What got you into the hobby?

[Nor'easter Reefer]

So long ago I had a buddy who had a 55g reef tank, just a couple softies, and a few clowns, a Starry blenny, some chromis, and a mandarin. I saw these and learned that I could just buy and grow corals and I went off the deep end and built my setup immediately. That one was a disaster, but im figuring it out now. Wondering what go everyone else into the hobby? Was it a public aquarium? Was it a family member? More specifically was it a specific fish or coral that you saw and in your mind, that one specimen justified jumping into the hobby?

 

[thamnasteroid]

I was originally on the freshwater side. One day I was researching aquarium brands and came across Red Sea. I was mesmerized by how the set-up tanks looked like so I decided to give it a try the following summer.

 

[luis angel]

A friend of mine from work wanted to get rid of his Biocube 32 and gave it to me, I had zero knowledge at that time lol

 

[astraekid]

My mom teamed up with the SAS at our local petcoand got me one of those EVO 13.5s for christmas that I didnt touch for a year. Now that I’ve been in it for 6 months I’m setting up a bigger reef and creating a nano macroalgae bed for some dwarf pipefish. Dw, I’ve kept freshwater since elementary school and I’m familiar with live foods and have kept freshwater pipefish before.

 

[PPBlimpy]

I was 18, just out of highschool circa 2001 . My buddy's parents were getting a divorced and his dads truck needed work.

He offered me his 155G bowfront saltwater tank for the work on the truck.

I didnt know it but it was horribly setup by a shady LFS. 20g sump, cheap skimmer, 900gph return pump. Guy was trying to keep a shark. Had a porqupine puffer, moray eel and huge lion Fish.
huge bioload with minimal filtration.

I loved it and started learning.

 

[fish farmer]

I saw Walter Adey's Smithsonian tank in 1990. I was already into SW, running a FO with homemade trickle filter. I got out of the SW hobby for about 8 years, then my dad bought me a copy of "Dynamic Aquaria" so I pulled the old tank stuff out of storage.

 

[56longroof]

I had been in freshwater for quite a while when a new lfs opened up that had saltwater. After seeing it I was hooked. The ironic part is that same lfs is the reason I dropped out of the hobby for about 2 decades.

 

[edsbeaker]

I can’t remember! It was 34 years ago! I would guess it was the colorful fish. Back then most tanks, mine included, were decorated with dead coral, without live rock or live coral. I guess as the years went on the hobby just grew, and I grew with it. It’s been a blessing to have done it this way because I can’t imagine what it must be like to have to learn everything at once instead of slowly progressing as the hobby progresses.

 

[tharbin]

So long ago I had a buddy who had a 55g reef tank, just a couple softies, and a few clowns, a Starry blenny, some chromis, and a mandarin. I saw these and learned that I could just buy and grow corals and I went off the deep end and built my setup immediately. That one was a disaster, but im figuring it out now. Wondering what go everyone else into the hobby? Was it a public aquarium? Was it a family member? More specifically was it a specific fish or coral that you saw and in your mind, that one specimen justified jumping into the hobby?

The Cleveland Aquarium or more specifically Bill Kelley. Bill (aka William Kelley Jr.) was a friend of my father's and every month or so we would stop by the aquarium for them to chat. I'd spend my time wandering the halls. A couple of times Bill would show me around and talk about the fish, mainly the marine fish. He had a real enthusiasm and, according to my father was a bit unconventional--I vaguely remember a story about him having a sandbox in his house for an alligator or something like that. When I decided I wanted fish, they had to be marine. When I started researching at the local library I found out about Aquarium Systems and it was a done deal.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I had family members who had reef tanks. plus my dad had one when I was a little kid. So I guess it just runs in the family, haha

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

I was originally on the freshwater side. One day I was researching aquarium brands and came across Red Sea. I was mesmerized by how the set-up tanks looked like so I decided to give it a try the following summer.

I wish I had picked a tank setup when I did mine! I am incredibly DIY but im also incredibly perfectionist so a full setup where it is what it is, setting it up, I probably would have had a smoother/possibly cheaper startup!

 

[goosemans]

I’ve wanted a reef since I was 10. I waited 15 years to finally set one up

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

A friend of mine from work wanted to get rid of his Biocube 32 and gave it to me, I had zero knowledge at that time lol

Did you send some of those fish away? I dont remember seeing a hippo tang in any of your other pictures. I really like the cubes in that size range

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

My mom teamed up with the SAS at our local petcoand got me one of those EVO 13.5s for christmas that I didnt touch for a year. Now that I’ve been in it for 6 months I’m setting up a bigger reef and creating a nano macroalgae bed for some dwarf pipefish. Dw, I’ve kept freshwater since elementary school and I’m familiar with live foods and have kept freshwater pipefish before.

Sounds like its going to be a really cool setup!

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

I was 18, just out of highschool circa 2001 . My buddy's parents were getting a divorced and his dads truck needed work.

He offered me his 155G bowfront saltwater tank for the work on the truck.

I didnt know it but it was horribly setup by a shady LFS. 20g sump, cheap skimmer, 900gph return pump. Guy was trying to keep a shark. Had a porqupine puffer, moray eel and huge lion Fish.
huge bioload with minimal filtration.

I loved it and started learning.

Thats like my origin story, my buddy helped me setup my first system and when I look back at it... phew what a monstrosity haha

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

I saw Walter Adey's Smithsonian tank in 1990. I was already into SW, running a FO with homemade trickle filter. I got out of the SW hobby for about 8 years, then my dad bought me a copy of "Dynamic Aquaria" so I pulled the old tank stuff out of storage.

The draw back is real. I was out for 6 or 7 years but couldnt stay away long term

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

I had been in freshwater for quite a while when a new lfs opened up that had saltwater. After seeing it I was hooked. The ironic part is that same lfs is the reason I dropped out of the hobby for about 2 decades.

Seems like that'd be an interesting story to hear about

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

I can’t remember! It was 34 years ago! I would guess it was the colorful fish. Back then most tanks, mine included, were decorated with dead coral, without live rock or live coral. I guess as the years went on the hobby just grew, and I grew with it. It’s been a blessing to have done it this way because I can’t imagine what it must be like to have to learn everything at once instead of slowly progressing as the hobby progresses.

There's definitely a lot to learn all at once! Luckily we have R2R, so not as simple as 34 years ago, but new resources!

 

[PPBlimpy]

The draw back is real. I was out for 6 or 7 years but couldnt stay away long term

i was out 18 years. shut my last tank down when my oldest daughter was 1. went cold turkey when i got out

for my 40th my wife and kids bought me a 13.5 fluval. i think she regrets it. within a month i had a 75g cycling, 6 months later a 125 in the garage. sold our house this past FEB and instead of moving the 125 i upgraded to a 300G. Been back in the hobby since DEC 2023.

When it comes to hobbies i really enjoy i can get a bit carried away.

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

The Cleveland Aquarium or more specifically Bill Kelley. Bill (aka William Kelley Jr.) was a friend of my father's and every month or so we would stop by the aquarium for them to chat. I'd spend my time wandering the halls. A couple of times Bill would show me around and talk about the fish, mainly the marine fish. He had a real enthusiasm and, according to my father was a bit unconventional--I vaguely remember a story about him having a sandbox in his house for an alligator or something like that. When I decided I wanted fish, they had to be marine. When I started researching at the local library I found out about Aquarium Systems and it was a done deal.

Dude that's awesome! I wish I had gotten to spend so much time around actual fish growing up! I spent all of my tv time watching animal programs on animal planet and discovery channel growing up. I've always loved animals but Maine does not have a lot of animal/aquatic attractions around here