How and Why?

divecj5 · 08/01/2006, 11:51 AM

I've always wanted a saltwater aquarium ever since I can remember and have always had a fascination, admiration, and a great deal of respect for the diversity and just how fragile the ocean is. I graduated a year ago with a degree in marine science and a minor in geography and work for NOAA dealing with all sorts of conservation, resource, and hazard related projects using GIS.

I am starting up a 55 gallon tank (currently waiting for the RO/DI to pump out the water ) and was thinking and wondering the other day why it is that I am intriqued and drawn to this hobby. All of a sudden it hit me that it has to not only do with my fascination with ocean and live aquaria, but more along the lines that I no longer am in school learning about oceanography and marine science in general. For me, this hobby gives me a chance to not only learn more about the corals and critters in the ocean, but to have more own little "mini" ocean and to further my education about bearing this aquaria and learning more about just how complex and ever-changing this environment is.

So My Question is: How and why did you get involved with this hobby? I think this question is important to remember since sometimes reading on here I get the sense that this hobby becomes more of a chore than a hobby for enjoyment and relaxation.

I am interested and can't wait to hear how you all got involved and why.

Adam

ericwebster · 08/01/2006, 11:59 AM

Because there is a whole other world underwater which is beautiful and chaotic at the same time. It's also almost like you get to play god a little bit, by taking care of the inhabitants -- always trying to pamper them and keep them happy.

Good Luck

divecj5 · 08/01/2006, 12:12 PM

I agree Eric. There's something incredibly amazing about rearing and taking care of marine aquaria.

Paintbug · 08/01/2006, 12:53 PM

i have been keeping FW tanks for many years before i started a SW tank. what really got me thinking about a SW tank was going to SeaWorld, and seeing their displays. they just looked so much more diverse than my FW tanks.

gary faulkner · 08/01/2006, 02:01 PM

I started back in the 70s. Had lots of cash back then and I liked having animals that most people had never seen.

These days though, most people have seen these fish and corals.

Also like the technical aspects of the systems.

AktionJaxsun · 08/01/2006, 02:34 PM

My favorite part of the hobby is the overall tank design/setup. Nuturing the marine life and seeing growth is just icing on the cake.

serpentman · 08/01/2006, 02:56 PM

For me it has always been a combination of everything. One thing about an aquarium (whether freshwater, FOWLR or reef )that is fascinating to me is that the creatures contained within go about their daily activities pretty close to the way they would in the wild. I enjoy scuba diving and watching my tank is as close as you can get in the comfort of your living room.

One of my favorite activities is to sneak down to look at my tank after the lights go out and see all the life the comes out of the rock.

The other side (and sometimes the biggest frustration) is I am a closet gadget freak. Therefore, I get to spend hours tweaking stuff.

lilprincess · 08/01/2006, 03:11 PM

My favorite movie as a little girl was The Little Mermaid and I always pretended to be Ariel, Flounder or a dolphin in the pool.

My parents bought me a 10 gal Little Mermaid fish tank from Wal-Mart some 17 years ago when I was 5. I loved observing and feeding the fish. My mother, bless her heart, made all the purchases, trips to the lfs, and kept the tank clean.

As the years went by I became more and more interested in the hobby until it became my obsession (oops! I mean passion!)

What I love about it so much is the challenge of maintaining such a delicate ecosystem and how the learning NEVER ends. 17 years later and I still learn something new every day.

gary faulkner · 08/02/2006, 12:29 PM

lilprincess,

Sounds like Mom enjoyed aquariums as much as you.

ricks · 08/02/2006, 12:51 PM

6 years old and goldfish... Boy have I come a long way..

divecj5 · 08/02/2006, 12:53 PM

That's great lilprincess. Sounds like you had quite the start even when you were young and had someone to help you keep your interest (i.e. not having to do the cleaning and everything else : ).

It definitely appears that passion slowly and most definitely turns into obsession in this hobby.

Adam

everl0ng · 08/02/2006, 01:04 PM

i am still very new to this, but just as ericwebster said above! taking care of everything that inhabits and seeing all the life flourish because of the immense and delicate care taken to provide a healthy and natural home for all the living creatures gives such a sense of satisfaction. it's also very easy for me to spend 1-2 hours in my room staring at my tank that sits less than a foot away from my bed haha. amazing!

CaptainPicard · 08/02/2006, 01:05 PM

Tyree's frags... LOL

I think the thing i enjoy mostly about it is the actual science, the constant testing, reading, trying to understand what is going on, i see this hobby as being a constant balencing act and at the end of the day you can sit back and watch the most vivid colors you will ever see before your eyes

divecj5 · 08/02/2006, 01:09 PM

I hear ya everl0ng. I'm just starting out as well and it's been just amazing to have this thing take shape and it's even better that it's right in the living room of my apartment where I can see it every day and everytime I walk by.

