What has changed in 20 years?

[AndreaW]

So, I've kept fish practically all my life, really got into fishkeeping about 20 years ago when I saved up as a newlywed to get a 46 gallon bowfront tank. I kept  a variety of tropical fish (probably a bunch I shouldn't have kept together, but didn't know any better). I was in fish forums and was a familiar face at our local fish store.

Fast forward 20 years and while I've kept the tank running all that time, I fell out of the "hobby" and now I'm back, setting up a 10 gallon planted Betta tank and I'm quickly discovering things have changed a bit in 20 years!

So, tell me (for those that have been around) -- What has changed in 20 years?

I hear undergravel filters are a thing of the past. I've heard some people say not to use carbon in your filters, and numerous other things that weren't being said 'back in the day.'

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by AndreaW
didn't finish typing

[PineSong]

One thing that I noticed right away when I got back into fishkeeping last summer after a decade or so of only having bettas, was this adorable little fish, the Celestial Pearl Danio, that I had never heard of 'back in the day'. And medaka rice fish were new to me. Also, sponge filters instead of external hang on back filters. 

I love sponge filters!

[lefty o]

for me, in 20 years very little has changed in how i keep fish. the basics still work, most change has been in gadgetry.

[AndreaW]

On 2/14/2022 at 6:47 PM, PineSong said:

...this adorable little fish, the Celestial Pearl Danio, that I had never heard of 'back in the day'. And medaka rice fish were new to me. Also, sponge filters instead of external hang on back filters. 

I love sponge filters!

I've never heard of them. I'll have to look them up!

Yes, that was one thing I noticed -- sponge filters everywhere! I have yet to brave one. Air pumps and bubblers never lasted long in my tanks, they were too noisy, so I'm hesitant to go there.

On 2/14/2022 at 6:48 PM, lefty o said:

for me, in 20 years very little has changed in how i keep fish. the basics still work, most change has been in gadgetry.

As far as gadgetry, I'm noticing LED lights that are programmable and sponge filters, what else?

[Struggle]

Lights are better but the box filter, sponge filter, UG filter and sumps are still good to go.

[tnnlynch]

Lights and bluetooth controlled plugs are quite an improvement over previous timers and lights I used.   In general I see a lot better supply online of fish and equipment.  It is a lot easier to research different topics but (as with any subject) the bar to publish on the internet is really low, so it can be just as much of a challenge as before.

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by tnnlynch

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

The amount of information available is extraordinarily vast for good and bad. After some YouTube based builds ive done caution and checking twice cutting once has been my modus operandi. But it’s also allowed me to do biotopes and create scapes I’d never dreamed of 20 years ago.

 
Ordering fish, plants and supplies is great online but having a good local fish store is still important. 

The vast array of plants that are available. Remember a time where Java moss was a big deal as were Amazon swords. No plastic tube plants at big box stores. 

I continue to go back and forth based on my needs in regards to the technology. I have sponge filters, hang on backs and canisters - each has its place. My wife will often set budgets for projects and the fact I Mc an get a good powerful led shoplight has helped me out so much. I still remember the ungodly amount I spent on T5 bulbs to grow plants. Now you can get a full spec rgb Led for an affordable amount. 

Aquasoil and dirted tanks - I just think it’s amazing that you can get great results either way you go.

I feel more empowered in my hobby then I did 20 years ago. 

[Flumpweesel]

LED lights definitely a big improvement to the hobby although I kinda miss the little tink tink sound of my old lights coming on.

I think many people lament the loss of undergravel filters but you can still find them but other options are cheaper.

Carbon has its uses but not as a standard filter component more as an emergency detox (that wisdom is a money saver).

The amount of fish available is extraordinary butv so is the variety of foods and water treatments. Water test kits have also evolved (not sure if they were a thing 20 years ago or just to expensive for me)

The biggest change is access to knowledge, to know the why you change your water, clean your filter, feed this food. Not just case of doing what the instructions said. Being able to test and see the changes in the water and understand what is happening (most of the time) really changes our success rates and in the perfect set up work load.

