From Goldfish Bowls to 210 Gallons: My Aquarium Journey
The Early Days: Guppies and Gouramis
Like so many hobbyists, I started young — a goldfish bowl in elementary school. It wasn’t long before I leveled up to a 10-gallon tank filled with guppies. I was absolutely hooked. Watching baby guppies appear was like opening surprise gifts from nature.
Soon I realized the stand I had actually supported two tanks. So, naturally, I set up a second 10-gallon — this one filled with small gouramis and other peaceful community fish. I had officially entered the multi-tank phase.
A Pause… Then a Big Hex Comeback
When I went away to college, the tanks had to come down — and for a while, life got busy. But years later, after my kids were a little older and we had a home of our own, I jumped back in. This time, it was a beautiful 55-gallon hexagonal tank, perfectly nestled in the corner of our living room. Still freshwater, still no plants (yet), but it felt so good to be back in the hobby.
Saltwater Dreams: A Reef Obsession Begins
Eventually, we moved again and I had to let that tank go. But when I re-entered the hobby, I went all in. I started with a 90-gallon saltwater tank — corals and all. It was gorgeous, but I didn’t stop there.
I upgraded to the Red Sea Reefer P650, and this tank was truly something special. My husband and I even built a full RODI water mixing and storage station to support it. Every detail of that build was a labor of love — and if you want a peek behind the scenes, I documented the full process on Reef2Reef in a thread called “Let the Journey Begin - Red Sea Reefer P650”.
Red Sea Reefer P650 with a full Neptune APEX Buildout
Around this time, we also had two smaller tanks running:
A 30-gallon long freshwater planted tank
A 30-gallon saltwater Biocube
30G Long Planted Tank
It was a full house of aquariums — and I loved every minute of it, well looking back I did. As with every aquarium hobbiest there are some big highs and big lows. More on that at another time.
A Big Move and a Fresh Start
In 2020, we made a big life change and moved to Florida. As hard as it was, we sold all our tanks before relocating. For a few years, I took a break from the hobby. But in 2024, I felt that familiar itch. It was time to dive back in — this time, focusing on freshwater planted tanks.
Today, we have three tanks up and running:
A stunning 210-gallon freshwater planted tank
A sleek 32-gallon Fluval planted tank
A quirky little 13.5-gallon freshwater tank with a lobster we named Louie (yes, he’s got attitude)
My 210G Planted Tank
32G Fluval Freshwater Planted Tank
And while I’m loving these tanks — especially the aquascaping and plant growth — I’ll admit, I do miss my saltwater reef. With no more moves in our future, I have a feeling there’s another reef in the cards down the road.
Why I Share My Journey
Every tank, every fish, every aquascaping challenge has taught me something new. That’s part of why I started The Tank Lady — to share my experience and help others enjoy this hobby without the overwhelm. Whether you’re on your first bowl or your fifth reef upgrade, I’ve been there.
Stay tuned — I’ll be sharing updates from all three of my current tanks soon, plus equipment reviews, maintenance tips, and beginner guides. And who knows… maybe even a new saltwater build one day.