At what age you will quit the hobby for good?

[beaslbob]

I'm 71 now and have had tanks for 9-10 years or so since the late '70's. No plans to stop. I also don't do water changes. LOL

 

[wowkingjames]

I'll quit when I've had enough until then I will keep reefing!

 

[Reef Pets]

Possibly 41

 

[dylana407]

Mental degradation may play a bigger part in the ability to mantain a tank than physical decay.

Have a shot of prime while adding vodka to the tank?

 

[DMG Reef]

I started my reef tank when I retired at 59. Fast forward 4 years, I'm 63 and still going strong! I think my tank maintenance has kept me in great shape. Without the tank, I might have spent a lot of time watching tv (shudder) and gotten lazy. Who knows, but I love my tank, I love this hobby, and I don't plan to quit any time soon!

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

When I die

 

[Kremis]

when im too physically disabled to maintain my tank

 

[Fin]

I am 63 now and don't have any significant wear and tear - yet. I am in the middle of a build now and hope that when I retire (hopefully in 18 months) I will have something to do. I plan to carry on until I just can't do it anymore. I tried to quit once and it just didn't work out. I have thought about coming up with a plan of what my wife can do with my tank(s) after I am gone. Maybe just give it away in a photo contest on my local forum. They will just have to come get it.

 

[tiggs]

Honestly, I never will, as long as I'm able to keep up with husbandry. I discovered reef keeping in 2000 and it's the one thing that has brought peace to my life and helped me maintain somewhat normal stress level. I stumbled into a saltwater fish shop that year on a whim and was completely mesmerized. Even if I ever go completely broke, I'll be the guy with the used 55G setup full of kenya trees, brown Petco leathers, and discount zoas.

 

[mfinn]

I'm closing in on 66 and I hope I have another 20+ years to keep my reef life going.

 

[chefjpaul]

When I drop dead.

Wife will donate livestock.
And sell the equipment to take a vacation when I'm gone, that's our plan.

 

[NY_Caveman]

The question for me is not when, but what happens next. My tank is still setting up, but I already gave my wife a plan should anything happen to me. Basically, which LFS to contact to give/breakdown the tank. She also has my info to log into this site for help.

Once the tank is setup she will have a detailed .pdf with images explaining the power setup and what each piece of equipment does. This is more important to me and the livestock than guessing when my time will come.

Reef Will.

 

[StingrayNYC]

I will never quit but definitely downgrade to something smaller.

 

[vic5hands]

I’d be [emoji88] dead

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

HI there
I'm 53 and I wonder how old can we still maintaining a reef tank. My daily task is fairly simple and don't take a lot of physical strength to do it. I wonder any reefer here are pass 80 years old.

It's like a farm. You either have sons & daughters help you or get hired hands. LOL

 

[Reefs anonymous]

I may quit when I retire probably at 60 years old. I plan to travel a lot more and that would require me leaving the tank couple months at a time. Currently I travel up to 3 weeks at a time and have to rely on a relative to check in on my tank when I do so. Every time I travel, I fear I will come home to a dead tank. I currently keep sps too so that danger is very real.

 

[Snuggs]

Hell, I started at age 53

 

[Fritzhamer]

This is so funny. The older I get the more time I have for the hobby. I had to get out for awhile due to college, then again when I had kids. After a decade break I have more kids, a business and the wisdom to automate everything I slacked on doing.

I always look to old age as the time when I’ll really be able to get serious about the hobby. Reef keeping can take up so much time that only the 70+ crowd can handle it.

 

[Ghxst]

I might quit once I move next to a real reef in the ocean I can help maintain and clean, even if it’s just picking up garbage out of the sand. So here’s to 60! Can’t vote though cause of the ageist choices.

 

[tony'stank]

I’m 71 years old. I am still able to do all of my own tank maintainence chores. I am switching to the Triton method so that I won’t have to do water changes. I still carry a fifty pound water ATO reservoir. When I can no no longer do these tasks I hope to be able to afford someone to service my tank