What are your personal goals w/Planted tanks?

Re: goals

Originally posted by anonapersona
1 - To have breathtakingly beautiful tanks

2 - To manage these tanks easily, with moderate time for maintenance

3 - To have healthy fish

4 - To accumulate and share knowledge

This is definately a big part of it, but I'd also like to add some of my additional reasons. I don't want to sound preachy, but want to answer the question you asked honestly.

I have found that I have been learning quite a bit of patience from dealing with plants, and to my dismay, algae. I enjoy personal growth in this kind of way. It can be frustrating when you seem to solve one problem, only to start another, or have another spring up. In learning about this symbiotic balance between plants, fish, water, ferts, light, etc. I have learned quite a bit about my relationship with Jesus. Being a Christian, I like to find real-life (or practical) views of how I should be operating.

For instance, think of how we (the CREATORS of our aquatic environments) do everything we can to set all aspects of the tank together to work out to the best advantage of the tank inhabitants, while still pleasing ourselves with it's design! How many times do we provide "good" things for our fish, only to watch them react "poorly". I know that right now I'm going through great pains to get one of my fish to eat regularly. I've had him over a month now, and he only sporadically eats anything! I have added more than 10 different types of food to the aquarium in an attempt to get him to "do what's right", but he just isn't responding to my attempts to help him! I know that in his eyes, I'm probably bothering him (or not doing things his way!)....get the idea of the spiritual lessons?

I also get to see how seemingly small, insignificant things can completely alter an environment.......sometimes over a great deal of time, sometimes immediately! It's awesome to me how involved you can get into this hobby, including chemistry, artistic abilities, anatomy, disease treatment, a plethora of knowledge about fish and plants, and much more. To think I used to think that aquariums were boring!:rolleyes:

I also just enjoy the challenge, which is something that is sometimes hard to admit. If it were too easy, I would have already quit and moved on to something else! This is much more challenging than first impressions give.

My goals are summed up with personal, spiritual, and intellectual growth, overcoming new/different challenges, and the four that Anonapersona named. I also enjoy the ability to sit back and enjoy creation!
 
I like the way you put the sumpin fishy. You could be my religion teacher, you talk about stuff i can actually relate with. ( and im really serious)
 
the satisfaction one gets from friends,guests saying thats the prettiest fish tank ive ever seen.this lets me know that my goals for an eye catcher have been accomplished

also i enjoy the challenge of balancing everything to the point of being like a well oiled machine.ive had alot of algae headaches and without the help all the people on the boards im sure one of my favorite pastimes would have been giving up on.

planted tanks just have a beauty that really makes a house a cool home to be in.id have all my walls and probably most other rooms filled with planted tanks if my wife would let me:D
 
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Plants have had a very spiritual effect on my life.
All one has to do is stand beneath a rather large Redwood, see a kelp forest from 50ft down underwater, take a quite hike in the deep forest up to a mountain peak or snorkel/scuba down the Ichetucknee river.

It was blasphemy to add PO4 to one's tank in the past for fear of the vile hell wrath of algae. Brother Steve brought forth his exorcisim Hach and Lamott test kits upon my sinful tanks only to find the light. We had lost our way and not focus upon thy plants. God had punished us with algae. We added PO4 and the plants were fruitful and this was good. :)

I've asked this question a number of times and a number of folks have gone either spiritual or philosophical on me. So it can even save your soul as some personal opinions state.

Keep the personal goals with a planted tank coming.
Your vision of what you want is a key.


Regards,
Tom Barr
 
I do plants for several reasons:

- Bio-filtration.
- Create fish friendly environment.
- Create cover for fry.
- I like the way they look.
- Its fun to do them.

I do not want amano type tanks. I do not mind some algae. I rarely test. I have tanks at 1 wpg and one at 3wpg w/ pressurized co2 and in between. I am the antithesis of TomB, though I respect that approach, it is just not for me.

I have had clown loaches actually transplant a crypt which is still thriving many months later.

I love sending a box of my excess plants and cuttings to somebody new to plants.
 
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