About your reef tank . . . . .

[vlangel]

I began working at a lfs in the 1990s. That gave me the courage to convert my 40 gallon freshwater tank to salt. In a few years we got our son involved in saltwater. He quickly moved into reef keeping which I had avoided. His success spurred me on. So I guess you could say I encouraged him, then he encouraged me!
Yes, it was a really good decision.

 

[Coldramen777]

What made you decide to start a reef aquarium?

Was it a good decision?

I got sick of freshwater since my parents wouldn't let me go above 20 gallons per system. So I decided nano saltwater tanks were the future of my hobby. Best decision ever.

 

[littlefoxx]

Seeing a pipe fish in a family member’s tank for the first time… then realized how cool saltwater fish were compared to fresh. Boom 4 tanks later… (still dont have a pipe fish though lol)

 

[KQuillan]

I had a small tank about 16 years ago. I knew nothing about testing, what you can and cannot have, etc. The thing thrived. I had a clam that would spit at me anytime I went near him. I had to sell it due to a divorce, working part-time, and having a young teenager.
I always wanted to start another one but the cost was a deterrent for me.
I decided to try small again so at least I could have something I always wanted and this time I could keep. So, I started with a 14-gallon nano. Here we are now with a 150g and I should have stayed with the mindset of cost deterrent. LOL.

I have had some issues with this tank but it's a work in progress and I am determined to make it work. I love what I have now, plus I already have too much invested in it to give up.

 

[Roatan Reef]

What made you decide to start a reef aquarium?

Was it a good decision?

Well, as many know, I was a Freshwater guy for over 20 years, still am to a degree as I have a 125 S. American Cichlid tank and a 10g planted tank.

Also, over last 20 years, I have been an avid Snorkeler...visiting all over the Eastern and Western Caribbean...and I always wanted a reef tank, but back then it seemed too complicated....

Fast Forward to a 2.5 years ago, I finally thought it wouldn't be so hard and expensive as I thought, so I did the thing. Started my 40GB Saltwater Tank.

It had many downs and downs, but finally after the 1.5 year mark, it took off. Totally worth it, so much so my nephew has a tank he keeps at my house too, a fluval 13.5 Evo Tank, and his tank is doing awesome as well.. he loves this hobby, and it's great to share with him.

$$$$$$$ is another thing....many of you have seem my OG Post...how much did your tank set up costhttps://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-much-did-your-tank-setup-cost.903182/ it was a great 17 page thread, but although it costs more than you figure, the rewards are awesome!

so its definitely worth it!

 

[Roatan Reef]

My grandson who is 11 was showing an interest in having an aquarium, but he was not allowed to have one at his home. I have had fish tanks my entire life and got my first one when I was his age.
I haven't had a tank for the last ten years or so for the first time in my life and have been wanting to get back into the hobby. I had never ventured into the world of saltwater and thought that if we were going to do this, it should be something really special!
What a fascinating rabbit hole we have gone down! Absolutely a good decision, we have enjoyed this journey together, learning SO much along the way.
My grandson enjoys it very much, it's safe to say that I'm obsessed. lol I very much enjoy the R2R community, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't spend at least some time here.
We have three new corals arriving tomorrow!
My only regret is that I waited this long to venture into the world of saltwater.

@Liam's tank awesome story, similar stuff with my nephew, who's name is wait for it... @liamkrenz who wanted his own tank after helping with mine, so now he has a tank at my house too!

 

[Roatan Reef]

seeing a blotchy anthias in person made me want a reef! that, and my GF's step father had a 125 i helped set up. my pockets regret getting into the hobby, but not my mind/soul!

All of our pockets do! @shakacuz lol! But our spirits/mind /soul are eternally grateful!!

 

[Roatan Reef]

I had always wanted one but 25 years ago it seemed very complicated so I stayed in freshwater. A few years ago I had time so started looking at reefing and decided it was time.

I really don’t regret it. In fact, I wish I could have started sooner.

Same, as far as wishing I started sooner, but technology is waaaaay better now, and you can do something decent to amazing on a decent budget now

 

[NancyFish]

my daughters dead betta. she changed the water with tap water while holding the fish in her hand. I felt bad so told her I'd start a tank but only salt. a $5 fish turned into thousands!

