Hi from Utah

[B7gwap]

Hi everyone

I was in the hobby 6-7 years ago with a planted 55 gallon community, everything from Gold Tetras (love those little guys, can’t find them now) to Farlowella twig catfish. 
 

I took the tank down since we had a little boy in the house who was learning to walk and pulling himself up on stuff, I just had this nightmare of 600 lbs of water, glass and rocks crushing him. 
 

Now that boy is 7 and we are really enjoying getting back into the hobby. I helped him source a used 20 Long with a stand and aquaclear HOB filter for $35 locally, and we repainted the stand, cleaned the tank, and I set out on the internet to help him find a good setup for beginners plants and fish wise. 
 

What a delight Aquarium Co-op is, I wish I had had the YT channel, the website blog and store available to me as a new hobbyist 7 years ago. The three most valuable resources I rely on from ACO are:

1: Advice from experience. Cory never seems to speculate on anything, which is a superhuman ability. He will tell you what he knows from his own activities and if he doesn’t know, he will tell you. That is a rare gift. 
2: The products are all top notch quality and made for the hobbyist, and don’t price out the low end of the market. I have over 25 Valisneria plants from ONE stem I bought from the ACO store, and my ACO sponge filters are still going strong. Money well spent. 
3:  Frankness. Being open about profitability, openly sharing intellectual property that saves you money because it’s good for your fish and plants, this is an endearing quality for a retail business to have and which is missing most places. 
 

Working on my own Iwagumi-ish 75G with a 6-7 PH, low KH & GH (but not too low) for a tetra collection right now. Took Cory’s advice and now that the plants are established and feeding on the nitrogen compounds, we go as a family every weekend to pick out 6 peaceful tetras. 
 

Thanks for reading and running this forum!

 

Austin

 

[Flumpweesel]

Welcome and what a lovely intro, must be lovely to bring the family into the hobby with you. 

[William Lynch]

Welcome to the forum and welcome back to the hobby! It is nice to have a fellow Ute on this forum. Greetings from Salt Lake!👋

[Atitagain]

Welcome to the forum, the tanks look great. I feel the same about ACO especially- if I only found them long ago!

[Ken]

Welcome, I'm in Pleasant Grove.

[lefty o]

welcome aboard.

[CalmedByFish]

Been there, done that, with a 55 gallon and a little kid. 🙈

Welcome to the forum!

[Colu]

Welcome to the forum nice tanks

[Griznatch]

Welcome to the forum!

[B7gwap]

Really appreciate all the welcomes and compliments on the tanks. 
 

I had a feeling that a forum moderated by ACO would be a friendly place. 🙂

 

btw for anyone wondering, so far the 6 cochu’s blue tetras are the most aggressive in the community. They are very hardy, vigorous, active fish, and their coloration shows best from the side.  But they do like to chase the 6 slower Diamond tetras, and my 6 Pristellas hide in the Valisneria. Might need a few more of the Pristellas to make them feel more comfortable swimming in the open. Lots of fun.

 

I really enjoy the plants taking up Nitrogen compounds, and the snails are fascinating to watch doing cleanup. I hope I can keep my fish happy and healthy, with living quarters at least somewhat like home. 

I am running Flourite Dark substrate in my 75, I’ll be honest I’m not crazy about the color still, but it might grow on me.  It’s not nearly as dark as Flourite black mixed with Flourite Black Sand that’s in my son’s 20 Long. The contrast of black to bright green in that tank is very pleasing to me, and I find myself wishing I had done my 75 the same way; although the slopes and rock retention of the coarser Dark was necessary, so we’ll see. 

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! 
 

-Austin