A
Anonymous
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Had FW since I was a kid. Picked up a fishkeeping mag and read an article by Julian Sprung on the possibilities of small reef tanks...
How did you become interested in this hobby
- Thread starter Len
- Start date
Started with some figure eight puffers from walmart (I treated it as a rescue operation more than anything)in a 10 gallon fresh water. Then I did some research on them and found out they can be in brackish water so we turned it slowly into a brackish water tank. Then I found out they can be in full salt water so I slowly changed over to a salt water tank, I had them for 1.5 years, until we lost them in a move. So then I had a 10 gallon salt water tank and no fish, so we went ot a LFS and I saw all the neat things you could do with a bigger tank. Cooincidentally one of my army buds was selling a 55 gal tank so I bought it pretty cheap and awaaaaaaaaaay we went. I have not been sane since.
So technically I suppose that would fall into the LFS store because that is where I bought the first marine fish, and the friends category for telling me about the SW and selling me the tank, and also online/other for the research I found that allowed me to change from a fresh to a saltwater tank over time with the little puffers. So I would have to say the Friends/lfs/other/internet category would be me.
So technically I suppose that would fall into the LFS store because that is where I bought the first marine fish, and the friends category for telling me about the SW and selling me the tank, and also online/other for the research I found that allowed me to change from a fresh to a saltwater tank over time with the little puffers. So I would have to say the Friends/lfs/other/internet category would be me.
I got really bitten by the nano bug when Eric Borneman took the time to ask questions and give feedback about some of my early setups. That was so inspiring during a time when most people were skeptical about the concepts of nano and pico reefs, I was just learning the concepts, and he was always willing among a slew of pm's to take time to write back some very lengthy and detailed help concerning feeding and coral interactions. I don't think I'd be such a geek by now were it not for his personality, thanks Eric.
Brandon M.
Brandon M.
Hello
Good idea Len, since you asked...
It all started for me, with a 20 gallon aquarium that my older (5 years) brother abandoned when he found out about cars and girls! I found a little mom & pop pet store (Chicago NW side) 3 blocks from home and spent many an afternoon there asking many questions (they had a 40 year old parrot/mascot that never liked me?). All fresh water stuff back then, (late 60's). Fast forward 6 years and a trip to the Shedd and saltwater was IT. 1977 I set up a 55 gallon, Get this Tank, stand, glass top and strip light, UG filters (2) Silent Giant air pumps, heater, 100 lbs dolamite, salt (Rila) and a floating hydrometer, all for $260.00 I thought to my self "how expensive can IT be" My first up grade was a Sanders protien skimmer and an Eheim cannister filter!!! Sea Ya gotta go fishing (LFS).
Good idea Len, since you asked...
It all started for me, with a 20 gallon aquarium that my older (5 years) brother abandoned when he found out about cars and girls! I found a little mom & pop pet store (Chicago NW side) 3 blocks from home and spent many an afternoon there asking many questions (they had a 40 year old parrot/mascot that never liked me?). All fresh water stuff back then, (late 60's). Fast forward 6 years and a trip to the Shedd and saltwater was IT. 1977 I set up a 55 gallon, Get this Tank, stand, glass top and strip light, UG filters (2) Silent Giant air pumps, heater, 100 lbs dolamite, salt (Rila) and a floating hydrometer, all for $260.00 I thought to my self "how expensive can IT be" My first up grade was a Sanders protien skimmer and an Eheim cannister filter!!! Sea Ya gotta go fishing (LFS).
hmmm...i was seven, and saw a 125 at friend's of the family during a weekend barbeque... a pair of breeding jewel cichlids in their full cherry red spangled glory, adult oscars, and angels.... -i knew then what i wanted to mess with for the rest of my life 
oddly enough-none of the stores in my area either knew anything, or were willing to volunteer ANY correct info, or advice -ALL of my initial education was done via the local public library, and mags like fama and tfh
god what i'd give for a properly colored jewel cihlid, or a healthy ram these days - alot of fish look like crap from massive inbreeding, compared to what they're really like in the wild
heck if people were aware of half of what's out there, can be done, in FW, there'd be alot less reefkeepers around, methinks
oddly enough-none of the stores in my area either knew anything, or were willing to volunteer ANY correct info, or advice -ALL of my initial education was done via the local public library, and mags like fama and tfh
god what i'd give for a properly colored jewel cihlid, or a healthy ram these days - alot of fish look like crap from massive inbreeding, compared to what they're really like in the wild
heck if people were aware of half of what's out there, can be done, in FW, there'd be alot less reefkeepers around, methinks
Did the guppies inform their owner that a whole new world of marine life hobby is waiting for them ?
