What has patience taught you in the hobby?

[Gumbies R Us]

For a lot of us, we want to potentially rush into things. Maybe it is getting a tank going as quick as we can or rush to buy the newest equipment/product on the market. However, sometimes it is better to be patient, since patience can lead to fewer consequences. I am wondering, what has patience taught you specifically in the hobby? Curious to know what everyone says!

 

[KrisReef]

I’m not hyper impulsive but I don’t know patience and if I did I can’t say that I can learn much from the aggravation that the concept inspires.

I too wonder what it has taught others who have learned from it. Totally foreign concept and I have lived to regret that I don’t understand it, perhaps?

 

[Uncle99]

It’s taught me that in some instances, doing nothing is better.

 

[bushdoc]

I would reverse it and say that Reef keeping taught me patience.
Not only aiming for stability and waiting slowly for results, but also resisting new trends until they bullet proof

 

[EricR]

It’s taught me that in some instances, doing nothing is better.

Yep -- sometimes things that seem substantial at first notice have a way of working themselves out.

Impatience has taught me that stuff I think I need to deal with something is often likely to end up being unused/unnecessary in the long run.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Yep -- sometimes things that seem substantial at first notice have a way of working themselves out.

Impatience has taught me that stuff I think I need to deal with something is often likely to end up being unused/unnecessary in the long run.

I agree with this too, usually I want to be hands-on and take action when I can, but sometimes it is better to just have a hands-off approach

 

[Uncle99]

Yep -- sometimes things that seem substantial at first notice have a way of working themselves out.

Impatience has taught me that stuff I think I need to deal with something is often likely to end up being unused/unnecessary in the long run.

Well stated!

 

[mijan]

When I feel like being lazy I can pass it off as patience.

 

[BigMonkeyBrain]

I agree with this too, usually I want to be hands-on and take action when I can, but sometimes it is better to just have a hands-off approach

Eleven years since my last marine tank. I am two weeks into the ugly stage; my tank is 8-weeks old. I dipped the corals and killed what good was attached to the plugs. I ordered some pods, Seachem Trace and Reef Plus. I know this ugly stage should pass soon.

I think my corals are releasing a lot of DOM .


I will mail order a CUC at 12-weeks.


Probably happens !

 

[EliMelly]

I’ve learned to never rush, for instance I just tested water at a lfs and they told me my salinity was 1.017 I freaked out went home about to slowly raise the salinity but first recalibrated both of my refractometer and turns out I was at 1.025. Could’ve had some devastating results…

 

[Reefer Matt]

Patience to me is about letting go of control. Sometimes it's best to let things play out, rather than constantly interjecting to try to control the outcome. We are our own worst enemies by overthinking and overdoing sometimes.

 

[Legendary Corals]

That the longer I wait for early adopters to try out new trends, the more money I save. As long as I stick my the basic principles of reefings, I don't need to try out all of the latest things. Time will tell if they're actually beneficial to my style of reef keeping or if it's just another fad.

Now if we discuss what impatience has taught me, that's a whole different story. As I believe failing teaches far more quickly than success.

 

[reefadam]

Patience, in the hobby, has taught me to let things develop and consider the reaction before implementing a change. It has taught me to let things try to work themselves out on their own before making drastic changes or decisions. It has taught me that various algal blooms may be overcome by not freaking out letting the system itself consume it. It has taught me to only change a few variables at a time (typically try to limit to one). It has taught me the value of buying coral small and letting it grow, which will often be a more a more natural shape adapted to its new environment. It has taught me to enjoy the proces; that one days’ diligence will not grow a perfect colony, it is repeated ad infinitum that yields success . It has taught me to wait for the perfect photo opportunity.

“Only bad things happen fast.”

I’d like to believe these lessons have translated to other aspects of my life as well.

And of course there are situations where there is no time for patience and that action must be taken: times of fish aggression, rapid crashes, coral tissue recession, etc… but I’d like to think the patience learned has led me to learn the difference, as well as to try and keep a cool head when things aren’t going exactly to plan.

 

[KrisReef]

Now if we discuss what impatience has taught me, that's a whole different story. As I believe failing teaches far more quickly than success.

That’s how I looked at it and that’s how I came to be a recognized leader at failing. If anyone needs to learn more about failure I can help!

 

[Richsoar]

Patience? What is it really? Or how long is it? Patience is like "Common Sense", what or the way you view things in your Common Sense may be totally different than mine. But back to my original question(s): An appropriate amount of time one waits before acting on what ever it is your patiently waiting on. But who or what defines "appropriate". This is one of those questions that will keep going round and round. As for this Hobby, I have a 72g Bow Front tank that sprung a leak. Fortunately I had two other tanks that could handle the wildlife. Emptied it, cleaned it, then removed all the old silicone sealant and re-sealed the entire tank. Patiently waited twice the amount of time for the new silicone to dry then filled it; only enough to cover the bottom seals with about two inches of water and let it set. Two weeks later no leaks, yea! filled it half full, two more weeks, still good, all the way up and month later it is still dry on the outside. Woo hoo, I think that qualifies for being patient.
Oh, the tank is still good, for the past year its been sitting in my wood shop filled and operating with nothing in it. We decided to do a full house renovation right after I had finished cycling it. That was almost a year ago, no the house isn't finished yet but I'm being patient. So a couple of weeks ago I walk into the shop and the tank is covered in brown algae, I'm assuming Diatoms. There isn't anything in the tank in terms of nutrients how can this stuff live and grow. ..... I'll patiently clean it out and start over as soon as we get to move back in.

 

[UtahReefer]

Most of us see a beautiful new pristine tank and we want to fill it up. We look at the gorgeous tanks we see online and just can't wait to get there. I think it's just a natural impulse and desire. Not having patience and embracing the impulse usually leads to self induced problems, and unfortunately we painfully learn from these. Over time patience is the only thing that breeds success. Go slow, know you will be there some day. Change only one thing at a time and then wait, observe, and learn patience. The only thing you should be truly concerned about is stability, it is the "end all" to success in reefing.

 

[Paul B]

Reefing has taught me that our tanks and the sea run in cycles. I noticed that when I SCUBA dove for almost 50 years as the sea bottom changed over the years. I also notice cycles in my tank. Some last a few years and some last 5 years. Some cycles SPS grow up the walls and some cycles I can't keep a toggle bolt alive. Especially those aluminum ones from Home Depot.

 

[PeterErc]

All I need is light, flow and rock. Good water for changes and top off. DIY calcium and alkalinity. Don’t listen to BRS, wait, I mean the BS. Don’t compete with the Joneses. It is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it.