From Backyard Beginnings to Hydro‑Powered Growth: Inside CoreX Hosting

Every once in a while, you come across a story in the crypto mining world that reminds you why so many of us fell in love with this industry in the first place. It’s not just about hardware, hashrate, or difficulty charts, it’s about people with passion, grit, and a willingness to build something from nothing. That’s exactly the kind of story I found when I traveled out to Iowa to visit Nathan Sandage, founder of CoreX Hosting. What started as a hobby in a backyard shed has transformed into one of the most exciting hosting operations in the United States, and seeing that evolution firsthand was nothing short of inspiring.

Nathan’s journey began during the GPU mining boom, tucked away in a small shed behind his home. Like many of us, he started with a handful of rigs, a lot of curiosity, and a drive to learn. But unlike most hobbyists, Nathan didn’t stop there. As demand grew and his shed filled up, he made a bold decision: take the next step and build something bigger. That decision led to one of my favorite origin stories in the mining space, the construction of a fully functional ASIC hosting site built from a 40‑foot shipping container. He bought a 40ft shipping container and turned it into a full‑fledged hosting center, complete with custom intake and exhaust systems, welded overhangs to survive Iowa winters, and enough power infrastructure to support more than 260 full size ASIC miners.

Walking through that first site felt like stepping into a physical representation of entrepreneurial determination. The team retrofitted the container by hand cutting steel, welding supports, installing chicken‑wire filter walls, building shelving, and partnering with a local electrician to bring in a dedicated transformer. Nathan explained that there was no playbook for this kind of build. “It’s not like you can buy a container and here’s every step you need to do… you kind of have to figure it out as you go.” And that’s exactly what they did. They studied other containers, borrowed ideas, and put in the hours. The result was a rugged, functional, and scalable hosting environment that became the foundation of what would eventually grow into CoreX Hosting.

But growth rarely stops when passion is involved. Over the next two years, Nathan and his team outgrew the original container and began planning their next leap forward. That leap became Site #2, a brand‑new facility built around Digital Shovel pods modular, high‑capacity units designed specifically for ASIC mining. These pods represent a massive upgrade in airflow, power distribution, and operational efficiency. During my tour, I walked through eight pods arranged between two industrial buildings, each equipped with heavy‑duty intake hoods, balanced breakers, clean cable management, and room for more than 500 miners. As Nathan shared, “We’ll run out of power before we run out of space,” which is exactly the kind of problem a growing hosting company wants to have.

What impressed me most was how intentional the expansion was. The team trenched fiber and electrical lines underground, installed a massive transformer, and designed the site with future growth in mind. They already have plans to add two more Digital Shovel pods and another transformer to support customer demand. CoreX Hosting isn’t just scaling, they’re building infrastructure that will support miners for years to come.

And now, the next chapter has officially begun. This week, CoreX Hosting launched its brand‑new Hydro ASIC Hosting service, opening the door for customers to host the latest generation of 2U hydro‑cooled miners. Hydro mining represents a major step forward in efficiency, thermal stability, and long‑term performance, and it’s exciting to see CoreX Hosting embrace this technology so early. Their hydro system is already up, functional, and ready for customer units, a huge milestone for the company and a major opportunity for miners looking to push into next‑generation hardware.

For me personally, this expansion hits close to home. I’m not just a visitor, I’m a customer and a proud brand partner. Watching Nathan grow from a backyard miner to a multi‑site hosting operator has been incredible, and now I get to be part of the hydro journey as well. I’ll be sharing more about my own hydro hosting experience soon.

If you’re exploring ASIC hosting in the United States — whether you’re sending one miner or one hundred. CoreX Hosting deserves your attention. Their team is responsive, their infrastructure is expanding, and their story is one of genuine entrepreneurial spirit. Reach out to CoreX Hosting and tell them The Hobbyist Miner sent you for special pricing and discounting. Big things are happening in Iowa, and I’m excited to bring you along for the ride.

Checkout my mining farm tour video of their 2 locations back in March