How did everyone get into the hobby?

[DD Corals]

I started by having a 20 gallon freshwater tank, which lead to having 5 axolotls. Which then lead me to get my first 10 gallon reef tank which spirled out of control and now I have a big frag tank.

 

[kyreefville]

20 gallon cichlid tank plus others

 

[DD Corals]

Top view of my 40 gallon

 

[that guy]

My grandmother had swordtail and mollys in 2 tanks when we were kids and we juat watched them. I then went to a 30 gal fowlr tank. Then moved to 75 gal fowlr. Then went to a 8' 240g.
Lost everything after tornado in 2011 so i walked away. Just set up another tank in rememberance of my grandmother that passed. Its a prostar v2 200. But this time im trying to do reef.

 

[DD Corals]

My grandmother had swordtail and mollys in 2 tanks when we were kids and we juat watched them. I then went to a 30 gal fowlr tank. Then moved to 75 gal fowlr. Then went to a 8' 240g.
Lost everything after tornado in 2011 so i walked away. Just set up another tank in rememberance of my grandmother that passed. Its a prostar v2 200. But this time im trying to do reef.

Oooh very nice. Would love to see some pictures of how your tank is turning out.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I was eating bacon one morning and thought to myself "wow, this tastes good". Then my parents took me to the pet store.

 

[Double monti 61]

Just like the amount of small life that can show up in saltwater aquariums compared to freshwater aquariums and I have had more success with my current saltwater aquarium then any freshwater aquarium I have had before.

 

[mpatterson42]

On a Saturday, I was stuck on a work call that went 12 hours. They didn't actually need me, but they might've needed me for something so I had to be there. I was randomly scrolling through YouTube videos and saw someone with an octopus tank. I thought, "Can I own an octopus?" After a bit more research I realized I couldn't own one. Then I remembered some childhood dream of owning a lionfish and I thought, "Can I own a lionfish?" After a bit more research I saw this was doable! I'm now 3 aquariums in, I still don't own a lionfish, but it's coming soon!

 

[Doctor Derp]

My dad was keeping saltwater tanks years before I was born. Got me my first 10 gallon for my 6th birthday in the late 80s. Been at it in some form ever since.

 

[vetteguy53081]

4+ decades ago, I found a love for the hobby

 

[smitten with ocean life]

always had freshwater then my brother talked into trying salt. i still blame him! lol

 

[DD Corals]

On a Saturday, I was stuck on a work call that went 12 hours. They didn't actually need me, but they might've needed me for something so I had to be there. I was randomly scrolling through YouTube videos and saw someone with an octopus tank. I thought, "Can I own an octopus?" After a bit more research I realized I couldn't own one. Then I remembered some childhood dream of owning a lionfish and I thought, "Can I own a lionfish?" After a bit more research I saw this was doable! I'm now 3 aquariums in, I still don't own a lionfish, but it's coming soon!

I am the same way but with seahorses. I always wanted one and it will come eventually. But seahorses is what made me want to research more about the reef/saltwater side of things. Then it spirled out of control.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Had family members who were in the hobby, and they eventually persuaded me to get into the hobby!

 

[Project1004]

When my son was born, I had 46gallon bow front freshwater tank for about 5yrs.

I showed my tank to my son, and he was not impressed. Lol

That’s when I wanted to try saltwater tank to make it more vibrant and imaginative for my son…(That was an idea). Hence, my user name is Project1004 which is his birthday.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

When my son was born, I had 46gallon bow front freshwater tank for about 5yrs.

I showed my tank to my son, and he was not impressed. Lol

That’s when I wanted to try saltwater tank to make it more vibrant and imaginative for my son…(That was an idea). Hence, my user name is Project1004 which is his birthday.

Hopefully, our son is impressed with our tank when he is old enough to comprehend what a reef tank even is!

 

[Project1004]

Hopefully, our son is impressed with our tank when he is old enough to comprehend what a reef tank even is!

All we can do is give them opportunities…. :)

My son did picked up weightlifting so we got something we enjoy together… and made him a small home gym with all my old gears I don’t use anymore. Lol.

 

[rhitee93]

I had a 20-long in a cubicle at work close to 25 years ago. After a couple of years I decided cubicle life and an aquarium didn't mix all that well and gave it up. That tank was really the result of a trip to an amazing LFS we had at the time.

A couple of years ago I found myself wondering what had changed in the hobby over two decades. First hits on youtube were the BRS videos. Fast forward 30 months, and there is a thousand pounds of water, rock, and sea life sitting in my office. Oddly, it is less than 100' away from where the first tank stood...

 

[PPBlimpy]

fixed a truck for my friends dad. He Didn't tell me he could not pay me till I was done luckily he paid for parts. Offered me his 155G bowfront with a giant lion fish, big moray and a porcupine puffer.

that was 2001

 

[JumboShrimp]

More than 50 years ago, I would bring tiny fish and other low-tide critters from our backyard beach up to a small tank in my bedroom. I couldn't for the life of me understand why everything died within a day-or-three. Did I have an air stone or any other form of aeration or oxygen? Nope. I was just a kid, and thought, 'Well, the ocean doesn't have an air stone!?' I didn't understand waves. Lol.

 

[FMF0331]

scuba diving seeing all the corals
drinking made me take the challenge of starting a reef tank.

so far so good