The 700 gal indoor sunken garden project

[medicineman]

@Starálfur,
I got these fish from a local fish store arcade (around this part of the world, it is quite common for fish stores to open to each other in one area, so you can visit from one store to another just a doorstep away).
Happens to come fresh from the breeder. There used to be 4 of them, but 2 died due to some freaky accident when their size were much smaller. Stuck at the tank prefilter and unable to get free.

@SeaSerpant,
They become quite tamed and I can hold frozen blood worm while they approach and peck it off. I can even stroke them with no problem.
For convenience reason, I feed only frozen, sterilized bloodworm, available widely and cheaply at most LFS.

[charles101]

a truly amazing tank,am speechless,you really have done a superb job.it is a credit to you.i bet its lovely spending time down there,in fact i dont think i would leave it alone
a huge accomplishment-well done

[styxx]

I tell you Medicineman, I remember back in 2007 or was it 2008 when you had to get a refrigerator man to come over to help fix your chiller (lol) and now look at you with this tank...it has turned out pretty well...I haven't been very active on TPT but I'm going to start another 50G tank soon and see where that goes. It's great to see you're still on here helping everyone one out!

[malaybiswas]

you got a piece of art here. simple amazing. can you get a closeup of the discus eggs?

[bigpow]

Orlando, you'd be surprised to know that a lot of Indonesians have ridiculously large aquarium.

Biggest aquarium I've seen in my entire life there wasn't at the zoo or public aquarium - it was at my buddy's house. He has one big room for reef aquarium, 2 super thick glass wall sides. Natural sun lighting from above.

I can't even imagine if one were to start such project here in the States...


Fish and plants are dirt cheap. Everytime I went back, I always wished I could bring some fish/plants back into the States. Just try a Botia Sidimunthi for $2-3 each, compare that price with the price we pay here. Prices are easily 10-20x cheaper. Although, I strongly believe that the low price of fish/plants actually do them more harm since the keepers don't really cherish them as much as we do here.

Fish are treated almost like disposable items for hobbyist there (they simply toss them out once they're done/bored with).


Labor is also dirt cheap there, every household has at least one helper/maid that live and work 24/7/365 (cost maybe $75/mo today).

The cool part is as an owner, you usually just need to lift a finger, point to what you want to get done, and the maid/helper will do it for you.

The political term for these live-in maid sometimes are: helper, assistant, associate, baby sitter, etc - but in reality, they're more like the sugar plantation workers of the American past. It's not entirely bad though, since it's mostly mutual relationship.


I grew up there and I used to be spoiled too until I came here. I was silver spoon-fed all the way through high-school!

Now I'm like: no thanks, I will wear my own socks. Or no, I will wash my own dishes.
And No thanks, I will clean and trim my own planted tank. It's my tank afterall, not my maid's.

[Chrisinator]

I call dibs to sleep right next to the tank in your housee!! My favoriye tank.

[medicineman]

@bigpow,
Low cost labor, cheap fish and plant supply only comes from the fact that the overall living cost here is low compared to developed countries (not to mention to compare it with top rich countries like USA), not to mention population also contribute a great factor.

If things could be produced/captured locally, it would cost a lot cheaper.
Try that with good imported aquarium equipments, imported exotic fish and plants. Easily a month worth of some clerk salary.

Nowadays maid service is getting less and less of "sugar plantation" scheme.
Live-in workers are treated better (at least within our household) and slave-like abuse is getting rare. House owners works too much outside that sometimes the whole house is more like maid's home and not the master's house.
Safety issue is also a sensitive matter nowadays and some have opted for less or no maid at all in the household.
The colonial heritage days is numbered!

I will only do the maintenance, setup, etc by myself and this rule is very strict. That is why sometimes I feel too occupied with my tanks, and this limits the number of tanks I can keep. Building this kind of tank as permanent part of the house is not for everyone. It cost a fortune to most locals, at it is too much to handle (unless you are seasoned/dedicated).
Of course there are times when help is a lot needed and I'm glad extra hands are easy to come by.

@charles101,
Thanks for the compliments.

@Chrisinator,
Dont catch cold

@malaybiswas,
It is very difficult to get a glimpse of the eggs clutch.
Though as I write down, the pair happens to guard eggs again. I doubt they will hatch properly due to the harder water I use (though some reported that the eggs could hatch, but poorly in harder water).


Update time!

It has been some time and one of the huge echi started to throw plantlets (I think it is red special or something)


8 small seedlings in all, quite many I'd say. I have planted some of the bigger ones now, allowing the smaller siblings to have a better chance to gain mass via "umbilical" flower stem.

Morphed photos. Note the split leaves.
It is amazing when you let plants grow to its potential.

[dewalltheway]

If my family ever comes to Jakarta, can I stay at your house? Your plants are beautiful! Do you have an updated full shot to share? I love seeing your updated photos. Thanks for sharing!

[skratikans]

what are your wc like?

[@marko@]

can we please get an FTS?

[rbarn]

I really need to win the lottery so I can have this too ...........


Nice !!!!

[kyle3]

another vote for a new FTS and more underwater pics. your tank makes me drool
thanks for sharing!
cheers-K

[medicineman]

Updated whole shot photo will follow later on.

WC wise, daily overflow of around 10-15g or so is added. The water gets mixed with the rest and any excess will get self drained.

Speaking of echinodorus, here is an oversized echinodorus uruguayensis I took out of my tank. This one will find a better, more spacious home in the pond.
The plant may grow even bigger, with aerial leaves under correct conditions.

[timme278]

OMG its huge.... (the plant that is lol)

full tank shot?

i love this thread, its my favourite on this entire site

[kyle3]

impressive! thanks for keeping us in the know!

cheers-K