Were you in the freshwater hobby before reefing? If so, for how long before getting your first reef tank?

[Tinnerito]

I felt like asking a grins and giggles question for those who'd like to share. The title is the question, and I can't wait to hear the replies!! I've been keeping freshwater for 8 years since I was 7 years old, when I raised my first aquarium by myself, and still am doing freshwater to this day. Only started reefing February.

 

[Tinnerito]

I was literally born into (54 years ago yesterday, 10/24/1970) the Fresh Water Fish/Tank industry. When my parents brought me home from the hospital, my "bedroom" was being used to house/breed various GUPPIES! My earliest memories include racks of tanks loaded with various varieties of guppies as my father was dabbling with breeding mixed and fancy varieties.

I've always maintained some type of FW tank almost non-stop through the years and still have 2 FW (well 1 is FW fish and the other is a BioActive Habitat for Fire Bellied Toads/Tree Frogs but it has fish in it too) here at the house in addition to our Reef Tank.

Very cool!

 

[Paul B]

I started freshwater in about 1953, Fish were sold in Toy Stores. I raised angelfish, discus. platys, catfish etc. I had them until I got drafted in 1969 and when I got out of the army in 1971, I started my salt tank which I still have today.

My first "tanks" were in cut down wine barrels. I also kept turtles, tortoises, snakes and lizards

 

[tactical error]

This is a great question! My HS boyfriend got me my first freshwater ‘tank’. It was a little 5 gal hex thing that in hindsight was terrible for keeping fish, but it was enough to give me the bug. Since then I’ve varied in size from that up to a 75 gal. Most recently a 45H low tech planted. About a year and a half ago I bought a used EVO off the local FB aquarium buy/sell/trade group - and it’s been all downhill from there! Just recently broke down the 45H freshwater and upgraded the EVO to the flex 32.5.

….My name is Pam, and I have a problem…..

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Been dabbling in fw/sw since '98. Sometimes both, sometimes just fresh, sometimes just salt. Admittedly if I break down this current cube tank, it's back to fresh for me.

 

[fish farmer]

I started in salt...SEA MONKIES in the late 70s.

I didn't start keeping freshwater until the early 80s. when I was 11 or 12. One of my adult friends was a retired science teacher, so he dumped several slate bottom tanks on me, along with old equipment and pamphlets. He actually bought me a small saltwater setup soon after. I didn't set up a longterm aquarium until 2000 and that was a reef.

So freshwater for about 10 years with a couple salt tanks in the late 80s, both fresh and salt off and on since 2000.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I started in salt...SEA MONKIES in the late 70s.

I didn't start keeping freshwater until the early 80s. when I was 11 or 12. One of my adult friends was a retired science teacher, so he dumped several slate bottom tanks on me, along with old equipment and pamphlets. He actually bought me a small saltwater setup soon after. I didn't set up a longterm aquarium until 2000 and that was a reef.

So freshwater for about 10 years with a couple salt tanks in the late 80s, both fresh and salt off and on since 2000.

Do people still even take care of sea monkeys anymore? Or was that just a fad in the 70s-80s?

 

[fish farmer]

Do people still even take care of sea monkeys anymore? Or was that just a fad in the 70s-80s?

They still sell them...probably easier than a goldfish for a little kid.

Personally if I was a kid I would go for Triassic Triops.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

They still sell them...probably easier than a goldfish for a little kid.

Personally if I was a kid I would go for Triassic Triops.

Didn't even know those were a thing!

 

[Reeferbadness]

I had multiple fresh water tanks as a kid (8 - 16 or so) - a red belly piraña tank, an oscar tank and a feed food tank (gold fish or minnows from a brackish stream nearby my house where i would trap the minnows and bring them home). Took a break and then had a FOWLR salt water tank in the 90's for about 6 tears then another break until about 5 years ago. Now have 2 x 200g mixed reef tanks and love it!

 

[fish farmer]

I had multiple fresh water tanks as a kid (8 - 16 or so) - a red belly piraña tank, an oscar tank and a feed food tank (gold fish or minnows from a brackish stream nearby my house where i would trap the minnows and bring them home). Took a break and then had a FOWLR salt water tank in the 90's for about 6 tears then another break until about 5 years ago. Now have 2 x 200g mixed reef tanks and love it!

Every kid wants a piranha tank. I had one pirahna for about 5 years, just sat in the corner until feeding time.

 

[Reeferbadness]

Every kid wants a piranha tank. I had one pirahna for about 5 years, just sat in the corner until feeding time.

ya, i had 4 or 5. They would only eat when i turned the lights out in the room. Very shy. Def not like in the movies LOL

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I had multiple fresh water tanks as a kid (8 - 16 or so) - a red belly piraña tank, an oscar tank and a feed food tank (gold fish or minnows from a brackish stream nearby my house where i would trap the minnows and bring them home). Took a break and then had a FOWLR salt water tank in the 90's for about 6 tears then another break until about 5 years ago. Now have 2 x 200g mixed reef tanks and love it!

Your tank looks great! What does the other one look like?

 

[Tinnerito]

I started freshwater in about 1953, Fish were sold in Toy Stores. I raised angelfish, discus. platys, catfish etc. I had them until I got drafted in 1969 and when I got out of the army in 1971, I started my salt tank which I still have today.

My first "tanks" were in cut down wine barrels. I also kept turtles, tortoises, snakes and lizards

I love your story!

 

[Tinnerito]

Every kid wants a piranha tank. I had one pirahna for about 5 years, just sat in the corner until feeding time.

I mean, piranhas are really cool. Who wouldn't want one at some point?

 

[Reeferbadness]

Your tank looks great! What does the other one look like?

This one is a custom tank, the previous is a Red Sea G2 XXL 750