Average time in this hobby

Chessmanmark · Sep 4, 2021

They say the average homeowner lives in a house for seven years.
How long do you think people stay in the hobby?
How long have you been in the hobby?

I started my first tank in 2003 and joined a reef club in 2004.
There are very few from our club that stuck with the hobby over the years and many more that left it.

Isopod80 · Sep 5, 2021

I doubt there's another animal related hobby out there with a higher turn over rate over the years than this one. Mostly because of bad info in the beginning. Thankfully there's forums like this. Used aquarium supplies are a dime a dozen on ebay, craigslist, and curbside on trash day. I've acquired a number of nice tanks over the years on trash day. I've been reefing off and on for about 26 years.

MaxTremors · Sep 5, 2021

Started my first saltwater tank (was more of a FOWLR) in 1997, when I was 16 or 17. I’ve moved around a lot and lived in a few different countries (kept keeping tanks though), so I never really had local reefers that I knew until around 10 years ago. When I moved to where I am now (again around 10 years ago), I joined the local reef club, and started hanging out with a few of the members. But then there was all this drama and embezzlement and extramarital affairs (I wasn’t involved in any of it), so I fell out of touch with all those people. The one guy I knew who was kind of the victim in all of this, who had probably 30 tanks and ran a sort of LFS out of his house, I learned just recently got out of the hobby shortly after all that went down. He had been in the hobby since the 80’s, and was really knowledgeable, had several successful coral spawnings in his system, and he apparently just quit after all that went down, I felt really sad when I heard about it. I went tankless from 2019 until Jan of this year (I mean I had tanks in my garage, just none set up). I don’t know, it’s really hard to imagine myself giving up the hobby for good.

EstelleNJarrod · Sep 5, 2021

We kept fresh water since teens. Got into and out of it on and off for years. An opportunity for an established salt tank and inhabitants came our way in 2015 and we took the plunge. It was a big learning curve and had some terrible advise at first. Our LFS taught us a lot along with forums like this and unmeasurable amount of research hours and we are reefers for life. Love the challenge, the diversity and the endless opportunities that salt life brings. Glad we took the plunge.

NeonRabbit221B · Sep 5, 2021

If I had to guess the average is fairly low around 3-4 years due to the amount of bad startups but I bet its a heck of a lot better with R2R, BRStv and controllers to help some of the issues that cause reefers to quit. My first tank is a little less than 2.5 years old and I can say I am hooked and have too much equipment/supplies to quit lol

Chessmanmark · Sep 5, 2021

EstelleNJarrod said:
We kept fresh water since teens. Got into and out of it on and off for years. An opportunity for an established salt tank and inhabitants came our way in 2015 and we took the plunge. It was a big learning curve and had some terrible advise at first. Our LFS taught us a lot along with forums like this and unmeasurable amount of research hours and we are reefers for life. Love the challenge, the diversity and the endless opportunities that salt life brings. Glad we took the plunge.

”Reefers for life.”

I like that. It’s catchy. I have always felt the same way.

Chessmanmark · Sep 5, 2021

MaxTremors said:
Started my first saltwater tank (was more of a FOWLR) in 1997, when I was 16 or 17. I’ve moved around a lot and lived in a few different countries (kept keeping tanks though), so I never really had local reefers that I knew until around 10 years ago. When I moved to where I am now (again around 10 years ago), I joined the local reef club, and started hanging out with a few of the members. But then there was all this drama and embezzlement and extramarital affairs (I wasn’t involved in any of it), so I fell out of touch with all those people. The one guy I knew who was kind of the victim in all of this, who had probably 30 tanks and ran a sort of LFS out of his house, I learned just recently got out of the hobby shortly after all that went down. He had been in the hobby since the 80’s, and was really knowledgeable, had several successful coral spawnings in his system, and he apparently just quit after all that went down, I felt really sad when I heard about it. I went tankless from 2019 until Jan of this year (I mean I had tanks in my garage, just none set up). I don’t know, it’s really hard to imagine myself giving up the hobby for good.

