My tank reached 46 years old today
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Paul B
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Paul,
This is where you hawk your book.
Hawk Hawk
It started in a 40 gallon tank, I transferred it all into a 100 gallon when I moved in 79 or 80.
The filtration was always undergravel. I converted it to reverse undergravel a few years later.
Old picture, I don't know when I took it. That green thing is codium seaweed I collect on the east end of Long Island. It can't be more than 25 years ago because I still have that fireclown on the left of the picture and he is 25.
I think the tank looked the most natural then.
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Paul B
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This top picture was featured in Fresh water and Marine Aquarium (FAMMA) magazine probably in the 80s.
I had an urchin collection business where I collected those urchins that you see.
I had an urchin collection business where I collected those urchins that you see.
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Paul B
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Here is an article on here if you are interested that I wrote about how I started the tank in 1971.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-i-got-started-in-the-hobby-in-1971.278973/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-i-got-started-in-the-hobby-in-1971.278973/
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Paul B
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Just make believe you see my tank there with me, Christie Brinkley, Claudia Schiffer and Angelina Jolie. They came over to learn how to do salt water tank maintenance and will be staying the night. Just for the lessons of course.
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Here is a log book page from 1976. Notice the assortment I had in, at that time a 40 gallon tank
abrahamx
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Nice looking tank. 46 years, thats impressive. Very impressive! Stellar job. I'm only 45. Had a tank 15 years ago and am now only getting back into it. Hobby has come along way it looks.
So how big is it? Have you had any issues with the tank itself being that old & what equipment did you have when you 1st set it up? I remember my 1st salty tank from my freshman year in 1984. The equipment was nothing different than a fresh tank except your thermostat floated and told you the salinity too.
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Paul B
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Cshplumber, here is an article about how I started the tank
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/how-i-got-started-in-the-hobby-in-1971.177/
And here is a 100 page thread about it
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-birthday-40-years.55423/
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/how-i-got-started-in-the-hobby-in-1971.177/
And here is a 100 page thread about it
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-birthday-40-years.55423/
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Paul B
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Fish keeping was much more fun in the 70s because virtually nothing was known about salt water fish. There were no "experts" or even self proclaimed "experts". People couldn't even pretend to be "experts" because no one had a salt tank. I started mine about the same week salt water fish became available in New York and only one store in Manhattan had them. Blue devils and dominoes' were your choice. That's it.
But as time went by more fish became available but they were a challenge because we didn't know what to feed or anything else and there was no one to ask. I didn't know anyone with salt water fish for maybe 10 years.
Stores and wholesalers called me to administer to their fish. One was a large green moray eel with a big tumor on it's lip. That is one fish that is impossible to hold but I managed to remove the tumor and not get bit. The eel survived.
I had my pick of fish from wholesalers because I helped them. I designed and built a large seahorse feeder for their wholesale tank so the seahorses didn't starve before they were sold. I later patented the thing and sold 4,000 of them. http://breedersregistry.org/maquaculture/a-new-feeding-strategy-for-hippocampus-sp-and-other-fishes/
I no longer manufacture them.
Going to an aquarium store was always an adventure (we didn't call them LFSs) whenever a new fish appeared, I bought it. I was diving a lot then and tried to plan my trips to a place where that fish was from so I could learn about it in it's neighborhood. I learned more about Moorish Idols by spending a few hours with them underwater than all the articles written about them, which are mostly wrong.
Over the years I read all about parasites, bacteria, feeding, quarantine etc. and being I started before all of those articles, I developed my own methods which, with a few modifications, I still use. I realized most of that information was either partially wrong or totally wrong. I have always gotten flack from many of my methods but that flack was almost always from people or organizations who are now out of the hobby or business. It takes many years to fully understand the procedures of how to successfully run a tank and I feel the internet actually makes it harder because now there is unlimited information, most of which is IMO, wrong.
I made every mistake possible and even invented some. Now I know hundreds of things not to do.
