Spouse Doesn't Get It?

[Jisko]

I started the hobby my first year away at college so when it was time to bring everything home it was a shocker for my parents to walk in and find a saltwater tank. I battled for about a year with them about how much I was "wasting" on this hobby... lets just say I left my little 10g nano home for one semester so they could enjoy it and now we have two brand new 50g tanks setup in our house both paid for by them haha

Works out nice because they paid to have mine setup then they built one for themselves so we can each have what ever fish and corals we want #BestChristmasGiftEver

 

[emvanburen]

Excellent advice! As a lady I can attest that random flowers are always a winner and inclusion in any hobby (even if we aren't that interested in the details) is a great idea as well. It's the attempt that counts for tons.

Love this idea. Will be sending my wife flowers "from the fish".

 

[bobyboy]

I have soooo many $5 and $10 corals and fish that I can't count, my biggest fear is that if I where to die she'd sell it for what I said I paid for it.

That and I hope she never googles for bounce shrooms or hallucinations!

 

[victorcan]

I'm a big fan of just lying to her, she can't handle the truth.

Hilarious !! My wife Loves the tank so Im lucky.. I Build them she watches them grow Its a perfect match.

 

[kidzaac87]

It was my mrs idea to do sw she loves the fish and corals plus it's something we do together although I do all the maintenance

 

[jgvergo]

Interesting article! The introduction of a reef tank causes all kinds of unexpected marital dynamics. I kept freshwater discus and planted tanks for years. About a year ago I added a reef tank. Needless to say I became quite addicted. My wife really likes the tank but there are a few issues that bothered her. The first is that the tank will occasionally smell like low tide at feeding time when I turn off the return pump (she has a very sensitive nose). The water level in the overflow lowers a little and the exposed algae and other stuff on the wall stinks. I have taken to regularly cleaning it to avoid the smell. Problem solved. Another interesting issue was that I set my Apex to automatically go into a custom "feed mode" at 7:00PM. The pumps turn off and I oscillate the powerheads in a specific way. Sometimes we are sitting down to dinner. She does not like it if I get up and feed the fish during dinner (I can't blame her). I reprogrammed my Apex for an 8:00PM feeding. Problem usually solved unless we have a late dinner . I did a lot of DIY projects on my reef tank build. I would disappear for hours, day after day, building my system. That's all done now, so...problem solved!

Now most of our conversations about the tank are on the interesting aspects of keeping a reef system like the inhabitants and their behavior. She has grown to enjoy it too.

The bottom line is that we bring a complex system into a home that we share with our spouse and all three have to coexist. Communication is key.

 

[Oliver d]

My wife doesnt know how much money i put into the tank and doesnt really care either.She will go out of her way when we are somewhere to get a list of all the LFSs in the area for us to visit becouse she knows its imported to me.

 

[melypr1985]

My wife doesnt know how much money i put into the tank and doesnt really care either.She will go out of her way when we are somewhere to get a list of all the LFSs in the area for us to visit becouse she knows its imported to me.

That's awesome!

 

[jgvergo]

My wife doesnt know how much money i put into the tank and doesnt really care either.She will go out of her way when we are somewhere to get a list of all the LFSs in the area for us to visit becouse she knows its imported to me.

Take good care of her, she's a keeper!

 

[Oliver d]

I know been with her for 23 yrs on the 14/o4

 

[RJKain-777]

My wife hates my tank, no matter how big or small. She hates any hobby I have really, so I just do it now.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My wife hates my tank, no matter how big or small. She hates any hobby I have really, so I just do it now.

That's not a match made in heaven

 

[RJKain-777]

That's not a match made in heaven

Out interests don’t match up any more like they use too, that’s for sure

 

[vetteguy53081]

Out interests don’t match up any more like they use too, that’s for sure

I was once there- I understand

 

[RJKain-777]

I was once there- I understand

Glad I’m not the only one!