CaptainPicard...I agree that it appears as a common theme that people get involved and just fall in love with both the colors, life, but also the ever yearning for there to be some balance and to see things grow and prosper through your care along.

Keep em' coming...

Loralie · 08/02/2006, 01:36 PM

I got into the hobby because of the facination with clowns and Anemone's. I was amazed that 2 totally different critters form a relationship with each other.

After the first 29 gallon system my son and I became hooked. My son was 16 when I set-up the 29 gallon and him and I got into the hobby with a passion. At 17 he attended IMAC, we both went to the first Foster's frag swap, joined the TCMAS reef club, set up over 500 gallons of salt in a year. We spent hours reading and learning. Now he left to go to basic training last week and in the first message we recieved from him was Monday. It was exactly 3 sentences and in them he reminded me to check the kalk and skimmers!

jus10kase · 08/02/2006, 02:46 PM

Just the love of nature. If I could have the African plains, or tropical forest in my backyard that would be great. But am landscaping to attract what wildlife I can.(Did have a hawk go after a squirrel the other morning, but I had my eyes closed, and just heard it swoop into the tree)
The reef tank brings that natural world right inside. I finally got my first one setup about 6 weeks ago, and it`s fascinating just seeing new life appear almost daily.

kass03 · 08/02/2006, 03:02 PM

I started back in the 70's also.
I remember watching a Coustou (sp.?) show on TV about clowns and anemones.
My mom always had freshwater and when we saw a clownfish at the LFS (they had 1 small tank of saltwater) she said I could set up a tank.
I also got to keep some seahorses from biology class when school ended for the summer that fascinated me.

I was 16 when I got my first tank and killed alot of fish at first. Back then there was'nt alot of knowledge about keeping them.
I did keep a carpet anemone though for about 7 years under a strip light.
This was all before live rock or decent lighting. Thank god the hobby has changed so much for the better.

Then later on I found a different LFS here that knew alot more and when they set up their first reef tank I said I HAVE to have 1 of those lol.
I read alot of FAMA mags and you guys don't know how lucky you are to have RC lol. I loved Julian Sprungs reef notes and learned alot from those.

When I got married in 83 and moved to my new house I switched over my 55 gal to a reef with a HOB filter. I still have it running to this day with pretty much the same equipment except better skimmer and lights.
I still have my first coral I bought for it it's a bubble coral.

Loralie, I was at both Dr. Fosters coral conferences and they were great. Can't wait to go back next year.
I finally met Julian Sprung there also.

I still love the hobby.

kass

Loralie · 08/02/2006, 03:23 PM

Kass,
Julian is a super person. He really takes the time to answer questions. My son was there with Dirk Griffin this year. They also went to IMAC. I didn't make it to IMAC and Julian sent me a two little fishes shirt to my house, like I said he is a great guy. The Dr.Foster's frag swap is awsome. They treat people awsome and the prices can't be beat

kass03 · 08/03/2006, 01:50 PM

Yeah he is really nice.

I was a trader this year at Dr. Fosters so missed alot (but I loved my free aquapod lol).
I did get Julian to sign a T-shirt for me though.

I told him the story of when my daughter was about 5 and was learning to read she used to always take my reef notes book and try to read it. All those big words it was funny.

kass

Loralie · 08/03/2006, 01:58 PM

My son has a couple of shirts that are signed. Almost every shirt Josh owns has some type of saltwater product advertised on them...lol

08/01/2006, 11:51 AM	#1
divecj5 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 709	How and Why? I've always wanted a saltwater aquarium ever since I can remember and have always had a fascination, admiration, and a great deal of respect for the diversity and just how fragile the ocean is. I graduated a year ago with a degree in marine science and a minor in geography and work for NOAA dealing with all sorts of conservation, resource, and hazard related projects using GIS. I am starting up a 55 gallon tank (currently waiting for the RO/DI to pump out the water ) and was thinking and wondering the other day why it is that I am intriqued and drawn to this hobby. All of a sudden it hit me that it has to not only do with my fascination with ocean and live aquaria, but more along the lines that I no longer am in school learning about oceanography and marine science in general. For me, this hobby gives me a chance to not only learn more about the corals and critters in the ocean, but to have more own little "mini" ocean and to further my education about bearing this aquaria and learning more about just how complex and ever-changing this environment is. So My Question is: How and why did you get involved with this hobby? I think this question is important to remember since sometimes reading on here I get the sense that this hobby becomes more of a chore than a hobby for enjoyment and relaxation. I am interested and can't wait to hear how you all got involved and why. Adam

