Trahs
New Member
Hello all,
TL : DR, I've had a lot of different tanks, always end up coming back to to the hobby seemingly more intensely each time.
My name is Griffin, been in the hobby off and on since 2010. Started with freshwater tanks as most do. For a birthday present got an Aqueon 29 gallon with hang on back marine land filter when I was around 12 yo. Was very into fishing at the time and was obsessed with the show river monsters. Quickly became an obsession as my room ended up having a total of 4 tanks, 5 if you count the tortoise who has grown significantly since then. All freshwater tanks at that time, tried a little bit of everything, small 10g planted tank with neon tetra, a 20 gallon tall (weird size would never have one again), and a 30 gallon tank for a small turtle I found in the pool filter.
Fast forward a few years at 15ish yo I was gifted a 72 gallon bowfront, wet dry sump, and a hang on the back overflow with those U shapes siphon tubes that was always a major pain to get started again after a water change. Made attempts at having a mixed reef. Started with a semi functional t5 setup which later got a led strip light I think it was Orbit Marine or something like that roughly 2014. Made many attempt at a mixed reef, had a good number of fish at the time, kole tang, vlamingii tang, a few purple firefish, tons of chromis. Eventually ended up moving to a 3rd floor condo made water changes on this tank feel like a huge chore. The tank did well mainly as a fish only tank until It ultimately crashed hard when I came home from work to find the tank was 86 degrees and my "preset" heater was cooking the tank. Did the best I could to bring the temps down gradually not to shock them more than they already were. Ended up giving this tank to a friend when I went away to college. They had some amazing tanks, a crazy reef loaded with fish, tons of tangs, I remember the tank being the exact opposite of what everyone said you should do when it came to grouping fish together. He unfortunately passed a few years ago and I don't believe his tanks are still running.
Around the same time I got the 72 gallon, I started volunteering at my local LFS because they agreed to sign off on my hours I needed for HS and I got to be around everything I enjoyed and was eager to learn about. This really did me in, this eventually turned into a part time job although ultimately I was pretty much there every day on my day off getting more corals or fish, or almost any excuse really to be there. Innovative marine came out with their Nuvo series and I got the 10g. This tank is currently running and has gotten an overhaul recently, unfortunately has been taken down and restarted a few times. This tank at the time was full of euphyllia, zoas, gsp, acans etc. Really wanted to try my hand at an sps tank and set up a 10 gallon with t5,s and a blue reefbrite strip. Ended up getting a 29 gallon biocube with the t5 lights to have at my moms house, mostly a fish only tank had a Midas blenny that was super cool tons of personality hope to have another one soon.
Ultimately ended up going away to college and left the job of a few years at the local LFS. I was leaving soon to go to school out of town and the love of the hobby was fading. All the tanks came down, the 29g biocube ended up going to the same friend I mentioned previously. Faster forward a year I leave the school to come home and immediately start working at a new LFS. End up working service and setting up my 10g cube again. This time I think the tank was at the best it had ever been. Went through some phases from 2017 until 2020 where it when from great to good, to the largest sinularia leather I think ive ever seen in the smallest tank. Got a new job that took 75% of my time for almost half the year, the leather just never stopped growing. Pic attached. Full reset and had a hard time keeping the tank stable, profile pic shows that 10 gallon around that time after the reset in 2020. Tank remained stagnant until roughly the start of this year. Was mostly just doing water changes and keeping the one clownfish fed. Only remaining coral was a rock of captain jack looking Paly's which are still going strong but for some reason not growing outside of the same area of years.
The tank is currently doing well recently added some corals, got a nice burning banana stylo the other day. Has a Ai prime sol on it currently, would like to get a 16hd but I know as soon as a do some new great nano roof light will come out. Also since 2020 set up a 16 gal led biocube kind of starting fresh rn. A 4 gal lifeguard with a fluval Bluetooth controlled reef light, just corals and a halloween crab atm. Also have a 5 gal fluval planted driftwood tank. Itching to set up another but the S/O says there's enough tanks right now.
Thanks for coming to my TED talk, eager to stop lurking the forums occasionally when I had a question I hoped someone else already asked. Hoping to make it to some of the frag swaps and shows here in Florida this year as well. I want to try and do a build thread for my 10g cube and the 4 gal lifeguard sometime this week as well.
Attached are some pics I was able to find from over the years, this was super fun digging through the phone and old files on the PC looking at how much things have changed.
This is the tank that started it for me.
This is the little 10g that had the t5's. The growth was sweet in this tank but everything was so washed out.
