Reef Central OCTOBER Reefer of the Month!!

Nanook · 10/27/2012, 08:10 PM

The RC team are proud to announce our October Reefer of the Month award to Sisterlimonpot!

My name is Jimmy and I was bitten by the salt water bug circa 1992 when my good friend bought a 40 gallon tank and filled it with many vibrantly colored fish. It only took a few days of watching him tinker with the tank and seeing all his hard work rewarded with a soothing environment of beautiful fish swimming around to know that I had to have one for myself. Not knowing anything about what it took to get one of these going, I relied on the advice of my local fish store. I purchased a packaged deal that came with a 10 gallon tank, a hang-on-back and an under gravel filter. Shortly after setting it all up, I went back to the fish store and purchased a clown fish and a mandarin goby. Of course everyone knows what the outcome of that was. I was able to enjoy the fish for about 4 weeks before they perished from ammonia poisoning. I had no idea what a cycle was. I’m sure that was one thing the store clerk was telling me when I purchased the tank but I wasn’t really paying attention. I went back to the fish store and got a couple more fish to toss into the tank (another clown and a couple damsels) and they survived through the tail end of the cycle. This tank offered me some peace and tranquility until I flew out for basic training in 1994.

My first base was in Cheyenne, Wyoming. One of my buddies that lived in my dorm on the first floor started a 90 gallon salt water tank in his room. He kept a trigger, angel fish and a lion fish. It was great because when he was on leave I took care of the water changes and the feeding of the fish. I remember spending hours sitting in front of his tank watching the interaction of the fish.

That was the last I time I was around salt water until 2007 when my wife was house sitting for some friends and they had a 60 gallon fresh water tank that she had to feed every day. Every time she went over she took longer and longer to get back (she was bitten by the bug, too). About a week after she stopped going over to feed the fish she told me we had to get a fish tank. Of course my stipulation was that it had to be salt water. From there we started setting up a 72 gallon reef ready tank with a wet/dry filter. It was a “fish only” tank. We chugged along for a year until someone at the local fish store suggested we check out Reef Centraland that’s when the obsession took over. I had no idea how much I didn’t know and how massive this hobby was until I got to this site. I quickly realized the equipment and the way I was doing things were so archaic. With all the information provided on the site I quickly became like a sponge, soaking everything up. I read through pretty much all the Reef Keeper articles as well as subscribed to so many threads. Before I knew it I was doling out advice in the New to the Hobby forum. Things were out of control. Before long-and I know everyone can relate to this-I had to upgrade to a bigger tank, which brings us to present day. I am now running a 125 gallon SPS dominant reef tank with amazing results.

As you can see, I have been dabbling in saltwater tanks my whole adult life and at this point if you took my reef tank away I would have an empty void in my life. It’s a passion I think everyone that reads this can relate to. Throughout my tenure here on RC I have learned quite a bit and my tank has flourished because of it. I continue to learn more and more on a daily basis and there is no end in sight for me. In fact, 3 weeks ago I purchased a 300 gallon Lee Mar tank because my 125 is getting too cramped. You all understand what I’m talking about… right?

Jimmy

scolley · 10/27/2012, 08:22 PM

Congratulations Jimmy! I don't know you from Adam... Until I saw the info above all I saw was your posts. And you know what? They were all positive, helpful, and sometimes even humerous.

You set an example for what we all should act like in this community. This honor could not have come to a more deserving member IMO! You set an excellent example for us all.

Contrats!

Misled · 10/27/2012, 08:52 PM

Hey Jimmy!!

Congrats!!!!

Anemone · 10/27/2012, 11:09 PM

Congrats Jimmy!

Kevin

screamingibis · 10/28/2012, 07:39 AM

more pics, please. sump and setup too.

Anemone · 10/28/2012, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by screamingibis

more pics, please. sump and setup too.

You do realize this is the REEFER of the month, not the TANK of the month, right?

Otherwise, I'm not sure Jimmy comes with a sump.

Kevin

Misled · 10/28/2012, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anemone

Otherwise, I'm not sure Jimmy comes with a sump.

You'd be surprised!!!!

