Reef Hobby Satisfaction Hobby

Randy Holmes-Farley · 06/11/2008, 06:19 AM

I thought it would be interesting to take the pulse of RC hobbyists and how they like the hobby.

All comments are appreciated

scrmbld33 · 06/11/2008, 07:17 AM

love it !!!!! just need more money to fuel my hobby

donations can be sent via paypal

AquaReeferMan · 06/11/2008, 07:22 AM

I love it, my wallet doesnt.

LeslieP · 06/11/2008, 07:29 AM

I love that my tank doesn't cost too much because it's low tech, I love that I won the hair agae battle a few years ago, I love how my tank looks and the responses it gets from everyone who comes in the house, I love anticipating what my next tank will be once my husband has a real income (poor grad student) and I can get a bigger tank!

xJake · 06/11/2008, 07:48 AM

For me it's all about knowing what you're doing. Most people who are discouraged from the hobby are so because they have a problem with their tank and don't know how to solve it. With RC at my disposal as well as a huge database of bookmarks that I have collected over the past few years, I have the confidence to say that I think this hobby will always be a part of my life through the good and the bad. What can I say? I'm addicted.

DLANDINO · 06/11/2008, 08:16 AM

I love it, my wife is another story but is warming to it. My daughter absolutely loves "her" fish tank.

Dave

silvers · 06/11/2008, 08:21 AM

I love this hobby, other than my family its my only other love and passion. my wife and wallet hate it though.

A sea K · 06/11/2008, 10:59 AM

Love/Hate for me.
At just under 2years I'm still new and even though I truly enjoy the hobby and strive hard to provide the needed care for my tank, I have found some very trying and discouraging times along the way.

It has been mostly love and I'm looking forward to smoother times as I gain more knowledge and experience.

hyperfocal · 06/11/2008, 11:03 AM

I think people with a positive view of the hobby are more likely to visit RC, and far more likely to respond to this poll. Plus, I like cake.

I predict an overwhelmingly positive result

Randy Holmes-Farley · 06/11/2008, 11:33 AM

I think people with a positive view of the hobby are more likely to visit RC

Yes, I agree that is likely.

sk8rreefgeek · 06/11/2008, 12:08 PM

It's funny, when I had my FOWLR setup, people would say and ask "Isn't it really hard to keep a SW tank?"
I'd say "NO!, it's just as easy as a freshwater tank, it's EASY"

yet, here I am still learning SO MUCH over a year later, with a never-ending amount of knowledge and experience still to be gained.
It will never end, which is one of the reasons this hobby is great. and the more you learn and accomplish, the more amazing your tank is to stare at and enjoy.
I'll probably have a SW tank when I'm 80, if I live that long lol

The fact that is costs a lot just makes it more of a challenge, and thus more of an accomplishment, so I don't complain about the cost

It's like Love: If it was easy, everyone would have it

meschaefer · 06/11/2008, 01:01 PM

What I find amazing about this "hobby" is just the overwhelming amount of information to be learned. As long as their is something new to learn, I will be involved.

Still learning after eight years.

Playa-1 · 06/11/2008, 01:05 PM

This hobby is gr8. I find it to be very rewarding. Like many hobbies it is expensive up front. If you do your homework, then It's not all that expensive to maintain once your into it.

Nano Chris · 06/11/2008, 10:08 PM

Love it, a great learning experience and helps you relax (cept for when things go wrong lol.)

hawkeyes · 06/11/2008, 10:26 PM

I love the hobby, but sometimes I worry about the impact on nature. :/

victor_c3 · 06/12/2008, 05:44 AM

I voted "pretty good, but not perfect"

As was mentioned above in someone else's post, a few problems that I have are limiting me from saying I'm all out nuts about it. Over the last 18 months I've learned a huge ammount of information. I'm definately enjoying it more now than I did a year ago. I'm finally having success with SPS (i.e. they are coloring up nicely and getting noticable growth week to week) and I'm starting to win the battle against hair algae.

