Show off what made your addiction

[ReefQuestCorals]

Lets see what all started your journey! You can be brand new into the hobby, or an older timer.

Rules:
- Post at least 1 picture or more
- Give us a few details on the system
- Who got you started? Was it family, friends, or even your first beach vacation?
- Thinking back what was the biggest disadvantage you faced if that was sourcing livestock, information, or simply running out of room


I entered the hobby around 2004 at the age of 14 which my father introduced me into the saltwater hobby, I had kept a small freshwater tank for a few years and remember asking him if I could put clownfish into the tank, he had kept a saltwater reef tank for several years in the late 80s and early 90s which again sparked his interest restarting the journey all over!
My first reef tank started off with a oceanic 30 gallon cube with a 250w MH and a hang on the back marineland bio-wheel filter which was replaced with a basic hang on the back overflow box shortly after setting up with a 10 gallon sump. Soon after you can see in another picture we made a custom acrylic overflow box to replace the clear one, drained the water line down and installed with silicone (pretty genus if you ask me) ;) Pretty basic wall type rock work, 2 perc clowns and a melanurus wrasse. 1 coral in this picture I dont EVER see anymore is tongue coral! Even though it was basic brown, one of the most unique corals iv owned till this day.

I would have to say my biggest disadvantage back then was available information. Corals just died for no reason, fish got sick and all we knew was to quarantine with cooper. LFS would sell you any fish or coral without question, at times knowing they were sick. Seems the LFS in my area this day and age that made it are very much geared towards sharing information with those that love this hobby, and assisting in anyway possible.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Bump for a good thread! I’ll play along here in a bit!

 

[ReefQuestCorals]

Bump for a good thread! I’ll play along here in a bit!

Appreciate it! Hope to see many systems, especially those back in my time. Crazy to look at how far the hobby has come

 

[Old Man Sauce]

I had been doing FW tanks most of my life. Finally one day after a trip to the LFS and a few too many minutes spent checking out all of the corals and reef fish, I decided that I really wanted to start a saltwater tank. As a (fairly) young couple with 3 kids, we lived paycheck to paycheck most of the time, so in order to fit a project like this into the budget, I would need to figure out a way to free up some funds. As a "pack a day" smoker at the time, it was a quick no-brainer solution. I made a deal with myself that if I could quit smoking, I could use the money I wasn't spending on cigarettes to start my project. I set a goal of spring 2007 but ended up quitting smoking a few months early due to a "if this happens again, you probably wont survive" incident. So, spring of 2007, with the newly freed up funds and our tax return, a new addiction was born. I bought a 55g reef ready tank, a Coralife Lunar Aqualight (the one with compact fluorescent bulbs, and a Coralife skimmer, built myself a stand, and made a sump from an old (29g i think) fish tank.

a few years later, I upgraded to a 70g, 40g long homemade sump, metal halide lighting, and an ASM Skimmer, built a new stand, and the old sump stand was repurposed for storage.

Biggest Disadvantage, well that would be my ex-wife. When she decided to spray aerosol furniture polish into the sump.

 

[Elira_6301]

Lets see what all started your journey! You can be brand new into the hobby, or an older timer.

Rules:
- Post at least 1 picture or more
- Give us a few details on the system
- Who got you started? Was it family, friends, or even your first beach vacation?
- Thinking back what was the biggest disadvantage you faced if that was sourcing livestock, information, or simply running out of room


I entered the hobby around 2004 at the age of 14 which my father introduced me into the saltwater hobby, I had kept a small freshwater tank for a few years and remember asking him if I could put clownfish into the tank, he had kept a saltwater reef tank for several years in the late 80s and early 90s which again sparked his interest restarting the journey all over!
My first reef tank started off with a oceanic 30 gallon cube with a 250w MH and a hang on the back marineland bio-wheel filter which was replaced with a basic hang on the back overflow box shortly after setting up with a 10 gallon sump. Soon after you can see in another picture we made a custom acrylic overflow box to replace the clear one, drained the water line down and installed with silicone (pretty genus if you ask me) ;) Pretty basic wall type rock work, 2 perc clowns and a melanurus wrasse. 1 coral in this picture I dont EVER see anymore is tongue coral! Even though it was basic brown, one of the most unique corals iv owned till this day.

I would have to say my biggest disadvantage back then was available information. Corals just died for no reason, fish got sick and all we knew was to quarantine with cooper. LFS would sell you any fish or coral without question, at times knowing they were sick. Seems the LFS in my area this day and age that made it are very much geared towards sharing information with those that love this hobby, and assisting in anyway possible.

Well done!!! Love it.

 

[Elira_6301]

Mine is looking like....a newb.

I had been doing FW tanks most of my life. Finally one day after a trip to the LFS and a few too many minutes spent checking out all of the corals and reef fish, I decided that I really wanted to start a saltwater tank. As a (fairly) young couple with 3 kids, we lived paycheck to paycheck most of the time, so in order to fit a project like this into the budget, I would need to figure out a way to free up some funds. As a "pack a day" smoker at the time, it was a quick no-brainer solution. I made a deal with myself that if I could quit smoking, I could use the money I wasn't spending on cigarettes to start my project. I set a goal of spring 2007 but ended up quitting smoking a few months early due to a "if this happens again, you probably wont survive" incident. So, spring of 2007, with the newly freed up funds and our tax return, a new addiction was born. I bought a 55g reef ready tank, a Coralife Lunar Aqualight (the one with compact fluorescent bulbs, and a Coralife skimmer, built myself a stand, and made a sump from an old (29g i think) fish tank.

a few years later, I upgraded to a 70g, 40g long homemade sump, metal halide lighting, and an ASM Skimmer, built a new stand, and the old sump stand was repurposed for storage.

