1300 litre chocolate lake

[faizal]

Thanks faizal. Really kind words. Seems my really long lived male is not looking to good either. Had him for the last 4 years. Just sat in the corner with his mouth to the surface 🙁

I know how you feel mate,....like you mentioned earlier.,....you start to accept them as a member of the family once they've been with you for so long. And Al,...you really treat them well,....with a big home like that. And as Lindy so positively put there,...you've given him the best possible life. He might have got eaten by a bigger fish in the wild. God gave him a lovely life through your deeds mate.🙂

 

[Lindy]

Got the lights up yet? Pics?

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[Alastair]

I know how you feel mate,....like you mentioned earlier.,....you start to accept them as a member of the family once they've been with you for so long. And Al,...you really treat them well,....with a big home like that. And as Lindy so positively put there,...you've given him the best possible life. He might have got eaten by a bigger fish in the wild. God gave him a lovely life through your deeds mate.🙂

very very kind words faizal, this chappy has been with me a long long time, so really felt emotional, ahe must have been desperate for a calm spot to just go to sleep but had gotten himself into a fast flow area. i think once id put him in the netted floater he finally could go to sleep naturally.

so now ive got a couple of males doing the chasing around for contender and another 30 going in next week which will be fun to watch but non will ever take his place to me 🙁[DOUBLEPOST=1395966604][/DOUBLEPOST]

Hi Folks, I was oop north last week so dropped Alastair a line and arranged to come visit this epic piece of genius.

What can I say? Well, whilst Alastair's house is not a public aquarium - It certainly should be! The Chocolate Lake is even nicer than you may imagine, it seems impossible to use cameras to capture it's brilliance. The first thing that struck me was the water clarity, so many times have I seen vast aquariums like this and they are often cloudy, this was gin clear from end to end. The fish are simply stunning, especially the Liquorice Gouramis. Both flora and fauna were so healthy it was sickening LOL

This was one heck of a project to have undertaken and a huge round of applause is deserved for persevering with it, fair play mate.

Being able to sit and watch your fish explore the fantastic home you've created must surely make it all worth while

massively kind words mate, really is. Especially from thee.
i was a little unsure of exactly what you thought ha ha but that picked me up.
just a shame the positioning of the tank doesnt allow a nice big sofa infront of it.

was great to have you over and im going to really push on with this now and have it looking much thicker and lusher than it currently is. just a few more hundred plants should do the trick

be great to get together and time it for a photo shoot mate.

 

[Alastair]

Got the lights up yet? Pics?

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Certainly have. Did a small review of them here lindy
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/index.php?posts/343911. Need to update this journal too later 🙂

 

[BigTom]

More videos please!

 

[BigTom]

Come to think of it, a streaming HD webcam would probably keep me entertained for hours 🙂

 

[James O]

Come to think of it, a streaming HD webcam would probably keep me entertained for hours 🙂

No more feeding you chochies in ya birthday suit then Alastair

 

[Alastair]

More videos please!

Come to think of it, a streaming HD webcam would probably keep me entertained for hours 🙂

ha ha. Ya know I was thinking about one of those live cams you can have running 24/7 that you can view from a comp or phone. Would be great.

No more feeding you chochies in ya birthday suit then Alastair

lmao nope not anymore. Although I could do a live amano style feed and tap the tank to get all the fish to come to me lol.

Not too much has changed in this. Everything's slowly growing in, and had put a carpet of mc around the main focal point as seen in the picture below

Straight from mr farmers one pot iwagumi. Sad to say it started melting so its in propagators growing rampant for now so will try again and also add some to my terrarium/paludarium thingy.
So for now its got elecheocharis and mini tennelus mixed together.

Soon to add in another 30 choccos and am picking up 30 more cpds tomorrow morning.

 

[faizal]

and had put a carpet of mc around the main focal point as seen in the picture below

Al,...what does "mc" stand for?

 

[Edvet]

http://www.tropica.com/en/plants/plantdescription.aspx?pid=025 i guess

 

[James O]

That, or its the dude with the mic up by the DJ who keepin' it real in da place ta beeeeeee 😎

Why oh why did ever I watch Ali G?