08/01/2006, 11:59 AM	#2
ericwebster Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Boston MA Posts: 375	Because there is a whole other world underwater which is beautiful and chaotic at the same time. It's also almost like you get to play god a little bit, by taking care of the inhabitants -- always trying to pamper them and keep them happy. Good Luck __________________ "Nobody tried to sell me the most used piece of equipment I own .. my mop." 72G Tank LTA, Pulsing Xenia, Blue Tang, Mated Maroons, 2 Damsels, Neon Goby, Watchman Goby, Algae Blenny, Peppermint Shrimp (3), CBS (1), Cleaner Shrimp Current Tank Info: 100G bow front corner. Yellow Tank, Coral Beauty, Clownfish, some SPS, LPS and Soft Corals

08/01/2006, 12:12 PM	#3
divecj5 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 709	I agree Eric. There's something incredibly amazing about rearing and taking care of marine aquaria. __________________ "I spent 90% of my money on women and drink. The rest I wasted" - George Best Current Tank Info: 20H, Vortech MP20, Aquatinics TX5, SPS Only Tank

08/01/2006, 12:53 PM	#4
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	i have been keeping FW tanks for many years before i started a SW tank. what really got me thinking about a SW tank was going to SeaWorld, and seeing their displays. they just looked so much more diverse than my FW tanks. __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

08/01/2006, 02:01 PM	#5
gary faulkner Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,468	I started back in the 70s. Had lots of cash back then and I liked having animals that most people had never seen. These days though, most people have seen these fish and corals. Also like the technical aspects of the systems. __________________ Gary Current Tank Info: 300G SPS

08/01/2006, 02:34 PM	#6
AktionJaxsun Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 203	My favorite part of the hobby is the overall tank design/setup. Nuturing the marine life and seeing growth is just icing on the cake.

08/01/2006, 02:56 PM	#7
serpentman part time superhero Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Deep in the Heart of the Snowbelt (NE OHIO) Posts: 5,698	For me it has always been a combination of everything. One thing about an aquarium (whether freshwater, FOWLR or reef )that is fascinating to me is that the creatures contained within go about their daily activities pretty close to the way they would in the wild. I enjoy scuba diving and watching my tank is as close as you can get in the comfort of your living room. One of my favorite activities is to sneak down to look at my tank after the lights go out and see all the life the comes out of the rock. The other side (and sometimes the biggest frustration) is I am a closet gadget freak. Therefore, I get to spend hours tweaking stuff. __________________ BS in Marine Bio ('96), First SW tank in 1992. Current Tank(s) 300g SPS with 90g frag tank and 40 anemone tank - decommissioned 46g LPS/Softy Cube 300g FOWLR under construction - decommissioned

08/01/2006, 03:11 PM	#8
lilprincess Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Mukilteo, WA Posts: 256	My favorite movie as a little girl was The Little Mermaid and I always pretended to be Ariel, Flounder or a dolphin in the pool. My parents bought me a 10 gal Little Mermaid fish tank from Wal-Mart some 17 years ago when I was 5. I loved observing and feeding the fish. My mother, bless her heart, made all the purchases, trips to the lfs, and kept the tank clean. As the years went by I became more and more interested in the hobby until it became my obsession (oops! I mean passion!) What I love about it so much is the challenge of maintaining such a delicate ecosystem and how the learning NEVER ends. 17 years later and I still learn something new every day. __________________ Valerie "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure." -Colin Powel Current Tank Info: 29g Nano & 46g

08/02/2006, 12:29 PM	#9
gary faulkner Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,468	lilprincess, Sounds like Mom enjoyed aquariums as much as you. __________________ Gary Current Tank Info: 300G SPS

08/02/2006, 12:51 PM	#10
ricks Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: portland,or Posts: 906	6 years old and goldfish... Boy have I come a long way..

08/02/2006, 12:53 PM	#11
divecj5 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 709	That's great lilprincess. Sounds like you had quite the start even when you were young and had someone to help you keep your interest (i.e. not having to do the cleaning and everything else : ). It definitely appears that passion slowly and most definitely turns into obsession in this hobby. Adam __________________ "I spent 90% of my money on women and drink. The rest I wasted" - George Best Current Tank Info: 20H, Vortech MP20, Aquatinics TX5, SPS Only Tank

08/02/2006, 01:04 PM	#12
everl0ng Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Lima, OH Posts: 782	i am still very new to this, but just as ericwebster said above! taking care of everything that inhabits and seeing all the life flourish because of the immense and delicate care taken to provide a healthy and natural home for all the living creatures gives such a sense of satisfaction. it's also very easy for me to spend 1-2 hours in my room staring at my tank that sits less than a foot away from my bed haha. amazing! __________________ Nick Kohrn Current Tank Info: Mixed NC24

