POLL: How long have you been REEFING?

[homer1475]

First FW in 85, first SW in 96. Lost power for many days in 2001, lost everything so I got out of the SW side. Got back in around 2009.

 

[JGT]

About 28 years for me. Started when I was 2 ;).
Was a bit of a maverick back then. Used RO but no DI, MH’s/actinics and a skimmer. Took my bio balls out about a month in after reading they weren’t good. Tank was successful, mostly LPS and softies. Acros weren’t a thing back then.
Here I am in 2020, starting a new build, 240g integrated into a bookcase wall, fish room in the basement. Must be love or I have a screw loose. Can’t decide.

 

[Dr. Jim]

Not sure does a algae filled 60L count? but this was 87-ish so I'm gonna say 30+yrs reefing ...
Salt water: 1976 ...yeah UG filter, dolomite, Instant ocean and a pair of clowns



Here is a sump shot from the 90's ole timers might recognize the skimmer



here is a more recent pic from the early 2010's

I don't recognize that skimmer so I guess that means I'm not old!!

My first skimmer was a tall cylinder with two air stones with airline tubing going to an air pump. I'll never forget when they came out with wooden "air stones" that made real tiny bubbles! Wow was that exciting!! (honestly!)

 

[homer1475]

It's a screw loose, trust me, we all have one.:p

 

[Qasimja]

about 18-19 years started with freshwater then started up a 40g tank been saltwater ever since

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I’m just crossing into 15 years!

 

[Rick.45cal]

I got my first reef tank sometime in the late 1980’s so 30+ years

 

[mborn]

Saltwater since 1977.

 

[Aheinz]

I put 2-3 due to being over seas for a year, and I don't think I have the experience of 4+ years of reefing. I'm on my second tank and hoping and working on making it a much better tank than my first

 

[Biokabe]

Started in 2009, shortly before my wife and I got married. Ran a Biocube 29 for the next 7 years until we moved into our first house back in 2016... upgraded to a 55g shortly thereafter and moved up to my current Reefer 350 last year. Along the way we also added a Mr. Aqua 7.5 gallon bowfront that we recently upgraded to an IM Peninsula 20... and I think it's starting to turn my wife into a reefer as well. =)

 

[nereefpat]

2005

 

[stanlalee]

Got my first power compact light fixture (used) and my first coral (hammer) in 2006. Got into saltwater fish in the mid/late 90s.

 

[coralbeauties]

started in the early 1990's with two 30 gallon tanks. Then bought one of the first reef tanks 110 gallon(berlin tank) with a rotating spinner spray bar filled with bioballs. Lighting was with vho florescence bulbs and grew huge pieces of lps. I even had a few pictures published in the Freshwater and marine magazine in Julian Sprung's column that he wrote. Most of the corals now were unthinkable to try and keep.
Jeff

 

[Rmckoy]

If I said the first yellow tang I bought was $19.99 Canadian .
Does that sound like it’s been a long time ?

 

[Vette67]

I think my title says it all. And since 20+ years wasn’t an option in the poll, I had to choose “ever since oceans were formed”.

 

[40yreefer]

Not as long as Paul B, but 40 years continuous for us. Here's a picture of my first go-to book. They hadn't invented the internet back then. First edition was 1959. Still have mine.

 

[Coinzmans Reef]

1974 / 10 gallon freshwater angels, tetra's molly's...
1987 / 75 gallon cichlids
1988 / 125 gallon saltwater fish only
1990 / 75 gallon goes saltwater fish only in first house slowly turns to reef
1993 / 125 gets set up as reef tank
2000 / Daughter born
2001 / Tanks sold off
2020 / 525 set up in January as reef, this month 30 gallon frag tank set up.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ _ definitely cheaper..... hang man anyone?

 

[skip0211]

First tank was a 120 long in 1971 after Vietnam... the world of under gravel filters, $3 Black and white Dasculis, 3 spots and $6 Goni‘s ... after 6 months when a GonI died you just bought another one.., they were one of the few hard corals available... we have come such a long way since then thankfully!! Current tank is a 265gal SPS with 20 fish..

 

[SY2932]

Always liked fish and wanted to get into saltwater based on the fish selection at the pet store. My buddy moved back home out of state in August and gave me his 2.5 year old 55G FOWLR tank. So I got into the hobby about as easy as one could :). Have a 110G acrylic tank that came with a ball python that I had while serving in the Air Force in Japan back in the early 90's. In the process of setting it up now. Had the tank for 27 years and it has never had a fish in it...

 

[tony'stank]

1st freshwater tank in 1959. First saltwater tank in 1980 and have been reefingever since