My Backround

Hey everybody! I just wanted to give you a quick background about me, my hobby and my tanks. I first got hooked into the Saltwater hobby when my husband and I were passing through a local fish store looking for pleco's for his freshwater tank back in 2001. We passed by a tank full of Domino Spot Damsels and the neon blue damsels. The blue color just made me swoon over those brilliant playful fish. Being a total newbie, my husband had to explain that they were saltwater fish and we'd need a whole other tank for them. The guy at the fish store told us we had to cycle our tank first and that it would take weeks. Weeks? Oh, no, I wanted to put them in a tank right away (again, I was a newbie). So he gave us an alternative that we couldn't refuse; buying an already established marine aquarium. Fish, live rock, and a few small corals all included (course I had to add a few of the blue damsels from the pet store). I think that was possibly the smartest move we could have made. We bought a 55 gallon tank complete with lights, equipment and the the whole nine yards. The tank was in great shape. The couple that sold it to us was moving and since this tank was their baby, they helped us break it down and set it up in our house. They also showed us how to run all the equipment and everything about everything. We saved a ton of money going this route and learned a lot from this starter tank. I recommend this route to anyone who is just starting out. If you find out it is not for you then you haven't broke the bank to find that out (although, breaking the bank is pretty common in hobby lol). We have since moved on to a 150 gallon reef tank that we have had since 2004. This is our baby, though she needs replacing. We plan on upgrading slightly due to scratches in the tank and possibly setting up an in wall tank, but that is somewhere down the road. This hobby has been frustrating at times, but the single most rewarding hobby I have ever had. Each day I find something new in my tank and the attachment you gain to the tank and all the critters inside is unbelievable. Saltwater rocks. Why is it different than freshwater? For one the fish have more personality than I have ever witnessed with freshwater tanks and the life inside is abundant. The colors are fantastic and it is just plain nicer to look. More natural. That is just my opinion, you may have your own. This is just a little bit about me and my tanks. I will be posting my opinions, advice and some a lot of cool facts about starting a starting a saltwater aquarium. Enjoy!