Why we don't give up....

[Goby-won]

So @Tail2112 gave me the idea for this thread, similar, but a slightly different take on our hobby.

Personally, I never had a fish tank. I have a biology degree and have always loved "wildlife". I remember both Jacque Cousteau and Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom from my childhood, but they were only influential in my quest for my degree (which doesn't even help me in my current job - c'est la vie!). These are not the reasons for loving this #$%(!) hobby. There are too many reasons why I got into and love the hobby, but why don't I just give up?

The questions arises, after all the ups and downs (we all have them, if not they will come and they will be a tough pill to swallow!), all the $'s, all the headache, all the joy, all the spousal complaining, all the time (oh the time!), all the dedication and love...WHY DON'T WE JUST GIVE UP????

I have recently (3 weeks ago) been asking myself this very question! I am at the end of a second ick breakout (essentially destroying my tank to catch all the stupid fish I love and treating them properly - sorry little rant), I sit at the end of my coffee table with a cold brew in my hand to the point of tears running down my face asking myself this question...why should I set this up again? Why shouldn't I just give up?

Personally - I am sitting here (3 weeks later) writing this...and I still wonder...why did I reset everything to "it's original" place and save all those accidental frags? I am sure there is more than one reason!

Almost every day without fail, I still sit on the coffee table and watch the empty tank (with our cat Waylon). The corals are healing and starting new growth, pods are doing their thing (no more wrasses hunting them), the fish are in QT already through copper treatment and doing very well in their little 40 gallon tank on my office floor (I still watch them too). To sum it up, I must be insane, but I love this #$^@))$ hobby, and I will only quit when I cannot properly take care of my little slice of the reef!

Please share your experiences.

 

[cracker]

Welcome to the addiction

 

[Donovan Joannes]

There is nothing more rewarding than watching your "ocean" comes to live. I was with freshwater for years, and after a few months of looking at monotonous tank I lost my excitement. Totally different level of excitement when it comes to reefing. First few months was terrible, full of heart breaking events (ick, coral dying, chasing numbers, algae and worst of it all, money dumping). I am fortunate that my reef tank has reached maturity, all is growing and best of all, I hardly spend money on it (except on utility bill).

 

[Flippers4pups]

I pasted the "insane" level years ago in the hobby! Lol

It's the challenge to me and how I can improve on it. Details and learning constantly about something I never knew before that drives me. I personally can't just give up on anything. (ask my wife! Lol)

And at the end of the day, I ether learned from my mistakes and changed what I did wrong or can sit back and relish in my accomplishments in the hobby.

Been this way about it since 1993.

 

[spiraling]

Its the challenge.

I think most hobbies are enjoyable because of the challenge to get something right, try something new, create something different. For stamp and coin collectors it might be to find the elusive piece. For quilters it may be to experiment with different colors and designs.

I have a beautiful planted freshwater tank. Its pretty much very low maintenance now. It took years to get here. Could I be happy with just that? No. After several years of getting it to the point its at I'm now bored with it. It looks great. I love the fish and they eat out of my fingers. It needs nothing. If I go 6 months without WC it looks even better. So for me I need to bring it to the next level. In freshwater there are many meticulous incredible freshwater designs. That's not my style.

I got a small salt tank and was addicted. Two tanks later I'm trying to figure out why my coral is dying in my newest tank and thrives in the other two (this has not always been the case, tank crashes, algae outbreaks, the list goes on). I have done my research and have the perfect combination of plumbing, lights, salts, sump, equipment, rocks and sand all perfectly laid out in an aesthetically pleasing manner. And the corals HATE it. {sigh} Maybe this or that will fix it. I have a new refugium light in the mail already.

That's the challenge of our hobby. To combine the arts of plumbing, electrical, chemistry, engineering, an biology into something that is perfect and beautiful.

.... and then tinker with it some more......

 

[GoPitt88]

So when I converted my 55 gallon fresh water tank to saltwater a couple years ago, I learned the hard way about going slow and why using a QT is important. I overstocked, too quickly, causing an ich outbreak, ultimately killing all of my fish ($400+++) But instead of quitting, I gained a new respect for the hobby. Like others, it became a challenge to me to be successful. And so far, it's been going very well! I have a mixed reef tank with 8 healthy fish and 15 various types of corals. My two snowflake clowns are in their 3rd spawn, and everyone is happy, including me!!! I am now starting to learn about dosing. There's always something new to learn to make your little piece of the ocean better and better. I LOVE IT!!!

 

[Reefraft]

Its the challenge.

That's the challenge of our hobby. To combine the arts of plumbing, electrical, chemistry, engineering, an biology into something that is perfect and beautiful.

.... and then tinker with it some more......

Nailed it.

 

[Mr.Rocc]

So @Tail2112 gave me the idea for this thread, similar, but a slightly different take on our hobby.

Personally, I never had a fish tank. I have a biology degree and have always loved "wildlife". I remember both Jacque Cousteau and Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom from my childhood, but they were only influential in my quest for my degree (which doesn't even help me in my current job - c'est la vie!). These are not the reasons for loving this #$%(!) hobby. There are too many reasons why I got into and love the hobby, but why don't I just give up?

The questions arises, after all the ups and downs (we all have them, if not they will come and they will be a tough pill to swallow!), all the $'s, all the headache, all the joy, all the spousal complaining, all the time (oh the time!), all the dedication and love...WHY DON'T WE JUST GIVE UP????

I have recently (3 weeks ago) been asking myself this very question! I am at the end of a second ick breakout (essentially destroying my tank to catch all the stupid fish I love and treating them properly - sorry little rant), I sit at the end of my coffee table with a cold brew in my hand to the point of tears running down my face asking myself this question...why should I set this up again? Why shouldn't I just give up?

Personally - I am sitting here (3 weeks later) writing this...and I still wonder...why did I reset everything to "it's original" place and save all those accidental frags? I am sure there is more than one reason!

Almost every day without fail, I still sit on the coffee table and watch the empty tank (with our cat Waylon). The corals are healing and starting new growth, pods are doing their thing (no more wrasses hunting them), the fish are in QT already through copper treatment and doing very well in their little 40 gallon tank on my office floor (I still watch them too). To sum it up, I must be insane, but I love this #$^@))$ hobby, and I will only quit when I cannot properly take care of my little slice of the reef!

Please share your experiences.

Thank you for expanding off of my post I Love It!!
The Human nature loves 2 things, Instant success and Ownership. I teach my students this everyday. Succeed everyday at one thing. No matter what it is, getting up in the morning, getting to my homeroom, completing once piece of homeroom. I never care how large or how small it is, just succeed at something everyday! Within that comes ownership. If you fail take the blame, figure out why you failed and fix it.
Personally, I love the failure part. I love to figure out what I messed up on.
Now I never allow my students to give up and I carry this over to everything I do.. I/We put endless paychecks, endless hours of labor into these tanks. For what... that instant success for that day...
I love my tank because it changes, because each day you see an organism get P'd off, because one less of something can change the world for some things...
Again my own opinion.

 

[atoll]

I pasted the "insane" level years ago in the hobby! Lol

It's the challenge to me and how I can improve on it. Details and learning constantly about something I never knew before that drives me. I personally can't just give up on anything. (ask my wife! Lol)

And at the end of the day, I ether learned from my mistakes and changed what I did wrong or can sit back and relish in my accomplishments in the hobby.

Been this way about it since 1993.

Yep sounds like me 36 years, still trying, still learning, still improving, still making the odd mistake along with the accomplishments.