How long have you been reefing?

[KyOsIBa515]

Hey all,
I just finished doing some tank maintenance and needed to dig in the mountain of old equipment and supplies I have accumulated over the years in hopes of maybe having a part I needed. I found all sorts of stuff that is starting to show my age and years doing it. Though, this was certainly not my oldest piece of equipment it caught my eye. I found my 1st MP10 with original controller that I had upgraded. The original was serial # ending 33 lol. I am curious, who can really show their years by equipment alone?

 

[mtfish]

How about undergravel filter plates? Probably 1976.

 

[Crabs McJones]

@Paul B this is a perfect thread for you. Last I heard his tank is over 40 years old. Hes been in the game a long time.

 

[old salt reefer]

Back when I started keeping live coral was for the rich. I still have the first piece of cluster coral (skeleton,bought that way) I bought at Pier One Imports for 99 cent in 1968. I have all the other dead coral I bought after it too. That's how you decorated your tank back then.

 

[KyOsIBa515]

How about undergravel filter plates? Probably 1976.

Oh man, that’s what started it all for me. My first 10 gallon freshwater tank with an undergravel filter system in 1989.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Oh man, that’s what started it all for me. My first 10 gallon freshwater tank with an undergravel filter system in 1989.

I was born in 1989

 

[jeffrey750750]

My first saltwater tank in 1991 had a wood airstream in the skimmer, lol

 

[KyOsIBa515]

My first saltwater tank in 1991 had a wood airstream in the skimmer, lol

Even though the ol’ wooden airstone to produce skimmate is old as time. It is more effective than I thought. I had an old Jbj 28g cube I bought for frags in 09’ instead of drop a bunch of money on a skimmer to retrofit on it...jbj had a skimmer designated for it that ran on a wooden stone and was dirt cheap. For the money I will never get a skimmer to produce that amount of skimmate.

 

[PacoPetty]

Under gravel filter system 1989.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I'm trying to think, my first salt water tank was circa 92-93

 

[fishguy242]

started in 91..found i loved vho's by 93-94 ,still have them still running them with great success anyone remember the original liquid gold by albert theil??now that was gold!!!

 

[jda]

1989 here. UGF with powerhead. First coral in 1991. I rode my redline bike to the fish store and brought stuff back in my backpack. I still have this and it works perfectly. I also have some IceCap and Hamilton ballasts from the 1990s that work perfectly.

 

[Sallstrom]

I found an Eheim pump at work(public aquarium) a couple of years ago. Made in West Germany on the label. I think it still runs, but the label has fallen off so I don't which one it is anymore.
Got my first coral 20 years ago, so I'm still a newbie compared to some here..

 

[KingTideCorals]

First saltwater tank was when I was 8... saved all my coins from couple of summers of working around the neighborhood.. 30 Gallon Aqueon set...

Mom still holds the claim to fame she was the only child at my entire school district that owned/maintained his own saltwater tank LOL

 

[WVNed]

My first salt tank was in 2007.

 

[vetteguy53081]

First tank 1921. . . . just kidding -1978

 

[stiffljp]

First salt tank was around 1992, we moved 2 years ago and I finally threw out my first counter current skimmer. (you never know when you need a backup) : )

 

[Vette67]

My first saltwater tank was a 10 gallon that I set up in 1986, with some hermit crabs I brought home from Florida to Ohio. Needless to say, it didn't last too long, because as a teenager, I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. A floating hydrometer and box of salt were my equipment. My first real tank was the reef I set up in 1997. That actual tank is gone, but the replacement 75 I bought in 1998 is still set up and running in my basement. I even still have a pack of wood airstones that I have used in my hospital tank.

 

[Vette67]

Oops wrong thread. Free bump.

 

[Paul B]

How about undergravel filter plates? Probably 1976.

Oh thats a new one. I still use my UG filter. I got my first one probably in 1960 or so.
The one thats in my tank now I think I got in 1980 but I started my tank fifty years ago so thats how long I have been reefing.

I just found these medications from mostly from the 70s. The blue stuff may be from the 80s, but I am guessing.

Some of these are still running from maybe the 80s.






I have 5 or 6 diatom filters in various stages of decomposition but out of all of them, I got one working.
These are probably from the 60s or 70s.



I don't remember when I built my "overflow surface skimmer ". I don't have a sump so it feeds my skimmer.



Before I moved here 2 years ago my tank stand was there since 1979. It got to rusty so I had to install new legs next to the rusty ones.



I got these fireclowns 29 years ago, they are still spawning.