What's your tank history?

[zenn]

I'm sure many of us have had several aquariums up till now including FW and SW. It's kind of cool to think about all the different setups I've had through the years. So i'll start the tank history and then everyone else can post theirs up too.

I bought my first 45g bowfront when i was 13. I had to save up for that thing for a long time...and i really loved that tank. I had it for about a decade before i upgraded to my current 75g rectangle. So here's the history.

1. First setup was a FW tank with Red Belly Piranahs. I loved watching them eat. Unfortunatly, one day two of them ate the third. They had gotten so big i decided to sell them because i was feeding them hot dogs and pieces of hamburger(the amount of feeder fish they needed cost too much at this point). When i was taking them out of the tank when i sold them, one of them ate through the green net....i had to use a strainer to get him out. That was scarry.

2. Second tank was a FW setup with 3 Oscars. They ended up jumping out of the tank probalby due to the fact that i was doing any water changes and ammonia was off the charts. Lessons learned.

3. I tried my first SW setup for about 2 months with a yellow tang.


4. About 3 years later, i tried SW again with some damsals and LR. It was fun and i enjoyed being able to keep things alive.

5. I got my current 75g reef tank.

 

[dskidmore]

1. "Rescued" 20 unwanted goldfish at the end of a conference. (They were in a kiddie pool for decoration.) Turned out A) the aquarium in the garage leaked. B) we knew nothing about keeping fish. The survivors lived out thier days in a 10 gallon I spent months paying my mother back for. Tried a variety of tropical fish after that, learned a little bit.
2. When I went to collage, Mom decided the tank was "hers" as she had paid for many of the acessories, so I picked up another 10 gallon setup at a garage sale. Kept a variety of tropicals, ended up with a "free" chiclid, that ended up killing everything else I tried to house with him. Started into aquatic plants. (Freshman year, my tank was on a windowsill, so I could keep all kinds of moderate to high light plants without special lights. No special care, no inordinate amount of algae.)
3. Upgraded to 20 gallons (another garage sale find) after collage.
4. Upgraded to 75 gallons recently, started into medium-high light planted setup.

 

[zenn]

So many people got started with gold fish when they were young. It must have been sad to see your chiclid wipe out everyone else. I had that happen more than once because i didn't know what i was doing.

 

[illuminum]

Started with an Elcipse 12 gallon 3 years ago FW setup.
Taken in 2004:

Bought a 30 gallon tall Eclipse II tank less than a year after that
Taken in early 2005:

Bought a 24 gallon nano for a reef setup in December 2005 and now I still have the nano and the original 12 gal nano.
Taken a few weeks ago:

The rest of the nano

 

[zenn]

Cool nano. you've got a nice variety of corals in there.

 

[dskidmore]

Bought a 24 gallon nano for a reef setup in December 2005 and now I still have the nano and the original 12 gal nano.

So, you've had good sucess starting on a nano scale? I've been scared off of saltwater. I can't afford to do it big, and many people advise it is too hard for a beginner to keep parameters stable in a nanno.

 

[Musket]