My kid wanted a beta & I totally misjudged the actual start up cost. I thought everyone was just being fancy

 

[IntrinsicReef]

I got a credit card when I turned 18 and immediately maxed it out on a 65 gallon Berlin style reef. I had been keeping freshwater since the 3rd grade, reading every issue of FAMA, and the only thing that kept me out of saltwater was the expense. Then some poor fool gave 18 year old me credit.

 

[PharmrJohn]

What a great thread. I just got bored one day and started thinking about starting a new hobby. I was between instruments (I had started and maintained skill at drums abd bass, but for once I wanted to explore something I was unfamiliar with). I first looked into Freshwater, but the livestock was to me, meh at best. So I took a look at Saltwater Fish. Yep. I was hooked immediately. I got onto Craig's list and picked up a used 75G set up (with sump) and stand for 4 bills. I had NO IDEA what I was doing. I started with no knowledge as to what even ammonia meant to a tank. That's how clueless I was. Got onto 3Reef (bought by R2R) and the learning curve started. Boy o boy, I have had a blast. I am currently in the planning stage of a 120G that is set to launch this winter. I've been without a tank x12 years. So now I'm learning EVERYTHING I can about reefing, as things have either changed drastically or I've just plain forgotten. I'm really happy I found this place. 3Reef was much smaller, and therefore had limited resources. R2R has MANY more brains to pick!!!!

 

[_cpate3_]

I wanted a pet in college. Allergic to dogs, already had lizards, and didn’t want a boring goldfish. So I asked myself “is it possible to keep clownfish as a pet?” And stumbled upon reef to reef and after seeing everything my mind took off! I am currently with a 30 gallon reef and a 15 gallon QT tank raising an engineer goby fry that a professor bred! It’s crazy to think I’m almost at my 1 year mark and I love seeing how this will grow. My next plans are a seahorse tank both me and my girlfriend have always wanted

 

[lil sumpin]

I took an AP bio course in high school. It was a two period long class and although the lectures were often interesting I would spend a lot of time staring at the reef tanks in the classroom. Watching the tangs grazing on algae, the clownfish relaxing inside the big toadstool leather and all the different inverts scurrying around made those 90 minutes fly by a lot faster. Being able to sit by and observe those tanks made an otherwise stressful course a bit more bearable. Fast forward to my 30s, adulting stresses are now a thing but I have a little cubic foot of ocean bliss that’s currently not stressing me out too much

 

[AtlantiCat]

When I was growing up, two of the neighborhood kids had freshwater fish tanks and I was always fascinated when I went by their houses until I got my very own 5g for my birthday. My first job was at a pet store and that 5g turned into a 10g, a 15g tower, and a 30g, all that would fit in my teenage bedroom. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

I always thought saltwater was too complicated and too expensive, and that you needed a massive tank. For decades, I thought about starting my own tank on and off, but even after picking up and reading a book on keeping a nano reef, I never quite caught the bug.

By now I have multiple freshwater tanks of all sizes in various rooms of the house and have become a nano planted tank specialist. I have always been fascinated by miniatures, and miniature living worlds is a natural extension of that.

Then in 2022, a member of my local aquarist club asked me if I was going to Aquashella. I've never been a big convention fan and I can count the number of them of any stripe that I've been to in my life on one hand. But in the end I decided to go for one day. And that proved to be my undoing.

I skimmed through the darkened part of the room upon entry, always fascinated by the bright neon colors (an 80s upbringing will do that to you), and then moved on to the freshwater side. I sifted through all the vendors, then went back to make sure I hadn't missed any. Sure enough, down one small aisle was PNW Custom and there they had a tiny 1G reef tank.

Well, I felt in love with that tiny reef tank and just had to take one home! Then I went back to all the vendors on the "dark side" and asked what would be good beginner corals, and they showed me Zoas and I immediately took to the little neon glowing "flowers" and that's what I decided I was going to put in that tiny tank.

Fast forward to today and I still have that tiny tank and it's still full of Zoas and as my tag line states, a full one-third of my tanks are now salt. That percentage may change as I'm currently considering converting a 10/5g freshwater setup into a display and sump. I'm watching a Barrier Reef Chromis dart around as I type this and I need to dump a skimmer cup.

Was it a good idea? Well, my wallet wasn't happy with me, but in the end it was a wonderful thing to learn that I could still spark a child-like fascination and passion for something so many years removed from my childhood. I hope it will only continue to grow as I contemplate turning 50 next year.

 

[Paul B]

It was to long ago for me to remember. :thinking-face: