What made you want a REEF aquarium?
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don_chuwish
Aquarium Advice Freak
It was always was in the back of our minds as "that'd be cool". Got a 'starter' tank for our daughter's birthday and got hooked.
I thought we'd gotten a huge tank to start with because we went looking at 5G, then 10G, hey how about 20G? So at 36G our tank is way larger than I'd expected - and still tiny. Barely over nano spec. But it's all we can do for now.
Originally was thinking FOWLR but that quickly fell by the wayside after seeing several frag displays at various LFS.
- D
I thought we'd gotten a huge tank to start with because we went looking at 5G, then 10G, hey how about 20G? So at 36G our tank is way larger than I'd expected - and still tiny. Barely over nano spec. But it's all we can do for now.
Originally was thinking FOWLR but that quickly fell by the wayside after seeing several frag displays at various LFS.
- D
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
don_chuwish said:
There is nothing wrong with starting small. In fact, if you can operate a successful small reef, the larger variety will be a no brainer for you.
Over the decades, my reef has given me lots of relaxation and pleasure. It has also brought a sense of responsibility (like having a child) that can sometimes seem a bit daunting.
Freshie In Disguise
Aquarium Advice Activist
'Cause they're gorgeous, lol.
All I've got is soft photosynthetic inverts and some rather convincing fake corals. I never did have great luck with acropora, despite how awesome I think they are.
I've always loved the way reefs tend to look, but not so with how much they tend to cost and the work involved. It seems to me that even seasoned reef owners themselves can't decide whether owning a reef tank is alot of work or not. When someone pops in saying "Hey I'm starting a 10g reef RIGHT NOW with zero experience!" everyone says "Oh, it's alot of work, you'll have trouble keeping the water just right, it's expensive, etc." but when someone posts a thread specifically asking whether keeping a reef is difficult or not, the answer is: "Oh it's not that hard, the only difference is the cost and the salty water." I think that was a direct quote from a thread here, in fact, lol.
Personally, I love the authenticity of a real SW reef and a sense of pride when things are going well; seeing my plain rocks and tiny frags grow into something gorgeous... However, the very instant some unknowing friend or relative comes in and can't tell the difference between my reef and my "freshie in disguise" tank, it feels like a house just fell ontop of me and crushed me, and that I wasted hundreds of dollars on something I replicated in a week with fake corals, some from walmart. However, because I know the difference, and I can easily see how much more ALIVE my reef is, I keep going. And it always feels good when someone who has a clue walks in and says "WOW that's an awesome fish tank!"
If you're someone considering starting a reef, I have a few bits of advice fresh in my mind, as I am not seasoned at all:
Get the biggest tank you can,
Cycle it patiently,
START SLOW when stocking.
Really, that applies to any tank, but IMO even more so with a reef. It can be a nearly independant ecosystem when done properly, but it can be fragile and delicate in the beginning stages. Start with the easy stuff first, and progress cautiously.
All I've got is soft photosynthetic inverts and some rather convincing fake corals. I never did have great luck with acropora, despite how awesome I think they are.
I've always loved the way reefs tend to look, but not so with how much they tend to cost and the work involved. It seems to me that even seasoned reef owners themselves can't decide whether owning a reef tank is alot of work or not. When someone pops in saying "Hey I'm starting a 10g reef RIGHT NOW with zero experience!" everyone says "Oh, it's alot of work, you'll have trouble keeping the water just right, it's expensive, etc." but when someone posts a thread specifically asking whether keeping a reef is difficult or not, the answer is: "Oh it's not that hard, the only difference is the cost and the salty water." I think that was a direct quote from a thread here, in fact, lol.
Personally, I love the authenticity of a real SW reef and a sense of pride when things are going well; seeing my plain rocks and tiny frags grow into something gorgeous... However, the very instant some unknowing friend or relative comes in and can't tell the difference between my reef and my "freshie in disguise" tank, it feels like a house just fell ontop of me and crushed me, and that I wasted hundreds of dollars on something I replicated in a week with fake corals, some from walmart. However, because I know the difference, and I can easily see how much more ALIVE my reef is, I keep going. And it always feels good when someone who has a clue walks in and says "WOW that's an awesome fish tank!"
If you're someone considering starting a reef, I have a few bits of advice fresh in my mind, as I am not seasoned at all:
Get the biggest tank you can,
Cycle it patiently,
START SLOW when stocking.
Really, that applies to any tank, but IMO even more so with a reef. It can be a nearly independant ecosystem when done properly, but it can be fragile and delicate in the beginning stages. Start with the easy stuff first, and progress cautiously.
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
It is the ultimate gardening project. I have been in love with my reef for almost 20 years now. Everything grew together into this amazing web of creatures. Patience is the key attribute needed to get to the magical reef we all want.
Freshie In Disguise
Aquarium Advice Activist
Definitely a good teacher of patience, too. 
Patience, responsibility, and respect. I hope I live to see my own reef turn into something awesome like that. I can't imagine how rewarding that must feel.
Patience, responsibility, and respect. I hope I live to see my own reef turn into something awesome like that. I can't imagine how rewarding that must feel.
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
It also becomes a responsibility. A very long term one if you are successful. It would be hard to tear a reef like this down. I have lived in this house for 32 years, so it was possible to allow the reef decades to form.
Freshie In Disguise
Aquarium Advice Activist
Ohhhh that sounds sweet! My... I can't imagine having to change houses with a well-established reef..... Yikes!
