Done with Aquariums

Sorry to see you go Jag. :( I hope that you find much success and comfort in your new endeavor! You are so right.......just get something that makes you smile. Aquariums don't do it for you anymore--I hope the reptiles do :dance2:

Bye bye.
 
Good luck in your ventures Jag.

I do many things contrary to what is supposed to work and yet it does. I won't pretend to know why, I just know it works for me. I have a hodge-podge of acquired plants that I like. Some I forget the name of. Others I yanked out and tossed as I didn't like them. Doesn't matter to me that they were supposed to do something great and were all the rage.

Resisting the urge to follow the pack has been a saving grace for me. "Keep It Simple, Stupid" (K.I.S.S.) is the only way I can do things. No, my tanks will never be prize winners for appearances but they do make me happy and I feel that is all that is important.

Ultimately, finding ones limitations and staying within those boundaries is important for the hobbiest. When we get beyond our comfort zone it becomes work and frustrating. It's a hobby so keep it fun! You'll be glad you did.
 
Jag - I'd suggest taking stuff down, converting to pals or herp tanks for a while, but don't be in too much of a rush to sell it as you may find you miss it. You may be going along w/ just herps, then you get a newt - or a crab... next thing, you'll be buying skippers, anableps, axlotls etc. etc.

As to Tom's suggestions, I find a lot to agree with. perhaps the biggest issue is that n00bs want lots of plants RIGHT NOW, so the obvious solution is to add some more light, CO2 etc. - but with explosive growth comes algae etc. I'm leaning toward advising people to be ready to pull back on the stick with respect to CO2 and lighting once they reach acceptable plant density. The results are (as Tom points out), less frequent trimming, less $ for ferts/CO2/Lighting costs, more time to just sit and watch your tank.

Anyway, best of luck with whatever you choose, Jag.
 
sorry to see you leave!

Just last year I was in the same boat, I had terrible green water and many different types of hair algae. But I started reading around, did more tank cleanings than I used to and added fast growing plants....by no means am I saying that I have a handle on how to do a proper planted tank, but I must say changing my regime helped ALOT, as did people on this forum and many others.
 
Well.. It not just the green water and the algae.
It's the space the tank takes up in my house
Not being able to move it
Doing water changes with buckets
worrying about something hitting it and spilling 30 gallon of water on my floor
Looking at the same thing in the same place every day. Just pretty much everything about it
I don't hate the fish hobby and keeping my fish, it's just that I had my share and it's time to move on. I would like something else and I don't want a fish tank and a lizard cage at the same time.
I been keeping fish for about 8 year and now it's time to move on. Since the beginning I have been keeping great success in the life of my fish, my first fish was a Jaguar cichlid at 15" and I just gave her a new home a few months ago, she is still alive and well.
I still have my small fish in my 29 gallon tank that I bought about 6 years ago, my fish live long and happy lives.

I'm just done with it all and it's time to move on.
 
I couldn't agree more with what Tom said. Maybe I'm just assuming things but you might have got in over your head, which lead to your frustration. I personally would slow down and start with a lower tech setup...but ultimately it's your decision. Do whatever makes you happy and good luck :)
 
I have a low tech 10 gallon tank and I'm tired of that too. It's not just the work, it's what is it.

I use to have hamsters and gerbils and rats and snakes and scorpions. I have moved on, I do not keep hamsters anyone because I'm just not into housing them anymore. I still love the fuzzy little things, but I don't want to own one anymore.


For Plantbrain
I thanked everyone because every time I had a question or a problem, I would always get fast responses from people on these forums with many different suggestion to choose from. I tried all the EI, using the calculators and dosing in the proper range for my tank, I tried dosing less I tried dosing more. I tried eliminating certain fertilizers people have suggested.
I tried less light periods, more water circulation, more and less filtration. more Co2, less feeding. Yes I know, you don't see changes over night, I gave time between each change. No way to find a balance unless you have a degree in water chemistry.. Sure, some people get lucky and happen to get a balance, probably the same way I been driving for 10 years and haven't gotten 1 ticket and other have who drive the same way as me. If everyone did the same thing as what one successful person has done, we would all be able to keep a algae free tank.
I even had algae issues in my 10 gallon tank with a 15 watt bulb. The plant growth in 3 months in the 10 gallon tank is the same growth rate I get in 1 week with my high tech tank.
Slow growth doesn't interest me, probably the same way that Discus do not interest you.
Besides, I'm not quiting because of the algae, I'm just tired of keeping fish. My fish aren't dying so how long am I suppose to keep fish? Forever?


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I share the knowledge I have learned with others and always suggest low light and Co2 unless they are wanting to go high light. The best learning experience I have discovered is the reading of the book by Diana Walstad, author of the book 'ECOLOGY of the PLANTED AQUARIUM
If you want to answer all your own questions about planted tanks, I suggest reading this book. The book is expensive, but you get what you pay for.
 
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Jag1980 said:
I'm just done with it all and it's time to move on.
Click to expand...

It's good that you are getting out when you know it's time,and that it sounds like you are re-homing your fish to good homes,and not just letting them die by neglecting their feeding and water changes.
Good luck with your lizards.Post pics! :)
 
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