Do you enjoy the fish or build process better?

[Burrito]

I find myself more concerned with the gear, setup, tinkering, etc than the actual life in the tank. am i alone in this? i find myself thinking how can i make my setup better moreso than just looking at the tank and enjoying the ecosystem i've built.

so which is it for you, the life or the gear?

 

[Radman73]

The fish. I enjoy the build, but the life is the end goal.

 

[ca1ore]

oh, the build ….. not even close …..

 

[Flippers4pups]

Good question. Many out there are "control freaks". I've personally never been one. If you check out my build thread, it was quite a lot to do and I did enjoy doing it, but growing coral and keeping fish is my goal.

 

[RichtheReefer21]

Should add a choice,

Fish
Gear Setup
Coral

The whole purpose of the set up and tinkering and tweaking is to establish the perfect conditions for livestock and corals to thrive... They are the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Without them, you might as well set up a plastic kids pool and all the test kits you can find and chase numbers forever... just my 2c

 

[Dave Mrnak]

I do love experimenting with new stuff, but at the end of the day its all about my inhabitants!.

 

[Jordan Prather]

I guess mine would be the build as my favorite part is to aquascape. There's just something about taking stuff that I walk past every day and then sitting down with it to systimaticaly place it in such a way that fish and coral and shrimp ect would be happy in a small glass box

 

[squampton]

All about the fish for me.

If I could I would hire someone to do the build and maintenance.

 

[Reefing-Around]

I am with you for the build.. But I am trying to change my ways and placing my focus on making it better "for the inhabitants".. Baby steps!

 

[DesertReefT4r]

I really enjoy the build process. Setting up a new system, plumbing, drill glass, making a sump, researching and buying equipment. However the end goal for me is all about the corals. Also watching a new reef tank mature and life appear out of seemingly know where.

 

[Scorpius]

I enjoy stability of my parameters. lol

 

[mmw64]

So want the stable system with the fish I enjoy. Could be an age thing.

 

[mtraylor]

For me its all about my fish. Some of them over 20 years old. I can remember back in the day setting up the rock work etc and thinking is it right etc etc..... When I built my latest eco system it was all about them and their water quality. I have corals etc, but the fish are the main attraction.

When I see those really nice equipment setups.... I drool over them. They are beautiful. I tell myself when I do my next aquarium, I will make the build equipment a project and make it look like art. Now that being said, if someone s looking at my equipment more than my aquarium then that's a problem, but I don't think there is noting wrong with keeping the engine clean and making it a display as well. I think its smart idea, because the sump and other equipment will now get better maintenance.

 

[jdpeters]

I guess mine would be the build as my favorite part is to aquascape. There's just something about taking stuff that I walk past every day and then sitting down with it to systimaticaly place it in such a way that fish and coral and shrimp ect would be happy in a small glass box

Is that almost a rock wall I love the corner lol

 

[Jordan Prather]

Its 2 Walls in an L shape in each corner with a single island in the middle connected to the left hand side by the tonga branch the pictures dont show but there are cave built within caves on both sides each cave has about 3 diffrent exits @jdpeters

 

[PDR]

Both really, but man do I love a good build...

 

[jrill]

Build

 

[KrisReef]

I don't know why I never noticed this before, I guess I was too busy looking at all the life.
I like the fish & coral, but I guess I can understand you "builders" out there wanting to assemble the hardware.

 

[Aaron4890]

I used to be so absorbed in the build process and trying out all the new equipment and products that would come out. But now I focus on making my setup as simple as possible, using the least amount of equipment.

 

[Zuma]

I enjoyed building my 90cm reef tank over the last month but have to say I was relieved when I finally filled it and scaped it 2 weeks ago; been really enjoying just checking out what life appears from the uncured live rock and all the nocturnal creatures after lights out.