Welcome back btw. (Air pumps can still be noisy)

 

[Andy's Fish Den]

The gadgetry has definitely changed in 20 years, especially when it comes to lighting. Planted tanks have become popular, I know at least around me, twenty years ago, I was one of very few people keeping live plants in my tanks, and all that was available was swords, jungle val and some crypts. The ability to source fish and plants now is crazy, it used to be having to find other hobbyist close to you, or a LFS to try to find whatever fish you were looking for, not its just a click away on the internet. 

[Odd Duck]

I stepped away from fishkeeping for almost 10 years.  Back in it for almost 2 years now.  It was like seeing a bunch of favorite old friends when I walked into my local fish store for the first time.  It made me realize how much I missed keeping fish.  And I’m completely in love with keeping plants, now, too, when it had mostly been an exercise in frustration previously.

Lighting is by far the biggest change.  Planted tanks have become far more common with lights so much better and less expensive for the quality of what you can get than in the past.  There are far more plants available, more species and more varieties.  There are also far more species and varieties of fish available.

There is more information available than ever before, to the point where it gets difficult to weed through the junk info and find the nuggets of good data.  Mis-information gets perpetuated, sometimes even by mostly trusted websites.  This forum has better quality information than most.  Just be careful and cross check as much as possible.  I’ve been guilty of believing and accidentally spreading mis-information myself.  Diligent, critical reading is vital.

@AndreaW Welcome back to fishkeeping.  Brace yourself, it can get to be a wild ride.  But it’s a blast!

[Aqua junky]

One thing I think we all can agree on is the price of everything has went up but the durability has went down like everything else.  If it was me and I was setting up a 10g betta tank I would most definitely go with a small air pump and small sponge.  The pro's to having a sponge filter way out way the con of a noisy aerator.  If mounted correctly the aerator is quiet as a mouse. I dont know about anyone else nothing drives me crazy like the sound of trickling water from a HOB.  But it also helps people with their husbandry.  The louder the sound the more water that needs to be attended to or replaced. I personally cant afford to replace the filter every couple weeks of a HOB.  If I didnt have a heavily stocked tank I would run nothing but sponge but seeing how I have way to many fish in my 75G I change 50% of the water every week and run multiple filters plus have a heavily planted tank.  To each is their own tho.  No matter how you run your setup i'm glad your back in the hobby and part of the Nerm fam! Hope everyone has the most very best day!!

 

[Tanked]

The little red blinking light and $6. for batteries telling me to clean my HOB filter, Digital everything!  Using your cell phone to watch and or adjust your aquarium remotely, USB devices, The volume of information available without leaving your chair,   I keep everything as basic as possible so except for the costs, not much has changed for me.  

[gardenman]

The biggest change is in lighting. LED lighting has pretty much taken over the hobby. You can get much more light for much less money these days than in the old compact fluorescent, T-5, T-5 HO, and metal halide days. A lot of the other things tend to go in cycles. One type of filter will dominate for a bit only to be cycled out for something else. UG filters may be making a comeback. Some of us are combining a UG filter grid with a Matten filter foam to make a hybrid Matten/UG filter. Heaters have declined in quality but that may open the door for the sous vide cooker makers to jump into that part of the hobby. They make very accurate recirculating heaters to slowly cook food. Adapting one to heat aquariums makes sense.

[Guppysnail]

The biggest thing I have noticed is attention paid to parameters and plants. Folks seem to get crazy with exact params and altering water chemically a lot. I’ve always been neutral to 7.6 natural so never paid much attention and still don’t. People go crazy right off the bat now a days trying to grow plants with gobs and gobs of fertilizer and high intensity light and end up with algae farms rather than learn to keep fish alive and healthy with easy plants and learn to keep stable safe tanks with easy anubias etc. once that’s mastered then explore more. The internet I think has caused folks to want more of the instant gratification of having a lush planted tank from the beginning. After a lifetime of fish (ps I’m old 🤣) I still don’t use fertz or co2 or anytbut cheap hygger lights from Amazon. My plants thrive my fish are healthy and breed like crazy. 
so to sum up that crazy diatribe the thing other than gadgets is a whole new level of instant gratification and impatience. How I keep fish has changed very little in that time 

[WhitecloudDynasty]

Fancy guppy got smaller in size..unless my hand was just smaller then lol!

