What brought you into Reefing?

[super7]

I bred african cichlids for a while, then came upon a book that sparked an interest in keeping a reef tank.

[EmilyB]

I looked at hubby's FW tank in our early years of marriage and he totally neglected it. One day I was sitting there and fed the fish. Lights went on (with me), and next thing I was breeding cichlids...

Hubby (again) decided he wanted to do SW. After he plumbed a sump twice (upstairs) and it cracked, he gave me his three rocks and three blue damsels and the rest is history.

[Patrick1]

I was into Cichlids for a long time, but felt I wasn't being kept poor enough with that hobby. I needed something that could consume my entire pay cheque in one stop at the store.

[sphelps]

Everyone told me not to do it, that it couldn't be done. Mahahaha

[kwirky]

I got into reefing because of stuff I read online. I was interested in the challenge because I get bored of fish quite fast. There was an old internet article kicking around (that one in green text and black background) that described the reef tank kinda as "an aquarium you'll be staying up all night fretting about as you perform a careful ballancing act constantly." Right up my alley

Gotta say I've come back to/sticked with it because of the forums. Haven't been able to find much for planted tank enthusiasts in Canada really.

A good community makes any hobby/past-time exciting really and the forums have been great.

[Keri]

I've had FW since I was a kid and I've always loved SW but thought it was "too difficult". last year my vet office went over to the vancouver aquarium for fun and Drew and I decided we really wanted to get into SW so we bought an 8gal nano. That lasted about 3 months till we bought the 65 then Drew built the 27.......next tank will be...90? 125? we shall see
The 8 gal is still running...as a QT

[Mikee]

Ever since i was in my early teens i had FW.. my dad and brother had always had an obsession with Discus and Angelfish so slowly i got into that started breeding and raising both. I always loved SW..whenever we went to our LFS i always wished i could keep SW..but i knew it was far to much money so i stuck with FW. Finally school was done, and at that time i found many reef forums and was inspired but all the amazing tanks. I did not want to jump in with a VERY large tank right away (although i wish i did now) but like with many hobbies you never know if you really like them or just get bored with it after a few months. So i bought my 90g set it up, and now after almost 2 years i am still here! I have had some ups and downs along the way but i have never thought about quitting..it only makes me want to learn more and try to improve hopefully have a tank one day like those that first inspired me. Next tank (maybe next year) i am thinking of a 180 4x3x2' .

[JDigital]

I had never been into keeping aquariums at all as a kid. None of my friends had them, and I never really heard about them. About 1.5 years ago, I went to a buddies place for a BBQ and saw this HUGE (atleast I thought it was at the time) 90G Reef tank. But never thought I couldn't do it after hearing about all the things he has to take care of it. It had the clowns w/ anemone, coral, etc etc.. and I was amazed by it every time I went round his place.. I am now living in a house with another friend that was into FW before i moved in.. and it was cool, found a 55G Starter kit for a great price at Petland one day, and decided to start a FW (becuz I thought SW was gonna so difficult, I wanted it, but just didn't know much about it).. So anyways, started the 55G FW about 2-3 months ago, and as I started that, my roommate started his 20G Nano Reef... well geez, now I had to look at his tank everyday, and it finally got to me and I caved... Was gonna do the 54G sumpless, which ended up being the 75G RR Tank I now have going... and I just picked up a bunch of parts to start a 23G SPS Nano.. Build thread coming soon.

I guess I can blame being broke on my friends..

[globaldesigns]

I am now 40, but started in freshwater when I was about 12... Anyways about 9 years ago, I bought a new house, moved everything including my tank, eventually I noticed a crack and paniced as I had a tank blow before... So I dismantled and got rid of everything...

About 3 years ago, my brother bought my daughter a 4 gallon tank, I set it up as a freshwater, and I got hooked again... Shortly after I bought myself a 28 gallon JBJ nano (saltwater), then got my son a 4 gallon saltwater... then got myself a 300 gallon (saltwater) setup...

As you can see, went crazy with tanks, but LOVE IT!!!

[Key Equine]

I had a freshwater tanks on and off for years, never considered saltwater because I thought it would be too much work and too expensive.
Then I went on the tour of the Ocean Rider setup in Hawaii, where they raise captive seahorses and sell them directly to hobbyists (unfortunately not to Canada I was amazed by the seahorses and the idea of getting captive bred really appealed to me. I came home, sold my freshwater livestock, and converted to my current seahorse species tank! That was only about six months ago, so I'm still a newbie! But I'm loving it...