steamer51
Active Member
I joined here last month and am finally introducing myself.
My name is Jim and have made a living in food manufacturing for the last 30 years. My first freshwater tank was in 1967 and I have kept just about everything at one time or another. I had a small saltwater tank in the 1980's, crushed coral, undergravel filter pushed by powerheads and an HOB filter with a few crabs, shrimp, snails and fish. Wet/dry filters and protein skimmers were pretty new and out of my price range and I never kept corals. I worked part time at an LFS at that time and was active in the local freshwater, saltwater and herp (reptiles and amphibians) clubs.
In 2005 I was downsized by my employer of 26 years and found myself with time to research reef tanks. Finally set up my current 55 gallon and joined the Louisville Marine Aquarium Society (again) in 2006. The tank has no sump, is skimmerless and uses normal output T5 lighting (3X 10,000K - 3X 03 true actinic @ 28 watts each). I try to encourage natural plankton growth and keep as many different inverts as I can find. Corals are all softies until recently when I have added a few LPS. Someday I will take the time to set up more tanks that I have been accumulating and planning for 5 years.
I started using steamer51 when I was 51 years old (6 years ago). When I was in the navy in the early 70's a ship "steamed" from port to port in reference to the days of steam powered ships. A "steamer" was a sailor who "steamed" from bar to bar when the ship was in port. I very rarely drink these days but have fond memories of the time when I was young, single and seeing the world at government expense.
My name is Jim and have made a living in food manufacturing for the last 30 years. My first freshwater tank was in 1967 and I have kept just about everything at one time or another. I had a small saltwater tank in the 1980's, crushed coral, undergravel filter pushed by powerheads and an HOB filter with a few crabs, shrimp, snails and fish. Wet/dry filters and protein skimmers were pretty new and out of my price range and I never kept corals. I worked part time at an LFS at that time and was active in the local freshwater, saltwater and herp (reptiles and amphibians) clubs.
In 2005 I was downsized by my employer of 26 years and found myself with time to research reef tanks. Finally set up my current 55 gallon and joined the Louisville Marine Aquarium Society (again) in 2006. The tank has no sump, is skimmerless and uses normal output T5 lighting (3X 10,000K - 3X 03 true actinic @ 28 watts each). I try to encourage natural plankton growth and keep as many different inverts as I can find. Corals are all softies until recently when I have added a few LPS. Someday I will take the time to set up more tanks that I have been accumulating and planning for 5 years.
I started using steamer51 when I was 51 years old (6 years ago). When I was in the navy in the early 70's a ship "steamed" from port to port in reference to the days of steam powered ships. A "steamer" was a sailor who "steamed" from bar to bar when the ship was in port. I very rarely drink these days but have fond memories of the time when I was young, single and seeing the world at government expense.
