When I was 10 years old I had a big decision to make one Christmas!
Well, let me start from the beginning! I had been pestering my parents for years
to be able to start collecting items for a miniature "doll house" .
At the time, 1979, miniature houses were all the rage. You know the kind where you build the replica house and then buy little tiny furniture to go inside? I was sure that was the coolest thing ever! (I would soon find out I WAS WRONG!)
Well, in the summer of that year the family took a great trip to California! Did San Francisco, did the drive on Route 1 down by the ocean, did Alkatraz, balh blah, other cool stuff and ended up in San Diego! My one request for that trip was that we go to "Sea World"! Little did I know it would change my life forever! It was overwhelming all the beautiful facilities and aquaria they had showcased. Growing up near Galveston, Texas I had gone to the then operating "Sea Arama" but it was like a goldfish bowl compared to the splendor of "Sea World - San Diego"! WOW!
I was then a pre-teen possessed! What miniature house??? I begged and pleaded for an aquarium! I did extra chores. I actually cleaned my room (which is still unprecedented to this day!) You name it, I did it to try and convince my parents that I was responsible enough to truly take care of an aquarium. Sure We had the typical "carnival comets" in a bowl but nothing larger than that! My mom was NOT going to do the work on this one! I had to show her that it was for real! Little did she know it would prove to be one of the defining choices in my life.
I proved I was going to be responsible and on Christmas morning I was rewarded the prize of all prizes for 1979! Santa had delivered a 20 gallon high with undergravel filter, heater, and iron stand. Hallelujah! My prayers had been answered!
I still have that tank today, although the under gravel has been replaced by a Emperor 170 and the iron stand has been replaced by an oak cabinet. Since that fateful Christmas I have had that 20
gal running (although not constantly) housed at my sisters while at college - a 10 gallon in the dorm - then added a power head driven 45 gallon during college after moving to an apartment. Loved looking at fish so much that I took Scuba Diving as my PE at Southwest Texas University in San Marcos, TX - (now Texas State University)
Met my hubby in college and we were married in 1993. I know it is a match made in heaven because for my wedding present from him he suprised me by moving my 45 gallon tank to the bedroom from it's place in the living room and replaced it with a 200 gallon tank with wet/dry filter system (running salt at the time). 10 years later after having moved it to the Texas Hill Country and fighting the well water minerals, I now have that tank set up Fresh housing Cichlids (look at my picture in the tank section of the site)
Our oldest son, now only 7, is lucky to have a mom who allowed him to earn a tank for his room, a 29 gallon Eclipse 3. Knowing full-well I would be the one dong the major part of the tank's care, he is very good at feeding the proper amount and checking the temp. everyday. As good reports come from school he earns additional fish, those goofy air-activated bubble ornaments, and cool new rocks, plants, etc. It has been a great incentive and motivation for him at school! It also great at night for the soothing sound of water and watching the fish as he goes off to sleep.
With the addition of my tiny kitchen Eclipse 3 tank with 5 neons in the kitchen, my pond comets wintering in the dorm 10 gallon in the laundry room, and our youngest son's Beta who is also in the kitchen, you could say that we are definitely FISH RICH!!!