Back in to the hobby after almost 30 year hiatus

[Sammy]

Hi everyone. Long time stalker/ gawker here.

I started my first aquarium when I was 10 and 20 years later, sold all 17 tanks & equipment and moved out of the city.

Fast forward to last Christmas (2022),  we received a a tank of goldfish as a rescue mission when we moved from an acreage into town, as the previous owners were moving across country. (My husband used to have fish! He'll take care of that aquarium for you!", I be the conversation went...). 6 goldfish in a greasy green 5 gallon,  but my son was smitten so I gave it a shot. Sad ending as before I had the new tank cycled for transfer, Epistylis ravaged the tank, even with 2 additional filters and weekly water changes. Antibiotics are impossible to get in northern Canada quickly for pets.

So I cycled the 20 gallon and popped in harlequin rasboras, a couple Amano shrimp and 3 albino corydoras. The powerhead driven under gravel filter with matten bottom (an idea from Gardenman from ACO) and small canister filter kept that tank crystal clear and still does. 

Then the addiction kicked in again... three 37 gallon tall tanks fully stocked & planted, two 10 gallon planted neocaridina (Sunkist, Blue Dream & Yellows) tanks with Daisy's & Platinum ricefish and a 5 gallon red cherry tank with a booming daphnia culture that helps feed the critters (Ember tetras, glowlight tetras, Glofish tetras, cherry barbs, Blue eyed red neons & Gertrudes CPO dwarf crays round out the stock)- all in my living room. The culls and babies are paying for the renovations and equipment in the basement fish room. 

Almost 30 years later, here we go again. 

Anyone else get vacuumed back into the hobby? 😊

[Colu]

Welcome to the forum sound like another course of multiple tank syndrome 

[Shadow]

Yep, back in and MTS afflicted just as most of us. 😂 Welcome to the forum! 

[wandavision]

On 1/8/2024 at 8:38 PM, Sammy said:

Hi everyone. Long time stalker/ gawker here.

I started my first aquarium when I was 10 and 20 years later, sold all 17 tanks & equipment and moved out of the city.

Fast forward to last Christmas (2022),  we received a a tank of goldfish as a rescue mission when we moved from an acreage into town, as the previous owners were moving across country. (My husband used to have fish! He'll take care of that aquarium for you!", I be the conversation went...). 6 goldfish in a greasy green 5 gallon,  but my son was smitten so I gave it a shot. Sad ending as before I had the new tank cycled for transfer, Epistylis ravaged the tank, even with 2 additional filters and weekly water changes. Antibiotics are impossible to get in northern Canada quickly for pets.

So I cycled the 20 gallon and popped in harlequin rasboras, a couple Amano shrimp and 3 albino corydoras. The powerhead driven under gravel filter with matten bottom (an idea from Gardenman from ACO) and small canister filter kept that tank crystal clear and still does. 

Then the addiction kicked in again... three 37 gallon tall tanks fully stocked & planted, two 10 gallon planted neocaridina (Sunkist, Blue Dream & Yellows) tanks with Daisy's & Platinum ricefish and a 5 gallon red cherry tank with a booming daphnia culture that helps feed the critters (Ember tetras, glowlight tetras, Glofish tetras, cherry barbs, Blue eyed red neons & Gertrudes CPO dwarf crays round out the stock)- all in my living room. The culls and babies are paying for the renovations and equipment in the basement fish room. 

Almost 30 years later, here we go again. 

Anyone else get vacuumed back into the hobby? 😊

23 years here. Finding undergravel filters now is a pain but I've always used them years ago with hobs with excellent results for sad, artificial plant aquariums. Now getting back in with real plants. 

[Sammy]

All my UGF tanks are planted. Even the ones with matten foam bottoms. One slit to insert the plant, another right beside to insert a root tab. No real fancy plants or CO2 high tech for me though - I like self sustainability 😊