How did you get into this Hobby ?

[regener8]

Wanted to know how most of you caught the bug
I have always wanted a fish tank and saw a store that had one and been hooked ever since.

 

[broomer5]

I opened up the door to a LFS that only handles saltwater fish, corals and inverts - and saw some great marine tanks.
Then I opened up my wallet ~ been hooked ever since as well.

 

[nacl-h2o]

A long time ago I decided to start keeping FW fish. I always liked fish anyway. After awhile I got bored with it and moved up to planted FW tanks then to the SW FO which quikly got turn into a FOWLR and the into a reef. And I've been hooked ever sence. I still keep a couple of FW planted tanks.

 

[buzz]

I had a FW tank as a teenager for a while, but never really got into it. I always admired SW tanks, but stayed away from them thinking there was just too much work involved, and they were too difficult to keep.
Then about a year ago, a friend of mine had a SW tank, and convinced me my impression was wrong. So I gave it a try...well, my friend was wrong! It was hard to set up, cost me an arm and a leg, and maintenance is definitely more work than FW. BUT! despite all that, I loved it, and really enjoy maintaining my tank. So I got hooked.

 

[michelle13]

Always had fw tanks growing up. Then went to Hawaii three years ago. Went snorkeling and fell in love with the ocean. So when I got back I saved up and am trying to build my own little piece of the ocean!

 

[grumpyoldman]

Awhile back I was suffering from high blood pressure. It was suggested as one of the hobbies that helps reduse stress. Once I started, I couldn't stop.

 

[entice59]

i saw my friends tank and was interested in swf but i wasnt interested in how much i was going to pay. After getting rid of my turtle(THANK GOD), it gave me so much stress by waking me up 6 am with its constant splashing. I was going to convert the turtle tank to a FW tank.... but my friend said it would cost almost as much as a fw tank and it would look better... yeah... right... i spent 3 times the amount i wanted to spend

 

[scotts]

Grumpy,
SW has REDUCED your stress???
I got tired of figuring out what grey fish to buy for my FW aquarium.
Scott

 

[newreefers]

Went scuba diving in the Caymen Islands, and decided I never wanted to leavethe reef, so I brought the reef to me. I am now working on my 4th tank.

 

[juddster]

I would agree with scuba diving getting you hooked...when i cant swim with the fisheys...they swim with me!

 

[nate_j]

Well to start out, my good friend twicklund had always had a SWF tank ever since i have known him. I was goingto start one a while ago but i backed out at the last minute. I have always been fascinated with the salt water fish.. Im an avid diver and i wanted to capture the ocean inside my house... well 3 weeks ago it happened!!!! im sp proud its doing great. I have alot of life in it and one percula clownfish so far... Great hobbie i love it

 

[wizard]

i started because i had 4 fw tanks in my house and i got tired of my mom telling me that they were boring....since she won't do any of the work and she loves clown fish, i decided to go with sw now she spends all of the day when i'm away in my room loving my tank and the clowns.....i'm glad that they have someone to be with during the day

 

[tangtang]

My niece called to ask if she could have a 10 gallon ***** aquarium. I told her to wait. I wanted one too... That was 4 months and 4 tanks ago! My niece has moved back home; but, I've still got my obsession! <smile>

 

[eelfreakrobi]

got into it because I'm a diver and always wanted a little piece from the ocean in my home, and some friends that had tanks really got me into it.

 

[nerdy]

I started in freshwater. I was always going to the LFS nad seeing the salt water section and how much more nicer the stock looked.
So I started a little 5 g FO tank. It didn't take long before I got a full blown 35g mini reef. The best thing I have ever done. This hobbie is the best (not to metion most addictive)

 

[bterry29]

Like many other responses I started with FW. I bought a 10g tank about 5 years ago. I thought it would be a good hobby for the family. Each of us picked out a fish for the tank. We all enjoyed it for a while. I continued to enjoy the tank but the rest of the family moved on to other interests. Since then I have had three other FW tanks. As I would by new FW fish at the LFS I would see the SW fish. I had heard they were a lot of work and kept shying away from it. This fall I began reading about SW and decided it was time to try it. It has been both a challenge and enjoyment. The $$ is more than I had expected. I have to keep myself in check or my wife will disown me.

 

[bradttu]

I am too spontaneous and never satisfied.
These were my hobbies within the last year... 125cc Shifter Kart, 12 second Mustang (stupid!!!), Nitro Powered -- Cars, Guitars, Gaming (X-Box, PS2, GameCube, and an Alienware gaming only PC).
I saw a friend's 200 gallon and fell head over heals for SW. I am starting out with a 55 gal to learn everything for few years and then I will buy something bigger and put it in a wall at my home.

 

[dindi]

Same as Buzz, had FW tanks no prob, then hey why not saltwater, much money and love involved. Oh yeah don't forget time jeeze it's alot of work but I love it

 

[reeferdude]

Growing up my mom kept about a 20 gallon fw tank and I could just sit there and watch it all day, I also had a love for sharks. I am one of those weird adolescent boys that would rather watch the discovery channel than go out in the yard and play football so I would also see a lot of shows on reefs and such. Then when I was 12 my dad and I got SCUBA certified, for about 2 years all I dove in was lakes and I loved it (mainly because I didn’t know any better.) Boy was I wrong, my dad took me to Grand Cayman when I was about 15 and I was in love, I wanted to be able to share that beauty with other people. So I got into underwater photography but the pictures looked nothing like what I had seen. After my 3rd trip to the Caymans I was 17 and I went out and bought a 10 gallon FW. Needless to say it took me about a week to realize that this wasn’t what I saw in the ocean so I converted it to SW and had 2 damsels for about 2 months. Now I have a 120 gallon super predator tank, a 10 gallon nano reef, a 10 gallon clown tank and about 3 other freshwater tanks!

 

[a&m aggie 04']

Ialways remember going to the petstore as a kid and seeing all the beautiful SW fish. I always asked my parents if we could do SW but thought it was too much work so i had to settle for boring oscars. I grew up forgot about fish tanks, but one day came across our old freshwater tank in our attic, 20G Tall. I drug it out and set it up as a FW tank down at school. Came home the next summer and wanted to upgrade. Thats how i got into SW fish, and am really enjoying it.
Mark