How did you all get into marine tanks?

[rescuediver19]

Just a conversation piece: how did you get into marine tanks and reefing? I personally was looking for something to satiate my desire to dive every day! So far its working, and when I do go diving, I appreciate it more after my experience with the delicacy and great balance that is required for such beauty! I know that saltwater tanks are something that will be part of my life forever (or atleast as long as I can afford it . oisson will work for fish! oisson ) I also just want to thank you guys for helping ease the potential stress associated with reefing!

 

[drty811]

i was twelve, just got certified, and went for my first open water dive. i jumped in and have never left the water since.lol. my friend chacha had a reef tank, and everytime i visited i would sit in front of the tank and just stare. no all i do is sit and stare.lol.

this site has definitly helped me with all my problems and questions, glad were here to help.

 

[reefman23]

I have been surrounded with freshwater tanks since I was a baby thanks to my dad. I always enjoyed freshwater, but it was never really satisfying. I had a fw community tank, brackish puffer tank, my dad had a discus tank, 90 gallon paired arrowana tank... tried it all pretty much.

Then I started working at...ehem...Petco with a guy that did saltwater tanks. I became very interested in them, so I started with my 16g bow that I got on clearance for $46 PLUS 20% discount off of that... tank and stand!!! At the same time, my now-brother-in-law bought a nancube, and my best friend bought a 55g. So the three of us got all into it together. Well, they tore down their tanks about 2 years ago! Im still going...stronger than ever!

That about sums it up. Saltwater is just so rewarding and they are just so enjoyable to sit back and look at. And they really impress people when they see it in person!

Jesse

 

[kosey929]

Hmmmmm.....

I'm not really sure how I ended up with salty fishies and corals. I think it went like this: I was looking at aquarium setups for sale on ebay and came across a "nano" tank. This was something I'd never heard of before and my curiosity was piqued. So I searched the Internet and came across Nanotank and some other boards.....started browsing.....and was hooked before I even purchased a tank. Despite many years of experience in freshwater, I've always been intimidated by marine - probably mainly due to the significant cost of marine critters. I've since found that I actually experience fewer losses with marine critters and have learned the truth of the cliche' "you get what you pay for." This if by far the most rewarding endeavour I've ever undertaken. I have a ton to learn and have made some mistakes, but the rewards are unbelievable to me! I can't imagine life without the reefkeeping hobby and I've only been in it for barely 6 months. Even when things go wrong in my tanks, I feel a strong desire to fix it and make it right. Very few things in life have had that kind of impact on me. Before you go thinking I'm crazy and making judgments, you need to know I have a strong love for nature and the wonders of natural science as well as aesthetics. Nothing combines those elements as well as reefkeeping. I'm in awe everyday at the little glass boxes of beauty I have living in our kitchen.

I always enjoyed freshwater, but it was never really satisfying.

Ditto that! I kept fresh for 15 years and couldn't imagine not having a tank. But....you look at them and feed them and there's not much else going on. I always had good luck with my freshies despite being pretty neglectful. They always grew and were healthy.

Then I started working at...ehem...Petco with a guy that did saltwater tanks.

Nothing wrong with Petco - resist feeling ashamed! My beloved Zorb (yellow-headed pearly jawfish) was a Petco purchase as were my scooter blenny and yellow watchman goby. All of whom have done well from day one. Some people would never have the opportunity to enjoy marine if it weren't for the Petcos of the world.

Saltwater is just so rewarding and they are just so enjoyable to sit back and look at. And they really impress people when they see it in person!

So there it is.....

Karen

 

[EDGRAY]

mmmmmmm.... Well ...

once upon a time there was a really brat kid (my Nephew) that went to Petsmart with me to get dog food and he found the Freshwater fish section and fell in love so my sis got him a tank and bla bla bla then i was buying him fishies all the time until one day i said F#$% this :lol: (sorry for my english :razz: ) so i got a freshwater tank for me and i was into GUPPIES so i collected all kinds of tail color variation and then one day i went to visit Circle Pet and fell in love with the amazing colors of MARINE FISH and of course the stupid MARDARINES, so i was mmmm :roll: :???: no saltwater not for me since people say is hard and a guy on the store told me that wasnt that difficult if i got a NC and that ill have to just clean the sponges and do water changes but i wasnt convinced really and also cause marine world was really $$$ expensive and well then months before christmas my beloved one gave me for present a NC but with the condition of not expecting nothing for christmas :sad: (but got something else anyways :razz so that was my story then got all i needed and when i whent to get my first fish a guy from the store N3M3S1S = adrian told me about NANOTANK.COM so i check the site and was really helpful and after that i never let go of my NT.com and learned alot and now im addict on marine world :mrgreen:

P.S: Im glad that somebody gave the push to try marine world and well was more easy than freshwater since i experience more headaches on freshwater and more loses i got better luck in marine world.... match made in heaven... :mrgreen:

 

[rescuediver19]

sorry off topic but I had to give away my emerald crab today :sad: as he was attacking my innocent frogspawn coral and my featherduster then taking swipes at my new little B&W clownfishy (Bob). Gave him to my friend next door, but am still left with a bittersweet feeling. He was really cool! I think I'm going to replace with a dwarf zebra hermit crab. Do you think it'll attack my snails for their shells provided I give it new shells to move into???

Sorry to digress, please keep telling me how y'all got into the hobby. Funny how everyone starts fresh :mrgreen: says something about marine

 

[d-K]

FINDING NEMO!! lol jus playing...
i saw a marine tank in a fishstore and next thing i knew i must start this beautiful (but costly) hobby

 

[rescuediver19]

haha good one

 

[EDGRAY]

FINDING NEMO!! lol jus playing...
i saw a marine tank in a fishstore and next thing i knew i must start this beautiful (but costly) hobby

Kinda True cause i know for sure alot of us have PERCULA CLOWN FISH cause NEMO for sure!!!! and well mine was named after him too :lol:....

 

[rescuediver19]

My clownfish's name (the orange one) is promethius who was the greek god who gave humans fire... the black one is bob...

 

[freshreef]

Oh I love reading all these!....I actually got into fish in "general" cause my cousin gave me a betta (I had wanted a betta for ever but my parrents kept saying no,,..)but my cousin got a dog and the dog kept trying to eat the fish and she diddnt want to take care of it, so she gave it to me (it was in a vase) and she had had him for 3 years, and I had him for about 2,, he was ALLWAYS in a vase, cause I tried putting him in a 1gall, 5gall, and 10gall and he just sat their and never ate, but when I put him back in the vase he was all happy again ( ???????) anyways, then I went on to angel fish etc, well anyways, I had been in fresh for about...2-3 years and I was at the BEST LFS around here (my freind took me one day to get a BDay present for his little bro..a betta) and I was amazed at the color etc, and I have been reading on them ever since, and my mom has allways wanted a salt, more than fresh, so when I finally put my mind to it that I was going to start one, she jumped in with me :lol3: and started learning with me... and now im about ready to get my first inhabitants, but I still wish, to one day, have a HUGE saltwater reef, with a school of tangs, some mandarians, some breeding clowns, etc....... **DREAM**