How did you get into this hobby?

[BSmooth]

My last job the one manager had to move his whole family to the other end of the US. So he didn't want to take his tank and was going to give it all to the fish store he used to work at. I commented that I always wanted a saltwater tank so he said make me an offer and I said I have $200 and he said sure, I'd rather someone get to learn and enjoy the hobby than just give them to a fish store so IDC about the money. And I've had it now for 8 years, and the same 2 fish as well. 1 clownfish 1 blackcap basslet. I'm rehabbing it now since I let it go and am adding more to it and replacing lots of old equipment.

It's a 26 gallon bow front with matching stand, jbj water chiller and all kinds of new goodies I've added over the past month

 

[vlangel]

My last job the one manager had to move his whole family to the other end of the US. So he didn't want to take his tank and was going to give it all to the fish store he used to work at. I commented that I always wanted a saltwater tank so he said make me an offer and I said I have $200 and he said sure, I'd rather someone get to learn and enjoy the hobby than just give them to a fish store so IDC about the money. And I've had it now for 8 years, and the same 2 fish as well. 1 clownfish 1 blackcap basslet. I'm rehabbing it now since I let it go and am adding more to it and replacing lots of old equipment.

It's a 26 gallon bow front with matching stand,water chiller and all kinds of new goodies I've added over the past month

I love to see a pic when you have it ready to show!

 

[BSmooth]

I love to see a pic when you have it ready to show!

I'll show you what it looked like and what it looks like now. Of course before any new fish. Tomorrow I'm getting new clean up crew. Then will be getting a bicolor blenny,bta and eventually maybe a zoa coral. New heater, background,lights, canister filter, cleaned sand and live rock and glass etc

 

[Science/G]

No kidding. Isn't that off of Bird Rd.? If so, that has been there forever! I grew up in Miami and remember going to one in that area on occasion.

Question. What's a frag of karen?

The owner's name is Karen. And yes you're thinking of the same store. It was there for over 40 years. She and her husband Bob don't run a retail end anymore but they still own the commercial property on Bird Rd. They're semi-retired just doing commercial builds now.

 

[MegabiteOG]

I'll show you what it looked like and what it looks like now. Of course before any new fish. Tomorrow I'm getting new clean up crew. Then will be getting a bicolor blenny,bta and eventually maybe a zoa coral. New heater, background,lights, canister filter, cleaned sand and live rock and glass etc

Nice work. It looks 10 times better already!

 

[MegabiteOG]

The owner's name is Karen. And yes you're thinking of the same store. It was there for over 40 years. She and her husband Bob don't run a retail end anymore but they still own the commercial property on Bird Rd. They're semi-retired just doing commercial builds now.

I love it when a store is around forever like that. Thanks for explaining.

 

[JB Reefer]

My Uncle always had beautiful tanks in his house when I was a kid in the 80s. Started out with fresh water and 25 years ago built a 250 gallon Saltwater tank. Back then if you could keep a brain coral alive you where doing good. We had a great fish store in Whitter California called Tongs Tropical fish.

 

[exnisstech]

I needed a hobby when I stopped motor cycle riding so here I am. I always wanted a saltwater tank. I tried many years ago pre Internet and the only information available was the library 20 miles away and it was a total failure. It was much easier this time around.

 

[R1chardTugnutz]

Haha! I assume you brother has a reef tank, right?

Wait, 40 years later who was right? The sales clerk saying you can't keep things alive or your new wife on challenge accepted? Assuming it was your wife, great call on getting into and the wife!

That's awesome. I think we have a few others in here that worked at LFS and a few that have also owned them. Do you still have a tank?

I do! It's been up for almost 2 years. Its just a little 25 gallon AIO but I love it.

