What got you into this hobby and when did you start?

[BobbyV]

Thought this would be a fun thread to start within our local community.

I will start it off.

My story goes back to 2008, my girlfriend at the time (now wife) and I were at the local State Fair strolling around.

Like many others, I found myself playing the 10 pingpong balls for a $1 game to win a live gold fish.

I remember eventually winning 5 small gold fish which allows you trade into a jumbo gold fish.

So as you can imagine, I was standing there in the middle of the fair grounds holding a bag with a jumbo gold fish with no home to put him in.

On the way home we stopped at Wal-Mart and bought one of those $120 20 gallon all inclusive kits complete with silly ornaments. Like a "No fishing" sign.

This then got me into buying a 29 gallon bio cube, which then graduated to a 120 Oceanic Tech Tank to now a 300DD.

Thank you to those whom helped me along the way. :thumbsup:

 

[bwhit1406]

I kept various freshwater tanks as a child and teenager. We had a 55 gallon Oscar tank in the first home my wife and I shared. Now closed pet store by my house had saltwater fish and Coral that i use to drool over. Ended up buying a used 75 gallon setup from them for way more than what it was worth lol. Setup my first Saltwater tank when we moved into our new house. Awesome tank, learned alot, made all the rookie mistakes but it got me hooked.

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[laserjim]

I had to much money to spare . No worries now !

 

[oblio]

My wife bought me a 2 1/2 gallon tank with the silly colored rocks with a pair of clowns in it from the kiosk at the Brandon mall. I kept that tank for about 3 years and then my brother in law said he wanted his 90gallon salt tank gone. So I brought home this 90 gallon placed it on the floor in the living room about 5 years ago and the journey then began.
I lost one of those clowns, but the other is still hanging around. I had another friend get out of the hobby and I took his only fish, a clown and put him in the tank and they are pals. Funny thing is that clown is roughly 12 years old now. I have never torn down the tank, just worked thru all the learning curves and mistakes.
Eight years into this now, I want to thank all those in the community that have helped me also. Wouldn't have made it without the group. Today I have a healthy SPS tank that is on cruse control at this point. *knock on wood* :hammer:

 

[bwhit1406]

I had to much money to spare . No worries now !

Well Said

 

[nawilson89]

My grandmother had 2 oscars when i was little in NY. I kept goldies in 10g as a kid (yeah that was a mistake).

When I became an adult and lived on my own I started with freshwater and kept multiple tanks. Began breeding livebearers and some tetras.

Became very interested in inverts and the world of salt.

Dived in. Failed a bit. Tried again. Succeeded for a while. Started to like macro algae. Failed hard. Girlfriend got pregnant. Quit salt went back to fresh. missed the heck out of the fun of collecting in the gulf. Came back to salt, got some macro algae and two tanks in loving the heck out what i have.

 

[Reeferman1019]

Been doing freshwater for about 20 years, all types of freshwater. Just started my first reef tank 2 months ago it's a 5 gallon nano and it's doing good so far. I'm learning about reef systems and I already want to upgrade to a bigger tank lol. Always wanted to do salt and just took the dive into it. Very fun hobby!

 

[listen2bob]

In 2003 I had an old friend live on the couch for a bit, in return he gave me his 30 tall reef tank. I was always diving and fishing before that and used my work knowledge to redesign his setup.

 

[janes_mw]

1984 - previously to this, had fresh water planted tanks which were beautiful. Then I saw a nice SW display (back then totally different than today). Bought a 90 gallon, put a glass corner over flow in it and used the good ole bio balls. Fish only but slowly progressed to a 180 in 1987 and did a reef tank. Back then, SPS was not even in the picture, mostly LPS and other softies. On and off since then with small to large reef tanks and every type of lighting and skimmers tried and ...... . Fast forward to today, 300 gallon SPS and fish mixed reef. Still love the hobby, but at 60, I am getting "tired"

 

[Sadistic]

The beauty of the marine world is inescapable.

I was lucky enough to grow up on the water here in pinellas. I have always been enthralled with the ocean and as long as I can remember I have been fishing and keeping some sort of tank. Of course the wonder of it keept me learning and wanting more. I will always be involved in this "hobby" in some way.
Hopefully we can all pass down the experience and conservation involved.

