Hi, my name is Pete. I am originally from Martinborough in the Wairarapa but am currently living in Palmerston North where I am studying in my last year at Massey University.
I have kept fish since I was 8 (15 years ago) and learnt a lot of things the hard way due to inappropriate info from pet stores.
I have come a long way since then though and if money wasn't such a restraint I would have some lovely huge tanks.
My interest has built over the past few years; somewhat due to the slightly better availability of aquarium related products here in the city.
I am currently a moderator on a USA based forum http://aquariumpros.com/forums . My partner recently found this site and she told me about it.
Wow. Until now, I was of the opinion that there wasn't many people in NZ that new much about fish keeping (going by experience with pet stores in general) but now I know better.
This forum is full of knowledgable people talking about things like using compressed CO2 and power compact lighting that most pet store sales people have never heard of. I feel guilty for ever having such an opinion.
My main interests are in bottom dwelling fish and aquatic plants but i am by no means an expert in either field.
I currently have 2 tanks operating. 1 is the tank I began with 15 years ago; a 60 x 30 x 30 cm which I am trying to breed platys in and my main tank an odd shaped 65l x 30w x 63h, which is reasonably heavily planted.
I hope to learn a bit more about you other fish freaks out there. I see ajbroome (Andrew is it?) is from Palmy and mentioned perhaps restarting a Palmy fish club in an old post. Did that go ahead? If so i would love to join.
BTW, how long has this site been running? It seems you have built up a good number of members and there have been heaps of good questions asked (too many to read all of the ones I am interested in anyway). Keep up the good work.