3 yrs in and still learning!

[Lisajayne]

I started with 20 guppys.
Then Molly's (pic 1)
, 2nd tank of polar convicts,
and dwarf platinum parrot fish (not convict bloodline)( pic 2)
Angels tank 4 (pic 3)
Blood parrot fish tank 5 (pic 4)
I love my fish. Keepse out of trouble and busy.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

22 years in and still learning here.
I have a few fish today I got in 2002.
26 tanks and retiring from the hobby in the next 18 months.

You have a lot of fun ahead of you.......

 

[connorlindeman]

I have a few fish today I got in 2002.

Those fish are older than me!

 

[Guyb93]

22 years in and still learning here.
I have a few fish today I got in 2002.
26 tanks and retiring from the hobby in the next 18 months.

You have a lot of fun ahead of you.......

2002 wow very impressed , pleco? .Or cichlid lol I can’t imagine the sadness when you finally lose those veterans

 

[Colin_T]

22 years in and still learning here.
I have a few fish today I got in 2002.
26 tanks and retiring from the hobby in the next 18 months.

You have a lot of fun ahead of you.......

Why retiring from the hobby?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I got my first tank up at the end of Jan in 2001. I am now 74 and water has gained a lot of weight since I began. I can no longer keep up with the required level of work. And this despite using pumps to empty and refill tanks. I have tanks in 5 rooms and two buildings. I am 5'4" tall (25,2 cm) and I weigh about 135 (61 kilos). 5 gals of water weighs about 41 pounds (18.6 kilos). So a bucket of water weighs 30.3% of what I do. When I got into the hobby, I could carry one filled bucket in each hand from one end of the house to the other. Today I use 2.5 gal. buckets.

I have now been doing weekly maint. and 50%+ water changes on between 14 and 25 tanks since about 2003. It is one of the reasons why my fish are pretty healthy and breed prolifically. But it is getting harder all the time to keep up. My biggest regret was that I did not get my first tank sooner.

 

[FranciscoB]

Over 50 years in and still learning each day.

 

[GaryE]

55 years in, still learning almost every day. Then I forget what I learned and get to learn it all over again!

I am glad I have a space that lets me use hoses and not carry buckets anymore. @TwoTankAmin is in a tough spot there. I'm hoping I can stay in shape and be able to do this hobby for as long as I can, as I enjoy it so much. It isn't a physically demanding pastime once you get buckets out of the equation.

 

[Back in the fold]

@TwoTankAmin I hate reading posts like yours. I've read several similar posts on the American Killifish Association forums. I am only 66 but I'm getting weak and short of breath. I want a big tank but it just isn't possible. A twenty gallon is as big as it will ever get for me and then only if I don't have to move it. I really like my two five gallons . But . . . the day of no aquarium hobby will come to me some day. Not too soon I hope.

 

[Colin_T]

I got my first tank up at the end of Jan in 2001. I am now 74 and water has gained a lot of weight since I began. I can no longer keep up with the required level of work. And this despite using pumps to empty and refill tanks. I have tanks in 5 rooms and two buildings. I am 5'4" tall (25,2 cm) and I weigh about 135 (61 kilos). 5 gals of water weighs about 41 pounds (18.6 kilos). So a bucket of water weighs 30.3% of what I do. When I got into the hobby, I could carry one filled bucket in each hand from one end of the house to the other. Today I use 2.5 gal. buckets.

You need to use hoses more efficiently
I never lifted buckets of water once I set my fish room up. I drained tank water out the door using a hose and gravel cleaner. I refilled the tanks with hoses that drained water from the holding tanks above the main tanks. And I filled the holding tanks with the hose.

You should also do weights. Everyone over 50 should do them. They strengthen the bones and muscles and it's easier to get up off the ground if you fall down. The extra muscle mass also helps your body function properly and medications work better when you have decent muscle mass. And I'm not talking Arnold Schwarzenegger muscles, just normal average person amounts of muscle. Grab a 1 litre bottle of water now and lift it as many times as you can. Do it each day and when it's too easy, add more water.

There's not much worse than laying on the ground and not being able to get up.

 

[GaryE]

I had a friend who gave up his killies when he was 94. I hope I can beat that.

I knew a lot of guys, @Colin_T , who lifted one litre bottles on a regular basis and are now in no shape to keep fish. Wait, you said water. Oh.

 

[emeraldking]

Hi and welcome to TFF...
Well, I'm already busy with aquaristics ever since early 1970's and also I'm still learning. The learning itself never stops...

 

[Slaphppy7]

Welcome to TFF