cichlid85

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Lauren. I am born and raised in northern Virginia, about 30 minutes from Washington DC and now residing in Phoenix AZ for almost 5 years. I really like Arizona. Sunny almost every day! Well, I am still trying to adjust and become more tolerant of the summers here. Starts about may and ends around October. HOT, dry, desert heat! But hey, its worth it!

I have kept fish pretty much my whole life, even as a child. I have had several tanks over the years 36 and 55 gallon setups were the largest. I have kept only freshwater fish myself, but my father had saltwater tanks seperate from mine growing up in our house in VA. We even have a pond/waterfall in the backyard back in VA with Koi.

I have learned alot from the hobby over the years. For me, I have learned bigger tanks are not always better. I have seen some of the most beautiful tanks in small, nano sizes.

I have learned that it is not the fish that make the tank, but the aquascape. Fish are the finishing touch to complement the tank.

Also that i do not care for artificial gravel colors or "decorations" like scull heads and mini scuba divers!
I have found the most peaceful and beautiful tanks to be modeled after nature or bio aquariums modeled after any region. The natural aquarium is what i admire in this hobby.

Tex Gal

Glad to meet you Lauren. I'm from VA myself. Just visited there this spring. It's so beautiful in the spring! Makes me miss living there. The Shenandoah Valley area and the rolling hills everywhere are so pretty. I'm in TX now, like the mild winters, but the beauty here is really so different.

You sound like you will fit in quite well with the rest of us here. Looking forward to seeing your tanks.

ianjones

wow all these VA peeps! i actually live in a county called Madison, about 20min away from skyline drive. and i lived in Austin, TX for a year when i was younger. it was very different and took a lot of getting used to, but a lot of it was just as nice. its like going to another country almost. cichlid85, im with you on the scuba men and skulls haha

cichlid85

Thanks! I have been to Shenandoah vally when I was younger. I remember we went camping there. VA is very pretty, I agree!

cichlid85

I agree it is a big change. Everything is different. When I came to AZ, I was seeing all the mountains, palmtrees and cactus everywhere. I loved it but had never seen anywhere like it. I came in January where back home it was snowing or raining and dark, AZ was nice and sunny, but a huge change.

And about the scuba divers and scull heads, lol..I am trying to get my boyfriend involved with fishkeeping. When we went to the store he kept wanting to go down the isles of plastic decorations and get that stuff. He actually found the scuba man Lol, I tried to explain why we wont be using them. No offense to anyone that does but like I said, the "natural aquarium" (or as close that we can get to it)

nanishi

Welcome!

ianjones

hahaha! yeah if i ever make a tank for my son, i might put some spongebobs in it or something but yeah...im going for the natural look this go round.

i moved from VA to Austin, TX for a year. the move was in the mid-summer. for a month, i couldnt go outside for more than 15min without running back to the AC :P i still like it down there though, and have been back a few times in the last couple years.