.  Im thinking my next investment should be a RODI system..  ?

[jlado13]

Swapping the ADA in..  excuse the metal hose clamps.  They're temporary.

 

 

[jlado13]

FINALLY!  Just waiting for the water to heat up.