Most of you by now know my situation with my injury and being on workmans Comp since November. This has really placed the brakes on my Reefkeeping having so little money to spare and a family to feed.
I have never asked any of you guys to help us out with money or free equipment and I never plan to. I feel alot of you would help if things got that bad but so far, We are doing well.
I recently bought a pallet full of computers both desktops & Laptops for almost nothing. I mean really, I had enough in my wallet to pay for it.
I sold one computer the same day and more than tripled my investment off one PC. I have since sold one other for next to nothing to my stepdad. Have to treat him right.
He's a great guy and a Great grandfather to our girls.
Anyway, I Posted a thread on our local club forums that I was seeking a New Reef Ready tank and wanted to trade a PC or Laptop for it. It took about 2 weeks and I got a bite. A Good friend that owns a very small LFS needed a new PC at his store to run his POS (Point of Sale) equipment since his was acting up. He agreed to get me a Brand new, Reef Ready 75G tank with the Mega Flow kit and a cabinet stand in exchange for a PC. I accepted because I knew I would have to use my 4X65W PC fixture so I didn't want to go longer than 4' and I didn't want to go higher so the light would still penetrate well. That left a 75G being the perfect size.
As you can see above, I picked it up Friday Morning. When I gave him his PC he told me he didn't want the Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse or speakers. Just he main PC itself. I told him it was all part of the deal and he could have it but he still said no. Bonus for me. So, I set the tank up starting yesterday morning. During the mid morning while working on the tank my phone rang.
On the other end was a good friend from another LFS. He said he had noticed in my thread that I got a tank and was looking for a larger skimmer and lights so I could leave the PC's on my old 55G that I am giving to my wife for her Reef Tank. He said he had an offer for me in trade for a PC.
He said he had a Brand New in the box 57" Dual 150W HQI fixture with T5 Actinics. I almost fainted. I inquired about the size being bigger than my tank and he assured me that the legs are completely adjustable and would fit right on. I slapped myself a few times to make sure I was not dreaming. This is an $800 light fixture.
Once I got to the point that all I could do was wait for the temp to come up in the new tank before adding anything I made the drive across town to his store. I had to act like I wasn't too excited. I took with me the 2nd nice PC setup I had. When I left there it was without the PC and with the lights.
WOW! This light is amazing! Full shimmer effect and all. I am in heaven and so will my Corals be! The tank is now up and running and stocked from my 55G. I have the Metal Halides off now and will for most of the day. I plan to run them like 4 hours a day for a week or so then slowly increase the time they are on so I don't shock my corals.
This is what good friends can do for you where both people involved benefit. It is people like this that make me feel good about humanity. We are living in a world full of greed and selfishness and yet there are those people out there that step up when something can both benifit them and help another.
At their request I can't name them or their stores but I really want to say thank you to both of these guys! Wonderful people and are now the top 2 stores on my list for any money I do spend!
Good friends are hard to find but if you look hard enough, They may even be right in front of you. Even right here on Fishforums where I have always been welcomed and treated as a friend! Thanks all and I look forward to many more years as a part of this community of "Friends"!
Keri