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
Many folks move theirs around all the time. But IMO, they end up looking like a display of corals rather than what a real reef looks like. Still really pretty but different.
wow a lot of awesome story's guess it's time to add another
well in 1994 me and my family moved to Kure Beach N.C
me and my son loved fishing off the pier , he always caught the odd fish puffers , and a few others I still to this day have no idea what they were ,
anyhow we were out driving one day and my son said stop dad,
it was a yard sale they had a complete 55 gal set up tank stand filter ect , $25. who could turn that down lol . after we got it home my son said can we keep the fish I catch in it , not knowing anything about salt water I said sure , so next day we walked over to the beach filled 5 5 gallon buckets with sand . got home added it to the tank , than I was thinking what am I going to do for making salt water , well you guessed it we went back to the beach filled up our buckets with water and put it in the tank ,
the next day we went out for a walk to find some rocks ,shells and what ever we could find , My son found 2 crabs so we brought them home added them in tank along with rocks and stuff ,
we went fishing that weekend son caught 2 puffers so we brought them home added them to the tank ,
he also caught a baby sting ray we put him in tank too. now that was a mistake water everywhere non stop
added a few mud minnows every week for the fish to eat me and my son had a blast ,
than one day went to pet store and saw all the colorful salt water fish , we looked at each other with blank stares ,
went home caught all the fish we had in tank put back in ocean
than you guessed it we were hooked
cleaned out tank started fresh with clean sand and synthetic sea salt and we were on our way the only thing we kept was all the rock we found in the ocean . kept everything going till me and the wife separated in 02 . my son got it all
10 years later I'm hooked again
Need I say more
well in 1994 me and my family moved to Kure Beach N.C
me and my son loved fishing off the pier , he always caught the odd fish puffers , and a few others I still to this day have no idea what they were ,
anyhow we were out driving one day and my son said stop dad,
it was a yard sale they had a complete 55 gal set up tank stand filter ect , $25. who could turn that down lol . after we got it home my son said can we keep the fish I catch in it , not knowing anything about salt water I said sure , so next day we walked over to the beach filled 5 5 gallon buckets with sand . got home added it to the tank , than I was thinking what am I going to do for making salt water , well you guessed it we went back to the beach filled up our buckets with water and put it in the tank ,
the next day we went out for a walk to find some rocks ,shells and what ever we could find , My son found 2 crabs so we brought them home added them in tank along with rocks and stuff ,
we went fishing that weekend son caught 2 puffers so we brought them home added them to the tank ,
he also caught a baby sting ray we put him in tank too. now that was a mistake water everywhere non stop
added a few mud minnows every week for the fish to eat me and my son had a blast ,
than one day went to pet store and saw all the colorful salt water fish , we looked at each other with blank stares ,
went home caught all the fish we had in tank put back in ocean
than you guessed it we were hooked
cleaned out tank started fresh with clean sand and synthetic sea salt and we were on our way the only thing we kept was all the rock we found in the ocean . kept everything going till me and the wife separated in 02 . my son got it all
10 years later I'm hooked again
Need I say more
rdnelson99
Aquarium Advice Addict
Great story. Well, everything but the separation part. What a great way to spend time with you son.
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
That's a great story. My son showed no interest in the reef tank growing up, but when he moved out to his own house, first thing he did was setup a nano. So I guess it did make an impact. He has studied up and now knows as much as the old man.
A trip to Egypt and the wonderful Red Sea planted the seed.
Then a year later when our first son was born I bought a tank for him and I now have a complete obsession with reefs and am loving every second.
My new tank is under way and looking good for stock very soon.
Then a year later when our first son was born I bought a tank for him and I now have a complete obsession with reefs and am loving every second.
My new tank is under way and looking good for stock very soon.
ReeferRusty
Aquarium Advice Activist
How it all started.
I can sum up my addition in just one phrase...
It's all my wife's fault.
I can sum up my addition in just one phrase...
It's all my wife's fault.
Shoei
Aquarium Advice Regular
The Fact...
The love of ocean and the fact that I can have the ocean in my own home (sorta) its just a amazing hobby and the fact that my wife loves it to makes me so happy that i can still have my fishy friends in my life
The love of ocean and the fact that I can have the ocean in my own home (sorta) its just a amazing hobby and the fact that my wife loves it to makes me so happy that i can still have my fishy friends in my life
Masoniac
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2012
- Messages
- 606
My dad has always had tanks set up in the house about 5 of them all FW. Some with plants some without. We had community fish and chiclids. When I was about 16 he gave me one of his 55's which was a community tank with plants I was to keep that going and I did for about a year and a half. I had bought more plants and fish than I could fit in. Once I learned everything I thought I could, I went to my LFS traded everything I had in the tank for everything to start a reef I paid nothing so that tells you what I had in the tank. Now I own a beautiful Reef Tank and a nano reef. Could ask for a better hobby.
Always enjoyed fw tanks, but wanted to get into sw eventually when i ot enough $$ . Its quite an investment, but it provides so much fun and entertainment. Its something you can always add to, work on, upgrade, and enjoy! Love it!
Bettafanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
I went scuba diving in the caribbean and after seeing all the royal grammas and niger triggerfish in the wild, I wanted my own little piece of the ocean. Of course, I don't have any corals yet, but I'm perfectly happy with my little fowlr setup.
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
I don't find the tv to be very calming. Especially during political seasons. I can loose myself in the reef and feel nice and calm for a while. I work in emergency management, so becoming calm is a part of my job description...
As a kid, I grew up with a lot of pain from a condition I have. Pediatric wards all had freshwater tanks, I found I could get lost in them and forget about how much I hurt. I do that to this day.
As a kid, I grew up with a lot of pain from a condition I have. Pediatric wards all had freshwater tanks, I found I could get lost in them and forget about how much I hurt. I do that to this day.