08/02/2006, 01:05 PM	#13
CaptainPicard Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 110	Tyree's frags... LOL I think the thing i enjoy mostly about it is the actual science, the constant testing, reading, trying to understand what is going on, i see this hobby as being a constant balencing act and at the end of the day you can sit back and watch the most vivid colors you will ever see before your eyes

08/02/2006, 01:09 PM	#14
divecj5 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 709	I hear ya everl0ng. I'm just starting out as well and it's been just amazing to have this thing take shape and it's even better that it's right in the living room of my apartment where I can see it every day and everytime I walk by. CaptainPicard...I agree that it appears as a common theme that people get involved and just fall in love with both the colors, life, but also the ever yearning for there to be some balance and to see things grow and prosper through your care along. Keep em' coming... __________________ "I spent 90% of my money on women and drink. The rest I wasted" - George Best Current Tank Info: 20H, Vortech MP20, Aquatinics TX5, SPS Only Tank

08/02/2006, 01:36 PM	#15
Loralie Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: minnesota Posts: 568	I got into the hobby because of the facination with clowns and Anemone's. I was amazed that 2 totally different critters form a relationship with each other. After the first 29 gallon system my son and I became hooked. My son was 16 when I set-up the 29 gallon and him and I got into the hobby with a passion. At 17 he attended IMAC, we both went to the first Foster's frag swap, joined the TCMAS reef club, set up over 500 gallons of salt in a year. We spent hours reading and learning. Now he left to go to basic training last week and in the first message we recieved from him was Monday. It was exactly 3 sentences and in them he reminded me to check the kalk and skimmers!

08/02/2006, 02:46 PM	#16
jus10kase Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Daytona Beach Fl Posts: 227	Just the love of nature. If I could have the African plains, or tropical forest in my backyard that would be great. But am landscaping to attract what wildlife I can.(Did have a hawk go after a squirrel the other morning, but I had my eyes closed, and just heard it swoop into the tree) The reef tank brings that natural world right inside. I finally got my first one setup about 6 weeks ago, and it`s fascinating just seeing new life appear almost daily. __________________ If you walked a mile in my shoes........ I wouldn`t want them back! Current Tank Info: 55g since June 06 now 120g, since maybe 09.

08/02/2006, 03:02 PM	#17
kass03 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kaukauna, Wi Posts: 2,937	I started back in the 70's also. I remember watching a Coustou (sp.?) show on TV about clowns and anemones. My mom always had freshwater and when we saw a clownfish at the LFS (they had 1 small tank of saltwater) she said I could set up a tank. I also got to keep some seahorses from biology class when school ended for the summer that fascinated me. I was 16 when I got my first tank and killed alot of fish at first. Back then there was'nt alot of knowledge about keeping them. I did keep a carpet anemone though for about 7 years under a strip light. This was all before live rock or decent lighting. Thank god the hobby has changed so much for the better. Then later on I found a different LFS here that knew alot more and when they set up their first reef tank I said I HAVE to have 1 of those lol. I read alot of FAMA mags and you guys don't know how lucky you are to have RC lol. I loved Julian Sprungs reef notes and learned alot from those. When I got married in 83 and moved to my new house I switched over my 55 gal to a reef with a HOB filter. I still have it running to this day with pretty much the same equipment except better skimmer and lights. I still have my first coral I bought for it it's a bubble coral. Loralie, I was at both Dr. Fosters coral conferences and they were great. Can't wait to go back next year. I finally met Julian Sprung there also. I still love the hobby. kass

08/02/2006, 03:23 PM	#18
Loralie Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: minnesota Posts: 568	Kass, Julian is a super person. He really takes the time to answer questions. My son was there with Dirk Griffin this year. They also went to IMAC. I didn't make it to IMAC and Julian sent me a two little fishes shirt to my house, like I said he is a great guy. The Dr.Foster's frag swap is awsome. They treat people awsome and the prices can't be beat

08/03/2006, 01:50 PM	#19
kass03 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kaukauna, Wi Posts: 2,937	Yeah he is really nice. I was a trader this year at Dr. Fosters so missed alot (but I loved my free aquapod lol). I did get Julian to sign a T-shirt for me though. I told him the story of when my daughter was about 5 and was learning to read she used to always take my reef notes book and try to read it. All those big words it was funny. kass

08/03/2006, 01:58 PM	#20
Loralie Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: minnesota Posts: 568	My son has a couple of shirts that are signed. Almost every shirt Josh owns has some type of saltwater product advertised on them...lol