New Member - Hi all!

[CarlosM]

Hi SMMAS,

I’m Carlos and recently joined.

I live in Hollywood, MD and have lived in the area for almost 10 years now. Pax River brought me here, originally from Florida.

Have had freshwater setups since I was a kid but have always been enamored by Saltwater and in the last few years specifically Reef tanks.

Finally made the plunge about a month ago and setup my first saltwater tank. It is a Fluval Edge 6 gallon. Realize these small tanks are not the easiest to work with but its what I have for now and I really enjoy how they look. The tank currently has two ocellaris clowns, one peppermint shrimp, and four dwarf blue legged hermit crabs.

Ive been reading up on Nano Reef tanks last several months and have been researching as much as I can. My goal is to introduce my first soft coral within the next few weeks and build up to full reef tank over the next several months.

Due to the limited space, my objective is to be really strategic about the corals I introduce and attempt to achieve a good form and color spread (green, orange, blue, red). Mainly interested for now in raising Ricordeas, Euphyllias, Montiporas, Acan Lords, Candy Canes, and Birds Nest corals.

Look forward to meeting many of you and appreciate the existence of this club!


*Below is a pic of my tank before I introduced livestock.

[CarlosM]

My 6gal Edge

[mookie63]

Welcome aboard, you will enjoy the club. A bunch of nice folks with a wealth of knowledge and experience. I too relocated from Florida and to pax. Again welcome aboard.

[JasonR]

Welcome. I am new as well and folks have helped tremendously. Funny, I am from Florida and up here working at PAX now, but didn't come here for PAX. I was private sector for 12yrs first and now civilian gov.

Where in Florida are you from? I am from the Jupiter area, southeast.

[mookie63]

I too was private industry for 20 years and grabbed an opportunity at pax. I’m from Coral Springs and use to work in Jupiter (bee line highway)

[LynneC]

Hi Carlos, Welcome to SMMAS! Your nano reef looks awesome!

My first saltwater tank was a 12 gallon fowlr. That quickly became a refugium for a 50 gallon setup. This hobby is addictive in a good way!

[Ken Higgins]

Welcome to the group Carlos

[ichthus]

Welcome Carlos. It's good to have you in the group. That layout should give you plenty of options for mounting corals. It will make it easy to adjust the light each one gets.

[JasonR]

I too was private industry for 20 years and grabbed an opportunity at pax. I’m from Coral Springs and use to work in Jupiter (bee line highway)

OMG really? That's hilarious. Small world. Did you work out at Pratt? My dad was head of the Controls Dept there.

[mookie63]

Small World, No I worked at Sikorsky Aircraft Flight Test Group

[JasonR]

Small World, No I worked at Sikorsky Aircraft Flight Test Group

Ok cool. Yeah my dad worked with some folks there and I had friends parents that worked there.

[CarlosM]

Welcome Carlos. It's good to have you in the group. That layout should give you plenty of options for mounting corals. It will make it easy to adjust the light each one gets.

Thanks Ichthus! Im hoping to have some good spots for corals with varying flow and light needs.

[CarlosM]

Hi Carlos, Welcome to SMMAS! Your nano reef looks awesome!

My first saltwater tank was a 12 gallon fowlr. That quickly became a refugium for a 50 gallon setup. This hobby is addictive in a good way!

Thanks again Lynne! Ive been finding myself thinking non-stop throughout the day about my tank....definitely agree its an addicting, but very rewarding hobby!

[CarlosM]

Welcome aboard, you will enjoy the club. A bunch of nice folks with a wealth of knowledge and experience. I too relocated from Florida and to pax. Again welcome aboard.

Thanks mookie, look forward to getting more involved with the club.

Funny....I feel like theres a larger than expected proportion of folks from Florida on here...maybe it has to something with our fascination for saltwater/reef aquariums...lol.

[CarlosM]

Welcome. I am new as well and folks have helped tremendously. Funny, I am from Florida and up here working at PAX now, but didn't come here for PAX. I was private sector for 12yrs first and now civilian gov.

Where in Florida are you from? I am from the Jupiter area, southeast.

Nice, Im from Gainesville.