Dave A
Active Member
Springfield this time, just a few towns from the last post.
I've been keeping fish for a while now, starting with a 20 gal FW community tank in the mid 80s. By the early 90s I was up to a dedicated fish room with a dozen tanks including just about every type of tank imaginable (except planted, never tried a planted tank). When I bought my first house in '94 I scaled back to just 2 tanks. The original 20H was FW and I set up a 55 as a reef.
I relocated again in '99 but by then I was married and had a child on the way. The tanks went into storage for a while. The turning point was when I took my son to see Finding Nemo. Mom couldn't say no when he asked if we could set up one of those tanks he'd seen in the basement and the 55 was set up again as a FOWLR.
Fast forward to 2011 and the last fish disappeared into the rocks for the last time. I kept the tank running just to keep the LR alive until Hurricane Irene put 6" of water in the basement and the old particle board stand was no longer structurally sound. I decided we needed to tear the tank down before the stand collapsed, the problem is, that gave me the itch to become more active in the hobby again.
I started looking online and found that the hobby had changed over the years. I found a well worn 90 with a stand for a good price and started gathering equipment to set it up as a reef. It's been running since last May with an odd combination of new equipment and stuff I've had for a couple decades and I'm upgrading and modernizing as I can. I just finished a DIY LED fixture so my lighting is up to date, next up is swapping out the wet/dry and air powered skimmer (with external fuge) for a proper sump/fuge and bigger skimmer. Flow comes from a couple JBJ 1600s on a red sea wavemaster and everything else is controlled by a Reef Angel.
Occupants include a pair of Clarkii clowns, 5 blue/green Chromis, a Kole Tang and a Royal Gramma. Inverts include Zoas, Palys, Rics, shrooms and Green Nephthea.
I still have that 20H and am planning to set it up as a nano and I have a small pond (500 gal) with Koi as well.
That pretty much sums it up for me. I'm looking to remain more active in the hobby again and my son seems to be taking an interest as well. Even my wife is starting to take an occasional peek at the tank, with a little luck this could become a family thing soon.
I've been keeping fish for a while now, starting with a 20 gal FW community tank in the mid 80s. By the early 90s I was up to a dedicated fish room with a dozen tanks including just about every type of tank imaginable (except planted, never tried a planted tank). When I bought my first house in '94 I scaled back to just 2 tanks. The original 20H was FW and I set up a 55 as a reef.
I relocated again in '99 but by then I was married and had a child on the way. The tanks went into storage for a while. The turning point was when I took my son to see Finding Nemo. Mom couldn't say no when he asked if we could set up one of those tanks he'd seen in the basement and the 55 was set up again as a FOWLR.
Fast forward to 2011 and the last fish disappeared into the rocks for the last time. I kept the tank running just to keep the LR alive until Hurricane Irene put 6" of water in the basement and the old particle board stand was no longer structurally sound. I decided we needed to tear the tank down before the stand collapsed, the problem is, that gave me the itch to become more active in the hobby again.
I started looking online and found that the hobby had changed over the years. I found a well worn 90 with a stand for a good price and started gathering equipment to set it up as a reef. It's been running since last May with an odd combination of new equipment and stuff I've had for a couple decades and I'm upgrading and modernizing as I can. I just finished a DIY LED fixture so my lighting is up to date, next up is swapping out the wet/dry and air powered skimmer (with external fuge) for a proper sump/fuge and bigger skimmer. Flow comes from a couple JBJ 1600s on a red sea wavemaster and everything else is controlled by a Reef Angel.
Occupants include a pair of Clarkii clowns, 5 blue/green Chromis, a Kole Tang and a Royal Gramma. Inverts include Zoas, Palys, Rics, shrooms and Green Nephthea.
I still have that 20H and am planning to set it up as a nano and I have a small pond (500 gal) with Koi as well.
That pretty much sums it up for me. I'm looking to remain more active in the hobby again and my son seems to be taking an interest as well. Even my wife is starting to take an occasional peek at the tank, with a little luck this could become a family thing soon.
