Hello and welcome to the Marine Aquarium Club of SW Florida.

[lex8]

Welcome to the group. I live in Cape Coral and if I ever go to an LFS, it's almost always in the Miami area. And I get 99% of my CUC from the waters around the Middle Keys when we go snorkeling. There is a long thread here about snorkeling and there is a link to it in my signature.

Thanks, Ron! I'll definitely check out that snorkeling thread.

I've also enjoyed that Minimalist Reefer thread you have linked there.

 

[lex8]

Hi @lex8! Love your IM tank. I live in Cape Coral 2 weeks per month. That will change when my daughter graduates from high school next year...then I'll be full time in FL

thanks @fishface NJ . That's a lot of travel! Where is your tank and what do you use to keep an eye on it when you are away?

 

[Ron Reefman]

Thanks, Ron! I'll definitely check out that snorkeling thread.

I've also enjoyed that Minimalist Reefer thread you have linked there.

Thanks. At one point about 10 years ago I had almost 700g of saltwater in our house (4 tanks and 2 sumps. Now I'm in the process of downsizing again from having two 40g tanks (one for coral and one for local collections) to just one 40g breeder aio tank.

I moved my livestock out of the 40g breeder to a 10g holding tank and then thoroughly cleaned out the 40g breeder and the aio insert.

Now I'm waiting for some new sand to arrive (today hopefully) and I'll start getting the sand, water and rockscape into the tank.

After is set up for a bit, I'll slowly start moving stuff from both the holding tank and the 40g cube aio that is 95% sps and lps corals to the 40g breeder.

The only fish I have are a pair of mated clowns and I'd be willing to give them away if anybody wanted to come and get them.

I want the new tank to be just corals, anemones, feather dusters, and CUC inverts like snails, hermit crabs, an emerald crab, a coral banded shrimp, a couple of serpent stars, a couple of small yellow sea cucumbers, a few small rock boring urchins and maybe my pet mantis shrimp.

I expect everybody to be moved over the next 3 or 4 weeks.

 

[SCPReefer]

Hey everybody beautiful tanks, just wanted to say hello and join in on the local flavor. I'm in San Carlos Park in the Fort Myers area I currently have a red sea reef 20 gal mixed reef tank and a fluval 13.5 I use as qt/hospital tank. I've had the 20 up and going for a little over 2 years. Also just to ask what's everyone's favorite coral/fish and what make them special to you ?

 

[drawman]

Hey everybody beautiful tanks, just wanted to say hello and join in on the local flavor. I'm in San Carlos Park in the Fort Myers area I currently have a red sea reef 20 gal mixed reef tank and a fluval 13.5 I use as qt/hospital tank. I've had the 20 up and going for a little over 2 years. Also just to ask what's everyone's favorite coral/fish and what make them special to you ?

Nice tank! Love the elegance taking the center stage. That's one of my favorites along with acros.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Hi SW Florida folks! I've reached out to a couple of you via PM already but also wanted to post here. I'll be visiting the area next week and would love any tips or suggestions on what not to miss! I'm staying on Sanibel Island and will have a rental car, but hope to use it as little as possible and maybe rent a bike (?)

Thanks in advance, and if anyone is interested in meeting up for a meal or an impromptu collection outing, let me know.

 

[Reefering1]

Hi SW Florida folks! I've reached out to a couple of you via PM already but also wanted to post here. I'll be visiting the area next week and would love any tips or suggestions on what not to miss! I'm staying on Sanibel Island and will have a rental car, but hope to use it as little as possible and maybe rent a bike (?)

Thanks in advance, and if anyone is interested in meeting up for a meal or an impromptu collection outing, let me know.

I'm in Cape Coral and would love to attend a collection outing. All we need is a boat and someone who knows where to go(@Ron Reefman )...
Sanibel is a destination all by itself, you would only need a bike on the island. Beyond that, you will want(need) to drive. There is the Imaginarium, in ft.myers, haven't been in many years but it's cool. Naples zoo is nice, they have giraffes,lions, tigers etc. There are guides that will take you out in the gulf, it's beautiful out there. How long will you be down here? What kind of places are you looking to go/ see?

 

[Ron Reefman]

Hi SW Florida folks! I've reached out to a couple of you via PM already but also wanted to post here. I'll be visiting the area next week and would love any tips or suggestions on what not to miss! I'm staying on Sanibel Island and will have a rental car, but hope to use it as little as possible and maybe rent a bike (?)

Thanks in advance, and if anyone is interested in meeting up for a meal or an impromptu collection outing, let me know.

Hi,

Welcome to visiting SW Florida. Sanibel is a very nice place to visit. The Bailey Mathews National Shell Museum is very informative and just recently re-opened after Hurricane Ian. If you want to do any shelling, the Sanibel beaches are great, but it's best if you get out there early... like right around sunrise! We've seen people with flashlights and headlamps out there even before sunrise!

I'm not sure how much time I'll have available. My wife just had a fairly major surgery is somewhat limited in how much she can do (mostly endurance issues). On top of that, she has a variety of other doctor appointments and radiation treatments. So I'm sticking pretty close to home for her.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Hi,

Welcome to visiting SW Florida. Sanibel is a very nice place to visit. The Bailey Mathews National Shell Museum is very informative and just recently re-opened after Hurricane Ian. If you want to do any shelling, the Sanibel beaches are great, but it's best if you get out there early... like right around sunrise! We've seen people with flashlights and headlamps out there even before sunrise!

I'm not sure how much time I'll have available. My wife just had a fairly major surgery is somewhat limited in how much she can do (mostly endurance issues). On top of that, she has a variety of other doctor appointments and radiation treatments. So I'm sticking pretty close to home for her.

