My tank from the seventees

[Paul B]

This picture was taken about 1973. The tank is still running but the glass was changed to it's current 100 gallons when I moved from there about 28 years ago. All the coral in that tank was dead and bleached as all salt water tanks were. There are no rocks, just dead coral. when the corals turned green we would take them out to bleach with Clorox. I can see blue devils, a clown and a hippo tang. I can't make out the rest and I don't hardly remember either. I do remember those blue devils spawning all the time.
Of course I look exactly the same right down to all that hair. :lol:
Paul

 

[dtaylor123]

That is cool, I remember in the 70's looking at salt water tanks in fish stores(I was a kid) and thinking how crystal clear the water looked. I thought they were the coolest fish ever, I also thought wow, this is so exspensive, lol. Forty years later, ya know what? It is still way cool and way exspensive!

Peace all,
Taylor

 

[Ltlduc]

That is a great picture. You are very brave. Reef tanks sure have come a long way. I am only a couple of years into this hobby. I hope I can stick with it as long as you have. Congratz!!!!!!!!!

 

[REEF-DADDY]

Thats just awesome I was not a sparkle in my fathers eye and you were keeping salt water tanks.

P.S. I am 31

 

[rickh]

Nice hair. I was even scarier
I remember buying dead coral at Pier One and using dolomite gravel from the hardware. I actually added some fertilizer concoction to try to promote algae grow for my Yellow Tang . R

 

[Paul B]

The first one with the male blue devil over his nest I think was also from the seventees, the second pictures I think are from the eightees but I can't be sure. I guess thats why people put dates on the backs of pictures. Don't forget they are scanned so they don't look too good.
I looked through my old pictures and although at times the tank was full of coral I did have some of the Mother of all algae blooms.
Paul

 

[Paul B]

Nice hair. I was even scarier

Yeah I know, I was just out of Viet Nam for about two years then and since I had such short hair in the service I figured I would let it grow a little. It was still much shorter than most guys had it then.

 

[rickh]

Do you remember what the "PCOD" refers to
We are old. R

 

[boxfishpooalot]

Paul,

What did you use to measure salinity back then? Probably a floating hydrometer.

Cool picture

 

[Paul B]

Actually, no. I don't remember what PCOD is, but I could be senile

 

[Paul B]

What did you use to measure salinity back then? Probably a floating hydrometer.

I tasted it. :lol: Or I used a floating hydrometer as that was the only thing available. :mixed:

 

[boxfishpooalot]

Paul, you look like one of those guys in a really old aquarium book. :lol: But cool nevertheless.

 

[Paul B]

Boxfish, How do you know I wasen't a guy in an old aquarium book?

Look at the lower picture. You guys worry about a little algae. I taught the copperband butterfly how to use a weedwacker during that algae bloom. It disappeared on it's own as I knew it would with no rabbitfish, snails, urchins, grenades etc. :lol:

 

[REEF-DADDY]

Funny, I would be breaking down the tank, and you just shrug it off. Wisdom I guess is the word

 

[Paul B]

Funny, I would be breaking down the tank, and you just shrug it off. Wisdom I guess is the word

No, probably just laziness and getting old. :lol:
But the end result is the same. :dance:

 

[nomadnumber29]

Great
to see someone sticking with the hobby for so long.

 

[VWD]

Very cool, I also remember them days, I started salt in 72 , I remember the undergravel filters.Deal corals We have come along way since them, Even our hair cuts. LOL

 

[shutiny]

Wow Paul, your tank is a great inspiration for me! I hope I'll be around for that long.
Cheers

 

[Nano Chris]

What kind of lighting was used back then for that tank? Or was there any lol...?

 

[dc]

LOL, you were definately stylin. I was a Jr in high school.