Is this Father Fish inspired aquarium doomed?

[Kwyet]

It’s disappointing. However I feel certain statements made here were overly harsh and inaccurate. I agree the book could have been more comprehensive and less full of jargon. On the other hand, I really haven’t seen any book on keeping aquariums that is completely comprehensive and fully satisfactory. She wrote like a professor, because that’s what she is, and she wrote what she knew about and nothing else. My take is that you peruse a source, take what you can use and ignore the rest until you want to revisit it, compare to other sources (especially more up-to-date ones), take into account how they’re regarded in the larger community etc. I kind of feel like we’re beating a dead horse now though, and am ready to move on. The book helped me. If it didn’t help someone else that’s okay.

 

[Wet Elbows]

Ahh this is the way of the academics. You stake your spot in the sand and defend it till the day you die. Have you ever known any academic to admit they were wrong? Because they don't.

 

[Pepere]

She wrote like a professor, because that’s what she is, and she wrote what she knew about and nothing else.

It is a scholarly work….

I feel I got my money’s worth out of it, but decided I am not a fan of dirted tanks myself…

 

[gnatster]

This morning, while cleaning a desk drawer of old software CDs, I came across the DVD for the 2004 AGA, on which Ms. Walstead gave a presentation titled "Water and Substrate Purification in Planted Tanks."

Now to find a DVD player.

 

[GreggZ]

That’s a bummer. It’s tough for most people to separate a topic from the person behind it. I wonder if that’s part of what’s going on here. When a method carries someone’s name, like the Walstad Method, and receives so much praise, it can feel deeply personal. The method becomes tied to the person’s identity rather than remaining just a technique or idea. That makes any criticism feel like a personal attack, even when it isn’t meant that way.

Yeah rather than becoming a technique or idea it becomes dogmatic. And when you challenge the dogma it is not received well.

Over many years I have found there are very few absolutes in this hobby. It is constantly evolving.

I know my views on many things have changed (or evolved) over time. I used to have a saying I used quite often.

Whatever I said I believed to be true at the time I said it!

 

[Pneumonicsonic]

Yeah rather than becoming a technique or idea it becomes dogmatic. And when you challenge the dogma it is not received well.

Over many years I have found there are very few absolutes in this hobby. It is constantly evolving.

I know my views on many things have changed (or evolved) over time. I used to have a saying I used quite often.

Whatever I said I believed to be true at the time I said it!

Yup. Science evolves and innovates, medicine is the same. Many procedures I’ll be doing in the next 25 years aren’t the ones I’ve been doing in the last six years of training.

I’ve gone from keeping a goldfish at a wedding reception to a planted tank to walstad to now venturing towards a totally different approach now in 13 years in the hobby. The jump into high tech does seem more nerve wracking then taking some bags of MGOPC and repeatedly rinsing and then capping with STS. I think it’s really just figuring out the CO2. The walkthroughs here and on 2hr aquarist have been awesome though.

Now to find a DVD player.

Lol. My kids saw ours along with a CD/DVD sleeve full of movies and were just like…. What is this and why?

 

[Wet Elbows]

This morning, while cleaning a desk drawer of old software CDs, I came across the DVD for the 2004 AGA, on which Ms. Walstead gave a presentation titled "Water and Substrate Purification in Planted Tanks."

Now to find a DVD player.

Good thing it's not on Beta.
Laugh if you're old enough to remember Beta.

 

[Koan]

I really haven’t seen any book on keeping aquariums that is completely comprehensive and fully satisfactory

Well now that's an interesting question. Has anybody here found George's book helpful in their process?



He went to a lot of trouble, and it was a big deal when it came out, and I bought it on principle to support him but I I'm more of a hands-on learner so haven't personally used it a lot.

 

[Kwyet]

That was the 2nd book I bought. I enjoyed it a lot! I can’t say I followed any particular step-by-step thing in it, but it just added to my general knowledge and desire to do better. I do remember that I learned about the concepts of high energy vs low energy tanks in that, instead of just high tech and low tech.

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

Well now that's an interesting question. Has anybody here found George's book helpful in their process?

I loved reading it this year! I was hoping it would go more in-depth into the science of aquascaping (like a more modern, updated/hi-tech version of Walstad's book). It didn't, but I think it did a great job of covering all the basics of aquascaping, and explaning a few topics a little more in-depth. I think it would be a great book to start aquascaping with, but if you already understand pH drop-measurements for CO2 injection you're way past the book scientifically. As a whole, I was surprised that it actually covered almost every important topic in the actual aquascaping hobby to some degree.

Love George and his amazing work.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Same here, bought it out of support and how much he’s contributed to the hobby. I think it’s great for someone just starting out but for most of us, it’s a fun read with some beautiful imagery.

 

[filmpunk]

I can’t say I followed any particular step-by-step thing in it, but it just added to my general knowledge and desire to do better.

