# Your Fishkeeping History



## aaronnorth (4 Sep 2008)

Here is mine:

1998-1999 -
lasted 1yr
3g tank
coldwater
no filter
Maintenance??? (i didnt do it)

2005-2005
lasted 3 months
3g tank
coldwater
internal filter (after 3 days without one!)
2 water changes a week
elodea densa, few silk plants

2006-2007
lasted 1yr
20g tank
tropical
internal filter (later switched to external)
1 water change a week
all plastic plants except for elodea

*2007-2008
lasted (ongoing)
40g 
tropical
external filter
1 water change
live plants (but now there is none as it is a cichlid tank)*

2007-2008
lasted 8months
9g
coldwater
UGF
1 water change a week
all plastic plant 

2008-2008
lasted 3 weeks!
tropical
internal filter
3 water changes a week
live plants

*2008-2008
lasted - ongoing
15g
tropical
external filter
1 water change a week
live plants*

I have been through plenty of tanks in my lifetime (and i am only 15   ) you can tell at 2006 when i started researching tanks via the internet.

*Current tanks *- 40g & 15g


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## Thomas McMillan (4 Sep 2008)

You're definately a great hobbyist at only 15! I dread to think how great your aquascaping will be in a couple of years.

I had goldfish when i was younger but they never lasted long. I can't really remember but I don't think I had a filter or anything, just silly little ornaments and stuff.

Then for my birthday two years ago I wanted to get a big tank with quite a few goldfish but I ended up getting tropicals with ornaments again and fake plants. I then got another tank... and another in the space of a few months and then just got into real plants just a few months ago.


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## aaronnorth (4 Sep 2008)

thanks.

I forgot to say the most tanks i have had were 3,


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## Joecoral (4 Sep 2008)

1990ish - 2000ish
Goldfish in 2x1x1, no filter, monthly 100% water change

2006-2007
54L tropical community setup w/ internal powerfilter, fortnightly 20% water change
Mollies, platies, tetras, pitbull plec, harlequins etc

2007-2008
Rio 180 tropical community, eheim pro II 2026, harlequins, oto's, amano shrimp, neon dwarf rainbow, cory's
weekly 20% water change

2008-present
Rio 180 high tech planted set-up (in planning/buying equipment stage)


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## Mark Evans (4 Sep 2008)

first tank november 2006...






i then turned it into this dec 2007




then
may 2008 first planted





then to currently "the henge" and "the nursery"







 2006/ 2007 were just no no for me keeping aquariums. it wasnt until the begibning of this year 2008  i started keeping plants and not until now ive started to understand "AQUASCAPING"
oh and the little arcadia tank (this year too.) 4 scapes in 1 year, im playing catchup


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## altaaffe (4 Sep 2008)

First tank was tail end of 2004, so been "into fish" for almost 4 years.

1st tank was a Fluval 120 housing a variety of community fish, which is now being converted to a planted tank.

Shortly afterwards came a fluval 180 which became my first scaped effort after housing Rainbows (now has CPDs)

July 2005 saw me get my Rena (440litres), which originally housed my Oscar & Acara, these fish and others were then moved into a 2 Metre (700L) tank and made way for Malawis the following year along with the purchase of a 2 tier 2 x 60l setup for breeding CPDs.

I currently have 5 tanks in the house & 4 in the Garage running at a total of around 1800l (& 1 or 2 fish).

My wife is also into fishkeeping, but she dreads it when I get deployed to the Gulf.

Al T


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## GreenNeedle (5 Sep 2008)

Only had one tank but many progressions.  Fluval Duo Deep 800 125ltr

October 2006 when I bought it.  This was at my 2 bedrrom flat.  Fish: 2 common plecs, 2 white balloon mollys.  Next day I added 2 black mollys, 1 red male Betta and 1 RTBS (the RTBS died 1 week later)




January 2007 I changed it to planted and "The Clearing" was born.  Still at the flat at this stage.  Rehomed some fish for a TFF member: 6 zebra danios, 6 glolight tetras, 1 black molly.  Gave the 2 common plecs to the local indoor tropical gardens and bought 4 pitbull plecs.




