Weekly Discussion - How do you justify your reef?

[Anonymous]

Weekly Discussion - How do you justify your reef?

With all the resources consumed coupled with large amount of money it takes to run a reef tank, how do you justify keeping one?

About the RDO Weekly Discussion:
This discussion is meant to get at your experience and to share information that is in your head, so don't necessarily treat it as information gathering. State your opinion and, if available, use material, anecdotal or otherwise, that will back up your opinion.
Past weekly discussions will be archived in the archives.
If you have topics that you think would be helpful for the RDO community to discuss, please send me a pm.

 

[Anonymous]

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t ... ht=galleon

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthrea ... ht=galleon

 

[Anonymous]

When I had mine, in a word -- education.

When I finally set up my first marine tank it quickly evolved into a reef system. At the time I was living in a mixed income neighborhood, and we had many neighbors with little to no education, whose children were completely fascinated with this world they had no idea existed.

To see their faces when I let them put their hand into the tank, only to have the cleaner shrimps come up, arms waving, to clean them was priceless. Their reactions at touching a sea star motivated me to begin re-educating them on the natural world. I would like to think that what I taught them of the connections between my microcosm and the macrocosm we live in has led to many more conscientious people, intent on preserving the natural world.

 

[AllenF]

I have high blood pressure.

I needed a second hobby to the computer.

We have a 2 year old that will grow up more educated on the life which occupies the majority of this planet.

It looks good in the living room.

We had a spot that needed somthing in it.

It is relaxing to watch and doubles as a piece of furniture.

Better to have someone like myself who at least TRYS to take care of these critters than someone who is going to let them die or poor beer into the tank.

I am always up for somthing new, I love to learn, and I get obscessive about my hobbies....what better is there than this for that type of a personality?

I enjoy helping others with their projects by letting them benifit from my experience/mistakes.

 

[Anonymous]

It stops me from becoming a serial killer or running for political office, both of which would waste a greater amount of resources.

 

[shaw]

Well, i propagate corals because i would like to offer people tank-raised corals instead of the wild caught colonies they can get in stores. I have worked at a couple of fish stores, and it truly disgusted me on how people didn't care how the fish and corals were taken from the ocean, i try to grow my own corals for me and other people
thanks
shawn

 

[Len]

My justification is rather simplistic and selfish: I just feel a lot more at home when I have a coral reef close to me. I really don't know why this is; if I believed in reincarnation, I must've been some reef critter in my past life.

 

[TheOgre]

Between hockey and work I need something that I can relax with....

Something besides just beer that is...

 

[LA-Lawman]

After a hard day on the streets. I hang my uniform up in my locker, but the stuff is still in my head... I go home and loose myself in the reef and my family.

The eco-system that lives in my living room reminds me of the other things that occur throughout the world. it keeps me in check from always thinking about work....

i like to come home park all of myself in front of the tank. grab a cup of coffee or even a sandwhich and just watch....

TV is second to the tank!

 

[Anonymous]

Its a hell of an interior decorating statement!

Like the guy at my LFS says, it looks a lot nicer than a piano, and costs about the same.

 

[mountainbiker619]

back in my single days..it was a great way to get women over to my place.."hey, want to come over and check out my reef tanks"..lol

 

[EmilyB]

mental illness

 

[Anonymous]

It is an expensive little hobby, now isn't it? 8O What's is funny is how the investment never ends. You are always looking for a way to make it better. I don't even want to know how much money I have spent on this hobby in the 2 - 1/2 years I've been in it. There is no doubt that my retirement has been set back by this hobby. I don't care though, because I believe that this hobby adds quality to your life in so many ways. It is relaxing, yet mentally stimulating. It's not just a hobby, it is a way of life. I can't think of anything that I enjoy more than this hobby. Well, I can think of one thing :arrow: .

Louey

 

[Robin Goodfellow]

hi.
Louey and MB619, keep in mind that this is not The Sump :wink:

Like the guy at my LFS says, it looks a lot nicer than a piano, and costs about the same.

It is interesting because my wife and I set up budget for piano (her) and tank (me). The main difference is that a piano can goes for years without tuning, but a fish tank usually have pretty big effect on your electricity bill every month.

 

[teevee]

i'm looking at at least another six years of school, including at least four years of grad school, before i see any return on my blood, sweat and tears. i needed a relatively short-term project to provide some type of extrinsic reward now, before insanity set in.

 

[Anonymous]

It's like therapy - it relaxes me to watch it.
It's educational
My kids are growing up with an awareness of this planet that most kids dont have.
It adds a lot of class to the house
It keeps off the computer somewhat. (I said SOMEWHAT, because I LOVE those flight sims!)
I can't put a price in the amount of enjoyment I get from it...
I just can't get back into freshwater anymore after keeping reefs.

Jim

 

[tlc]

without it i would be a serious drug addict...

 

[ReefMon]

I find more and more I use my reef's as an educational tool, my kids are all aware of the plight of the worlds reefs, all our friends and our kids friends get the full story and we even have hosted class trips to see the tanks and get educated on the "wonderful world of reefs".


Besides, my reefs are allot cheaper than buying a ticket to go diving at St. Somewhere every night

 

[Anonymous]

First of all, Being an adult, I don't have to justify my reefs to anyone!

Second. It's just one of my hobbies. yeah, it may be the most expensive month-month. but I haven't dropped $2000 on a reef in one sitting, Like I did my last computer. But I do have more money in my reef than I do most of my other hobbies (and we're not talking about electricity either.) So it's not about the money as much as the time I spend working on my tanks.

B

 

[Mogo]

Simple. I can't justify it.

It's a hobby that empties my wallet, and worries me silly when I'm away. The costs involved constantly put me into denial and I have to hide the expense bills from my wife. I've had to get the carpet cleaned twice which doesn't sit well around here. I have to change out 3 MH's this month and I'm still plotting a way to weasel them in. In my wifes eyes, a few hundred bucks for light bulbs is unjustifiable. But the rewards are many, like when my kids class came over to gawk at it.

But can I justify it? Nope.

Would have it any other way? Nope.