How to get the most out of the hobby

[DGJ]

Hey Everyone,

A few weeks into the hobby and although I've made a ton of mistakes and been working hard everyday to fix them, I've enjoyed every minute of it.

It has led me to wondering how do you get the most enjoyment out of the hobby? For me the first two weeks have been action packed with setting up, cycling, stocking, decorating, returning fish daily water tests and changes as well as tons and tons of research

My question is once this is over and I have a nicely cycled and stable tank and have fully stocked and moved onto conducting weekly water changes and maintenance what do you do to get the most enjoyment?

• Watch and get to know the fish and different personalities
• Tinker with layout and stocking
• Start a new tank

Interested to see what everyone does so I can get the most out of this amazing hobby.

 

[DragonScales+Doubletails]

the first part of any hobby is rough, you'll get there

 

[WhistlingBadger]

One of my favorite aspects of the hobby is creating biotopes (or at least regional community tanks). I enjoy knowing that all the fish and plants in my tank could occur together in the wild, too. I don't get to travel as much as I like to, but gazing into a well-planned biotope is like taking a little, exotic, mini-vacation.

 

[DGJ]

the first part of any hobby is rough, you'll get there

I'm loving every minute of it but that's because it is all action and I'm always doing something, fixing something, trying to find something out.

What I wanted to know was once the tank just needs maintenance, what are the areas where people get max enjoyment?

 

[NannaLou]

Hey Everyone,

A few weeks into the hobby and although I've made a ton of mistakes and been working hard everyday to fix them, I've enjoyed every minute of it.

It has led me to wondering how do you get the most enjoyment out of the hobby? For me the first two weeks have been action packed with setting up, cycling, stocking, decorating, returning fish daily water tests and changes as well as tons and tons of research

My question is once this is over and I have a nicely cycled and stable tank and have fully stocked and moved onto conducting weekly water changes and maintenance what do you do to get the most enjoyment?

• Watch and get to know the fish and different personalities
• Tinker with layout and stocking
• Start a new tank

Interested to see what everyone does so I can get the most out of this amazing hobby.

MTS setting in already ?

 

[DGJ]

MTS setting in already ?

hahaha 100% - spent the last 2 hours researching 5 gallon betta tanks

 

[NannaLou]

hahaha 100% - spent the last 2 hours researching 5 gallon betta tanks

I like the reading and researching. Made some bloopers with my first tank, didn’t notice anywhere about different “types” of water! All sorted now with the amazing pooled knowledge and support from this forum, and now have a beautiful Betta in a properly cycled tank with 50/50 tap/RO water.

That was at the start of March, I now have a second tank (empty at this moment in time), to be low tech/Walstad style that I’ve been researching since I had the first one - plants should be here Thursday..more learning on how to plant the plants that are grown in tubs without roots!

I’m certain there will be at least one more...???

 

[Uberhoust]

For me its primarily all about research and experimentation, with the goal of maintaining the aquaria with a minimum of effort while keeping the fish as happy and healthy as possible. I also like to use as many self collected materials as possible, including the rocks, sand, and wood, and matching those materials to the fish I am raising. I make special trips to look for the right types of materials. Right now I am experimenting with raising Infusoria<sp> to feed to the Angel fish fry I seem to get every month whether I want them or not. It is one of the smellier exercises I have done but I am getting some good results, with dense populations of cilliates in one of my samples.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I also like to use as many self collected materials as possible, including the rocks, sand, and wood, and matching those materials to the fish I am raising. I make special trips to look for the right types of materials.

Yes, that too.