Contentment

[sfin52]

I just upgraded my 75 to a 90g. I seen deals on a 300 a 240 and a 180 all I walked away from.
I go through periods of wanting a bigger tank. If I got a bigger tank I could do this and that. Periods of thinking bigger is better.
Other times I look at my tank and go wow. This really is in my house. Look at all this cool stuff.

My question, how does one stay content with what they have? Or is that impossible?

 

[fishguy242]

impossible ...jmo

 

[fishguy242]

from one addict ,to another

 

[Reefer40b]

I think if your really into the hobby and don't have any plans to not have a tank for years then bigger is always better . As far as being content... well I think we will always desire something more even when we have some thing great...

 

[lilkiwi930]

I say impossible. Once you upgrade and have your little fun of setting up your new and bigger tank. Getting new live stock and corals. After it looks all pretty, you think I can go bigger and do a lot more!! I say never. lol

 

[BlennyTime]

Part of the fun of the hobby is that there is no one “best” way to do anything. There is always something new to try or do, even if you aren’t reworking your tank.

This forum would be really boring if there was only one right answer to every question

 

[Kryptonian]

Likely impossible. I wanted a simple 75g setup. Wife and I quickly obsessed into a 180.. She already has plans for a 220.. I'll be lucky if I get her to wait a few years. I'm the good one with not making big purchases but once she makes the big puchase I'm the bad one with buying add-ons and corals...

 

[Rjukan]

Meh, to each his own. I have no desire to go bigger than the 60g cube I have now. Maybe a better footprint, but not bigger. I think contentment will happen when I finally get to a point where my system is "thriving", not "getting better".

 

[Snoopdog]

One thing to consider is how your life may change quickly. The bigger the tank, the more work moving it if you have to move. Also daily maintenance goes up when the gallons go up.

 

[Timfish]

Depends on your aesthetic. If you're fascinated by the diversity of life offered in reef systems there will always be something else. If you are just pleased to see beautiful animals thriving you may be perfectly happy with just a few species in a small tank. One of the most pleasing reef systems I've enjoyed just sitting and watching had just 3 visible species in a 3' long 60 gallon tank. One Ritteri anemone that literally filled up the entire tank front to back and bottom to top, a pair of Percula clowns and for a splash of accent a small colony of GSP in a front corner.

 

[cassilyn]

Meh, to each his own. I have no desire to go bigger than the 60g cube I have now. Maybe a better footprint, but not bigger. I think contentment will happen when I finally get to a point where my system is "thriving", not "getting better"

I think that once my tank is thriving that will be the time I want a new tank to face the challenge of getting it to the "thriving" point. Until then I am content to work on what I have.

 

[Hydrored]

Buy the biggest tank you can fit, then you can't upgrade lol. That's how my wife agreed to an upgrade.

I'm at the point I'm happy with everything but the lights, I hope the new lights I just purchased will get me content and stop the madness once they arrive. I have spent a small fortune and have yet to be happy.

 

[ReefKeeperElite]

Getting to your perfect and "final" tank size is just the beginning. After that there are still a million or so things that run through a reefers head to perfect equipment, and control the reef. And thousands of other permutations on what coral, fish, and invertebrates would fill your idea of a happy reef. It is indeed endless. The tank itself it just the tip of the iceberg. The rest will go on forever.

 

[Snoopdog]

Don't get me wrong, I want a bigger tank but I also do not want to change my current one. I want to see what it looks like in 10 years. I am hoping there is not a spot on a rock or back glass that does not have coral on it.

 

[Sm51498]

I'm convinced you need to try a bunch of thing before you learn what you'll be content with. I want to try a big tank again when I have time and room but for now my 30 gallon is perfect for my lifestyle and I learned that by trying a bunch of things and learning how much maintenance I can sustain.

 

[BeltedCoyote]

I just want my dream tank. I’m working towards it, and it’s something I’ve wanted since I was 5 and had the Walmart special FW aio. I’m going for either a 220 or 240. And that’s it. My goal is to be one of those people who has a tank for decades. It’ll be in my first house, which I suspect I’ll be living in for many years as it has room for the family my SO and I want. So yeah.

will I ever have any other tanks besides my Leviathan? Probably, but I don’t want another reef after this one. SO mentioned she loves seahorses. So we may have a seahorse tank. But beyond that?

 

[secret_reefer337]

I feel like, there is always missing in my tank. No matter how many times I announced in the family that “this will be my last...”. Never content in the size and inhabitant of my tank!

 

[fish farmer]

I wanted to put a reef tank in a wall, all I could put in was a 29 gallon.

This was a downgrade from a 65 gallon which was a cheap upgrade at the time, but became a FOWLR for several years due to other life happenings.

I expanded on the 29 by adding a paludarium refuge to it before the sump. That project didn't pan out like expected and believe contributed to issues in my 29. I separated the systems a while ago and tweeked things on the reef and it has become a better manageable system.

I'm thinking of completely dismantling the paludarium....I was pondering making it brackish with some red shrimp....but I have to be realistic and I have other fun projects/hobbies that I want to get back into.

I can always completely sell off the innards of the 29 and start with fresh rock and raise harder corals if I wish in the future.

 

[Scurvy]

I say once you find that sweet spot you can be content. I upgraded from a Reefer 250 (65g) into a 110g and found Im perfectly content with this size and no desire to go bigger. So it is possible you just need to find your sweet spot. With any luck the 90 does it!

hope all’s well @sfin52 !

 

[sfin52]

Al

I say once you find that sweet spot you can be content. I upgraded from a Reefer 250 (65g) into a 110g and found Im perfectly content with this size and no desire to go bigger. So it is possible you just need to find your sweet spot. With any luck the 90 does it!

hope all’s well @sfin52 !

Alls good just trying to learn how to be content. I need to get back to your build.