When do you consider yourself or someone else a "reefer"?

[5altkreep]

I actually joked with my wife about this recently. She has finally turned the corner, and realized that thought must be given into the livestock you buy. Just bacause the pretty fish or coral is in saltwater, does not mean it will work for our tank. So when she started researching fish for our new to us 125, I told her she is now officially a reefer (and cheesehead...she still fights me on that lol)

 

[Servillius]

I actually joked with my wife about this recently. She has finally turned the corner, and realized that thought must be given into the livestock you buy. Just bacause the pretty fish or coral is in saltwater, does not mean it will work for our tank. So when she started researching fish for our new to us 125, I told her she is now officially a reefer (and cheesehead...she still fights me on that lol)

If my wife says “na na na na na na na na na BATFISH” one more time, I’m going to tell her how much I spent on corals and collect the life insurance!

 

[Fr0stguard]

I think it comes down to how much do you care for the fish, inverts and corals in your tank? If you care enough to do routine maintenance and notice when something is wrong with any of your inhabitants (maybe excluding snails cause sometimes I don't see mine for days) and you make every attempt to fix it and get them healthy again then you are.

I don't think equipment is as important to being a reefer as long as you buy quality equipment and make sure it provides the recommended parameters for your tank inhabitants. Because all of mine was picked by suggestions made by people like my local lfs, my dad and YouTube channels like brs, reefbuilders, etc...

 

[srad750c]

To me to be a reefer, you have to at least be able to take care of the tank. Feeding, water tests and changes, equipment maintenance and all. If someone installs and setup tank that’s fine. But the care of the tank is the responsiblty of the “reefer”. What happens if you have an emergency at 12:00 am, trust me it happens. That’s just me.

 

[Sharvey103]

Well, I consider myself a reefer and have been "learning" this hobby since 1987. I do however use a maintenance company because of my travel schedule. But they follow my instructions and no matter where in the world I am they call me for my specific instructions before beginning the maintenance routines. I also test my water once a week and perform a triton test once a quarter. So am I not a reefer because I need some assistance due to traveling for work?

 

[srad750c]

Well, I consider myself a reefer and have been "learning" this hobby since 1987. I do however use a maintenance company because of my travel schedule. But they follow my instructions and no matter where in the world I am they call me for my specific instructions before beginning the maintenance routines. I also test my water once a week and perform a triton test once a quarter. So am I not a reefer because I need some assistance due to traveling for work?

I’m sure you do other things to your reef while you’re in town. Also, I bet you know the proper water chemistry and know how to correct issues if necessary. And you probably have purchased corals and fish after observing the overall health of the fish to be sure it was healthy. If you know how to maintain your system and make necessary adjustments when needed, I think you qualify as a reefer. Everyone needs help at some point or another. I have had a couple of serious injuries that prevented me from doing my own maintenance for a total of a year.

 

[srad750c]

I would say you're a reefer if you have the full understanding and appreciation of what is happening in your glass box of water. I would happily pay someone to properly maintain my tank if I could afford to (and trusted them enough), just so I could enjoy it more. Also because I'm disabled and it would be much easier on me.

Just because you're not elbow deep doesn't disqualify imo. As long as the person knows what all the equipment is for, knows the parameters of where the tank should be, and has a full understanding of what's going on is good enough for me.

If you just own a tank and let someone else stock it and choose all the equipment and they maintain everything, without a clue of knowledge, then you're not a reefer. You're a furniture/art appreciater.

You sir, would be a very dedicated reefer

 

[jeffrey holloway]

Love this question because its loaded. My 2 cents - anyone who put in the effort or provide means for a reef environment to survive and thrive can all call themselves reefers. Let's not divide our community, but embrace all regardless of how they got here. Better ways to spend our time in the hobby. Much love and luck to all that at least try.

 

[Jason mack]

I would say a true reefer is someone who’s been through their first couple of major disasters/complications and still stayed in the hobby !!

 

[Coralfuture]

So long story made short; I have a handful of friends that are into this hobby, a few of them I don't really consider as enthusiasts, reef-keepers, or anything of that sort. I basically say they own fish tanks... maybe I am being too harsh!?

Reef-keepers, are I would say sounds like you and I and probably the vast majority of the people on this forum. We are constantly keeping an eye on the tank and maintaining stable water parameters to try and mimic the ocean.
Reef Enthusiasts, are what I would describe your friends to be tho to be a Reef-Keeper I feel you have to be a reef enthusiast first! I mean having a tank is an investment in itself just having it operating and set up and while they may not be the ones to get their hands dirty it doesn't mean its a bad shake. Heck I wish I knew people that would pay me to keep their reefs! Would LOVE to mess with more than the tanks at my house alone

 

[jeffrey holloway]

As I stated before " Loaded question". By your standards all us who hasn't made mistakes, have great tanks, and no reason to fuss over them and quit the hobby are not true reefers. My dentist who has dove on reefs all around the world has the best reef in his office lobby have seen online or in person. Where does that put him, he doesn't do any of the reefing tasks, pays someone to do it. He talked me into the hobby over 5 yrs. ago and has been there for me whenever I needed. He got me read, read, read, and then read some more. I understood the real meaning of reef chemistry before I bought my first piece of equipment. Lets not label each other. No one can say who is and who isn't. Next it will be if your system is under two hundred gals u are not a reefer.

