Is the hobby becoming too pricy? Discussion

[Up2no6ood]

Don't even get me started on what I spend on alcohol every year. That's the most expensive hobby of all imo!

And food...I mean if I didn't have to eat just imagine the corals I could buy!!!

 

[Up2no6ood]

But I will say yes there is parts of this hobby that are getting ridiculously expensive....I mean 6500 for a mushroom 10k for a fish!?!? Now that's crazy expensive, luckily you don't have to own something like that to be considered a "reefer"

 

[heathd.hd]

That's called having way to much freaking money! Lol

 

[Up2no6ood]

Lol my problem is...to me buying coral is like putting money in a bank that has an intrest rate that doubles your balance ever year. So I can't even say that coral is crazy expensive...I mean you pay 300 bucks for a polyp..When it grows it's worth more. So you cut it, sell it and get some of your money back...Not too many things in life that work out that way and maybe a handful of hobbies that can pay for themselves. This is how I justify spending crazy money on coral to my wife

 

[Reef Pets]

Exactly I know some guys that would laugh @ hunting being cheap. 2k for a trip up north 1k for the rifle 2k for a scope 1k to have a bear mounted....and fishing.....yeah its cheap if you want to sit on a dock with a walmart fishingpole and a styro of worms lol. But like I said most hobbies are expensive if you make them expensive...

I agree. Hunting a fishing is my passion and has been for about 25 years. I'm going offshore fishing next week in South Carolina, I can't wait!! It certainly isn't cheap.

 

[that Reef Guy]

I hunt and fish a lot and can say that its FAR more expensive than reef keeping, at least I make it more expensive which is the point of my post. I saw above where the reef guy posted gun/bow equals cheap. If that's all that was put into hunting then yes it would be cheap. Land leases or the cost of land is in the thousands, tree stands, ammo, travel, camo, scent block, if you are into taxidermy, that can be thousands a year, travel and the list goes on and on. Yes some people slap on some military camo and a 100.00 shotgun and hunt which is cheap. Also some people have a nano and 100.00 LED making the hobby cheap. As for fishing, you can fish from the shore or spend 75k+ for an offshore fishing boat. It's all relative on what you would like to spend. This and any other hobby can be cheap or expensive..

True some people spend 10.00 a year on their hobby of choice and some spend a million.

The point I was trying to make is the average reefer spends more than the average fisherman/hunter etc. How much do they spend? Whatever if costs for a Gallon of Gas and some Worms (My Grandpa gets worms from the yard for free).

Yes, you can go on Safari in Africa and spend a fortune but how many people actually do that?

Not many.

Everyone I know that Hunts/Fishes is very Casual and does it with 10 Minute car ride or less.

I'm just saying "The Average Person"

Now for the guy who races fancy boats there is no way you can do that for cheap. That is going to be expensive for anyone that does that. Of course some will spend more than others just like any Hobby.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Don't even get me started on what I spend on alcohol every year. That's the most expensive hobby of all imo!

You can do that on the cheap too. LOL.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Lol my problem is...to me buying coral is like putting money in a bank that has an intrest rate that doubles your balance ever year. So I can't even say that coral is crazy expensive...I mean you pay 300 bucks for a polyp..When it grows it's worth more. So you cut it, sell it and get some of your money back...Not too many things in life that work out that way and maybe a handful of hobbies that can pay for themselves. This is how I justify spending crazy money on coral to my wife

That is true.

You can't buy a coin, painting, etc. and cut it up and sell it.

 

[Keepswiming]

I completly disagree.

Golf - Bag of Clubs and Balls and you are good to go = Cheap and a one time purchase
Hunting - Gun/Bow = Cheap
Gardening - My Mom has a very very large garden and probably spends 10.00 a year on seeds (She does put in a billion hours every summer weeding and maintaining it though - Some would argue time is money).

If I you get bored hunting, fishing, coin collecting, whatever else, you can throw that stuff in the closet and forget about it.

Meanwhile you have to buy food, salt, keep everything running raising the electric bill and do work as well - You cannot shelve it and forget about it like most hobbies.

Yes, there are more expensive hobbies like cars and boat and stuff but there are a million hobbies that are cheaper than reefing.

Just look at Freshwater.

When I did FW I probably spent 20.00 a year on food and replacing dead fish.

But I spend thousands and thousands each year on Coral.

So no this is by no means a cheap hobby.

Yes, some people may spend a whole lot less than you or a whole lot more than you but overall it is very expensive for most everyone.

