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A Chocolate Puddle -

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easerthegeezer said:
hey al, the crypt's root mass should still be ok so planting the crown of the plants with a little root but no leaf should kick them back into action after a week or two. Ive always found crypts to be hardy, just the leaves that are sensitive to change. Ive certainly had plants pop up from tiny bits of leafless crown, but maybe i have magic water 😎
If the roots have melted then its a dead loss which would be a real shame for you just before planting.
All the best, look forward to seeing the chocolate pond.
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Thanks Iain, I've had slight crypt melt I'm the past but this is on a massive scale, I can't believe how deserted the tank looks. I daren't even take a photo of it as it looks terrible lol. The only crypt untouched is the few partva dotted about. The only bonus is that I can actually see the choccos and licorice gouramis all the time as they can't hide amongst it all ha ha. ( no idea why I'm laughing as I feel pretty sad about it lol)

sanj said:
Alistair, come on im telling you now, you are going to wish you went bigger. Seriously, you are doing what I did.

I dont say this often, but I love those chocolates of yours. I want em. I wish. They wont work with rainbowfish, but they are on of my favourate fish. I hope you breed and raise some.

Licorice and chocolates are the way foreward.

Oh and hurry up 😛 , this is an exciting build. Cant wait, but seriously I think you should have gone bigger. You know the square tank in TGM is 5x5 and you wont have issue they have with the 30" height.

Dining tables... pfft waste of precious space...
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Thanks Sanj, I know I know I pondered and pondered I've tank size for a while and really did want a 5x5 but my dining room is only narrow and I think it would have totally swamped the room.
I agree dining tables are a waste of space as there's only myself and my daughter but to not have a table at all means trusting an 8 year old not to spill food and drink on the sofas, which I don't fancy chancing ha ha.

I love the chocolates myself, and have had two females who have had fry, one held onto them too long and they died and the other I've no idea what happened to them. Eaten maybe???
The bigger foot print will help for added security if they breed again which I hope they will.
Plus I've already knocked up the first part of my light unit now and had all the wood for the cabinet cut and semi built
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I'm hurrying honest 😉



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I can see you have got some DIY skills. Thats always a good thing, can save you a lot of money.

Are you planning these to be dimmable, I guess that might just complicate things too much. If you are suspending them, which I think you are then you will have some control over the light there.

Are these (GUs and Megamens) all going to be the same colour leds and have you seen what colour they give off?

Looking good so far. 🙂
 
Whitey89 said:
Gonna be a beauty! Good luck mate! 😀
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Thanks buddy I hope so. Ill be starting a new journal in next few days

sanj said:
I can see you have got some DIY skills. Thats always a good thing, can save you a lot of money.

Are you planning these to be dimmable, I guess that might just complicate things too much. If you are suspending them, which I think you are then you will have some control over the light there.

Are these (GUs and Megamens) all going to be the same colour leds and have you seen what colour they give off?

Looking good so far. 🙂
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Thanks sanj, my DIY skills are ok when I've had help and pecked at people for how to's lol. But, it has saved me a lot of money for the size of lighting I would have needed on this tank had I commercially bought.,

The gu10 11ws aren't LEDs but are a nice 4000k colour so will give the tank a more natural colour but will also be adding in a few 6700k led bulbs to compliment which I'll eventually work out on how to install a dimmer on them to help with sunrise/sunset but that's a way off yet. I can still pop in a few LED bulbs in the mean time but I've seen the colour the gu's give off and it's really nice. Should suit the choccos and licorice perfectly.

Palm Tree said:
Hey, will you be using any plants emersed in your new scape ?
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Hey palm tree, ermm at most I think I'll just be having maybe an echinodorus cordifolious or two growing up out of the water, with maybe some emmersed cyperus helferi in planters hidden behind the huge pieces of wood I've got. The calathea just went wild in this tank and took over. I will be having emmersed moss on the wood though, I grew it quite well in my previous co2 tank.

Aron_Dip said:
Looking good mate Cant wait too see this done 🙂 As always buddy im here if you need me :thumbup:
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Thanks buddy, was down to you I've knocked up the wooden unit and light frame so big thanks and same to SOMETHINGFISHY for advice on the wiring. Just hope it works ha ha.



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BigTom said:
Sounds about right Al. I've tried bulbs from 3500 up to 6700 in my halide and prefered those around the 5200-5600 range. I guess you'll be able to play around with the balance quite easily by swapping out bulbs.
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I quite like that kelvin range too mate but will see how the 4000k look, might need a higher kelvin as I'm going to be using peat in the filter too which is going to colour the water a little I think but 25 4000k gu10 bulbs for £27 was a bargain.


sanj said:
Probably not on your radar with all the tech preparation going on, but maybe consider some Vaillant's Chocolate Gourami to the population. I saw some at SweetKnowle Aquatics last year. Very nice. Still that standard Chocolates are my favourate.
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I saw these in my local MA this weekend but weren't too cheap. I may get a couple in a few months to add a little colour to the tank. I looked at these a while back and was very tempted.

With the new tank I think I could easily add another 15 choccos to the others I have with out affecting the load too much but will do that slowly over a few months.

Will be taking down the tank starting this weekend 🙁



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easerthegeezer said:
sad times!

Would the Vaillant's not cross breed Al? They are lovely though.
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Not too sure buddy, they'd not be going in for a while if I got them anyway, I want my chocco fry to successfully survive first for now as the last two lots failed.


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easerthegeezer said:
Ah ok, were they predatated you think or just die off? Would love to see the new one with 40 or so in of various sizes...
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The first lot the female held on too long and both herself and babies died, then me and Westy spotted a female with mouthful ( excuse the phrase) a few weeks back but I think she let go way to early as no babies anywhere.
The new tank I'm hoping for a good 30 plus choccos in total, some seem to stay small compared to the others which looks great so a big group of these will look nice.
Might hopefully get the licorice gouramis to breed too but will be burying old camera film cases at an angle in the substrate amongst plants as a breeding aid for them. Quite hard to find anymore but all the ones I originally got are still with me and coloured up beautiful so must be happy


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easerthegeezer said:
well my figures are crossed for you pal, not that you need it. The licorice are equally as stunning.. what id give for soft water.
Itching to see this new set up... as is the rest of the forum buddy!
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Thanks mate, I think the more square shape will be a little more challenging regarding flow etc but will try my best.

Hopefully with my new camera too ill be able to get some good shots of the licorice gouramis. The iPhone just isn't quick enough to get a decent shot


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Just read your whole journal end to end, a truly inspiring tank, something very diiferent to anything I have seen before (new to the site so reading some select journals!)

Thank you for having spent the time to document your tanks journey.
 
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