Do you have any regrets taking up this hobby?

[vetteguy53081]

Biggest regret is not attending enough swaps and shows such as MACNA and RAP.
Other is seeing prices rising every year rather than coming Down

 

[sixty_reefer]

I can’t say I regret much in the hobby, I kind knew in what I was getting in to, still the best decision I ever done and loving every day of it. Some days are better than others but am sure is part of the married life [emoji57]

 

[Hermie]

I try not to regret it, I somewhat regret getting into freshwater, but not saltwater. that said, I would never have gotten saltwater if I didn't start in freshwater...

 

[ScottR]

I can’t say I regret much in the hobby, I kind knew in what I was getting in to, still the best decision I ever done and loving every day of it. Some days are better than others but am sure is part of the married life [emoji57]

I’m with you 100% on this

I try not to regret it, I somewhat regret getting into freshwater, but not saltwater. that said, I would never have gotten saltwater if I didn't start in freshwater...

I’m also with you on this.

 

[Coralreefer1]

I don’t really have any regrets as it has been and continues to offer me enjoyment, education, relaxation and beauty. However, having said this, I wonder how much money I have spent over the past 30+years being in the hobby.
I do regret not being able or having the money to attend swap events, Reefapalooza and such, not to mention being able to take advantage of some big sale events online or at local pet shops.
I do hate live sales however as I’m not about to sit around for hours and wait for a coral I desire, only to lose out to someone else! Not my idea of fun and excitement. If I want that, I would go to the casino, get free drinks and possibly win money...NOT!

 

[ScottR]

I kept FOWLR tanks years and years ago. I felt that this hobby was so much easier then. Perhaps we’re trying to push ourselves too much. And there’s so many items available for purchasing now. They help the hobby but I feel like they also hurt the hobbyist.

 

[Ruben's Reef]

I regret not going bigger right away

Same feeling !!! I regret not having the idea to do a in-wall with a bigger tank from the beginning.

 

[LiveWire]

Welcome to the REEF!!

 

[Blitheran]

It's a love and hate relationship - this reef keeping hobby. Sometimes when everything goes right (perfect water chemistry, happy corals), it's a very fulfilling odyssey; and other times it can be outright disheartening (eg outbreaks you can't control, coral fighting that leads to expensive losses, etc).

Please share your own personal thoughts on this topic.

Prior to hobby = money!
After months into hobby = no money

 

[Crustaceon]

People start by spending too much money for the “latest and greatest” doo-dads thinking they’ll make the hobby easier. They depend on this high end equipment to act as a substitute for experience and far too often the tank goes downhill. They then leave the hobby with major regrets. IMO, if you can’t do this using a five gallon bucket or a cheapy 10 gallon petco tank, you shouldn’t do it because if you fail and get out, your investment and subsequent regret will be much less. As a prime example, I’ve been keeping a football sized monti colony in a 10 gallon for the last year. It has one tiny hydor pump, an eheim heater, a very underpowered current usa light and some sand. Dosing is topping off every few days with kalk dissolved in RO. No DI. Inhabitants are one clownfish and one golfball-sized mexican turbo snail. There are actually a lot of things you don’t need in this hobby to be successful. The things you cannot do without is research, patience and experience.

 

[Sako338]

Yes, I didn’t start this hobby sooner.

 

[Sako338]

I kept FOWLR tanks years and years ago. I felt that this hobby was so much easier then. Perhaps we’re trying to push ourselves too much. And there’s so many items available for purchasing now. They help the hobby but I feel like they also hurt the hobbyist.

I agree, not that I will ever keep a reef, but enjoying my little fowlr for now.

 

[Hemmdog]

The Financial burden is real. All my disposable income legit goes to reefing related things.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

I feel bad for all the fish I lost before knowing what I was doing in the 80’s. I took several spicies to the edge of extinction before I learned what to do. No Internet forums back then I knew of.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

The Financial burden is real. All my disposable income legit goes to reefing related things.

 

[hart24601]

I went too big and took me a long time to upgrade to a smaller system that was more manageable for me.

 

[Hemmdog]

I went too big and took me a long time to upgrade to a smaller system that was more manageable for me.

Said no one ever!

 

[hart24601]

Said no one ever!

Haha. Bigger =downgrade!

I’m not a very good American, I know! Land of biggest SUV possible and supersize food is by default better, lol.

 

[Hallowhead]

I don't have any regrets just yet...

A future regret may be starting my frag tank WAY to soon though

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

It's a love and hate relationship - this reef keeping hobby. Sometimes when everything goes right (perfect water chemistry, happy corals), it's a very fulfilling odyssey; and other times it can be outright disheartening (eg outbreaks you can't control, coral fighting that leads to expensive losses, etc).

Please share your own personal thoughts on this topic.

My regrets are leaving in 1990, and returning on 10/2017.