Judging by this post you don't golf. Lol

 

[Pete polyp]

He apparently doesn't do much fishing or hunting either. Do you own a lake and some forest? That's going to cost you more than your tank I promise. Come on over to Arkansas for a week of duck hunting next year and tell me exactly how cheap it is for you. You won't down any birds with a $100 shotgun. Don't even get me started on how much shells will cost you. Then you have waders, either buy a boat or pay someone to guide you, hunting license, bibb overalls, a coat, gloves, decoys etc. You're talking thousands for just a week. I dang sure don't spend over $1000 a week on my tank do you?

Sure people have turned this hobby into a circus with their $5000 mushrooms and such, but do you have to have one? I will stay on this side of the fence where we have more sense than money thanks.

 

[Saltwaterwill]

Honestly guys I had a 75 gallon and the costs weren't through the roof as long as u keep it as cheap as u want it to be, i know u have to buy equipmen, livestock and such but it will stay in your tank, planning to upgrade to a 150

 

[macscale]

Wow! Thank you all for the Plethora of replies and arguments! Great points here. I'm going to make some kind of chart with comparative prices between hobbies, so if you guys would like to shoot me some numbers, that'd be great.

 

[reefwiser]

I completly disagree.

Golf - Bag of Clubs and Balls and you are good to go = Cheap and a one time purchase
Hunting - Gun/Bow = Cheap
Gardening - My Mom has a very very large garden and probably spends 10.00 a year on seeds (She does put in a billion hours every summer weeding and maintaining it though - Some would argue time is money).

If I you get bored hunting, fishing, coin collecting, whatever else, you can throw that stuff in the closet and forget about it.

Meanwhile you have to buy food, salt, keep everything running raising the electric bill and do work as well - You cannot shelve it and forget about it like most hobbies.

Yes, there are more expensive hobbies like cars and boat and stuff but there are a million hobbies that are cheaper than reefing.

Just look at Freshwater.

When I did FW I probably spent 20.00 a year on food and replacing dead fish.

But I spend thousands and thousands each year on Coral.

So no this is by no means a cheap hobby.

Yes, some people may spend a whole lot less than you or a whole lot more than you but overall it is very expensive for most everyone.

You obvious do not get very far into a hobby. Golf is way more than buy clubs and a few balls. Buy a gun and a bow and good to go. Well not with the bunch I know that hunt. It's all about what you want out of a hobby you can do it simple or expensive. There is an entry expense in any hobby. No doubt about it. Some are higher than others. But you can play at what ever level you want in the hobby. You don't need the latest and greatest to do it right.

 

[that Reef Guy]

He apparently doesn't do much fishing or hunting either. Do you own a lake and some forest? That's going to cost you more than your tank I promise. Come on over to Arkansas for a week of duck hunting next year and tell me exactly how cheap it is for you. You won't down any birds with a $100 shotgun. Don't even get me started on how much shells will cost you. Then you have waders, either buy a boat or pay someone to guide you, hunting license, bibb overalls, a coat, gloves, decoys etc. You're talking thousands for just a week. I dang sure don't spend over $1000 a week on my tank do you?

Sure people have turned this hobby into a circus with their $5000 mushrooms and such, but do you have to have one? I will stay on this side of the fence where we have more sense than money thanks.

No I do not hunt but if I did I wouldn't travel so no that would not cost me anything.

Same for Reefing some people travel to MACNA and spend a ton yes but most reefers do not go.

You do not have to travel to MACNA to be a reefer just like you do not have to travel to be a hunter.

People have hunted forever without fancy gadgets and long distance travel so do not say it can't be done if I were to buy a cheap gun.

They did it way before guns ever existed.

I'm just saying.

Some people spend a lot but most people don't.

I am just saying if you asked every single hunter on the planet and every single reefer on the planet it would average out to the average reefer spending waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more than the average hunter or fisher.

Maybe you guys spend a ton but the point of the post was asking if the hobby was expensive (In general) not who spends the most or how much can a person spend on the hobby.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Wow! Thank you all for the Plethora of replies and arguments! Great points here. I'm going to make some kind of chart with comparative prices between hobbies, so if you guys would like to shoot me some numbers, that'd be great.

That is a great idea but it would be very skewed.

1. Most people do not use sites like this unfortunatly (And the average reefer does not spend as much as the average Reef2Reef Member).

2. This site is know as the site where the "high end collectors" hang out. How many times have you seen posts on the internet like (someone just paid 2,500 for a zoanthid polyp on ebay - Bet you 100 Bucks they are a member of Reef2Reef). I have seen a bunch like that.

3. Plus you would not get an accurate survey of the other hobbies you want to compare this too as well.

 

[LivinTheSwreefLife]

And food...I mean if I didn't have to eat just imagine the corals I could buy!!!

