How Did YOU Find Simply Discus?....Your FIRST Day!

[Kindredspirit]

Hey Everyone ~ last night I had a dream about Sd and I Googled the site and every result was Simply, but when I clicked on all of them ~ it was PETSMART! It was so strange ~ Simply was like gone ~ dropped out of cyberspace! I remember thinking ....Oh Hell No!


I need to get a life ~ ya think? lol!


So ~ Share your first day on Simply Discus and HOW did you find this great place we all think of Home??


Marie ~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_2_57v.gif

[AquaticRay]

Link was posted in a reply on another discus site.

[fishmama]

Marie-Now that is a nightmare!!! haha

I was researching discus and found the sight. Then when I purchased my discus at DiscusKC, he mentioned it and I became hooked.

My FIRST: Thought everyone was a lil' freaky and intense, now I'm one of THEM! And still think the same, hehe.

[Polar_Bear]

I was having a problem with some of my discus (I know now the it was Columnaris) and Googled about them. This site came up and I've been here ever since. I got great advice from Paul, Dave, Mat , and Carol btw.

[Harriett]

I had been studying the archives from the defunkt but still available Discus-L site for about a year--compiling a technical manual for myself based on the experiences of long time hobbyists and breeders, basically, on all aspects of how to successfully keep discus and how to do them in a planted tank. I had tried doing them once previously with short lived abysmal results, of course.
The day I finished my archive abstraction, I googled Discus and up she popped. Got my fist batch of BT babies shortly after and the race was on. Been here ever since (off and on). Have met wonderful people here, some of whom are now my friends....it's sort of like AA, heh heh heh.
Best regards
Harriett

[White Worm]

I had been studying the archives from the defunkt but still available Discus-L site for about a year--compiling a technical manual for myself based on the experiences of long time hobbyists and breeders, basically, on all aspects of how to successfully keep discus and how to do them in a planted tank. I had tried doing them once previously with short lived abysmal results, of course.
The day I finished my archive abstraction, I googled Discus and up she popped. Got my fist batch of BT babies shortly after and the race was on. Been here ever since (off and on). Have met wonderful people here, some of whom are now my friends....it's sort of like AA, heh heh heh.
Best regards
Harriett

SA, lol.

[candyl70]

I was having a problem with some of my discus (I know now the it was Columnaris) and Googled about them. This site came up and I've been here ever since.


Same here. Then I got new fish and didn't QT and had problems and came back... and I got some really great advice and made some great friends here and have been hooked ever since. Granted I don't post that often anymore....

[ShinShin]

I was here from the beginning (under another name). I believe Al emailed various members of other existing forums telling us of his ideas about creating Simply.

Mat

[White Worm]

I was interested in discus about a year or two before simply. On and off, I would get some from a lfs and I would return them because they were not doing so well or they croaked (not great quality from what I know now). Good thing they had a return policy. Was just about to give it up because I didnt know where to find nice discus. Then, I thought I would try Mail Order since local stuff was crap. Took a chance on a good deal and ordered some through a (won't mention the name) breeder which turned out to be worse than the lfs. I thought, thats it, no more wasted money! then one day while looking at pictures of discus on the internet, I came across simply and since then, I don't think I have lost one discus but I have also found local breeders with great quality and good prices. Carol, Barb and Frank were the first ones to help with that not-so good shipment of discus I received even though I lost them all. I now have somewhere near 25-30 discus and 4-5 pairs. Thanks!

[Harriett]

That's the kind of help I found, also. I bought 6 baby BTs locally and they got sick right away. I'd read various 'guru' SD posts---I called Cary in Detroit and said "you don't know me, but I don't know what I'm doing and I have some sick discus. I didn't buy them from you." He said "so what?....tell me what you see..." and we were off and running. I see that happen every day here and I just love it--folks are gracious and so much help is asked for and recieved on so many different levels. It's real.
Harriett

[Squiggy]

I, myself, have never been here yet....:crazy:

Joe

[brewmaster15]

Hmmm... My first day? Well lets see... I had this psychological illness:D and I thought In my mentally weakened state that I could help build something truelly helpful and beneficial to the hobby...A place where we could all come together to talk about Discus, and share the passion... Luckily Ryan and April had the same illness...and many others did also.

Ryan and I , brought together by our mutual friend April , and Together with a small group of friends made that idea a reality... As we had been in the hobby elsewhere a while...we had a great foundation of friends and The site grew unbelievably.

