ElectricReef86 Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 A decade ago I found myself mesmerized by the colors and exoticness of the hobby know as “Reef-keeping”. From the varieties of fish and coral all the way down to the biology and microorganisms that make a reef tank, well, a reef tank! From the frag swaps to the abundance of local fish shops and even those out of town. There was always something exciting to be found and explored. Along with that comes a community of amazing people and the endless learning opportunities. I found myself in a hobby that I absolutely loved calling home. From a 5 gallon to a 60 gallon. From a 60 to a 150. From a 150 to a 250 wall to wall SPS layout! I just couldn’t get enough! So much so that I took up a second job at my LFS. Fast forward 10 years and all I have to claim is a 12 gallon failing freshwater tank and the memories I made in those few years I actively participated in the hobby. Between a career change, moving and becoming a father, I found myself hitting a wall where the reef hobby could no longer be the once so loved joy I once had. I made peace with it and continued on with life. 4 years into fatherhood and Ive been able to scrape together some free time and the opportunity to participate in something that once consumed all living moments. This time it’s different. This time there is less eagerness to succeed and much more willingness to learn, enjoy the good and bad along with beginning to pass along this wonderful love to my son. Not shooting for the wall to wall SPS. Not looking to move into a tank with 100x water volume. Not looking to get all the bells and whistles to set my setup apart from the next. Looking to use the KISS method and really create a labor of love that emulates a living portrait of a reef on my countertop. Something where I can slow down and enjoy the ugly phase and respect it for what it really is. Necessity over a burden. My main goal is to create something small and beautiful while allowing beginner hobbyists a decade from now to see what progression looks like through all of its ups and downs. While it’s been done before one hundred times over, the beauty of this hobby is that no one single setup is the same or matures the same. Being completely awestruck with how much the hobby has changed in the past four years, I hope to be able to take some of what I’ve recently learned and apply it to what I already know. That alone should curate something awesome. I’m Dan and thank you for allowing me to showcase my slice of heaven. So happy to be here again. 1 Quote Link to comment
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