I just posted about my own tank on the forums and how I'm just a bit unhappy with everything. Right now my Immediate focus is small, impactful changes. We can only hope that by the time all the changes mentioned in the video are complete, that You're satisfied with the effort and enjoying the tanks themselves more.
Thanks for sharing this. Yes, I’ve definitely felt this way. And made changes in my hobby, with mixed results. When it didn’t make me happy, I made more changes. I’m excited to see your fish room evolve again.
I completely just emptied and redid my 75 gal tank, and went with Black sand. And using creek rocks I made 2 planting beds for the left and right back corners of the tank. I aqua soiled both beds and used the black sand for everything outside the planting beds. Then I planted both sides and for the middle I went with bog wood. 4 pieces of bog wood that I used to fill in the middle area and create structure and hiding places for the fish and shrimp in the tank. This one is the one my fish seem to really interact with and explore. The gold lazer corey's are just going wild schooling through it lol. Even though I really think I have found my happy spot with this tank. I know that I still want to do more tanks. Unfortunately space doesn't really allow that right now. Once I get into a place with more room I know for sure one thing is going to happen. A salt water aquarium is going in. I love fresh water and planting them. But salt water tanks offer a different joy altogether. Maybe you might find some joy in doing a salt water tank with a eel as the center piece? And something break up the flow your in? I had a salt water tank back when I was in the Army many years ago. And seeing my eel with my puffers was always just pure joy for me. I hope you find your passion again man. Thanks for the vids.
I've been going through the same thing recently with changing things and changing ideas of the fish I'm keeping and trying to breed in my fish room. I've also decided to let the topaz cichlids go as well. Mine are pretty sociable They don't hide often they come to the front they wait for food like some of my other cichlids do however they are so prolific I guess being part of that convict family It was inevitable that when they did breed it was going to be an excessive amount of fry! To the point where even after selling over 60 fish I still have about 20 of their offspring that have made it into various tanks from jumping out of nets when I move them and etc They even had babies that were hiding in the mixed community tank I had them in after they spawned a second time without me knowing! I've also been really focused on breeding apistos, Acara types, plus several shrimp breeding projects. With that being said it's come down to the point of me having to completely redo my fish room to make it more efficient, more fun, and less of that feeling of work. It's going to take a long time but I am looking forward to the changes once they're complete.
Right on Zenzo! I guess part of what keeps my fire burning in this hobby after nine years is always trying to improve my aquascaping skills. Also, I think my sweet spot is five tanks. I find with limiting myself I will eternally have ideas on my bucket list! Those mud skipper tanks rock!!
The molly tank - I'd be actually super interested in seeing a full on saltwater with "usually freshwater" fish like mollies and guppies and see how it does. I think you should do it. 😎
I think you are making the right decisions. I've now cut down to 6 tanks with 4 of them heavily planted, one grow out and one 10ft American cichlid tank. I love the idea of constantly making incremental improvements on the planted tanks and building their own eco systems. My 10ft tank is the biggest challenge as I would somehow like to slowly convert that into a semi planted tank. No easy feat with a bunch of cichlids and 8 x silver dollars. I haven't seen anyone on RU-vid do this yet. I've started though. Java fern is a winner no-one touches that. Now to start adding to that.
Your future plans sound great to me! I can't wait to see the future of your fish room! Fish keeping is very easy for me. I only have 2 tanks which are well established. I've been keeping fish for more than 20 years, so it's become relatively easy without many issues. I simply love my fish! All the best to you always!
I totally switched directions from keeping Mbuna and med/large cichlids to keeping community tanks. I still love all the fish I used to keep but that's all I ever had and needed to change it up. I'd say I've been in the hobby for around 10/12 years in some way(mom had tanks) and we've/i have mostly had Mbuna. I now have 9 aquariums and everyone is planted with community fish and it brings a new love for the hobby and a different type of relaxation and enjoyment. Can't wait to see all the updates and improvements you do with the fishroom. 👍
Great update Zenzo, always fun seeing the fish room. Sometimes we just need a bit of change to respark that passion. If your deadset on moving on with the Topaz’s then disregard what I’m about to say lol. Something that may work with them is introducing some dithers. Larger livebearers would be great. Seeing some active schooling fish might give ‘em the confidence to come out a bit more.
