Hi everyone -
Hope you're all doing well and that you're enjoying your tanks!
At the risk of sounding like a pompous know-it-all, I thought I would share a couple of lessons I've learned the hard way after 20+ years in the hobby. I hope that they may help those that are new and learning how to maintain beautiful and rewarding aquariums. Internet disclaimer: these are just my opinions and I admit they could be completely wrong in your opinion.
All the best,
Art
Hope you're all doing well and that you're enjoying your tanks!
At the risk of sounding like a pompous know-it-all, I thought I would share a couple of lessons I've learned the hard way after 20+ years in the hobby. I hope that they may help those that are new and learning how to maintain beautiful and rewarding aquariums. Internet disclaimer: these are just my opinions and I admit they could be completely wrong in your opinion.
- Knowing and understanding are both necessary in this hobby. Knowing the results of someone else's experience is not the same as understanding the experience itself.
A forum like Planted Tank and its many good members can only give you the knowing part. For example, what is Hendy8888's dosing formula or why is someone using a flowmeter with their CO2 setup.
The understanding part comes from knowing why someone does something and how it applies to your personal experience. You need to take the knowing part and apply it to your particular situation. This requires that you change your questions to include the "why". For example, "Hey Hendy8888, why do you run with a .6 KH?" or "Hey Greggz, why do you use a flowmeter?"
Once you understand why someone else is doing something, you have part of the equation. Now you need to decide if that makes sense to you and your particular aquarium. Many times, that means giving it a try to see what you learn. It is this second part, the experience coupled with the understanding that makes you progress in the hobby. You must do and learn from it yourself.
For example, I understand that Greggz runs heavier with NO3 because it helps keep the entire plant healthy from top to bottom. I understand why he does it and his experience. I will now apply that to my aquarium to see how my plants react. For me, it may work differently.
- Rarely is the best solution found in a bottle. Always look to solve a problem with experience and not (necessarily) dollars. Too many times have I thought the latest and greatest fertilizer, or light, or filter, or CO2 diffuser will finally solve my problem. Or, that bottle of the algae killer or legions of Amanos will solve my algae problem.
More often than not, a simple, inexpensive solution has proven to be the best, long-term option if I only had the patience. It's that second part, the patience, that has proven to be the most difficult. I still struggle with it today.
Your aquarium is a living ecosystem that is unique. It will behave differently than other aquariums. You need to get to know it and understand how it behaves. This comes from intentional observation, experience and, yes, patience.
That's it. This captures the two core principals I use for this hobby. I do admit that my tanks have never been as nice as some of those I'm honored to admire online but I am now enjoying this hobby a lot more than I used to because of these two lessons.All the best,
Art