Why do people leave the hobby

[Steph72]

People who enter this hobby never really actually leave. They always come back. Go and try a few goldfish and get bored. They come back.

As a newbie, I find these words very comforting!

 

[html]

I left hobby for 3 years after small kids throw stuff in aquarium and could not control that but now they do not throw anything (only take out) and I am in it

 

[html]

I think it's very possible to start a reef cheaply and simply, however most of the time the knowledge required to do this is only acquired after starting a reef with a high degree of cost and complexity.

I think many people start as "lone wolves" with their only support being online resources, rather than friends or user groups. I myself started this way and I believe it contributed to a more expensive / costly tank initially as a lot of the advice you find focuses on individual component selection as opposed to the establishment of a "system". A lot of the advice this is available is challenging for a newbie to apply.

Many of the above "lone wolves" won't make it beyond their first tank to capitalise on all of their hard won experience due to the range of setbacks and frustrations that can be encountered during this learning experience. I would think that monetary cost wouldn't be as big a factor as we might think, as it's hard to believe anyone would really believe this is a hobby that could be enjoyed on a shoe string budget, especially for newbie's.

I started (and continued) by buying from craigslist from people going out of this. The chipest way

 

[fish farmer]

I see some build threads where people spend piles of money on a nice big tank, all kind of dosers and the best Apex controller with all the bells and whistles but they have never kept a fish before and then they either get frustrated, realize it is not their thing or bored. Instead get your feet wet first with a 30-40 gallon tank, an HOB skimmer, heater, and power head, and a couple of clowns. Being out $200-$300 is better than. $5000 or more.

This reminds me of a very, very old thread on reefs.org back in 1999/2000. A guy had set up a really nice system 200+ gallon, spend maybe a grand on rocks alone. His post on the forum was "Why are they coming up?" His worms in the sandbed were coming up and dieing. He started to post pictures of his setup. Many folks noticed that he had BRASS fittings though out his plumbing. So copper was the culprit.

The saddest thing were the suggestions that you now have to ditch all your rock and sand. I don't think he stuck around in the hobby after that.

 

[mucky1957]

Since my son won a goldfish from his school summer fair almost 24 yrs ago ( yes..the goldfish did indeed die ) I have had a tank in the house. From goldies to warm water tropicals to marine Ive always enjoyed the experience. I will readily admit to doing my tank ' on the cheap ' which certainly helped the bank balance...( no sump or dosers or ridiculously expensive lights or ridiculously expensive power heads..) simple always seemed best to me and so far it has worked. No cyano..no crashes...no white spot ( and as I write this I have fingers and a lot of other things crossed ). I think the more reliant you are with equipment and monitoring the more hassle you will have. This is supposed to be a nice relaxing hobby...hassle free ( most of the time ). Cheap of course is not always possible but as long as you aren't worried about the next buy and the one after that etc then this is a great hobby. I think some reefers are a bit full of themselves and definately go OTT.. and that can add pressure on the majority of reefers. If so and so has this and that and the other..well do I need them as well. Im writing this on my pc and over the top of the screen I can see my tank at the other end of the room...you can't see me but I'm smiling. Reefing = smiling...especially in this day and age.
As a final thought...just watched the BRS video on Hybrid method mistakes...most of the equipment on the video costs more than my car....who can afford all this stuff....O M G.

 

[Jeeperz]

Since my son won a goldfish from his school summer fair almost 24 yrs ago ( yes..the goldfish did indeed die ) I have had a tank in the house. From goldies to warm water tropicals to marine Ive always enjoyed the experience. I will readily admit to doing my tank ' on the cheap ' which certainly helped the bank balance...( no sump or dosers or ridiculously expensive lights or ridiculously expensive power heads..) simple always seemed best to me and so far it has worked. No cyano..no crashes...no white spot ( and as I write this I have fingers and a lot of other things crossed ). I think the more reliant you are with equipment and monitoring the more hassle you will have. This is supposed to be a nice relaxing hobby...hassle free ( most of the time ). Cheap of course is not always possible but as long as you aren't worried about the next buy and the one after that etc then this is a great hobby. I think some reefers are a bit full of themselves and definately go OTT.. and that can add pressure on the majority of reefers. If so and so has this and that and the other..well do I need them as well. Im writing this on my pc and over the top of the screen I can see my tank at the other end of the room...you can't see me but I'm smiling. Reefing = smiling...especially in this day and age.
As a final thought...just watched the BRS video on Hybrid method mistakes...most of the equipment on the video costs more than my car....who can afford all this stuff....O M G.

Share your luck, I have none with this hobby.