[Greg Stewart]

As a lot of people have mentioned already, the tech has gotten a LOT better, especially in lighting.

New fish have been discovered, for instance Celestial Pearl Danios were not known until 2006, and took a while to become popular.

New plants have been discovered, as well.

@Guppysnail has a good point about many people trying to go over board with difficult planted tanks that require a ton of attention when beautiful planted tanks can be had with low tech, low demanding flora.

Then there are people like me who can't walk away from a  challenge and need to read Tom Barr's exceedingly scientific rantings on barrreport.com, and get everything exact so we can try to coax out that last bit of red from our rotala and alternanthera, while not actually killing our fish. But, we do this to ourselves 😉

Glass has also come a long way, if you have the money to spend on crystal clear low-iron show pieces.

 

[AndreaW]

On 2/15/2022 at 12:49 AM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

The amount of information available is extraordinarily vast for good and bad. After some YouTube based builds ive done caution and checking twice cutting once has been my modus operandi. But it’s also allowed me to do biotopes and create scapes I’d never dreamed of 20 years ago.

 
Ordering fish, plants and supplies is great online but having a good local fish store is still important. 

The vast array of plants that are available. Remember a time where Java moss was a big deal as were Amazon swords. No plastic tube plants at big box stores. 

I continue to go back and forth based on my needs in regards to the technology. I have sponge filters, hang on backs and canisters - each has its place. My wife will often set budgets for projects and the fact I Mc an get a good powerful led shoplight has helped me out so much. I still remember the ungodly amount I spent on T5 bulbs to grow plants. Now you can get a full spec rgb Led for an affordable amount. 

Aquasoil and dirted tanks - I just think it’s amazing that you can get great results either way you go.

I feel more empowered in my hobby then I did 20 years ago. 

True! There is SO much more information, but a lot more to sort through and try to discern if it will work. I also just ordered some Nerite snails online since none of our local stores are getting any in. That was a new experience. I walked back through the doors of my LPS after 15 years and still recognized a couple faces and not too much has changed, but they do have different products on their shelves. 

I bought a few different plants back then but had no idea what I was doing but yes, I remember live plants seemed hard to come by.

I'm trying to determine the best filtration for my Betta tank as I want enough circulation to keep the tank evenly heated, but don't want the current too strong for him to swim. I think I may need to try out a sponge filter as I keep hearing amazing things about them...

[Patrick_G]

I agree with everyone on lighting! In the early 2000 I really wanted to do planted tanks but the cost and complexity of T5 or metal halide lighting kept me away. Now you can get a cheap, reliable 20” led light for $25. 
The other big change is heavily planted and balanced tanks. With the right stocking and planting is now easy to go weeks or months without water changes. 

[AndreaW]

On 2/15/2022 at 1:21 AM, Flumpweesel said:

LED lights definitely a big improvement to the hobby although I kinda miss the little tink tink sound of my old lights coming on.

Carbon has its uses but not as a standard filter component more as an emergency detox (that wisdom is a money saver).

The amount of fish available is extraordinary butv so is the variety of foods and water treatments. Water test kits have also evolved (not sure if they were a thing 20 years ago or just to expensive for me)

The biggest change is access to knowledge, to know the why you change your water, clean your filter, feed this food. Not just case of doing what the instructions said. Being able to test and see the changes in the water and understand what is happening (most of the time) really changes our success rates and in the perfect set up work load.

Welcome back btw. (Air pumps can still be noisy)

 

I still have the old fluorescent light on my 46 gallon so I still get to hear the tink tink when I'm in the room. I didn't realize how much I like the sound of it! It is different than the click of the LED lights.

I bought the API Master Test Kit way back then, and did test my water, although I didn't have a full understanding of what everything meant, but just knew certain numbers should be in certain ranges. However, their Ammonia test changed so it confuses people when I show them 0ppm Ammonia is clear, where their tests show it as yellow.

On 2/15/2022 at 5:46 AM, Odd Duck said:

It was like seeing a bunch of favorite old friends when I walked into my local fish store for the first time.  It made me realize how much I missed keeping fish.  And I’m completely in love with keeping plants, now, too, when it had mostly been an exercise in frustration previously.

