I should really introduce myself

[my2rotties]

Since I have made a couple of posts about my tank build, I should say who I am

My name is Diana and I reside in beautiful Bragg Creek Alberta. I have two wonderful Rottweilers and an English Staffordshire bull terrier. I am married to talented husband Frank and we own a tile company. I love ATVs, motorcycles, 4x4s and of course marine aquariums.

I got into this hobby at the end of November 2008...

We bought our house in Bragg Creek, and the previous owners were moving back to Alaska. He had a 44g algae infested marine tank with a Foxface and four damselfish. I was asked if I wanted it, and I said yes of course. I really had no clue what I was getting myself into. I was left with the tank, food, an ancient book and expired testing kits. The tank was backed into a huge window and had no backing it. I could hardly see poor Ed the Foxface, so I commenced cleaning and syphoning. The tank looked spactacular!!!

First lesson learned, ammonia, nitates and nitrites, nobody died. I had many tearful nights doing huge water changes and had no internet access or phone. I brought my water in for Colby at Elite to test, and he said my water was toxic and to change 50% ASAP, so I did, as well as bought new test kits.

The tank was cracked and the Ehiem filter stopped pumping air into the tank and the new fish (boxfish & cowfish) died on me. I was so mad we bought a Rena II filter but it worked very well. Then I learned about lighting, live rock, corals and many other things after I joined this forum back in February. We bohgt a 55 gallon and had new corals, and fish, things were thriving. Then I ended up in the hospital with a super virus in my lungs. I came home to all hell broken loose. I had Ich in the tank and although I tried my best to treat it, I lost another cowfish, boxfish, and a bunch or corals (corals could not take the emergency move to the old tank). I took all the rocks, coral and snails out and treated the display with copper for 4 weeks.

I had already bought a 260 gallon tank from a member here, and it sat there until we had to cut it apart to get it out of his basement in May. After the Ich outbreak I wanted nothing to with aquariums since I felt it was my fault for getting sick and they depended on ME to keep them healthy. However the tank was bought and paid for already. The 260 gallon was a challenge since we could not find anyone who could get it out, or move it for any amount of money and insure it if it broke. It took two full nights to cut it apart, but afterwards, my husband I alone, were able to move it home. It sat until tewo weeks ago apart since we are renovating and also wanted to enjoy what summer we were granted this year.

So here I am, still a newbie, but smart enough to know that things must be done properly the first time. The glass on the front is still not on the tank and we are building a background, as well as retaining walls inside. The 70g sump is with Colby being divided for the skimmer and everything else it needs. We still want it to be plumbed into the water lines on reverse osmosis, with everything in the basement, below the display. The pumps and filters that came with the tank will not be good enough for this, so wit seems to be the norm in this hobby). There is still so much that has to be done, it get intimidating at times. I am glad to have this forum as a wealth of knowledge for a newbie like myself.

Nice to be a part of the forums!

[christyf5]

Welcome! Sounds like you've done the reefer roller coaster already. What fun ride eh?

[fishoholic]

Welcome, Salt water can be a challenge but it's also very rewarding

[Phanman]

Welcome aboard. It is quite the challange at first but like mentioned above is quite rewarding if you put the effort in.

[Lance]

Welcome. Hopefully most of the unpleasatness is behind you and the funstuff starts. I'm fairly new to SW myself, (10 months), and I had a rough start too; lost a couple of fish to Ich and had a bad cyano outbreak. But now everything has been going well and I love it. Good Luck.

[my2rotties]

Laurie and Christy you girls have beautiful tanks. Definitely something to aspire to some day. I love clams, and do want them in the future. I just wish I could get this 260g set up sooner, but doing it right the first time, is so much research, time and MONEY. Most of the stuff that came with my tank will not be good enough or work with our new set up. I guess I will be posting it for sale here, since it is good stuff, just not what we require sadly. I have many questions for the two of you...

[my2rotties]

Thanks for the welcome John and Lance. It is very rewarding even when you jump into it with no experience. I am happy to say that the Foxface had such a will to live, he is still with me. Its that will to live that is making us spend thousands for this new set up. When the Ehiem quit and my boxfish died, he was still hardly moving at the bottom. We flooded the upstairs of the house getting the thing running and he slowly came back from the dead. The Ich outbreak was so bad, he could hardly breath and still managed to pull through it too. I love that fish and he was here a couple of years before we lived here. I can't wait to move him to a miniture ocean in the future. Too bad it might be Christmas of afterwards.

[Whatigot]

my german short haired pointer and I welcome you to the board.
there are some great people here who's knowledge seems quite infinite on the subject of marine aquaria so it's fantastic you are here now after what sounds like a very stressful experience on your own prior to joining.


happy reading....

[mseepman]

Welcome to Canreef...seeing posts like yours reminds me how much we should appreciate the great resources that we have with this forum. I imagine the 260 would be daunting but just think of what pleasure you will get out of it once it's up!

[dsaundry]

Big Welcome....Lots of great support here....Best around