Cherry Corals presents... Coral MADNESS in March!

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CherryCorals said:
Ive had aquariums since I was just a kid, freshwater at first and then once I had a little money to burn I went salt.

This is of course before I even owned a camera so no photos.
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I found a photo of your first tank from 1908:

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What got me into reef keeping. That is long story and began when I was around 10yr old. I came from a small town in southern Minnesota. The one county without any natural lakes. Well, a rare trip up to the Minnesota Zoo brought me face to face with a beluga whale. I was hooked to marine life ever since. I unfortunately only got to have a goldfish, but loved it.
Once at university, I was able to get my own 20g fish only saltwater tank going. There was a fantastic store in St. Paul area that had salt and fresh and huge options. Although only a damsel or two and clownfish, I loved my little tank. After many moves, I had to shut it down. I had been wanting another for ages, and finally began my first reef 10yrs after my first dive into saltwater.
After visiting Hawaii with my husband and 6month old son, my husband said go ahead and start a tank. I had been working on him a while and mentioning it many times. I never slowed down.
I have 4 running tanks and two are traveling tanks. I decided that I wanted to share my love of the reef to children of the Cincinnati area. I tried to bring the reef to the classroom on my own, but ran into issues of schools being underfunded for programs. So, with a back groud in accounting, I began my own non-profit with the help of a few fellow reef keepers.
We now go into classrooms to introduce kids to the coral reefs and educate them on many aspects of the animals and this amazing ecosystem. My hobby has become my passion to get others involved and caring as much as I do for our natural coral reefs. Our program has grown and we do many summer programs at day cares and boys and girls clubs too. What a great way to spend my free time by sharing the reef with kids.
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Going to be a great sale!

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Started as the first young reefer in my family! Being a junior in (and a lady) HS going on 3 years in the hobby! I think adults can underestimate the power of young brains and sometimes the fact that they are smarter too lol. I lovelovelove my tanks and thankful for my parents to support me. (aka buy me stuff.) I will post a pic later tonight ;) idk if you picked anyone yet.
 
CherryCorals said:
Post up pic of your tank and in 5000 ;Bookworm words or less I would love to hear what got you into this awesome hobby. Tell us for a chance to win one of 2 free shipping modules for this weekends Coral Madness in March sale!!!
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I’m in this hobby because of my fiancé. Knowing from kindergarten what she wanted to be when she grew up (marine biologist) she did whatever she could to make that dream come true. In her senior year of high school she had an independent study of managing a 160 gallon reef ecosystem. She always spoke so fondly of the class I decided to surprise her and buy a tank to get back into the hobby. Boy was I in for a shock when I started to do my research on what was needed. Over time of studying, watching videos, reading more than I would like to admit this hobby became my obsession too. We’re about 6 months into the build and things are looking sparse but I can’t wait to fill it up with choice pieces from Cherry Corals!


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Looking forward to it! I'm also local ;)
 
I first started in freshwater tanks buying fish from my local petco and had no idea there was a such thing as saltwater fish.
As I got more into the hobby I started going to my local fish stores. Then I saw my first corals and was hooked from there.

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I had multiple freshwater aquariums and one salt water aquarium when I was a teenager. (No corals back then, and fish didn't live very long). When my oldest son bought a freshwater aquarium, I went with him to the LFS and saw what the hobby had become in some 40 odd years. I was hooked. Is there an aquarist anonymous group for us addicts?
 
My first fish tank was a freshwater 46 gallon bow front packed with mollies and angelfish. Crazy to think that was 20 years ago. Everytime I would go to the LFS I would see beautiful saltwater fish, shrimp and crabs, but when I saw a clownfish hosting an anemone for the first time I decided to jump into the hobby feet first. I mean how hard could it be right?.........That first tank was a disaster!!! Lost all the fish except for 2 domino damsels and had to watch a sand sifting star disintegrate before my eyes. The failure was so spectacular that I almost decided against trying again. My girlfriend at the time suggested that maybe I should read something on saltwater fish tanks. "PSSHHHHHHH......since when did reading solve anything:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:". So against my better judgement I poked around what was still a relatively new internet at the time and found a crude little website called.....something something something .com and found this book for sale...
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Second attempt was exponentially more successful :) Been addicted to the hobby ever since. Here's to the next 20 years ;)
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I started in fishkeeping when I was about 6 and my dad got me a little 10 gallon tank for my bedroom with a goldfish and a koi... (nice livestock plan dad!) That I named Milo and Otis after my favorite movie at the time. We actually had the koi for several years until he was almost too big to turn around, after that we gave him to a local car wash that had a big koi pond out front. Dad and I would take the car to get washed and visit Otis once a month for years. I would always swear that he remembered me (but was probably just begging for food). I kept freshwater tanks through my teens and early twenties. I fell in love with salt water snorkeling in Kauai and Maui (especially in Kauai) on my honeymoon with my wife. I had a Fowlr tank pretty shortly after getting home from the trip that I unfortunately had to sell a few years later when we moved cross country. We’ve lived in 3 states in 5 years and we’re never settled somewhere long enough to set up a tank until recently. We’ve got a 90 gallon in the living room that is just about ready for fish (finally).

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That’s. What got me in the hobby, what keeps me hooked is watching our 2 year old daughter standing on her little step stool next to the tank, or staring at the little 10 gallon freshwater tank we have in her room, just staring at everything in the tank in wonder.
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I really love cherry corals!! Why do you have to be so far away?
I don't have a pic of my tank from work but will try to post later.

Got into saltwater because I have always enjoyed fish tanks. Just never thought I would be brave enough to try salt.
Even without much support from my husband, I keep trying. I have a small 26 gal "reef" and 120 gal mixed reef. Here is a pic of my favorite mushrooms!
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IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%

  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%

  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%

  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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