Tank review

I've had fish tanks as long as I can remember. I was a little girl and we had a 20g. I remember cleaning the tank and dumping the water on the flowers and the lawn. Had escape artist newts and all kinds of tropical peaceful fish. And a lot of babies. Have gone several years without them, my dad mentioned something about a tank so for Christmas I set up the old 20g. Got so back into it we ended up with 3-10gallons, 1-20gal, 1-2.5g for fry or hospital (whichever was needed at the time). Bought a 55g tank from someone who needed some$ for $75.00 tank, stank, heater, filter. 10 yrs later I find out it is a 30g long. I still have it, but it does now explain why I had issues, it got overstocked without my knowledge. Had it really been a 55g, it would have been fine. Anyway, that was my first cichlid tank, a chocolate whom I loved and came to greet me all the time, well it ate anything I put in the tank so I offered him a piece of my plain donut. He ate it, and died the next day. I was heartbroken. I had kenyi, mono, gold severum, fire mouth meeki, kibensis, convicts and a few more which I can picture in my mind but not think of their names. When I got married 8years & 4months ago the 30 gallon came with us. We kept it running for 2 yrs. I do not remember why we kept it down. Probably due to frequent moving and getting pregnant.
Well I got the itch again about 3 yrs ago. So my husband said get a little tank, make sure you will keep up on the maintenance before you start up the big tank. So I ended up spending about $80-100 on a 5.5 gal with all new everything. the tank was only $10. So after 2.5yrs, and our son not bothering it (I do have video of him getting drenched pulling up and dropping the rocks back in (before fish were introduced.) Well now I wanted something bigger, my table wouldn't hold a 20g so I got a 10 and transferred the inhabitants to that, all are well and grew a ton so they need a bigger home (7months time). In the meanwhile, I took my 5.5g and put in my goldfish who was in a bowl. He is much happier. He has roommates now too, they were in a bowl next to him for weeks before I let them join in. They need a bigger home now too. (trying to figure out where the 30g will fit so they can live there. Try not to get too upset, they get weekly water changes and have 3 filters. I had bought 6 other goldies to go with him, but were so afraid of them hurting him (Fin) since I had him for a year, I went to my dad's to pick up the old 10g from him. So now I have 2-10g and a 5.5g. Then my girlfriend calls ands says her son no longer wants his 2 goldfish (in a bowl for over a year) and he know's Auntie Jess will take good care of them.. SO I took them in too. They live on my desk, are so funny and friendly that I bought them some dwarf frogs and an ivory mystery snail. Oh my gosh I though, I can't have all these critters living in a bowl, even with wicked good filtration. So I bought them a 5g bow and they still live on my desk. They are getting bigger (oh no) are happy and healthy and still play with me thru the aqua/air barrier (ie. tank wall). Well, my itch has been growing stronger and stronger. Meijers had a huge tank sale and my being just couldn't decide on what to get a 55g (which at the time I still thought I had) a 29tall, a 20 long? Where will I put it? My babies need bigger homes! I talked to my husband and he said okay, just not all at once. (He truly is great about my addiction). So as I finished preparing the taxes and smiled at our return my mind raced at the though of my new tank... He allocated "x" amount of dollars for me (knowing full well what it would be going to). So now we have a new 46g bow. Got it set up in the corner, my house is a wreck due to the redecorating (still in progress) to make room for it. The 10g inhabitants will go in there, the 5.5 will be the hospital tank, am looking into the 20long (for now) for Fin and his friends - unless I can find someplace to put my 30l, which would make more sense because I wouldn't have to spend any more money, well, maybe an additional filter. Oh and did I forget to mention the 2 blue lobsters I couldn't be without who are currently quarantined in a bowl with 2 ivory snails and filtration. Ever have a lobster walk up your arm and blink at you. Too fun. And all the bettas in separate bowls, not tiny cups! Yup 9 of them, my entertainment center is fish central. Oh yes and the 2 bichirs in quarantine as well. My mom said I should put the new tank in the center of the wall instead of the television. hehehehe I actually thought about it. I have often wondered if you have a large enough tank, if the bettas would live peacefully there.. I mean don't the fight only during mating in the wild? I'm sure there is more than one male betta in the rice paddies. I want to give them bigger homes too. If I ever do this experiment, I'll let you know the results. And.. I still want to set up a cichlid tank. I think I'll have to wait on that

 

[illuminum]

Bought a 24 gallon nano for a reef setup in December 2005 and now I still have the nano and the original 12 gal nano.

So, you've had good sucess starting on a nano scale? I've been scared off of saltwater. I can't afford to do it big, and many people advise it is too hard for a beginner to keep parameters stable in a nanno.

It's alot of fun and I did a whole lot of reading and research before I got into saltwater. I've found it to be much much easier to keep coral alive than to keep SW fish alive. For some reason I've been having bizarre problems with keeping fish. My sailfin mysteriously died 2 nights ago with absolutely no signs of stress. Water params were fine and there was enogh food to keep him happy as well.

 

[dskidmore]

Maybe I could re-plan a saltwater tank next time I have some cash then. I was saving up when I had a sudden need to house alot of freshwater fish. (Most of them were ill when I got them, most have since passed on.) I've been eyeing those nano cubes. I wouldn't want a sump system with a nano, and those things solve the problem rather handily.

 

[Brenden]

I had FW tanks when I was younger. (10 & 29 gal) My little boy wanted a "fishy" so I got him a 5 gal hex and a betta to see how he would do with it. He love it so I bought the current setup after reading for months.

 

[dskidmore]

I had FW tanks when I was younger. (10 & 29 gal) My little boy wanted a "fishy" so I got him a 5 gal hex and a betta to see how he would do with it. He love it so I bought the current setup after reading for months.

That's a great idea for getting kids started. I remember some "fin"atic wanted to put a really difficult species in a huge tank in his toddler's bedroom. I wasn't looking forward to the likely posts to follow about how Jr. dropped his coloured markers in, or threw a toy against the glass. Kid's bedrooms should be safe enough to play with minimal supervision.

 

[zuzecawi]

