Why did you set up your tank?

[TankYouVeryMuch]

I’m curious what prompted people to set up their first reef aquarium. Was it trying to recreate a piece of the ocean? Hoping to aquaculture corals or fish for sale? Relaxation? Maybe all the extra zeroes in your bank balance were giving you trypophobia?

 

[CHSUB]

Was it trying to recreate a piece of the ocean

This!

 

[code4]

My husband wanted it. I took it over and ran with it. He still helps and enjoys it. But I mostly decide what goes into it and do all the research. I think I like the challenge

 

[Alexraptor]

Finding Nemo...

 

[UncommonSense]

I’ve had my tanks for a decade or more… my health took a steep decline around a half-decade ago, and my aquariums subsequently slowly fell into states of neglect/disrepair…

But, I’m back again! I fixed myself, then turned my attention to my surroundings; starting with a massive round of rebuilding and upgrading on my aquariums!

 

[kevgib67]

Back in the mid nineties a high school friend and I were both running ciclid tanks and would often go to the lfs together. We began spending more and more time in front of the saltwater tanks and our ciclids just couldn’t compare with the salt water fish. He finally said I’m going to do a saltwater tank and the follower that I am I said me to.

 

[Pat's Reef]

I’m curious what prompted people to set up their first reef aquarium. Was it trying to recreate a piece of the ocean? Hoping to aquaculture corals or fish for sale? Relaxation? Maybe all the extra zeroes in your bank balance were giving you trypophobia?

Long story short, I have kept freshwater fish since I was 12. Well, one day I walked into the fish store, and in a new saltwater section, I saw a green and a psychedelic mandarin and was immediately lost. I left the store with a brand new copy of John Tullock’s Natural Reef Aquarium and started my dream. Back then, NPS corals were the thing to keep because photosynthetic corals were “unkeepable” at the time. It took a while to realize that the equivalent of a spot light was necessary for their survival. But, it all comes down to the minute I saw that green mandarin really.