TL : DR, I've had a lot of different tanks, always end up coming back to to the hobby seemingly more intensely each time.
My name is Griffin, been in the hobby off and on since 2010. Started with freshwater tanks as most do. For a birthday present got an Aqueon 29 gallon with hang on back marine land filter when I was around 12 yo. Was very into fishing at the time and was obsessed with the show river monsters. Quickly became an obsession as my room ended up having a total of 4 tanks, 5 if you count the tortoise who has grown significantly since then. All freshwater tanks at that time, tried a little bit of everything, small 10g planted tank with neon tetra, a 20 gallon tall (weird size would never have one again), and a 30 gallon tank for a small turtle I found in the pool filter.
Fast forward a few years at 15ish yo I was gifted a 72 gallon bowfront, wet dry sump, and a hang on the back overflow with those U shapes siphon tubes that was always a major pain to get started again after a water change. Made attempts at having a mixed reef. Started with a semi functional t5 setup which later got a led strip light I think it was Orbit Marine or something like that roughly 2014. Made many attempt at a mixed reef, had a good number of fish at the time, kole tang, vlamingii tang, a few purple firefish, tons of chromis. Eventually ended up moving to a 3rd floor condo made water changes on this tank feel like a huge chore. The tank did well mainly as a fish only tank until It ultimately crashed hard when I came home from work to find the tank was 86 degrees and my "preset" heater was cooking the tank. Did the best I could to bring the temps down gradually not to shock them more than they already were. Ended up giving this tank to a friend when I went away to college. They had some amazing tanks, a crazy reef loaded with fish, tons of tangs, I remember the tank being the exact opposite of what everyone said you should do when it came to grouping fish together. He unfortunately passed a few years ago and I don't believe his tanks are still running.
Around the same time I got the 72 gallon, I started volunteering at my local LFS because they agreed to sign off on my hours I needed for HS and I got to be around everything I enjoyed and was eager to learn about. This really did me in, this eventually turned into a part time job although ultimately I was pretty much there every day on my day off getting more corals or fish, or almost any excuse really to be there. Innovative marine came out with their Nuvo series and I got the 10g. This tank is currently running and has gotten an overhaul recently, unfortunately has been taken down and restarted a few times. This tank at the time was full of euphyllia, zoas, gsp, acans etc. Really wanted to try my hand at an sps tank and set up a 10 gallon with t5,s and a blue reefbrite strip. Ended up getting a 29 gallon biocube with the t5 lights to have at my moms house, mostly a fish only tank had a Midas blenny that was super cool tons of personality hope to have another one soon.
Ultimately ended up going away to college and left the job of a few years at the local LFS. I was leaving soon to go to school out of town and the love of the hobby was fading. All the tanks came down, the 29g biocube ended up going to the same friend I mentioned previously. Faster forward a year I leave the school to come home and immediately start working at a new LFS. End up working service and setting up my 10g cube again. This time I think the tank was at the best it had ever been. Went through some phases from 2017 until 2020 where it when from great to good, to the largest sinularia leather I think ive ever seen in the smallest tank. Got a new job that took 75% of my time for almost half the year, the leather just never stopped growing. Pic attached. Full reset and had a hard time keeping the tank stable, profile pic shows that 10 gallon around that time after the reset in 2020. Tank remained stagnant until roughly the start of this year. Was mostly just doing water changes and keeping the one clownfish fed. Only remaining coral was a rock of captain jack looking Paly's which are still going strong but for some reason not growing outside of the same area of years.
The tank is currently doing well recently added some corals, got a nice burning banana stylo the other day. Has a Ai prime sol on it currently, would like to get a 16hd but I know as soon as a do some new great nano roof light will come out. Also since 2020 set up a 16 gal led biocube kind of starting fresh rn. A 4 gal lifeguard with a fluval Bluetooth controlled reef light, just corals and a halloween crab atm. Also have a 5 gal fluval planted driftwood tank. Itching to set up another but the S/O says there's enough tanks right now.
Thanks for coming to my TED talk, eager to stop lurking the forums occasionally when I had a question I hoped someone else already asked. Hoping to make it to some of the frag swaps and shows here in Florida this year as well. I want to try and do a build thread for my 10g cube and the 4 gal lifeguard sometime this week as well.
Attached are some pics I was able to find from over the years, this was super fun digging through the phone and old files on the PC looking at how much things have changed.
This is the tank that started it for me.
This is the little 10g that had the t5's. The growth was sweet in this tank but everything was so washed out.
