OhNeil1969
Aquarium Advice Addict
My parents got me my first tank (a 10 gallon set up from Woolworth's - guess I'm showing my age) when I was about 5 years old. I remember just sitting in front of the tank watching the fish and pretending that I was watching them live in the ocean. As I got older and went away to school the hobby fell to the wayside. For years, however, I would tell my wife stories about that fish tank and how it inspired me while growing (up until my junior year of high school I was sure I was going to be an oceanographer and follow in the steps of Jacques Cousteau). I guess my wife got tired of hearing the same stories over and over again and decided I needed a new tank so I could have something new to talk about. So 3 Christmas' ago that was the big box under the tree with my name on it, a TopFin 30 starter tank. Since then, even to my own surprise, I've jumped head first back into the hobby. Admittedly, I've learned that I really didn't know squat about properly maintaining an aquarium. It seems like everything I remembered about fish from a child was either wrong or outdated. But that is what makes the hobby that much more fun this time around. Not only do I get to admire the beauty of a well set up tank, but I get to enjoy the sense of accomplishment when I test my tank's water and the choices I've made are working. And you know what? I still sit in front of the tank and pretend I'm in the ocean watching the fish in their natural element.