 I’ve been guilty of believing and accidentally spreading mis-information myself.  Diligent, critical reading is vital.

@AndreaW Welcome back to fishkeeping.  Brace yourself, it can get to be a wild ride.  But it’s a blast!

I walked back into my LFS a couple weeks ago and saw some familiar faces and it was a great feeling! I'm trying out live plants now as well, after a few failed attempts many years ago. 

I've noticed some of the *rules & information* have changed. I remember at one time the rule was 1" of fish per gallon (even though I knew that some fish were messier than others). Bettas in glass bowls was acceptable, and other things that I've discovered are different.

[AndreaW]

On 2/15/2022 at 7:27 AM, Guppysnail said:

The biggest thing I have noticed is attention paid to parameters and plants. Folks seem to get crazy with exact params and altering water chemically a lot. I’ve always been neutral to 7.6 natural so never paid much attention and still don’t. People go crazy right off the bat now a days trying to grow plants with gobs and gobs of fertilizer and high intensity light and end up with algae farms rather than learn to keep fish alive and healthy with easy plants and learn to keep stable safe tanks with easy anubias etc. once that’s mastered then explore more. The internet I think has caused folks to want more of the instant gratification of having a lush planted tank from the beginning. After a lifetime of fish (ps I’m old 🤣) I still don’t use fertz or co2 or anytbut cheap hygger lights from Amazon. My plants thrive my fish are healthy and breed like crazy. 
so to sum up that crazy diatribe the thing other than gadgets is a whole new level of instant gratification and impatience. How I keep fish has changed very little in that time 

True, I've noticed a bigger focus on parameters and the want for instant gratification! I'm attempting a simple planted tank -- Anubias and Java -- except I've already discovered the dreaded Anubias Rot! 

On 2/15/2022 at 6:31 AM, Aqua junky said:

One thing I think we all can agree on is the price of everything has went up but the durability has went down like everything else.  If it was me and I was setting up a 10g betta tank I would most definitely go with a small air pump and small sponge.  The pro's to having a sponge filter way out way the con of a noisy aerator.  If mounted correctly the aerator is quiet as a mouse.

 

I've noticed the change in quality! It seemed heaters used to be made of steel. In almost 20 years I'm only on my second heater in my 46 gallon tank! I'm hearing horror stories of baked fish everywhere now and can't find one heater with half decent reviews.

I have an UG and a HOB filter on the 46 gallon and I do love it. I moved it to my son's room when he changed rooms because he loves to fall asleep to the sound of the water. I keep mine full so it isn't the falling water sound, just the soft moving water from the HOB and powerheads.

I think I'll have to post a question about sponge filters because I really need to find something better for my Betta. I need better filtration and better water flow in there.

[Guppysnail]

On 2/15/2022 at 10:58 AM, AndreaW said:

True, I've noticed a bigger focus on parameters and the want for instant gratification! I'm attempting a simple planted tank -- Anubias and Java -- except I've already discovered the dreaded Anubias Rot! 

Sorry about your Anubis rot. I can actually grow just about anything including things that “require” co2 and fertz even though I don’t use them. It just takes lots of patients. 
edit to add if you get more anubias turn them so the flat of the leaves point forward and away from direct light to let them adjust and start growing. They will reorient but gives them a head start and limits algae growth

Edited February 15, 2022 by Guppysnail

[Jawjagrrl]

@AndreaW I started my first tank in 1997 and was on cichlid forums back then, got MTS and kept oscars, mbuna, various community fish - even breeding OB Zebras for my LFS. I still have my 55s and a journal for their new journey is soon to come.

And yes, there are classic aspects that remain unchanged, like the basis of the nitrogen cycle, etc. But equipment... oh my! Inexpensive LED lights with many features, easy timers. Greater availability and ease of keeping live plants, something I never did back then. Aquascaping - creating amazing miniature environments that mimic terrestrial landscapes to the tiniest detail. Filters - carbon out, biological and chemical filtration is in - my biowheel HOBs from the 90s seem downright futuristic, but undergravel still has it's place. All-in-one tanks: We have finally caught on to what salt keepers had for years - systems all contained in a compartment in the back, keeping your scape clear. I've got two of these little marvels and love them.