Looking back on my first days.... what a light headed feeling... It was fun..so much fun... there was so much we could do with the place as all was new. We had great contests, and just a sense of being in paradise....We had no money worries as the server space we used was free from a friend.... and we had no advertisers or sellers...,,,oh and we also had no clue what we were doing!:D

I am sure that I was very delusional... ...man if I only knew then what I have since learned about running a large forum, interacting with people, and a multitude of other things... I don't know if I would still be here.:) That is probably why we can not see into the future...it would scare the heck out of us!

so thats my first days..
-al

[tpl*co]

Sampson was a very young discus then and would eat like a pig since he was an alpha fish. He of course got bloat and I was searching for what to do, taa dah, I found Simply and epsom salt that day! LOL.

Tina

[Harriett]

I, myself, have never been here yet....:crazy:

Joe

Ah, it's ok Joe, we know you are just out there trying to figure out where those 20 minutes from the clock went....we're really keeping our hopes up for you. <grin>
Harriett

[Tony_S]

...A place where we could all come together to talk about Discus, and share the passion... Luckily Ryan and April had the same illness...and many others did also.

Yup...I still remember the private message from you, informing me what you guys were cookin' up! LOL! It was either at DIP, or Jedds :confused: Can't remember....all hell was breaking loose at both forums at the time! Come to think of it...all hell was ALWAYS breaking loose at DIP...an eat, or be eaten forum! LOL!
Then...the Private message came from you that Simply was up and running, but not to the public...I think I was number 10..or 12.

Been home ever since...;)

Tony

[White Worm]

Hey Al, have you kept archive of information since simply started? How far back does it go. I would be curious to read some of the advice and information that was circling back then before we had alot of experienced keepers. Do you have any wild memories from then that you could share. Maybe home remedies that were well known or used that would now seem ridiculous? Did everyone have meds and know how to use them?
when I do a search now, it seems to only go back 3 or 4 months. Am I doin' something wrong?
So, this all started with just a couple of novice discus keepers / friends in the hobby?

[LizStreithorst]

Simply had already been in existance for many months when I stumbled across it. I don't remember how...just looking for Discus info, I guess. Because of Simply I was lucky enough to have ordered my very first Discus from Cary.
Then I went away. I made a few mistakes. Oh well, I'm back now.

[brewmaster15]

Oh well, I'm back now. Glad you are too:) Liz!!!


Mike,

so, this all started with just a couple of novice discus keepers / friends in the hobby? Not exactly... we had been on other boards over the years and in the hobby before that even, and I think many of us had been relatively experienced hobbyists even when Simply started.. We have been around about 4.5 years now as a forum.. Not too shabby for a forum our size:) Check out the archives... theres stuff in there that goes back....

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?f=40

Some things over the years I would rather forget... I have apologized far too many times for things I look back on now and cringe about!:( and some things I don't think I ever could do differently...its been a trip to say the least. But I have had many fond memories over the years and got to know many great people.

-al

[Kindredspirit]

Great replies guys! Joe ....never a dull moment! Liz I got my first discus from Cary, too ~ although I doubt he remembers! Actually, Ms. Pringles was my first ...oops...from our lfs! Last and first one I will ever buy from a lfs again ~ I actually forget how I happened upon Simply...I guess I googled it ~

But ~

Jason( Kiwi) Barb and April were the first to make me feel at home:)


Marie ~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_15_18.gif

[Kindredspirit]

Some things over the years I would rather forget... I have apologized far too many times for things I look back on now and cringe about!:(
-al


I would not worry about that Al ~ I, Personally, would not want you any other way:) You Are A Good Man Charlie Brown:D


Marie ~ :angel:

[billeagan]

I was doing a google researching some issue I was having and google showed me the answer and it was SIMPLY =)

[ShinShin]

Some things over the years I would rather forget... I have apologized far too many times for things I look back on now and cringe about!:( and some things I don't think I ever could do differently...its been a trip to say the least. But I have had many fond memories over the years and got to know many great people.

-al[/QUOTE]

Don't we, and haven't we all... well, some of us. ;) .

one t Mat ( where'd he come from? :lol )

[Wahter]

Re: How Did YOU Find Simply Discus?....Your FIRST Day!

Some woman in Vancouver named April (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/member.php?u=4206) kept suggesting for me to sign up on this new forum and help out in the planted tank section! ;) ;) ;)

That was back in April 02! I seem to recall that she had Honda back then and she showed me the photo of her Mastiff (because I told her I like Saint Bernard dogs).

Since then, I've met a few of the people on here and bought some fish from a few of them too.