Biggest Disadvantage, well that would be my ex-wife. When she decided to spray aerosol furniture polish into the sump.

Im so proud of you. Tanks are therapy for sure. Well done ! Congrats on your cigarette sobriety.

 

[tbrown]

This is where it all began:

Now I've moved up and moved on to this beast:

 

[Elira_6301]

This is where it all began:

Now I've moved up and moved on to this beast:

I adore macroalgae. And guess who helped me figure out to get my algae to quit dying? @VintageReefer

I lost a ton before he gave me a suggestion.

Your tank looks great

 

[tbrown]

I adore macroalgae. And guess who helped me figure out to get my algae to quit dying? @VintageReefer

I lost a ton before he gave me a suggestion.

Your tank looks great

That's not really my real for real main tank though...

I also have this one.

 

[Elira_6301]

The end...and then the last one I when I first started. I am addicted to corals.

 

[Elira_6301]

That's not really my real for real main tank though...

I also have this one.

Thats very nice. I love the set up. Very exotic..

 

[tbrown]

Thats very nice. I love the set up. Very exotic..

Most of the rocks are Tim-Made Aragocrete.

 

[Elira_6301]

Most of the rocks are Tim-Made Aragocrete.

Thats something Id have to look up. Im still a toddler to most things.

 

[tbrown]

Thats something Id have to look up. Im still a toddler to most things.

I'm Tim. I made most of my rocks. Aragocrete is Aragonite sand mixed with Portland Cement. It takes some time to cure and allow the alkalinity to reach out once it's made but you choose the size and shape

 

[ReefQuestCorals]

I had been doing FW tanks most of my life. Finally one day after a trip to the LFS and a few too many minutes spent checking out all of the corals and reef fish, I decided that I really wanted to start a saltwater tank. As a (fairly) young couple with 3 kids, we lived paycheck to paycheck most of the time, so in order to fit a project like this into the budget, I would need to figure out a way to free up some funds. As a "pack a day" smoker at the time, it was a quick no-brainer solution. I made a deal with myself that if I could quit smoking, I could use the money I wasn't spending on cigarettes to start my project. I set a goal of spring 2007 but ended up quitting smoking a few months early due to a "if this happens again, you probably wont survive" incident. So, spring of 2007, with the newly freed up funds and our tax return, a new addiction was born. I bought a 55g reef ready tank, a Coralife Lunar Aqualight (the one with compact fluorescent bulbs, and a Coralife skimmer, built myself a stand, and made a sump from an old (29g i think) fish tank.

a few years later, I upgraded to a 70g, 40g long homemade sump, metal halide lighting, and an ASM Skimmer, built a new stand, and the old sump stand was repurposed for storage.

Biggest Disadvantage, well that would be my ex-wife. When she decided to spray aerosol furniture polish into the sump.

First off CONGRATS on quitting such an addictive habit!

Back when I first started reefing your tanks were the ones I looked up too! I remember staring at tanks with nothing but overgrown red mushrooms all over thinking it was sooo awesome! Crazy how your mindset changes throughout the years! I do not miss the compact florescent days though haha I had a 20L with a 2 bulb set up, it grew coral at least

And sounds like you dodged a bullet man! Crazy that others would kill off innocent animals and your passion for their own personal issues. I am sorry for your loss!

 

[Elira_6301]

I'm Tim. I made most of my rocks. Aragocrete is Aragonite sand mixed with Portland Cement. It takes some time to cure and allow the alkalinity to reach out once it's made but you choose the size and shape

Thats awesome!! I do have another tank with regular Marco dry live. U got a sto? And u had me messed up. I was like...never heard of it.

 

[ReefQuestCorals]

This is where it all began:

Now I've moved up and moved on to this beast:

What tank is the first one? That is an interesting tank seeing how tall it is, but never the less looks like a great start to an addiction that wont stop! haha I also love macroalgae tanks, Iv set up a micro and sump years ago just for growing different types! All your missing is a sea horse in your 2nd tank ;)

 

[ReefQuestCorals]

That's not really my real for real main tank though...

I also have this one.

What size? Lets hear some details! Looks like something you can stare at for hours and relax

 

[tbrown]

What tank is the first one? That is an interesting tank seeing how tall it is, but never the less looks like a great start to an addiction that wont stop! haha I also love macroalgae tanks, Iv set up a micro and sump years ago just for growing different types! All your missing is a sea horse in your 2nd tank ;)

The first is a 6 gallon AIO. I forgot who makes it though. The second is the new Coralland 8 gallon all-in-one by @IOAOI . It's a great little tank.

 

[tbrown]

What size? Lets hear some details! Looks like something you can stare at for hours and relax

@ESHOPPS.INC Mariner 70.