What made you get into keeping reef tanks?

[SteveMM62Reef]

My Grandfather had an Aquarium with mostly Live Bearers. One of my earliest words was Fish. I had Fish Bowls from the time I was four. When I was old enough to Mow Yards, went to Aquariums, with the Money I made. My Stepdad took me out to a Coral Reef to Snorkel, on the Southeast Coast of Florida. I was hooked from then on. Back then you could collect, uninhibited . After I was able to get a supply of Filtered Natural Sea Water, started picking up small Coral Pieces that were broken off from Storms and careless Boaters. BTW, My aquarium almost set in the Window in my Eastern Exposure Bedroom. Would open the Drapes to let that morning sunlight in. Made a lot of mistakes, but had a rare Reef Aquarium.

 

[-XENOMORPH-]

A saltwater fish shop opened around the corner and my kids stopped by the shop. After some research, I went to the shop and dove in.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

A saltwater fish shop opened around the corner and my kids stopped by the shop. After some research, I went to the shop and dove in.

What tank did you end up getting from them?

 

[Imrahilwjz]

Apologies to those who already know this. My younger brother had a marine tank with pods , an anemone and 2 clownfish. We stayed in his house for a visit to family. I remember getting up very early to see his lights come on and watch his pod population scramble for cover. A couple years later, our 3rd oldest wanted a fish for his birthday. We planned to start with fresh water and gradually move up to salt, but he fell in love with a green mandarinfish. He tried so hard to accept our ruling that he must start with freshwater, my heart melted and I decided to start with a 13 gallon tank. Once the LFS owner told us we were good to go, my son switched to a spotted mandarin (much to my frustration). It was his birthday present so he got to pick. Despite our ignorance we managed to keep that Mandarin alive until he decided to try carpet surfing (through a really small hole in the tank lid). Since then we moved up to a 90 gallon tank with a 20 gallon sump, and then a 180 gallon tank with a 50 gallon sump. I had the 90 gallon tank attached to the system as a refugium but had to disconnect it. I plan to add it back on in the future. Sorry. Long post.

 

[VintageReefer]

Apologies to those who already know this. My younger brother had a marine tank with pods , an anemone and 2 clownfish. We stayed in his house for a visit to family. I remember getting up very early to see his lights come on and watch his pod population scramble for cover. A couple years later, our 3rd oldest wanted a fish for his birthday. We planned to start with fresh water and gradually move up to salt, but he fell in love with a green mandarinfish. He tried so hard to accept our ruling that he must start with freshwater, my heart melted and I decided to start with a 13 gallon tank. Once the LFS owner told us we were good to go, my son switched to a spotted mandarin (much to my frustration). It was his birthday present so he got to pick. Despite our ignorance we managed to keep that Mandarin alive until he decided to try carpet surfing (through a really small hole in the tank lid). Since then we moved up to a 90 gallon tank with a 20 gallon sump, and then a 180 gallon tank with a 50 gallon sump. I had the 90 gallon tank attached to the system as a refugium but had to disconnect it. I plan to add it back on in the future. Sorry. Long post.

It happens. I found a chromis dried out on top of my glass lids on a prior tank years ago. And those lids had plastic trim at the rear that filled any gaps, and tiny cut outs for plumbing, and these cutouts were exact. To this day I still don’t know how the chromis got on top of the lids

 

[Sespe Badger]

Well, I had a tank back in the early 2000's (yeah, it was Nemo but I was in my 30's). For me it was the in-wall tank at the dentist office. We had a half-wall in our house, had long discussions about busting a hole it it. But, work life got super busy with long deployments and I couldn't keep it up. A recent shockingly traumatic life and marital status change gave me the freedom (but not the money) to start again. Thanks to donations from friends and strangers, I am starting a new tank. The daily focus and fiddling are just what I need during this time. And wow, things have progressed!
I forget what this guy was, but he was supposed to be pretty special. He moved on to another's tank.

 

[VintageReefer]

Well, I had a tank back in the early 2000's (yeah, it was Nemo but I was in my 30's). For me it was the in-wall tank at the dentist office. We had a half-wall in our house, had long discussions about busting a hole it it. But, work life got super busy with long deployments and I couldn't keep it up. A recent shockingly traumatic life and marital status change gave me the freedom (but not the money) to start again. Thanks to donations from friends and strangers, I am starting a new tank. The daily focus and fiddling are just what I need during this time. And wow, things have progressed!
I forget what this guy was, but he was supposed to be pretty special. He moved on to another's tank.

Marine betta

 

[Bruttall]

I am a recovering addict and single in my middle 50's. After work I felt I had to much free time and not enough structure. I always loved fish and fish tanks so I started with Fresh Water, and because I had a small fresh tank years ago as a kid.

That 55g I started with was great. I had it for a month and bought a 125g. Put everything into that and started looking for more. Then I came across this huge glass tank on craigs list. It was about an hour and a half drive from me and the guy was asking more than I had, but I called him, made him an offer which he rejected, then he called back in 3 weeks and told me to come get that 300g I love so much for $600.Bless his heart, I was off to the races then but wasn't satisfied with cichlids really and I always loved the look of the reef tanks. Yes I know I swapped a drug addiction for a reef addiction. I'm ok with that, at least until I find a Reef Addicts Anonymous group to join and 12step my way outta this one, NOT!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I am a recovering addict and single in my middle 50's. After work I felt I had to much free time and not enough structure. I always loved fish and fish tanks so I started with Fresh Water, and because I had a small fresh tank years ago as a kid.