March 2007 we moved to a 4 bed houseshare with another family (financial dificulties)  Later this month my CO2 dumped and killed all inhabitants.




June 2007 still in the 4 bedroom restocked with 4 more pitbulls, 19 cardinals, 8 Otos.  This was almost the end for "The Clearing"




September 2007 and "Under the Forest Canopy was born. still in the shared house here.  2 bolivian Rams added (half the cardinals and half the plecs died getting trapped in an attempted moss wall in the previous scape) made a wooden hood to replace the original black plastic one.







January 2008 and all grown up "Under the forest canopy" is moved to our new 2 bed council house.




April 2008 and my son puts washing up liquid into the tank causing all the inhabitants to die.  This was the end of "under the forest canopy" and the birth of "celestial glade" (started 19/06/08) which is the current and hopefully long term (few years) scape.
New inhabitants are: 12 burmese zebra banded microrasboras, 4 Zebra Otos, 6 Black Corys (Aeneus) and 14 cherry shrimp.







So I started about the same time as Saintly.  Have learnt a huge amount along the way though.

AC


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## misscaretaker (6 Sep 2008)

I started approximately 3 weeks ago when a colleague asked if I knew anyone who wanted a fish tank! It's a 50l Rena inhabited by 3 otos, 6 apple snails, 3 amano shrimp and an African Dwarf Frog. 
This week I also picked up a fully running 4' tank with fish (Ebay). Some fish have been rehomed and I plan to completely gut it and start again as it's just sand and rocks. This is inhabited at the moment by 2 angels, 2 clown loach, 2 panda cory, 3 peppered cory, 1 queen arabesque plec and a gold nugget plec.


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## Luketendo (6 Sep 2008)

Late 2005- Early 2008 -
2 1/4 years
60L
Tropical
Internal Filter then switched out for an External.
1/6 water change per week
Had mainly just bread and butter fish that were suitable
I remember a big sword and a big crypt. They were very healthy until they went down hill. I do not know why this happened, but I didn't fertilize the tank at all, and it was a T8 15w lamp. I do not know why I can't grow my crypts like this anymore .

Late 2007 onwards
10g /35L
Tropical
Stingray internal then my old internal from the other tank
1/3 water change per week
Had a very hard time with this tank. I tried fishless cycling but despite waiting ages the ammonia never went down, due to people on the internet thinking there could be something bad in my tank I had to sterilize my tank several times with baby bottle sterilizers. 
The tank then had some black neons in it, the tank never really took off with just odd pieces of rock and wood.
In May 2008 disaster struck twice. Firstly this small tank started leaking so it took at least a week until my Dad could re-silicone the tank (I had to buy the stuff too.) During this process my sister decided to tip all the fish food into my Juwel Lido 120, so that 1/3 of the fish died (including my prized and growing angelfish  and my mum's favourite fish, the yoyo loach.) I left the tank with the fish overnight because my other tank had just be repaired and needed setting. The next day I had to transport all 25 ish fish into my newly repaired 10g where they had to spend a week while I totally re-did my Lido.
However, because of this I only had 1 black neon left, who I thought it would be best if he went in the big tank because at least he attempts to shoal at times with my harlequins. This left my 10g empty.
Since about April, conveniently I had been planning on here with the help of a few others a rescape of the 10g.
So, naturally this was the right time to start it off. By the end of July, the tank had 8 green neon tetra and a big piece of wood with flame moss, weeping moss and spiky moss that was kindly sold or donated to me by ukaps members . Then I went on holiday for a few weeks and to my surprise my moss had grown quite well. In mid August I added 4 pots of crypts and 2 pots of anubias to the tank. These seem to be doing quite well, but it's hard for me to tell since they are growing slowly. At this time I also started dosing DIY CO2, and after buying a yeast that doesn't work I found Allinsons yeast in Tesco, and this works great, with 1/2 tsp I get a lime green level for pretty much up to a week and a half. I started dosing dry ferts in ratio with that I used to dose on my Lido (thanks for ceg for telling me to put more in my Lido ). This week I have added 3 more crypts and a narrow sword from my big tank that have mysteriously perked up. Also during this time I have got 6 otocinclius and about 15 cherry shrimp, i've had no deaths apart from 1 cherry shrimp, which is good. I'd like to thank everyone who helped and especially Scott at Maidenhead Aquatics @ Hickstead for donating his unused HOB filter that would've cost me Â£25 :$. The next thing perhaps might be adding a low wattage PC light to the front of the tank, because I have the smaller version of what Aaron has, I'll copy him perhaps . This will to be to boost growth by a little but mainly because my weeping moss doesn't get much light at all because the vertical wood it's on slightly arches foward.