 

[Jose Mayo]

I think that a "true reefer" is someone who is able to understand that nature is not a picture, but a set of interdependent beings and conditions, which are established and organized in a particular niche in a dynamic equilibrium. It is so off track that aquarium owner who never interferes, like the one who is changing every day. The main body organ that the aquarist must train is the brain (seeking knowledge) and then the eye (observing what happens) and finally the arm that can even be rented, if the aquarist understands that it is appropriate. Finally, a "true reefer" must be able to realize that he will never be complete in his knowledge and not always be right in the decisions he has made, he must learn to learn from his mistakes, and be humble enough to seek help when he realizes that problems have overcome. Arrogance is the broader route to disaster.

Best Regards

 

[Sharvey103]

I’m sure you do other things to your reef while you’re in town. Also, I bet you know the proper water chemistry and know how to correct issues if necessary. And you probably have purchased corals and fish after observing the overall health of the fish to be sure it was healthy. If you know how to maintain your system and make necessary adjustments when needed, I think you qualify as a reefer. Everyone needs help at some point or another. I have had a couple of serious injuries that prevented me from doing my own maintenance for a total of a year.

You are right. I do a lot while I am in town and I spend a lot of time just observing the corals and see how they are doing. I also have 2 cameras hook up so I can look at the tank and sump remotely while I am traveling.

 

[ReefJake123]

I say you're a reefer when you first start buying coral and for whatever reason they don't make it and you're still willing to go out and spend money on more.

Agreed and I don’t think you’re a real reefer if you don’t t make and maintain you’re own tank because then it’s pointless there’s no challenge to that and you’re just some dude with a tank paying someone to maintain your tank and that’s just dumb and the sloppy excuse well I don’t have time doesn’t cut it because I don’t have time yet I still maintain 2 tanks soon to be 3 tanks so if anyone can say that you’d have to have more than at least 2 tanks if not more or if you own this app you’re a reefer[emoji6]

 

[ReefJake123]

There is both my tanks now that’s real dedication and I’m a real reefer(in my opinion) because even though my 55 gal lost everything I re bought all my fish and corals and even though my 13.5 gal lost all my fish and a couple of corals I kept buying more because I live the hobby even if I do throw away at least 200 dollars in fish and that’s worth it you know why because I learned many things off of my mistakes I’m only 15 but I know when I’m older I will have at least 2 tanks no matter what my future wife says[emoji23] and that’s the true love of this hobby or any hobby in this case

 

[ReefJake123]

I’m pretty sure I spend 10% of my life on R2R 50% on my tank maintenance and 20% sports and the other 20% on school is that good enough of dedication idk you tell me

 

[Brew12]

If you hang a painting done by someone else in your office, are you an artist? Maybe not.
If you could have painted it yourself but chose to have someone else do it are you an artist? Possibly.
If your best painting of your kids looks like two broken stick figures on a half circle are you an artist? Umm.. no.

Lots of room in what would be considered an artist.
In my opinion....
You can still be a reefer even if you haven't touched your tank in years and decide you would rather pay someone else to do everything.
In my opinion....
You can have a tank that you do everything yourself on that can't grow anything other than algae and not be a reefer.
In my opinion....
My opinion doesn't matter nor does anyone elses on who is or isn't a reefer. If you think of yourself as one? Great! If not, that is fine too! Please don't care if I think you are a reefer or not. You will be happier that way.

 

[Z3speed4me]

Wow just got into work and opened R2R to check on the thread, and it has at least 30 more posts than anticipated!

If I edit the first post, can I still add a poll option?? Not exactly sure how I would wordsmith the options though... @Flippers4pups has a good baseline list though

 

[tony'stank]

I consider a person a “reefer” when they have knowledge and appreciation for the wonderful living inhabtants of their tank, and are willing to learn the best was ways of caring for them , regardless of who does the actual work.
I built my first reef tank more than 30 years aga after George Smith’s articles in FAMA. It was almost completely DIY - homemade wet-dry filter, metal halide lamps from outer door lights etc.
At one point in my reefing history I had to drive 2-4 hrs to go to. LFS.
I can no longer do these kind of things but I still have a reef tank and consider myself a full fledged reefer.

 

[jgvergo]

A reefer is someone who has passion for our hobby. I am a reefer!