Great thread Bobby! And remember to give a hearty thanks to all that helped you open this door.

 

[Specfishin]

Little over a year ago, a friend told me it's fun to have a reef tank. A little over a year later I'm nearly broke, divorced , working two jobs and everything is dying because I have no time now. I also couldn't sell 3000$ worth of equipment for $300 bucks.


Bu, seriously a co-worker has introduced this addiction and I believe my other half is coming around. Every package that comes, I just tell her I needed it to keep the already expensive livestock alive. I also have several tanks laying around and more than enough equipment for several, but yet I find myself snatching things up haha. "Great hobby" he said, he never mentioned the addictive like crack part.

 

[nathan1986]

4 years ago my gf wanted a fish. Something simple, so I agreed to get a 10g rank and we could each put 1 fish in it. She got an angel fish and I got a green spot puffer. I did not know that it was brackish and that it would literally pick the fins off the angel fish until could no longer swim. After replacing her fish 3 times (bringing the dead fish to the store and matching it up with another without the gf knowing LOL) I came clean and told her my fish was killing hers and convinced her to let me get my own tank.... And it begin, bought a 55g tank and stand off Craigslist for $75, started it off as fresh water and went salt 3 weeks later. Gave the green spot puffer away and bought my first real saltwater fish, George the porcupine puffer, he is my favorite fish. I now have 3 tanks and the gf gets upset when as soon as I get home I rush to my 120g and say hi to George before I say hi to her haha can't say this hobby is making me broke because well, I'm always broke lol she says the 120 will be my last tank but George is growing and I see a large tank in his future lol

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[nitr8]

Sell coral for profit...lol

 

[nathan1986]

Sell coral for profit...lol

LOL!!

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[Specfishin]

Sell coral for profit...lol

Now that's funny.


That does remind me of how I love to trade buy and oogle over the oh so many wonders of the world's reefs. So much beauty in watching something flourish in your care. That's what does it for me.

 

[Reefpilot11]

It started 3ish years ago a friend of mine brought me to Rockin Reef and I was instantly captivated...I remember seeing this completely purple hammer coral on display there and thought it was the coolest thing ever (hence why hammers are still my favorite). Shortly after that I bought a 14g biocube with the regular stock in it. Then a 24 gallon innovative marine, that one cracked open...Was sent a new one with much thicker glass and let that one run for awhile. Now I have a 75gallon mixed reef, mostly sps, and probably won't upgrade until I move and buy my own house, then things will get interesting.

 

[djsmallz]

Back in about 1998 I met a guy who gave me a great deal on a 55 gallon tank package, like $200 buck for new tank, stand and canopy. From there I started a freshwater tank with red belly pacu's until they out grew then tank a few years later. I later got a 29 gallon biocube and started my first saltwater tank. Been progressing in the hobby ever since.

 

[m1k3]

First got a 55 gal to bring goldfish out of pond into house for winter. Switched over to keeping cichlids the next year. Couple years later picked up a 120. 1.5 years later still learning and enjoying.


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[Webmanny]

For me, it was a trip to the Georgia aquarium about 5 years ago. I spent 2 hours just sitting at their large atrium where the whale sharks are.

I have gone back twice since then. I simply love that place. I've shared the link to their webcams below, in case you want to see it.

My wife had to drag me out of there and she said something that I'm sure she now regrets.

"If you love Aquariums so much, why don't you just get an aquarium for the house?"

She swears she didn't say that, but she did. I got a12 gallon bowfront eclipse on eBay when we got back to the hotel. By the time we got back home, the tank was already there.

Fast forward to now and I still have most of the corals I had back then on that 12 gallon tank.

Link to the Georgia aquarium webcam.
http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/experience/explore/connect/webcams

 

[bigzman]

1993 all guppies and Betta. Then it moved to discus and breeding to mollies and palys. After a break I got a 20 gallon sw thank for birthday in 99 when my oldest was burn. Fell in live only a evil damsel and Lps. I later moved on to a 55, 75, 90, 375, and the to a 90 and 210. Now going 330 all sps. It always reminded me of my childhood days living in Costa Rica.