 

[Zionas]

Well, it looks like I have bad news. As someone who’s about to start but hasn’t even started, I may not be able to do more than a 4’ tank after all. Today I thought of something, a 6’ tank nor the stand can’t fit into my apartment complex’s elevator. And there’s no way for even a couple of grown men to carry a 6’ tank down a flight of stairs. Cannot be done safely at all. It looks like until I get a place with wider space I’ll have to settle for a 4’ tank at most.

This means I won’t be able to get some of the larger fish I really desire, namely a One Spot Foxface, Yellow Pyramid Butterflies, Genicanthus angels etc. I’ll have to make do with some of the smaller fish on my list, until I upgrade.

Who knows? If I get a larger place in the next few years I may end up with even a 7-8’ tank lol.

An early setback for me, but if it saves me some time, money and energy starting out, guess it’s not all bad.

The smaller fish on my stocking list now are pretty much all peaceful, no really scrappy ones. This means once I upgrade in the future I won’t have to worry too much about adding larger fish that are peaceful or even more aggressive than them.

The other day when I walked into a bar (didn’t order anything there, went in there solely to see the owner’s two tanks) I saw two of the owner’s huge tanks. I assume both were 9-10’. But of a pity as they were mostly FOWLR except for some Zoas and GSPs here and there (could see why though as I saw fish like several large angels, Longfin Bannerfish, Raccoon Butterflies and one of the tanks even had a baby Bamboo Shark) but I saw an awesome collection of angels and tangs with some butterflies mixed in. For a moment I thought even a 6’ tank’s too small.

I also got to see in person how big H. Acuminatus gets, after seeing one in his tank I started having doubts about adding even one into a 6’ tank.

He did make some questionable stocking decisions for most people such as mixing a pair of Percula Clowns with a pair of Orange Skunk Clowns, multiple Blue Hippo Tangs and multiple Raccoon Butterflyfish. To my surprise, no Yellow Tang or Foxface but I think he had a Purple for Zebrasoma Tangs.

 

[725196]

I think many people leave because it was never really something they were passionate about. They see a nice tank in a store or at a friends and they want a piece of art, not something to care for, and I mean CARE for. I dont think many are willing to invest in an aquarium the right way. Not willing to spend the money or to spend the time it takes (Time is more important IMHO) to make a tank into an aquarium. (There is a difference, anyone willing to do the work understands this)

Second I think people leave for life events. A move. A divorce. Loss of a job etc. These things can be unavoidable and sad for those who need to step away and sad for those of us who have to watch them step away. I personally hate seeing friends leave the hobby. I miss the interaction taking tank.

I like to encourage people to stay and offer what help I can.

Happy reefing, enjoy the hobby.

 

[ZoWhat]

Millennials and Gen Zers have the patience of a 4 year old on a sugar-high

 

[blasterman]

Millennials and Gen Zers have the patience of a 4 year old on a sugar-high

I prefer; attention span of a ferret on a double expresso, but that works

I chalk this up to my list of beginner mistakes. They buy too large a tank and don't know what they want to do. They get too many fish have too many nutrient issues then want to become SPS gods and get ticked they can't grow anything other than hair algae in their 125 gallon. Meanwhile their new wife wants to get rid of the ugly tank because they need to paint the nursery.

We all know it takes about 4 months minimum to really stabilize a tank, and that's if things are perfect. Not much patience for that.

 

[cancun]

I know it can get expensive, but I just upgraded to a IM 200 EXT (starting a build thread and then a hurricane came) and really enjoy each part so far. I have a 75 gallon and deal with all the frustrations.

I understand burn out and when a hobby just gets old, but I see often people selling gear or aquariums that seem pretty new. They state getting out of the hobby less than a year from getting something big or awesome. Is "cost" the number one reason people get out of the hobby? Does the sales forum and people leaving fluctuate with the economy or is it pretty constant on people departing the hobby?

Thank you for the knowledge it is just something I was wondering.

Great question! I agree with others. It is a tough hobby and expensive as well. I always say it is both the most frustrating (at times) and the most rewarding hobby out there IMO. It takes a lot to hang in there. I know over the years I have thought of selling it all on more than one occasion. When things are going well it is great, but in this hobby it doesn't take much for things to go down hill quick, hence the frustrating part. The key is to learn as much as you can, and when something happens pick yourself up and learn from it.