10/27/2012, 08:10 PM	#1
Nanook Ancient Eskimo Legend Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Saint Louis, MO Posts: 41,852 Blog Entries: 11	Reef Central OCTOBER Reefer of the Month!! The RC team are proud to announce our October Reefer of the Month award to Sisterlimonpot! My name is Jimmy and I was bitten by the salt water bug circa 1992 when my good friend bought a 40 gallon tank and filled it with many vibrantly colored fish. It only took a few days of watching him tinker with the tank and seeing all his hard work rewarded with a soothing environment of beautiful fish swimming around to know that I had to have one for myself. Not knowing anything about what it took to get one of these going, I relied on the advice of my local fish store. I purchased a packaged deal that came with a 10 gallon tank, a hang-on-back and an under gravel filter. Shortly after setting it all up, I went back to the fish store and purchased a clown fish and a mandarin goby. Of course everyone knows what the outcome of that was. I was able to enjoy the fish for about 4 weeks before they perished from ammonia poisoning. I had no idea what a cycle was. I’m sure that was one thing the store clerk was telling me when I purchased the tank but I wasn’t really paying attention. I went back to the fish store and got a couple more fish to toss into the tank (another clown and a couple damsels) and they survived through the tail end of the cycle. This tank offered me some peace and tranquility until I flew out for basic training in 1994. My first base was in Cheyenne, Wyoming. One of my buddies that lived in my dorm on the first floor started a 90 gallon salt water tank in his room. He kept a trigger, angel fish and a lion fish. It was great because when he was on leave I took care of the water changes and the feeding of the fish. I remember spending hours sitting in front of his tank watching the interaction of the fish. That was the last I time I was around salt water until 2007 when my wife was house sitting for some friends and they had a 60 gallon fresh water tank that she had to feed every day. Every time she went over she took longer and longer to get back (she was bitten by the bug, too). About a week after she stopped going over to feed the fish she told me we had to get a fish tank. Of course my stipulation was that it had to be salt water. From there we started setting up a 72 gallon reef ready tank with a wet/dry filter. It was a “fish only” tank. We chugged along for a year until someone at the local fish store suggested we check out Reef Centraland that’s when the obsession took over. I had no idea how much I didn’t know and how massive this hobby was until I got to this site. I quickly realized the equipment and the way I was doing things were so archaic. With all the information provided on the site I quickly became like a sponge, soaking everything up. I read through pretty much all the Reef Keeper articles as well as subscribed to so many threads. Before I knew it I was doling out advice in the New to the Hobby forum. Things were out of control. Before long-and I know everyone can relate to this-I had to upgrade to a bigger tank, which brings us to present day. I am now running a 125 gallon SPS dominant reef tank with amazing results. As you can see, I have been dabbling in saltwater tanks my whole adult life and at this point if you took my reef tank away I would have an empty void in my life. It’s a passion I think everyone that reads this can relate to. Throughout my tenure here on RC I have learned quite a bit and my tank has flourished because of it. I continue to learn more and more on a daily basis and there is no end in sight for me. In fact, 3 weeks ago I purchased a 300 gallon Lee Mar tank because my 125 is getting too cramped. You all understand what I’m talking about… right? Jimmy __________________ The wind blew, the chit flew, and then they came two by two. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Tank Info: 375g Tanganyikan Tank & 470g mixed reef

10/27/2012, 08:22 PM	#2
scolley ARKSC Founding Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: CT Posts: 2,823	Congratulations Jimmy! I don't know you from Adam... Until I saw the info above all I saw was your posts. And you know what? They were all positive, helpful, and sometimes even humerous. You set an example for what we all should act like in this community. This honor could not have come to a more deserving member IMO! You set an excellent example for us all. Contrats! __________________ - Steve Longing for "fact based" reef keeping - with hearsay, non sequiturs, dogma and other types of bad “information” removed from our discussions.

10/27/2012, 08:52 PM	#3
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	Hey Jimmy!! Congrats!!!! __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

10/27/2012, 11:09 PM	#4
Anemone Cloning Around Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Valencia, California Posts: 25,267	Congrats Jimmy! Kevin __________________ Back in the pool, swimming with the sharks... Current Tank Info: Red Sea 425XL w/Kessil AP700, Vertex 180i Skimmer, 2 x Vortech MP40s

10/28/2012, 07:39 AM	#5
screamingibis Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Maysville, GA Posts: 375	more pics, please. sump and setup too.