Journaling:
I have owned fish tanks my whole life, starting out with tropical fish and goldfish. I set up my first salt water tank when I was a sophomore in high school. After college (around 1993-94) I bought a beautiful 65 gallon Clarity Plus fish tank. To support my habit I got a part time job at the local fish store, Stingray Aquarium. I don’t think I ever actually went home with a pay check. I eventually converted my tank to a reef tank. I also, had a 20 gallon cichlid tank (they had babies).
At the time I was living in Chicago’s Lincoln Park and working at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, responsible for trading floor modifications. A lot of the traders owned fish tanks. I can’t tell you how many “emergency calls” I got to come down to the trading floor when all they wanted was fish tank advice.
In 1998 I moved to Chicago’s Forest Glen neighborhood. Initially I reset up my Clarity Plus. In 2003, when I was on maternity leave with Justin I decided to build a 125 gallon reef rank that shares a 70 gallon refugium (a total of 195 gallons) into a wall of my basement. At the same time I built a 500 gallon koi/goldfish pond in the yard. Last year I got Justin a one gallon Beta tank of his own.
I love my fish. It is my obsession. The entire family (including the cat and dog) has been known to watch the fish for hours. With a reef there is so much to see, starfish, crabs, fish, coral. It seems like you can always find something new.
I have mangroves growing in my refugium, also, tons of copepods and little creatures. The tank is set up as a natural eco-system. Everyone thinks it is a lot of work. But I have everything set up so it is pretty simple to take care of. I purify the water and it flows into a dedicated garbage can where I add the salt for a monthly 10% water change. I use a python to easily take the water out of the tank. I probably spend less then an hour a month on the tank when everything is in good condition. Plus, larger tanks are less affected by small spikes verses small tanks.
The hardest thing is to contain myself from spending too much money. At least I have had luck with a lot of my fish – some have been around since 1994.
Because of my obsession, Tim suggested that we become certified scuba divers in 1999. This of course probably added to my obsession. I am like a kid in the candy store when I’m diving. Poor Tim – I’m not always the best dive buddy – I have to see everything.
I probably should have been a marine biologist – and no, I am not going back to school…
November 2007
Products:
Twilight Sky pp by Laura Solie of Scrap Girls, Stacked Frame and corner brush by Katie Pertiet, Staples by Rhonna Farrer at 2Peas, A Little Insane brush from seishido.biz, tag and stamp templets by Tracy Collins of retrodiva (using my fish photos), Sunday Linen Stiches by Mlamarredesigns at Dragon Flaire Studios , Sapphire Sparkles hat pin by Mlamarredesigns at Dragon Flaire Studios, Computer fonts: 1942 Report, Stoned Wash 6, Journal, GE Zodiac
