The process or the "end" product...your favorite?

[Finallysalty80]

Bored night shift so here we go......What is your favorite part of our hobby? Is it the process of building, maintaining etc or is it the end result where you can kick back and watch all of your hard work?

For me it's the process. I really enjoy the day to day maintenance. I get excited at the thoughts of the more routine stuff or starting up another tank....and another, and another..

Don't get me wrong I enjoy sitting back and watching life on the reef for hours, but if given the choice to pay someone to maintain it or maintain it myself.....I'd do it myself everytime.
How about you?

 

[Thespammailaccount]

Sitting back and watching the tank on a day off

 

[Waters]

Definitely the process....which is why I am always messing with something. My tank has never been complete lol.

 

[Paul B]

I can't decide.

 

[ScottR]

I honestly enjoy watching corals grow. I can’t think of anything more fulfilling than seeing before and after pics or more importantly, a tank that’s filling in.

 

[littlebeard]

Journey before destination.

 

[WVNed]

I used to enjoy the building and tweaking. This last time I just wanted it done and to work right.

Circumstances change.

 

[ScottR]

I used to enjoy the building and tweaking. This last time I just wanted it done and to work right.

Circumstances change.

I hear ya. I’ve built enough tanks and broken them down. Buying, setting up, tweaking, etc. It gets old. I want to set it and forget it.

 

[PeterC99]

What I enjoy the most is that I can take care of the the things I want to take care of and automate the things I don’t like doing.

For example, I do enjoy the direct care of the aquarium inhabitants - Feeding and cleaning. Automated top-off, water changes, and dosing.

 

[ZoWhat]

I think everyone is underestimating seeing the end result or the fruits of our labor.

All of us would eventually quit the hobby if all we did was work hard on the process and not see a halfway decent end result


.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

I love setting up tanks, I love buying fish (dont we all XD ), and I like doing maintenance on maybe an algae outbreak and see it get fixed. That's quite satisfying. I've had my tank for just about a year now and I still havent reached that "kick back and relax" phase, hopefully that comes soon.

 

[jskoms]

Setting up a new tank with live rock and watching everything come alive.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

The process is fun.
The result is relaxing.

 

[Nick Steele]

My favorite part of the hobby is figuring out all the challenging stuff. I enjoyed getting Dino’s at first. Not because I was happy I got them but it put me into a let’s figure this out mode. Took a few months to figure it out but I’ve finally overcame it and tank is doing better (only 2 coral frags lost due to a blackout). I also enjoyed the algae after Dino’s because it meant I was on the right track and algae is much easier to take care of. I’m starting to dabble into sps much more seriously as I picked up 2 higher end pieces from RAP this last weekend and hopefully I can keep them alive and colored up nicely.

I also love the planning stages of tanks but there won’t be many more in my future as my wife wants the dream tank (300-400g) next instead of numerous upgrades over the years.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

100% the process for me. I tinker, its what I do. I plan, design and construct new tank builds, controllers, sumps, rockwork, 3D printed parts ect. I do love my fishies though and its about keeping them healthy and happy.

 

[Azedenkae]

100% the end product. Everything takes time and effort to set up, which is a pain. Just want to watch life in a reef.

To clarify, that includes watching things grow and reproduce and all that. But, that to me is the end product. Everything else - setting things up, getting equipments right, balancing things out, is a pain.

 

[Paul B]

I don't remember when I set up my tank. I was a young man then and Nixon was President.

 

[mvbrandt]

Sharing the end product with kids and teaching them about the magic of combining biology, behavior, chemistry, physics, engineering, and art together in one of the coolest and most educational hobbies there is.

 

[Massic]

Trick question, there is no "end"

Whether we do anything directly or not our aquariums are always changing, always growing. One thing dies, another thing splits or spawns, and you get to rebalance it all over again and then sit back and watch as it evens back out.

 

[rusty hannon]

I enjoy building a d careing for the fish n corals. I too enjoy taking little o NES and big ones(kids of all ages) to show n teach about the world some never see. I also get very close to my ocean friends so spend a lot of time on their comfort and happiness