THIS. Even if I just cut out sushi I'd have a lot more money.......... just realized that's pretty messed up, how the biggest drains on my finances are keeping live marine animals, and eating dead ones O_O

 

[pelphrey]

I'm in the process of starting my first reef tank. I spent a ton of money on my freshwater tank and made the mistake a few times of spending less on a piece of equipment then upgrading later. This time around I am going slow and when something I am looking for pops up on the forums I try to grab it.

Marineland 27 gallon cube (with glass lid and led light) from big box store Regular price $289 - Got it for $155
5.5 gallon aquarium kit got it from big box store $40 - got it for $20
Eshopps PSK skimmer forums regular price $110 - Got it for 75 shipped
Refractometer forums $40 + shipping - Got it for $30 shipped with calibration fluid (both brand new)

Not a huge amount of savings but I am in no hurry and will find what I need the next time the item goes on sale or is sold used. The biggest problem.... I know once I get the 27 cube going I'll want to convert the 75 to a reef tank! The 75 is in our living room and the cube has plans for our 2nd story bonus room, my wife has already mentioned she would hate to put something so beautiful upstairs in a low traffic area. So... This will be my argument when the 75 is converted! haha

 

[Keepswiming]

No I do not hunt but if I did I wouldn't travel so no that would not cost me anything.

Same for Reefing some people travel to MACNA and spend a ton yes but most reefers do not go.

You do not have to travel to MACNA to be a reefer just like you do not have to travel to be a hunter.

People have hunted forever without fancy gadgets and long distance travel so do not say it can't be done if I were to buy a cheap gun.

They did it way before guns ever existed.

I'm just saying.

Some people spend a lot but most people don't.

I am just saying if you asked every single hunter on the planet and every single reefer on the planet it would average out to the average reefer spending waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more than the average hunter or fisher.

Maybe you guys spend a ton but the point of the post was asking if the hobby was expensive (In general) not who spends the most or how much can a person spend on the hobby.

The point of this thread was to discuss high reef expenses, your correct. The problem is your arguments are wildly incorrect. You can't shot anything without ammo, even in you bought a 100 dollar Walmart gun. Ammo is so costly I can afford rr sticks if I decided to spend my Ammo funds on reefing. Yes I probably could hunt for free, I could make an arrowhead sit outside and throw it at animals just as you can start a salt water tank for free, take a bucket of salt water and throw animals you caught from the ocean in there. The problem is both are illegal and you probably won't be successful. I am not a hunter but if I wanted to hunt I would have to travel. Hunting in San Diego is no good these days, it actually lands you in jail and is called murder. Your argument assumes that all hunters live backed up to a Forrest or some kind of landscape where they can hunt. Your makeing broad statements with nothing to back them.

 

[macscale]

That is a great idea but it would be very skewed.

1. Most people do not use sites like this unfortunatly (And the average reefer does not spend as much as the average Reef2Reef Member).

2. This site is know as the site where the "high end collectors" hang out. How many times have you seen posts on the internet like (someone just paid 2,500 for a zoanthid polyp on ebay - Bet you 100 Bucks they are a member of Reef2Reef). I have seen a bunch like that.

3. Plus you would not get an accurate survey of the other hobbies you want to compare this too as well.

Ill look into ways to get a more balanced data reference. But as far as this chart goes, it would be just from the hobbies at R2R.

I would also pull around local reef clubs, other forums, other other hobby forums and clubs to get the most widespread and equal data I possibly could.

 

[that Reef Guy]

He apparently doesn't do much fishing or hunting either. Do you own a lake and some forest? That's going to cost you more than your tank I promise. Come on over to Arkansas for a week of duck hunting next year and tell me exactly how cheap it is for you. You won't down any birds with a $100 shotgun. Don't even get me started on how much shells will cost you. Then you have waders, either buy a boat or pay someone to guide you, hunting license, bibb overalls, a coat, gloves, decoys etc. You're talking thousands for just a week. I dang sure don't spend over $1000 a week on my tank do you?

Sure people have turned this hobby into a circus with their $5000 mushrooms and such, but do you have to have one? I will stay on this side of the fence where we have more sense than money thanks.

LOL.

So I was at work today and a guy came in and asked a co-worker if they were going to do any fishing this year.

So I said, "you fish I heard that was a really expensive hobby" just to get his reaction.

He laughed and said no.

"Look man, all you need is 50.00 and that gets you a Nice Poll, Worms, Some Lures, Weights, and a Bucket. That is all you need. Who told you it was expensive? They must be crazy or something"

Then I laughed.

Yes, I know if you go on Trips Fishing or Hunting it costs a lot just like any Vacation would.

My point is is that most people (Like the guy I talked to today) just go down to the local pond, stream, etc. by their house and spend a few hours relaxing with a fishing poll.

Very few fisherman take expensive trips, hunt sharks, etc.

But yes some do.

I am just saying most (or your average) do not spend much at all.

They keep it real casual.