XXX

Starting this thread for my new tank named XXX.

Has been a long journey to get here after SWAMBO said in Oct 2016 that it is getting old looking at my 3ft's open stand and all the filters and cables. Took the opportunity to upgrade to a 120P replica

My cabinet was build by a friend of a buddy for my b-day in Nov 2016. Colour looks great with the rest of the furniture.



Tank was done by DorryPets - thanks Deon for the great build and nice edging done.

With the time from starting this journey in Oct 2016 until now I had lots of time to gather supplies and decided what to do.

@jakkalsbothma and myself build my DB (design was stolen from him by me ) and wired the kettle plugs late one Saturday night. Great SWAMBO he has for not kicking us out with all the noise we where making in the kitchen and all the sh*t we where talking till late.



The Centurion Mafia came over on the 25th and the day started of with coffee and Steers breakfast buns. Then we went inside to this:



That was me trying to do some "planning" before help arrived.

As the Centurion Mafia moto goes More equals better so I had 42kg of Dragon rock waiting for the scape



But then I explained to the master scaper and the rest of the Mafia what I was thinking of how the scape should look. This is what happened next















Someone was not impressed at all



Was amazing to look at the skill and talent @Ivan has when scaping. The kid really has skills!

The results of the day's work





Came out 1000 times better than I would have been able to do alone. Pics don't do it justice at all.

Thanks for everything @Deadpool @Ivan @jakkalsbothma you guys rock!

Have started to do some planting and work inside the cabinet, but that is for another post.

 

Your skills aren't that bad, and I know it wasn't about the scape

I'm thinking we'll be at @jakkalsbothma soon to redo his very soon...

 

Well Done Bud!

I personally think this is one of the nicest hardscapes I've seen in person ever!!! I'm in love!

Great start to not only the fred but to your tank too!

Have to agree, "More equals Better" all the way! Mafia Style!

SWAMBO herself is impressed with the pictures I showed her, and after meeting your SWAMBO i really think we are in a spot of bother...
(SWAMBO = She Who Must Always Be Obeyed ---- for those that don't know...)

awesomeness!!!

 

And one epic title for the scape and thread!!!

 

This is going to look awsome when fully done

 

Awsome William

 

Looking good William!

What plants are you going to plant?

 

Looking like the start of a really great scape.

 

Very nice, glad to see that you had fun.

 

Thanks bud. I keep standing before it for a few minutes every time when I walk past.
And I'll take the spot of bother for all the fun we are going to have together

 

Thanks for all the complements dude, could not have done it without the Mafia and yes we had lots of fun.
SWAMBO also made us her famous lasagna for lunch and we finished it in minutes while taking a break.

But it was not all fun and games - @jakkalsbothma took the injury of the day for the team.
Cut his "kaal kop" open while we where putting in the DB and pulling some wires thru.
So this tank already has had it's blood sacrifice, but I'm sure I'll have to put in some more over time.

On plants I thinking Dwarf Hair Grass as ground cover and up to the middle level.
Then for both sides Blyxa Japonica for the middle level with Cryptocoryne Tonkinensi right at the back two corners.
I think this should flow nicely into each other and the hardscape.

Still considering plugging some holes with Mini Pelea but I have to leave space for all my Buce plants also
This part of the scape I'll still think about some more and the put in whatever I decided.

 

Was there yesterday... Can't wait for it to grow out!!!








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Me too
Will update this weekend with some closer pics of the tank, and hopefully some with my new reactor inside the cabinet. Need to sort out the cabinet light and some wiring too.

Also need to get a proper light unit. The two 39W Dual Odyssea units work atm but really need as bigger unit to get things going. Heard someone might be going overseas so hopefully I can organize a Cyrex unit as nobody has any in stock. Trying the Classifieds on the local forums today also.

Livestock should be going in next weekend if all goes to plan.
Atm it is going to be 50 Kubotais, 50 Ember Tetras, +-9 CPDs and (hopefully if I can find 5 more) 20 Threadfin Rainbows.
Will try to bulk up on the CPDs as cash-flow and availability allows.

 

Oh yes before I forget, here is @jakkalsbothma fixing the doors as my attempt was not up to scratch




P.s. And as you can see I'm using Scape products all they way...


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Yip, not bleeding for the Mafia that day...


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Awesome! Once this fills in It will be just whoah, I love the hardscape

 

OK small update before I put in the livestock this weekend:







Added a LED bar to the cabinet yesterday, makes a big difference



And replaced my DIY reactor with one of the hen's teeth ones



I have two of these fan units too cool down the tank. They are being controlled by the unit mounted on the top by the left door



Still need to source an inline heater for unit to control. If winter strikes before then I have a normal 300watt I can drop in and connect so long.

Light unit search is also still going, might have a lead on the unit.



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Looking awesome! Why don't you make a inline heater. You can basically do the same thing you did with the reactor.
I had one in my previous tank that actually was a inline heater and reactor - it worked really really well and saved me a ton of space.

Just a questions, normally as I have seen the fans are used on the surface, to cause evaporation which cools the tank. Problem with that is it causes a lot of moisture.

If heat is really an issue you could get a chiller