 

[snorklr]

as a geezer thats had tanks since he was 12 i think one of the biggest problems is just too much information....there are just so many different methods and so much equipment, chemicals and expense involved with each one that i cant see how somebody new can even decide what path to follow in the first place....halides? T5s? LEDs ? all of the above?what times and intensities?HOB? cannister?media? sump? no sump? socks? no socks? skimmer? no skimmer? fuge? no fuge? cheato? algae scrubber?mangroves?water changes? dutch synthetic? triton? dosing? automatic dosing?vodka?peroxide?anerobic? reactors?phosban? uv? ozone?controllers?NSW or what brand of salt?how many stage ro/di? or just buy water at the lfs? hydrometer or refractometer?test kits? dip/acclimate/ quarantine/dump in?medications?buy livestock online or lfs? dry rock/ live rock/ "real" reef rock? dry sand/live sand?how deep/bare bottom? now add what brand of everything listed above is the best?so now you've got thousands invested and things arent going well and the forum folks are telling you you're not doing it their way so just spend thousands more to do it their way and guess what things still arent going well....i can see where a sane person would just give up and keep cichlids cause their spouse and kid cant tell the difference and the tank in the living room isnt "ugly" anymore

 

[garyfri]

yes I see algae being a major peace I am out. lol

 

[tankstudy]

Usually, by the 1 year point, the tank starts to consume quite a bit from the water. Testing has to be increased and dosing needs to be done properly or the tank usually crashes and burns.

Sometimes, it's hard to start again when your tank burns 1 year later and you have no idea why. Like stocks, might as well cut your losses short instead of spending more money to get to the 1 year mark just to crash again.

 

[garyfri]

just saw a guy selling all his stuff on the dry good and most was pretty new. I shed a tear for him. So sad. We should have a memorial page for those that leave to sign to. Gone but not forgotten. I know people say it is a good deal on a product, but I hate seeing people leave.

Also it is amazing searching google and tracking forum on the progress of this hobby. Hell from 2000 to 2010 to 2020 there is post everywhere. Hell by 2030 people will be saying what is algae.

 

[NashobaTek]

I prefer; attention span of a ferret on a double expresso, but that works

OMG! That's hilarious!!! But I totally agree with you.

 

[BackToTheReef]

Story time:

Things were going well, my wife and I had just bought a house, my daughter was young and full of curiosity. My wife and I had met while working at a large national pet store and were animal people. So aquariums just happened around our house. 30g fresh water planted tank with a growing clown knife, 12g AIO in my daughter's room with a touch of live rock and an octopus, the 75 reef starting. Plus all the random tanks and fish gear I had floating around.

Then life happened. Got caught up in the predatory lending thing and our $800 a month house payment turned into a $1500 a month payment and we moved out. Gave tanks, livestock, and gear away, keeping only a little. Bounced around a little and ended up setting up a little tank in our town house with a few sitting dry under the stairs.

Then life happened again, I got told I needed to get out. Walked out with one of my dogs and some of my clothes. Lost 100% of my tanks and equipment. The divorce left me flat broke for a long time, it has only been recently that I am in a place to start putting together the kind of tank I want to do.

I have pushed off things like tanks, dogs, fishing, etc. to try and get myself squared away over the last 15+ years. That's why when I go in on any hobby I go hard, I get tired of waiting or going "small." After so long I just want what I want.

Life happens, priorities shift.

 

[DracoKat]

there's been times I thought about selling my tank, for 2 reasons: Boredom and need cash.

but I never did, because I know I will miss it a lot and will spend even more money than what I sell it for to get a new tank, lol.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Millennials and Gen Zers have the patience of a 4 year old on a sugar-high

And yet twas a Zillennial (somewhere between Millennial and Gen Z) that was giving you copepod advice the other day , ok boomer.

Spent four years out of the hobby due to draconic rules on no fish tanks in college dorms, and rent off campus was too high. I could still come home for breaks to maintain my family’s 55, but there was hardly any active reefing for me. Even now, I’n just starting to dip my toes back in. I’m waiting for hiring freezes to end, so I can move out and get started on my system. I have the fish, the plan, and the money I saved over 5 years...I just need the apartment and the job!

 

[garyfri]

And yet twas a Zillennial (somewhere between Millennial and Gen Z) that was giving you copepod advice the other day , ok boomer.

Spent four years out of the hobby due to draconic rules on no fish tanks in college dorms, and rent off campus was too high. I could still come home for breaks to maintain my family’s 55, but there was hardly any active reefing for me. Even now, I’n just starting to dip my toes back in. I’m waiting for hiring freezes to end, so I can move out and get started on my system. I have the fish, the plan, and the money I saved over 5 years...I just need the apartment and the job!

I know you are sounding a little offended but good luck when you do get into it. There a lot of people with short attention spans which is what the comments I am sure was about. I think in the youth you want something more instance. As you get older and more established you kind enjoy the slower things . Not saying you are not like that already. But my kids are a prime example. They want my aquarium to look like all the people's on here already.