Aquarium Building?

Maybe my parents didn't tell me "no" enough when I was younger or maybe I'm just too curious for my own good, but sometimes I start something and I have no idea how much it will take me over until it takes me over completely.

Granted, I will admit that many times it overtakes me for a time and then I lose interest but I like to think of it as a little bump along the road to learning and growing and discovering new interests and... well.. playing.

And I use the knowledge I have gleaned in other areas of my life.

So, it was both a surprise but not a surprise when I found myself diving head first into the world of fish and aquariums.

It started innocently enough. We decided we could get Garrett a fish tank.

He loves fish!

We take him to see the fish at Walmart all the time and when he visited his cousin who had a fish tank our fate was pretty well sealed.

So, we went to a local fish/pet store and bought two fish and a tiny half gallon Beta tank to put them in.

We got it home and I was very disappointed.

The fish just sat there in this murky water. There was no light to shine on them. It was all very dull.

So the very next day I went out and bought a 3 gallon tank with a filter and a heater (because the guy at the fish store told me that all the fish I wanted to get required a heater).



Then we went back to the fish store and bought more fish.

Of course, as it happens with all new people and their fish tanks, a fish died, then three more fish were eaten by other fish, then another fish pecked another fish to death.

The current tank

I was pretty much frantic to find out what was going on in our fish tank. I guess I was like most people who just assume you buy a couple fish, put them in a bowl of water and watch them flourish.

Over the next few days my fingers flew over my keyboard and my search engine churned out results for everything from aquarium sizes, filters, water temperatures, chemicals, plants, you name it.

I am exceptionally determined to not only keep these fish alive but see them active and happy.

Now, I'm hooked. 

I am literally dreaming of aquariums and I've already drawn up plans to make my own.. out of a toy garbage truck, no less.

And because I didn't want to clutter my new and adorable tank with heaters and filters I have researched and decided to build my own wet/dry sump refugium filter underneath of the tank.


I've got the pexiglass. The solvents are in the mail. The dremel is standing by. I'm super excited.

I might even want to make this new tank salt water and put a clown fish in it. It won't be big enough for more than one or two fish, max, but it will be adorable enough to where I don't think it will matter much.

I've learned so much already and think this is going to be another really fun adventure.