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Hello to all in the community, I am Thomas Wolf and I have been into aquaculture for a couple of years now. I started with blue tilapia (Lakeway Tilapia Hatchery, pure species) for aquaponic and food purposes, and have since moved into freshwater malaysian prawns alongside them. I am looking to diversify further. I'm a STEM student with Madison Area Technical College in Wisconsin, planning on transferring out to the University of Wisconsin - Madison and likely subsequent schools for post-grad with the intention of obtaining a PhD in Bio (Environmental Science and Marine Biology are my favorites, but I am into botany, mycology, and so on) as well as a B.S. in Engineering, most likely mechanical. My career goal is to fund my own research through the development of patents that primarily help with bioremediation. I currently reside in Onalaska, WI, which is the sunfish capital of the world - I love to fish, but I love caring for them even more - I had to shut down my overgrown breeder tank recently and being just a few days without any fish while fingerlings are in the mail has illustrated how much the hobby means to me. This has been a solitary hobby for me until now, outside some YouTube comments here and there. I've put countless hours into study in order to run my current fish room using nothing but FDA-Okay products, and I've ran a pool pond with a custom radial flow filter made out of a 50g brine tank, repurposed from a water conditioner. As a result, I went into deep study to learn everything I possibly could and wrote a solid term paper comparing all the different things I had tried out last year or so. I find it uniquely challenging because I am limited from using most products a typical pet or hobbyist aqua culturist uses regularly. I am currently on the brink of completing a DIY water conditioner that replicates commercial products, and if I succeed, I will give that information out to the public for free. I am a technical researcher, writer and editor by trade, currently writing for a blockchain/cryptocurrency company which has been my bread and butter for the last year or so. I am looking to expand into the sciences and find while I have a following and a platform in crypto, I am all alone in the sciences and in aquaculture - although some blockchain companies have expressed interest in helping me put aquaculture on the blockchain, along with agroecology. Much has been learned from The Aquarium Co-op's YouTube videos and I found this to be a suitable place to start engaging with others about the hobby. I am considering setting up my first planted hobby tank soon, and I figure if I belong being redirected to a food-fishes forum, you may be able to help point me in the right direction. I'll have to get some pictures of my current setup, I'll snap some when my fingerlings come. Here is a snap of the pool pond I used to run. I got the idea for the 800W Hygger tank heater float from Taylor rafts used in oyster cultivation so that it would remove structure from the pond and help the pump suck in waste, as well as keep the fish from mating/becoming territorial. Worked for a water conditioning company a year or so back, brine tank was on the house/repurposed. Best, -Thomas Wolf

Hello all, My name is Matt. I live in south eastern Wisconsin (near Milwaukee). I've been in the hobby since I was a kid, however I've only really just embraced its possibilities at age 34 (amongst this madness that has been the pandemic). I grew up next to a pond, and every day I wasn't in school or at a friends house I was knee deep in the water catching fish, frogs, crawfish, and turtles. Throughout my life I've kept many species of reptiles, amphibians and most recently fish. I'm married and have a three year old son (who runs this town), two cats, a 33gal Long community aquarium and am currently setting up a 15gal Tall shrimp tank. I've been listening to podcasts and watching YouTube videos and have decided this is a reputable, helpful resource and community. I hope to learn a lot from all of you, and also contribute with my knowledge and experience when it's appropriate. I'm working on two projects I could use help with. My Community Tank: 33Gal Long Planted Community tank: Filter - Rena XP3 (output throttled to low) with a sponge pre-filter. Light - LED strip timed to run 9 hours a day. Air stone, and a heater - calibrated to 76degrees Fahrenheit. Flora & Fauna: Active substrate with dwarf sag, broadleaf sag, rotala indica, red melon swords, ludwigia super red, anubias nana petite with neon tetras, serpae tetras, cherry barbs, mystery snails and a nerite snail (and hitchhiker bladder snails). I dose about 5ml of Seachem Flourish and Excel daily - I've had many different sources provide different instructions how much or how little to dose. Issue: I'm getting brown diatoms over the plants, substrate and glass. I'm also getting a population of beard algae (I think) on the far left piece of driftwood). However it isn't showing up on other driftwood. The aquarium is a little over a month old. Driftwood, rocks and filter media were re-used in this build from a larger tank that was established. My Future Shrimp Tank: I found a free 15Gallon tall aquarium from family and thought it'd be a good start to a "nano" shrimp tank. I wish it was a bit smaller, but it's hard not to use a perfectly good aquarium when it falls in your lap. I removed the top trim with a putty knife and plyers and meant to leave the bottom trim on, however when I was moving the aquarium slightly the entire bottom trim fell off (in one piece!). This startled me a bit and I was concerned for the integrity of the rest of the aquarium. I filled it up with water and a large piece of driftwood and have been letting it sit for over 24 hours. So far no leaks or bowing. From what I can tell, the plastic trim on my aquarium was thin, poorly adhered and didn't provide any structural importance to the whole tank. The silicone looks solid and this tank may have sat for decades in a basement after its initial uses. I have a few questions: 1. Have you de-rimmed a tank this size and has it held up alright? 2. What sort of filter and light would you recommend for a 15Gal tall (20x10x18) holding shrimp and maybe some Danio or other nano fish 3. Any tips on how to prep a shrimp tank? Plants, lighting, heat, other parameters. Fish that work well with them.

