New member, longtime aquarist

desperado915 · Dec 9, 2022

Hello, new member here. I am in the process of getting back into the reef hobby after quite a few years of absence. I am not new to the hobby, having kept freshwater and marine aquariums on and off since I was 12 years old. Sadly, I had to break down and sell a very large and well-established reef tank prior to a long-distance relocation to a new home quite a few years ago.

Fast forward to last year when my 12-year-old son wanted an aquarium for his room. He and I built him a planted 10 gallon betta tank which in turn created a desire to build one of my own. Since then, I have built 10, 29, and 40 gallon planted freshwater tanks in the guest bedroom. Uh, itch not completely scratched. Now I am gathering equipment to start another reef build. Wish me luck.

It seems that the saltwater world has changed somewhat since I last kept live saltwater fish and corals and I am currently soaking up knowledge from this site and many others. I plan to post a build thread at some point as I continue forward. Looking forward to learning from you all and hopefully I don't screw this up.

Sean Clark · Dec 9, 2022

Welcome to the party.

blaxsun · Dec 9, 2022

bnord · Dec 9, 2022

I took a 30+ year hiatus - so I kinda know what you mean, but it has been a. Fun last couple of years!

let us know what we can do

Jeffcb · Dec 9, 2022

Welcome to Reef2Reef!!

Gtinnel · Dec 9, 2022

I was out of the hobby for about 10 years or so until I setup a tank 4 years ago, it seems to be pretty common that people leave and always seem to come back.
welcome to R2R

shakacuz · Dec 9, 2022

welcome aboard the r2r board!

Kristopher Conlin · Dec 9, 2022

Welcome to Reef2Reef!!

Things certainly have changed over the years but information is so much easier to find! I'm sure you will do great!

Fish Think Pink · Dec 9, 2022

desperado915 said:
Hello, new member here. I am in the process of getting back into the reef hobby after quite a few years of absence. I am not new to the hobby, having kept freshwater and marine aquariums on and off since I was 12 years old. Sadly, I had to break down and sell a very large and well-established reef tank prior to a long-distance relocation to a new home quite a few years ago.

Fast forward to last year when my 12-year-old son wanted an aquarium for his room. He and I built him a planted 10 gallon betta tank which in turn created a desire to build one of my own. Since then, I have built 10, 29, and 40 gallon planted freshwater tanks in the guest bedroom. Uh, itch not completely scratched. Now I am gathering equipment to start another reef build. Wish me luck.

It seems that the saltwater world has changed somewhat since I last kept live saltwater fish and corals and I am currently soaking up knowledge from this site and many others. I plan to post a build thread at some point as I continue forward. Looking forward to learning from you all and hopefully I don't screw this up.

Welcome and welcome back! Glad you joined, and glad you are helping the next generation enjoy underwater world! This is a great family hobby.

Excited you are already considering starting your build thread! I found its a great place to document my tank's evolution for myself. I started tank first then joined, so I'm still finding myself going back collecting pictures & updating historically as well as current state. Once you create your first post in your thread and link it to your account, they will give you build badge (look left, under my ID). There is no such thing as 'too early' to start.

This might help you find people local to you at Lake Site:

Local Reef Club Discussion

Looking for some locals to share frags and info with? This is the place! Find a local club that meets in your area! If you want to add your club just contact us.

www.reef2reef.com

This is a good reference book type online article I still review:

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is no...

www.reef2reef.com