6 Things that have disappeared from the hobby...

[uniquecorals]

I agree, the hobbyist is becoming a thing of the past. People who you could call at 9:00 pm cause your heater died, and they would show up. People who would get a new flashy coral, and rather than frag for sale, would just hand it over and say here you go. I sold some equipment to a local, 2 months later he sold it all off. I don't care, he bought it it was his, but turnover, and turning the hobby into a business is eating the soul of the hobby

Again, a good thought...The soul of the hobby is still largely pure, in my experience. I cannot fault anyone for wanting to make a living doing what they love (that's me), but I am certainly against the selfishness and greed that I occasionally (notice I said "occasionally", because it's not often, and these kinds of "hobbyists" usually burn themselves out quickly) see in the hobby. In the end, it's all about sharing and learning together, and the kindness spent on helping a reefer get hooked up with his/her first corals or frags is not misspent.

-Scott

 

[BfishLpond78]

Hey, I'm inclined to agree with you...Look, I make a living selling corals, but I'm a lifetime hobbyist...And I've seen the changes over the years. Yes, I do it to mke a living, but I never lost sight of the fact that it's a passion, as well. I totally share your sentiment about chalices..in fact, I wrote about this years ago...still wonder about it : The Enduring Allure of ?Chalices?: What?s the Deal?

Trust me, although there is a definite segment of the hobby that has embraced the "hype, quick buck" mentality, in my extensive travels around the country (and internationally, too), I've seen tons of dedication, fellowship, sharing, generosity, and graciousness by reefers of all types and at all positions. And that has NOT changed...Fish people in general are pretty cool. There will always be the "chop shop" type of reefers...and vendors, but they will become increasingly marginalized by a savvy, internet-enabled reef hobby that can call "foul" collectively and drive these types out of the "biz."

-Scott

Scott,

My intensions where not to bash your post or call out coral vendors, I was actually in the middle or writing another one to exclude the pioneers of the hobby and folks who actually have an established business. Trust me, all of us would love to be you, love their hobby and get paid for it, come on its a dream job I’m sure all people are trying to accomplish. I mean I’d be a hypocrite if I said I never sold some coral, but I usually give more away when they come to pick it up.

So I apologize if the post seemed aimed at you, it wasn't my intension at all. The masses need folks like you to feed our addiction and help spread diversity throughout the competitors and keep the hobbyist on the edge of their seats. It’s the quick buck chop shop people I can't stand, we have a few of those in my area.

Love the post and especially that scoly, such an awesome experiment.

Stay Reefy,

-Mike

 

[uniquecorals]

Scott,

My intensions where not to bash your post or call out coral vendors, I was actually in the middle or writing another one to exclude the pioneers of the hobby and folks who actually have an established business. Trust me, all of us would love to be you, love their hobby and get paid for it, come on its a dream job I’m sure all people are trying to accomplish. I mean I’d be a hypocrite if I said I never sold some coral, but I usually give more away when they come to pick it up.

So I apologize if the post seemed aimed at you, it wasn't my intension at all. The masses need folks like you to feed our addiction and help spread diversity throughout the competitors and keep the hobbyist on the edge of their seats. It’s the quick buck chop shop people I can't stand, we have a few of those in my area.

Love the post and especially that scoly, such an awesome experiment.

Stay Reefy,

-Mike

Oh, gosh- no offense taken at all..I am merely taking the position that it's not evil to make a living selling reef stuff, LOL. I agree, and have been a very outspoken critic about the "chop shop" mindset of some reefers, and the desire to charge obscene prices for microchips of corals to fellow reefers. In fact, sometimes I am at odds with my role as a business owner and hobbyist/lecturer...It's weird, because I identify so strongly with the club scene and everyday reefers, yet I sell corals for a living...weird!

I just wanted to make it clear that most people in the industry- most- truly love the hobby and will do all they can to support it and the culture that surrounds it...not just because they make a living from it- but because it is THEIR culture, too. In the end, I still play with reef tanks and talk "reef" every day...and that's what keeps me stoked. And I think you've inspired me to write something about this very topic of how hobbyists have evolved...it fascinates me!

Thanks again for sharing, and don't EVER apologize for any comment! The whole point here is interaction and dialogue- and sometimes it can be interpreted as awkward- and in this case, it most certainly was not!

