So you're how old and you have a saltwater aquarium?

[oldfishman]

I am 75 and have had both fresh and salt. Fist tank when I was 11 so 64 years. I now have a small reef tank 28 gal. It was just for the challenge.

 

[d2mini]

That moment when you realize you are now in the next age bracket up. ;Dead

 

[tony'stank]

I’m 72 and have had saltwater reef tanks for 37 years

 

[Salty Lemon]

I started my first tank when I was twenty. Started reefing when I was 25 -- went to graduate school, got married, had kids and had to take a break due to "responsibility"... I started up the reef thing again about a year and a half ago. I'm currently 48.

 

[JimFuller]

I am 67 Years Old. I have had Salt tanks for 43 Years, if I factor in the couple of years I took the tanks down from 2015 to 2017. I had Stage 4 Lymphoma and did not want to leave the wife with tanks to take down. Fortunately, I survived the Chemo and lost and Argument with my wife. So, we have a 75 Gallon that has been up since 7/15/2017.

 

[Andrewalex11]

Got my first tank at the age of 22 when I ended my service in the US Marines, I had sustained a few fairly painful injuries that prevented me from doing 100% of the things I used to enjoy, so disgruntled and upset I bought a fw tank because "I just wanted something to f***ing do". I saw a few videos online of people setting up saltwater aquariums and got excited because from that point on the hobby no longer seemed so lame and the rest is history. I'm only a few months away from 25 years old and not to sound cliche but reefing has taken my life in all sorts of directions I never would I have thought possible and it really helped me transition back into normal life over the passed few years.

 

[JLynn]

I'm 21, and while I've only had a tank for 2 years, I've been active on forums and planning future tanks for 5 or 6 years now. It's just that it took me a while to save up the money, settle on one single plan that I could do as a college student, and work up the nerve to put it all in action (I love shopping, but spending money is almost physically painful for me, and I dropped a cool fifteen hundred on my tank).

 

[WVNed]

58
I have been keeping fish since the early 80s.
Watching them makes me happy. Always has.

 

[Sense of nature]

I'm 48 & been keeping aquatics since I was 7
Saltwater since I was 19

 

[Algae Farmer]

I’m 65 and have had a Reef Tank in one form or another off and on for over 30 years. Current tank since ‘02.

 

[Heart of Dixie]

I am 67 and have kept reef tanks for about 20 years. I enjoy having multiple projects to continually exercise the mind. Between keeping the 150 gallon tank /50 gallon sump & refugium up, researching new methods of husbandry, learning the chemistry, lighting etc with the primary focus of keeping everything as simple as possible, this helps to fulfill the goal. It’s also a wonderful teaching aid for our 10 grandchildren to learn a variety of subjects.

 

[Musovski]

im about to turn 21 in march. let me begin by saying that if i were to start a tank at a younger age, rip to whatever life form wouldve been in it. As time progressed, i began thinking different and now here i am, keeping a reef tank, going to school for radiology, flipping money so i can afford more coral, fish, bills, and to get the cars i want to drive. The grind doesnt stop as adulthood hits. Looking back at some things i did i feel like an i***t.

 

[vetteguy53081]

In this hobby or any hobby to mention,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, One thing is for sure :

YOU DON'T GROW OLD BEING A FOOL. IT DUE TO KNOWLWDGE MAKES US A SMARTER PRODUCT !!

 

[oldbob50]

I'm with PEP12. Age is just a number. Have always had freshwater tanks. Started reefing 2 years ago. Currently have 100 gal reef tank, a 20 gal QT and a 55 gallon African cichlid tank. I work a full time job, maintain a farm and will be 69 in March. I love watching my tank develop and change and have no plans to stop. If I get to where I can't lift a 5 gallon bucket, I'll use a transfer pump. Can't see any thing close up anymore, so I use magnifier glasses to inspect my tank.

 

[OrionN]

I am 57. I have salt water then reef tank for the last 39 years, since 1980.

 

[GirardA1]

57 wanted one my whole life. My next door neighbor Mike owned the Black shark fish store in Wyndotte Michigan he had some awsome tanks that was 45 years ago now. I just got my first tank last Feburary and have been enjoying the hobbie ever since.

 

[SFKINNC]

Been keeping FW fish tanks since 1957 0r ‘58. Started in SW in about 1970. Gave up on SW when I moved in 1984 and there were no LFS worth dealing with for SW livestock. Mail order was almost non-existent, slow, and expensive. Now, there is one PETCO in town, and great mail-order houses, thanks to the net. I’m 70, retired, and have time and money that I can use to enjoy myself if I watch the budget. So I started a reef in a 32 gallon BioCube last year and I’m slowly learning the practical side of reef keeping within a reasonable budget. Love my mini reef.

 

[Tastee]

I'm 61 and have had a reef tank for a year now. Freshwater since 2000.

I’m similar. I’ve had FW tanks since the late 70s when I was in my teens and jumped into SW just before I turned 50 in Nov 17. Tank is now 15 months old and doing ok.

 

[FLSharkvictim]

I was thinking about ages and demographics of us crazy reef keepers and I thought it might make an interesting discussion about age. More specifically I'll kick it off with this question.

What, if any, does age have to do with maintaining a saltwater reef aquarium?

I'm also adding a poll about your age because it's been a while since we had one! Would love to hear your thoughts on this subject.

Great question @revhtree - I'm 45 yrs old and have been keeping mixed reef tanks for over 27 years! I believe the longer you're in the hobby the wiser you become over the years and make fewer mistakes.
If you haven't already, feel free to check out my new current build thread link below:

 

[Rivus]

I'm the top (bottom) 3% at 66. Took over the family's 20g freshwater tank as a toddler. Messed with salt water tanks while at the Naval Academy. Helped start a Marine Science Center, setting up the aquariums and displays late 80's. Just got back into setting up a home reef tank last year. A RedSea 45G, and now a 23G nano. Just getting to know the corals and looking forward to seeing how they grow.