# Planted Tanks > Aquascaping >  ADA 45P Forest scape by Nigel

## Nigel95

So I started with a nano tank and sold it pretty quick to go "bigger". I was thinking about a second high tech setup and wanted to buy an ada 60p. But I decided to go smaller and go for the ada 45p as I already have an eheim 2211 with 2 sets of lily pipes which I can use for this setup. It will cost less plants, soil etc. but IMO it's harder to scape a nano tank. Tried my best to create some depth in this 45x27x30 cm tank.


Specs planted tank aquarium
*Tank ADA 45P* 
45x27x30 cm
34 litre


*Lighting*
Daytime eco 40


*Hardscape*
Lava rock
Spiderwood


*Substrate*
ADA Aqua Soil


*Shrimp*
35 Neocaridina heteropoda var. Yellow


*Fish* 
Rasbora brigittae


*Snails*
3 Clithon sp.


*Plants*
fissidens fontanus
fissidens fox
flame moss
weeping moss
riccardia chamedryfolia
usuki moss
crepidomanes malabaricum


*Co2*
Pressurized CO2 with a diffusor
Co2 checker edge (30 ppm)


*Heater*
Hydor eth 200 temperature 23 celcius


*Filter*
Eheim classic 150


*Hardscape*



Lighting
7000k
CRI 90
1320 lumens

image uploader

----------


## Nigel95

Mosses came in today  :Smile: 
Got some usuki for free but it can only tolerate max 22 celcius. My tank will be 23 so not sure if it will survive.
Bestand 28-09-17 22 10 29 by Nigel H, on Flickr

Bestand 28-09-17 22 09 56 by Nigel H, on Flickr

Bestand 28-09-17 22 10 49 by Nigel H, on Flickr

Planted 1 month dry start now so the mosses will attach to hardscape. 
hardscape planted day 1 by Nigel H, on Flickr
SAM_0651 by Nigel H, on Flickr

----------


## Nigel95

New stuff came in  :Smile: 

Hopefully the hydor eth 200 will last a "long" time on my ada 45p. After reading it doesn't seem the best choice for a nano tank. But I don't really wanna build one my self or have a heater in the tank. So fingers crossed!

The eheim skim 350 is great but when I have to clean it, I have to remove it completely from the tank and always several shrimps are in there. So I decided to try the ocean free surfclear. The sponge can be removed when the skimmer is in tank and it has a safe guard for shrimps and fish. It's a little less strong than the eheim skim 350 but no problem because it is only an ada 45p.

I needed a thermometer and decided to buy one from ADA. 

Bestand 30-09-17 16 42 16 by Nigel H, on Flickr

Unfortunately my weeping moss is turning yellow/brown on the branches. It receives a lot of light. I spray two times a day and leave 2 openings open to reduce the chance of mold. Although there is already some mold growing. Hard to find the "perfect" balance to keep moss moisture enough and avoid mold. Also hard to remove the mold because I made some roots on the trees and it isn't very firmly attached with fishing line.

----------


## Nigel95

*Day 25*
Cycle is going fast with the eheim classic 150 that already has bacteria in it and the soil that has been in DSM for 3 weeks. Think I am going to add the Neocaridina heteropoda var. Yellow and clithon sp. after 3 weeks from now. Hopefully there will be enough biofilm by that time. 

ada 45p forest scape nigel day 25 by Nigel H, on Flickr

----------


## Nigel95

*Day 42*
Roots and Neocaridina cf. davidi yellow shrimp added to the scape. Moss growing slowly. Keeping the light intensity still low to avoid algae

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PGAHbaQewo" target="_blank">

----------


## Nigel95

*Day 56*
Added a small beach bigger wasn't possible. It gives more depth IMO. 

ada 45p forest day 56 by nigel aquascaping by Nigel H, on Flickr

----------


## Nigel95

New buce clump 'mini coin'. Got it very cheap only € 27 for 27 rhizomes (some very small). So only 1 euro per rhizome! If I buy it from stores here it is like 5 euro per rhizome. This was from a guy who imports straight from Indonesia. To reduce shipping costs he asks a lot of people and does 1 big order at a time. Had to wait a long time for it but all worth it. Hopefully they won't melt. Placed them in this tank and the 34 gal aswell. 

buce clump mini coin by Nigel H, on Flickr

----------


## Goalkeeper

Very nice scape....looks like a real forest......

----------


## Goalkeeper

Very nice scape....looks like a real forest......

