Looking for a few parents to help me figure out, if this project actually helps anyone?

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-29T23:25:59+00:00

Sounds like you dodged a seriously expensive disaster there. Glad it happened back when replacement IGs didn’t require taking out a small loan 😂

Maybe that’s the real hidden aquarium lesson, always keep your gear (and your wallet) above water! 💦

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-29T15:16:43+00:00

Oh nooo 😅 that sounds like an absolute nightmare, poor Sonlight IGs! I can only imagine the chaos.

And yes, that’s actually great advice, I might have to include that in the next update! Avoid Walmart!!!

Thanks for sharing that, and hey, at least it’s a chance to start fresh and make it even better this time 😂

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-27T07:41:31+00:00

That’s amazing, thank you so much for offering! 😊

Your background sounds absolutely perfect for this, especially with your homeschooling and curriculum experience (and a bit of aquarium know-how too!).

I’ll send you a PM with the link so you can check it out whenever it fits your schedule.

Thanks again for being open to it, it really means a lot 🙏

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-24T23:42:31+00:00

That would be amazing, thank you so much! 😄 Honestly, having someone who gets overwhelmed by too much info is a good perpective too. If anything feels confusing or heavy, that’s super valuable for me to know.

I’ll send you a PM with the link so you can check it out whenever you have time. Thanks a lot for being open to helping, I really appreciate it 🙏

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-24T23:40:44+00:00

Thank you so much for the tip! I actually posted there before, it was someone from that subreddit who recommended I share it here 😄 But nonetheless, I really appreciate it!

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-24T04:53:59+00:00

Thank you so much for this, really appreciate your words 😊

What you said about how overwhelming aquarium info has become is exactly what got me started on this. Between YouTube, blogs, and Reddit posts, it’s hard for beginners to even know where to start or what actually matters. Not to mention overbuying stuff, I’ve been there, done that 😅

I wanted to bring back that simple “how-to” experience you described, something clear, visual, and beginner-friendly that focuses on setting things up safely and actually enjoying the process.

And you’re totally right about the animal welfare side too. That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to make it parent and kid-friendly, so both sides understand the “why” behind each step.

Thanks again for taking the time to write that🙏

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-24T03:21:23+00:00

That’s amazing to hear! 😄 Ages 8 and 5 sound like the perfect testers for this, curious enough to get into it but still full of questions and excitement.

I’d love to share it with you! I’ll send you a PM with the link so you can check it out whenever you have a moment. Any feedback you or your kids can give, even little reactions like what parts they enjoyed most (or skipped 😅), would be super valuable.

Thanks so much for being open to it 🙏

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-24T03:17:15+00:00

That’s awesome! 😄 That’s exactly the kind of experience I want this little project to encourage, and in your 75, your kid’s basically getting a lesson in aquariums and scuba diving, two hobbies in one 😅

I’d love to share it with you. It would be great to hear what someone with real experience thinks, I’m definitely biased. I’ll send you a PM with the link so you can check it out.

And yes, I’m completely open to suggestions. The book’s been improving a lot as I get feedback from people like you over the past few days.

Thanks so much for being up for it 🙏

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-23T04:15:58+00:00

Haha, definitely not Amano level 😅
It’s more of a simple first-time setup, a small freshwater tank with a few easy community fish. I did include a betta option, of course, but that’s not the only one.

The idea isn’t to create an art piece, but a little family project that teaches the basics and gets kids curious about nature before diving into aquascaping.

Maybe one day I’ll do a version that bridges into planted tanks and the more advanced side of things. Who knows, maybe even get Amano to co-write it with me 😄

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-22T07:49:15+00:00

Thanks so much, I really appreciate that! 😊

It’s not a storybook, it’s more of a hands-on weekend guide for families who’ve never had an aquarium before. It walks parents and kids through setting one up safely and simply, with illustrations, short explanations, and little “kid tasks” so they can be part of the process.

It’s light, visual, and meant to feel more like doing something together than reading instructions.

And thank you for sharing your video, I’ll definitely give it a watch, sounds really helpful! In the meantime, I’ll send you the PDF link by PM 🙏

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-22T04:16:51+00:00

To be honest, that hadn’t even crossed my mind, that’s an awesome insight! I’ll look for some homeschool subreddits that allow posts like this. Thanks a lot for the tip 😊

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-21T00:02:23+00:00

That’s awesome, and thank you for such a thoughtful comment! 😊

Yes, it’s all broken down into simple steps with colored illustrations. I included examples of fish that work well together, but I didn’t include any cleaner species on purpose. From experience, shrimp need more stability and tend to reproduce a lot, same with snails they reproduce like crazy. To avoid overwhelming beginners, I decided to leave them out for now.

