Joined
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242 Posts
Welcome to my new version of television at our house.
First some background. I grew up with aquariums in my life, as my parents had a 30 gal slate bottomed chrome steel framed glass in-wall tank. Picture 1965 vintage filters, air pump, and heater. The light was a single fluorescent tube with a remote push button switch mounted well above where a kid could reach!
It had some rocks and gravel with a few ugly plastic plants and a variety of community fish. I took over care of it when i could reach the light switch.
I was extremely fortunate to have near my house the most amazing even to this day, local fish store. The front half was for retail display consisting of 100 tanks maybe more. Filled with mostly freshwater but there were even 4 or 5 salt tanks. The best part was in “The Back”, which was a huge greenhouse with huge concrete tanks filled with breeding fish of all types and loaded with live plants. It was off limits to the general public, but the old man that owned it would let me go back and cherry pick what i liked, knowing full well i would be paying with pockets full of coins and carrying my prizes home on my bicycle. Sadly today standing in its place is a fire station.
During my childhood up to college i managed to fill my parents basement with tanks, even a saltwater 30 gal All types of fish, Community, large cichlids of all types and even an 18” Pacu. All were sold off at college time.
My interest in fish started up again 19 yrs ago at Christmas. My wife asked what i wanted for a gift, and i suggested a saltwater tank. That turned into a 75 gal that upgraded to a 220 gal full on reef tank with all the bells and whistles. I kept that for 14 yrs. A lot was learned about plumbing and water chemistry in that time.
In my mind i decided to upgrade to the current tank i have today. It was custom ordered as a reef tank with Starfire glass on 3 sides, the stand to be a steel one custom made by me. Do to a tank crash before the new tank was done i lost over half of my coral and fish, the other half were gifted to friends and LFSs.
After that i didn’t have the heart to start again, and my new wife felt the same. The tank arrived, i built the stand. It sat empty for nearly 2yrs in the living room = not happy spouse.
I was given orders to use it or sell it, so i cut a hole in the living room wall.... a big hole 7’ tall and 7’ wide.
She asked me what kind of tank it was going to be. My reply was, a new big version of the tank i had when i was a little boy with nickels in my pockets and a bicycle to get me there.
First some background. I grew up with aquariums in my life, as my parents had a 30 gal slate bottomed chrome steel framed glass in-wall tank. Picture 1965 vintage filters, air pump, and heater. The light was a single fluorescent tube with a remote push button switch mounted well above where a kid could reach!
It had some rocks and gravel with a few ugly plastic plants and a variety of community fish. I took over care of it when i could reach the light switch.
I was extremely fortunate to have near my house the most amazing even to this day, local fish store. The front half was for retail display consisting of 100 tanks maybe more. Filled with mostly freshwater but there were even 4 or 5 salt tanks. The best part was in “The Back”, which was a huge greenhouse with huge concrete tanks filled with breeding fish of all types and loaded with live plants. It was off limits to the general public, but the old man that owned it would let me go back and cherry pick what i liked, knowing full well i would be paying with pockets full of coins and carrying my prizes home on my bicycle. Sadly today standing in its place is a fire station.
During my childhood up to college i managed to fill my parents basement with tanks, even a saltwater 30 gal All types of fish, Community, large cichlids of all types and even an 18” Pacu. All were sold off at college time.
My interest in fish started up again 19 yrs ago at Christmas. My wife asked what i wanted for a gift, and i suggested a saltwater tank. That turned into a 75 gal that upgraded to a 220 gal full on reef tank with all the bells and whistles. I kept that for 14 yrs. A lot was learned about plumbing and water chemistry in that time.
In my mind i decided to upgrade to the current tank i have today. It was custom ordered as a reef tank with Starfire glass on 3 sides, the stand to be a steel one custom made by me. Do to a tank crash before the new tank was done i lost over half of my coral and fish, the other half were gifted to friends and LFSs.
After that i didn’t have the heart to start again, and my new wife felt the same. The tank arrived, i built the stand. It sat empty for nearly 2yrs in the living room = not happy spouse.
I was given orders to use it or sell it, so i cut a hole in the living room wall.... a big hole 7’ tall and 7’ wide.
She asked me what kind of tank it was going to be. My reply was, a new big version of the tank i had when i was a little boy with nickels in my pockets and a bicycle to get me there.
