ADA lampen DIY(Tu es selbst).

[Tom Barr]

The "adaption" is already mostly done though.
The plants have well established root systems, they can use the resources to make more enzymes in the leaves for Rubsico (the main adaption biochemically at the leaf organ level in response to flooding).

So no matter how you reason or argue, the method will give distinct advantages to plants as their roots, fungi, bacteria, adaptation to the lighting you have have already occurred by the time the water is added.

We typically have about 2 weeks before most species of algae may appear.
If you do water changes, say 2x a week 50-60% for the first 1-2 months and add nutrients back, this can be avoided and the plants will grow in very well.

This method just avoids some of the initial labor by waiting until the plants are well established and no water changes, algae issues are present.

It's deceptively simple and highly effective.
Dusko recently tried this method and really like it as have many other folks in Europe, USA, South America and Asia.

If you cannot do well with flooded submersed aquariums, this method will not save you from algae, that's a problem this method was not designed to avoid, just to reduce labor and avoid it at the start up phase.

Generally most people that have troubles with HC have trouble with it uprooting or their CO2 is too low.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Tom Barr]

Here is an update on the Dry start tank with the DIY ADA lamp.

I'll likely plant in a week or less.

Tom Barr

 

[gartentiger]

Hi Tom,

it looks great :top:

What plant is on the right sight? It seems to be a form of Hygrophila?


Regards,

Christian

 

[Tom Barr]

It is Ludwigia granulosus/perunesis.
It seems to do well emergent.
I need more room in my other tanks so I can fill this one with plants next week.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Mark1]

Hi Tom,

the efforts of your great tank are a beauty to look at, but I have another question to your statement:

I have a lot of light, but do not use it much. ADA is the same.
Mostly low light throughout most of the day.

Do you mean you don´t use all lights all time? For how long do you use the MH lighting on this tank? So you have more possibilities and switch between the different Lighting-sources?

Regards Mark.

 

[Hardy]

Hi Tom
That's one fascinating projekt! Thanks for letting us observe its making.
How have you fixed the wood? It's now been in the air for at least a couple of weeks.
So I'd expect it to show a forceful tendency to float when you flood the tank.

 

[Pumi]

Hi Tom

Sorry for my english!
Which Wood is this?

LG Mario

 

[Tom Barr]

Hi Tom,

the efforts of your great tank are a beauty to look at, but I have another question to your statement:

I have a lot of light, but do not use it much. ADA is the same.
Mostly low light throughout most of the day.

Do you mean you don´t use all lights all time? For how long do you use the MH lighting on this tank? So you have more possibilities and switch between the different Lighting-sources?

Regards Mark.

Halo Mark,

I use the PC lights for 10 hours.
I use the HQI metal halide lights for 4 hours in the middle of the light cycle.

I can also raise and lower the light, change the angle, orientation, front or rear lights.
So I change most every aspect of the light intensity.

The lamps are 6700K PC's and ADA 8000K HQI.
This is a pleasing color.

I wish they sold the longer 33"/meter PC light bulbs in 9325K GE color.
But those are available only in T8, T12 and 21" 55 watt PC sizes.

I suppose I could re do the ballast and put 6x 55w PC bulbs inside the hood, but it would be a fair amount of work

Yes, I like to use light to modulate growth rate.
Using light, rather than CO2 or nutrients to control rates of growth is far more stable, makes more sense, makes stabilizing CO2 and nutrients much easier etc.

And it cost less

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Tom Barr]

Hi Tom
That's one fascinating projekt! Thanks for letting us observe its making.
How have you fixed the wood? It's now been in the air for at least a couple of weeks.
So I'd expect it to show a forceful tendency to float when you flood the tank.

The wood is attached to the bottom of the tank with silicone.
I trimmed the base so it would fit correctly.
I have a lot of experience in setting up large wood displays and often bolt and glue wood together to get the look and aqua scape I want.

ADA, David Oliver, Public aquarist etc all do this.

