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Alastair

Member
Joined
27 Dec 2009
Messages
4,402
Location
Denton, Manchester
Following on from my soon to be dismantled chocolate puddle A Chocolate Puddle - picture update | UK Aquatic Plant Society I thought id get my follow on journal started in the lead up to my tank arriving.
This like my other journal won't have any specific planning as to scape etc but will try to keep it looking as nice as possible whilst still staying in the low tech category.

Details are:
Tank: 1200x1200x420(h) @12mm thick so roughly about 600 litres
DIY cabinet with design knocked up by aron off here ( thanks mate)

Substrate:
original pond aquasoil capped with used Columbo florabase/ Ada Amazonia new and 60 litres of tmc nutrasoil
I've chosen the specific pond aqua soil as it doesn't contain the lime etc that John innes does so wont make my ph or gh sky high.

Filtration:
2 x eheim 2080s with mech rings and alfa grog

Lighting:
20 x gu10 fixtures using 11w 4000k energy saving bulbs giving me about 1.3 Wpg so nice and low

Ferts: ill be testing out a range of fetilisers and root tabs out that arent available in the uk yet. Will have more info when they arrive plus some equilibrium to add minerals.

Fauna:
my existing chocolate gouramis and licorice gouramis and will be looking to get another 20 chocolate gouramis to add to the group, possibly 30 to make it 40 in total.
My trusty 3 year old otto
S.Elegans goby
Albino cories
7 amano shrimp, 11 crs, and however millions of cherries I find when I've stripped the puddle down.

I'm aiming to keep ph around 6 so will be filtering through peat aswell which will or may give a slight tinge to the water but should bring out the fish colours much more and adding leaf litter and alder cones however ill see how the soils and leaf litter go at keeping the ph lower first.

Flora:
e.tennelus, C.Wendetti, C.wendetti tropica C.parva, cyperus helferi both submerged and emmersed. Bolbitus, microsorum needle Leaf and trident. Anubias and lots of moss. Possibly add E.ocelot red and red tiger lotus for colour and will have some floating H. Luecocephela as the choccos love to hang out under them.
I'm still unsure about an emmersed section, other than cyperus helferi tucked behind one of the pieces of wood and some trailing pothos I'm not quite sure what or if I'm adding yet.

There's two very large pieces of bogwood going into it which will come out of the water so will be attempting to have emmersed moss attached to it.

Ill pop up some pics of the wired and working light unit shortly and am still racking my brains as to how to suspend it as I can't find where the joists are in the ceiling with the floor above having a solid floor laid over it!!

Thanks for looking so far ;)





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Looking forward to another great journal :thumbup:
Thanks buddy :) hope so


Looking forward to this one already ;) I am sure you going to top the other tank but will be no easy task!

Thanks Paulo, no pressure then ha ha.
I agree though I think it's going to be difficult to layout. I was considering placing it smack centre in the room so you can walk round it but I'd lose alot of space.

Yeaahhh boyyy!

Said in true Sean of the dead style :lol:


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I'm sure it will be another stunner :)


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Good luck with this one al! Can't wait to see it up and running. Hope the filter arrives in one peice!
 
With the other tank being so good... We are all in for a treat! Will be good to see the steps and progress ;)


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Thanks mate, hope so and thanks for the help with the cabinet plans too mate ;)

I will be watching this one, looking forward to some photos now

Thanks Gary...it's going to be a bit of a challenge but worth it i hope. I wonder if I could sneak a page spread in pfk huh???? I wish lol

and big glass lid then youll have the coolest dining table in the world!!:lol:
:lol: don't go putting ideas in my head mate ha ha

I'm sure it will be another stunner :)


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Thanks Martin :)

Look forward to this, where did you get it made mate, poseidons by any chance? Have you made the light unit yet?

Hi Danny, yeah the tanks being made by Jez so a few weeks off of getting it yet so plenty of time to think and think and think and think about what I'm going to do with it.
Light unit just needs the edging putting on but not fitting that until I've sorted hanging it from the ceiling so I know the cables are lined correctly etc but ill pop pics up of it in a minute.

Good luck with this one al! Can't wait to see it up and running. Hope the filter arrives in one peice!

Thanks a bunch Ian, me too mate it's just going to feel like forever until the tanks here and ill just have to admire my current fish through toy storage boxes on the dining table lol. :(
 
Cant wait mate, your last one was amazing!! I would love a tank that size and have thought about it but it would have to be placed at the top end of the room with enough space to walk around it and would take up quarter of the room lol

It will be good to see his recent work silicone wise :) may of missed it but are you having it all optiwhite?
 
Cant wait mate, your last one was amazing!! I would love a tank that size and have thought about it but it would have to be placed at the top end of the room with enough space to walk around it and would take up quarter of the room lol

It will be good to see his recent work silicone wise :) may of missed it but are you having it all optiwhite?

Thanks mate, I really don't want to tear this one down but I'm about to start it this evening....ill feel sick doing it as its just decided to start another mad growth spurt under water.
I know what you mean about taking up room and I was so tempted to go much bigger but I'd be sidestepping round the dining room if I had lol.

The silicone on my last one was really neat and spot on to be honest, so can report back when this new one arrives.
I'm not bothering with opti white with this one as it bumps up the cost more but also the lighting is a Warmer colour and the added leaf litter would give a tan to the water so no point. Also an 8 year old and a dog walking past etc = scratched tank.


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Well here's a couple of shots of the almost completed light unit, not too bright should give quite a nice effect

8345184147_2b2dc24384_b.jpg


8377248117_ba97ff8a56_b.jpg


Aaaaand voila the new tank -
8378326104_f4c92cbb2e_b.jpg


I did say it was a 'little' box of chocolates lol..., not really this will be there temporary home for the next 4 weeks or so along with all the other shrimp and corys etc.

I won't be doing this too often though. Dirt tanks are a pita to strip down. good job i have a carpet cleaner.

Cabinet will be done tomorrow so will stick some pre varnished pics up once its finished




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