1300 litre chocolate lake

[Edvet]

Yeah it takes some time to shop all those algae away.............

 

[justissaayman]

@alastair, did you use some of my / Scott Kelby's advice?

 

[Alastair]

Sorry for such a long delay in updating my journal. Ive been busy recently and had few problems with fluctuating crypt melt.
All seems well at the moment. I came home after the weekend to find I have 3 female choccos with full mouths so fingers crossed I will have lots of babies again. This means for now ill have to take off the fx6 as that bad boy will suck up any little ones and pop it back on once they get to a fairly good size.
Plants are doing well, slowly growing but looking very healthy indeed.
The Legenandra Meeboldii red is really flourishing and acts as a fantastic focal point. Very very nice plant.

Ive upped the tmc tiles to 50 percent but after a chat at weekend this might not even be near enough given the size of the tank so ive kindly been offered a par meter on loan so when I get that ill know whats what.

Dan Crawford has loaned me a cal aqua labs efflux f3 which for large tanks is bloody perfect so im on the hunt for a second hand one.

Im adding LOTS more plants today or tomorrow.
Extra C.petchi
More c.wendtii mi oya
C.undulata
Vallis nana
Ranunclus inundatus
Micranthamum monte carlo (thanks Iain)
Hygro auraguaia
and some more eleocharis sp mini as an accent around the leganandra

So currently (crappy phone shot) this is how she looks

you can see where the crypt melt has happened at the right side.

not enjoying the gravel cleaning though I didnt realise how much detritus there is in a low tech.

Overall im very happy with how its looking and once ive added in all the extra plants tomorrow ill get some pictures up.

I think I may have to rehome my betta though as he likes to swim at the surface but keeps getting caught in the flow.
added 30 corydoras habrosus. Lost a couple but the rest seem to be doing great and added a stunning farlowella 2 weeks ago. He/she has coloured up much better than this picture now. Will be getting one more to add to.

 

[Lee Sweeting]

Looking great mate, good news that the choco's are breeding. They are obviously very happy.


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[justissaayman]

OMG....

 

[Andy D]

Alastair, that looks great mate!!

 

[Edvet]

Can yo enlighten me on that efflux? i never used one and i can't see what is special about it.
Just an idea on the FX6: get a large piece of filterfoam, make a hole in it (i use some copperpipe i sharpened the edge of, swivel it between my hands (like old skool fire making you see on documentaries) and drive it into the foam, thus cutting out a tubeshaped piece of foam, yank it out)and shove that big foam piece over the filterinlet. Thus you can keep the filter, and protect the young, Just rinse the foam out every 2/3 days.

Watchout with to many "woodcleaners" they produce quite a lot of unsoluble mulm.

Looks good, btw

 

[James O]

Thanks for the Great update Alastair. The chocolate lake fan club are resting easy once again . Glad your new Cory's are happy.

not enjoying the gravel cleaning though I didnt realise how much detritus there is in a low tech.

Time for a question to reduce my ignorance: what's the difference between hi/lo tech tanks regarding detritus?

 

[Lindy]

added a stunning farlowella 2 weeks ago.

Fantastic to see one of these in a tank it won't out grow. Ever.
Tank looks great. We are always the greatest critics of our own creations.

 

[Lindy]

not enjoying the gravel cleaning though

If you didn't clean the substrate in the old tank why are you cleaning this one?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

This means for now ill have to take off the fx6 as that bad boy will suck up any little ones and pop it back on once they get to a fairly good size.

ust an idea on the FX6: get a large piece of filterfoam, make a hole in it (i use some copperpipe i sharpened the edge of, swivel it between my hands (like old skool fire making you see on documentaries) and drive it into the foam, thus cutting out a tubeshaped piece of foam, yank it out)and shove that big foam piece over the filterinlet. Thus you can keep the filter, and protect the young, Just rinse the foam out every 2/3 days.

I use Edvet's type of pre-filter foam (and cleaning regime) on all my filters, although I usually buy a pre-drilled foam. It works really well for keeping fry out of the filter, and also gives them a browsing surface.

I buy these drilled "Koi" foams <Foam Blocks Filter Media - Kockney Koi>.

cheers Darrel

 

[Alastair]

Looking great mate, good news that the choco's are breeding. They are obviously very happy.


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Thanks mate. Yeah im happy to have come back to 3 full females. Im wondering if with me just leaving one tile only to come on to 30 percent whilst I was away has spurred them on.

OMG....

cheers Justis

Alastair, that looks great mate!!

Hey Andy thanks mate. Im hoping when ive finished this planting today it will fill it in a bit more. I cant believe how many plants are in this already

Thanks for the Great update Alastair. The chocolate lake fan club are resting easy once again . Glad your new Cory's are happy.



Time for a question to reduce my ignorance: what's the difference between hi/lo tech tanks regarding detritus?

Haha your welcome James cheers mate.

With the low techs, the detritus in my previous set ups falls through the substrate which in turn helps to feed the plants. The same in a hi tech too I suppose but obviously certain substrates dont allow it to sift through.

Fantastic to see one of these in a tank it won't out grow. Ever.
Tank looks great. We are always the greatest critics of our own creations.

Absolutely Lindy. He or she is stunning. Hard to spot but it always out and about

 

[Alastair]

If you didn't clean the substrate in the old tank why are you cleaning this one?

Purely because im using mostly unipac samoa which is on view and the detritus on this area is settling as I have gentle flow and looks unsightly. Its not a deep gravel clean I do just a wave over with a gravel vac

 

[Alastair]

Hi all,
I use Edvet's type of pre-filter foam (and cleaning regime) on all my filters, although I usually buy a pre-drilled foam. It works really well for keeping fry out of the filter, and also gives them a browsing surface.

I buy these drilled "Koi" foams <Foam Blocks Filter Media - Kockney Koi>.

cheers Darrel

Yeah I usually do thanks Darrel. Especially when ive had shrimp in but havent used the sponges in this just yet.
Ill be putting them on later

Cheers mate

 

[Iain Sutherland]

another nice addition with the armoured cat mate, they are stunning fish. and top news on more babies.
great to see the tank on something bigger than your phone. Certainly takes a lot of plants to make a tank this big not look bare!!
how is the Cladophora getting on following the moss issues?

 

[Andy D]

Saw this and thought of you - For Sale Very large public aquarium style tank - Practical Fishkeeping Forum

 

[Ady34]

Looking great Alastair, and good to hear the choccos have carried on where they left off!
Love farlowella catfish too, they'll love your large branches.
Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[Lindy]

Your samoa sand looks quite pale in the photos. Is is darker in person? I 've been looking at the senegal as it looks a bit darker. Really need to see it in a shop before deciding though.

 

[James O]

The think fish website stocking calculator reckons your tank could cope with about 443 adult Chocolate Gouramis but I cant see a single fish in your recent whole of tank pic of the chocolate 'inland sea' Its a good thing your Gouramis are breeding. It'd cost more than the tank to fill it

How many fish are hiding away in there?

 

[Michael W]

but I cant see a single fish in your recent whole of tank pic of the chocolate 'inland sea'

I just took it upon myself to look for a fish and saw a chocolate gourami next to the top left of the middle curved branch. One more above a group of ferns to the right of the moss ball left side of the tank.