The wood is cedar I collected myself up in Northern Califoria near the mouth of the Eel River.
Lots of Redwoods(100 meters tall, 2000-3000 years old), fog, and beautiful area.
Here is a picture of a tree near where I collected the wood:

Some understory plants:

The banana slug is one of the world's largest and lives all over the coastal area. This is a tiny one, they get about 15-18cm.

We have many suitable species of wood here both in the cool northern rainforest, the alpine mountains and the deserts. And they are all within a few hours drive from here.
Pretty amazing place.

Europe is wonderful as well :bier:
Everywhere is interesting if you get out and see it.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Tom Barr]

Here is the smaller tank (38 Gal) a few weeks later:

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Hannes85]

Hi Tom,

this is an awesome tank!
How long does HC grow emersed?
Do you think it works also with Eleocharis Parvula?
was there a Plexiglas coverage on this tank?
I'll try it for granted

all best

 

[Tom Barr]

Hi Tom,

this is an awesome tank!
How long does HC grow emersed?
Do you think it works also with Eleocharis Parvula?
was there a Plexiglas coverage on this tank?
I'll try it for granted

all best

Halo,

HC easily grows as a terrarium plant indefinitely.
Several of the local club members grow it this way to sell.
At 50$ per 30cm sq, it's pretty good plant to raise for extra $.

Yes, I have a tank full of hairgrass outside growing like this.
Yes, placing a cover keeps the humidity high.

Most emergent Crypt culturing methods work very well for most aquatic species, this is how Tropica grows most of their plants as well.

Cheap, easy, algae free, fast.

However, taking that method+ aquarium methods and fusing them together was something of an obvious yet very practical idea no one had ever put forth for some reason.

The only real issue is to make sure you have a nutrient rich sediment, sand + soil or ADA AS works very well.

I do not use power sand or any of the other ADA items that folks put in there and I have never had any issues growing any species of of plant to a very high level. There are a few ADA stores here and I have less trouble growing at least a dozen species that they have issues with and I know they use everything ADA sells and put all that extra marketing stuff in the sediment.

I prefer to keep things simple and go step by step to figure what is and is not causing the results I see.

I also use delta mud from a local source here in CA and screen it, then soak it for a few weeks and then mix it 1:4 mud to sand and use that for larger scale outdoor culture.

This is the cheap method, ADA AS is more for aquarium displays.

Here's an update on the tank:

L. pantanal was topped and I removed 30 nice large stems and it still looked okay in the picture amazingly enough. I did another trim today and brought everything down lower.

I'm going to use some Bylxa in the middle instead of the downoi, it's easier and will look better in that spot. The light rails are very nice and easy to adjust the light forward or backwards and up and down or side to side. Really very adaptable.

The single rail double bend does not allow for as much movement in all direction however, the 2 pole rail does.

My 120 Gallon tank that I'm getting in a couple of weeks(the first tank broke when a friend's grip slipped and the bottom hit a chair and broke) :evil: will be a denser more dutch style rather than an open landscape like this.

The West African cube is coming along but it will be months before it looks nice and the way I want it:

All these tanks have the same cheap 10$ light bar on them.
The 190$ ADA rail does not move nearly as much and you cannot adjust it quickly if you do decide to move it, only up or down movements.

Still, the ADA does look better, 10-20X?
Not for me, but if I had more $ and was not so cheap, I'd likely get the ADA.
Many folks just do not like or can do the DIY methods.

And some will spend more time and $ doing the DIY than they ever saved on doing it themselves in the first place

Of course I do not know anyone that has ever done that before

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Jay]

Hey Tom, I caught your idea doing a lampstand myself, maybe you've seen the result in my topic, otherwise here are two pics, showing my Aquarium and the lampstand:
[albumimg]5856[/albumimg] [albumimg]5854[/albumimg]
Thanks for your good impressions, without i wouldn`t have done it
Best regards, Jay

 

[Henning]

Hey Tom, could you make perhaps times an update,
of your beautiful aquarium?
It interesiert me much like it looks now.

Best of greetings Henning

 

[Flatsch]

Here is my version of the ADA Lamp DIY:



greetz Dennis