I am all about finding peace and calm these days. I am very tired of feeling life has me stressed to the limit. I try to escape the city on weekends to unwind in the uncomplicated simplicity of less populated areas. I am continually on a quest to find new and equally peaceful means of surrounding myself at home by the same calm that fills my being on my weekend jaunts.
Most recently I've discovered that watching my fish swim in their aquarium allows calm to wash over my senses. As I watch the fish swim I recall the Don Knotts movie "The Incredible Mr. Limpet", wondering if some of what I feel was behind Henry Limpet's desire to become a fish.
Not long ago I was in the pet department of Wal-Mart staring at the fish. An elderly gentleman and his wife approached and the man engaged me in a conversation about fish. He said he used to come home from work and watch his fish for hours. I smiled and nodded knowingly. I can relate completely to his sentiment.
Now that I've been bitten by the aquarist bug, I've expanded my equipment from a 20 gallon tank to a 70 gallon system as shown below. (This is only a picture from the brochure; not my actual setup). The best thing about this is that I've procured the arrangement with a minimal of expense. Thanks to a cousin with friends in the aquarium store trade, this has all been acquired without benefit of major cash outlay. Mere pennies.... literally.
Tonight, with his help and as a result of his vigilant eye for bargains, we added gravel, positioned the rocks (most of which I collected from backyards, parks, weekend adventures, and outside of office buildings), added plants, and then filled it with water. In a few days I will move my fish from the small tank to the larger tank. Of course, I will then begin taking photographs of this new habitat. The filter is running and its hushed sound of a distant trickling creek fills the room. It makes me smile. Anything that makes me smile is worth gold in my book!
As for the smaller tank, I am thinking of trying my hand at either a planted aquarium or a small saltwater tank featuring live rocks and corals. I don't have to decide right now.
Speaking of calm and watching fish, this video is amazing. Watching the slow, gentle motion of the aquatic animals does something to me. It makes me feel as though I am breathing deeply of crisp country air. Really!! I am easily entertained. Of course the peaceful feeling is nothing compared to the magnitude of the aquarium on display. Enjoy!
Until I can start taking photos....
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