Why do you reef?

[serpentman]

I reef because I have a degree in Marine Biology and live 1000+ miles away from the nearest coastline, lol!

One day I will relocate somewhere tropical and would be happy to ditch the reef tank in exchange for regular dive opportunities....

[WharfRat]

I reef..therefore..I am.
I attribute..blame..thank, Jacques Cousteau, Worldcraft Encyclopedia, and my 7th grade math teacher. The teacher for bringing in that bowl of guppies, the encyclopedias because pics and reading and information overload is awesome, and Jacques Cousteau for letting me know that there was more to the water on earth than Lake Erie. I would also blame and thank my parents for the books they got me as a kid ( 1960 - 70 reference material) and for the first tank I had back in 197?????. I'll date it a bit..Metaframe 10 gal. Slate bottom and tar sealer for the glass. I haven't been without a tank since then. Except for my years in the military. I was addicted early on..then not long after it became an obsession. It's only been in the past 6 years that I've become serious about my marine tanks and gone that extra step to keep coral and inverts and now I want more, bigger, and better.
If I could pick one mutation to have..it's got to be gills. I'd never come back to the surface world.

[SaltyNovice]

Thanks for starting this thread - I am now starting to feel normal again. There are lots of people like me - I think . It is true the addiction, slavery, logic, being creative. But the biggest thing to me - is the sitting and starring at the tank. No one in my family understands this - that's ok - it's a great stress reliever. And I knew I was never going to be rich (material world) this just insures my predictions. Thank you RC!!!

[fstlane4me]

After seeing a reef tank a long time ago, I have always wanted one.I can sit and stare for hours at all the life.My wife thinks I'm crazy because I'm always saying,"Hey come check this out."I have learned that as well as being very rewarding this hobby can also be very frustrating.

[L98-Z]

Challenge, plus I like the shock factor when people see a reef tank.

[karsco]

Good thread, I have many times thought of shutting it down but I would be so bored if I didn't have at least one "hobby" left. As you get older you have less & less time for "hobbies" and sports or whatever you once were involved with. This is one that stuck with me because I love the reefs, but there are not to many of those in Nebraska!

I have more interest than ever due the technology that has come out in the last decade. I remember starting out with an undergravel filter, a wood air stone driven skimmer, (remember those?) and a flourescent light! Now you have controllers, high tech skimmers, high end lighting, ATO devices, dosing pumps etc. These all make this hobby a lot easier. My little kids really love my tank as well and love to "help" me with feeding the fishies...

[almees]

1). relaxing to watch any time day or night

2). good challenge

3). reason to drink beer and ignore the wife

4). give the wife a reason to drink wine and ignore me

[ChadTheSpike]

BigandUgly: Thats such a great use of MGIB!! I wish I had some left, I would do the same!

WharfRat: My first tank was a slate bottom too... Although I have to admit that I purchased it used at a garage sale... and also like you, I have had a tank since then with the exception of my time in the military (except I had tanks whenever I could get away with it, like when I was not assigned to a submarine!!)

SaltyNovice: It is nice to know we are not alone in our craziness!!!

I can relate to so many of the posts here, thanks to everyone for participating!!

[phenom5]

Originally Posted by almees

3). reason to drink beer and ignore the wife

4). give the wife a reason to drink wine and ignore me

Classic...and so true.

[f1shb0y]

Why do I reef?

I think I reef because of the nature and beuty of the ocean. I love to go to the beach and swim, snorkel, and catch hermit crabs. It's just great. I love the colors and combinations you can put into a tank. I mean every tank is different. I just like that because it's like your ocean that you designed. You can do anything you want with it. I just love it. Great hobby. Lil on the expensive side but it's all worth it.

[BigandUgly]

When I served a year in Afghanistan I brought killifish eggs with me and kept fish in a clear plastic shoe box tote. I got them to breed and passed the setup off to a nice young kid that was very scared and needed something to do in his down time.

[ChadTheSpike]

^that is such a great idea, do you keep in contact with that kid? probably got him addicted!
much better than the officers on the opposite sub crew that I was on...
They decided that the wardroom needed a fish tank, so they designed one that would be able to handle the 'angles and dangles' that the sub would go through... they then built it, added fish, installed it... and forgot one very key aspect: being able to get into the tank again! Unfortunately when they realized that, we were out to sea and were not able to do anything about it
When the best laid plans go wrong... hehe

[Nerd1717]

Originally Posted by Reefer2727

Nerd1717,

If I were a Bengals fan I would need more than Reefing. Heroin comes to mind. Just kidding. They are looking decent this year. Been a long time coming.

I know.... a long grueling painful time. Reefing just keeps me from crying as often when they get beat by teams like Oakland. (I don't mean to insult anyone with that comment.)

[mitsurs01]

I reef because I enjoy spending ALL of my money and neglecting my children. Seriously though, I mainly do it because I love the ocean, and unfortunatly live in illinios, so no saltwater oceans here. Pluse it is very relaxing to just sit down with nice cold adult beverage and watch the fish swim.

[justinm0424]

I like building and creating something. It's awesome to be able to build and automate a whole stand/tank/ecosystem. Plus I think it looks pretty sweet having a mini ocean in your apartment. My daughter also needs a place for her "nemo" and "Dori" and "mommys fish thats kinda ugly" I just wish I had more time and money to make it better.

[Hawaiigold]

I've asked my self that question several times .... why???

[carnut]

Originally Posted by Stanley-Reefer

The money it takes to maintain keeps me going to work

it's either the fish or the bank I get up for, if I give up the house or the fish one day i could retire

[fmelindy]

Originally Posted by Beandawg

I wish I could stop. My addictive personality won't let me.

I was gonna say the same thing. I reef because I don't seem to be able to "not reef". Almost wish I could, sometimes. I said "almost".

[ChadTheSpike]

Originally Posted by carnut

it's either the fish or the bank I get up for, if I give up the house or the fish one day i could retire

Where is the fun in that!!!

[Laurier]

it keeps me semi-sane

[Antonais1391]

i would go into petco and stare at the fish and hermits for hours so i finaly med up my mind and gave it a shot, now im this close {--} to having my first fish :]

[Alex T.]

Great thread. I reef mostly because of the many people that told me it's impossible to keep saltwater life alive in captivity. These same people have never tried, never challenged themselves, and probably killed countless goldfish by scrubbing bowls clean with soap and bleach. It's funny...the more you learn about something, the more you realize that the masses are dead wrong, and that very few people seek truth in order to understand.

[jbell370]

For me it was my father....I was 13 he had a couple tanks then finally bought a large (at the time) 240g tank that was an in wall. I watched him build a fake wall, looked at all the stuff, the equipment and started to help. Well years gone by he no longer has a tank and I grew up, bought a house of my own and went on my first real vacation. I returned from there and just thought something was missing, while away I went diving and sooner than later I put 2 and 2 together. That was all it took, I guess a reminder of my childhood and my Dad.

[rogersb]

I have had FW for years but last year finally got my own classroom and decided to put a tank in there. The guy I was carpooling with talked me into a 20g SW reef. I bought a 60g to replace it with but got moved to a different room with no place to put it. So, I built a stand and the plumbing, and now I have a bottomless money pit in my living room.

[ChadTheSpike]

Thanks to all who posted here, these are really great to read... Make me laugh and smile and everything
I made a word document of many of the reasons that I will look at from time to time whenever I have a hard reefing day (I really hate those!!!)
Thanks all!!!