Reefing from a child's perspective

[Tman007]

Exact quote from my 10-year-old son yesterday:
"Daddy, that hair algae looks so cool! It looks like a real ocean!"

Haha yeah. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I dosed fluconazole a couple of days ago to get those beauties under control

 

[Jmcdaniel0]

Both of my kids have been super interested in my tanks, since birth. My son is even more interested than his sister. He gets really in depth with the water chemistry aspect. So i usually wait to do any dosing and stuff, so he can be a part of it.

My daughter is more interested in the inhabitants. She asks a bunch of questions about the fish, why some can be in the reef, why some cant. When she was little, my goby/shrimp pair really interested her. Also, anytime they have friends over, I end up answering a bunch of questions.

 

[Projects with Sam]

My daughter loves it; always urges me to get more fish. takes some of the flak from my wife when I get new fish for her.
My Son doesn't like the tank or the hobby because it competes for my time with him...

 

[Johnz]

Kids love the tank, and I get what your saying about a different perspective. My son loves aiptasia. He told me he wasn't going to show them to me when he sees one any longer. He doesn't want me to kill them.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

I wish my son had some interest in my tank... He'll humor me sometimes if I want to show him something, and will help name fish, but other than that he'd rather watch YouTube videos about tornadoes (future storm chaser, lol). He's real slick with names though - he named my fire shrimp "Fire-y", a bristleworm "Worm-y", and my first pair of clowns "Flippy and Chomper". Lol.
Even my fiance has zero interest - which is so foreign to me, since I grew up basically next to the ocean and my dad always kept fish since I was a baby (and got me into the hobby). He works from home and sits next to my tank all day and doesn't even look at it! Lol!

 

[MartinM]

10 years old is plenty old enough to know biology and chemistry and reefing! I had my first marine aquarium when I was 10. I knew the basics of marine chemistry, cycling, treating diseases, etc. I kept fish alive for years (failed at anemones though…). My parents knew nothing about aquariums, all self taught. 28 years later, I’m still learning every day.

 

[MartinM]

I wish my son had some interest in my tank... He'll humor me sometimes if I want to show him something, and will help name fish, but other than that he'd rather watch YouTube videos about tornadoes (future storm chaser, lol). He's real slick with names though - he named my fire shrimp "Fire-y", a bristleworm "Worm-y", and my first pair of clowns "Flippy and Chomper". Lol.
Even my fiance has zero interest - which is so foreign to me, since I grew up basically next to the ocean and my dad always kept fish since I was a baby (and got me into the hobby). He works from home and sits next to my tank all day and doesn't even look at it! Lol!

As a fellow parent, May I humbly suggest reading the book “Glow Kids”. Remove the screens and his interest in the real world will explode!