Does your reef hobby help you beat the wintertime blues?

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

They say this time of year is hard on a lot of people, especially wintertime after Christmas. Do you find your reef hobby to be of help? What in particular is helpful for you? Is it the reef itself? Your reef community (local club, Reef2Reef friends, etc.)? Or other parts of the hobby?

 

[ApoIsland]

Definitely. on days when the weather keeps you inside there is always something you can do with the tank, even if it is just sitting and staring.

 

[shakacuz]

i thrive during fall/winter. not big on heat. i enjoy my reef year round(my tank will be a year old at the end of february!) as well as helping those on the forum with the knowledge i’ve accumulated!

 

[jhuntstl]

I have an extended holiday break in my profession. I was so busy with reefing projects this year, I didn't fall back into any of the bad habits that often result from too much free time at home. Woohoo!

So, yes.

 

[shwareefer]

Vitamin D and L tyrosine help with the winter part. My reef tank (and R2R) has helped with the PANDEMIC blues!

 

[eVvoltura]

YES!

 

[frizzayyyyreef]

it definitely helps you relax watching a reef with fish swimming idk why or how maybe the colors maybe the way the torch coral sways in the current but it deff does something when your feeling low turn the blues on highhh n watch them colors poppp

 

[Chrisv.]

Generally yes, but not as much as spending a week between Xmas and new years day somewhere warm.

For a while I had a 400w ushio 10k in a lumenarc that I used as a ceiling mounted happy light.

In general reefing helps me feel better about things.

 

[ProxyAquarist]

They say this time of year is hard on a lot of people, especially wintertime after Christmas. Do you find your reef hobby to be of help? What in particular is helpful for you? Is it the reef itself? Your reef community (local club, Reef2Reef friends, etc.)? Or other parts of the hobby?

1. Do you find your reef hobby to be of help?

Yes, for my son at college, the tanks are a calming source of contentment. For me at home caring for his other tanks, I actually look forward to servicing them and watching them afterwards.

2. What in particular is helpful for you? Is it the reef itself? Your reef community (local club, Reef2Reef friends, etc.)? Or other parts of the hobby?

COVID has limited the community factor. Currently, just watching the inhabitants is very calming. The nice thing about a tanks is that it is never the same and it keeps me learning.

Best wishes in 2002,
Jim

 

[Goaway]

I have a wrasse who enjoys spitting sand on my coral. /stress
I have a copperband who is now nibbling on my trachyphyllia. /more stress.
Other than that, I love my reef. I have never suffered winter blues. Or, I have had "cabin fever" my whole life and never realized it.

Keeping an aquarium has its ups and down. I seem to enjoy the chaos of it all. Or, I wouldn't entertain keeping a risky fish (cbb).

 

[Kfactor]

yes it does and am building a hotrod too lol

 

[WVNed]

It's the light except if you use all blue.

 

[Brandon3000]

Living in the mid-west, the snow keeps us in quite often. I find myself deeply appreciating my tank during the long winter here. The downside is, it just makes me want to keep buying things, which can get expensive especially around the holidays.

 

[SHINYSuccubus]

i love gloomy days in general, and winter in particular. but listening to music and watching all the beauty and melodrama in my tank makes me happy no matter what is going on outside - even during the absolute worst time of all: hot, sticky *summer*!!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I love having such a great indoor hobby at this time of year. We were into the negative double digits today. I don't miss my outdoor hobbies!

 

[ColoredRock]

It's the light except if you use all blue.

It's not fair for me to comment on winter time blues due to were I live.. But my wife feels like its colder with the tank.. and I run my lights much more on the warm white/cool white then the radion AB+

 

[sfin52]

Since I hurt my knee and can no longer play bball reefing is my only escape. Heather ( wife) will tell me to go downstairs and work on the tanks, when I get in her hair.

 

[ZoWhat]

I'm year round....

The thought of Winter only brings on the thoughts of all my 100w heaters making my electric meter outside my house spin like a 78rpm vinyl record.

 

[ColoredRock]

I'm year round....

The thought of Winter only brings on the thoughts of all my 100w heaters making my electric meter outside my house spin like a 78rpm vinyl record.

 

[WVNed]

Full spectrum aquarium lights have been my therapy lighting for seasonal affective disorder since the 80s.
10K metal halides do wonders for my mood.