Hello Welcome, ncsuben

[Art]

Welcome to ScapeCrunch, @ncsuben!
We would love to get to know you. Please tell us about yourself. What tank do you have?

 

[ncsuben]

Thanks so much @Art! I followed @Unexpected over here from another forum. I must say I'll be asking more than telling given I have little experience in the scaping world, but I'm wanting to learn. My wife and I are starting a 75G from the ground up. We've had a 29 and 20 long for about 4-5 years and dabbled with various plants and fish. Mostly low-tech, but we did add CO2 to the 29 and have dipped our toes into some slightly more needy plants. We didn't know better and had Fluval Aquasky lights on both, but seemed to do the trick. Will try and dig up some photos of the 29 but we recently went to war with some BBA so it's a bit poor at the moment.

We have 3 kiddos under 5, and a 3 month old puppy (you know, why not just embrace the chaos) so can't commit too much $$$ to going all out right now. We purchased a 75G Aqueon on a 50% off sale and a Week Aqua P1200 based on @Unexpected 's advice along with some "here heres" in other forums/posts. We've got some hardscapes on the way: dragon stone coming in from Aqua Rocks Colorado and some pacific driftwood and spiderwood coming from Manzanita driftwood. I snagged an Fzone CO2 Pro regulator from Amazon on Black Friday sale and so we will be doing CO2 in this tank with that solid Week Aqua light. Planning on using BDBS as substrate. I'll get a picture of the 75 up once hardscape is arranged... and I'm going to preemptively apologize for the amount of questions about to fly out of my account once we hit that stage. Would love any and all advice on plant ideas/layout before we make too many mistakes.

Anyway, long story short, husband and wife team in the midst of chaos hoping to enjoy building out the best tank we can together. From NC, previous veterinarian (too long a story as to why I'm not anymore, but if anyone's interested feel free to ask), and 3 kiddos: 5, 2.5, 6 months. Thanks for the add!

 

[Unexpected]

Welcome to the forum! Glad you found your way here. I'd encourage you to start a journal, even just for tracking purposes. Ask as much as you like. We are all here to learn and get better at this awesome job we call a hobby .

 

[Art]

Hey @ncsuben welcome. Glad you decided to join our growing community.

It's actually great to read that you and your wife are working together on this. I have a wonderful wife but she endures my hobby.

Where about in NC are you? Hope the hurricane didn't hit you too badly.

Finally, I can't even imagine what life is like with that many kiddos all under 5!

Like @Unexpected said, setting up a journal is the best way to share and learn. You get a cool badge under your name too.

 

[Pepere]

Would love any and all advice on plant ideas/layout before we make too many mistakes.

Mistakes are lovely learning opportunities. The lessons learned will stick with you…

Or as the old Maine Saw goes..

Knowledge earned is Bettah than Knowledge learned so long as the price dont come to deah…

In any event, rocks and driftwood and substarte even can be moved removed replaced swapped etc. plants can be chucked and replaced…. Mistakes can be fixed…

 

[ncsuben]

Mistakes are lovely learning opportunities. The lessons learned will stick with you…

Oh I know that to be true, I am quite the student of failure in many areas (typically the most impactful way to learn…in terms of both retention and pain). Perhaps the better way to put it is in order to take a step in the right general direction haha!

Looking forward to learning, always my favorite part!

Thanks @Pepere!

 

[ncsuben]

Where about in NC are you? Hope the hurricane didn't hit you too badly.

Finally, I can't even imagine what life is like with that many kiddos all under 5!

We were fortunate enough to avoid any issues from Helene as we’re in the greater Charlotte area. But many of our favorite hikes, campsites, restaurants, and places in the mountains will sadly never be the same.

And the three kids are an adventure every single day, you never know what will come up!

 

[RickyV]

Thanks so much @Art! I followed @Unexpected over here from another forum. I must say I'll be asking more than telling given I have little experience in the scaping world, but I'm wanting to learn. My wife and I are starting a 75G from the ground up. We've had a 29 and 20 long for about 4-5 years and dabbled with various plants and fish. Mostly low-tech, but we did add CO2 to the 29 and have dipped our toes into some slightly more needy plants. We didn't know better and had Fluval Aquasky lights on both, but seemed to do the trick. Will try and dig up some photos of the 29 but we recently went to war with some BBA so it's a bit poor at the moment.

We have 3 kiddos under 5, and a 3 month old puppy (you know, why not just embrace the chaos) so can't commit too much $$$ to going all out right now. We purchased a 75G Aqueon on a 50% off sale and a Week Aqua P1200 based on @Unexpected 's advice along with some "here heres" in other forums/posts. We've got some hardscapes on the way: dragon stone coming in from Aqua Rocks Colorado and some pacific driftwood and spiderwood coming from Manzanita driftwood. I snagged an Fzone CO2 Pro regulator from Amazon on Black Friday sale and so we will be doing CO2 in this tank with that solid Week Aqua light. Planning on using BDBS as substrate. I'll get a picture of the 75 up once hardscape is arranged... and I'm going to preemptively apologize for the amount of questions about to fly out of my account once we hit that stage. Would love any and all advice on plant ideas/layout before we make too many mistakes.

Anyway, long story short, husband and wife team in the midst of chaos hoping to enjoy building out the best tank we can together. From NC, previous veterinarian (too long a story as to why I'm not anymore, but if anyone's interested feel free to ask), and 3 kiddos: 5, 2.5, 6 months. Thanks for the add!

I think I responded to your post on reddit a few days ago. Thought this post sounded familiar lol. Welcome to the forum!

 

[Pepere]

But many of our favorite hikes, campsites, restaurants, and places in the mountains will sadly never be the same.

No, but they will recover, in the early 70s as a kid Bar Harbor still bore noticeable scars from the 1947 fire. Going there now as an adult is a wonder to behold… your children will be amazed with the recovery by the time they have their own and you get to see and experience the succession of changes in nature as it recovers…