Sooo RelAAxxxing

FINALLY!! got me some time to start blogging again......

The past month has been hell of a hectic time for me......grinding my arse on my new project and with CNY. Seriously in need of some relaxation.........golfing with my buddies, hanging out, going on a vacation.......the list is endless. The troubling thing at the moment is me knowing the fact that I won't have the luxury of time to indulge in what I consider "ideal" relaxation because of the workload that I have now. The only thing left for me to do in my quest for relaxation is to spend time everyday after work to look at my beloved aquarium.....sometimes I imagine that I am one of the fishes.....swimming here and there without a care...aahhhh eternal bliss.

Let me clarify the actual reason for my setting up the aquarium.......I have always loved fish, in fact I love anything to do with fish.....eating them, rearing them, fishing them, admiring them, etc. This particular aquarium that I have in my house right now is set up for the sole purpose of rearing underwater plants....Yes, you read it correctly....P.L.A.N.T.S.....meaning ferns, moss, long stalked plants, etc. The picture you see in this post is of my old and long gone aqaurium....I have since upgraded it to a one piece showcase type instead of the four piece conventional aquarium ( no pics of it yet ).

The cost incurred for my hobby as of todate is as such:

FIXED

1) 1 unit 3" single piece showcase aquarium = RM 1,300 of damage

2) 1 unit Tetra external filteration system = RM 650 of damage

3) 1 set of C02 ( Carbon Dioxide ) system = RM 600 of damage

4) Amazon sand ( under layer ) = RM 300 of damage

5) River sand ( top layer ) = RM 150 of damage

6) Rock and driftwood = RM 200 of damage

7) Four tubes of Arcadia lights = RM 280

Total damage incurred ( fixed ) = RM 3,480

VARIABLES

1) Plants = RM 500 approx

2) Fishes = RM 100 approx

Total damage incurred ( variable and running ) = RM 600

So, can you imagine the hell I got from my wife? hehehehehe.......I always tell her that this underwater garden is specially designed, nurtured and grown for her.........and as of today she has accepted and seen the beauty of my underwater garden of Eden. So much so that she will follow me during my weekend excursions to specialist aquarium shop to look for rare and exotic plants. The treasures that I have in my collection todate are :

The Marimo, a ball like moss found only in Japan and certain Scandinavian countries( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cladophora ). Marimo is also used by lovers to confess their love for each other ( http://www.marimarimarimo.com/main.htm ) but the exportation of Marimo Moss has since been curbed in order to protect the depletion of this underwater beauty.

Moss.....I have quite a substancial collection of moss in my aquarium....Taiwan moss, Flame moss, Java moss, Dripping moss, Peacock moss and Christmas moss.

Apart from the above, I also have the Staghorn Fern, Longfillia, Lilies and Amazon Swords.

Rearing plants is not such a big deal.......you just have to keep the water temperature within a range of 23 to 28 degree C, provide them with ample supply of Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen and artificial daylight for photosynthesis and a good and steady supply of nutrients ( vitamins ).

I change 10-15% of the water weekly to maintain the kH and ph content.

It was tough like hell initially but I have since become quite an expert on rearing underwater plants.........and my wife is no longer giving me hell...hehehehehhe.

I am always open should any of you guys wish to set up your own underwater garden..please feel free to come and have a chat. FYI, I live in a very,very,very small apartment and this is my only way to have a living garden which I can fiddle around with during weekends.

Apart from the cost/damage incurred, it has given my endless happiness to date and also helped to bring my blood pressure down....hehehehe.

2 every1 his/her own..............