Your fresh water tank did not get you into the hobby .......seeing the yellow tangs on the other side of the store , while buying tetras is how these former fresh hobbyist learned of the marine hobby. |
Putting in the catagory "other" ruins the data.
Almost every "other " explainer found out that salt was an option at the LFS........not talking late at night with your goldfish!
Change " Other" to "my fresh water tank told me about reef tanks"........
Your fresh water tank did not get you into the hobby .......seeing the yellow tangs on the other side of the store , while buying tetras is how these former fresh hobbyist learned of the marine hobby. |
Putting in the catagory "other" ruins the data.
Almost every "other " explainer found out that salt was an option at the LFS........not talking late at night with your goldfish!
Change " Other" to "my fresh water tank told me about reef tanks"........
Oddly enough: The Internet
Like most, I've been keeping fresh and marine fish for many, many years.
One day I decided to see what turned up on a reef related google and boards like this one sprung up in the results list. - The rest is history.
But.... - The importance of having quality LFSs' is high for me too and should not be overlooked.
Like most, I've been keeping fresh and marine fish for many, many years.
One day I decided to see what turned up on a reef related google and boards like this one sprung up in the results list. - The rest is history.
But.... - The importance of having quality LFSs' is high for me too and should not be overlooked.
Oh, and after the kalkonian input above, I guess I should mention..
Like vitz, I couldn't find an LFS that wasn't suffering from severe cranial-rectal inversion but didn't have luck at the libraries I was (in)frequenting either so I opted out of reefing for the sake of not going through the then-popular method of constant killing/replacing.
"The net" showed me that sources now existed that weren't in that kill/replace vein..
Like vitz, I couldn't find an LFS that wasn't suffering from severe cranial-rectal inversion but didn't have luck at the libraries I was (in)frequenting either so I opted out of reefing for the sake of not going through the then-popular method of constant killing/replacing.
"The net" showed me that sources now existed that weren't in that kill/replace vein..
i evolved to marine from fresh, via the 'typical' progression-community/goldfish, to cichlids, to salt, and still remain equally active and interested in both-i'm presently doing abit of guppy breeding for a color line in a really neat very heavily planted bowfront 'nano', and working on setting up a new nanoreef
kalk's just doing the only thing he knows how to do, and thinks he's good at - blow smoke
kalk would most likely have you try to believe that no salt hobbyists are fresh hobbyists (at least that's his post's obvious subtext) :lol:
ime, there are as many ways that people get into either or both, as there are hobbyists
kalk's just doing the only thing he knows how to do, and thinks he's good at
- blow smokekalk would most likely have you try to believe that no salt hobbyists are fresh hobbyists (at least that's his post's obvious subtext)
:lol: ime, there are as many ways that people get into either or both, as there are hobbyists
No what Im saying is that having a fesh water tank should be counted under the "LFS " ......... Not "other".
And yes big box and walmart are local fish stores.
The catagory of {"Other" should be checked when a fish store played no role in you getting into the hobby.
"How did you first learn about saltwater aquariums"?
.....your goldfish didnt tell you.
....your tetras didnt discribe what a yellow tang looks like.
...No your visit to the fish store to buy supplies for your freshwater tank was were you first noticed the salt water section of the store.
And that event should count as "LFS"
"What was the most significant factor " is a poor qualifier,
What was the biggest reason (most significant)you got into the hobby ? is what this current poll is asking.
"I lost my job and needed something to fill my extra time with"
"I got board with my fresh water tank"
......those are :reasons" to "why" we get into salt water hobby.
"How" we found out that salt was an alternative , is an entirely different question. :wink:
Ask the question again,
How did you first find out that saltwater aquariums were available as a hobby?
And yes big box and walmart are local fish stores.
The catagory of {"Other" should be checked when a fish store played no role in you getting into the hobby.
"How did you first learn about saltwater aquariums"?
.....your goldfish didnt tell you.
....your tetras didnt discribe what a yellow tang looks like.
...No your visit to the fish store to buy supplies for your freshwater tank was were you first noticed the salt water section of the store.
And that event should count as "LFS"
"What was the most significant factor " is a poor qualifier,
What was the biggest reason (most significant)you got into the hobby ? is what this current poll is asking.
"I lost my job and needed something to fill my extra time with"
"I got board with my fresh water tank"
......those are :reasons" to "why" we get into salt water hobby.
"How" we found out that salt was an alternative , is an entirely different question. :wink:
Ask the question again,
How did you first find out that saltwater aquariums were available as a hobby?
Hello
Roger at the Shedd Aquarium told me a little about setting up a marine ("I thought military") aquarium at home. I went and asked the folks at the neigborhood LFS (mom & pop)! They said it was to difficult, and Pop's throws me a catalog (Daleco) as I was heading out the door. He said "you might find this helpfull and wished me luck!
