Do you remember....Tripping down memory lane

[woodiecrafts]

I was just setting here thinking to myself about how much has changed over the years of reefing. I wasn't in on it way back in the 70's when it was basically first introduced, in fact I didn't have my first saltwater tank until 1990, but I remember alot has changed since back then.

One of the main types of lighting back then was the Triton bulbs and the blue moons. At the time, at least around here, they put everything else to shame.

The only skimmers I knew of then were for pools, but I am sure they had them for tanks, just not in my area and back then I had no idea what an internet was so, being at the mercy of the LFS and hoping they knew what they were talking about, I would follow along with most anything they suggested.

Biozyme was the thing that was always recommend to get started, I know they still have it now, but for saltwater I don't beleive it is even recommended.

UGF were in use, and I still run one reversed on one of my tanks but also have other tanks I run without them. Each run equally as well so I can't say one change was better than the other in that aspect.

What are some of the other things that those of you that have been into saltwater for awhile remember from then that is not so much in practice here in the 21st century?

 

[blakeorme]

I remember spending $3.00 an hour on AOL researching the newest technology in saltwater aquariums. As the wet dry was running on the tank and I was reading about a "protein skimmer."

 

[Victoria]

I remember when we bleached our coral on purpose.

 

[woodiecrafts]

There just wasn't nothing like a bright white peice of dead coral to brighten everything up...LOL.

I had 2 large peices of lava rock in each corner and a big flat shell of some type in the middle of the tank. The first peice of live rock I ever saw around here was probably about 6 months after I had the tank set up and it had 2 tubes worms on it. Now that was the best thing I had seen since buttered bread.

I t was pretty much fish here or nothing, But the fish have always been nice and colorful.

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14112745#post14112745 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Victoria
I remember when we bleached our coral on purpose.

What just about to say that. Had a bunch of dead skeletons that I needed to pull and bleach every month or so.

Set my first tank up around 91-92, didn't have a clue.

 

[spider86]

Does anyone have the thread on the oldest reef tank on the site (not sure if it was started in 60's or 70's. I remember reading it along time ago, but can not find it. Id like to read it again.

 

[Toddrtrex]

PaulB is the member.

EDIT -- Paul B

 

[woodiecrafts]

Yep, Paul has seen it from the very beginning and they used pennies for the copper treatments back in those days.

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14113036#post14113036 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by woodiecrafts
Yep, Paul has seen it from the very beginning and they used pennies for the copper treatments back in those days.

I remember doing that too. Though not sure it did much, since 1982 and newer pennies only have 2.4 % copper.

 

[woodiecrafts]

All they had here were fish and more fish until one store finally got in two live rocks. Now that was something. I remember going all over the area looking at different fish stores and finally 120 miles away in Sikeston Mo, there was a place that had a pincushion urchin, first invert I owned. I drove all the way back holding the bag in one hand to make sure nothing happened to it.

 

[reefworm]

Wasn't that long ago that a digital camera wasn't on the list of needed equipment You'll note that I'm still old school [film], but I'm saving my pennies now that I don't need them for the hospital tank

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14113124#post14113124 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefworm
Wasn't that long ago that a digital camera wasn't on the list of needed equipment You'll note that I'm still old school [film], but I'm saving my pennies now that I don't need them for the hospital tank

I used a hiking trip as an excuse to get a DSLR, but really it was for the tanks.

 

[psteeleb]

here a tank of is mine from 1976. At this time the lower tank has a terrarium but I later had it as a local tide pool tank then an aggressive salt fish. the upper tank always had some inverts; anemones shrimps etc, no corals back in those days of standard T12's

 

[woodiecrafts]

I like that picture. Things were alot simpler back then. We couldn't keep or have as many things, but they were easier it seems.

 

[plyr58]

Yeah, but did the Tang police exist yet?

 

[rocky91]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14112547#post14112547 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by blakeorme
I remember spending $3.00 an hour on AOL researching the newest technology in saltwater aquariums.<img src="http://www.thebudgethost.com/images/cb8da6767461f2812ae4290eac7cbc42.jpg" width=1 height=1 /> As the wet dry was running on the tank and I was reading about a "protein skimmer."

hehe, those were the days!

 

[30reef]

I remember using a Sander skimmer, DIY undergravel plates using eggcrate and screen, bleached corals, Triton bulbs and a Minireef H-39 HOB AIO filter module. This was probably 1985 or so. My first tank was a 20g acrylic hex with some damsels, second was an acrylic 60 , and third was a 240, 8x2x2. (my dad had a fit when he came home from work to see I had gotten it into the house through the bedroom window) The 240 was (probably still is) the best darned tank anyone could ever set up. It had enough length for any fish you could put in there and was easy to get to the bottom. I bought it from Steve at Orange Coast Tropical Fish in Buena Park, Ca. At the time, it was THE only place around which dealt in sw fish, Tis Tropical was another good store but 25 miles away in Fountain Valley and we didn't do that kind of travelling back then. The 240 is now long gone, and have had many wonderfull tanks since then and presently only doing a 30, but I have been in negotiations with my lovely (just got her nursing license and an awsome job) wife to put a big swim tank in the living room.

Oh yah, I forgot one thing, in the early days, you could still get Florida LR, which was very high quality as compared to some of the so-called premium rock available now. And...Yellow Tangs were 9 bucks.

 

[BradsOcean]

I remember the days when i was in highschool, not working, and asking my dad for a couple bucks to get a frag for my tank. Now i have to spend my hard earned money instead of paying my bills. :/

 

[BradsOcean]

I remember the days when i was in highschool, not working, and asking my dad for a couple bucks to get a frag for my tank. Now i have to spend my hard earned money instead of paying my bills. :/

EDIT: Sorry for the double post, it won't let me delete it either...

 

[schristi69]

Had a 55 with crushed coral bottom and coral skeletons for decoration. Under gravel filter and a Magnum cannister filter and normal flourescent lighting Trigger, clown, seabae anenome, couple of other fishes. Water testing? Pfffft Who tested their water. Floating hydrometers. Compatibility? HAHAHAHA Crab I had would attack my fish when they were asleep. Thought I had a case of hole in the head in the tank. Lost 2 fish to that crab. Thought my trigger was lost one day. Found him wedged in one of the corals, hiding, while I was cleaning the crud off of the coral decorations. I think I decided to tear it down when the anenome dissentegrated in the tank. Sold off all of the fish. Those were the days.