Hi everyone. So, I am rejoining the hobby after being out (at the risk of aging myself) for 22 years. The kids are grown and on their own and I'm on my own too. Mostly, just not married again. I started with my first saltwater tank when I was 10, (everyone quit doing the math, I'm 55). It was a 20 gallon tank (believe it or not, frameless, so it has come completely full circle) with two dwarf octopi, air pump, under gravel filter and hanging filter on the back. That didn't do well but it started me down that path. When my first child was born, I had some very beautiful reef tanks and I was importing Tunze equipment from Germany because it was not available here. I had to run 220 circuits for everything. I had metal halides and T5's because there were no LED's (still not convinced on those) There was really no internet as it is today, so no boards to talk to others about the hobby and so all you had were articles in magazines. So, essentially, I guess I am a noobie again. I had been thinking about jumping back in for a while. My girlfriend and I have decided to build a new house. The house has an office that will be mine that shares a wall with the garage. I talked with the builder and with the addition of two walls, two large double doors, drains, electrical, heat and air, the tank room was born. (No charges whatsoever for the modifications) Now I'm not sure what the rules are on build threads, I've never done one. This could take awhile. The house plans are still just on paper. Construction will not begin until February - March as the addition still does not have utilities. We got the first lot in phase 2.
So, at this point, I am buying all of the equipment for the tank before the house starts sucking up all of the money. I was tossing around various ideas on tank shapes and sizes when I was looking on Ebay one day and there was a Marineland 300 DD, still factory wrapped on the pallet straight from the factory for 1000.00 and I bought it on the spur of the moment. So now it sits in the garage waiting for its new home. I have been doing some reading on the boards and have been working on the plumbing for the overflows. More on this tomorrow. There are so many new products that it is mind boggling. What type of stand. Aluminum or wood... Of course lighting... you even have manufactured live rock.... So, I can use all the input and help I can get. Like I said, we didn't have communities like this so, this could be fun. Jump in and talk to me. Help me plan this. May take a year, but once the house is ready, I should have all the equipment and will take a week off work to build the tank. Tank pics are attached.
Thanks,
Jeff
So, at this point, I am buying all of the equipment for the tank before the house starts sucking up all of the money. I was tossing around various ideas on tank shapes and sizes when I was looking on Ebay one day and there was a Marineland 300 DD, still factory wrapped on the pallet straight from the factory for 1000.00 and I bought it on the spur of the moment. So now it sits in the garage waiting for its new home. I have been doing some reading on the boards and have been working on the plumbing for the overflows. More on this tomorrow. There are so many new products that it is mind boggling. What type of stand. Aluminum or wood... Of course lighting... you even have manufactured live rock.... So, I can use all the input and help I can get. Like I said, we didn't have communities like this so, this could be fun. Jump in and talk to me. Help me plan this. May take a year, but once the house is ready, I should have all the equipment and will take a week off work to build the tank. Tank pics are attached.
Thanks,
Jeff