This was my very early diving days with my, still closest friend Richie who recently moved to a home on the water in Key Largo.
This looks like fresh water and I think it is Lake George. We were diving for muskets that were supposed to be there from the Revolutionary war. We didn't find any and I dislike diving in fresh water.
This is us more recently picking out some "modern" dive equipment in the Keys. I am the better looking one on the right in both pictures.
But as time went by more fish became available but they were a challenge because we didn't know what to feed or anything else and there was no one to ask. I didn't know anyone with salt water fish for maybe 10 years.
Stores and wholesalers called me to administer to their fish. One was a large green moray eel with a big tumor on it's lip. That is one fish that is impossible to hold but I managed to remove the tumor and not get bit. The eel survived.
I had my pick of fish from wholesalers because I helped them. I designed and built a large seahorse feeder for their wholesale tank so the seahorses didn't starve before they were sold. I later patented the thing and sold 4,000 of them. http://breedersregistry.org/maquaculture/a-new-feeding-strategy-for-hippocampus-sp-and-other-fishes/
I no longer manufacture them.
Going to an aquarium store was always an adventure (we didn't call them LFSs) whenever a new fish appeared, I bought it. I was diving a lot then and tried to plan my trips to a place where that fish was from so I could learn about it in it's neighborhood. I learned more about Moorish Idols by spending a few hours with them underwater than all the articles written about them, which are mostly wrong.
Over the years I read all about parasites, bacteria, feeding, quarantine etc. and being I started before all of those articles, I developed my own methods which, with a few modifications, I still use. I realized most of that information was either partially wrong or totally wrong. I have always gotten flack from many of my methods but that flack was almost always from people or organizations who are now out of the hobby or business. It takes many years to fully understand the procedures of how to successfully run a tank and I feel the internet actually makes it harder because now there is unlimited information, most of which is IMO, wrong.
I made every mistake possible and even invented some. Now I know hundreds of things not to do.
This was my very early diving days with my, still closest friend Richie who recently moved to a home on the water in Key Largo.
This looks like fresh water and I think it is Lake George. We were diving for muskets that were supposed to be there from the Revolutionary war. We didn't find any and I dislike diving in fresh water.
This is us more recently picking out some "modern" dive equipment in the Keys. I am the better looking one on the right in both pictures.
Wonderful! You don't remember I'm sure but you helped me keep an "impossible" nano tank about 15 back in college. I had two 10g connected to one filtration system and kept a pseudo and corals in one and clown and peppermints in the other. They were fantastic tanks and did well for three years through college and you helped me make it happen on a college student budget in spite of the "experts". ;-) now I'm married and a mother of five and sharing the love of reef keeping with my children after a hiatus for all the adulting like getting married and buying a house. Lol
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I think it's awesome that you have stayed in the hobby so long. So many get out at the first sign of trouble, or even the second or third. Once I decided to take a piece of highly specialized nature into my home, i assume all the risks and responsibilities to do the best I can. I think you clearly embody that and we newbs have much to learn from you, so thank you for sharing!
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Wonderful tank Paul I have read most of your articles Thank you so much for the time!! My black worm farm is up and going now should be able to start feeding next month
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Paul B
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5 Kids, Wow, that is an accomplishment and a greater "Hobby". I am glad I helped you whatever I did. God bless those kids.
Thank you MacQac. This is me with my first Girlfriend, Georgia, I always had a thing for the Ladies.
I even had fish then. Probably guppies.
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You told me to try. My college only allowed 10g and at the time that was still almost unheard of. You said nothing is done until it's been done. That was interesting - I couldn't get shipments to the dorm and the LFS had no salt water tanks. I arranged for them to get the fish and call me and I'd come pick them up straight out of the shipping container. lol!!
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Of course. I take the clean up crew out for a walk. They are well behaved and here they are holding hands so they don't get lost.
And I also take my fish out for a trip. Here I am watching them closely as they swim around my boat so the copperband doesn't get eaten by a striped bass.
