Do I want an aquarium?

I am not really an Aquarist but I do enjoy seeing other peoples' fishes at their places. The main reason for me not having fish is that it seems all too complicated: water skimmers, pumps, oxigenizers, water temperature... in terms of simplicity a cat would be ideal, only that a cat doesn't provide the soothing relaxation an aquarium does. So I guess I'm here to let you convince me to take the frist step and get an aquarium of my own instead of anoying friends and relatives by sitting in their living rooms all day and emptying their refrigerators!

Any idea where I can start looking for equipment and prices online?

 

having had my 1st tank - simple freshwater community at the age of 17
and having accumulated at most 12 months without an aquarium between the age of 17 and 45

its only as complicated as you want it to be IME
and starting with the basics and developing in the hobby towards advanced species / equipment/ techniques etc is as much fun as staring in the tank IMO

Steve

 

Welcome to 3reef.

Figure out what fish you like, learn their needs of tank size and water quality and then figure out how much you are willing/can spend and decide what fish you want from there. This hobby can seem daunting at first but once you get into it and get a rhythm it is pretty easy.

 

another question you should ask yourself , can i be dedicated enough to the hobby to not let my life become in peril through lack of dedication. no sense spending the dough if you cant keep up . once up and running and mature , it gets easier. so if you can say yes, i sat jump in with both flippers and get it going. good luck with it all.

 

hte first year sucks. youll have algae blooms, cyano, and prob many more. they go away in time, and when there gone, youll have a beautiful piece of work.

 

This is a spot on comment. If there's any doubt don't do it. It is a very rewarding hobby but it is just as frustrating at times. Saltwater is also fairly expensive. But again agreeing with Divott..if you know in your heart it's what you want to do and it's not just impulse driving you go for it. We here at 3reef will help you get your hands wet.;D

 

I started with fish (as in, I was solely responsible for maintenance) when I was 14 for freshwater, so if you go with freshwater, I wouldn't worry about it being complicated. It's really a good place to start, as you'll get the hang of the basics behind it, and they'll all pretty much carry over to saltwater.

 

Welcome to 3reef. You can find a good setup on Craig's list or start with a Nano Tank. Craig's list usually offers you the best for your money and including almost everything you may need to setup and service you tank.

I have learned that this hobby is overrated. Meaning that alot of people not familiar with the hobby think that it is complicated. For me it seemed very easy and as said above once you get your tank up and running it matures the longer you have it and everything grows. It took me along time to find a hobby and now that I have this one the possibilities are endless.

Again welcome to 3 Reef and if theres anything you need 3reef has the answers.

 

I requires a lot of research and more money than most realize initially.
It's a full blown hobby. It sounds like you are going to be a future aquarium owner.
Check out craigslist and local clubs for good deals on used equipment.

I would start with a couple of books on saltwater and fine tune your questions here on the net.

 

Totally agree too. You need dedication, time and money for this hobby, although you can get by with less money, but you need dedication and time. It's great to sit back and observer your aquarium, but you will also have to deal with the flip side. Cleaning, water changes, taking care of sick fish/corals, dosing, dealing with emergencies, constantly buying stuff such as salt, supplements, food etc. If you have any doubt as to whether you will be able to start and remain dedicated then you may want to just continue observing your friend's aquariums. When I first read you post, I thought that if you need to be convinced to get into this hobby, you shouldn't be in it.

That all being said, if you feel you will be dedicated and have the time, it is a very rewarding hobby and once you get your tank the way you want it, it's a great feeling of accomplishment.