Coconut Caves

[MsGardeness]

Has anyone done this? Bought whole coconuts, cut them in half, cleaned out and cooked the shells to make caves?

I just did and I'm on the 7th or 8th time of boiling them for at least 20 minutes and dumping out the water. Fill with clean and repeat until the water stays clear. Well for me the water is as dark brown now as it was on the first boil. I had read it only takes 3 or 4 boils to have all the tannins boiled out...?

[tobalman]

Make sure you got the old dry coconuts not the young one.


Has anyone done this? Bought whole coconuts, cut them in half, cleaned out and cooked the shells to make caves?

I just did and I'm on the 7th or 8th time of boiling them for at least 20 minutes and dumping out the water. Fill with clean and repeat until the water stays clear. Well for me the water is as dark brown now as it was on the first boil. I had read it only takes 3 or 4 boils to have all the tannins boiled out...?

[MsGardeness]

Make sure you got the old dry coconuts not the young one.

I've no idea how old these coconuts are. I didn't think we had much choice - just picked up a couple from the grocery store. I guess I'll keep boiling...

[tobalman]

I saw some old one at Chinese food market, they changed the colour to dark brown. Its shell alot thicker and more durable.


I've no idea howl old these coconuts are. I didn't think we had much choice - just picked up a couple from the grocery store. I guess I'll keep boiling...

[Zebrapl3co]

I think he is using the old brown olds. Fresh coconut does not give out any tanins. Damn, I wish I have your coconut. The last one I made, it gave very little tanins.

[Bwhiskered]

I have used coconut shells from the grocery store. All I did was drain out the milk and drink it before cutting the shell in half with a zip cut blade on a mini grinder. After stripping out the nut meat I soaked it in water for a few hours and then put it in the tank. The tanin is good for the fish and they enjoy chewing on the rough fibre. I even found that the bushynose chewed on a piece of the nut meat I threw in.

[MsGardeness]

Thanks Bwhiskered! I did put one shell in the tank this a.m. I'll see what colour the water is when I get home! Hope I can still see my fish! :)

[MsGardeness]

Got home tonight and the water was still crystal clear... then I noticed the filter was not running. Had a power outage the other day and forgot to check it. :( It's going now and all fishies look fine including the new pair of Electric Blue & Gold Rams I picked up on Tuesday. No discolouration from the coconut... yet.