Whether this site or one of the others I go to or don't go to...the internet has made things easier for me.
Pre- internet fishkeeping.
- Thread starter Eupterus
- Start date
Thinking back, I'm amazed I kept anything alive. Some of my tanks were ridiculously overstocked but I really didn't know any better. I guess I've always over-filtered my tanks and was pretty good about water changes, too.
I was an avid reader and read as many fish books as I could get my hands on before I ever owned a computer.
I was an avid reader and read as many fish books as I could get my hands on before I ever owned a computer.
i returned to the hobby at the start of this year after a 20 year break
back then i was really into it and attended a club weekly
met one guy who had over 30 tanks in his attic...you could actually see the bow in the ceiling!
i remember some of the advice back then much of which was
- ugf is by far the best filtration possible
- only top up the water when 10% has evaporated off
- under no circumstances should you use any sort of chemical in your tank water, they are just a con and in fact harmful to your fish
- never use any kitchen chemicals on your tank
- the best tanks are old tanks, leave them alone
back then i was really into it and attended a club weekly
met one guy who had over 30 tanks in his attic...you could actually see the bow in the ceiling!
i remember some of the advice back then much of which was
- ugf is by far the best filtration possible
- only top up the water when 10% has evaporated off
- under no circumstances should you use any sort of chemical in your tank water, they are just a con and in fact harmful to your fish
- never use any kitchen chemicals on your tank
- the best tanks are old tanks, leave them alone
Imagine pre-internet if you had a specific question. You would have to either go to your LFS and get a possibly (probably?) incorrect answer, or go to the library and skim through several books to find your answer.
Now you just log on to AC and ask your question and do a google search to back it up.
Now you just log on to AC and ask your question and do a google search to back it up.
I didn't keep fish before having internet, but my mom keeps fish and doesn't know the first thing about computers. I advise her on some things she does, but not everything because I don't want her dreading my visits!
I don't think it makes people bad fishkeepers for not doing everything perfectly. Think of it this way... even with internet and all the information available now that wasn't even known years ago, most people who own aquariums don't even know the importance of researching it, much less do they do everything right. If ONLY knowledgable people (who have researched and do everything by the books) bought fish, most of the fish you see in stores would never be bought and die right there cramped in too small tanks. Not everyone took biology, has a college education, or has a clue about the biology involved in the aquarium. All they know is fish go in water. They aren't ignorant about the topic out of malice or cruelty, and not to get off topic, but this is something that people should keep in mind when responding to newbies on this forum or customers at their FS jobs. Not everyone is educated about everything, and if they were, the world wouldn't run well.
I don't think it makes people bad fishkeepers for not doing everything perfectly. Think of it this way... even with internet and all the information available now that wasn't even known years ago, most people who own aquariums don't even know the importance of researching it, much less do they do everything right. If ONLY knowledgable people (who have researched and do everything by the books) bought fish, most of the fish you see in stores would never be bought and die right there cramped in too small tanks. Not everyone took biology, has a college education, or has a clue about the biology involved in the aquarium. All they know is fish go in water. They aren't ignorant about the topic out of malice or cruelty, and not to get off topic, but this is something that people should keep in mind when responding to newbies on this forum or customers at their FS jobs. Not everyone is educated about everything, and if they were, the world wouldn't run well.
Well said, and good advice for all of us to remember. I enjoy helping and educated those who want to learn...then there are the people who only want you to tell them what they 'want' to hear.
That was a very good post Kimmisc.
Over the years I have had fish at 3 points in my life. I have been blessed to have been able to access stores that were knowledgeable and trustwothy at all 3 points. That being said there have been lots of changes in fish husbandry over that 30 year period! When I got my fist tanks HOB's were all the rage back then. UGF's were hitting the point of being considered overrated and the 1" per gallon rule was the bible. However breaking down a tank once every 3 months or so was still considered the norm. Adding stuff to water (i.e. water conditioners) was relatively new as well... and we had about 1/2 of the selection of fished that we have today.
The hobby of aqua culture has progressed a lot over the last few years. Science has begun studying native species in their habitats in order to help prevent the extinction of species. This study has progressed our hobby immensly. 30 years ago people that would go on about the extinction of species were just doom sayers and couldn't get any funding for their research if their life depended on it. Now such information is at the forefront of our ecological knowledge pool, and such scientists are highly respected. We have benifitted from this in that the knowledge gained has allowed us to better be able to maintain our aquatic pets in conditions that are more suitable to their natural environments. 30 years ago you put water in a tank and if you had hard water you added a softener to it... test... naw don't need them.
As for the knowledge in stores... well that hasn't progressed that much. It seems that I can come across stores that are just as ignarant of aquatic pets as they were 30 years ago.
My point is the hobby has changed, improved, enhanced and bettered itself over the years. The commercial industry has lerned and bettered itself with the new advances in lighting, filtration, etc, the retail industry however has let the commercial industry do all the talking and they just repeat what they have heard like parrots without learning a thing and thus has severely stagnated themselves. So that being said... thank god for the internet and sites like this. I thank you... but more importantly I am **** sure my aquatic pets thank you and are even more appreciative
Over the years I have had fish at 3 points in my life. I have been blessed to have been able to access stores that were knowledgeable and trustwothy at all 3 points. That being said there have been lots of changes in fish husbandry over that 30 year period! When I got my fist tanks HOB's were all the rage back then. UGF's were hitting the point of being considered overrated and the 1" per gallon rule was the bible. However breaking down a tank once every 3 months or so was still considered the norm. Adding stuff to water (i.e. water conditioners) was relatively new as well... and we had about 1/2 of the selection of fished that we have today.
The hobby of aqua culture has progressed a lot over the last few years. Science has begun studying native species in their habitats in order to help prevent the extinction of species. This study has progressed our hobby immensly. 30 years ago people that would go on about the extinction of species were just doom sayers and couldn't get any funding for their research if their life depended on it. Now such information is at the forefront of our ecological knowledge pool, and such scientists are highly respected. We have benifitted from this in that the knowledge gained has allowed us to better be able to maintain our aquatic pets in conditions that are more suitable to their natural environments. 30 years ago you put water in a tank and if you had hard water you added a softener to it... test... naw don't need them.
As for the knowledge in stores... well that hasn't progressed that much. It seems that I can come across stores that are just as ignarant of aquatic pets as they were 30 years ago.
My point is the hobby has changed, improved, enhanced and bettered itself over the years. The commercial industry has lerned and bettered itself with the new advances in lighting, filtration, etc, the retail industry however has let the commercial industry do all the talking and they just repeat what they have heard like parrots without learning a thing and thus has severely stagnated themselves. So that being said... thank god for the internet and sites like this. I thank you... but more importantly I am **** sure my aquatic pets thank you and are even more appreciative
Yeah, most fish/pet stores definately have a negative impact on how well society is educated about fishkeeping. We have to understand that to someone who knows nothing about biology/chemistry at ALL, it would seem the guy at the LFS would be a more reliable source than a know-it-all coworker or cousin would be. Unfortunate as it may be..
