Don’t know how to post a poll on here or if it is even possible. I’ve been here on and off for a long time and always wondered how the membership is split
How many of you are:
aquascapers who keep fish to complement your scape?
fishkeepers who keep plants to benefit/complement your fish?
My background.
I kept adding tanks and space was limited. I had a tax refund and decided to buy a big tank to accommodate all the fish. I kept a few plants but nothing serious. Just somewhere for fish to graze and hide. The tank was custom build so took a while to arrive. I dud some research and discovered aquascaping. Decided the new tank would be planted.
The tank wasn’t practical. I’m 5ft. The tank was 5x2x2 on a 2.5ft cabinet. Planting it involved balancing on a laddet and really could have benefited from a snorkel.
Didn’t let it deter me. Almost bankrupted us buying lights that could reach the substrate in t8/early t5 days and a ridiculous number of potted plants (If only in-vitro had existed back them). Ridiculously expensive aquatic substrate too and a CO2 system that churned through 2 pub canisters at a time and still didn’t make the tester go green. I grew fabulous algae and crappy plants. Every Sunday was lost to ‘the tank’ that really didn’t thrive.
I upped CO2 until fish suffered and still grew algae only to be told more flow! More CO2!
Hubby capped the budget that would have us otherwise.
I decided I was a fish keeper who like plants not an aquascaper. I went with the low light, low tech, low ferts approach. So
Some sort of enriched soil with root tabs, ancient manado and easy plants and neglect. Water changes for fish not plants. Filter maintenance when they showed signs of slowing and enjoyed tne hobby. We have no TV as we listen to music, read, chat and watch the tank. Just stripped it down as changing the wood floir with a 1/2 tonne tank is impractical and miss it already
Apologies for any typos. My vision is poor
How many of you are:
aquascapers who keep fish to complement your scape?
fishkeepers who keep plants to benefit/complement your fish?
My background.
I kept adding tanks and space was limited. I had a tax refund and decided to buy a big tank to accommodate all the fish. I kept a few plants but nothing serious. Just somewhere for fish to graze and hide. The tank was custom build so took a while to arrive. I dud some research and discovered aquascaping. Decided the new tank would be planted.
The tank wasn’t practical. I’m 5ft. The tank was 5x2x2 on a 2.5ft cabinet. Planting it involved balancing on a laddet and really could have benefited from a snorkel.
Didn’t let it deter me. Almost bankrupted us buying lights that could reach the substrate in t8/early t5 days and a ridiculous number of potted plants (If only in-vitro had existed back them). Ridiculously expensive aquatic substrate too and a CO2 system that churned through 2 pub canisters at a time and still didn’t make the tester go green. I grew fabulous algae and crappy plants. Every Sunday was lost to ‘the tank’ that really didn’t thrive.
I upped CO2 until fish suffered and still grew algae only to be told more flow! More CO2!
Hubby capped the budget that would have us otherwise.
I decided I was a fish keeper who like plants not an aquascaper. I went with the low light, low tech, low ferts approach. So
Some sort of enriched soil with root tabs, ancient manado and easy plants and neglect. Water changes for fish not plants. Filter maintenance when they showed signs of slowing and enjoyed tne hobby. We have no TV as we listen to music, read, chat and watch the tank. Just stripped it down as changing the wood floir with a 1/2 tonne tank is impractical and miss it already
Apologies for any typos. My vision is poor
