Before internet..

I was just thinking.. I have heard people say that they have been in this hobby for a long time. Some people say as far as 25-30 years.. This obviously goes back to the times before internet. I can't imagine being in this hobby before internet existed. There is no way I could have made it this far without this forum! How did you guys do it?!

 

books lol. these things that are made from paper and bound together. lol but i know what you mean it had to be a major word of mouth ordeal. If not guess and check. so glad i live in todays society, well for that part not for others haha.

 

I have 30 years almost in aquarium keeping, and in fact during that period, I have only had a total of 6 - 8 months without any tanks (moves, relocation )

if there was an internet when I had my 1st reef tank, I was not in a position to take advantage of it anyway ( no computer)

books and periodicals are where most of my information came from
and also finding people I felt confident in, at the LFS I visited

Steve

 

Most definitely fell off my chair laughing at that. Yeah, those book that have been around for ages is what most people used. The web has just made the information much more attainable. Don't take it as me bashing ya though. I first found an interest in it because of the web as well.

 

Yup, 37 years and counting lol. Oh, and internet didn't come to my town until Nov. 2001.

Built my first SW tank from what I read in books from the high school library. Also learned a lot first-hand by making the mistake of listening to the LFS a few times over the years.

 

Wish I could see some pics of your tanks back then! Hmm.. well what did you do if it was 3 AM and your pH was low and the power was out and all of your corals were bleaching and your skimmers collection cup simultaneously fell into your tank? The school library isn't open then...

 

... dont come near me cuz thats the worst luck ive ever heard of. haha. im sure they would be stuck and lost. not much one could do now a days if that happen on the contrary... idk what i would do, wait yes i do... cry

 

Lol sorry couldn't help myself. I just kept adding on.

 

Wish that could happen more often today.. I am lucky enough to have one lfs that I feel confident in.

 

I'm at about 37 years too... a lot of mistakes before the internet hit. And the thing is, even "good" local stores didn't know even a small fraction of what is common knowledge today.

I was lucky in that when I got my first reef tank I found a good store in Orlando called Fishes of the World, run by Dan and Lise Christopher. Dan was the marine exhibit curator at Sea World and Lis worked for him. They ended up getting married in secret because Sea World wouldn't allow a husband/wife to work in the same department. Of course Sea World found out and gave them the choice of moving Lise to the bird area or have her leave. They both decided to leave and start a store.

A few years later they got an opportunity in Chicago and they ended up selling the store and working together at the Shedd Aquarium - of course the store went downhill after they left and finally closed.

I learned a lot of my basic reef keeping from them and credit them with really getting me into the hobby. Sadly I found out just a couple months ago that Dan passed away in 2001 due to cancer at age 47.