Walter

[Marinemom]

My first days...I had been thinking about keeping Discus for the better part of a year or two and finally decided to take the plundge. However, it wasn't until some months later after my planted discus tank crashed because of a heater malfuntion that I found Simply Discus. I was desperate for information on what to do to set this up again for discus after this tragedy. That is when Simply was suggested to me on another forum. I have learned a lot since then with the help of all the good people here at Simply. Thanks everyone.

Diane

[White Worm]

Mike,
Not exactly... we had been on other boards over the years and in the hobby before that even, and I think many of us had been relatively experienced hobbyists even when Simply started.. We have been around about 4.5 years now as a forum.. Not too shabby for a forum our size:) Check out the archives... theres stuff in there that goes back....

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?f=40

Some things over the years I would rather forget... I have apologized far too many times for things I look back on now and cringe about!:( and some things I don't think I ever could do differently...its been a trip to say the least. But I have had many fond memories over the years and got to know many great people.

-al
Ahhh, so ya guys new a few things even when you started. I guess you would have to know something. Good thing for us you did! Yeah, not too shabby, this place is ok I guess ;) Thanks for the link to the archives...things do go back a ways.
Everyone lives and learns and I'll bet just the people and the memories are worth it all.
Hey, are ya gonna make it to ACA this year in Sac?

[GrillMaster]

Some things over the years I would rather forget... I have apologized far too many times for things I look back on now and cringe about!:( and some things I don't think I ever could do differently...its been a trip to say the least. But I have had many fond memories over the years and got to know many great people.

-al

Ahhhhh the closet skeletons!! LMAO....

I can assure you I have more than enough in mine...One day I am gonna find the time to go an bury em! ;)

I found ths site "Simply" searchin the web. Then I found a link to the TPT, an spent quite awhile over there.

Now its time to spend awhile here!:thumbsup:

[brewmaster15]

Mike,

Hey, are ya gonna make it to ACA this year in Sac? maybe...I haven't made one yet though so odds are against it....but I would really enjoy meeting so many of you west coasters that who knows....maybe I will.

-al

[2RedTurqs]

How I found Simply...

I searched and read everything I could on Discus on the web. I already had Discus but could not stop reading about them. Well most sites have some info but not alot of activity.
I opened a link one day and it was SD. It was informative. I added it to may favorites. Checked it day after day. New stories, New problems New solutions EVERY DAY.

I was hooked, so I signed up.

Dave

[bz79]

I typed "discus forum" in Google and this was one of the matches. :)

[roclement]

Oh the memories, do you guys reallt remember Jedds!? It makes me think back to the days of Discus Brief!

I had gotten back into discus and bought my first two in years at a LFS, after that, I went on-line and found the forum, very new back then.

Lot's of good advice, made many good friends, and have kept a lot of fish, the best part is how people can help each other so selflesly! What a great resource! I have PM Al many times for help, and Hans, back when he posted here helped me a couple of times, so did so many of you!

Thanks and keep on posting!

Rod

[April]

well..once upon a time..on a forum far far away..there was a friend named brew..who was disgruntled with help ..and a little young friend named ryan who said he wanted to open a forum..or set one up. so ..i said talk to ryan brew..and ryan..talk to brew. they didnt know each other.
so i watched..and yabbered..to ryan on msn. i became the test dummy for the new fancy forum. me..i said id be a mod...but no..im not cut out for admin..im not good enough with at saying things eloquently..or making rules.
i just helped spread the word. its all beeen great fun. may it live on forever. a few good years..left in ryan anyhow..hes just a young guy..

[GrillMaster]

well..once upon a time..on a forum far far away..there was a friend named brew..who was disgruntled with help ..and a little young friend named ryan who said he wanted to open a forum..or set one up. so ..i said talk to ryan brew..and ryan..talk to brew. they didnt know each other.
so i watched..and yabbered..to ryan on msn. i became the test dummy for the new fancy forum. me..i said id be a mod...but no..im not cut out for admin..im not good enough with at saying things eloquently..or making rules.
i just helped spread the word. its all beeen great fun. may it live on forever. a few good years..left in ryan anyhow..hes just a young guy..

Yeah but he's losin his hair pretty quick!! Man I am gonna have ta give him some of mine!!:D

[brewmaster15]

may it live on forever. a few good years..left in ryan anyhow..hes just a young guy.. Hey April, I'm not that old myself... Like to think I have a few good years left here as well!:)

and Mark... Yep.. my head of hair is not what it used to be... too many nights pulling it out over Forum stuff I'd guess:)

-al

[April]

no brew..your not old..younger than me...but..lets face it you and ryan are type A...and either of you sleep..your everready battery might expire if you dont go to bed!!!