Yes, with reef clubs you take the good with the bad.

When I started, one of the first reef club members that was kind to me, and whose tank inspired me, got out of the hobby just as I was starting. He ran his tank for 10 years. I always thought that he would start again one day, but unfortunately, he never did.

Almost all the original members of our local club have left the hobby. Our independent forum closed up and meetings are few and far between. I don’t know how the LFSs survive.

attiland · Sep 5, 2021

First freshwater tank in the early 80s. That makes me almost 40 years in the hobby.
as of reef I am a newborn with my bit more than a year.

sarahgo · Sep 7, 2021

I started in 2010 with a terrible hexagonal tank I got from my grandmothers neighbor . I went from 1 tank, to four in no time flat.

After a divorce and a relocation from Texas to California, I was out for a little bit, but now I have two tanks. I’m finishing up a large build at the moment, and will be posting my first build thread here soon. Lots of DYI, and I’m super proud of it!

I feel like if someone has taken the time to be in a forum, like R2R, they’ve been in for at least a few years. Would you agree?

Fun times.

Gtinnel · Sep 7, 2021

I got my first saltwater tanks around 2000 and ended up taking them all down around 2008 or so. I had never planned on getting another tank until about 3 years ago when my wife suggested I setup another saltwater tank. She now says that she regrets suggesting it.

G Santana · Sep 7, 2021

My first reef was up for 8 yrs before I tore it down when I bought my home. This tank after many yrs is up almost a year but I have plans to move cross country within 4 to 5 yrs so it will be up the entire time. I don't look forward to that tear down because I know it's coming.

crazyreefergirl · Sep 7, 2021

I've been keeping corals for a little over 20 years. The hobby is too expensive is the only complaint I have.

stylaster · Sep 7, 2021

I started way way way back in 1990 when the only light option was a iwaki 6500k halide light or a couple t8s. I started to keep an SPS tank back in 1994, the local stores would occasionally get in some SPS, but i got most of mine from trading or buying from Steve Tyree back in the day. In the late 90's myself and another gentleman where working on breeding tridacna clams in the home aquariums. We would culture our own zooanthalle by extracting it from a donor clam mantle. We did actually get some spats (baby clams) to settle out but where never able to get them past a mm or 2 in size. I believe back then we just didnt have the appropriate foods. I have kept aquariums off all different sizes. From a 1 gallon pico tank up to a 600g tank. Currently i have a 312g SPS reef. Here is the link to that tank. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/stylasters-312-gallon-tank-build.107527/page-13#post-3360067

Whispers · Sep 7, 2021

Life for me

Ultra Aquatics · Sep 7, 2021

Been in the hobby for about 20 years now, ok now I feel old

SPS2020 · Sep 7, 2021

First saltwater tank circa 1985. Same house since 2000. Old guy that doesn't like change. lol

rtparty · Sep 7, 2021

This forum is kind of a bad place to ask this because us forum folks are a little crazier than most

I don't remember the exact numbers but I think BRS said 50% are gone after year 1. However, a lot of those that make it past year 1 make it to year 2. Like 75-80%. Then it is something like 75% of those that make it past year 2, make it to year 5. Ryan talked about it on a live once. They sent out that survey and it was eye opening.

Sleeping Giant · Sep 7, 2021

I feel like people end up getting out due to snowballing issues. Once your in the avalanche it's hard to get out and when you do.. it can be a game changing decision. I have had my share of ups and downs, but I always come back.

fish farmer · Sep 7, 2021

I've had my current rock wet since 2000, moved a couple times but moved to my house in 2005. Current tank has been running since around 2010. I don't plan on moving anytime soon.

I noticed around 2005 to 2014 when our club was active, lots of young reefers, mostly pre children, new house folks. Many of them exited the hobby in 2 to 5 years. I know a couple that still have reefs.

dennis romano · Sep 7, 2021

First freshwater tank was a 10 gallon steel frame, slate bottom in 1968. I have been nonstop since. First attempt at salt water was around 1973, off and on since. One of my marine tanks has been running for around 25 years.