Fool proof way to get your loved ones to look at your reef tank

[tautog83]

I feel like a lot of people are shocked when you say yes I'm getting fish in the mail today so I have to be home . It blows their mind because you can only get fish in the pet store lol. Always have to remind them a month or 2 ago this fish was swimming in Indonesia or the red sea somewhere

 

[Captain Quint]

It's part of a lifestyle here. Even my now adult children are deep in the hobby. I bought them each 180g several years back. lol

 

[CindyKz]

My husband is an animal lover so he worries about the fishes' welfare almost as much as I do but that's pretty much where his interest ends. He doesn't mind lugging water for changes or feeding the fish when I work late but he doesn't do much else. Once in a while I can drag him to a reef club event with me LOL.

 

[siggy]

My wife could care less and would be happy to see it go. My son has a mild interest and helps out.

 

[RobZilla04]

Wife and kid love to look at it. Can care less or appreciate the effort it takes to maintain or how.

 

[JDowns]

They loved looking at the euphylia and gsp and anything that waved around with the flow. As I slowly moved to all acros and sps they seem to have lost interest while mine has only grown.
Waiting to pull colors out of acros and seeing them grow.

This is so true. The hobby needs a bobble head Acro.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

My parents aka tolerate it but know nothing much about it. Yes they bought me a 425 gallon tank lol, but even now since junior high I still have to tell them everything is alive.

Usually when people come over it does grasp their attention for most of the time. But then they leave, and whenthey come back it’s back to square one again.

However my niece and nephews love the tank and always wanna come see it. At one point when I was in medical school, a person that I was thinking about dating decided to grab the long spine sea urchin. In honesty, (this sounds sooo bad omg) when I had him come over I was going to say we need to have separate ways. I was still in medical school and he complained every day that I had
No time to go party (no kidding). Him grabbing the long spine urchin well, made it so I didn’t have to bring that up. After taking him to the er he said he was never coming over again, (in my mind I was YES).

 

[sfin52]

My wife choosing fish does help

I was going to say encouraging wife (Heather) and kids to pick out stuff. They don't sit in front of it quite like I do. I do find Heather gazing in the tank from time to time. She doesnt research like me but she retains info and can tell people about the tank. She simple amazes me.

 

[4FordFamily]

I was going to say encouraging wife (Heather) and kids to pick out stuff. They don't sit in front of it quite like I do. I do find Heather gazing in the tank from time to time. She doesnt research like me but she retains info and can tell people about the tank. She simple amazes me.

She sounds like a winner! I have caused a flood and a fire over my 14 year tenure in the hobby (noob not having any idea what I was doing and not handy in the slightest) -- so I understand why my wife isn't a huge fan, notwithstanding the unbelievable amount of money spent on fish LOL

 

[Johniejumbo]

It's part of a lifestyle here. Even my now adult children are deep in the hobby. I bought them each 180g several years back. lol

You looking to adopt a 40 year old?

 

[Johniejumbo]

All I have to do to get people to notice my tank is have an algae bloom. It never fails.

 

[Amps Reef Life]

Yes, my wife loves our tank. She has a tank of her own that I take care of crouse lol. We spend a lot of time in front of the tanks talking about the fish and coral. She does like to point out when she sees some bubble algae or an aiptasia which grinds my gears LOL.

 

[Ruben's Reef]

My wife every day look at the tank and ask me What's new today on the tank? I said nothing but last Friday I bought a little Red dragon goby and one of my sons said..yeah I see a little red fish with a yellow fins on the bottom, let me show you!!! LOL.
My family love to see my tank but yesterday I had a family party (around 30 people ) and they only come to my house once a month. So you can't imagine how many questions I have to answer related to my reef tank. They told me...man you becoming a saltwater expert. Then I said... nope, the family reefing Reef2reef is teaching me how to take care of my other babies under water.

 

[dugthefish]

It's part of a lifestyle here. Even my now adult children are deep in the hobby. I bought them each 180g several years back. lol

Will you be my new daddy?

 

[Richard Hercher]

My kids want more fish. My wife wants it to look pretty, anemone, clam, urchins.

None of them are happy with my algae outbreak, but were not willing to forgo Christmas presents this year so I could buy a RODI and Sump.

 

[Booger McMoron]

I originally planned for a FOWLR tank. The wife noticed corals and some other pretty fish. Next thing I know, her and the youngest daughter are researching what fish we can have and corals that are great for beginners. Now she is liking SPS corals so I see a new lighting purchase coming. I had no intention of getting her involved. It was my way to relax after retiring from drag racing motorcycles.

 

[ca1ore]

Somewhat. They like having the tank, and will often note that there’s a new fish, but not interested enough to pitch in and help .... though I do get my 16 year old to lug the heavy stuff for me.

 

[RMS18]

Off topic but we just watched Bird Box this past weekend ... Hats off to Netflix.

 

[User1]

Nice bottle of wine and a charcuterie tray. Then again last time I did that 9 months later we had a daughter. Joking aside my better half is not all that interested in it and treats it like any other hobby I have. Conversations come up, drive by viewings, and from time to time she will sit in the room with a glass of wine to chit chat about it. All of my children enjoy it and will help out. Daughter is more into planted tanks at the moment and one son is into reefs although is tankless at the moment. Extended family is hit or miss although my niece and nephew love it - but what young child doesn't, right?

I find couples in general always have to do a give or take, right? I may not like their hobby, they may not like mine - but in the end you talk about it, show an interest, and life continues.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Reef Box