So excited, have to share...

**Cascade** · 02-28-2011, 03:21 PM

Nobody else would understand my joy except the AC...

On the way home from work on Friday, we stopped to pick up some aquatic plants that I found on Craigslist. Later, my husband asks, "How come his tank looks so much nicer than ours does? Is it because he has better lights?" I said yes, he had a beautiful tank with tons of lighting and therefore gorgeous plants with tons of growth. I thought that was the end of the conversation.

The next day, husband says, "Why we don't have better lights on our aquarium?" I said, well, what we have is good enough for low light plants, and nice lights are expensive. Much to my surprise, he says, "You should go order some nice lights right now."

Um, okay, I will! Hahaha.

The second chapter of the story is that we got into a conversation about CO2 requirements, and he got really excited about getting to experiment with a DIY setup (he is also an engineer, very handy, and crazy about anything that involves bubbling liquids and tubes... think 'mad scientist'). Now he has gone from a marginal interest in the aquarium to a much more serious one (not really interested in the fish, just the science project).

Me, I like the fish and the plants. But if he wants to get into the really technical stuff... this could work out very well!

**Rue** · 02-28-2011, 03:35 PM

Luv it!

It's so nice when the sig. other (who's not into the hobby) gets involved.

Make sure you post your 'before' and 'after' the new lights pics...

My hubby is bit like that too...I took him with me spider hunting at the petstores and he stops by the aquariums, looks at the 75 g (which is on my hit list if I upgrade) and says "This could look really nice".

**Lab_Rat** · 02-28-2011, 04:05 PM

Very cool! You should talk him into his own high tech set up, then he could compare the effect of DIY CO2 on the one tank to pressurized CO2 on the other tank.

**Cascade** · 02-28-2011, 04:32 PM

I agree, Lab Rat! I like your idea of the side by side CO2 comparison... must keep this in mind for future science projects

Rue, that is awesome! I was so excited to finally get something above the level of mere fish-tolerance around the house...

**mermaidwannabe** · 02-28-2011, 05:11 PM

My hubby doesn't interfere, but I don't think he quite understands all of my involvements. He has his own interests, and that's fine.

The other day, though, he was watching one of my dojos wiggling in mid-water as it scrounged vertically along the bottom of the riccia pads, and he asked, "What's that long fishy?" I told him that is a dojo. End of his curiosity. Didn't even ask further what a "dojo" is. No conversation about loaches, or anything. He just left the room to go about his own business.

But, that's fine. So long as he doesn't interfere with my enjoyments, I don't interfere with his.

Kind of a nice arrangement, really ...

-- mermaidwannabe

**dragoonwoman** · 02-28-2011, 05:44 PM

That's awesome that your hubby gave you the go-ahead to upgrade, and that he's found something about your tanks to grab his interest for a while.

My husband brags about how good my tanks look (thanks, honey) but otherwise he cares nothing about the tanks or fish.

I was totally thrilled when he agreed to let me keep a tank in our library!! It's only 6 gallons and holds plants, snails and a betta named Sunny, but it's my favorite tank. And now it's in my favorite ROOM too!!

**Fisharefriends27** · 02-28-2011, 09:44 PM

Lucky. My dad is starting to get into the hobby. I'm teaching him (well at least trying to). He only learns another thing after like a month. But its good to taw it all in slowly. Hopefully he won't get sucked in too much...on the other hand...I'd love to have a couple 1,000 gallon tanks.