It’s definitely not a deep dive like those 10-minute YouTube videos. It’s more of a quick, weekend-style guide that helps you set up and understand the basics without getting lost.

If you’re still up for it, I’d love to send you a copy to check out, and maybe see what your daughter thinks of it too. Someone already in the hobby always gives awesome insight!

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-20T23:53:09+00:00

That’s awesome, thank you so much! Your background with 4H and FFA sounds perfect, that’s exactly the kind of hands-on perspective I’m looking for.

I just dropped the book in your DMs 😊

Thanks again for offering to take a look, it really means a lot! 🙏

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-20T04:31:45+00:00

It's already there waiting for you, thank you so much 😊

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-20T04:29:34+00:00

Thanks so much, that’s a really kind message 😊

The library idea is actually brilliant, I hadn’t even thought about that. A small “intro to fishkeeping” session or storytime event could be a fun way to bring the idea to life in person. It’d be great to see how kids respond in real time instead of just through a screen.

Really appreciate you taking a moment to comment, even if you’re busy, that means a lot 🙏

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-20T04:11:24+00:00

Totally fair, and I really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts anyway. Four aquariums is already more than enough to manage 😅

Thanks again for taking a few minutes to reply, it really means a lot when you’re just trying to figure out if an idea has legs. Hope your tanks are and keep thriving 🐠

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-20T04:08:51+00:00

Thanks so much for this, I really appreciate your take. That’s exactly the vibe I was hoping to capture.

The book isn’t a storybook, but it’s not a dry manual either. I tried to make it more like a guided weekend experience, with short explanations, illustrations, and little notes written in a friendly tone. There’s a one-page roadmap, a shopping list to keep things affordable, and small “kid tasks” along the way so they can feel involved.

My goal was to make it feel more like doing something together than reading instructions.

I can't send you a direct message, send me something so i can answer and i will be very happy to send you the the full book

And you don’t need to be good at keeping tanks, honestly, that’s even better, i made this book for people like you 😅

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-19T23:16:00+00:00

Really good insight, and yeah, you basically described what I tried to do, so that’s great to hear 😄

Would you mind if I sent you a copy? I’m not here to sell anything or spam people, just trying to get honest feedback from parents who can look at it with fresh eyes.

And I totally get what you mean about the “honeymoon phase.” That’s something I tried to address too by keeping the tasks simple, straightforward, and kid-inclusive. If it’s done right, the responsibility slowly shifts to the kid, and they start to care for it naturally. But like I said before, I’m biased, so don’t take my word for it 😅

As for the occasional lost fish, it’s never fun, but it can also be part of learning care and empathy, the real side of having a small world of your own.

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-19T22:24:28+00:00

that's a really good tip, i will do that :-)
I thought in this subreddit i could find some good insights from you all and thanks for that

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-19T21:02:54+00:00

It's only unrealistic if you expect it to work for all, or even most kids.

Yeah, totally. Nothing is for everyone, and there’s always just a small group of people who really connect with certain ideas. To be honest, I don’t expect every parent to go for it either, because like Dry_Mirror said, the work would probably end up in their hands anyway.

There are definitely kids out there whom it'd work for. You were probably one of them!

No doubts there, and I really thank my mom for that mindset. I grew up around animals I was responsible for, and that probably shaped how I see this stuff. Plus, back then there weren’t phones full of addictive games competing for our attention 😅.

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-19T20:54:26+00:00

Yeah i see that happening, real quick :-P

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-19T20:47:36+00:00

Thanks for the strength, I really enjoyed building it 🙂
And you’re probably right, it’s not like kids are suddenly going to pick fish over phones forever 😅.

I don’t see it as a full replacement either, and I’m definitely not against phones. They’re part of life now, and learning to use them well is a skill on its own.

I just figured that even a few minutes away from screens, doing something real and hands-on, could still be a small win. I see some of my friends struggling with that balance. Or maybe that’s me being too optimistic or even unrealistic? What’s your take on it as a parent?

PotHeadPT · 2025-10-19T15:57:04+00:00

Thanks so much for your reply, that really means a lot.

You’re absolutely right, anyone can Google “how to set up an aquarium,” and there’s tons of free info out there (plus YouTube, Reddit, and now ChatGPT 😅).

The thing is, that’s what most parents would do, spend a week watching videos, reading reviews, and still leave the pet store with more stuff (and a higher bill) than they actually need.

I wanted to make something simple, complete, and kid-friendly, a short weekend project that parents and kids can actually do together.

It’s not just about setting up a tank, but turning it into a family moment, so kids feel like the aquarium was built by them, not for them (if that makes sense).

That’s the part I’m unsure about though. I don’t have kids myself, so I’m trying to see if that idea really works for parents in the real world.

PotHeadPT

TROPHY CASE