Mom had black water fish when I was a baby, a whole mini eco system with its own never ending supply of tubifex worms, plants so lush the fish were a rarely glimpsed distraction, and several small schools of different tetras. My first tank was the ubiquitious bowl of gold fish, I was 6 and hooked. High school brought on betta breeding, a succession of bad luck with dwarf blue gouramis, good luck with other gouramis, and a planted tank of my own. College brought on my first salt water tank, a 10 gal nano with engineer gobies and live rock and an undergravel filter, when nano wasn't even a word outside of science fiction. Then a 29 gal was another undergravel filter affair with calcium carbonate chunks and 50lbs of live rock, a starved green mandarin, several lps and softies, and a serious bout of conscience after the mandarin affair. I successfully kept that tank going for quite a few years. Went off to join the Army and had a succession of tanks from 29 gal to 40 gal. During the patchup process from my little side trip to Iraq, got the 58 show tank which has been up since Feb 04 to help pass the hours not in physical therapy. That tank was the best investment in stress coping! Now I'm just about finished with the medical retirement process, purchased a home, and working on the next and last (I can fool myself can't I?) big project tank, the 135 over the 75 sump. Once I'm settled out with the VA I'll be going back to school to finish out my marine biology, ethnic studies, and fisheries management degrees (36 credits to go). Then hopefully on to a more peaceful job for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fisheries Commision, or its equivalent in the Pac NW. And child safety is a HUGE concern of mine, I have massive bouts of paranoia about my kid getting into the aquarium, falling into buckets, sumps, etc, throwing things, dropping weird food into the tank... so I've got enough hidden child safety locks to keep patent holders happy for decades.

 

[zenn]

Mom had black water fish when I was a baby, a whole mini eco system with its own never ending supply of tubifex worms, plants so lush the fish were a rarely glimpsed distraction, and several small schools of different tetras. My first tank was the ubiquitious bowl of gold fish, I was 6 and hooked. High school brought on betta breeding, a succession of bad luck with dwarf blue gouramis, good luck with other gouramis, and a planted tank of my own. College brought on my first salt water tank, a 10 gal nano with engineer gobies and live rock and an undergravel filter, when nano wasn't even a word outside of science fiction. Then a 29 gal was another undergravel filter affair with calcium carbonate chunks and 50lbs of live rock, a starved green mandarin, several lps and softies, and a serious bout of conscience after the mandarin affair. I successfully kept that tank going for quite a few years. Went off to join the Army and had a succession of tanks from 29 gal to 40 gal. During the patchup process from my little side trip to Iraq, got the 58 show tank which has been up since Feb 04 to help pass the hours not in physical therapy. That tank was the best investment in stress coping! Now I'm just about finished with the medical retirement process, purchased a home, and working on the next and last (I can fool myself can't I?) big project tank, the 135 over the 75 sump. Once I'm settled out with the VA I'll be going back to school to finish out my marine biology, ethnic studies, and fisheries management degrees (36 credits to go). Then hopefully on to a more peaceful job for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fisheries Commision, or its equivalent in the Pac NW. And child safety is a HUGE concern of mine, I have massive bouts of paranoia about my kid getting into the aquarium, falling into buckets, sumps, etc, throwing things, dropping weird food into the tank... so I've got enough hidden child safety locks to keep patent holders happy for decades.

I'm glad the aquarium helps you out after your bout in the military. As a member of the air national guard, i've served over there as well. I'm fortunate enough not to have been injured at any point in my career in the military, an i'm separating in June. Six long years. And similar to you, i'm graduating from college in a month(can't wait). 135g over a 75g sump sounds really fun. I wish i had room to do something like that but that'll have to wait. Good luck with your new project!

 

[jasno999]

Youth:

I had a small bowl with a goldfish or a beta one time. Then the family got a 20gallon from a relative. It became a mixed tank of friendly community fish. The beta got in there as well. One thing I do remember is it had thsi awsome rock (slate) wall that hung on the back of the tank and on the inside. IT was real heave but was beautiful and was real. Lots of fish and a crab we had liked to live underneath it. I remember we had a conch sheel in it and the algae eater lived inside of it.

After College:

Decided I wanted to get back into fish and had an apartment so said lets start with a 5gallon. Had some community fish. This tank got a crack i nthe plastic so I had to go purchase a 10 gallon tank. Made that into a community with fancy guppies that just keept reproducing. Was really awsome.

Soon after that I decided I needed somehting bigger so I purchased a 29gallon tank. Made this a mix of community and agressive fish. Right now this tank has 3 Kenyi Cichlids, 1 rosey barb, 1 zig-zag eel, 1 algae eater, 1 cory cat & 1 pleco. DOn't ask me how but it works. They are healthy and doing well. No nipped tails or anyhting. The momma Kenyi is actually mouth brroding eggs right now.

I decided to scrap the 10gaool FW tank after many of the members died and gave some fish to my girlfriend.

Got into SW and decided to take that 10 gallon and try a smal lreef setup. Had set up and runnign but could never get the algae under control or the parameters right. Tryed a molly in it but it died. So I sort of let it sit with the filter running and lights on and off for several months. Then about 5 months ago I got back into it and started doign work on the tank. Purchased an RO water purifier, realized poshpates were high and started using a phosphate remover. Added soem snails and now I have 3 corals and 1 damsel. GOing great.

 

[zenn]

Youth:
Made that into a community with fancy guppies that just keept reproducing. Was really awsome.

There's something really exciting about fish having babies. I'm keeping my fingers crossed in hope of my clowns laying eggs. Not that i'm going to be able to keep them alive necessarily, but it'll still be really awesome.

 

[jasno999]

Yup got to love the fancy guppy