What got you started?

[Bowin]

Hi guys. I didn't get to meet or at least speak with everyone at this last meeting. Unfortunately I had to leave early and didn't get a chance to pick from everyone's brain and really get to know you all. I'm new with just about 6 months in and hope to learn a lot from this club and those in it.
I'd like to pose a question to any of those who'd like to answer. Just so I can get an idea of what others started like and to hear of others backgrounds and beginnings. I'm curious what got some of you started in this hobby and if you could travel back in time what would you tell yourself about starting your first reef tank?

 

[pickupman66]

I have had fish since I was a little kid. Freshwater. had it up into colege and then I dabbled in SW. that was bac in the late 90's so I killed alot more than survived. when I moved to TN, I wanted a big tank. 75 gallons!! now it seems like such a baby compared to my 180

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Nemo!!!

 

[Bowin]

I have had fish since I was a little kid. Freshwater. had it up into colege and then I dabbled in SW. that was bac in the late 90's so I killed alot more than survived. when I moved to TN, I wanted a big tank. 75 gallons!! now it seems like such a baby compared to my 180

I had fw since I was a kid too. The saltwater side of the lfs was liking going to a zoo.

 

[Rob in Puyallup]

I've just about always had some sort of fish tank. Like most I started with freshwater tropicals, then in the late `70s I set up a 29 gallon saltwater tank using dead bleached coral and crushed coral gravel.

In the mid 80s I got a 45 gallon tank and switched to live rock, an undergravel filter and a cannister. Had four foot fluorescents including the brand new actinics. Had a variety of critters in the tank, my all time favorite was King Tut, an Octopus bimaculatus. He was my buddy. More like a dog or cat than a snail or slug.

 

[Rob in Puyallup]

PS. I had a great live rock covered in Majano anemones. My guess is that no one considered them pests way back then...

 

[bknapp]

I was keeping a fresh water 55 gallon bow front and was constantly at the Critter and would walk over to the SW side. I fell in love with their old display (when it was in its hay day was very nice) and just had to have one. The nice Eagle Eye zoa colony they had on the sand bed mesmerized me.