Almost a full year of being a NERM

[Rube_Goldfish]

Hello!  When my wife and I were first married, she mentioned how nice it would be to have a fish tank.  I agreed; when I was a kid, my parents had had a tank with, first a pair of oscars and then a full reef set up.  Her dad came through with a ten-gallon kit from one of the big box pet stores.  Unfortunately, a series of moves led to us putting the kit in a series of closets for years, in part because of a belief that "fish can't survive moving."  Well, last summer we finally had the space and opportunity to set the tank up, so knowing that I knew nothing about fish or fishkeeping, I started researching.  After a quick seal test, and an interminably long cycling process, we finally got a small community tank of cardinal tetras and honey gouramis.

While my wife did and still does really, truly like fish, I ended up being the one really bitten by the bug, the one who really became a true nerm.  The owner and staff of my LFS recognizes me when I walk in, my kids tease me about always talking about fish, YouTube thinks I'm not interested in anything else...  I'm sure you all can relate.  That little ten gallon is still happily running, though it's gone from plastic plants and bubbly volcanoes to a densely planted jungle with driftwood and stone (there's still a lot of unnaturally blue gravel, though), and I'm in the process of getting a 55 gallon upgrade ready so my little community can become a bigger one.  That initial research led me to the Coop and this great community, and now I want to document my new tank in a tank journal, keep learning, and hopefully be able to pass on what I've learned like so many of you have helped me!

[Rube_Goldfish]

This the oldest photo I could find, from late February. The tank was about five months old by then, and it's a mix of live and plastic plants at that point.

This one is from late July. Please pardon the algae! There's construction going on in the room, so I've been a little less thorough on my maintenance.

[Minanora]

It's lovely! Excited to read about you next adventure with the upgrade! Congrats on one year.

[nabokovfan87]

On 8/4/2022 at 10:07 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

When my wife and I were first married, she mentioned how nice it would be to have a fish tank. 

super interesting. I wonder why!

On 8/4/2022 at 10:07 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

when I was a kid, my parents had had a tank with, first a pair of oscars and then a full reef set up.  Her dad came through with a ten-gallon kit from one of the big box pet stores.  Unfortunately, a series of moves led to us putting the kit in a series of closets for years, in part because of a belief that "fish can't survive moving."  Well, last summer we finally had the space and opportunity to set the tank up, so knowing that I knew nothing about fish or fishkeeping, I started researching.  After a quick seal test, and an interminably long cycling process, we finally got a small community tank of cardinal tetras and honey gouramis.

I wonder.... have either of you kept any of these prior?

On 8/4/2022 at 10:07 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

While my wife did and still does really, truly like fish, I ended up being the one really bitten by the bug, the one who really became a true nerm.  The owner and staff of my LFS recognizes me when I walk in, my kids tease me about always talking about fish, YouTube thinks I'm not interested in anything else...  I'm sure you all can relate.  That little ten gallon is still happily running, though it's gone from plastic plants and bubbly volcanoes to a densely planted jungle with driftwood and stone (there's still a lot of unnaturally blue gravel, though), and I'm in the process of getting a 55 gallon upgrade ready so my little community can become a bigger one.  That initial research led me to the Coop and this great community, and now I want to document my new tank in a tank journal, keep learning, and hopefully be able to pass on what I've learned like so many of you have helped me!

Has she ever had corydoras before?  What fish has she shown an actual interest in?  Maybe a single tank, moss, bolivian ram is the perfect tank for her?

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 8/8/2022 at 12:47 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

super interesting. I wonder why!

I wonder.... have either of you kept any of these prior?

Has she ever had corydoras before?  What fish has she shown an actual interest in?  Maybe a single tank, moss, bolivian ram is the perfect tank for her?

She just likes fish, but never kept any, even as a kid.  I think it's got to do with The Little Mermaid, truth be told, but she's just always liked fish.  She and her family never kept any fish.  My parents had a pair of oscars who died to ich, then a fish-only saltwater tank (an artificial reef), but I have only vague memories of either tank.  They got out of the hobby when I was still pretty young.

