1930s historically accurate planted aquarium

[Daniel]

19 minutes ago, Wisnasky-tank said:

So any plant that grows in the water outside of an aquarium lakes rivers streams creeks should be aquarium safe too ???

Cannot see why not?

[RovingGinger]

I am not actually sure I know of a plant that can grow in water (emerged or otherwise) but isn’t aquarium safe? I’ve heard weird myths about dracaena false bamboo, but that’s about it. Are there some that should be avoided say if you have munchy fish? 

[Ken Dyer]

8 hours ago, RovingGinger said:

 Are there some that should be avoided say if you have munchy fish? 

Expensive plants 😉

My mascara barbs loved their anubias snacks i fed them!

[Daniel]

As requested by @quirkylemon103 here is an update on the 1930s aquarium. I added plants more than a month ago and have been waiting for the Vallisneria to grow (which as everyone knows could be a long wait). This picture is from earlier this morning.

It is hard to see the critters in the aquarium in this photograph, but mainly there are blue spotted sunfish, mosquito fish, and ghost shrimp all collected from the same ditch in Kinston, North Carolina on the same day back in early October.

But at long last (maybe) the Vallisneria is beginning however tentatively to send out runners. @akconklin how many shrimp can you count in the photo?🙂

When and if I can get the Vallisneria to fill in I will change the look of the aquarium.

Up until now this has been the 1910's historically accurate aquarium. Gravel from my creek, plants and fish from roadside ditches, etc. But by the 1930's, often call the 'Golden Age of Tropical Fishkeeping' many more kinds of equipment and fish had become available to the hobby.

Ultimately, the look I am going for is this.

I have the angelfish, zebra fish, red swordtails and similar gravel in hand. Now all I need is the !%&* Jungle Val to fill in and then I will remodel the aquarium and bring it forward into the 1930s

[Ken Dyer]

Hehe, I swear Jungle Val is one of those plants that is a weed that takes over a tank where you want it to "just stay in that back corner". Or a plant that melts back and struggles in a tank where you want it to thrive. I have no proof yet, but I am pretty sure it is the "Lucy holding the football" of the aquarium plant world.

[Alesha]

Hmm...I clearly saw 4. But I think I might see a 5th, toward the back on the left hand side? Whew...I had to get on my laptop and use the zoom function, @Daniel! 😅

[Ruud]

Did you happen to source periodically correct water yet? 🙂

[Daniel]

At first I filled with water from the ditch I caught the fish and shrimp in. But after that I have just used the well water from our house 🙂

[Daniel]

10 minutes ago, akconklin said:

Hmm...I clearly saw 4. But I think I might see a 5th, toward the back on the left hand side? Whew...I had to get on my laptop and use the zoom function, @Daniel! 😅

I with you, I only clearly see 4, but I sorta kinda see 3 partials that could be shrimp?

[Daniel]

@Aubrey just posted an absolutely fabulous file which is the 1936 catalog and pricelist of Beldt's Aquarium,  here:

 

[Ruud]

Wow! Such a cool piece. Love the art deco metal aquarium stands. Also amazed at the prices. 1 dollar for a pair of Swords, a lot of money in 1936. Also never knew they had already all these types of fancy gold fish back in the 30s. I learn a thing every day here!

[Ken Dyer]

@Danielplease tell me you are going to be adding a 2 stroke air pump to this setup (will settle for a briggs/stratton) 😉 It is a real honest to goodness value after all.

 

@Aubrey thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to scan this all. I haven't been so engrossed in a magazine in years.

[Aubrey]

@Ken Dyer I didn't scan it. I downloaded it from an online library and uploaded it here. I didn't know about the files feature on here until last night when I was trying to find the name of the Innes book by searching the forum and found it was uploaded on here too.

[Daniel]

13 minutes ago, Aubrey said:

 I didn't know about the files feature on here until last night when I was trying to find the name of the Innes book by searching the forum and found it was uploaded on here too.

@Aubrey shh! Don't tell anyone about the files part of the forum, people might start uploading photos there (which we don't want them to do that). We want to keep the files area a place where you can upload books and papers and such just like you did.

Thanks again for uploading that!

[Brandy]

How many gallons is this tank anyway? I was thinking...I remember you did not plan to put in a filter, and I am more and more beginning to believe filtration is largely cosmetic when you cram your tank full of plants like me. I would rather buy more plants and lights.

 

[Tonik]

@Aubrey Wow! Thanks for sharing that catalogue!  It is interesting that most of the equipment look so similar to what we use today.  I noticed that they were selling Bettas in pairs; did i miss an explanation of how to house them?  This was a fascinating read, and I laughed at my own surprise when I got to the end and saw the envelope and order form... so used to ordering things online lol!  

[Lemon]

1 hour ago, Tonik said:

@Aubrey Wow! Thanks for sharing that catalogue!  It is interesting that most of the equipment look so similar to what we use today.  I noticed that they were selling Bettas in pairs; did i miss an explanation of how to house them?  This was a fascinating read, and I laughed at my own surprise when I got to the end and saw the envelope and order form... so used to ordering things online lol!  

I'm curios to about how they were housed

Edited November 19, 2020 by quirkylemon103

[Daniel]

I am thinking of adding the baby sparkling gouramis to the 1930s aquarium. It's legal as they (or at least croaking gouramis) are in the 1936 Innes book:

Didn't see them on the 1936 Beldt's Aquarium pricelist though that @Aubrey posted earlier in the files section.

[Daniel]

I know this is wrong on so many levels.

As the Sun's path swings a bit lower day by day the 1930's tank get evermore sunlight each day. Naturally the water is greening up beautifully (which is fortunate for me because I had to move my green water aquarium to make room for more aquariums).

I have been testing the Felix Smart aquarium monitor with mixed results. I like the Seneye water monitor part, but the camera part is less than spectacular. So I have moved the Felix over the lowest tech aquarium in the house. That is just wrong.

[Lemon]

3 hours ago, Daniel said:

I know this is wrong on so many levels.

As the Sun's path swings a bit lower day by day the 1930's tank get evermore sunlight each day. Naturally the water is greening up beautifully (which is fortunate for me because I had to move my green water aquarium to make room for more aquariums).

I have been testing the Felix Smart aquarium monitor with mixed results. I like the Seneye water monitor part, but the camera part is less than spectacular. So I have moved the Felix over the lowest tech aquarium in the house. That is just wrong.

i hope your not using the felix on the 1930s tank

[Ruud]

Where High Tech and No Tech comes together 😄

[Lemon]

take the felix off 😉 unless they had them in the 1930s 🤔

[Daniel]

28 minutes ago, quirkylemon103 said:

take the felix off 😉 unless they had them in the 1930s 🤔

It won't be there long, but it had to go somewhere while I was rearranging the fishroom. 🙂

[Streetwise]

Daniel and Felix are time travelers visiting the 1930s for observation.

[Lemon]

2 minutes ago, Streetwise said:

Daniel and Felix are time travelers visiting the 1930s for observation.

impressive i thought he would have mentioned it though 🤔