Nah cant be that. Go with Edvert's idea 😀

 

[Alastair]

Al,...what does "mc" stand for?

vvvv what edvet says faizel. Micranthumum monte carlo. I know iain sutherland has had success growing this in his shrimp tank which is non co2 but I think the jump from georges injected tank to the low tech it didn't like and started melting so took it out and put it into propagation. It's literally a lawn of the stuff.

http://www.tropica.com/en/plants/plantdescription.aspx?pid=025 i guess

yup cheers ed.

That, or its the dude with the mic up by the DJ who keepin' it real in da place ta beeeeeee 😎

Why oh why did ever I watch Ali G?


Nah cant be that. Go with Edvert's idea 😀

lol

 

[BigTom]

I've got the Micranthemum MC going in 3 tanks, all low tech - pretty steady growth in all 3, it's a great wee plant.

 

[faizal]

..... but I think the jump from georges injected tank to the low tech it didn't like and started melting so took it out and put it into propagation.

I'm sorry to be bugging you with newbie questions again Al but how do you put it into propogation? I remember Clive telling me once to let it float on the water surface for about a couple of weeks & then submerge it,....is that how you propagate it?

 

[Mr. Teapot]

I'm so in awe of this tank! Something inside me get a bit scared thinking my little tank could eventually evolve into a whole ecosystem in a room. It must be a dilemma just thinking about which side of the room to view it from.

Second newbie question of the day: Are the roots of your maidenhair fern tied on and do they eventually grip the wood themselves? Do they need a little planting pocket of substrate or are they just bare rooted?

 

[Alastair]

I'm sorry to be bugging you with newbie questions again Al but how do you put it into propogation? I remember Clive telling me once to let it float on the water surface for about a couple of weeks & then submerge it,....is that how you propagate it?

Hey faizal dont be sorry. Bug away mate we are all here to learn from one another and give each other advice.
The way I am propagating it is by adding a fine layer of tmc nutrasoil on the base of a large takeaway tub and laying the mc over it. Misted it and popped on the lid which has pierced holes and under the lighting on the tank and its growing rapidly into a mat.
Ill get pics up tomorrow

I'm so in awe of this tank! Something inside me get a bit scared thinking my little tank could eventually evolve into a whole ecosystem in a room. It must be a dilemma just thinking about which side of the room to view it from.

Second newbie question of the day: Are the roots of your maidenhair fern tied on and do they eventually grip the wood themselves? Do they need a little planting pocket of substrate or are they just bare rooted?

Yes they certainly are. They are tied on and then begin to attach over a short period of time but depending on the wood. My last tank they just attached above water but onto wet wood..
This one the roots are much more into the water. No substrate needed

 

[faizal]

Hey faizal dont be sorry. Bug away mate we are all here to learn from one another and give each other advice.
The way I am propagating it is by adding a fine layer of tmc nutrasoil on the base of a large takeaway tub and laying the mc over it. Misted it and popped on the lid which has pierced holes and under the lighting on the tank and its growing rapidly into a mat.
Ill get pics up tomorrow

Al,..🙂 Cheers mate.

 

[RichardJW]

Out of interest Al , how many times per hour do your filters turn over the volume of your tank
???


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[andyh]

Epic Journal, Epic Tank.....One of my favourites

Love the mix of livestock. I still have my 6 chocs, they seem to be doing well.

 

[Alastair]

Out of interest Al , how many times per hour do your filters turn over the volume of your tank
???


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Hi richard
Sorry for the delay. Hadnt noticed your post.
The filters roughly 3 times id say but there are 2 adjustable 1600 ltre per hour power heads that run when lights on AND.......... I finally gave in and decided to inject this tank with co2 from today.
Im injecting via a diy reactor and tmc v2 2200 lph pump and acrylic inlet and outlet so total turn over will be roughly 8000 lph give or take a few so 8x turn over during lights on from 2pm today hopefully 🙂
Ph is already around 6 so im guessing the inmates will love the co2 more as itll drop the ph even lower.
I know ive gone against what I initially intended and that was to run this low tech right through but with the tank being so big it is taking forever to grow in so for now ill use co2 then maybe gradually reduce back to low tech before I upgrade to the final bigger tank 😳