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Hello, just joined!!

John M

John M

Hello all. My name is John M. I saw your club by googling reef clubs in NJ and your org. popped up. Seems like a great club! I also belong to JSAS, NJAS, BCAS and NJAGC. The last one also meets at members homes.
I've been in the hobby for over 40 years all FW & planted tanks. I currently have a 120g planted tank that's been up & running for over 11yrs. - all fully automated incl. CO2 injection. My second tank is a 75g. African cichlid tank that has been up & running for 1.5 yrs. I'm a retired state correction officer ( 25yrs.), and before that a few various jobs including a medical lab tech, also from 2002 - 2009 I was a part time wedding & event videographer, business name was Jemco Video Worx . Been retired for almost 6 yrs. now from corrections. With the other clubs - NJAS, JSAS, and BCAS I record the monthly meetings guest speakers presentation and other functions with the club. I also have on my YT channel - Plantman of tanks - other videos about the hobby, including spotlight sponsor videos. First one I did was for Aquaridise on Rt. 18, East Brunswick. Will also start doing 'member spotlight' videos where I go to their homes and shoot a 5-10min. video of their tank(s)/fishroom. Once on my YT channel I link it to the other clubs' FB page. Soooo the reason I joined this club is I'm in the process of setting up my first reef tank - Coralife Biocube 32, will replace the stock led's with Nanobox LED retrofit kit; 30lb. Caribsea Arag-Alive pink, 20lb.Caribsea Life Rock, 10lb. Florida Dry Rock, replaced stock filter with In Tank media basket and next to that (fortunately it will fit) an ATS from Santa Monica Fitration - Drop box 1.2;
Bought an RO/DI 5 stage from BRS ( 1 week after I bought it they dropped the price from $239.99 to $167.99 -RATS! ), Preordered from Marine Depot the upcoming IceCap 2K gyre pump plus other accessories, etc, etc.
I also have a 20g. high tank that I used for a FW shrimp biotope, but now it's empty so that will be the perfect QT for future purchases of SW fish, inverts, & corals. Well I think I've gone on long enough. Looking forward to meeting everyone in the near future!
**Sorry my Avatar is of my planted tank. Once I get my BC 32 up & running I'll change it.
 
Trio91

Trio91

Administrator
Staff member
Moderator
Welcome bud, post up a pic of that planted tank....I love those but could never get it to that full "forest look". Just have a 3gal betta tank with some bamboo and a nice sword plant
 
Haus

Haus

Welcome, John. I was a member of NJAGC as well, made the jump from planted FW to SW this year myself. You've found the right place--I've benefitted from searching this site and asking plenty of questions over the past year. Good luck!
 
John M

John M

Hello all. Here's another pic of planted tank. Haven't had time to work on it for a long time so it kinda looks like a jungle. Also I'm adding a couple from African C. tank. - these pics from awhile back more algae on rocks now and fewer plants thanks to yellow labs, Rusty cichlids & a few others nibbling on them.P1010049.JPG P1010073.JPG P1010173.JPG P1010174.JPG P1010175.JPG
 
John M

John M

Haus said:
Welcome, John. I was a member of NJAGC as well, made the jump from planted FW to SW this year myself. You've found the right place--I've benefitted from searching this site and asking plenty of questions over the past year. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Good to know lots of info here. Have been very successful with planted tanks so someone recently told me : "if you can maintain a planted tank, then you should have no problem with a reef setup". Hope that's true! Have done a lot of research online last 2 months. Looking forward to 'picking members brains' here to get the RIGHT info. Unfortunately there is a lot of contradicting info on the internet.
 
njtiger24 aquariums

njtiger24 aquariums

Officer Emeritus
Article Contributor
Welcome to the club. I been doing saltwater for over 2 years now and still learning lol. This hobby there 1,000s of ways to do something at at least one person will tell you that you are doing it wrong lol. This group is a great group of folks to don't judge, unlike some other groups I belonged to.

There members on here who have YT channels as well. Rosco Reef - Rosco's Reef with Scott is one. Here is my channel but I have not posted a video in over a year - James King
 
Mark Shelly

Mark Shelly

Welcome to the club. I also started my tank after I retired. It is a good amount of work, but interesting enough to want to do it. For those of us that don't know what JSAS, NJAS, BCAS and NJAGC mean, maybe you could explain a little more. Half of the Avatars are not reef related, but identify you with a quick look.
 
Trio91

Trio91

Administrator
Staff member
Moderator
MadReefer

MadReefer

Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
Welcome John, very nice planted tank. I never had my FW tanks looking like that just a few plants here and there. Been a very long time since FW started reefs in 2006 and last SW was years before that.
 
John M

John M

Thanks everyone for the compliments. It took almost a year to get the planted tank to look like that. I still have Ottocinclus for the algae crew. I use to have Amano shrimp & nerite snails but the snails died off after a year or so and the Amano's were probably eaten by the 4 big angels I put in last year.
 
John M

John M

Mark Shelly said:
Welcome to the club. I also started my tank after I retired. It is a good amount of work, but interesting enough to want to do it. For those of us that don't know what JSAS, NJAS, BCAS and NJAGC mean, maybe you could explain a little more. Half of the Avatars are not reef related, but identify you with a quick look.
Click to expand...

JSAS : Jersey Shore Aquarium Society ( meets the 2nd Monday of the month in Wall twnshp firehouse ) 7:15 - 9:45pm; NJAS : North Jersey Aquarium Society ( use to meet @ Days Inn in Lyndhurst on 3rd Thursday, but as of Jan 1 will start meeting the 3rd Saturday of each month 12:30-4:30pm at the Clark library in Clark, NJ, only about a mile or so east of exit 135 on the GSP ) ; BCAS : Bucks county Aquarium Society ( meet 1st Thursday of the month at Churchville Nature center in Bucks Cty., PA ) 7 - 9:30pm NJAGC : New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club ( they meet usually monthly at a members house throughout NJ, like you guys do). If any interest they all have a FaceBook page. Most in the clubs deal with FW & planted tanks, but there are some that maintain SW & reef tanks. After speaker presentation there is always a mini auction and refreshments are provided. NJAGC - when they meet at a members home food and drink is provided and depending on how many show up $75 - $100? is provided to host. For upcoming year will let you know if any guest speakers will include SW/reef talks.
 
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Mark_C

Mark_C

Staff member
Officer Emeritus
NJRC Member
Moderator
John!
Welcome aboard! Beautiful tank. Would love to go with a FW, but space limitations dictate otherwise.
And welcome to reefing!
Asking copious questions before doing something is highly encouraged!
Though not by me, I get pissed off at it and will give misleading advice in vengeance.
 
Jeremy Brito

Jeremy Brito

Welcome john, glad to have you I joined a little over a year ago and I cant tell you how helpful the club has been .. I learned so much and became some what successful moved from a 10 gallon nano to a 40 gallon to a 72 (err briefly) and now a 90... And if I get anything bigger ill be moving to a new place all by my self according to my wife... The 90 just went up and it'll probably be awhile till it flurishes but hopefully it will work out like my last tank. Anyways glad to have you here these guys are great and helpful
 
R

raccioppi83

Welcome! My name is joe I also keep an African Cichlid tank, Mixed Hap and Peacock tank. As well as a 40B reef tank. So I can relate to you there! I hope you love the salty dip and I'm here to answer any of the questions you may have!
 
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