 

[overhead]

I was browsing facebook marketplace for tools, which I often do, when I saw someone selling a tank and a bunch of equipment. I always was interested in building a reef tank, but I always found reasons not to do it, mostly because I had no idea how and I did not own a house and the thought of having to move a tank seemed like too much to deal with. I sort of figured one had to buy a very large tank to start with. I researched it, ended up buying a new Biocube and also ended up buying an IM 15 from marketplace when the seller cut the price to the point I really could not pass it up. So now I have two tanks (well three counting quarantine) and have absolutely no idea what I am doing. It has been fun so far. Really, I decided what I needed was another expensive hobby!!!!

 

[MegabiteOG]

I was browsing facebook marketplace for tools, which I often do, when I saw someone selling a tank and a bunch of equipment. I always was interested in building a reef tank, but I always found reasons not to do it, mostly because I had no idea how and I did not own a house and the thought of having to move a tank seemed like too much to deal with. I sort of figured one had to buy a very large tank to start with. I researched it, ended up buying a new Biocube and also ended up buying an IM 15 from marketplace when the seller cut the price to the point I really could not pass it up. So now I have two tanks (well three counting quarantine) and have absolutely no idea what I am doing. It has been fun so far. Really, I decided what I needed was another expensive hobby!!!!

Congrats on the new tanks and hobby! This is the right place to get really good info. Just ask if you don’t know something or are unsure. There are a LOT of very talented reefers on here.

Good luck and put a build thread together showing your progress. Enjoy!

 

[overhead]

Congrats on the new tanks and hobby! This is the right place to get really good info. Just ask if you don’t know something or are unsure. There are a LOT of very talented reefers on here.

Good luck and put a build thread together showing your progress. Enjoy!

Thanks! I have a build thread for the Biocube, but not the IM 15. I have learned a ton from reef2reef just by using the search. It has been very helpful. I have no idea how to add my build thread to my profile like some people do ,but that is okay. But, back to the original theme of the thread, finding a good LFS has also been incredibly helpful. I went through four of them to find it. The one that was honest with me about where they get their fish, when they arrived, the level of copper they run, how often they administer other drugs and how I should quarantine has been invaluable. Honestly, the store I trust now is the only one that said they absolutely recommend quarantining fish from them before putting them in a DT is the one I trust now.

 

[MegabiteOG]

Thanks! I have a build thread for the Biocube, but not the IM 15. I have learned a ton from reef2reef just by using the search. It has been very helpful. I have no idea how to add my build thread to my profile like some people do ,but that is okay. But, back to the original theme of the thread, finding a good LFS has also been incredibly helpful. I went through four of them to find it. The one that was honest with me about where they get their fish, when they arrived, the level of copper they run, how often they administer other drugs and how I should quarantine has been invaluable. Honestly, the store I trust now is the only one that said they absolutely recommend quarantining fish from them before putting them in a DT is the one I trust now.

Having great LFS is worth its weight in gold. To get the badge, I think you have to post the build in the build section here.

Is this correct #reefsqaud.

 

[tbrown]

Having great LFS is worth its weight in gold. To get the badge, I think you have to post the build in the build section here.

Is this correct #reefsqaud.

Why does everyone only ever page me? If you spell squad wrong, it pages me. If you spell it right it pages the whole crew.

To get the badge you have to add the link to your account details.

There's a field down towards the bottom for the link to your build thread:

 

[overhead]

Having great LFS is worth its weight in gold. To get the badge, I think you have to post the build in the build section here.

Is this correct #reefsqaud.

It is there, I think. Not a big deal. But you are correct, the great LFS is worth it's weight in gold. But so is reef2reef.

 

[tbrown]

It is there, I think. Not a big deal. But you are correct, the great LFS is worth it's weight in gold. But so is reef2reef.

Read my reply above.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Why does everyone only ever page me? If you spell squad wrong, it pages me. If you spell it right it pages the whole crew.

To get the badge you have to add the link to your account details.

There's a field down towards the bottom for the link to your build thread:

#ReefSquash paged you again

 

[tbrown]

#ReefSquash paged you again

This one too! But I think several of us follow this one.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

This one too! But I think several of us follow this one.

#tbrownsquad ???????

 

[tbrown]

#tbrownsquad ???????

Following!