[Jessie555]

The first time Simply, pfffffffff must be in the DIP periode (Darren still alive???), Raphael Bufo's AW Forum, Jedd's.
Great days the newbies knew their place, shut up if the big boys were talking, :argue: wanted to mix in, fine on your own risk :smash:

Big fights, but a lot of respect for each other, those were the day's,

"Jessie"

[ShinShin]

Yes, those were the days, weren't they Jessie? There was alot to be learned between the fighting if people paid attention. There were more discus keepers than newbies, and newbies asked questions and didn't tell veterans how it ought to be done. Experience spoke.

Mat

[Jessie555]

Mat (with one T) I just saw on an other forum a "newby" telling Cary and Discus Hans how to clean tanks and take care of their Discus.
In what time are we living??????

If you did that in the old days, Jim would invite you to come to Duisburg and don't forget the knives :fried:

"Jessie"

[ShinShin]

Jessie,

Oh yes, The Knife Fight Invitational in th Desert (or K-FID, as I call it) starring the infamous late JQ vs. Kees of Holland. I wonder if Kees is still alive. He was older than Jim as I recall.

MAT

[RKeiger]

Mat (with one T) I just saw on an other forum a "newby" telling Cary and Discus Hans how to clean tanks and take care of their Discus.
In what time are we living??????

If you did that in the old days, Jim would invite you to come to Duisburg and don't forget the knives :fried:

"Jessie"

I saw that post. It was a good laugh.

Frank Cottone told me about Simply a few years ago. Sadly, Frank has dropped off the face of the planet after his move to Wisconsin. They must not have any water up there.

[LizStreithorst]

I wish I'd have been there, guys.

[Jessie555]

Kees is still alive (altough a few months ago when he called me) He calls me once or twice a year. He's out of Discus.

He's still visiting his kids every year in the USA for a few months.

Bobby, wouldn't it be great to bring all those old "farts" (Jim would say) for one time together????

"Jessie"

[Kindredspirit]

and newbies asked questions and didn't tell veterans how it ought to be done. Experience spoke.

Mat


I hope I have never stepped on any veteran's toes here ~ and I would like to think I listen to what advice I am/was given ~

IMO it wld be sad to bump veterans into a dark closet on Simply ~ I have learned a lot from so many here!


Marie~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_5_2.gif

[AmberC]

I did a search thru yahoo on discus sites and this one came up. I was searching for breeders in my area.

[poconogal]

Originally I was a member of another site which was a big turn off. I just kept going thru my Google search until I found SD.

[ShinShin]

You would have fit right into the mix, Liz.

Mat

[Tony_S]

Oh yes, The Knife Fight Invitational in th Desert (or K-FID, as I call it) starring the infamous late JQ vs. Kees of Holland.

LOL! I always thought it was on the banks of the 'River Nile' or something like that....damn those two used to get into some good ones.

All this memory lane stuff made me think of LK Harding....There's never been another like her, not even close! Nothing like a fowl mouthed, sociopathic genius, gutting everyone within reach to make your day!!:D

Tony

[hexed]

Actually, I found Simply a completely different way LOL! I was into the buying and selling of domain names LOL. I found Aquabid first and did not know what a discus was until I looked at the auction page on them. I purchased my first big pair and then I wanted to make a website for them. I actually wrote down a list of names and then checked to see if any were available. The first name I had from the list was SimplyDiscus LOL! I checked and it was taken, I then checked the whois search and followed the link here and have been ever since LMAO! I did buy books off ebay on how to raise them (Wattley ones) but I already had them in my tank LOL. I got so much help with them here that I only use the books for pictures LOL.
Frank

[ShinShin]

Tony,

Correct - in Egypt I think because knife fight duels are leagal there. That's why it couldn't take place in Duisburg. The winner didn't think going to prison was the proper prize a gladiator ought to receive for being the victor.

Oh yes, LK. The undisputed champ. She slapped anyone who dared challenge her. She never lost even though some fools thought they defeated her, only to go back and be humiliated yet again. Nothing more embarrassing than to be humiliated in front of the world, not know it, and go back for more.

Mat

Oh, those were the days, weren't they? We're so sterile now. ;)

[CARY_GLdiscus]

here since day 1

along with the rest of the gang!

[April]

i was there..for the knife fight..and lkharding..i too agree..it tops all of it. unbelievable actually..yeah it was egypt. killing and knife fights were legal there..who do you think would of been left behind to the vultures in the dessert? kees or Jim? or both? i started on dbws with teddy J telling me to gdawc. oh and cary..buy two get two free deal . overstocked. we all kinda followed along..simply is the best !!

[CARY_GLdiscus]

Don't forget about guess my fry pics LOL!