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History
My aim has always been to have an aquarium with fish and plants. The world wide web hadn't been invented, 25 or more years ago, when I bought my first 2x1x1 ft tank at that time I simply tried to copy what I saw in the stores which sold fish. That was a tank with water, plants, fish, under gravel filter, air pump, thermostatic heater and lights. Library books then were geared up to the trappings of pumps and filters and a bit of water chemistry and the plants were simply dealt with as decorations which, with luck would also respire. Even today, few books in my local bookshops mention CO2 injection systems or demonstrate the principle of water test kits or any electronic means of monitoring water chemistry.
My main tank as featured here was bought second hand some 15 years ago, it came complete with a stand and all sorts of accessories which I have since replaced, and was I thought a bargain at £50!
My first fish survived for some time, whilst the plants all died over two or three months. Replacing the dying plants did little good as the new ones also soon died off. I tried fertiliser, new lighting, smaller gravel, but the plants refused to flourish. At one stage in the past I even tried a layer of peat from a growbag, topped with gravel. This turned the water the colour of tea, the fish seemed to enjoy this, but the plants made little growth beyond an initial surge. Some years prior I had a lovely piece of bogwood from the Fens which I had purchased from a classy aquarist. Within two weeks half my fish had died, removing the wood, no more fatalities. Tannins I now understand, had finished them off despite me having boiled the wood and steeping it in water for a fortnight before I put it in the tank!
Following a few years of failed tweaking and upgrading my equipment, I decided to try fancy goldfish as the tropical fish were so sad looking without any plants to show of their colours. As a purist I can't abide plastic or fabric plants, they can look very effective but they are not living and I wanted a living aquarium -- no luck so far! The goldfish gobbled up the plants but looked great and for a few more years kept me entertained, but something was still missing. A living breathing environment for fish and plants.
Just a few miles away from where I lived was 'Hobbyfish' near Milton Keynes. I had frequently visited them and seen that Hobbyfish has had for many years a fine thriving planted display tank and with my new access to the world wide web I found an article describing just what I had been looking for. Hobbyfish clearly had the equipment I needed to fulfil my dreams, I just had to dig a little deeper into my pockets to find the cash...
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