So... I haven't posted any really original thread in a while so I figured its time to contribute and thought, "Well, what am I interested in right now". The result: I present a thread on Aquascaping. I've really only gotten into this over the last month or so... In that time i've done a shitload of research... I think i've viewed pretty much every video on youtube in regards to aquascaping and most on planted tanks, and I've lurked forums, leeching information on proper substrates, lighting, CO2 infusion, water quality. Its amazing how much information there is out there in regards to this hobby... and the levels to which one can get into it... You have the hardcore guys from HK, Japan and Malaysia who are using super expensive ADA products and have access to all sorts of cool plants. I've always been interested in fishtanks, but i never really knew the levels to which you could take the hobby... I have had a 30 gallon tank in my basement, which just has a few goldfish, some nice rockwork and not much else. After stumbling upon how much you can do with planted tanks recently, i decided to take the plunge and see what i could do to start my own. I dug out my old 15 gallon tank the other day and decided i would give this a try and so far its quite enjoyable... i'm going to make a DIY CO2 setup using yeast/sugar/water and a 2L pop bottle fairly soon and see whether I can't get a nice underwater garden going. *Pics of my tank to come tomorrowish* I don't think i'll ever be able to run a super epic tank, like some that i've seen on other forums: ^ epic however, i'd be more than happy if i can just get alot of growth like the vid below: [youtube]RbQWMnE2a6E[/youtube] I suppose I'm just a little curious if anyone else is into this hobby, or has been at some point, what their experiences are like, and how much they've spent... hahaha so far i've only put about 65 dollars into my fishtank (i was debating between doing something interactive like this... or buying GOWIII... the fishtank won out for now ) but considering the potential expense of this hobby, i know people are probably spending upwards of a grand on some of their tanks.
looks pretty and interesting. makes me wanna jump in with my scuba gear I never in a million years thought it'll cost that much.
theres a place near my house that breeds their own tropical fishes and have amazing planted aquariums. ever since ive been there ive always want to do a planted aquarium along with Discus as well. the main reasons why i never really took up on it is because of the space and dedication required to maintain such a setup. i might try a tiny 2.5 gallon tank to start.
Spending a grand? That's chump change. It's closer to several grand, and that's not inclusive of the specialized light sources that some of these plants require. You''re essentially running an underwater intensive care unit. Tanks like these have so many critical requirements that you'll spend your entire life monitoring them. Something simple like a transient power outage can literally set you back thousands of dollars. Hobbies like this can be so high maintenance to the point that they sometimes feel more like a job. But, they're really beautiful when you get them right. Good luck with it.
How much does this differ from something like a reef tank? I've been entertaining the idea of setting up a reef tank.
The difference is really in just the specific conditions (eg. salinity, water hardness, pH, CO2 levels) required for that particular setting. The care and dedication would be just as time consuming and intensive. I've heard of devices that can be set up to monitor your tank, that either alarms or pages you in the event of deviance from a set parameters. IMHO, having a few guppies in a ten gallon is a hobby. Setting up artificial eco system is akin to a prison sentence. -sweat
Digging up an old'ish thread, but erm I've spent £1000s on fish tanks. ==" ..I regret at times. But it does look amazing..
used to be into aquarium and fish keeping... had both fresh and salt.... but if i do get the chance again...maybe grab myself nine of these suckers... ...if i was ballin... To OP: nice planted tank you have there...you should get a diffuser for your DIY CO2, and just sit back and watch your plants grow lol....