To be successful in this hobbie you need to invest an incredible ammount of time to learning the finer points of tank maintenance, husbandry, and individual species biology. Getting yourself over that hump takes a lot of "stick-to-it-iveness" but is well worth the struggle. I'm finally starting to be able to say that I know what I'm doing.

The thing I think I enjoy the most about the hobby is just sitting in front of my tank with my wife watching our fish and enjoying the corals. We have names for all of my fish and inverts (ranging from bullwinkle, peanut, burt, to peppie [the peppermint shrimp] and shrimpie [the cleaner shrimp] and we talk about what they are doing as if it was a soap opera. "So and so are fighting today for burt's love...", "did you see what El Greco did to shrimpie?"

It is definately my tank and I'm way more into it than my wife, but she supports me and my hobby tremendously. Its nice to see her enjoy the tank almost as much as I do!

View Poll Results: How satisfied are you with reefing as hobby
Great, I love it!	72	71.29%
Pretty good, but not perfect	23	22.77%
So, so	3	2.97%
Below average	0	0%
Not good at all, I'm about to stop	0	0%
Too soon for me to tell	3	2.97%
Voters: 101. You may not vote on this poll

06/11/2008, 06:19 AM	#1
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Reef Hobby Satisfaction Hobby I thought it would be interesting to take the pulse of RC hobbyists and how they like the hobby. All comments are appreciated __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

06/11/2008, 07:17 AM	#2
scrmbld33 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: south jersey 08050 Posts: 2,394	love it !!!!! just need more money to fuel my hobby donations can be sent via paypal __________________ a left over shrimp shedding is not "a sicilian message meaning luca brasi sleeps with the fishes" fish are friends, not food Current Tank Info: 90gal salt, 2 250mh 14k hamiltons 2 110 actinic, 127lbs LR,50lbs tonga 70lbs indonesia 7lbs tonga branch asm g3

06/11/2008, 07:22 AM	#3
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	I love it, my wallet doesnt. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

06/11/2008, 08:16 AM	#6
DLANDINO D.L. Heritage Rings Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Clinton, CT USA Posts: 5,609	I love it, my wife is another story but is warming to it. My daughter absolutely loves "her" fish tank. Dave __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: JBJ 8 Nano mixed

06/11/2008, 07:29 AM	#4
LeslieP Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Waterford, CT Posts: 1,544	I love that my tank doesn't cost too much because it's low tech, I love that I won the hair agae battle a few years ago, I love how my tank looks and the responses it gets from everyone who comes in the house, I love anticipating what my next tank will be once my husband has a real income (poor grad student) and I can get a bigger tank!

06/11/2008, 07:48 AM	#5
xJake Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,385	For me it's all about knowing what you're doing. Most people who are discouraged from the hobby are so because they have a problem with their tank and don't know how to solve it. With RC at my disposal as well as a huge database of bookmarks that I have collected over the past few years, I have the confidence to say that I think this hobby will always be a part of my life through the good and the bad. What can I say? I'm addicted.

06/11/2008, 08:21 AM	#7
silvers Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ga Posts: 356	I love this hobby, other than my family its my only other love and passion. my wife and wallet hate it though. __________________ Lord knows Im weak wont somebody get me off this reef-Sublime Current Tank Info: 120g

06/11/2008, 10:59 AM	#8
A sea K Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Branford Fl Posts: 3,024	Love/Hate for me. At just under 2years I'm still new and even though I truly enjoy the hobby and strive hard to provide the needed care for my tank, I have found some very trying and discouraging times along the way. It has been mostly love and I'm looking forward to smoother times as I gain more knowledge and experience. __________________ I am not a pro so excuse me if I'm wrong. Current Tank Info: 30gal Deep Blue rimless 9/10/2014, 80gal Deep Blue rimless 40gal sump/refugium 9/11/16 LPS reef, 2 x Kessil A160 with a single Maxspect Razor, RO Prime 150INT skimmer, Sicce 3 return pump, Vortech MP40 and MP10

06/11/2008, 11:03 AM	#9
hyperfocal Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Edge of oblivion Posts: 1,708	I think people with a positive view of the hobby are more likely to visit RC, and far more likely to respond to this poll. Plus, I like cake. I predict an overwhelmingly positive result __________________ "Froth at the top, dregs at bottom, but the middle excellent." -- Voltaire Current Tank Info: getting back into the hobby

