Poll: How Long Have You Been "Reefing?"

[Krish]

This should make for a very simple poll that can tell a person a lot about what the level of reefkeeping is like on this forum.

With that said, select how long you have been in this hobby for (freshwater aquarium keeping doesn't count as we are concerned only with salt). This can also include times you have been without a tank, but have been active in the hobby participating on a reefkeeping forum, working at an LFS etc.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Buillt my first marine aquarium in the 70s. Damsels, coral beauty, clownfish, hawkfish, groupers and a few experiment butterflys such as falculas and raccoons. Corals such as bubble, flowerpots, gargonia only lasted a few months at best. Mushroom rock (either rics or rhodactus), polyp rock (zoanthids) were $15 for a large covered rock and they might last up to a year with enough water changes. Bubble up Undergravel filters (marble chips) with air pumps to power them. Late 70s, first powerheads came out to replace air driven riser tubes. Over 100 gph!!! Many years before first protien skimmers or trickle filters. Even a few years before reverse flow undergravel filters. Most in the hobby were highly experienced freshwater enthusiasts with some chemistry background.

 

[IPisces]

I set up my first saltwater tank in April 2009. I now have 5 tanks going. Its sooo much fun!

 

[spllbnd2]

I'd always been curious about the ocean and saltwater tanks since I was 3. I got my first look into the Nano world of reefkeeping in 2004 and I've been adding tanks ever since then.

 

[TJL]

29 yrs ! so you need to add another tab up there Krish

Well since I'm not quite as OLD as Smart Bass above ^^^ started Fish Only Dead Coral (live coral was for feeding your Butterfly Fish and Angels) in the late 70's then setup my first actuall Berlin Style Reeftank in 1982 and from thier gradually changed over all my systems from Reverse-Flow Undergravel to powerheads and canister filters with live rock. Very Old School MH lighting with huge magnetic ballasts (that hummmmmed) and 5-7K lamps. By mid 80's had added expensive dual airstone driven skimmer and supplemental actinic-like T-12 bulbs. I worked in a LFS so tried to always keep up with what was new in this ever-evolving hobby. So will continue to learn with an open mind and teach those willing to listen, just how many ways there are of successfully keeping a marine or reeftank. Hopefully have another 29 years in me.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Paul B]

Freshwater since 1955 or so, saltwater since 1971. Reef tank is still running from then.

 

[mojoreef]

Geez Paul Iand I though you were going to tell us about your Coelacanth tank back in the crustatious??? lol

For me 42 years with fish, started keeping corals when I was a collector back in the late 70's

Mojo

 

[Scooterman]

I just started yesterday! One day soon I hope to add water!:moony:

 

[Katchupoy]

breeding fresh water fish since 70's, reef tank since 84.
reef tank here in the US since 2001.

 

[Krish]

29 yrs ! so you need to add another tab up there Krish

Cheers, Todd

I got you covered...More than 15 years (state how long).

I consider getting into this hobby when I joined RF although as a little boy, going to the beach, I would catch fish in tidepools and put them in a 5 gal tank and keep them till they died . Didn't know any better. I figured the airstone would do the trick LOL! This would be in the early 80's, but I don't really count that.

 

[Paul B]

Geez Paul I and I though you were going to tell us about your Coelacanth tank back in the crustatious??? lol

Mojoreef, I think it was the paleazoic but I didn't want to bring up the coelacanth's, they are hard to wean off of brine shrimp.
In the 70s I was running around in the jungle. But I did see some red tail sharks so that counts as fish watching.

 

[mfinn]

I have only had saltwater since 1985, but I could count the summer I spent on Hood Canal and kept a 10 gallon tank with stuff I collected from tide pools. I was 8 or 9 at the time.

 

[Krish]

Martin, can I count how long I've lived on an island??

 

[mfinn]

Martin, can I count how long I've lived on an island??

sure.!!:rapture:

 

[07FocusST]

Man, I am almost a newbie. Just coming up on 2 years!

 

[charlypooh]

have had various freshwater fish (never more than a 10gal tank) from the age of 8 or 9 to present, but got into saltwater about 5 years ago with a 7 gallon hex... then i inherited my 46 gallon tank from a friend about 4 years ago and am absolutely addicted, especially now that i've been able to convert it from fowlr to reef!

 

[Krish]

Man, I am almost a newbie. Just coming up on 2 years!

Haha!! You probably know more in that 2 years then I did at 4. I was terrible man...You have no idea :lol:

 

[NC2WA]

17 years for me.. My first saltwater tank was 29 gallons and had 3 blue damsels cuz someone at the LFS say they were good starter fish...I've come along way from that (see the WebCam link under my signature).........

 

[rainydave]

Been at it since the mid 90s. Started with Fish only with dead coral. Started up a 2nd tank when I moved to WA - Fish only with live rock. Jumped into corals about 4 years ago.

 

[reedman]

started up in 2000 (I think). Been a while. At some point you stop paying attention to the start point.