Empty Canvas	Planning Stage	Realization

Ask anyone who is an aquarium hobbyist and he or she can tell you all about the Dream Aquarium.  For me, it’s always been the 75 Gallon reef.  Large enough to hold lots of animals, small enough that it’s easy to examine the whole thing up close.  I’ve dreamt of it for ten years.

This Christmas, I was surprised by the empty aquarium in the den. With it came angst:  could I do it?  My 40G Reef had become quite ugly.  The acrylic surface was hard to clean, and the coralline algae was bulletproof.  I’d already battled a piscivorous bristleworm  and lost.  Could I move my animals without hurting them more than I helped?

I spent a month busily planning and buying supplies.  It seemed that nothing would ever be complete.  But, with my new double compound miter saw, pipe was cut and I went to work.

It’s a dream come true.  Sure, it’s a work in progress, but it’s so very satisfying.  I don’t even have the daylight bulb hooked up yet, but I’m in love.