What made you want a reef tank?

buddy of mine went to the beach and got some sand, water, crabs, and a man of war.

then he went and got some damsels and called me.

it was awesome watching nature in action.

of course none of that was responsible but it was still neat to see.

from there i got a setup with terrible equipment from another buddy that was done with his go at the hobby. found 3reef. went from there.

 

My dad had a 180g when I was born and got rid of it when I was like 7. I loved that tank and I've had one ever since. Fw first then turned into the salt addiction.
Trying to pass the hobby onto my 4 year old daughter and she is really into it. Since she has been born there has been a reef tank running in the house

 

Mandarin Goby.

Funny, I've had one before now, but right now I don't even have one. Got too distracted by Corals lol...

Well, next time a 'nice plump eater' comes along I will snag one.

Thanks for the flashback/reminder!

PS...

He will look even cooler among all the coral now...

 

I've had tanks since I was 10. My buddy Adam had an older brother that got him a tank when we were that age and I bugged the crap out of my parents till I got one. Fresh water tetras mostly. Kept it till I graduated high school and then didn't get another tank till after college. I had always kept simple freshwater systems and had written saltwater systems off as too expensive and too difficult. Then a new friend of mine moved in my house for a few months and he had a salt water tank... My first thought was "if this goofball can keep a saltwater tank I definitely can" About 3 months later I got that first coral.. 3 years or so later I have my 210g tank filled with sps lol.

 

I grew up around fish tanks. Started my first FW tank when I was in 6th grade. Decided to step up and do a FOWLR tank, then obviously fell in love with coral and the task of maintaining a reef tank.

 

ive always been inspired by teh ocean, me and my dad tried to make a saltwater tank zback in 99, but it was too expencive and we didnt have the wonderful 3reef resource. so he turned it into a fresh water tank and i wanted nothing to do with that. so i grew up, joined the navy, got stationed on the worlds most deadly tomahawk platform, USS Florida SSGN 728 Blue, and after an 8 month deployment on a submarine, watching the oceans horizon through a periscope for 6 hours ever 18 hours, then getting to Diego Gacia (google it if you dont know where its at) and going snorkling for the first time ever, i had to have that in my office.

 

Someone at a fish store told me that since I already had a tank it wouldn't be too expensive.... LOL

 

Finding Nemo was great we still watch it and its awesome to have my 4 year old yell out what each fish are."dad its our blue tang
.Might be an expensive hobby but watching my son grow up and learn a hobby is worth every cent that I give my lfs.