2008 onwards
30g /120L
Tropical
Juwel Internal AND Fluval External
1/4 water change per week
Started off this year with silly me just ordering a mish mash of plants from green line, turns out I got fed up with the stems because the low leaves die (which is about 40cm without any leaves) and the vallis grows huge, I trimmed it and it just died off. I also had other plants that never really worked. The in May 2007 my sister killed 1/3 of the fish and I thought it would be a good idea to leave my plants outside in the freezing cold for a week. Both my tanks got some alien snails and duckweed, which I've managed to control the duckweed. I realised my plants had basically died off and now this tank is just inhabited by fish, I'm trying to figure out how to scape this tank and get it going properly again, without get pressurised CO2. I'd like marines but to be honest I can't really part with al these fish so I think I'll wait to either when we move house (in a year or so) or when I move out.

Aaron is quite an inspiration to me because he's the #1 15 year old fishkeeper here and I'm 15 too. I just fish I was as good as him :$.


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## aaronnorth (6 Sep 2008)

> Aaron is quite an inspiration to me because he's the #1 15 year old fishkeeper here and I'm 15 too. I just fish I was as good as him :$.



ha ha   

Andy what lights did you use on 'the clearing' (june 2007) it looks really good.


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## GreenNeedle (6 Sep 2008)

That pic has the Arcadia Freshwater 18W which was 0.6WPG on its own.  This was not the lighting I used for my photoperiod as I had a 55W PC daylight plus in there as well.  Wasnt overly impressed with the PC and sold it not long after to be replaced by the current T5HO 30W (0.9WPG).  I still use the same Arcadia Freshwater as a noon burst alongside the 30W.  Pic looks a lot better also due to a low res camera (2Mp) which also made many pics darker and also the mesh from the moss wall blocking any light from reflecting off the wall.

AC


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## a1Matt (19 Sep 2008)

1988-2005
3ft clearseal (36 x 12 x 10)
A much loved community tank that always had plants in it, but not what you would call a planted tank by a long stretch!
Unsurprisingly after nearly 20 years of service, the tank and stand was looking a bit tatty (although the fluval 3 was still going strong since day1, wow   !), so I decided to replace it....


2005-now
3ft (36 x 20 x 15ish) 160Litre.
community tank.

The day after buying it I put some new plants in and had a quick look on google to see if I could make my own plant fertiliser as the shop bought ones were expensive and never worked that well for me.  I disocvered pmdd, then EI, in quick succession... bit by bit over the next couple of years I got more in depth into the plants... DIY CO2, then upgraded  lights, then pressurised CO2, changed lamps, newer filter, different DIY reactors, and so on. I'm sure you all know how it goes!  Now I am happy be a bona fide planted tank obsessed hobbyist


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## bugs (19 Sep 2008)

I got bored listing it all... Basically, started in 1982 and I've had up to five tanks on the go at once (in the days when it takes over...). Currently on the cusp of doing low-tech planted or Cichlid tank.