But most of all IMHO - the ease and variety of obtaining fish and inverts, including many we didn't know existed in the 90s! My dwarf shrimp and crayfish might have existed as a rarity (and in wild versions) then, but now you can have a living skittle collection in just a couple of gallons if you like. Africans are less popular than they were then, but the river types are more common as are all the SA options. Amazing nano fish, and the popularity of nano setups vs the usual "bigger is better" mindset that some of the European fishkeepers find very amusing about their American counterparts ;D There were people mailing killifish eggs around in those days, but the idea of hopping online and getting fish NEXT DAY from all over without spending a small fortune wasn't even conceivable in those early days of the WWW. 

Is it any wonder so many of us that drifted away for a time are back in the hobby, more so than ever? I've got 4 small tanks since August 21, and eyeball every watertight container in my home with an idea of some sort of environment or breeding project. Viva Aquaria!

[Patrick_G]

Well put @Jawjagrrl! So many incremental improvements make the hobby interesting. I also wonder if we’ll see a resurgence of popularity in Africans? After all a tank with beautiful rock work and dozens of flashy cichlids is mighty enticing and in some ways easier to maintain.

[sairving]

I haven't been keeping fish for 20 years but my parents had a tank back in the 80's. When I decided to setup a tank in 2020, I found all their old fishkeeping stuff in the basement, minus the actual tank. There was a bag of smelly gravel substrate (no idea why they kept it). My mom and I went through the multiple boxes and threw out a bunch of faded plastic plants, old heaters that were probably a fire hazard, random bits, and some really brittle box filters.  They had some really nice rocks, a few giant airstones, and some brass air control valves I decided to keep.

If the box filters weren't in such bad shape, I may have given them a try. 

When I setup my first tank, my dad was amazed at how quite the HOB filter was. No loud pumps running.  My HOB I started with was clear and he asked where the carbon was. No carbon dad, just sponge and a bit of biomedia. Lighting? A clip on led. No more big ugly hood (we found one those too).  I think he was impressed with how clean the whole setup looked.    

[AndreaW]

On 2/15/2022 at 10:01 AM, Jawjagrrl said:

I started my first tank in 1997 and was on cichlid forums back then

Filters - carbon out, biological and chemical filtration is in - my biowheel HOBs from the 90s seem downright futuristic, but undergravel still has it's place. All-in-one tanks: We have finally caught on to what salt keepers had for years - systems all contained in a compartment in the back, keeping your scape clear. I've got two of these little marvels and love them.

But most of all IMHO - the ease and variety of obtaining fish and inverts, including many we didn't know existed in the 90s!

There were people mailing killifish eggs around in those days, but the idea of hopping online and getting fish NEXT DAY from all over without spending a small fortune wasn't even conceivable in those early days of the WWW. 

Is it any wonder so many of us that drifted away for a time are back in the hobby, more so than ever? I've got 4 small tanks since August 21, and eyeball every watertight container in my home with an idea of some sort of environment or breeding project. Viva Aquaria!

@Jawjagrrl Yup, I have the HOB with the original biowheel still going on that tank, and I don't think it could handle the bio load without it and the UG filter/powerheads going. It's always been crystal clear and the water parameters never have been a struggle on that tank.

I also at one time had a 6' long (??gallon) tank full of cichlids, mostly Mbuna. They were an adventure, but I wasn't too sad when I gave that tank and setup away. I prefer the friendlier fish -- except that I ended up with a Betta now. 

I have noticed the different variety of fish, but there are still many out there I've never seen. The possibilities seem endless! Luckily, I had a pretty cool LFS that had some pretty unique fish. One of my favorites were African Butterfly Fish which I haven't seen in years. 

I currently have 2 Nerites in the mail arriving on Thursday. That's a different experience for sure.

@sairving Yes, I have noticed cleaner looking setups is also a thing. I've seen some filters with glass inlets that are tucked away under a cabinet and the clean look is enticing for sure! I still have a HOB filter and powerheads on my 46 gallon setup. I'm not sure if I should consider changing things up or leaving it all alone since it's been running so long with minimal maintenance. Maybe one project at a time would be best.