My aquarist rant

[Duckie]

Do you really need to "explain" to yourself why your first set-up was a success?[/B] Confused by most of this post, Duckie.

Mark

Huh? Exactly the opposite. I wasn't trying to explain to myself anything. Especially since I don't have the success you are trying to claim I have. There simply is too much information out there easily accessable. Even if you only look at the good information it is too overwhelming. Now try to follow all of it - nearly impossible.

 

[fishorama]

Well, I'm back to the "high tech" or "no/low tech" thing...I kinda like those high techie tanks for looks but not for me! All the maintenance, cost, dosing, new expensive equipment, NO! I, after 35+ years in our hobby, I'm still not there. I enjoy my "less than" tanks, > lights, no CO2...but happy healthy fish & (lesser??) plants...it works for me & my commitment to my tanks... they'll never be "Amano-worthy" but that has never been my goal.... depends on your "optimum tank" & how hard you want to work to get there...not that there's anything wrong with that (ala Seinfeld, lol).

As for the internet as a source for tank info, meh! You want to try some dumb idea, you can find a lot of support for almost anything if you look for it...& lots of it. Nothing like experience to get you there...try it! You'll sooner or later see why experienced folks don't buy into some of that stuff, it just doesn't work long term... but you go ahead, you'll be the one to prove us all wrong!!!...Right!?!?

 

[wesleydnunder]

I also did the high-tech tanks and backed off...for many of the same reasons. I found that the medium light, planted approach works for me. Plants aren't growing so aggressively that I'm having to constantly trim/shape to maintain something I like to look at vs. the well-being of my fish. One benefit, to me, of not injecting co2 is that there is never a concern over getting co2 levels too high and stressing my fish.

With this approach there are many species of plant that won't grow well but that's a trade-off that I'm ok with.

Mark

 

[biondoa]

Once one understands the simple basics of fish keeping, then the decision to go high tech or low tech is about how much money you want to spend, and how much work you want to do, and how involved with your tank you want to get. I decided fairly quickly that I could have a very pretty planted tank, without co2 and without a bunch of ferts. All my tanks are doing well, both fish and plants, without going high tech. It is cheaper, easier and just as pretty. I do understand that there are some folks who love the high light plants, specialized lights and co2, and that is fine for them. Just a matter of personal preference.

 

[Fishfriend1]

Low tech all the way! - Every broke college kid ever

 

[fishorama]

Low tech all the way! - Every broke college kid ever

 

[fishorama]

I even have more "high tech" equipment that was given to me but I just don't want to have the learning curve & possible fish stress (death??, it's possible) & religious devotions to daily dosing, weekly WCs & trimming. Even low tech, I have plants growing faster than I like to maintain, to the benefit of my plant & fish clubs. Someday I'm sure I'll try it just to say been there but I'm way not in a hurry to try it...to each their own...that's the wonderful world of our hobby, something for everyone! Pink gravel & all Amano-ish & everything in between.

 

[Windy]

Your not the only one SF LOLOL. I did that myself as a kid when my mom bought me some goldfish and the same day, they took time out at the bottom of the tank.

 

[Windy]

Take him for walks in his bowl? That's what the Smiths do on American Dad when they take Klaus with them.

 

[Windy]

But each time I looked at that empty bowl, my resolve strengthened. Finally, the Gods of all things Timex relented and Saturday dawned. I was at Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy's front door immediately after breakfast (Cocopuffs, this time). It had taken a few minutes of struggle to get the "mower" next door; its movement being hampered by a healthy coating of rust and the fact that the handles were level with the top of my head.

Six hours later, I finished the front yard...sort of...mostly. Mr. Kennedy said I could come back tomorrow to do the back yard. I was able to drag the wretched thing back home...just. Everything hurt and I'd lost about five pounds. As I went in to eat lunch, I didn't hear Mr. Kennedy's own mower fire up behind me next door.

Sunday afternoon I finished the back yard and Mrs. Kennedy said I did such a good job! She gave me a whole dollar! Mom said she was proud of me and we'd go to Fins and Feathers after she got home from work Monday. Now we add another adjustment to the space/time continuum; the thousands of hours between when mom says we can go to the pet store and the actual trip to get a new fish. No one understands the patience required of 8-year-olds! Well...the Dalai Lama, maybe...

Monday at school was interminable...and I got in trouble and had to stand in the corner. Mrs. Golightly felt that approximately two dozen interruptions during the morning to tell the whole class about the upcoming trip to the pet shop was a tolerable maximum. Two dozen and one, wasn't.

By the time mom parked in front of Fins and Feathers I was positively manic. Whose Idea was it to put all those stupid stop lights up, anyway?! Walking into that store was like entering the front gate at Disneyland. Immediately the ears are assaulted by squeaks and squawks and chirps and...wow! There were hundreds of aquariums(actually around 30) with millions of different kinds of fish (again, the reality was far fewer). There were birds and hamsters and even snakes! This was the coolest place ever! As I turned in a slow circle, mouth open, a man came over and introduced himself. He was Mr. Peterson and he and his wife owned the shop. Mom explained that we were there to buy a fish and about Mr. Goldfinger's recent demise. Mr. Peterson asked if we'd used dechlorinator when we'd filled Mr. Goldfinger's bowl. Mom's negative reply, accompanied by a blank expression, prompted Mr. Peterson to explain about chlorine in the water and the necessity for its removal.[/QUOTE


Golightly, sounds like a name in the LOTR