Does your s/o support your reef?

[timrocks311]

My wife watches the fish sometimes...that's about it. She doesn't care about the corals, doesn't feed. I don't ask her to do any maintenance. She complains I spend too much time on it. She lets me have an allowance to spend but isn't happy about it. She has no hobby of her own so she doesn't understand why I have one. Sounds like the typical wife.

 

[Paul B]

Some day I am going to tell my wife that we have a fish tank

 

[User]

I wonder what it would take for me to get a fish room.....

A girlfriend?

Then you can get a fishroom... and an apartment, your own car, as many sink dinners as you like, shower beers...

 

[reefwiser]

My wife is use to the hobby. But all equipment in the house needs to past her approval of the looks of the tank in HER HOUSE. She is tried of the reef in the living room and so when I retire the will be a fish room in the garage that all saltwater tank will be exiled too. Which is fine I understand an I will be doing more breeding than a display tanks any way as having kept Saltwater for so long now a display tank doesn't interest me much any more. So the living room will have her prefered aquarium the planted tank which she like as she is a plant lover. I have found the high tech planted tank to be a great addition to my reef keeping as it uses many of the same skills and the advantage is that plants don't get RTN at the drop of a hat.

 

[wkd4b11]

My wife is supportive of me and the hobby.
She rarely looks at the tank and wont touch it but she knows I enjoy it.
She accompanies me to shows but I can tell it doesn't really interest her.

Most importantly, she's on board for a 200+ gallon display in our new home

 

[serwobow]

She has supported it from the beginning, but I think her interest has waned over the last 5 years or so. Lucky for me, our cat enjoys trying to attack the fish, and our son enjoys doing the water testing. Therefore it is safe!

 

[Jon Fishman]

Mine tolerates me... but that's with everything with and outside reefing, lol.

She will feed occasionally and check on the fish to make sure they are doing well when I'm out if town, though.

Pretty much this.....

 

[LMDAVE]

My wife loves the tank, and takes care of feeding during the day when I'm at work (flakes or frozen) and will send me little pictures during the day of positive stuff or even bad stuff, like...."Looks like the urchin you just put in is taking the clam for a ride."

 

[Bob Weigant]

When I met my wife she had never heard of the hobby. Took her to a few awesome Bay Area LFS's and she was amazed. Both step daughters love it and help me with the tanks when we go out of town. We've since put a couch out in the garage ( where my tanks are ) and everyone will sit and watch. Awesome to have their support

 

[Mastiffsrule]

How about a 4th choice. Couldn’t care less.

Other than the fact mine takes up a 1/4 of the room, she would not even notice

 

[Rockit]

It's all her fault.
I always kept fw "gladiator" (her description) tanks. Aggressive species that I usually fed live feeder fish or other live foods.
She hated the tank. It was in the living room. I had a peacock bass that would charge at you every time you're walking by. There were times I expected the tank to shatter he'd hit it so hard.
After 9 years of tolerating my tank.... and upon the demise of a red eared slider I had for almost 25 years, she declared no more.
It was a peaceful tank or no tank. Off the the aquarium store we go.
We walk in the first place.... huge selection (I think they have 600+ tanks, 90% fw).... and she doesn't find anything (fw) that she loves. Well, except for a red/gold arowana (she's Chinese)... uh, yeah.... most definitely not a community oriented fish. The $5,500 was not in the cards either.
2nd store, 3rd store... on and on. Same thing. EVERYTHING that stops her in her tracks is sw species.

She asks if I have ever thought about keeping a reef tank...... done deal.

Now if we have time to kill she drags me to aquarium stores.... and her "ideal vacation" was going to see the Georgia Aquarium. Back access tour and all.

 

[Auquanut]

My wife enjoys the tanks and seems proud of them. She shows them off to visitors more than I do. She keeps track of how their doing, and we talk about them often. Then again, she does get exasperated with the amount of time and money I spend. She can feed and do basic maintenance in a pinch, but basically I take care of everything. That works for both of us. She knows how important my tanks are to me, and that makes them important to her.

 

[CNDReef]

My wife looks at the tank once a month or so. I always hear “when did you get this coral?” It’s actually grown into that hunny lol. Most times I just buy new stuff and she doesn’t even notice. If she could get rid of it she would but I won’t have it. She thinks it’s a money pit but it’s my little corner of the house lol. Besides my daughter likes looking at the tank

 

[Adam Neely]

Mine will sit and watch the reefs and fish but completely feel it is a waste of money and often lets me know that. But once and a while she will show a slight spark of interest when I add something new. I agree with the others, thank goodness we have separate bank accounts.

 

[Bob Escher]

Mine is “kinda of” interested she remembers the fish and remembers some of the equipment but that’s it.
I tell her things about the tank and she understand but that’s all.
She Ike’s the do anything with the tank though

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have never had SO MUCH SUPPORT IN THIS HOBBY . . . . . Ever since I GOT RID OF HER!!!
Sorry, but true. Im glad to hear of support as in recent weeks, we have read of sabotage from significant other.

 

[PoeticInjustice]

My wife supports me in a way that she doesn’t care what I do or what I buy. She has no interest in it though, just stays in the car when we’re in the LFS and rarely looks at the tank. That’s good, I guess

 

[Mayerlyn A]

My husband is the best when it comes to the tank. He recently built me a stand for my new 29 gl. He also is the water guy, as he is the only one that mixes the water. He loves to show the tank off to his friends when they come over , so it works out for all.

 

[smilinteddy]

My wife is actually the one that encouraged me to get back in the hobby after a 12 year hiatus. She noticed how much our son Lincoln liked watching things swimming in the water (screensavers, nature shows, at the zoo etc. And she said that maybe it would be a cool idea to "get him a tank" instead of a bunch of dumb baby toys he would outgrow.

I'm not entirely sure she knew what she was getting in to, but she hasn't objected yet. [emoji6]

 

[Jet915]

My wife recommended that I go saltwater. Had freshwater for many years. Now she says I spend too much time with it. I always say its her fault and she has no response....haha. She just tolerates it now but she likes watching the tank occasionally....