What inspired you to get into the saltwater hobby ?

[i cant think]

As title indicates. . . what inspired you to get into the saltwater hobby?

This hobby has changed over the last 3-4 decades with new technology, discovery of fish, Locally bred fish and corals types and fragging. There are many who have owned freshwater tanks and took the Leap, while there are some who went right to it.
OFTEN IT IS IMPULSE THAT LEADS US INTO THIS HOBBY.

For me, it was going to a pet store and seeing a tank of Blue devil damsels and I got hypnotized by all that vivid blue and knew I had to have a tank with these guys.
Little did I know they and Domino Damsels would be the worse fish one could have.

I was owning fresh water 10-13 years ago but then I took the plunge into owning both fresh and salt. I had my first Saltwater nano tank in the kitchen and a 6’ Fresh Water tank in the living room. My nano was only Inverts as they were the more interesting side of the hobby back then (yes I had fish in there but I only had 3 in there if that). Our fish availability was minimal compared to now but the inverts and corals were everything.
It was then swapped and broke down the 6’ fresh water tank and downsized it to a 3-4’ bow front. Instead I had a 3’ saltwater tank in the living room. Which had a mix of fish and corals. Then about 4-5 years later I killed everything accidentally though a ‘beautiful’ crab… The Hairy Red Leg Hermit.
But I kept it running and broke down that tank only 4 years ago (it was running for about 8 years). I then got my 4’ tank that I have now up and running.
And 4 years ago now I ditched fresh water altogether and went into a saltwater only hobby by converting my freshwater nano into a SW nano. That started my new nano journey and in those 4 years I’ve upgraded the nano twice.

 

[UtahReefer]

I was 14 and had multiple fresh water ciclid tanks. Walked into a new pet store that had opened and saw a blue damsel. Saw the color and couldn't believe it. I was hooked at that point.

 

[ReefEco]

My mom was a docent at the Academy of Sciences and Steinhart Aquarium, so as a little kid I got to go behind the scenes, feed the fish, see the tanks. I would later work there in education. Always been fascinated by the underwater world, scuba diving, snorkeling, etc. It is one of the most beautiful, fascinating ecological niches on the planet. And the hobby dovetails with my love of building and designing stuff...

 

[Bozburn]

About 15 years ago my friend had a tank in college, a small nano tank with some clowns and soft coral. Once I saw that I was hooked, got a nano tank for a year or so then moved up to a 125 gal. When I moved back to my hometown after college I tore down the tank and wanted to restart it but never did. Fast forward to about a year and a half ago and I told my wife that I wanted to get back into it (she remembered my old tank) and was fully supportive of it.

Now I've got a 260 gallon and I know when I move back onto the family farm and build a house I am going to put a massive tank in there with a proper fish room.