Enjoying, Feeding, Cleaning, Researching, Chatting: How much time do you spend reefing?

[revhtree]

Reefing is a part to full time hobby! We spend a ton of time doing things like watching and enjoying our tanks, cleaning and maintaining them, talking about them, researching them and more! We may even spend more times "working our tanks" than we do working our jobs! So let's talk about that today!

1. How many hours combined do you spend on your tank WEEKLY? (take everything into consideration)

2. What makes up most of your reefing time?

image of Giorgio D'Antonio's reef tank via @Aquaforest

 

[brandon429]

I spend ten hours a day reefing online since 2001.

and I still haven't seen one stuck cycle out of all possible examples searchable. I spend a total of 15 mins a month on the actual reef, by average.

 

[stephnjeph]

According to my wife, I spend far too much time reefing. Maintenance takes up the majority for me.

Different tanks, cultures, and tasks scheduled daily through the week. An endless yet rewarding cycle of cultivation.

 

[Gtinnel]

Does my time spent on this forum count, because that's going to be most of what my time related to this hobby is spent on? Id say I spend on average at least 3 hours a day on this forum, and less than 30 minutes working on the aquarium per day

 

[MarshallB]

1. How many hours combined do you spend on your tank WEEKLY? (take everything into consideration)

I'd say roughly 10 hours a week with feeding, cleaning, actually sitting down and watching the tank. Some weeks more some weeks less.

2. What makes up most of your reefing time?

Viewing the tank. Inspecting all the life to see if I notice anything new or different.

 

[LRT]

Lol I voted other because I'm not sure if the 6-8hrs a day i spend observing reef through wyze cam while I'm at work counts
Otherwise it really depends whats happening. If its water change, cleaning or filter change week somewhere around 2-3hours. Im all about streamlining and trying to figure out better more efficient ways to do things lately.

 

[Jaden9933]

I spend almost the entire day, just about every single day, looking at my tank for a few hours, going on Reef2Reef throughout the day, SoCaliReefs periodically, and Instagram throughout the day. My Instagram is my reef account that only follows other reefers. Another time consuming part, for me, is the photography! Aside from that, I spend hours adding corals to my carts, that I’ll never be able to afford ;Hilarious

 

[LRT]

Lol rev really should have thrown r2r time into the mix. If I am adding r2r time in. That plus wyze cam time im easily pushing 40-60 hrs just goofing off haha

 

[Jaden9933]

Lol rev really should have thrown r2r time into the mix. If I am adding r2r time in. That plus wyze cam time im easily pushing 40-60 hrs just goofing off haha

I consider Reef2Reef to be research. I learn something new nearly every day so I’m accounting for that time as well!

 

[rtparty]

Between this, Facebook, IG, and my tank it's easily 25-30 hours a week

 

[G Santana]

Ask my wife and she'll say too much.
I have a problem.... I am a Reefer!!!

I enjoy the meticulous aspect of this hobby... ALOT. When I see a reef tank well maintained and thriving, I need to know what that person is doing and what they have done. Anyone can have short term success, it's that long term success that I crave.
Yeah, I have a problem and I LIKE IT!!!

 

[ShadowMan]

Being new to reefing (6+ months) and still learning the ins and outs, and doing a lot of it manually, I spend easy 30+ hours a week... maintenance, cleaning, dosing, feeding, top off, testing, researching, reading and then of course, there's just simply enjoying the view

 

[MoMoTheMonster]

As a newer reefer I've found that I spend less time with my tanks during the warmer months. I still maintain and care for them, just less time staring at them and less coral shopping which has been nice for my bank account. In the colder months, my time with my tank doubles or triples and so does my coral buying habits

 

[Greybeard]

I've got a system designed to be easy, and quick, to maintain. Manual weekly water changes take me maybe 5 minutes. Run a Tunze clean magnet over the 3 viewable sides of the tank once a week. Just got rid of my skimmer, that's one weekly item I no longer have to maintain. Put a dose of Kalk in my reactor once a month. Check Calc/Alk/Mag dosing jugs, have to refill every couple of months. Pull some macro once every few months. Test high level alarms, float valves, etc...
I do a complete, empty the sump, clean and inspect EVERYTHING, once a year. Takes me most of a day. Clean the screen top, flow pumps, wipe down the outside of the sump... Inspect and clean every pump, bulkhead, valve, dosing head, submerged electrical cable... everything. Scatter that 8 or 10 hours over 52 weeks? Eh. It's nothing. One day a year.

Maintenance, maybe 20 minutes a week, divided evenly (which is isn't).

Feeding? Auto feeder gets refilled every couple of weeks. A single chunk of Rod's every night at dinner time. Maybe half an hour a week.

Talking reefing? Got a good friend that's a reefer, maybe an hour, maybe a couple... on a weekend when we attend a trade show or coral swap, maybe lots more. On here? I'm in the forums a couple of times a day. Not much real time, though.

Enjoying my reef? I make it a point to sit down with a cold beverage at the tank every day. That's what it's here for, after all . Hour a day? More or less, it varies.

 

[Dbichler]

I said up to 15 hours about an hour and a half on here a day and half an hour or so feeding my tank. I enjoy every minute of it besides the wife complaining about the time I spend on everything.

 

[ckozma]

The more I automate, the more I have time to enjoy my tank. Automated water testing and aquarium computers have made this hobby much more enjoyable for me. Automatic water changes so I don't have to carry buckets anymore. I only spend an hour a week or so total as I clean a little every few days and it takes no time. I am not counting viewing time as that is done from the couch hah.

 

[Chris Spaulding]

If I add it all up 20-25 hrs a week. Thats being on R2R, maintenance , research, talking to my reef buddies. Hitting the shops on weekends and the time just sitting in front of the tanks watching. Ok more like 30-35 hrs

 

[attiland]

Hi my name is Attila and I am a reefoholic. Weekly I spend minimum 10 hours on R2R
15 minutes feeding
5 hours watching the tank
10 hours researching / shopping
10 hours dreaming

I am an addict and I like it

 

[Siberwulf]

How much time do I spend with my tank? At least 40 hours a week. It sits behind me in my office and as a nerd, I'm 100% WFH.

How much time do I work on it? Very little right now. Maybe 5-10 mins each morning with dosing and testing. Little more than that on the weekend. Not doing WCs right now, so that's a plus.

 

[LPS Bum]

Between my reef and my large FOWLR, I'd say 5-10 hours per week, on average. And to be honest, it's getting to be too much with work and kids.

I thought automation would help, but it really hasn't cut down on the hours. Still, I love the hobby, and I don't want to see my animals suffer from neglect, so what can you do?