My First Blog Entry: A little about me

Stolireef

Active member
First of all, Stolireef does not refer to the Vodka. Actually, it does a little. Stoli was my first dog, a crazy black standard poodle. We named her Stoli because all of the other dogs in our extended family were named after drinks (eg. Remy, Baily, Scotch...). My avatar is a long ago picture of her.

I set up my first SW tank in 1997 in Rochester, NY. It was a 40 gallon breeder that sat on an old coffee table in my living room. It smelled really bad, didn't grow much of anything, and slowly became the bane of my existence. Over several months, I developed an expertise in killing whatever I put into the tank (including nearly myself by electrocution). I started referring to myself as the fish assasin.

After a few years of failure, I discovered an LFS that sold both SW and FW fish and supplies. I ordered my first (and to date, my most successful reef, present tank pending) reef tank. It was a 90 gallon drilled. By that time, I had discovered Reef Central and had read about the Jaubert plennum approach. I kept that tank for about five years and it was largely bullet proof. I still think the Jaubert plennum is a good approach and probably should have used it on my current tank.

In 2004, my wife and I built a new house and designed an entire room and basement plumbing for what was supposed to be a 250 gallon starfire beauty. Unfortunately, life intervened and I was so busy at my job, I only had time to keep a 29 gallon bowfront. It too was successful.

Life intervened again when we moved to Phoenix in 2007. At the time of the move, I had neither the time nor the money to set up a new tank. Finally, in December of 2011, I was able to set up my current tank. It is a 110 Leemar rimless.

I've experienced many ups and downs in this hobby but one thing is certain...it is the one thing that keeps me sane in a crazy world.

Anyone in this hobby knows that the foregoing is a greatly abbreviated history but it gives you a sense as to how much I love the hobby.

Watch for future entries. Thanks.
 
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