I'm getting back into the hobby after...well...more years than I care to admit. My last venture, in the mid 80's was a 50 gallon reef tank, I was living in San Diego then. A lot has changed since those days, the technology available in this hobby amazes me. I am retired twice: my first career was 23 years in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. My second was Medical Unit Supervisor in a Virginia County Jail. I was there for 18 years. Retired and disabled, and living in way upstate New York. I am 62 years old. My wife is a North Country chick. We relocated here after she retired, to be near her family. Over the years we did a lot of scuba diving which has reinforced my attraction to this hobby. My doctors tell me I should give up diving and I will miss it dearly. This will help ease the pain of giving it up.
I don't know whether or not I will go reef again, probably will, but am in no hurry to take that plunge just yet. In the meantime I am resurrecting a 75 gallon tank that I had intended to set up before. It is never used and has been in storage. I'll go freshwater for now. I have the room for a second set up that can be reef later if I still want to do that.
I will be constructing my own furniture, stand/cabinet and hood. Gotta start using all these woodworking tools I've been collecting over the years, and doing my own lights, planning a combination T5/LED setup. It will be more satisfying if I do as much as I can myself so long as it doesn"t compromise quality. My goal for this tank is rainforest themed, heavily planted and with species native to that region. Also it is important to me to stock it with farm raised, or otherwise sustainable stock from reputable sources and I will be sounding you out for help in this area.
Lastly, I am in a very remote area. The nearest Wal Mart is 18 miles away. Can you imagine? Pet shops are very far and few between and I don't know of a shop dedicated to fish keeping within 75 miles. Not much else up here but cows and corn. I will be happy, if it might be of help to others, to document as much as I can, photos or video, if there is room for it on this forum.
I don't know whether or not I will go reef again, probably will, but am in no hurry to take that plunge just yet. In the meantime I am resurrecting a 75 gallon tank that I had intended to set up before. It is never used and has been in storage. I'll go freshwater for now. I have the room for a second set up that can be reef later if I still want to do that.
I will be constructing my own furniture, stand/cabinet and hood. Gotta start using all these woodworking tools I've been collecting over the years, and doing my own lights, planning a combination T5/LED setup. It will be more satisfying if I do as much as I can myself so long as it doesn"t compromise quality. My goal for this tank is rainforest themed, heavily planted and with species native to that region. Also it is important to me to stock it with farm raised, or otherwise sustainable stock from reputable sources and I will be sounding you out for help in this area.
Lastly, I am in a very remote area. The nearest Wal Mart is 18 miles away. Can you imagine? Pet shops are very far and few between and I don't know of a shop dedicated to fish keeping within 75 miles. Not much else up here but cows and corn. I will be happy, if it might be of help to others, to document as much as I can, photos or video, if there is room for it on this forum.
have you ever considered ordering fish online? There are some good sites like liveaquaria.com. 
