Poll: How Long you been in the Hobby?

reeftigergal · Jan 17, 2018

My Hobby itself speaks for my age. Having said that, been in the hobby of aquariums since teen years. Started with fresh. Went to siclets. Did some planted tanks. Then brackish. Been into Salt and reefing now for more years than I can seen to remember, with times of hiatis here and there.
Started with salt, when living on beach in Florida. No filtration or sump. 90 gal mixed reef exchanging 5 gal bucket right from the ocean every morning before work.
Eventually, moving to Cincinnati, I had to upgrade and graduate to all the cool stuff and reef hype, then the rest is history.
Now, I have DIY builds of many over the years, sometimes breed clown fish, culture rotifers & copepods, fragging, do acrylic builds, species tanks, you name it.
I believe my fingers are becoming webbed, no - wait, are those gills growing on my neck? And is that a fin starting on my elbow? . . .LOL
All DIY projects are my favorite.
Now, I'm a salt freak, reefing, building, culturing junkie for sure.

Thanks for reading!

jkapit · Jan 17, 2018

I am 57, started my Reef tank in 2004. I took it down in 2015 and restarted it in 2017.

I had little to moderate success the first stint, since I rebooted my tank in 2017 things have gone really well and I am totally enjoying my mixed Reef tank. It’s a wonderful hobby.

docvin · Jan 17, 2018

I’m 47 and been having fun with this hobby for 31 years. Started with freshwater at the age of 10 and made the change to sw at 16. Still have and use the same swing arm hydrometer I started with back then.

tigre44 · Jan 17, 2018

tony'stank said:
I’m 70. I have had tanks since I was 12 y/o. I set up my first saltwater reef tank in 1986

See mine we are almost identical including the name!!

Myk · Jan 17, 2018

Been a hobbyist for 34 years and have worked in the aquarium industry for over 23 years mostly as a service tech and in LFS. Self employed in the aquarium industry for the last 12 years.

Wow. I haven't though about that in awhile! I am getting old!

tigre44 · Jan 17, 2018

I'm 70. Started with a 5 gal metaframe to. Got into salt water in 1970. Started reefing about 10 yrs ago. In my 55 freshwater tank I still have from my first tank a hippo that mouth opens from an airline be in his butt. Oh and the filter is a supreme aquamaster!!

JohnnyReef · Jan 17, 2018

31 yo, in the hobby 11 years now. Crazy to think about the advancements in technology in just the last 11 years.

mtfish · Jan 17, 2018

Will be 59 this year. Can't remember a time I did not have a fresh water tank. First saltwater tank 1976. All the fish and inverts back then were caught from the bays or beach. First fish and coral tank somewhere 2006. That tank (75 gallons) is now the sump for my current tank which has been running since 2013.

g5flier · Jan 17, 2018

I’m 59, had a 55 gallon system in the early 80’s, quit and just got back in a year ago; now have 2 systems, 139 and 75 gallons. You could say a few things have changed! Came across these books today in an old storage cabinet, this is how we used to reef...anyone remember these?

ReefguyEric · Jan 17, 2018

42 years young and been reefing for 15 years

ccbobafett · Jan 17, 2018

Been around a tank my whole life, took it over a couple of years ago, I am in high school.

saltyhog · Jan 17, 2018

I'm 61, had freshwater tanks since I was a kid. Set up my first saltwater tank 6 years ago. Totally addicted!

BringingThatDottyback · Jan 17, 2018

25, been keeping saltwater since 2015. Got my first freshwater back in the 90s... I got hooked young.

tigre44 · Jan 17, 2018

g5flier said:
I’m 59, had a 55 gallon system in the early 80’s, quit and just got back in a year ago; now have 2 systems, 139 and 75 gallons. You could say a few things have changed! Came across these books today in an old storage cabinet, this is how we used to reef...anyone remember these?

Yes I have the first one.

yus75 · Jan 17, 2018

Been 17years I guess after the nemo craze lol…. Start from really basic tank… then to 3ft to 5ft n currently shallow 3.5ft tank

Sent from my SM-N950F using REEF2REEF mobile app

SashimiTurtle · Jan 17, 2018

32. Started up my first salt water tank almost a year ago, altho I've kept fresh water on and off since childhood. I did every noob mistake in the book with that tank and it has been dry for a few months. My current tank has been running since October and is doing well.

yus75 · Jan 17, 2018

tigre44 said:
Yes I have the first one.

Hhaha I got a set of 3books which cover the marinelifes.. Cant remember the author name thou…

Sent from my SM-N950F using REEF2REEF mobile app

rewisn1220 · Jan 17, 2018

I am 27 years old and I started in SW at age 14 when my dad started it...took a few years off of it when I moved out than went back in it, was a struggle to get my wife on board with it but now she loves it... she calls the fish my "fish babies" lol she always wants to learn more. She wishes it was cheaper but she understands why it's so expensive.