Reef on!
-Scott

 

[BfishLpond78]

Oh, gosh- no offense taken at all..I am merely taking the position that it's not evil to make a living selling reef stuff, LOL. I agree, and have been a very outspoken critic about the "chop shop" mindset of some reefers, and the desire to charge obscene prices for microchips of corals to fellow reefers. In fact, sometimes I am at odds with my role as a business owner and hobbyist/lecturer...It's weird, because I identify so strongly with the club scene and everyday reefers, yet I sell corals for a living...weird!

I just wanted to make it clear that most people in the industry- most- truly love the hobby and will do all they can to support it and the culture that surrounds it...not just because they make a living from it- but because it is THEIR culture, too. In the end, I still play with reef tanks and talk "reef" every day...and that's what keeps me stoked. And I think you've inspired me to write something about this very topic of how hobbyists have evolved...it fascinates me!

Thanks again for sharing, and don't EVER apologize for any comment! The whole point here is interaction and dialogue- and sometimes it can be interpreted as awkward- and in this case, it most certainly was not!

Reef on!
-Scott

I for one can admit that I am jealous of your career, in fact I'm sure I speak for vast majority when I make that comment.

Woohoo! A little inspiration goes along way, I really look forward to reading the article and see what you come up with.

-Mike

 

[tuna_bullet]

Love the artical...i have been at this for close to 20 years saltwater....learned so much from fellow reefers....to a point now where i add nothing to my tank but rodi, i am lucky enough to get my water from the ocean...my systems have never looked better...from zoas to a few sticks....i did notice you didnt metion bio-balls...i still run a 6' bio ball chamber on my system lol....looking forward to another artical...

 

[Reeflogic]

Speaking of throwback, I was a teenager in the mid 80's and remember the day I pulled my undergravel filter out of my 75g Oceanic with lovely brown trim and added my first wet/ dry, chalk full of orange and blue bioballs, had me a nice spray bar going round and round, I was the envy of all my friends I had the 75 plumbed into a 30g long Oceanic stationed in front of a window, full of grape caluerpa (yeah that's right a refugium, before they were called refugiums!), all gravity fed, then back into my shiny new wet / dry. I then filled that sucker with the (2) 40 lb. boxes of live rock that came straight to my door to form that big huge 80's wall o'rock, ahhhh, the smell opening those boxes! Back then "pests" were pets! Friends and family would come over and say "hey, what's that?" Hell, I don't know, but ain't it cool!! Times have certainly changed haha.

 

[cdness]

You scored massive "reef creed" points with that pic! Well done!

-Scott

AWESOME!!! I got "Reef Creed" points from Scott! How many points does it take to get to that free coral Just kidding but had to try...

** Removed longer rant on hobbiests for profit **

I don't feel the "Hobbiest" has been lost through the years... To keep it short, I just feel that sometimes they need a swift kick in the rear end in order to get back to their roots.

 

[Railcar79]

I have 3 hydrometers, oldest circa 1963. I keep them put up, rather than in my sump

 

[twelvefive]

Again, a good thought...The soul of the hobby is still largely pure, in my experience. I cannot fault anyone for wanting to make a living doing what they love (that's me), but I am certainly against the selfishness and greed that I occasionally (notice I said "occasionally", because it's not often, and these kinds of "hobbyists" usually burn themselves out quickly) see in the hobby. In the end, it's all about sharing and learning together, and the kindness spent on helping a reefer get hooked up with his/her first corals or frags is not misspent.

-Scott

Sooooooooooo do you want to hook up a poor reefer with some frags and corals?

 

[NanaReefer]

Diatom filters! I remember when the powder came standard with canister filters

 

[uniquecorals]

Speaking of throwback, I was a teenager in the mid 80's and remember the day I pulled my undergravel filter out of my 75g Oceanic with lovely brown trim and added my first wet/ dry, chalk full of orange and blue bioballs, had me a nice spray bar going round and round, I was the envy of all my friends I had the 75 plumbed into a 30g long Oceanic stationed in front of a window, full of grape caluerpa (yeah that's right a refugium, before they were called refugiums!), all gravity fed, then back into my shiny new wet / dry. I then filled that sucker with the (2) 40 lb. boxes of live rock that came straight to my door to form that big huge 80's wall o'rock, ahhhh, the smell opening those boxes! Back then "pests" were pets! Friends and family would come over and say "hey, what's that?" Hell, I don't know, but ain't it cool!! Times have certainly changed haha.

