1300 litre chocolate lake

[Nathaniel Whiteside]

Massive shame Al in one respect, this would be even better in months to come.
But as always with you, onwards and upwards.

I've got the use of a van now, so if your wanting a hand with the move, all you have to do is shout.
I'll only charge you a ten minute glance. (Into the tank) 😉

 

[Guest]

Bloomin' 'eck Alastair you don't do things by halves...makes me exhausted just thinking about the amount of effort you put into this hobby.
Very much looking forward to your NA scape, in terms of scale alone it'll be awesome...and that's aside from your obvious talent as a scaper🙂

 

[Hamza]

Wow! Am speechless at the scale of this project.
I really adore such huge tanks with small fish. It looks more like a Lil world for them then a confined box.

 

[Alastair]

My mum would say you've got ants in your pants mate 😛

It's a shame not to see this one fully mature but I guess that would be a year or so.
However your aspirations will certainly be our gain and can't imagine what the new one will be like.... No doubt a whole new level of scaping!

Can't wait!

Ha ha I know. I feel like it too now with me being on my feet for the next few weeks non stop.

I'm absolutely gutted to have to take it down now it's all taking off properly and I got ontop of the bba and what not. Im tempted to do the same but I have the chance to give it a whole new different layout and it's not a tank I can just take down and put up every few months.

Thanks mate that's very kind to say. Now I'm back onto co2 I want to give silly growth and lots of stems etc a go. I've watched some of amanos videos for some ideas and think I have a layout I want to do.
Welcome to help out he he 😉

Looking forward to the next project, still waiting to see what you managed in the lake.
I am sure with the experience of the lake your next one will be great, i do think larger tanks work in a different way compared to smaller ones, so this will have been a usefull in between.
I have wondered the last year if i could start realy fresh how a new tank would look.
Well good luck with the move!

Ed

Thanks ed. I don't think I could have said it better myself.
Tanks of these sizes really are a challenge in terms of flow, high co2 levels nutrients etc and this journal going from low tech to high has given me a massive refresher.

I'll pop a quick phone photo up shortly.

P's rescape it, you know you want to 😛

 

[Alastair]

I dont care what he got in he's undies - he said 1,400 litres of 'something more amano style'
need to lie down for a bit.......

Good on you for the (usual) generosity mate. Cant wait.....

lol......well I do keep my things big 😉 ha ha.

Thanks dude, it'll be a challenge but one I'm all geared up for. Daily maintenance and frequent water changes to keep it almost George farmer like clean 😀

I can't bring my self to tear down an 80lt tank let alone a 1400.... That's a lot of patients!!

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Unfortunately I can't do anything but take it down. It's sad, very sad as this is the happiest I've ever seen my fish 🙁.

Massive shame Al in one respect, this would be even better in months to come.
But as always with you, onwards and upwards.

I've got the use of a van now, so if your wanting a hand with the move, all you have to do is shout.
I'll only charge you a ten minute glance. (Into the tank) 😉

Cheers mate. Kind words as always nath. Hope its upwards. I nice seriously high tech tank for the next 12 months before I start on the big one.

Yes yes man with a van would be perfect. If you can spare some time I'd appreciate it. I'd cover fuel and you can take some goodies back with you for payment????

Bloomin' 'eck Alastair you don't do things by halves...makes me exhausted just thinking about the amount of effort you put into this hobby.
Very much looking forward to your NA scape, in terms of scale alone it'll be awesome...and that's aside from your obvious talent as a scaper🙂

Waar thank you very much Troi. That's pleased me zillions knowing someone thinks I'm a talented scaper. More pressure now to perform hey.

I love this hobby, yes, which I think is the reason I put as much as I do in. That and I've got big tank ocd 😉

Wow! Am speechless at the scale of this project.
I really adore such huge tanks with small fish. It looks more like a Lil world for them then a confined box.

Thank you hamza. That was and will always be my aim with these species of fish I have. To create a natural habitat for them, a true slice of nature for them. If I wasn't moving it would be left to grow and grow which makes me kind of sad to not see that in this tank 🙁

 

[Alastair]

And, as I mentioned, here is the final photo taken of the tank using only a phone camera as the fish were out playing.

I'm keeping this photo for my desktop background 🙂

Another 2 months and it would have been a jungle. I've pulled up some of the e tennelus already hence the gaps in the substrate


Chocolate gourami lake by Mr-T-, on Flickr

Here's to the next set up.
Thank you everyone

 

[Deano3]

Looking forward to it alastair been a great one

 

[Andy D]

Looks great!

