This is mainly a 'howdy' post. About 10 years ago, I started building small aquariums out of acrylic that fit into old computers, monitors, end tables and so on. I did this because I like to build stuff, not because I really liked fish.
Well, a year later I had around 10 little aquariums running (between 4 and 14 gallons) and it pretty much sucked. I didn't *want* to kill my fish but managed to do so on a regular basis anyway. I hung out on the *.aquaria newgroups and learned and finally got the situation under control but it was too late, I was burned out. I let my collection shrink down to one aquarium with a goldfish and so it stayed. I could deal with that.
Then one day it was time to pack everything up and move 1500 miles to Florida. The goldfish survived the trip but I killed him with my first water change in Florida. Still don't know how or why, but I did. Seemed like a good time & place to go without for a while.
Over the next few years I had a brief adventure with a 55 gallon salt water tank and briefly revived a couple aquariums, finally settling back down to one little tank with one little goldfish.
But there was this one aquarium that my wife always liked that she wanted back. The old acrylic tank was in very bad shape, so I built another one. It went "live" about 4 weeks ago and now has a couple Platys living with some plants and a couple snails.
Then last weekend I revived another old tank. This one had been dry for about 3 years and last held saltwater so it was pretty nasty. It's now home to a couple Tiger Barbs.
I'm afraid I'm getting the bug again! I've been babysitting these tanks, getting them cycled, and it's been fun. Hopefully this time I'll not build myself out of house & home but instead keep it to a reasonable number that I won't get tired of.
Anyway, here are my aquariums. The first is a 12 gallon hex tank built into an old oak end table. I took pictures of it during the construction last month - the finished tank is at the bottom the page.
http://www.techquarium.com/gallery/hextank
The most recent addition is a 14 gallon tank built into an old 19" black & white monitor. When I did this one I was determined to have the monitor tilted back so one didn't have to bend down to look into it. This required building it up way high out the back but I think it's cool. On this one I also curved the front plate to more closely match the curve of the original monitor.
http://www.techquarium.com/gallery/mirrortank
So I'm glad to find this place. If anyone can think of any huge innovations in aquarium-keeping in the last 6 years or so, clue me in!
Well, a year later I had around 10 little aquariums running (between 4 and 14 gallons) and it pretty much sucked. I didn't *want* to kill my fish but managed to do so on a regular basis anyway. I hung out on the *.aquaria newgroups and learned and finally got the situation under control but it was too late, I was burned out. I let my collection shrink down to one aquarium with a goldfish and so it stayed. I could deal with that.
Then one day it was time to pack everything up and move 1500 miles to Florida. The goldfish survived the trip but I killed him with my first water change in Florida. Still don't know how or why, but I did. Seemed like a good time & place to go without for a while.
Over the next few years I had a brief adventure with a 55 gallon salt water tank and briefly revived a couple aquariums, finally settling back down to one little tank with one little goldfish.
But there was this one aquarium that my wife always liked that she wanted back. The old acrylic tank was in very bad shape, so I built another one. It went "live" about 4 weeks ago and now has a couple Platys living with some plants and a couple snails.
Then last weekend I revived another old tank. This one had been dry for about 3 years and last held saltwater so it was pretty nasty. It's now home to a couple Tiger Barbs.
I'm afraid I'm getting the bug again! I've been babysitting these tanks, getting them cycled, and it's been fun. Hopefully this time I'll not build myself out of house & home but instead keep it to a reasonable number that I won't get tired of.
Anyway, here are my aquariums. The first is a 12 gallon hex tank built into an old oak end table. I took pictures of it during the construction last month - the finished tank is at the bottom the page.
http://www.techquarium.com/gallery/hextank
The most recent addition is a 14 gallon tank built into an old 19" black & white monitor. When I did this one I was determined to have the monitor tilted back so one didn't have to bend down to look into it. This required building it up way high out the back but I think it's cool. On this one I also curved the front plate to more closely match the curve of the original monitor.
http://www.techquarium.com/gallery/mirrortank
So I'm glad to find this place. If anyone can think of any huge innovations in aquarium-keeping in the last 6 years or so, clue me in!