Hi Everyone! Last year when the pandemic started and we were all stuck at home, I decided to setup a fish tank. The last time I had fish was during highschool. The first tank I had last year was a 3 gallon planted tank for with a Betta. It was an adventure to say the least. Mostly, I had issues keeping it balanced and grew algae. After the holidays, I switched to a 5.5 gallon. This tank has not had the algae problems of the other tank. I still have problems growing plants but I've figured out what does and doesn't do well. If it's "easy" the plant will probably melted or not grow. Looking at you java moss and java fern. We have extremely hard well water. I'm looking forward to learning from everyone. This is Louie (no idea why the picture is displaying upside down). There is a nerite snail as well. I'm trying to grow a crpyt again. There was a lot more anubias in the tank. I added a new one that looked healthy but it had rhizome rot and 2 weeks later all anubias was dead.

Hi…not sure how to use this (or any forum really), but am willing to try.

Being that I am living in Wisconsin which resides on granite and limestone deposits I found that I would try my hand at my favorite lake residing cichlid's. I currently am special ordering 4 lepidiolamprologus Kendalli/Nkambae anyone have thoughts on what might be fun to add to the 210 gallon lake tang set up, I am up for all suggestions?

Hello! I always wanted an aquarium as a kid--I finally built the one I wanted a couple years ago at 32 after being irresponsible and purchasing a betta for my son on a whim. Didn't know anything about cycling tanks, got a 2 gallon and thought it was great, then the betta wasn't looking so good after a couple days, so I started to research AFTER bringing him home (oops) and figured out everything I'd done wrong (so much for pet store advice--but I should have done my research!). I started working on getting the 20 gallon replacement set up, but he died before it was ready. So, we started over with the research FIRST this time, and we've had fun with it for the last couple years! We have very hard water (300 GH, 200 KH) that comes out of the tap at 7.4 but ends up at 8.2-8.4 once it sits in the tank a couple days. I still haven't figured that one out but must have something to do with aeration in the tank. The driftwood didn't fix it. I've found Aquarium Coops videos and blogs to be the single most helpful resource in this hobby, and this forum seems super helpful, inviting, knowledgeable, and friendly! Current tanks: 20 Gal with 6 male guppies, 5 habrosus corys (my favorites!), 6 amano shrimp, and a dozen new neons (they're an experiment to see how they handle our water--not too hopeful, but I've always wanted to give them a try!), along with a couple (wanted) nerite and ramshorn snails and dozens of (unwanted) tadpole snails that I remove a couple times a week. Planted with Java Fern and Anubias and trying a Red Sword that's doing pretty well. The Anubias are the happiest--they even flower occasionally. 10 Gal "we're overrun with guppy fry" tank designed by the kids (9, 6, and 2) with 5 female guppies, a betta, some snails, and the silicone jellyfish and rainbow gravel my kids were dying to have! Tank in the planning stages: 75 or 90 gallon as a living room showpiece (instead of a TV)--leaning towards mixed livebearers and an angel (there are some locally raised ones that are hard-water ready). But have to be sure the angel (plus something else maybe?) can manage the fry. I ended up with dozens to donate to the LFS from the 5 guppies we started with! They never ate their own fry. Not a single one!

Hello my name is Thomas and I am 42 years old. I have a angel and 5 cherry barbs currently in a 10 gallon but moving to a 20 gallon very soon with other fish that I am aquiring from a friend who no longer wants it. I am a long time fish keeper and I’m a big fan of your coop YouTube videos.

Hello! I decided after lurking for a week to introduce myself. My name is Liisa and I am a pretty new hobbyist. My first fish was a betta I got four years ago. He died earlier this year. I started watching aquarium videos, mostly Aquarium Co-op videos. This got me thinking of doing a bigger aquarium. I talked to my husband and he said no, so I bought a 29 gallon (wish I went bigger lol) He just sighed. I got a new betta and upgraded his tank from a five to a ten. I might make the five a shrimp tank. I ordered plants from Aquarium Co-op and have only killed one. My 29 has harlequin and lampchop rasboras, 3 mollies, 6 peppered cities, two mystery snails (the coolest thing in my aquarium) and pest snails (they kinda worry me). I live in the country with dogs, cats, sheep, a goat and chickens. We have a very small spring filled pond that I would like to cleanup. We tried digging it deeper but hit bedrock. I did throw some feeder goldfish in there when we first bought the property for mosquito control and they still are alive. I am looking forward to learning more.

I have had aquariums for 30 plus years. Only African Cichlids; never did any breeding. I Now I have my first planted 29 gal tank. I really have enjoyed watching the plants grow. I have shrimp and guppies in it. I have a empty 75 gal that I plan on setting up this fall/winter as a planted tank. I also have one ten inch long fin Koi and a couple of broad head red minnows in a 230 gal water garden.