Most under appreciated thing about reefing

[kartrsu]

Another friend visits and sees my aquarium for the first time. After the usual “wow” and “so cool” statements, I’m always expecting the “are those real plants?” question and hoping to avoid the “how much did this all cost” follow up. . Little do they know I’ve spent countless hours / weeks / months researching on corals, fish, inverts, equipment, vendors, care tips, additives, biome health, redundancy for power outages, etc all while digging myself into Chapter 7 bankruptcy (jk!) Yet through it all, I find incredible peace and happiness looking at a thriving tank, noticing the tiny pods to the flourescent colors to the clicky noises my cardinalfish makes when it gets territorial.

What’s the most underappreciated and rewarding thing about reefing in your opinion?

For me personally, I never really appreciated how every little decision impacts the entire ecosystem and how involved you would be. Neglect is a forbidden idea if you want a reef tank. Also didn’t appreciate how many people have gone down the same path and became experts themselves. The most rewarding though, is seeing everything happy, in balance, and growing.

 

[Gedxin]

Little do they know I’ve spent countless hours / weeks / months researching on corals, fish, inverts, equipment, vendors, care tips, additives, biome health, redundancy for power outages, etc all while digging myself into Chapter 7 bankruptcy (jk!) Yet through it all, I find incredible peace and happiness looking at a thriving tank, noticing the tiny pods to the flourescent colors to the clicky noises my cardinalfish makes when it gets territorial.

Couldn't have said it better.

As for your question...I'd say all the accessible information and tech is most under appreciated. I'm only been reefing for <2 years and I feel like it's been so much longer thanks to all the information available. We're just so much more empowered now.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Bumping this conversation back up because I think it's a great topic and could be a great thread.

 

[Mr Fishface]

For me it's the microorganisms. The little pods running around, tiny brittle starfish arms poking out of rocks. My favorite underappreciated thing is algae! I find all the types so interesting.

 

[Auquanut]

For me it's the fact of the reef itself. When people come over, they are interested, impressed. They love the colors and movement of the fish and corals. They kind of expect that I just throw water and food into the tank, and it all just happens.

When I try to explain how everything comes together to make this miracle happen, many just get kinda glassy eyed. When they realize that it takes a serious personal and financial investment, the interest tends to cool.

But for me, even after decades of keeping aquariums, and over 6 years of keeping reefs, I still can't get over the idea that I have a healthy, thriving coral reef in my house in the middle of the Midwest. It still blows my mind. Hope it always will.

 

[Reefbuds]

For me it's the fact that *you* have crafted a unique, tailored ecosystem that has slowly evolved its own unique bio essence. Not all tanks are alike and not all tanks run off of the same bacteria ratios or bacteria in general. It is a thing of wonder to be able to recreate a small part of the ocean in your home with such simple ingredients. Watching the system grow and grow until it is full of thriving corals, fish and micro organisms that basically take care of themselves outside of a few essential care items that it cannot make itself such as food and nutrients. Running a reef tank off nothing more than a hob filter and a balanced ecosystem of bacteria and organisms so far away from the ocean is just amazing. Just the fact that we can do this in our own homes shows the resilience and will to live that nature is capable of. The colors are beautiful, but the energy a healthy reef tank gives off is something to behold.

 

[In the sticks]

There’s a number of things it’s hard to pick one. Maybe each reef tank is so unique that you could never see the combination of corals and fish inverts anywhere else in the world! And the interest from people that know nothing about the ocean and they instantly have a spark of curiosity and interest

 

[family reefer]

Lots of people out side the hobby wouldn't understand the time and dedication that goes into reef keeping.

 

[Dierks]

Another friend visits and sees my aquarium for the first time. After the usual “wow” and “so cool” statements, I’m always expecting the “are those real plants?” question and hoping to avoid the “how much did this all cost” follow up. . Little do they know I’ve spent countless hours / weeks / months researching on corals, fish, inverts, equipment, vendors, care tips, additives, biome health, redundancy for power outages, etc all while digging myself into Chapter 7 bankruptcy (jk!) Yet through it all, I find incredible peace and happiness looking at a thriving tank, noticing the tiny pods to the flourescent colors to the clicky noises my cardinalfish makes when it gets territorial.

What’s the most underappreciated and rewarding thing about reefing in your opinion?