I have a 75 with 14 Gold Marble Angels. I raised them from dime sized to their present 2' to 2 1/2" size. I am done. I can't keep plants in there either!!! They have to go!!! I am currently considering a reef setup for it.
Is the green spotted puffer still Po? I remember when you had Po living with the African mudskippers. Love the update on all your fish room tanks. Thank you
I recently changed my mind and traded to my local store Turkana Jewel Cichlid (Hemichromis exsul) Great looking fish but I decided going back to cichlids wasn’t a good fit for my tank goals.
Dang your Mbuna are HUGE. It stinks to have hiding fish, almost defeats the prepose. Wow your jewels are the brightest ones ive ever seen. I like your peacock tank as well. that yellow blaze is HUGE. I had totally got out of the hobby for a few years, just got back in it a couple months ago.
I guess my only question would be if you ever considered removing tanks to increase enjoyment. Life changes and time constraints change. You'll have about 8-10 tanks potentially empty. Maybe remove half? Maybe replace something with a plants only 60B to use as a high tech farm setup for planting the test of the fishroom? It'll be interesting to see what you end up with. As a small amount of inspiration I would like to suggest a film to you called chasing coral.
Zenzo, Awesome video buddy. A long time fan. Some of those tanks that you are changing you could make them a planted community tank with some rainbows and giant danios, etc. those fish are very lively and beautiful to look at. Dang I wish I lived in the San Francisco area. I live in riverside county. I would take some of those fish off your hands. I have a Jewel cichlid in my 55 gal he gets along great with my EBA and other community tank. Appreciate the video.
Sometimes change is good. That's one of the great things about the hobby fully custom to your liking & versatile. I've got a few unique ones in growout tank. Stay tuned 😀 😎
Just a thought, but if you are closing down so many tanks, why not replace them with a few large tanks? Maintenance will be easier and it gives you options to keep larger fish or make some amazing environments for many many smaller fish. I love my 180 and will likely go bigger on the next one. Fewer, bigger tanks may help.
I'm in the same spot. I had a larger fish room with 15 tanks and then had to move. I downsized to only 3 tanks. other than my multis I want to change my 40g and 75g but also feel a lack of motivation and even have considered shutting them all down for a while.
This is a nice watch for me, I've been out of the Hobbie for a couple years and I really would like to get back into it. Time for a change! Probably going to go with under gravel filters.
Maybe a weird suggestion, but i guess most of us watch youtubers such as yourself because it inspires us. I guess u don't have much time to watch other youtubers but it could be a good way to find new inspiration? Another idea might be to do a collaboration with an aquascaper? This way you have a tank that looks different then what you would have done yourself. Dean mentioned in a video that he loves the tank that lizzy scaped for him, so this could also be a nice change that is kind of like a gift to yourself. Thanks for another great video, always like getting an update on your aquariums!
I think all your ideas will look really good and I agree that Indian mud skipper tank is your nicest tank, ill probably try and make something like it someday. If you end up turning that molly tank into a saltwater molly tank it would look really cool with macro algae and it would make the maintenance so much easier. good luck with all the future plans :)
HI ZENZO; I UNDERSTAND YOU COMPLETELY.....I USUALLY CHANGE MY SCAPES EVERY 6 MONTHS...I GET TIRED OF THEM...I ALSO CHANGE THE FISH IN MY TANKS VERY OFTEN....I USED TO HAVE A LOT OF TANKS IN MY FISHROOM/GARAGE....BUT I CUT DOWN A LOT.....I'M DOWN TO 3- 100 GALLON TANKS...AND ONE 20 GALLON TANK....I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN. AND I'M TRYING TO MAKE MY LIKE A LITTLE EASIER.....THIS IS TRULY A HOBBY FOR ME. BUT WHEN IT STARTS TO TURN INTO A JOB....THATS WHEN I DECIDED TO DOWNSIZE AND GET RID OF A LOT OF TANKS I HAD.. RIGHT NOW THIS IS SUFFICIENT FOR ME...WHO KNOWS WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. HAPPY FISH KEEPING TO YOU..... YOU DO A GREAT JOB....