This

I was hoping it would go more in-depth into the science of aquascaping (like a more modern, updated/hi-tech version of Walstad's book). It didn't, but I think it did a great job of covering all the basics of aquascaping, and explaning a few topics a little more in-depth. I think it would be a great book to start aquascaping with, but if you already understand pH drop-measurements for CO2 injection you're way past the book scientifically.

And This.

I did enjoy the book, but I found it to be more of an introduction to Aquascaping. I too was hoping it was more in-depth. Enjoyed it, and its good coffee table book.

 

[Jeff Miotke]

I loved reading it this year! I was hoping it would go more in-depth into the science of aquascaping (like a more modern, updated/hi-tech version of Walstad's book). It didn't, but I think it did a great job of covering all the basics of aquascaping, and explaning a few topics a little more in-depth. I think it would be a great book to start aquascaping with, but if you already understand pH drop-measurements for CO2 injection you're way past the book scientifically. As a whole, I was surprised that it actually covered almost every important topic in the actual aquascaping hobby to some degree.

Love George and his amazing work.

Yeah, it’s a solid book. I actually started writing one too, aiming to take things to the next level. But after digging into publishing options and considering the audience size, I shifted to YouTube instead. I figured if a picture’s worth a thousand words, video is priceless—especially in a visual hobby like this. Now that I’ve hit the edge of what I can show with my filming skills, I’m thinking of bringing a bit more storytelling back in.

 

[Art]

Diana joined APC back in the day and moderated a forum about her method. I think she had a strong following and we made sure the discussion always remained respectful and on point.

Like all things, you have a choice to follow someone’s method or not. I think most come away learning something from any time invested in looking at someone’s method or, in this case, reading a book.

I applaud anyone who authentically and with good intentions, publishes something into the world with the purpose of helping or pushing forward a positive change.

Heck, Kevin Conlin’s and Paul Sears’ paper back in the day, The Control of Algae in Planted Aquaria, was fantastic! I loved it. It turned out that it was generally wrong, IMO, but it was well intentioned and put out a theory.

Anyone remember Dupla’s 12 10 Golden Rules?

Let’s be glad of advances and continue to encourage new ideas collectively even if ultimately we don’t follow them.

 

[Jeff Miotke]

Oh yeah, I remember it as the 10 rules. Gotta love those heating cables—can’t have plant roots getting chilly, right?

Another one of those things that sounded plausible, but I never really bought into it—it just never passed the sniff test for me.

 

[Pepere]

. I actually started writing one too, aiming to take things to the next level. But after digging into publishing options and considering the audience size, I shifted to YouTube instead.

Maybe an Ebook rather than printed…

Printing, warehousing, distribution, and shipping are expensive…. And Printing requires heavy upfront cost

I bought George Farmers book and view it more of a coffee table book rather than a nuts and bolts. More of an introduction than a how to.

 

[Jeff Miotke]

Maybe an Ebook rather than printed…

Printing, warehousing, distribution, and shipping are expensive…. And Printing requires heavy upfront cost

I bought George Farmers book and view it more of a coffee table book rather than a nuts and bolts. More of an introduction than a how to.

Yea I looked into all that. Anything I produce would be very photo heavy as it is visual art. Which makes the financials ugly as the publishers have a lot of costs for either printing or online to distribute. In the end it just doesn't make sense as I'd probably not even be able to rub two dimes together after it was all done. Thankfully Youtube seems to be working ok for distributing what I want to share with the world.

 

[Kwyet]

Yea I looked into all that. Anything I produce would be very photo heavy as it is visual art. Which makes the financials ugly as the publishers have a lot of costs for either printing or online to distribute. In the end it just doesn't make sense as I'd probably not even be able to rub two dimes together after it was all done. Thankfully Youtube seems to be working ok for distributing what I want to share with the world.

My husband actually sat down and watched one of your videos with me yesterday (he never does that). It was the collaboration with Steve Scapes “Creating the world’s deepest aquascape”. He was in awe of the process and how meticulous you were (as am I). I’m enjoying watching your builds whenever I have a few minutes.

 

[Art]

Thankfully Youtube seems to be working ok for distributing what I want to share with the world.

It's a slow burn @Jeff Miotke. Keep creating and sharing your talent with the world. Don't focus on numbers or they will impact your motivation.

I remember being 60+ ScapeFu episodes in and we would only get just over 1,000 downloads per episode.

 

[Koan]

Thankfully Youtube seems to be working ok for distributing what I want to share

Does YouTube offer you a way to influence the SEO they use to rank and promote?

I'd consider myself a low to moderate user, but almost all my searches and views are aquascaping. Still no matter the search terms, YouTube just pushes (occasional new and endless repeats of old) content from George Farmer / GreenAqua / ADA / Tropica / SerpaDesign /MJ Aquascaping / Corey and MD Fishtanks .

Interspersed with random overseas content and occasionally Juris and The Cinescaper.

I had never once come across your channel until Art mentioned it here