The first Reef Aquarium I ever had.

[DSA65PRO]

It was in 1968 or 1969, we lived in Hialeah, Florida at the time. The first aquarium had a Stainless Steel Frame, and a Slate bottom. I Epoxied the Frame, it had some kind of Tar like sealant, I covered that with GE Silicone. My Filter was an Under-gravel, which I later ditched. I went to a used Supreme HOB, but I had a problem with Salt getting on the motor which sat on top of the filter. A neighbor across the street was a Tool and Die maker, he made me an extension for the motor.  My water came from a Friends Dad who was a Mechanic at Miami Sea Aquarium. The Sea Aquarium was past the Causeway to the Right on the way to the Miami Zoo. My friends and I Snorkeling Spot was across the road and down the beach from there, we called it the Wall. We walked out over Coral Rock, that was sometime exposed at low tide. The wall was at the drop off of the Coral Rock. My Aquarium was on the covered  Patio of our pool. Yes, I had looses at first, but I quickly learned. I built a second aquarium out of glass from Console TV’s. The bottom cracked when filled. My step-dad got me a piece of thick glass and helped me reinforce the cabinet I had for it. That tank was 60 Plus gallons. All-glass Aquariums had just come out, but way were out of reach price wise. Also there was Instant Ocean, again very expensive. The Fish, Corals, Anemones, Sand and everything else came out of Biscayne Bay. I understand it is highly illegal to take anything out of there now.

[Humblefish]

I had a slate bottom freshwater tank with a steel frame! Kinda miss it sometimes! 😉