David Wilson Out and About

12/01/2026

If you watched my last video, you saw me carefully sterilising my Elodea Densa (Brazilian Waterw**d) to make it shrimp safe before placing it in quarantine, a precaution to avoid introducing any contaminants to my main aquarium. Three days have passed since then, and I’ve been diligently performing daily water changes and monitoring the plant’s health to ensure it’s thriving post-sterilisation. While I knew Brazilian Waterw**d was a fast-growing species, I was still taken aback by its explosive growth. In just three days, it shot up by over 3 centimetres, with vibrant new leaves unfurling and stems elongating at an almost visible rate. This rapid development is both exciting and a reminder of how responsive aquatic plants can be in optimal conditions. This little w**d is determined to make a splash!

12/01/2026

I received an email from the British Army, which has made me wonder. Despite being a retiree in my late sixties, should I consider joining? I might even apply just for fun. 🤣🤣🤣 (Grandad's Army)

12/01/2026

The transition of YouTube from a secondary screen experience to a dominant force in the living room is powerfully illustrated by my own channel's recent analytics. Last month, a staggering majority of my total watch time originated from television screens, a figure that dwarfs the combined viewership from both mobile and desktop devices. This isn't merely a change in hardware; the corresponding viewer ratio indicates a fundamental shift in audience behaviour, with users engaging in longer, session-style viewing that mirrors traditional cable habits. This single data point solidifies YouTube's position not as a simple video-sharing site, but as a bona fide television network, fundamentally reshaping the modern media landscape.
It's easy to get discouraged when you view your YouTube channel in the grand scheme of things, especially when the analytics show a recent dip in views. The algorithm can feel fickle, and comparison to the platform's giants sometimes makes my own efforts seem like a drop in the ocean. And yet, when I pulled the report for last month, a different story emerged. Even with the slump, I had surpassed 10,000 video views, a number that once felt like an impossible dream. Even more humbling was the 780 hours of total watch time, which is over 32 full days that people chose to spend watching my content. While the growth may not be exponential, those numbers represent a tangible connection and a community that is, in its own way, thriving.

11/01/2026

Article:
If you’ve ever considered reading Sun Tzu and paused because it seemed too ancient or too militaristic—don’t. Open its pages with curiosity. Let it challenge you. Apply its wisdom not to conquer others, but to understand yourself, anticipate obstacles, and move through life with greater clarity and purpose. Because in the end, life is the greatest battlefield—and The Art of War remains one of our most timeless guides.

The Timeless Wisdom of The Art of War, Sun-Tzu : A Lifelong Companion in Conflict and Strategy.

11/01/2026

While recovering from a painful osteoarthritis flare-up and a ruptured Baker's cyst in my right knee, I have channelled my energy into a new indoor venture that reflects my love for the outdoors: fishkeeping. With my joint pain always worsening in the winter, I decided to document my journey as a novice aquarist, creating a series of videos about the challenges of setting up an aquarium. These are all available in my YouTube playlist, "A Novice Fishkeeper's Diary," which chronicles my progress from the very beginning. At the moment, my daily routine includes cycling the tank and diligently testing the water parameters to create a safe habitat for my future fish, and I am hopeful that I will be fit enough to resume my outdoor activities very soon.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4Jm1xFCIgm7Y0YBTJ9iSBTpY1VEOkuj0

11/01/2026

IT'S LIVE ...
It has been a busy three days since I first aquascaped and planted my Fluval Flex 2.0 57-litre aquarium, a period filled with some major improvements to get the setup just right. In this video, I’m sharing several of these key updates, starting with the important process of sterilising new plants to make them completely shrimp-safe and pest-free before introducing them. Beyond the planting, I have also upgraded the media filtration to ensure a pristine environment and added some new equipment that, in my opinion, makes routine tasks like water changes significantly easier. Now that all the hard work is complete, it is time to be patient as the aquarium begins its cycling process, allowing me to monitor the water's progress with regular tests

link: https://youtu.be/iKFF7PPevNo?si=ZsgXEGippbsFFVLr

09/01/2026

Despite the dreadful weather – and the much greater hardship faced by those impacted by the storm – I’m making slow progress on several fronts. My knees are improving, though my right one still occasionally buckles with a sudden, sharp pain. Thankfully, I’ve been able to focus on filming for my next "A Novice Fishkeeper's Diary" video; a couple more hours tomorrow should wrap up the footage and get me into editing, aiming for a release on Sunday or Monday.

09/01/2026

Given the terrible weather we've been having over the past few days, now isn't a bad time for an osteoarthritis flare-up.

08/01/2026

At present, my aquarium is grappling with elevated general hardness (GH) and calcium levels, a common challenge in the Southeast of England due to the region’s naturally hard water. To address this, I’ve introduced Natural Sphagnum Moss into the filter compartment, a method I’ve researched for its potential to gently lower pH and soften water through tannin release. This slow, natural process aligns with my preference for low-impact solutions. While I can’t force the cycling process, I’m relying on regular water tests to monitor incremental changes and hope that the moss aids in stabilising these parameters over time. Patience is key here; though there’s little I can do beyond observe and wait, I’m documenting every step for my A Novice Fishkeeper’s Diary series, hoping to share both the triumphs and lessons of navigating hard water challenges as a beginner. The journey is ongoing, but the prospect of fostering a balanced environment for future aquatic life keeps me motivated!

07/01/2026

Not the best photos, as they are screenshots from short clips filmed on my phone.

07/01/2026

Due to a flare-up of my osteoarthritis, I’m unfortunately having to postpone filming the Farningham walk this week. I’m developing a baker’s cyst behind my right knee, which is causing significant pain, cramping, and occasional instability in my leg, symptoms I experience from time to time with this condition. While it’s a recurring issue, I need to prioritise managing it right now. Despite this setback and the showers, I plan to take a few short walks, and I'll be using my hiking sticks for extra support.

07/01/2026

Here's my Flex 2.0 57-litre (15-gallon) aquarium after an hour of setup. I'm planning to add more Limnophila Sessiliflora, or maybe Egeria Densa, to the back, but I'm happy with how it's coming along. To boost the nitrogen cycle, I'm introducing beneficial bacteria. However, my aquarium water has very high GH (General Hardness), calcium, and magnesium levels. I'm adding Sphagnum Moss in a media bag to my filter to try and reduce both KH and GH, and will now monitor the water parameters with regular testing.