Sunday, March 11, 2007

My first aquarium + my first blog = likely disaster?

So here's the deal. I just moved into a new apartment, and I've always wanted an aquarium, so I got one. That's pretty much the story. I've been waiting for a good place to set one up, and now I've got the space and the resources, so why not?

In fact, I purchased my new aquarium before I even got living room furniture or finished unpacking. That's mostly because I saw the one I wanted on Craigslist and I didn't want to pass it up. As it turns out, that may not have been a great idea after all. I ended up paying a little too much for an aquarium setup that isn't in quite the "like new" shape I was told it was. Oh well. I've got my aquarium and I'm ready to finally get into the hobby that has fascinated me all my life.

Here's what I'm starting with:
- A 46 gallon Oceanic bowfront tank that needs some serious cleaning
- A dusty, cobweb-ridden stand that looks pretty good, save for some scratches to the "stainless" laminate
- A useless hood that has been hacked to pieces by the previous owner
- A 38 watt strip light with a 25 watt flourescent bulb

And that's pretty much it. I got the stand all cleaned up, and the aquarium is almost ready for water. I figured I would keep track of the progress of this project as a reference point both for me and for anyone starting their own aquarium. I'll be planning, stocking, and monitoring this aquarium for the next few weeks and months, and we'll see where it goes from there.