What got you started in SW?

I think it's a good thing ya didn't grow up next to a horse farm... the sniffing wouldn't be so nice! LOL Great story! thanks for sharing

 

so it was a 'Really, my gf made me do it" kind of start LOL I like that.

 

Thanks for listening! Finally, a story of mine that matters!

 

LOL yup they all matter to me. I'm doing research in a way besides just being a natural sponge for knowledge.

Finding what helped people get the 'bug' for SW helps me know motivations and in my little business I can't afford many mistakes on this subject. From my own mental note taking of customers it seems the nano concept is an ice breaker for people thinking of taking the plunge. The only hard part is to make sure they understand the limits and how quickly things can go wrong in nanos.

That said my very first SW tank system sale started out to be for a 10 gallon nano all set up and cycled for a lady's husband who has always wanted a SW tank. To be delivered for Christmas this year.

All the posts help me to have the right kinds of set ups and fish/corals/cool inverts, etc that spur the interest and imagination of the next generation of 3reefers!

That's why every post is important to me in a major way! As is every post on the other thread I started about what the lfs should have done better in the beginning of your SW experience.

Cheers!
GreyBeard

 

I remember not even being in school yet...we would go to the pet store occassionally..not to buy stuff, but just to look around. We didn't have pets then. I would always go near the SW tanks & look at them in confusion. "How can plants move their branches?" As a matter of fact, that kind of sacred me a bit. "Plants or animals? Both? Impossible. " hahaha

I started in the hobby about 2 years ago. As a little kid I saw the movie, Finding Nemo(I know, I know. lol) with my grandma & cousins. I saw the big blue fish. We went to the fish store a few years later(more like 4) & guess what? I saw the same fish! The blue regal tang, aka, hippo tang, has always caught my eye. Lack of a big enough tank & their rep for ich has prevented me from getting one. Some day maybe..

I went to a fish store in Columbus, OH & saw what beautiful tanks they had. Filled with fish & coral. I loved the color, & still do. I really liked how the soft coral just moved in the flow, almost like trees in the wind. SPS & LPS confused me like mad when I started in the hobby. ALL corals confused me actually, but especially them. The terminology & how to care for them. I have been on this forum for just 6 months, but already have gained A LOT of knowledge from fellow reefers & hope to get my first corals this month, as we get new lights for the tank...I'm daring, trying all LEDs over an SPS dominant reef.

After 2 years in the hobby I have had one fish & no corals. We didn't know what we were doing, then we got one fish & some crabs & 2 cleaner shrimp. The fish died due to stress & the shrimp..well we never found them again.

 

Blue Regal Tang... check! LOL

Finding Nemo has to have sparked as much interest in SW tanks as 101 did in dalmations I think! Glad to see you've taken lots of time to gain knowledge before plunging farther after the first mishap... many people just go grab more fish/inverts and figure they got bad ones the first time OR they seem to go the other way and jump right back out thinking they can't do it (SW)

Let us know how the all LED lighting works out! I have a customer that is DIY'ing his own all led reef tank right now. I'm going to work with him and then do one for myself if it goes well. I'll post a diy thread for it if it works out.

Thanks for the input!
GreyBeard

 

I lived by the ocean when I was younger. Virgina Beach, VA. It's a nice town.

 

I really appreciate the feedback. Not just for me, but for everyone...the time you are putting into this is awesome.

The fish death was just early this month. I had the fish in a QT so it would be easier to move to a new house.

I'll be sure to update the LED thread...I have several thread right now asking people's opinions. I think I am going to go with 3 Boost LED pendants & a dimmable CREE LED strip. I'll be borrowing a PAR meter & will test the levels in my tank.

It should be cool to see how yours turns out as well!

 

ARGGGggg moving sucks when you have fish for sure... sorry to hear about the loss.

Our leds will be totally diy... like starting with leds and craft cloth with hot glue (at least that is what the first 'prototype' is like so far but it works!) LOL

 

Im lovin this thread its awesome to c everyone's dif reasons that got them into the hobby. :thumb_up:I have always loved the ocean but then when i started working at this restaurant with a 7k gallon tank i just fell in love with the huge 3'+ snowflake eel and decided i had to have one. I haven't been able to get my eel because as soon as i started reasearch I then fell in love with an elegance coral so right now im stuck with a 55 gal a bunch of rocks and a couple of damsels lol one day ill get one of the 2 maybe both haha well c what time and money bring