I'm planning an upgrade from the ten-gallon to a 55 and would like to put some cories in there.  I have a feeling she'll end up loving them, but at the moment her heart belongs to "sucker mouth" fish like plecos and otocinclus because she says they're ridiculous looking, basically.  I can pitch the idea to her of a personal tank but I think she's happy to just enjoy mine and not have to do any of the work!  That said, she's doing almost all the carpentry on my new DIY tank stand/bookcases (she's very handy!) and will spend a surprising amount of time going on algae hunts with the aquascaping tweezers, so she's more into it than she lets on!

[Jawjagrrl]

On 8/5/2022 at 1:07 AM, Rube_Goldfish said:

Hello!  When my wife and I were first married, she mentioned how nice it would be to have a fish tank.  I agreed; when I was a kid, my parents had had a tank with, first a pair of oscars and then a full reef set up.  Her dad came through with a ten-gallon kit from one of the big box pet stores.  Unfortunately, a series of moves led to us putting the kit in a series of closets for years, in part because of a belief that "fish can't survive moving."  Well, last summer we finally had the space and opportunity to set the tank up, so knowing that I knew nothing about fish or fishkeeping, I started researching.  After a quick seal test, and an interminably long cycling process, we finally got a small community tank of cardinal tetras and honey gouramis.

While my wife did and still does really, truly like fish, I ended up being the one really bitten by the bug, the one who really became a true nerm.  The owner and staff of my LFS recognizes me when I walk in, my kids tease me about always talking about fish, YouTube thinks I'm not interested in anything else...  I'm sure you all can relate.  That little ten gallon is still happily running, though it's gone from plastic plants and bubbly volcanoes to a densely planted jungle with driftwood and stone (there's still a lot of unnaturally blue gravel, though), and I'm in the process of getting a 55 gallon upgrade ready so my little community can become a bigger one.  That initial research led me to the Coop and this great community, and now I want to document my new tank in a tank journal, keep learning, and hopefully be able to pass on what I've learned like so many of you have helped me!

Welcome! Great screen name, BTW 😄

My first experience with fish was oscars too, but at a local fish fry place in my small hometown. They had several large tanks with wild type oscars (early 70s, no "designer" oscars yet). I'd spend every second of our meal at those tanks when I wasn't actually eating, entranced. Years later my first tanks were 55s and one had Oscars (in the 90s we thought this was big enough).

I only got going again about a year ago also, and I can relate to the YT algorithm! My spouse is much the same, enjoying the journey but not to the same level of enthusiasm. Even so, we now have 2 75s, the two old 55s, 3 5s, a 3, a 2.5 and a no-tech jar that's just under 2g! Hope to see more from you and follow your new tank journal. I find it is a good way to track your progress if nothing else.

[nabokovfan87]

On 8/9/2022 at 8:25 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

I'm planning an upgrade from the ten-gallon to a 55 and would like to put some cories in there.  I have a feeling she'll end up loving them, but at the moment her heart belongs to "sucker mouth" fish like plecos and otocinclus because she says they're ridiculous looking, basically.  I can pitch the idea to her of a personal tank but I think she's happy to just enjoy mine and not have to do any of the work!  That said, she's doing almost all the carpentry on my new DIY tank stand/bookcases (she's very handy!) and will spend a surprising amount of time going on algae hunts with the aquascaping tweezers, so she's more into it than she lets on!

Awesome stuff.  I would try to swing a 75 if you can.  It's a 55 with more depth and you'll get a ton more tank room.  I started with a 55 and especially with corydoras you just want that extra bit of room for them to roam around 🙂

More room for plants also!

[FLFishChik]

Congrats one 1 year!!!

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 8/10/2022 at 9:08 AM, Jawjagrrl said:

Welcome! Great screen name, BTW 😄

My first experience with fish was oscars too, but at a local fish fry place in my small hometown. They had several large tanks with wild type oscars (early 70s, no "designer" oscars yet). I'd spend every second of our meal at those tanks when I wasn't actually eating, entranced. Years later my first tanks were 55s and one had Oscars (in the 90s we thought this was big enough).