Looking forward to the next one!

 

[Ady34]

epic Al!
I hope your new home is some kind of mansion to house an even bigger project in the future!!
Seriously though, setting up and running a tank of this scale takes a huge amount of time and effort so hats off to you for committing to it and making it work. The fish really are lucky to be housed in such a special home and although its a shame that it is coming down so soon, I'm really looking forward to the new incarnation

Hope the move goes well mate, will look forward to a catch up soon and you'll do the NA proud 🙂
Onwards and upwards!
Cheerio,
Ady

 

[tim]

It's a stunner al, real shame to see it come to a premature end, your new scape sounds epic I'll definitely subscribe for the ride 🙂 good luck with the move fella

 

[CanisDraco]

Ahh, I just comment on this thread to ensure I get updates when lovely new photos go up and you cruelly take it away from me 😉

Never mind, I'm very much looking forward to what you'll come up with next, especially since I'll be able to watch this one unfold instead of turning up late to the party!

 

[Alastair]

epic Al!
I hope your new home is some kind of mansion to house an even bigger project in the future!!
Seriously though, setting up and running a tank of this scale takes a huge amount of time and effort so hats off to you for committing to it and making it work. The fish really are lucky to be housed in such a special home and although its a shame that it is coming down so soon, I'm really looking forward to the new incarnation

Hope the move goes well mate, will look forward to a catch up soon and you'll do the NA proud 🙂
Onwards and upwards!
Cheerio,
Ady

Such kind words Ady thanks mate. I am quite sad to have had to start taking this down and was feeling a little deflated. Someone should invent ways to move tanks no matter what size so they don't have to be taken apart.

It does take alot of time and effort, especially once the co2 was eventually put on. Hats off to sanj for running his monster and all his other tanks too at the same time. I don't know how he does it.

I wish the house was a mansion, but enough room to go bigger next year..

Doubt I'll have the NA quite like you but will be a very nice posh home for the choccos etc.

Look forward to the catch up too pal

It's a stunner al, real shame to see it come to a premature end, your new scape sounds epic I'll definitely subscribe for the ride 🙂 good luck with the move fella

Thanks very much Tim, definitely a real shame. Looking at it tonight just makes me feel sad, seems to have changed somehow 🙁

Thanks for subscribing when it's up again mate. Nice to have a few followers. Dreading this take down

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[Alastair]

During strip down and removed 3 pieces of the emersed wood and thought it looks so much better with out.

If no amano style or iwagumi would this look good but replanted???? Hmmmmm



Huge open space more light and no flow being hindered

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[Guest]

Liking that very much...

 

[Edvet]

Looks natural, me like long time......

 

[Nathaniel Whiteside]

Yes man! Draws you right in.

Awesome.

 

[James O]

Wide open spaces

Looks natural, me like long time......

Cost more than 'ten dolla' though 😉

Looks

 

[CanisDraco]

I like this 🙂 it looks completely different!

 

[tim]

It looks epic, the plant choices would be endless too due to the size, stems, swords crypts all reaching their full potential, only slight thing I'd change would be to move that hose clamp about 4 inches to left 😉 have often read through your high tech journal Al when I first joined the site and this as a high tech, I know you'll come up with something special.

 

[Alastair]

Looks natural, me like long time......

my thoughts too ed. 😉

Yes man! Draws you right in.

Awesome.

I liked it too mate. To the point I nearly left it running for a few days and wish I had now. Read below mate

It looks epic, the plant choices would be endless too due to the size, stems, swords crypts all reaching their full potential, only slight thing I'd change would be to move that hose clamp about 4 inches to left 😉 have often read through your high tech journal Al when I first joined the site and this as a high tech, I know you'll come up with something special.

Kind words tim very kind. I loved my old high tech journal, a playground for trying almost every type of plant and ridiculous amounts of pearling. Can't wait.
Awww I thought the hose clamp was placed perfectly ha.

I haven't been on as of late to update this finally and close it... But
I've moved house finally but sadly this tank was damaged whilst moving in the old house, it's sat in my new living room currently looking pretty small



But will be gone in a few weeks to be replaced by a braceless rimless optiwhite version and a new journal.
Tank sizes will be either 180x60x100cm or a 180x60x120 minimal silicone and thick glass with some really nice lighting over and a true NA/amano scape.

Was a bit gutted the other week though when Mr farmer rang me to ask to do a feature on it for pfk and I'd just took it down grrrrr.
Anyway thanks everyone for following this and I'll start a new journal in a few weeks 😀