What brought you into Reefing?

[Eyford01]

went to seaworld in florida when i was 8... didn't care about leaving disney world but when we had to leave seaworld after only 3 days i cried...

[Samw]

When I moved into my own place in 2000, I wanted to set up a fish tank in my wall. I liked the colors of marine fish and have kept them many years before and decided to set up a marine tank. I found an online marine fish store (J&L Aquatics) and browsed their website. Interestingly, I found that they sold corals too. That was my first exposure to living corals. Just looking at the website inspired me to set up a reef instead of a fish only tank. I bought my liverocks, and cleanup crew from J&L and my first coral from CanadaWest (fellow Canreef member). It was a pulsing Xenia.

[Stab_Master_Arson]

Growing up as a "ferry kid" brought me into reefing. Every long weekend and summer vacation my father got we would go to my grandfather's various properties on the gulf islands. We fished, beach combed and swam and boated. Ever since I have always been fascinated with the ocean. So fascinated, I have often considered changing my major to biology of the marine variety. Just to show how insane I am, when i went to Hawaii with friends last year, I would spend more time wondering the shores, gathering discarded reef rock and investigating tide pools than seeing the other sites and partying. AS far as prior experience goes, I basically went from keeping feeder goldfish until I was 12 -taking a hiatus, only to purchase a saltwater setup when I was 21.

[OCDP]

I hate to say it, but Petcetera got me into reefing. I ended up there for whatever reason years ago, and seen two Ocellaris Clownfish in one of their tanks. I think I sat there for a solid half hour just gazing into that tank. The colours did it for me mainly, but also their personality and the way they moved. I needed some clownfish. Did minor research and came to the conclusion that there was no way a 16 year old with no job could afford a SW tank. So, naturally, I went to FW (african cichlids, etc.) Time passed and I got a good job, with good pay, and still wanted to pursue the SW. So I went to Big Al's and got my supplies and setup a 20g FOWLR.

Then I found corals.... and ohhh boy, here we are today. I had to get out of reefing last April for various reasons, and being away really sucked. It had it's small advantages (able to take vacation with peace of mind) but not enough to keep me away. I am back at it, and am loving it.

[kien]

this thread seems to have fizzled out. It was a good read over my lunch hour. Can't remember now how I stumbled upon it..

Got my first fresh water tank back in High School when I tagged along with a friend to a place called Hole-In-The-Wall in Calgary. Anyone else remember that place?? Anyway, have had various sizes of fresh water over the years since then. Never even considered saltwater until my Sister's boyfriend at the time decided to set one up in their new house. This was in 2002 I think. They happened to live across the street from me. One weekend that year we both drove to Big Al's and loaded up a Nissan Pathfinder with two 90gs, stands and other stuff. I have moved 3 times since and have had a new tank at each new home plus 3 upgrades at my current home.. 90g, 33g, 55g, 90g, 150g. Stay tuned for my 150g to 280g upgrade/build thread!

[blacknife]

Originally Posted by kien

this thread seems to have fizzled out. It was a good read over my lunch hour. Can't remember now how I stumbled upon it..

Got my first fresh water tank back in High School when I tagged along with a friend to a place called Hole-In-The-Wall in Calgary. Anyone else remember that place??

I got my first tank from Gr 7 science.. one of the labs was to bring in a container/jar. and they gave us a little plant, a guppy, and a snail and locked them in for a weekend, and amazingly everyone's fish were still alive. my first upgrade was a 10g from a garage sale which im sure i then overstocked.. but everyone did fairly ok. always believed in heavily planted tanks. there were stores in the mall but regularly, i would get my parents to take me to hole in the wall, or i would ride my bike there.. sometimes in winter, -25 to go get something for my fish. I always liked the salt section but could not afford it, had fw tanks straight though till i broke up with my ex and left my 90g there.

after i bought this house i looked at all the left over fish stuff i had read the internet a bit.. had some spare money.. got some diy pc lights a skimmer and some rocks.. and now I'm here

[bignose]

A 20G freshwater tank as a gift for my son. I got the bug and bought a 55G FW setup and moved to SW about a year later.

[burtonpj48]

My girl friend and i were at Ocean Park in Philippines, I really enjoyed watching the fishes, after that i was hooked. hehhehe

[BlueAbyss]

I had small FW tanks when I was a teenager, did the community tank thing for a couple years. What solidified reefing for me was snorkeling in the lagoon at Xcaret, Mexico... I spent half a day just snorkelling. It took me years to actually set up a tank (finally did a few months ago) but that's what did it... I have an image in my head of an anemone-like pink coral, black urchins with blue and purple iridescence on their spines, small blue fishes, things I don't have names for.

[milesj250]

could not say no the the price I paid for my 250 (tank,stand,lids,and other stuff) and I got all the stuff from a friends 90. That was 3 years a go.