10 Things I Learned the *Hard Way*
10 Things I Learned the *Hard Way*
I wish somebody had told me these 10 things when I started keeping fish. Here are some things that I Iearned along the way, the _hard way_ that I think are vital for success in the hobby (and a couple, like #8 and #9, might even apply to life in general!).
I hope you find these points useful and please tell me in the comments which one hit…
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All great advice!
Yeah I hear ya been yep my best part of it all is doing the maintenance on my tank and just sit back afterwards and admire for hours it's like I'm for a while
Excelentes lembretes, oportunos e sΓ‘bios. Γ sempre bom lembrar que esse hobby envolve vidas. NΓ£o Γ© como colecionar selos. Grande abraΓ§o. π
Whatβs up Ben, the coolest old man on YouTube! What are the dimensions of your largest tank? -I think itβs the 300 gallon. I always enjoy your videos. Which brand of floating algae scrapper do you recommend?
Always test your tap. I learned i have 17 ppm nitrate which has caused issues. The relationships I've made just from my local fish store has been awesome.
Great video Ben the beard looks good
My hard lessons were I used to python clean deep into the substrate which caused ammonia spikes killing my fish. Also always quarantine new fish. I have learned so much from your videos and your honesty and willing to share your experiences and also saying if things are working donβt necessarily switch methods but maybe tweak. Thanks again Ben for all you do.
I lost a whole reef with animals and fish. Haven't gone back to salt water since but I've been keeping fish for 40years now. Nothing will get me out of freshwater but part of me wants a reef againπ π π
Well done for blocking Ben, I agree, no point in engaging with trolls and those types; sadly the hobby has become contaminated with them since a few years back. I also agree to try and keep things simple and to enjoy both watching the fish and the maintenance of tank care.
A very good video Ben. I've been keeping fish since 1971 I was 11 years old I keep learning and my hobby keeps evolving.
I am learning to forgive myself and others in the hobby. No one can really tell you that, you have to experience it. For instance if you lose some fish from what you consider a mistake, (quarantine, heating, water conditioning, compatibility and so on), maybe look to see if you can benefit the hobby a bit. Sometimes I describe options to a beginner or keep a relatively easy care but rarer fish (uncommon livebearers). Or maybe take a health break and return to us.
Ben, you're awesome and I love your content. My late father always said, "When it stops being fun, quit." He always spoke volumes in few words. Two of your points in this video were specifically about fun, and others touched on the concept. You, and my father, share wisdom. You're in the hobby for the fun of it. It is fun! Let's enjoy it.
As someone who currently does not know anyone else who keeps fish, i really am grateful for videos like this sir.
Best advice I can give is to use ammonia to cycle the tank before anything else. Do not use ammonia with fish, just the tank, substrate, and filter. Eventually the bacteria will colonize the aquarium and it should be able to handle the ammonia produced by the fishβs waste. It is really not that difficult, but it takes patience. Great video!
This list was great and after being in the hobby for 30 years I can honestly say Iβm still learning, One thing I wish someone told me was that when you hit your stride and really start to learn and enjoy this hobby, itβll just make you want to have more tanks. Started with a 20 gallon, that last about 3 months before I wanted to expand! π
I was lucky and learned all of the fundamentals from aquarists that came from the 60's, 70's and 80's when I started out in the hobby back in 1988. All of the basics and tips they taught me have served me well over the last 37 years and I'm eternally grateful for it.
I wish someone had told me about the nitrogen cycle. When I started in the sixties we knew nothing of the mechanics of the cycle. I am sure I killed many fish. Thanks for the vid, Ben.
hi hey great video I'll be see you on Saturday π / Question I want keep my aquarium the way it is but I want to change all the rocks though will that make Ammonia spark in the aquarium just by change the rocks new look African cichlids tank
Great video π
Iβm that guy who gave up on the hobby several years ago,from having all types of fish and made many mistakes. However I got back into the hobby by not having big tanks and big fish π to having tetras in a large bowl with no filters and just plants π±. In this hobby each one teach one. Thanks for sharing your knowledge Ben and great content as always.
I had a new daughter in-law and wanted to see if I could get her interested in my fish room. I showed her the tanks and the one comment I remember was I needed "more orange and red color in my fish". First time I took a family members comment about a signfificant change seriously. As It turned out, it caused me to focus on red/orange fish and I am glad I listened. Bosmani rainbows, Koi Angelfish, and red Peacocks were some of the fish that I purchased and probably would not have tried out without the comment from my daughter in law. Moral of the story, look for that gem of a comment, even from non fishkeepers, realizing that most comments are as you say not something you should chase after.