That 55g I started with was great. I had it for a month and bought a 125g. Put everything into that and started looking for more. Then I came across this huge glass tank on craigs list. It was about an hour and a half drive from me and the guy was asking more than I had, but I called him, made him an offer which he rejected, then he called back in 3 weeks and told me to come get that 300g I love so much for $600.Bless his heart, I was off to the races then but wasn't satisfied with cichlids really and I always loved the look of the reef tanks. Yes I know I swapped a drug addiction for a reef addiction. I'm ok with that, at least until I find a Reef Addicts Anonymous group to join and 12step my way outta this one, NOT!

Thank you for sharing! This is an inspiring story for a lot of people, especially how “swapped your drug addiction for a reef addiction”. Glad you are here and have been a part of the reefing community!

 

[PharmrJohn]

For myself, I'm just drawn to hobbies that are complicated. Astronomy, Music and Saltwater have been my mainstays for decades now. Mostly music and learning instruments. I just get more satisfaction in success where the odds are against you from the get go.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

For myself, I'm just drawn to hobbies that are complicated. Astronomy, Music and Saltwater have been my mainstays for decades now. Mostly music and learning instruments. I just get more satisfaction in success where the odds are against you for the get go.

That’s what’s made learning guitar fun for me. It’s fun trying to pick up something you have no clue how it works, but as you learn it, it starts to make more sense.

 

[RotherhamReefer]

My wife and I are always amazed by our friend’s tank whenever we go over. Literally happy to just sit and watch it for hours.

We’re currently decorating our living room and the suggestion of a tank came up as part of the process…

My first tank arrives tomorrow! I’m more excited than a kid at Christmas.

 

[Chris L]

My Dad kept freshwater tanks when i was a child. Guppies, Angel Fish, Loaches etc. I was always amazed that a wild creature like this could spawn in a glass box. I started with the same type of freshwater fish, then when i ventured into my actual profession and making some money started with saltwater fish and migrated to corals. Been doing this for about 28 years on and off.

 

[littlefoxx]

Seeing an emperor angelfish at the aquarium as a kid! Loved the colors. Mom wouldnt let me have a saltwater set up but let me get a 50 gallon freshwater tank in first grade. My first fish was a gold fish named Swimmy, he lived 18 years!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Seeing an emperor angelfish at the aquarium as a kid! Loved the colors. Mom wouldnt let me have a saltwater set up but let me get a 50 gallon freshwater tank in first grade. My first fish was a gold fish named Swimmy, he lived 18 years!

Crazy you had a goldfish for 18 years!

 

[PharmrJohn]

That’s what’s made learning guitar fun for me. It’s fun trying to pick up something you have no clue how it works, but as you learn it, it starts to make more sense.

My parents got me an acoustic guitar back about 35 years ago. I made a righteous effort but found that I kinda sucked. Drums are currently what I'm best at. Trumpet would come back to me (and I was really good at that) but my chops are all but dead. It would take at least a year to get those back.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

My parents got me an acoustic guitar back about 35 years ago. I made a righteous effort but found that I kinda sucked. Drums are currently what I'm best at. Trumpet would come back to me (and I was really good at that) but my chops are all but dead. It would take at least a year to get those back.

Funny cause I wanted to learn drums as a kid not guitar, now it’s the other way around haha. I’m still pretty trash at guitar but slowly but surely learning it

 

[PharmrJohn]

Funny cause I wanted to learn drums as a kid not guitar, now it’s the other way around haha. I’m still pretty trash at guitar but slowly but surely learning it

If you ever go drums, pick up an electronic set. I have both a regular drum kit and my little electronic. Both offer differing advantages. The acoustic kit is 'faster'. Better bounce = faster rolls. Electronic kits you can play in the middle of the night and NO ONE ELSE can hear you. I have two receivers I use. One receiver powers the music and the other powers the drum kit (through 3 speaker pairs --- 2 for music and 1 for drums). I've got it set up where I can either annoy the neighbors or run both through one set of headphones to annoy only myself .

 

[littlefoxx]

Crazy you had a goldfish for 18 years!

Yeah! He was big too. Also loved to be held, he would swim into my hand and let me pick him up and hand feed him! He died of old age. One of the best fish Ive ever had! And he was just a regular goldfish. I then had one of the bug eye goldfish for 4 years after him

 

[timmyrules]

So, I have kept freshwater fish (specifically goldfish) for YEARS…but then one day I was talking to a friend, and he also keeps freshwater fish. He was talking about how cool it would be to keep a reef tank, and in that moment, I was all like “what? Are you crazy?! No thank you!!!! Saltwater sounds so hard!!” …..now I just laugh whenever I think about that. …. But one day, I got a new tank and I was going to put freshwater fish in it. But, I found out there was a reef show near me, so I went, and was amazed by all the beautiful corals!!!! And when I was at my lfs…I saw the CUTEST lil clownfish!!!! So I started researching reefs and how to keep them…and yeah. That’s what got me into reefing