Hello,
Guess since I'm posing in threads I should give everyone a clue who I am. I have had aquariums for 40 years now. Got my very first tank about 40 years ago next month. My birthday is near Christmas and it became a family tradition to give me my birthday gifts a bit early so they didn't blend in with the Christmas gifts. My family didn't have disposable cash so when Dad found a used tank in the the load of trash he was hauling it became my birthday present.
I was lucky I guess because back then we didn't know much about keeping fish and there was no internet, even the library didn't have much info. When I set up that first tank things just went my way. The gravel I used was some pea gravel from the driveway that I washed very well but would have still had alot of good bacteria, the water was from the pond where I got the fish so again I had good starter material and the fish themselves were from a local farm pond, hard to catch for a 7 year old and so I didn't try to stock heavely.
That first tank lasted thru the winter and well into spring and never crashed. I released the fish back into the pond as they were getting to big for the tank. I finally was allowed to find odd jobs for neighbors, and keep the pay I got so about mid summer I had enough to go to the
LFS in the city and bought some gold guppies, (now called Endlers I believe.), and a banana plant. When I got it home there was a Kuli Loach in the plant and from that day on I was hooked.
MTS set in and I worked my tail off for every penny I could earn and bough tanks, and eventually glass and sealnt and built my own.
Things slowed down during the years I raised a family but there was always at least one tank of fish in the house. And once the internet hit I still can't get enough of reading and learning all I can about everything that catches my interest. A coule years ago, after my last daughter moved out, I found time and room to let the MTS monster loose again. I have over the years raised thousands of livebears, hundreds of Convicts and was into
betta breeding for a few years, and now am venturing into Danio's.
With the advent of Transgenetic genes applied to the pet industry I have found a very keen interest in following the science and it's effects, good and bad. I consider myself an amature ecologist. I believe we should do what we can to clean up the mess of the industrial revolution but understand that nothing is black and white. There is a whole lot of grey out there.
I like solar energy and by did it look green at first. Then we realized that though solar energy may be free and clean, getting the materials to collect it is a dirty job. Fortunatly the serious companies are working to clean up the production processes so there is hope.
Hydro energy is also free and clean till you consider what it costs to build the dams, not just in money but the drastic changes in habitiat. You have to give up something to get something.
Even our simple hobby has some dark moments and some bright ones as well. I'll use the Galaxy Danio as an example of both. The demand for this fish when it was discovered resulted in massive damage to it ecosystem and though I can't seem to find any follow up, the last info I can find says it's near extinction if not extinct in the wild. But the same demand also resulted in captive breeding programs that could repopulate that system once it is recovered if that is needed.
Another example is the Amazon basin wild collection and sale of a large number of species. Supporting that trade has resulted in locals finding a reason to preserve thier fishing grounds and controlling catches to maintain that industry. Thus saving forests and rivers that would otherwise be slashed and polluted by the lumber industry.
So again, we make mistakes, we get somethings right, Give and take. And as a person I'm very much like that. I'll debate the good of science but push for watch dogs to make sure we don't lose control. I believe in progress but feel we should watch what we are stepping on as we do progress.
I believe we should do our best not to cause harm to anyone or anything but will defend myself those I'm responsible for if it is nessessary. I don't think we should kill for no reason but accept that all life on this planet must kill something to survive. All organisms compete for space and nutriants, and the competition is deadly for some. I prefer to be on the living side of that contest but don't think I have to kill off every competiter if you know what I mean. We just need to find the balance.
So, there, and sorry, I do ramble sometimes. But that's me in a seashell. I look forward to many lively discussions and hope all said discussions can avoid mud and other debries hitting rapidly spinning air relocation devices.
RK
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