As a fellow teen from the 80's (with purple hair and all), I can totally relate to the bioballs and spray bars! The "live rock" was like Florida roadkill, if you were lucky you'd get a bubble algae or Aiptasia-type anemone! LOL (Next I'm gonna talk about how we walked through three feet of snow here in LA to get to the LFS..LOL)...

-Scott

 

[uniquecorals]

AWESOME!!! I got "Reef Creed" points from Scott! How many points does it take to get to that free coral Just kidding but had to try...

** Removed longer rant on hobbiests for profit **

I don't feel the "Hobbiest" has been lost through the years... To keep it short, I just feel that sometimes they need a swift kick in the rear end in order to get back to their roots.

Swift kicks in the rear are a good thing at times, trust me!

-Scott

 

[uniquecorals]

Diatom filters! I remember when the powder came standard with canister filters

Ahh, I had one of those Vortec Diatom Filters once! LOL

 

[uniquecorals]

I have 3 hydrometers, oldest circa 1963. I keep them put up, rather than in my sump

Ohh- hydrometers are better than shot glasses or spoons as collectibles...

LOL
Scott

 

[Railcar79]

I was debating setting up a retro tank, Hydrometer, old school glass tube heater, UG filter, just to see if I can still do it. The challenge for me is less where can I get this ultra cool coral, and more could I have done it back then.

 

[Camkha1234]

I was debating setting up a retro tank, Hydrometer, old school glass tube heater, UG filter, just to see if I can still do it. The challenge for me is less where can I get this ultra cool coral, and more could I have done it back then.

That sounds like a really cool idea. Make sure to start a thread if you go through with this.

 

[uniquecorals]

That sounds like a really cool idea. Make sure to start a thread if you go through with this.

I second the retro tank idea! I'll even hook you up with a retro coral or two if you promise to post updates here! LOL :tongue:

 

[Railcar79]

Looks like a trip to my parents house is in order. I hope my old stainless trimmed slate bottom tank is still in one piece.

 

[inurocker]

Speaking of throwback, I was a teenager in the mid 80's and remember the day I pulled my undergravel filter out of my 75g Oceanic with lovely brown trim and added my first wet/ dry, chalk full of orange and blue bioballs, had me a nice spray bar going round and round, I was the envy of all my friends I had the 75 plumbed into a 30g long Oceanic stationed in front of a window, full of grape caluerpa (yeah that's right a refugium, before they were called refugiums!), all gravity fed, then back into my shiny new wet / dry. I then filled that sucker with the (2) 40 lb. boxes of live rock that came straight to my door to form that big huge 80's wall o'rock, ahhhh, the smell opening those boxes! Back then "pests" were pets! Friends and family would come over and say "hey, what's that?" Hell, I don't know, but ain't it cool!! Times have certainly changed haha.

Oh yeah! You gave me a flash back.

 

[jestersix]

In the summer of 1968, my Dad cleared a space in his fish room (he had a huge collection of African cichlids) and told me we were going to have a 25 gallon saltwater aquarium! He built the tank in the garage, added the undergravel filter and some bleached coral from the Shell Shop in Morro Bay, California (he paid extra for a small piece of Blue Ridge Coral - some color for the tank) and added the water we collected from the trip to the beach. A couple weeks later he added a half dozen "mixed damsels" special ordered from the LFS. The resulting damsel battle for supremecy made the chichlids pale in comparison. As I recall, we ended up with one blue damsel - Dad kept that nasty little beast for years, mostly alone as it killed anything you added to the tank. He kept a couple of pennies in the tank to "prevent ich".

I've never been able to let go of the hobby. I only wish I had kept all of the crazy "newest & best" equipment we added and discarded over the years - we could open a Museum of the Saltwater Hobby. Before my Dad passed away in 2011, he had a great little nano in his office, with some crazy corals that we only imagined back when he started. I still have the Blue Ridge colony he grew from a tiny frag. He loved that plain brown "softie", said he owed it to the bleached ancestor that graced our first tank...