For me personally, I never really appreciated how every little decision impacts the entire ecosystem and how involved you would be. Neglect is a forbidden idea if you want a reef tank. Also didn’t appreciate how many people have gone down the same path and became experts themselves. The most rewarding though, is seeing everything happy, in balance, and growing.

Quarantine! It's hard and if all goes well it's very anticlimactic but it so necessary for a long standing tank with little, to no disease. Yet at the same time very few people will ever know you did it. But when you see happy, healthy fish that people think is easy to get to that stage its worth every moment IMO.

 

[Gatorpa]

For me it's the fact that *you* have crafted a unique, tailored ecosystem that has slowly evolved its own unique bio essence. Not all tanks are alike and not all tanks run off of the same bacteria ratios or bacteria in general. It is a thing of wonder to be able to recreate a small part of the ocean in your home with such simple ingredients. Watching the system grow and grow until it is full of thriving corals, fish and micro organisms that basically take care of themselves outside of a few essential care items that it cannot make itself such as food and nutrients. Running a reef tank off nothing more than a hob filter and a balanced ecosystem of bacteria and organisms so far away from the ocean is just amazing. Just the fact that we can do this in our own homes shows the resilience and will to live that nature is capable of. The colors are beautiful, but the energy a healthy reef tank gives off is something to behold.

Well said

 

[benmed]

For me it's the fact of the reef itself. When people come over, they are interested, impressed. They love the colors and movement of the fish and corals. They kind of expect that I just throw water and food into the tank, and it all just happens.

When I try to explain how everything comes together to make this miracle happen, many just get kinda glassy eyed. When they realize that it takes a serious personal and financial investment, the interest tends to cool.

But for me, even after decades of keeping aquariums, and over 6 years of keeping reefs, I still can't get over the idea that I have a healthy, thriving coral reef in my house in the middle of the Midwest. It still blows my mind. Hope it always will.

Let’s goooooo Midwest!

 

[davidcalgary29]

It's the little things. And by that I mean the eensy tiny arthropods and echinoderms that I can clearly view in my tanks in a way that I never could in the ocean. So complex! So fascinating! I put a frag with a tiny mushroom in my Evo this afternoon...and watched a tiny striped brittle star creep out from it a moment later.

Then there are the places where the substrate meets the glass. When I take a close look at it, I see innumerable little tunnels running through it, with complex communities of microalgae and bacteria. It's like an underwater anthill, but much more complex.

It's like watching an oceanic version of Microcosmos, an amazing movie I saw a quarter of a century ago and still think about today. I wouldn't have noticed any of these things without owning aquariums.

 

[ZipAdeeZoa]

For me its probably the oddball fish. I've always had soft spot for the oddballs and less mainstream animals. Those duller colours and shyer dispositions always seem cast aside. In my Reefer I'm planning on having a couple pretty fish (pink skunk clowns, Orchid dotty back) but what I'm most looking forward to securing are a radial filefish and ORA's black cardinal! For me the less you see a fish the more special it is when you do. I'm also fascinated by evolution so the more obscure the niche the more appealing I find it!

 

[Saltees]

I would say it's the journey itself! it's through the ups and downs that make the reef tank you see today. It will be always a work in progress, it will never be finished till it's finished. So relax and embrace what's lie ahead!

 

[mermaid_life]

I think it's underappreciated how satisfying this hobby is for many professions and personality types:

- the ocd
- the nurturers
- growers
- learner's
- animal lovers
- plumbers
- electricians
- programmers,..... So many more

It can be as manual or automated as people want it to be. There's daytime, nighttime, and everything in between activities. I can feed my fish any time during the day (fish ain't going to complain if they get more food) and get satisfaction or feed my corals at night and still get satisfaction from a feeding response (as opposed to watering a plant).

I used to travel a lot for work and I could still have a tank. I now work from home much more and can poke at my tank between meetings.

I just feel like there's not many hobbies that feels rewarding and multifaceted yet flexible on when you need to give it attention.

 

[davidcalgary29]

I think it's underappreciated how satisfying this hobby is for many professions and personality types:


- the nuturers

I first read this as "the nutters" and I thought "well, sure, fair enough. Thanks for including me!"

 

[mermaid_life]

I first read this as "the nutters" and I thought "well, sure, fair enough. Thanks for including me!"

editing if i can

 

[davidcalgary29]