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Why?

Why?
Because my wife will kill me if I don't keep the tank looking good.
Let me explain.
Moved into a new build 2012 and suggested instead of having a feature fire place installed in the living room, how about a 5ft tank?
She agreed- on condition it looks good or else it goes or both of us go.
10+ years later she is still happy but gee-wizz keeps me on my toes to ensure she keeps liking it.
Interestingly she was most upset when I got rid of the clown loaches which were just wrecking crews for an aquascape.
Aquarium now is a jungle with schooling Odessa Barbs, Rummy Nose Tetras, Ember Tetras, a couple of Bamboo shrimp and a few other surviving fish from 10 years ago e.g. Cherry Barb.
 
I always think of what the fish needs are before considering does it look good. The fish dont know or care if you placed that plant exactly where you wanted it.

With that i do try to arrange things so that it looks ok, but i want it to function first, and i dont obsess over it. I suppose thats the difference between the tanks i own, and those that look like works of art....its all good.
 
It brings my gardening into the house while avoiding houseplants which don't really do it for me, and I took over my wife's big tank after her bonsai interest really took off. Key catalysts for me were George Farmer and MD Fish Tanks vids on YouTube, plus a cliche on here, but Diana Walstad's book explained what's really going on. In a nutshell, it's a joy creating something so beautiful in a smalll glass tank.
 
I love the thought of sneaking a peek at the secret underwater world that's invisible in every day life. I've always had a love of the natural world, particularly invertebrates and the things that most people don't stop to look for. Aquascapes give me a chance to indulge both of these as I create the ideal environment (to the best of my ability) for all inhabitants. I love searching through the undergrowth for a glimpse of a tiny creature and seeing the natural behaviours of the fish when provided with a natural environment.
I also suffer with chronic depression and have some as-yet-undiagnosed condition meaning I'm unable to do the things I used to. Since rebooting the hobby, my mental health has improved dramatically; this time of year is always the worst but this is the best I've felt for years!
 
Because I like the beauty of a planted tank and it provides an opportunity to teach some biology and chemistry to y daughter
 
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No other hobby else lets you play god; a cat/dog/hamster pet owner keeps his/her/their pet(s) alive while we create and maintain complex ecosystem(s) to make our wet pets thrive.

Then there's aesthetics to consider.

Hence, Level 999.

'Nothing any good isn't hard.' - F.S. Fitzgerald
 
I don't just yet ... but my first tank is arriving on wednesday.

I guess for me it is the opportunity to bring nature into my home and connect with it more. I've been growing terrestrial house plants for maybe a year, and researching aquascaping for around 8 months or so. I love the mindfulness aspect too ... and observing the organic change in terms of all the tank inhabitants. Also, I'm hoping it will allow me to decompress after client work (I support bereaved people) and studies (dissertation isnt going to write itself!)

Thanks for the continued inspiration!

Sent from my SM-G981B using Tapatalk
 
Wow what a diverse range of reasons.. amazing
for me,
its nostalgic, i keep fish when i was a kid (undergravel filters, crap lights and fast dying plants)
Its a route back to my early career which was aquatic ecology. My job has now moved on from that.
Its a slice of natur in my home, ever interesting, ever changing
My youngest does it with me.
 
jasonjleach said:
i keep fish when i was a kid (undergravel filters, crap lights and fast dying plants)
Click to expand...
Yup, I remember those days, and yet in books they had photos of these amazing aquaria, mainly in the Netherlands and Germany. I remember going to a pet store in Germany once and the kit/technology available in the 80's was far ahead of anything one could buy on the UK.
 
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