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## funky (19 Sep 2008)

Couldnt possibly list all the tanks I have had, first started when I was around 8 with a goldfish, so thats back in 1979, first tropical tank was in 1985, made my own stand too.

Since then I have had numerous tanks, used undertank heating mats, heating cables in them.

Had a short break whilst getting divorced in 2001, and came back to it in 2003, since then I have gone fishkeeping crazy.

Currently have 4 tanks set up. Back in January I took the plunge and went into Marines with a  reef tank, which is not as daunting and difficult as imagined. 
The next tank I have will be the largest I will have owned, but need to wait until we move. 

Luckily my 2nd wife (who is 24   ) loves fishkeeping too.


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## big chris (20 Sep 2008)

i have also had a few tanks from the age of about 8ish i think, when i was 13/14 i bred angelfish and a couple of other fish and thought i was going to become some big fish breeder until i took em to my lfs and realised how much they were worth!

about 5-6 years ago i got into marine with a vision 260 quickly moving onto a 3ft cube with closed loops and reactors everywhere running off an iks computer,

it was mainly a reef with lps, ill dig out some pics as this is the only tank i have pics of that are on my pc,














g]





here is a pic of the tank after i had to move it and it was just settling in with about 25% stock





lol sorry for poluting your forum with salty pics but they are all i have lol

chris


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## aaronnorth (20 Sep 2008)

those fish are beautiful


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## funky (20 Sep 2008)

Got some pics of my marine tank too.


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## aaronnorth (20 Sep 2008)

nice, what are the blue fishes?

I like flame angels too


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## JamesM (20 Sep 2008)

Look like Tangs to me. Nice too.


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## aaronnorth (20 Sep 2008)

in the 1st pic, didnt realise there was 2 blue fish


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## daftndirekt (20 Sep 2008)

Here is my history

2003- a month later in 2003

Goldfish bowl... lets just say it didnt go too well.


2005-2006

60 litre tropical
Plants: Dwarf hair grass, lily's, some long tall thin leaved thing, amazon swords, rontundala rontundifolia and others. They all grew bloody well considering I had no special substrate, didnt use fertilizer and no co2.





2006- 2008

My beloved marine tank, which sadly isnt set up because a skimmer pipe came of and emptied the contents of the tank onto the front room floor...

90 litre tank, marine
Corals: Euphyllia Panchora, Zoanthus., Rhodactis, GSP, Candy canes.. was oging to move into sps, thank god i didnt spend all the money on it 









Sad that this ended, but I know that I will start another marine in the future.

And now we have my 15litre planted nano 




Ive had a pretty all round experience with fish from ponds to marine which has resulted in me getting a part time job in a LFS, helps pay for all the things you need at 15!


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## funky (20 Sep 2008)

In the 1st pic there is a Maroon Clown, and the blue fish are Blue/Green chromis, 2nd pic shows the Maroon and a Midas Blenny, the last pic, shows my Powder Blue Tang, and a False Lemonpeel angel grazing on nori seaweed.

 daftndirekt what lighting did you use in the marine tank? I love the colour it gives.


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## big chris (20 Sep 2008)

glad you liked my pics ill dig out some more if you want but maybe add them to my 'hi im new thread' if you want


cheers chris


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## daftndirekt (20 Sep 2008)

I used 20,000k double ended halide, worked a treat, brilliant clip on light.


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## funky (20 Sep 2008)

daftndirekt said:
			
		

> I used 20,000k double ended halide, worked a treat, brilliant clip on light.



Could you pm me a link to where you got it please?


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## George Farmer (21 Sep 2008)

2003 - grew algae

2004 - grew plants

2005 - started aquascaping

2006 - started writing about it

2007 - started photographing it

2008 - realised how much I still have to learn about all the above


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## aaronnorth (21 Sep 2008)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> 2003 - grew algae
> 
> 2004 - grew plants
> 
> ...



 

daftndirekt, that is a beautiful tank, in the 2nd pic (of marine) what s the coral in the centre? looks amazing.


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