The addiction is calling...yet again!

Howdy everyone! (yep, a Texan ;D),

I have been snooping around long enough and it is about time I admit my addiction to reef and aquascaping has taken hold yet again so it is time to say hello!


A little about me....I started keeping freshwater back in the late 80's and quickly moved to breeding tropicals shortly after that just to see if I could. My very first tank was given to me and I wish I still had it. Back then an aquarium was supported by metal. Old school Wasn't long before I raised a spawn of Betta Splendens and sold the offspring to my local pet store. While in high school I moved on to Oscars and pirhana (in Maryland at the time). Feeding feeder guppies and goldfish to Oscars that were way to big for the tank..yep, guilty as charged.

Around that time I hooked up a job with the local shop. Bagging fish, giving some advice and so forth. Pretty cool gig for part time while in school. It was then I was introduced, somewhat to saltwater fish (reefs were unheard of expect in Asia). It wasn't long before tech caught up and we were selling Atlantic anenomes and cleaner shrimp. I remember my boss at the time getting all upset that he couldn't catch a mantis shrimp to dispose of it. Seeing a mantis for the first time I thought he was out of his mind. If it were up to me I would sell mantis shrimp all day long a make a million. Awesome neon green shrimp? Everyone would want one. Little did I know.

Long long story shorter, I met my wife and moved in with her while she was stationed at Sheppard AFB in Texas. I ran A-1 Pet Center (for those that might remember it) and by then was totally addicted to reef keeping. The reef hobby is much more enjoyable when you can order what you want and pay wholesale...how I miss it! It was then when I learned pretty much all things reef. From a fish-only tank to having a pair of clowns spawn (eggs destroyed) to taking a bird nest frag and raising it to the size of a mans hand. Back then it was nothing but skimmers and a weekly dose of kalk dripped from a two gallon water jug. Around that time power compacts came in to play and that was the be all end all for lighting...minus halids.

Wasn't long before we got orders to Kadena in Okinawa. Anyone that knows where Okinawa is knows I was moving to reef keeping heaven. At the time the Japanese were hardcore in the business and we would be totally surrounded by reefs. I was pumped! Turns out it was exactly what I thought. I was able to collect my own corals and rock pretty much any time I wanted. When the tide is down there are many places where you can walk out and check out the many tiny tide pools. No, I wasn't walking on brittle delicate corals. It isn't like that. The tiny pools were, however. Anyway, I collected frags and soft coral that would cost a truck load back here in the states. I don't even want to mention 'live rock'...When I set my display tank up and collected some tidal pool rock..insane. There were soo many 'weird' things coming off it that it is hard to explain. Think you got some good Figi rock? You can't imagine. Anyway, sorry to keep blabbing.

So the military has us back in Texas. I have wanted to build my 'super reef' and aquascaped fresh planted tank but that hasn't been a option as we could get orders at any time. I have learned the hard way that you don't want to invest a lot of $$ and work when you can be moved without a lot of warning. Don't get me wrong, we LOVE the military and wouldn't have it any other way. As it turns out, FINALLY I can start those tanks!...which brings me here.

Below is a couple of vids from Okinawa and Texas I thought I would share. Be advised they were recorded with a camcorder back in the late 90's-2001. I still wonder why I didn't film them when everything was open and feeding. They are horrible quality as you can imagine. I hate the color of the corals didn't come out in the video, especially the neon green polyps. You can see the tank in 'Texas' overrun with green and brown polyps...reproducing like weeds. HD video back then? What's that??8)

Wow I wrote a lot. Sorry about that. Anyway, I LOVE this place. I wish it was around back then like it is these days. Thanks for letting me talk away. Hope to help out when I can.


-Tim


The tank I set up in Okinawa. Pretty much 100% REAL live rock. All those soft corals I collected myself and all were returned to the tide pools at Kadena Marina. Yellow leathers...wow. The green brain at the end...they were all over the place. That one was small..

YouTube - Reef tank, Okinawa, JP


Couple vids of the Texas reef just as it was beginning to get going. Bird nest was growing at a fast rate. Long green polyps and brown were growing out of control. I wish I could get my hands on those purple/blue mushrooms. They dropped all over the place.



YouTube - Reef tank, Texas style


YouTube - Reef tank, Texas style #2

 

Welcome, Looks like you have had some experience in the hobby. your tanks looked very nice IMPO.

 

Welcome to 3 reef TMW Tim

Some photos would be appreciated by the You Tube blind

Steve

 

you tube blind i would go nuts ... welcome to 3 reef tim

 

Hello and Welcome.

Enjoyed the vidoes. Those are some of the largest toadstools I have seen, as big as those found in public aquariums. The shot with the lion under the one toadstool is very cool.

 

Welcome to 3reef

 

Hello and welcome to 3reef

 

I just got out of rehab. sort of enjoying having my life back again.

 

welcome