thomasshow
Seedling
I write as if someone wants to listen. One year ago a friend of mine bought a 65 gallon tall. He realized that he couldn't fit it in his small new dwelling. He said hey do you want this tank knowing that I've kept fish before and a tank and stand would be enough for me to say yes no problem. I took it without question. I put it in my apartment with a new girlfriend being apprehensive about leaks and such. I said to myself what better an opritunity than to right now to go planted. I should be a biologist by now with the amount of reading that I've done and honestly it means jack. I threw a 2255 ehiem and a jager to size on the tank to get going. My intention with plants was low tech. Grabbed a beams work light to be cheap and a cool piece of wood. Shortly after the cycling I found my self in hospital dealing with an ulcer that was damn near fatal, apparently I can't tell the difference between dying and not feeling good. Non the matter after a week there I came back to do my weekly water change and a heavy pounding in my head. I went to the Lfs and grabbed more plants against my girlfriends wishes and continued on. Three days later I was back in hospital near fatal conditions with a second ulcer that was undetected. When i woke up 2 days later i asked how the tank was doing. I love my tank. When i was finally released from hospital I dug in to it. My water is hard as f. My ph is high. My light is sh. And I've established an equilibrium to scrubbing algae of the glass every two weeks. To some it's a hobby. For some reason to me it's my life now. When a plant dies i know why but strive to find one that works. When a fish dies it hurts inside and most times I look with a maginfing glass and no avail. As a devoted fish and plant keeper when the tanks not good I'm not good. I never thought something could be more intertwined with my life but it is. This forum has quelled me on opinions and personal experience with lurking. I've created something I'm proud of and though it might not look fantastic to some I look forward to every day I get to wake up with it and go to bed with the light violently shutting off lol. I've been hit with bad news yet again after a year for my own personal health. I have I the new fluval 3.0 showing up within the week and I'm looking at a co2 unit to help the plant situation. Honestly I may not make it this time. I live for my family, my girlfriend that been with me through thick and thin and in almost secret my aquarium. I've taught her what it takes to keep it going in the last little while and I try to ensure that it sticks.i guess what I'm trying to imply is that it some times it isn't a hobby, its deep for some. Thank you to all the un mentioned posts and people Involved in this group to make my decisions a more educated guess. I await good test results with those in my heart. Thanks again. Fishbuds.
