what got you in the hobby?

In 1974 I went into a pet store and saw a stinking 5g tank with a big hermit crab in it. A month later I was cycling my first 55g salt tank, 3 months later I was working at that LFS, and within 2 years I had 8 salt tanks going. I've been broke ever since.
 
Went snorkling in Key West about 6 years ago. 3 years later, visited Sea World in Orlando. That's when I decided I needed a SW tank. It also helped that my brother was getting out of the hobby and decided to give me all his equipment....
 
parents had the same 55g since i was a baby. shortly after i moved out at 18 i had my first salt. i am 38 now and have been salty ever since :)
 
Just recently (sig). I've always been interested but intimidated by the thought of a SW tank. I have a tank now, it's empty but I'm on my way and I consider myself a huge addict already.
 
wifes beta died! Went to the store to get a $2.99 replacement. $1500 later we had a 46g bowfront saltwater tank. That was last October. We are now upgrading :)
 
no joke finding nemo. my girlfriend wanted a "nemo fish" so went to the pet store to find out about this little critter and he happened to be holding a black tip reef shark. and just built a coral tank so went in expecting to buy a little 10g and after seeing the diveristy of live stock left with 180g and a lighter wallet. tanks been running for about a year as a reef. and im in the middle of a 230 in wall fowlr. build should be appearing soon. oh yaand we never did get any clown fish.lol
 
I wanted a seahorse and started looking into saltwater. 2 years later I have a beautiful little reef but still no seahorse...
 
Re: what got you in the hobby?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13414560#post13414560 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by boxfishpooalot
Who or what made you get into the hobby?
Click to expand...

Fish? When I was 6, my mom had a tank of guppies. When I was seven, it was my tank, along with one or two others :) By the time I was 12, I was breeding cichlids; have probably not had a six month period since I was 6 that I didn't have an aquarium of some kind or another.

Reef tanks? First time was in the late 80s (I think, that sounds right), hanging around on Compuserve Fishnet along with a lot of folks who went on to become major names in the marine side of things -- expensive German gear, having to arrange air-freighting in live rock, etc. Too much depended on luck and adding more money, and I eventually went back to cichlids, and then on to high-tech planted tanks.

The second time around for me on reef tanks was a couple of years ago when I realized a) I was bored with the one cichlid tank I had at the time and b) I was now divorced with nobody to argue with me about the time, money and mess :D
 
My dad had a 75g freshwater tank ever since i was born and then I got into it, then I got into reptiles and amphibians for a few years, and now a salt tank after a trip to the petstore to get crickets to feed the lizards.
 
My hubby came home a year ago and said his boss is getting rid of his son's SW tank and we were going to set it up at our house. Like I needed something else to take care of: kids, birds, dog, rats, guinea pig, hubby, house...I wasn't very happy.

After we set it up, I fell in love. It consumes more time than I care to admit - just in the watching of it. Doesn't take near the amount of time to maintain as I thought.
 
My brothers discus tank. I thought it was kinda cool and wondered what else could be done with an aquarium. My search led me to reefkeeping.com and this site. Once I saw the TOTM on the home page I was hooked. Two weeks later I had a basic 55gal FOWLR cycling.
 
My sister had a reef tank. Bio balls the whole nine yards. Even a sealife systems skimmer! Two VHO's and a metal halide from H-depot!

I thought it rocked and after she took it down, a few years later, she gave it to me. Dead rock and sand included. I set it up as a FOWLR. Gradually got into reef tanks and R/O water.(no more HA)!

Noe I am a hooked SPS coral nut! I constantly have to have the newest thing! It's bad!!!!!!!!!
I need a support group.LOL
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13415636#post13415636 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AlbertoMexico
A tomato clown
Click to expand...

Same here. :)

The first saltwater fish I ever saw and first one I ever loved. I saw it in one of the LFS's around here when my parents kept a 40g FOWLR.

I never gave it a second thought after they took the tank down. But then we took a trip to O'ahu and snorkeled... I was amazed. I loved it so much. I think what really did it was when we were able to swim with the sea turtles. :)

I'm hooked for life now.
 
I had three goldfish in a bowl around 1979. I moved up to Guppies, then a tropical tank, then a few saltwater tanks and later on a reef tank.

I had my first saltwater tank when I was 15 and working at a local fish store. It was a 65 gal Perfecto. I was a customer at their store and one day they asked me if I wanted a job. I learned alot from them.
 
finding nemo lol like another said...my uncle had a 125 reef, and plumbing it up from his basement where his sump was and i though it was sweet...and then my brother did some research and we set up our 75 reef, and he set up another in NC and i am taking overish lol our 75 at home and redoing...we have had our ups and downs like all i am sure and have learn to understand what a money pit it is but it is much more then that to me so the money part is well spent...good thread btw.
 
well always having pets helped. I worked for a while for the us fish and wildlife service. As a receptionist, however, I did help with inspections of fish and coral imports...confiscated ones went to the shedd aquarium which I got a back ground view. Had FW then many years later and kids, some offered a fully stocked reef with way too many fish a reef included for $600. Moved it...was fine for a while..seller told me change water and add 2 part additive. I had 12 cardinals breeding !!clowns breeding!! and many other things...that needless to say all crashed and burned.

So I found my way here. Ex husband went through a FO tank that he crashed.. But my 180 from the 55 fully stocked still has my skin itching with the salt.

I have to say though. I love all these stories. I have laughed soooo many times reading through this thread.

Do they have a reef anonymous??? I'm broke...I need to get out!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

E
Red Sea weir overflow
Replies
9
Views
387
griss
griss
OrionN
Anemone Show-off
2
Replies
24
Views
1K
Cjs305510
C
B
Left Tank for a long time, now want to reboot
Replies
8
Views
449
SantaMonica
S
griss
  • Sticky
What's Your History in the Hobby?
2 3 4
Replies
72
Views
7K
Timfish
Timfish
E
What's Old is New Again
Replies
2
Views
523
Uncle99
Uncle99
Back
Top