Tip of the Day – 10/10/2013

The blue glow of your aquarium, you know, the one you can see from the street, is just one of the many ways to spot an aquarist in your neighborhood. But sometimes that glow gets unusual visitors with prying questions. There have been numerous stories of people’s homes getting invaded by police officers looking to take down some massive grow operation, which ultimately resulted in an aquarium keeper having to replace a door and answer a bunch of questions. On a personal note, when I was living in an apartment post-college, I received a knock at my door one night from one of the fellow tenants of the building. His first question was “are you guys having a party or something?” After he saw the tank, he sulked away, probably disappointed that we didn’t have a room full of debauchery. Getting to the point, aquariums can draw unwanted attention. While most of it is harmless, some of it can be negative, as the hardware alone could attract someone looking to relieve you of it. So, be careful how you show off your tank and be sure to keep a watchful eye for folks that are taking an extra special interest in your setup.