What drew you to SW aquariums

[Dearth]

How did you get into salt water aquarium keeping and how big was your first tank?

I got into it from my friend at work he showed me that it wasn't as scary as I first thought and found that it was affordable if somewhat demanding at first. I love my 33 gallon setup but seeing some of the bigger tanks I would love to upgrade one day as I love the corals and the quirks of the fish. Way more colourful and active than when I ran fresh water setups.

[The Grizz]

The fact that I can spend crap loads of money for next to nothing and my wife has no idea.

[mrhasan]

Finding nemo

[sphelps]

People told me not to do it

50 gallons was my first

[The Grizz]

All joking aside, my wife really wanted seahorses after we seen them at one of the big box store when we where there getting stuff for the Huskies. So I did a little research and found out there was no way I was ready to jump into seahorses right off the hop. I found a complete 65 gal set up for sale cheap and found out why it was cheap much later ( no sump ). But now a few yrs later here I am building a 300 gal 8'er with a 100 gal sump and a 60 gal cube attached for my wifes seahorses.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

I grew up in Malaysia on Penang Island, so surrounded by the sea. So even though I moved to Canada while still young, I kept that love of the sea with me. Had my first seahorse when I was 12-13 when I could cycle to the LFS for a weekly bag of live brine shrimp. Had it for almost a year. By the time I was 16-17 I had a 33g with a large Volitan lionfish and a 110g (largest tank you could get back then) for my Moorish Idol, Smooth Horn Shark, Passer King Angel, & Snowflake Moray.

Didn't get into reefing (i.e. corals) until watching Finding Nemo. Most expensive movie ever.

[Ross]

Snorkeling in Maui is what drew me.
I set up my first marine tank a few days after getting back.

First tank was my in wall 9 gallon nano, upgraded to a 33, currently have a 67 and wanting a 180 or 230.

[jorjef]

I won a 40 gallon set up, tank. lights, stand and bottom drilled for a canister etc. as a door prize at a local fish auction and thought I would give salt a try...3 years later I don't really consider this "free" tank so free anymore.... Should have filled the damn thing with guppies!!!

[magikof7]

A close friend of the family had a big Saltwater tank when I was young. I think I was around 9 or so. (mid eighties) I spent the whole night sitting in front of that tank and was hooked.
I think it was a 90 gal. he didn't have it too long before he downsized to a smaller tank. It was so expensive and the mortality rate then was so high. He had Corals and Seahorses, fish.
I remember the Wonder I felt, I'll never forget it.
So after so many years of longing I got started 3 months ago with my 29 gal. I LOVE it. I don't think Ill ever be without one now. I love watching my kids see something move and run over to the tank to see what's going on. Even my teenage Daughter enjoys it. (just Mom gets all the work )

[kien]

Way back in 2002.. My sister's boyfriend was big into salt water tanks and convinced me that it wasn't that hard! One year we hit up the old Big Al's (at Heritage) on boxing day and by the end of that weekend I had a 90g room divider cycling in my living/dining room :-) That first tank was just a FOWLR but I did experiment with various softies. Like all first tanks that one didn't last too long. I moved, got married, had kids.. fast forward a few years and the wife and I took a trip to Maui. That Maui trip instantly rekindled my love for the reef tank and this time around it was all about the Mixed Reef.

The first thing I did when we got back was dig up my first 90g that was in storage. Drilled it and slapped on an external overflow box, made a sump and got some new lights. This was the result.



I also reconnected with that friend that first got me into salt water and asked him how his tank was doing. He referred me to Canreef and after spending days creeping I set off on another adventure that ended up with this..