There is a high probability that I will be moving to Houston this year (for hubby's job) and thought it would be a good opportunity to get back into marine aquariums because I'll have a lot of free time.
I've had saltwater tanks but, being in Hawaii, I am severely limited by what I could have. It's impossible to mail order critters due to shipping restrictions (and distance). We're not allowed to have any corals, so "reef" tanks here are generally zoa gardens. It's nice to have options for filtered NSW, but most equipment is incredibly expensive due to shipping fees. We also don't really have seasons so I never needed a heater or chiller.
What's it like to have a reef tank in Houston? It it easy to get livestock? Equipment? Are there restrictions on what you can and cannot have? Are there restrictions on what you can collect? Are the hobbyist societies active? Are reefers there friendly? What is public opinion like (if any) with regard to reefkeeping or aquariumkeeping? How is your water quality? How expensive is it to run a chiller in the Houston heat?
I guess I just wanted to get an idea of what to expect. Thanks for taking the time to read this!
I've had saltwater tanks but, being in Hawaii, I am severely limited by what I could have. It's impossible to mail order critters due to shipping restrictions (and distance). We're not allowed to have any corals, so "reef" tanks here are generally zoa gardens. It's nice to have options for filtered NSW, but most equipment is incredibly expensive due to shipping fees. We also don't really have seasons so I never needed a heater or chiller.
What's it like to have a reef tank in Houston? It it easy to get livestock? Equipment? Are there restrictions on what you can and cannot have? Are there restrictions on what you can collect? Are the hobbyist societies active? Are reefers there friendly? What is public opinion like (if any) with regard to reefkeeping or aquariumkeeping? How is your water quality? How expensive is it to run a chiller in the Houston heat?
I guess I just wanted to get an idea of what to expect. Thanks for taking the time to read this!