What is happening to us?

[piranhapat]

The question is Why? How ? and how come it spreads so fast. What is it that draws us to this addicting hobby. Because its so beautiful and relaxing. But yet almost every minute someone is in distress. If not we are up grading or down grading. Big tanks to nemo tanks. We can't make up are mind. We go through skimmers, than different lighting from MH to T5 to LED back to MH. What drives us to keep going. We even take a break. Than sell our stuff. Than come back and spend more. What is it about this hobby we just love about. Is it the fish or coral? Please can someone explain. One more thing that really helps. How many times a day you come here and just read post and look at this site. If you come here more than three times a day you need help. Should they be some kind of AA for us.

 

[kres1024]

Oh damn you edited it..

 

[jerl77]

It's like crack
Got me bad
Plus the OCD don't help the problem

 

[Awibrandy]

I was just telling another reefer friend that we must seem "Bi-Polar" to the outside world. One day we are happy as all get out, the next we are devastated.
This is more then an addiction! I was drawn in by the unique look of the Peacock Black Volitan Lion fish. Heck even dear old hubby has been drawn in. I've threaten to do away with reefing, and go back to FW Amazon Cichlids only to have hubby say "ABSOLUTELY NOT". I tell him "look at all the $$ we can save", his response is "so, but it won't be as beautiful".
To us it is the uniqueness of what we keep in our "Glass Box"!

 

[Paul B]

Hello there Awilda.
I never got into this hobby, I think I was borm with a tank and have had a tank of some kind every day of my life, and I am old. I also never got out of the hobby so I don't know what life is like not to have a tank of some kind. Even while I was in the Army I had a tank at home. Of course no one took care of it but it was still a tank with a catfish in it.
So to me it is not a hobby but a way of life. It is just always there. I don't seem to have the problems many people seem to have. Maybe I just don't worry about it as much, but it is what it is.

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

The truth is that reefing is a form of control!!! We sit back and design the ocean right in our own homes !!, we select what our reefs look like ,what's attatched to the rocks and we even decide what swims within our reefs .........perhaps it is the only way that we can play god!!

 

[Dre]

It's a hobby just like any other and thank god we have them. Most reefers have more than one hobby. Reefing is not even in the top 20. Sometime the passion fade and we're drawn back in. That can happen with any hobby...

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

That's true too but this hobby is tainted with a driven obsession sometimes

 

[Dre]

That's true too but this hobby is tainted with a driven obsession sometimes

It's all in your mind, anyone with a passion for a hobby whatever it is will tell you the same thing.

 

[ZephNYC]

My sig says it all......

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

It's all in your mind, anyone with a passion for a hobby whatever it is will tell you the same thing.

Not in such a mad scientist way, many of us are mad scientist ! And in every other hobby do the people constantly check on the equipment and supply??? No hobby takes up as much time as reefing, you really can't put your tank in the closet and dust it off when u need it!!

 

[peteyboyny]

For me, its therapy. I was never diagnosed with ADD, but I have the attention span of a bumble bee. I have learned patience, I have gotten a refresher course in biology, I have learned to research stuff I dont fully understand, I have made a whole new group of friends and associates, I have even found my creative side with some of my DIY projects, and I think we all love the challenge. To take a piece of the ocean, and keep it in our homes...not an easy task at times. As far as the changing our minds...i think the marketing and advertising of new products kinda sucks us in and tells us...YOU MUST HAVE THIS!

 

[Dre]

I'm not a mad scientist speak for yourself and if your constantly checking on equipment and supplies something is seriously wrong with you. You need to invest in reliable equipment. You should check out the other hobbies, you might have a different way of thinking...

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

I'm not a mad scientist speak for yourself and if your constantly checking on equipment and supplies something is seriously wrong with you. You need to invest in reliable equipment. You should check out the other hobbies, you might have a different way of thinking...

Ok so you are the most cool calm and collected reefer on earth and nothing ever has gone wrong or failed you ,never a nem in the pump or Ato pump fail or skimmer shut down or torch fall on chalice , or snail get into float switch, I know plenty of reefers who feel the same way!!! God bless your set it and forget it reef system

FYI my equipment is great stuff from lights to skimmer it doesn't mean it won't fail.

 

[rookie07]

The truth is that reefing is a form of control!!! We sit back and design the ocean right in our own homes !!, we select what our reefs look like ,what's attatched to the rocks and we even decide what swims within our reefs .........perhaps it is the only way that we can play god!!

+1
Ive always assumed it was a control thing that makes people addicted to it.

 

[Dre]

Ok so you are the most cool calm and collected reefer on earth and nothing ever has gone wrong or failed you ,never a nem in the pump or Ato pump fail or skimmer shut down or torch fall on chalice , or snail get into float switch, I know plenty of reefers who feel the same way!!! God bless your set it and forget it reef system

FYI my equipment is great stuff from lights to skimmer it doesn't mean it won't fail.

Countless numbers of my corals and fish die, anemone melt /suckup into power head, 125 gal brake in the night, i've been through all that and more. Maybe that's why i don't take it as serious as some people. There are many other things to enjoy in life. And you can't seriously tell me that's all you think about.

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

Countless numbers of my corals and fish die, anemone melt /suckup into power head, 125 gal brake in the night, i've been through all that and more. Maybe that's why i don't take it as serious as some people. There are many other things to enjoy in life. And you can't seriously tell me that's all you think about.

You are 100%% right , life has soo much to offer and in the summer between , the kids, fishing and paintballing I'm tied up nicely , I guess I'm a reef bum , this is my second reef tank and 1st successful one maybe that why I give it sooo much attention , I guess I'm indulging in my self pride , Bt your right sometimes it can get the best of a person , but I just love to sit in front of it at night and be amazed that I created one of natures most amazing and breathtaking gifts.

 

[SteveZ15]

I guess this type.of hobby draws us in ..its kinda like a all or nothing kinda thing.fishing aint no better you go out one day catch like crazy go the next day catch nothing go home wondering why you caught nothing the go the next day because your upset you didnt catch the day before.i guess you cant get me outta the ocean and cant get the ocean outta me.i put about 200 hrs on my boat from may to jan. I guess it will be nice to have some of the ocean at home. Im sucked in and i dont even have nothing in my tank yet wish that live rock would get here already.salt where do you paintball i have a old dye matrix i gotta get working got a skirmish run in a few weeks

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

I play at high velocity in Long Island , easier to run around in than skirmish , no rolling ankles and it's a shorter drive , I would love it if you came out and played with it

 

[SteveZ15]

The guys from work go there sometimes.i havent went in years we used to do the indoor in jersey and cousins . If i can get the gun working me and some frinds from work will come out there one day.