Thank you for the honor.
I got into reefing in 1992 when I was just starting high school. There was a really small fish store in my hometown and I was trading in Victorian Cichlid babies and got enough credit to try some marine fish. I used to ride the fish home on my bicycle. I really loved that nobody else that I knew was into the hobby and when friends and family were around, they were completely blown away by the colors and movement.
I worked at a fish store in college and eventually got a very nice reef. I learned over these years that I could never mix a hobby with a business. To this day, I don't really ever sell anything and would rather give it away or trade.
I am mostly into SPS and clams. I like some circular zoas (rastas, hornets, etc.) for the sandbed. I do believe that stability is paramount above anything else. As such, I won't consider equipment or a method that has less than a five year track record of success at the highest level and without many iterations. I had a few stupid mistakes with some newer stuff that ended up failing - luckily it did not cost me. Even though I am not old, I end up using old school stuff.
I live in Colorado now which has new reefing challenges. The low humidity and cooler temperatures at night see about 75% of my reef costs in heat - I look for any way possible to double up on equipment to provide heat.
What keeps me in the hobby are the details and nuance that need to be understood to do this well - I try and offer some nuance in my posts that sometimes is received very well and other times is not. I also am incredibly loyal to my fish and corals - I have some fish that are well over ten years old and I will do anything to keep then alive and happy. My favorite fish are a Watanabei Angelfish, X Triggers, Chocolate Tang and Leopard wrasses.... of which I have many.
My one wish for the hobby is that the people who have disappeared online over the last five or ten years would come back and share their immense knowledge and experience.
I got into reefing in 1992 when I was just starting high school. There was a really small fish store in my hometown and I was trading in Victorian Cichlid babies and got enough credit to try some marine fish. I used to ride the fish home on my bicycle. I really loved that nobody else that I knew was into the hobby and when friends and family were around, they were completely blown away by the colors and movement.
I worked at a fish store in college and eventually got a very nice reef. I learned over these years that I could never mix a hobby with a business. To this day, I don't really ever sell anything and would rather give it away or trade.
I am mostly into SPS and clams. I like some circular zoas (rastas, hornets, etc.) for the sandbed. I do believe that stability is paramount above anything else. As such, I won't consider equipment or a method that has less than a five year track record of success at the highest level and without many iterations. I had a few stupid mistakes with some newer stuff that ended up failing - luckily it did not cost me. Even though I am not old, I end up using old school stuff.
I live in Colorado now which has new reefing challenges. The low humidity and cooler temperatures at night see about 75% of my reef costs in heat - I look for any way possible to double up on equipment to provide heat.
What keeps me in the hobby are the details and nuance that need to be understood to do this well - I try and offer some nuance in my posts that sometimes is received very well and other times is not. I also am incredibly loyal to my fish and corals - I have some fish that are well over ten years old and I will do anything to keep then alive and happy. My favorite fish are a Watanabei Angelfish, X Triggers, Chocolate Tang and Leopard wrasses.... of which I have many.
My one wish for the hobby is that the people who have disappeared online over the last five or ten years would come back and share their immense knowledge and experience.
compared to me, you are a wise sage and Reef Central is lucky to have folks like you....thank you!!
