Where did it all begin?

[cioutlaw]

When I was 5ish(in the early 70s)my mother bought me a lil stainless steel frame tank with a slate bottom, we kept mollies & guppies. That lasted for a few years. When I was about 6th grade there was a LFS within walking distance of our house, I started to hang out & look but had no $$, before long the owner put me to work which was a great deal for him cause I spent all my earnings in his store. I started with a 15G FW & then a 29 & then bought a used 40 gal flat back hex that was set up as a salt tank, had a moray & other aggressive fish. That all lasted till HS when I got my license, bought a car. I no longer had time for the fish & sold everything & got a better paying job. Years later when I got my very own place one of the first things I bought was a used 55g salt set up, had a couple tangs & a cinnamon clown. I had it for 4-5 years then got married & moved & it sat not set up for a few years till a couple years ago. My father inlaw( a contractor) asked if I wanted a side job doing a lil welding at the LFS. I had always looked at the corals but they were always known as VERY difficult to keep but while I was there I got caught looking at them by the LFS owner & he told me how easy they were with more modern equipment (skimmers & better lighting). So I went home pulled out the 55 & turned it into a reef & I spent all my earnings(plus some) from the LFS at the LFS....how come when I make money at an LFS they always get it back?

[bluespotjawfish]

I had a 75 gallon tank with discus because I was too scared of saltwater. About a year later my friend from Guam setup his 75 gallon as a saltwater tank. He did a great job with it. So, I thought if he can do it I can too! I eventually changed my 75 over to saltwater. Then when we moved, I used that opportunity to get a bigger tank.

Looking back, saltwater stuff is way EASIER than discus are! They were beautiful and it was fun to watch them grow up, but talk about a species that demands perfect water!

[Dentoid]

When I was 12 I had 5 freshwater tanks and by 14 had a 30 gallon saltwater tank. It was about that time that my father and I got cert. to dive. I was also born and raised in Florida and was quite the water buff. I would collect my own LR to put in my tank. Not because I knew the benefits of LR, I don't even think it was a method at that time, but I did it because it was the easiest way to collect specimens. I got into collecting my own fish while my father was spear fishing. I'd get Blue Headed wrasses, Rock beauty angels French angels and all kinds of inverts. I used a net, didn't like the slurp gun. I have a lot of stories about diving, but will save those.

I remember having the biggest condylactis anemone, ok I was little, but it seemed big and it would eat everything in my tank! I finally had to get rid of it. I was also a member of the Pinellas Tropical and Marine Society and would attend their monthly meeting. I think I was the youngest member and got a lot of advice and free stuff from members of the Society.

I had my tank for several years and ended up with just the salt tank. By the time I graduated High School, I finally got rid of it preparing to go away to college. I didn't have a tank again until dental school when a girl I was dating gave me her 20 gallon FW set up. I had that 20 gallon FW throughout college and moved it several times . I still have it and is now set up in my basement with my new Harlequin shrimps. My current 90 gallon has been set up since Nov. 2006. I only see bigger and better down the road!

[caitrina]

I guess my fish adventure began when I was about 11. I started with a 10 gallon FW aquarium full of mollies and guppies. Through the years I toyed with the SW idea, but was really scared to death of it. (lol) Eventually I gave all tanks up, but the thoughts still occupied a part of my mind.

In Feb 2006 my husband and I were in a serious motorcycle accident, I had a lot of nerve damage and was unable to use my hands or even move my arms and when we got out of the hospital I said to him that I wanted a fish tank because it would help me to relax. I said I only wanted something small, about 10 maybe 20 gallon tank for some guppies. I remember him looking at me and saying Cat, that isn't very big and I said well if you really want to know, I want a Saltwater tank. As soon as we were able to get around on our own without wheelchairs and canes, crutches, braces and all that other garbage we began hitting every LFS within 70 miles. Each day we would go and each time I would say nah, no, not that one, no, and finally I woke up one day and said I know which one I want, so we went, we saw, we talked, we purchased. We brought it home (65 gal.)in our convertible and he began putting it all together for me while I tried to take pictures one handed, (at this time I only had the use of one hand). Well, this tank became what he called my TV. I would sit for hours and watch the sand swirl both of us thinking that we were going to be looking at sand tornadoes forever. Eventually we had clear water, lots of rock, and finally some hardy corals and fish. One month later my husband died, leaving me with one of the best entertaining, educating, relaxing gifts anyone had ever given, my TV. If he could see it now he would be grinning from ear to ear.

[cioutlaw]

These are some interesting stories! Caitrina sorry to hear about you losing your husband, that is a great story even though it had a sad ending.

[caitrina]

Originally Posted by cioutlaw

These are some interesting stories! Caitrina sorry to hear about you losing your husband, that is a great story even though it had a sad ending.

Yeah, it is sad, brought a few tears to my eyes recounting that story, it was our adventure. Anyway, thank you.