I only got going again about a year ago also, and I can relate to the YT algorithm! My spouse is much the same, enjoying the journey but not to the same level of enthusiasm. Even so, we now have 2 75s, the two old 55s, 3 5s, a 3, a 2.5 and a no-tech jar that's just under 2g! Hope to see more from you and follow your new tank journal. I find it is a good way to track your progress if nothing else.

Thanks!  I've been closely following your "Southern-fried 75s" journal.  I love the split stump idea and the execution looks great, too.  I've drawn inspiration from it, too; I've already got boat cleats coming after seeing them in your build.  (And my wife, who is building my new stand, looked closely at the stand that you and Patient Spouse{tm} (re-)built!)

On 8/10/2022 at 12:18 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Awesome stuff.  I would try to swing a 75 if you can.  It's a 55 with more depth and you'll get a ton more tank room.  I started with a 55 and especially with corydoras you just want that extra bit of room for them to roam around 🙂

More room for plants also!

I already have the 55 and the stand is mostly done (framed out but still needs some finishing touches) and yeah, knowing what I know now I would have gone with a 75.  Maybe for the next tank!  (Don't tell my wife I used the phrase "next tank"!)

[nabokovfan87]

On 8/10/2022 at 8:41 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

I already have the 55 and the stand is mostly done (framed out but still needs some finishing touches) and yeah, knowing what I know now I would have gone with a 75.  Maybe for the next tank!  (Don't tell my wife I used the phrase "next tank"!)

Same issue.  LOL.  My 55G tank stand is now a set of shelves.  One day it'll look like this!

I often stare at the stand and wonder if I can get other tanks, 20L's and so forth on the stand instead.

[Guppysnail]

On 8/9/2022 at 11:25 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

  I think it's got to do with The Little Mermaid,

Welcome!  This is what made my niece finally take interest in fish tank 🤗

[Jawjagrrl]

On 8/11/2022 at 12:08 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

Same issue.  LOL.  My 55G tank stand is now a set of shelves.  One day it'll look like this!

I often stare at the stand and wonder if I can get other tanks, 20L's and so forth on the stand instead.

That top shelf looks perfect for my growing collection of 5 gal portrait tanks 😉 I think Jason at Prime Time Aquatics has done something like that with a group of nano tanks side by side on a... sideboard 🙂

[Jawjagrrl]

On 8/10/2022 at 11:41 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

Thanks!  I've been closely following your "Southern-fried 75s" journal.  I love the split stump idea and the execution looks great, too.  I've drawn inspiration from it, too; I've already got boat cleats coming after seeing them in your build.  (And my wife, who is building my new stand, looked closely at the stand that you and Patient Spouse{tm} (re-)built!)

I already have the 55 and the stand is mostly done (framed out but still needs some finishing touches) and yeah, knowing what I know now I would have gone with a 75.  Maybe for the next tank!  (Don't tell my wife I used the phrase "next tank"!)

The tanks in reality have water and some of the stocking complete... and the concept is working, happy to say. The fun updates are coming shortly. Glad the journal could help/inspire others. Really like the cleats I ended up with, what they are would be subtle to non-sailors and they don't distract from the wood on the front. I'm happy every day that we made the call to do the front face the way we did, such a clean look.

Ironically, I'm really enjoying the old 55s in their new lives on other floors of the house, especially the bedroom tank as we are firm believers in no TVs in the bedroom. Working with it is surprisingly different than the 75s, and I do appreciate that added depth, especially on the heavily planted side.

Your wife might surprise you - Patient SpouseTM may need a new name, like Enabler SpouseTM. He picked up something for me at petsmart this week when in an actual city (lol) and started telling me last night about the 125gal he saw....

[Ken Burke]

Glad to have you on the forum.

Fun Fact: there is no known cure for Multiple Tank Syndrome (MTS) [and who would want one] short of total burnout.  To manage symptoms, design your new aquarium 3+ the number of aquariums you have before putting it together.  Unfortunately, I have yet to pull it off…..