Has your hobby become a bad habit?

[Mike J.]

This hobby can quickly snowball into a very bad habit unless you know when to stop. Before I had my son I will be honest I used to buy corals or equipment with the thought of not going out to lunch or dinner for a while and stuff like that but since him I have become what I would say a reefer on a budget. The majority of corals that are in my tank have been acquired through trades as opposed to me paying my hard earned cash. I run the minimum amount of equipment I can to keep my tank healthy and it's more for me to enjoy with my son and wife instead of impressing my other reefing buddies. I even sold my 120 gallon tank that I was in the process of putting together and got a 30 gallon tank. I have friends in the hobby who over extend themselves for a one polyp frag of zoas or an inch frag of acro and I have tp just laugh and shake my head. This hobby is a lot more enjoyable when you're not stressing about the amount of money you spend and enjoying the fact that you have a reef in your living room.

Amen!

 

[tuna_bullet]

Wow, $800? What is it that runs the bill up the most?

lights and pumps

 

[Gadsby15]

Not a bad habit just yet, but a very expensive hobby!!!!!

 

[ReefKeeper09]

I wouldn't say its a bad habit. Just an extreme addiction. I don't have problems money wise, I work 3(1 Full-time 45+ hrs, 2 Part time) Jobs though. Otherwise, Yes. . . I would be screwed! lol

I've got a few hobbies. Restoring an older car & decking out my truck. lol. . . That is why I work 3 jobs. It's so worth it by the end of the the day!

 

[RiverRat]

I love my reef...
Every month I set aside a certain amount of cash for my reef.
Once that money is gone, then nothing new gets added until I have more reef money next month.
If something is expensive, then a few months of reef money have to be saved up.
Sometimes it's hard to pass up that "one thing" you couldn't do without, but it is definitely for the best.
If I ever start to spend outside of the reef budget, then it becomes a problem.

 

[Railcar79]

My Name is Nik, and I am An addict. I only have around $950 invested in my tank in cash. I hung around a coral shop for a while, now I work part time for frags. If It wasnt for working in the shop, I could never afford what I have right now. I hit up the local reefer boards, buying used where I can and it makes sense, but 90% of my reef came from the shop I am working in, including my brand new Acan Hille, and pink eye micromussa.

 

[bairdimusprime]

more like an addiction
but I've limited myself to gorgeous morphs of BTA's at this point

 

[tzsetzse]

I've had a 72 bow front now for 3 years. Empty. I'm unemployed, (but was when I undertook to re-enter the hobby). I've been scavenging eBAY and Craigslist, cobbling together equipment and knowledge. The hobby has advanced way beyond my level of expertise 12 years ago. I guess I AM indulging in a bad habit, LOL...
Unfortunately, I invested in hardware that I USED to know as advanced, (MH, VHO's, etc). Now, I sit and see ads for LED systems that cost more than my entire investment to date. So...
I sit and stare at my empty tank wondering what bill or what grocery list I can trim back on to afford to finish my setup.
I do have things that can keep me occupied, though. Drilling the back for an internal skimmer bar, plumbing the used sump I picked up. Yeah, it'll be a while before I buy salt and begin filling BUT the day WILL come!
(I did postpone replacing tires on my van 6 months after buying a new skimmer and Co-2 reactor, LOL) Does that count???

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

After being in the hobby for 14 years im in my 'rare fish' phase but I haven't spent more that 750 on a single fish yet.... The 3 radions pros, 2 mp40s (i haven't even set up yet lol) and my reeflink was a bit of a blow to my 'budgeting.'

 

[AL1]

Ohh man what an addiction, sometimes I think there should be a reef rehab lol!! My wife certainly does! Can't say I have missed out on any bills but lets just say its been too close for comfort at times. Sure the $$ could've been spent on other things..but I don't regret a penny of it, I love the hobby...my Name is AL and I am a Reef Addict.