Completely understandable! I hope she has a smooth recovery.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

If you want to do any shelling, the Sanibel beaches are great, but it's best if you get out there early... like right around sunrise! We've seen people with flashlights and headlamps out there even before sunrise!

Is this primarily due to limited parking or just advice on finding the best shells?

 

[Ron Reefman]

Is this primarily due to limited parking or just advice on finding the best shells?

Parking can be a bit of an issue. But most of the snowbirds are gone and summer tourists have not arrived yet. Good timing by you!

It's mostly about finding good shells. In the recent past, before Hurricane Ian, the beach was lined with condos and resorts full of people who just walked out their door and onto the beach, so shells got snapped up quickly. I haven't been to Sanibel in awhile, but it was just like Ft Myers Beach were 90% of the big high rise condos and hotels are still closed for repair. And this is 20-21 months after Ian. So, maybe less people and better shelling?

 

[Rach77]

Wow! It's nice that at last we have a couple of people here who are willing to talk. I started this forum after the SWFMAS (SW Florida Marine Aquarium Society) collapsed. I've been in the hobby for 20+ years, since shortly after I moved here for Ohio. I currently have two 40g tanks. One in a 40 breeder Fuji AIO (All In One) insert with some unusual critters (a small manyis shrimp and a couple of Rock Boring Urchins), a couple of clownfish (rescues) and some coral. The other is a 40g cube that I build myself and it's also an AIO. It has a lot of young corals and some clean up crew, but no fish.

mryan04290, you say you are new to the area. Are you here in SW Florida? I'm in Cape Coral. Based on your avatar, it looks like you might be a diver? I don't dive, but I've spent a lot of time snorkeling in the Keys. We used to go 3 to 5 times a year for a few days. Now we have backed off and only do 2 or 3 trips a year. I do some collecting and my wife does some photography. There is a link below to a pretty big thread about snorkeling and collecting in the Keys.

How long have you been in the aquarium hobby?

So How do we join the SWFL reefers?? I'm in Port Charlotte, get most of my stock from Sarasota. Just started back up this year 2024 after being out for a long time. Currently have a 20 gal tideline AIO cube, mixed reef and a 150 FOWLR, just set up. I like to go snorkeling at Gasparilla and watch the fish

 

[Ron Reefman]

So How do we join the SWFL reefers?? I'm in Port Charlotte, get most of my stock from Sarasota. Just started back up this year 2024 after being out for a long time. Currently have a 20 gal tideline AIO cube, mixed reef and a 150 FOWLR, just set up. I like to go snorkeling at Gasparilla and watch the fish

The SWFMAS club has been disbanded. I've never heard of a club called the SWFL Reefers.

And most people who find this forum, arrive, say hello and may make a post or two and then are never heard from again.

I'm happy to talk aquariums, I have a 40g breeder set up as an AIO. It has corals, anemones and other inverts, but no fish. And if you want to talk about snorkeling, I'm all ears! My wife and I go to the Florida Keys 2 or 3 times a year. I do some legal collecting and she takes lots of photos. I haven't paid for any kind of CUC for many, many years! There is a link to a 'Collecting & Snorkeling' thread in my signature below.

Condy anemones have become less and less common in the Keys and are now illegal to collect!


I know where there are lots of the far less colorful RFAs in shallow water. However, most are very well attached to holes in rocks!


Just a shot of our inflatable off of Money Key down by Bahia Honda. BTW, there is wonderful snorkeling off the beach at Bahia Honda State Park and at the Horseshoe off Spanish Harbor Key, just to the south.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

The SWFMAS club has been disbanded. I've never heard of a club called the SWFL Reefers.

And most people who find this forum, arrive, say hello and may make a post or two and then are never heard from again.

I'm happy to talk aquariums, I have a 40g breeder set up as an AIO. It has corals, anemones and other inverts, but no fish. And if you want to talk about snorkeling, I'm all ears! My wife and I go to the Florida Keys 2 or 3 times a year. I do some legal collecting and she takes lots of photos. I haven't paid for any kind of CUC for many, many years! There is a link to a 'Collecting & Snorkeling' thread in my signature below.

Condy anemones have become less and less common in the Keys and are now illegal to collect!


I know where there are lots of the far less colorful RFAs in shallow water. However, most are very well attached to holes in rocks!


Just a shot of our inflatable off of Money Key down by Bahia Honda. BTW, there is wonderful snorkeling off the beach at Bahia Honda State Park and at the Horseshoe off Spanish Harbor Key, just to the south.

If anything is left after this hurricane season I plan to go back to Florida, hopefully with a stop in the Keys. I was in Sanibel for a few days in May and it was awesome! The amount of shells on the beach is truly amazing... I only collected about half of them so need to return for the others, lol.

Ron, I hope your wife is feeling better

 

[Rach77]

The SWFMAS club has been disbanded. I've never heard of a club called the SWFL Reefers.

And most people who find this forum, arrive, say hello and may make a post or two and then are never heard from again.

I'm happy to talk aquariums, I have a 40g breeder set up as an AIO. It has corals, anemones and other inverts, but no fish. And if you want to talk about snorkeling, I'm all ears! My wife and I go to the Florida Keys 2 or 3 times a year. I do some legal collecting and she takes lots of photos. I haven't paid for any kind of CUC for many, many years! There is a link to a 'Collecting & Snorkeling' thread in my signature below.

Condy anemones have become less and less common in the Keys and are now illegal to collect!


I know where there are lots of the far less colorful RFAs in shallow water. However, most are very well attached to holes in rocks!


Just a shot of our inflatable off of Money Key down by Bahia Honda. BTW, there is wonderful snorkeling off the beach at Bahia Honda State Park and at the Horseshoe off Spanish Harbor Key, just to the south.

Thank you for the response. I will definitely check out those snorkeling areas as soon as I can. Beautiful anemones