Hi, I started fishkeeping in the mid 1980s with a range of typical community tank fish, spent a while trying to breed green swordtails with good colour, bred corys and danios .. stopped in early 2000s, partly health reasons, partly because it had got a bit out of hand! A black plastic dustbin can make a great growing-on tank, but I accept now that it's not very aesthetic in the sitting room.
In the intervening years, a lot of gardening, wildlife gardening, alpines, small bulbs: hopefully learned a lot about composts, nutrition, and matching the right plant to the right place. Starting back with tanks now as an extension of the gardening as much as for the fishkeeping. Currently doing a big catchup on the tech that's changed in the meantime. Whatever happened to undergravels! They worked well for me for many years.
In the intervening years, a lot of gardening, wildlife gardening, alpines, small bulbs: hopefully learned a lot about composts, nutrition, and matching the right plant to the right place. Starting back with tanks now as an extension of the gardening as much as for the fishkeeping. Currently doing a big catchup on the tech that's changed in the meantime. Whatever happened to undergravels! They worked well for me for many years.
I'm in a similar position. Aquaria in 70s and 80s; gardening and greenhouses since then; and although I've always had an aquarium, return to seriously trying to keep a good planted tank a couple of years ago. I agree, I think the long apprenticeship that comes with horticulture is a great advantage in keeping aquatic plants in a tank. Also agreed, tech has changed a lot! Though I do think that there are still more ways to skin a cat- a problem with social media is the bandwagon effect. A problem that I have is trying to separate those that set up a tank, take pictures & videos then dismantle after a month; and those that actually keep a planted tank going for a few years.