06/11/2008, 11:33 AM	#10
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	I think people with a positive view of the hobby are more likely to visit RC Yes, I agree that is likely. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

06/11/2008, 12:08 PM	#11
sk8rreefgeek Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Lodi, California Posts: 1,352	It's funny, when I had my FOWLR setup, people would say and ask "Isn't it really hard to keep a SW tank?" I'd say "NO!, it's just as easy as a freshwater tank, it's EASY" yet, here I am still learning SO MUCH over a year later, with a never-ending amount of knowledge and experience still to be gained. It will never end, which is one of the reasons this hobby is great. and the more you learn and accomplish, the more amazing your tank is to stare at and enjoy. I'll probably have a SW tank when I'm 80, if I live that long lol The fact that is costs a lot just makes it more of a challenge, and thus more of an accomplishment, so I don't complain about the cost It's like Love: If it was easy, everyone would have it __________________ It's time for operation crazy-plan Current Tank Info: Drilled 55g, 14g sump, coralife 125 SS: mated pair of b&w misbar clowns, ywg

06/11/2008, 01:01 PM	#12
meschaefer Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Astoria, NYC Posts: 564	What I find amazing about this "hobby" is just the overwhelming amount of information to be learned. As long as their is something new to learn, I will be involved. Still learning after eight years. __________________ Matt Current Tank Info: 220 gallon w/ starphire, 120 gallon starphire sump, Skimmer DAS Ex-2, Calcium Reactor Geo 618, Trade Wind 1/2 hp compact Chiller, 2x 250 HQI Lumenarc Reflectors, Vortech mp40w, AC Jr.,

06/11/2008, 01:05 PM	#13
Playa-1 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Laguna Niguel, CA Posts: 7,497	This hobby is gr8. I find it to be very rewarding. Like many hobbies it is expensive up front. If you do your homework, then It's not all that expensive to maintain once your into it.

06/11/2008, 10:08 PM	#14
Nano Chris Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,752	Love it, a great learning experience and helps you relax (cept for when things go wrong lol.) __________________ Chris ------- Click the little red house to see my 34 Gallon Red Sea Max! Setup (New pics coming soon!) Current Tank Info: 34 Gallon RedSeaMax!

06/11/2008, 10:26 PM	#15
hawkeyes Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Iowa Posts: 102	I love the hobby, but sometimes I worry about the impact on nature. :/ __________________ "Ignorance, the root and stem of all evil." -Plato Go Hawks! Current Tank Info: 10 gal nano (2 Purple Firefish, Cleaner Shrimp, & Hermits) 7 gal DIY fuge/sump housing a baby reef angler at the moment

06/12/2008, 05:44 AM	#16
victor_c3 Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New York Posts: 513	I voted "pretty good, but not perfect" As was mentioned above in someone else's post, a few problems that I have are limiting me from saying I'm all out nuts about it. Over the last 18 months I've learned a huge ammount of information. I'm definately enjoying it more now than I did a year ago. I'm finally having success with SPS (i.e. they are coloring up nicely and getting noticable growth week to week) and I'm starting to win the battle against hair algae. To be successful in this hobbie you need to invest an incredible ammount of time to learning the finer points of tank maintenance, husbandry, and individual species biology. Getting yourself over that hump takes a lot of "stick-to-it-iveness" but is well worth the struggle. I'm finally starting to be able to say that I know what I'm doing. The thing I think I enjoy the most about the hobby is just sitting in front of my tank with my wife watching our fish and enjoying the corals. We have names for all of my fish and inverts (ranging from bullwinkle, peanut, burt, to peppie [the peppermint shrimp] and shrimpie [the cleaner shrimp] and we talk about what they are doing as if it was a soap opera. "So and so are fighting today for burt's love...", "did you see what El Greco did to shrimpie?" It is definately my tank and I'm way more into it than my wife, but she supports me and my hobby tremendously. Its nice to see her enjoy the tank almost as much as I do!