----------


## Nigel95

Quick scape today, ADA 45P dimensions - Hardscape Forest

ada 45p hardscape 2.0 by nigel by Nigel H, on Flickr

----------


## Nigel95

Tried another store with more succes. Boraras brigittae are still a live and showing great colors already.
boraras brigittae by Nigel H, on Flickr

----------


## Nigel95

*Day 86*

----------


## Nigel95

Neocaridina davidi var. Yellow
yellow shrimp by nigel aquascaping by Nigel H, on Flickr

----------


## Nigel95

New Twinstar 450 e series for the ADA 45p. Lovely colors! Bought this already for the next rescape (brazil style). In that scape I will be using stems with colors so this led comes in handy. I like the design! 
new twinstar e series by Nigel H, on Flickr

----------


## Emperios

Wah nigel rich ! Looks very nice HAHA

----------


## Nigel95

First final shot is done. The photo is ok but it can improve a little more. Needs some time till the back fills in more, to have less negative space. But it feels good to have a good picture already in case something happens with the tank. When contests are over I will share the final shot with you guys  :Smile: 

Here you can see my setup how I do final shots. I don't use my twinstar when doing final shot because it will block out light of my external flashes. I use a very small led flood light above the tank so I can still see the position of the fishes. It is a lot easier when you have a hanging kit. It takes a lot of pictures to get that one with the fish in right position. Even after 180 photos I don't have the perfect photo with them all being in a line. The black cardboard is to reduce the amount of light entering in the camera lens. 
final shot ada 45p setup by Nigel H, on Flickr

----------


## NanoScaper

> First final shot is done. The photo is ok but it can improve a little more. Needs some time till the back fills in more, to have less negative space. But it feels good to have a good picture already in case something happens with the tank. When contests are over I will share the final shot with you guys 
> 
> Here you can see my setup how I do final shots. I don't use my twinstar when doing final shot because it will block out light of my external flashes. I use a very small led flood light above the tank so I can still see the position of the fishes. It is a lot easier when you have a hanging kit. It takes a lot of pictures to get that one with the fish in right position. Even after 180 photos I don't have the perfect photo with them all being in a line. The black cardboard is to reduce the amount of light entering in the camera lens. 
> final shot ada 45p setup by Nigel H, on Flickr


Thanks for sharing your photo setup, Nigel95. Learning more about aquarium photography.

Which contests are you submitting the photos to?

----------


## Nigel95

> Thanks for sharing your photo setup, Nigel95. Learning more about aquarium photography.
> 
> Which contests are you submitting the photos to?


Feel free to ask if you have questions. I try to help where I can.

This scape will enter in IIAC, CIPS, EAPLC and AGA. 

Cheers

----------


## NanoScaper

> Feel free to ask if you have questions. I try to help where I can.
> 
> This scape will enter in IIAC, CIPS, EAPLC and AGA. 
> 
> Cheers


I understand it's best to use the lowest ISO possible but I still can't figure out what aperture and shutter speed (in manual mode) to use for a nice full tank shot.

----------


## Nigel95

> I understand it's best to use the lowest ISO possible but I still can't figure out what aperture and shutter speed (in manual mode) to use for a nice full tank shot.


You can try this to make good final shots it works for me. 

My preferences.
For DX use 18-20mm. (I don't have a full frame dslr so DX but I use a 24mm canon pancake lens).
For FX use 28-30mm

Tanks 1- 2ft- f8-f11 
3ft & above f5.6-8 is enough

Shutterspeed helps keeping moving fish sharper. At least 1/200. 

To shoot with this settings you need a lot of light like external flashes. The yongnuo 560 III are affordable and do the job.

----------


## NanoScaper

> You can try this to make good final shots it works for me. 
> 
> My preferences.
> For DX use 18-20mm. (I don't have a full frame dslr so DX but I use a 24mm canon pancake lens).
> For FX use 28-30mm
> 
> Tanks 1- 2ft- f8-f11 
> 3ft & above f5.6-8 is enough
> 
> ...


Thanks for the tips! I'll give it a try with what's available to me now and let you know if I have any more questions.

----------


## Nigel95

Made a new macro photo of my boraras urophthalmoides in the ada 45p forest. What fish do you keep in your nano tank?

boraras uropthalmoides by nigel by Nigel H, on Flickr

----------


## Nigel95

A detail macro shot of some very small fissidens fox and riccardia chamedryfolia moss on the spiderwood. 
Do you like moss and which one is your favourite? 
fissidens riccardia detail by Nigel H, on Flickr

----------


## Nigel95

Detail shot of the ADA 45P Forest
detail shot ada 45p by nigel by Nigel H, on Flickr

----------


## dunhaf

:Well done: 
Nigel, I wished to learn from you when I am ready for Aquascaping! And your choices of fishes are amazing

----------


## Nigel95

> Nigel, I wished to learn from you when I am ready for Aquascaping! And your choices of fishes are amazing


Thank you, you can ask me questions any time  :Smile:

----------


## Nigel95

Fresh layer of new cosmetic sand  :Smile:

----------


## Nigel95

When the tank goes wild because it's hard and not fun to trim the moss in such a small space. And a little bit lazy of course  :Razz:  
room shot ada 45p nigel by Nigel Aquascaping, on Flickr

----------


## Nigel95



----------


## Nigel95

Final shot. Rank 30 CIPS 2018 Nano category. 
Nigel Hoevenaar Blackwood final shot 1 AGA by Nigel Aquascaping, on Flickr

----------