Roger at the Shedd Aquarium told me a little about setting up a marine ("I thought military") aquarium at home. I went and asked the folks at the neigborhood LFS (mom & pop)! They said it was to difficult, and Pop's throws me a catalog (Daleco) as I was heading out the door. He said "you might find this helpfull and wished me luck!
For me, I had a 10-gallon tank when I was a kid for about 4-5 years, then it was the ex-fiancee 10 years ago with her little 10 gallon overstocked tank. I started on my own with a 30 gallon African cichlid tank (yellow labidochromis and Ps. demasoni, then added a few other tanks (angelfish and a brackish tank with puffers and datinoids). Finally, had a 75-gallon discus tank for about a year until I decided to go salt. Been obsessed with it ever since.
Peace,
Chip
Peace,
Chip
Once when I was really young we got some guppies or some crap as a grade school experiment. I thought they were neat and asked my mom for a goldfish or something. She took me to a nearby mom-n-pop LFS called Terre Quatics in Osseo, MN. I recall walking in and being completely floored.
You see, this shop was built in a crapulated old church, a pretty small one. But it was frickin' cool. When you open the door their greyhound greets you. Immediatl on the left was Bob and Linda greeting you. An african grey parrot was in the back meowing(lol). On your right was a SWEET and HUGE vivarium that had frogs and killifish and other things co-existing in what remainds to be the best vivarium i have ever laid eyes on.
The walls of the shop were lined with tank upon tank of beautiful freshwater exhibits. One small wall of 10 gallon racks had the usual crap like ppl would want to buy. Bettas, common tetras, you know. The entire rest of the store was a showcase in fine aquarium keeping. They had extremely old and ginormous fish of all kinds. Two foot black ghost knife. 1.5 foot school of 7 clown loaches! Tanks and tanks of killifish from local breeders. Racks of beautiful cichlids, divided into african and south american varieties. They had a most beautiful arrowana, and an equally impressive FW stingray. All these weird pets were traded to them at one time by hobbyists who made bad purchases.
The crowning acheivement of the place was their discus. All flavors all kinds big old breeding and just lookin' pretty. There was a shelf above the cash register that was about to collapse from discus breeding trophies.
Above all else ... every single one of their tanks was planeted (except for some of the cichlid tanks). It was so beautiful ... I wish that shop was still around today, or at least that I would run across those two ppl that owned it and let them know how they were responsible for fascinating me with this hobby and actually giving me good advice. They would flat out refuse to sell inappropriate fish to newbies, or too many fish at once etc etc.
The only LFS owners I ever met that had any sort of scruples. Hey bob and linda if you happen to read this, you rock.
edit: on a whim I just looked up the name, and they have reopened in a nearby city. i am stopping there tomorrow and i am officially back in the FW planted aquarium hobby. 20L here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOO
You see, this shop was built in a crapulated old church, a pretty small one. But it was frickin' cool. When you open the door their greyhound greets you. Immediatl on the left was Bob and Linda greeting you. An african grey parrot was in the back meowing(lol). On your right was a SWEET and HUGE vivarium that had frogs and killifish and other things co-existing in what remainds to be the best vivarium i have ever laid eyes on.
The walls of the shop were lined with tank upon tank of beautiful freshwater exhibits. One small wall of 10 gallon racks had the usual crap like ppl would want to buy. Bettas, common tetras, you know. The entire rest of the store was a showcase in fine aquarium keeping. They had extremely old and ginormous fish of all kinds. Two foot black ghost knife. 1.5 foot school of 7 clown loaches! Tanks and tanks of killifish from local breeders. Racks of beautiful cichlids, divided into african and south american varieties. They had a most beautiful arrowana, and an equally impressive FW stingray. All these weird pets were traded to them at one time by hobbyists who made bad purchases.
The crowning acheivement of the place was their discus. All flavors all kinds big old breeding and just lookin' pretty. There was a shelf above the cash register that was about to collapse from discus breeding trophies.
Above all else ... every single one of their tanks was planeted (except for some of the cichlid tanks). It was so beautiful ... I wish that shop was still around today, or at least that I would run across those two ppl that owned it and let them know how they were responsible for fascinating me with this hobby and actually giving me good advice. They would flat out refuse to sell inappropriate fish to newbies, or too many fish at once etc etc.
The only LFS owners I ever met that had any sort of scruples. Hey bob and linda if you happen to read this, you rock.
edit: on a whim I just looked up the name, and they have reopened in a nearby city. i am stopping there tomorrow and i am officially back in the FW planted aquarium hobby. 20L here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOO
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