Reef Conversations: Do you talk to your friends and family about your reef?

[e3pillereefer]

My family couldn't care less! My wife can't even fake enthusiasm but she will let me know when something sounds unusual...guess that's all I can ask for?

 

[Silv3rSubieDude]

My wife usually comes by the tank and will give some what's this? What's that? Questions followed up by the names of the things she knows! My uncle who got me into aquariums 30ish years ago came by recently to meet my newborn and he and I had some good tank talk that I don't have often!

 

[mdb_talon]

Rarely with my family. Often with my friends because most of them are reefers. If it was not for reefing I probably would be a hermit and talk to nobody anyway

 

[Ashish Patel]

My conversation usually resolve around me explaining to everyone how lucky they are to be in sight of a modern marvel. They just look at me like in speaking a different language and sometimes I keep talking bc I have to get it out. Right now my 4 year old son is the brunt of this but it's amazing that he actually remembers all the names. He calls green slimer green slimy and my Milka stylo an octopus

 

[Mackey]

I make it a point to kidnap people, tie them to a chair, put them at gunpoint and talk to them about clownfish breeding. plus you can hold them for ransom and get more money for corals! Win Win!

 

[paparoof]

Used to be my wife would ask "whatchya doin?" and I would answer in detail while watching her eyes roll to the back of her head. Now when she asks that question I just say "fish tank stuff".

 

[doubleshot00]

I try to but after about 30 seconds I usually get a look from people like I am speaking Mandarin and they are no longer interested lol!

People are usually astonished about what the equipment it takes to keep everything alive.

I see your from SE NC where?

 

[dcsorrell]

If someone asks what I do for fun, or what I'm doing in my spare time lately, then I'll tell them.

My friends know (well, not about this new project yet), and they'll politely ask a question now and then, but I try not to make their eyes glaze over. (They know I'm not normal .)

My aunts and cousins love me, but they do not undersand. Nope, not at all. They think it's a lot of work and money. (It's okay; I think shopping for and dusting trinkets is also a lot of work and money! )

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

My family doesn’t care about the tanks and my friends aren’t into it either. So now I just sit there alone and talk to myself about the tanks.

Just don't argue and your good!

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[iFunnny]

I post pics and vids of my tanks and inhabitants every few days and friends reach out sometime to say they wanna visit and see all the pretty stuff! and then i get to talk about all the geeky stuff, its fun!

 

[HBtank]

I tailor it to the audience and interest, which more often than not are people who don’t even notice the tank. I keep conversations when not near the tank extremely limited unless they are obviously in the hobby.

Even family members who enjoy similar (have a brother who likes planted tanks) hobbies can only take short bursts of anything meaningful before their eyes glaze over, so I just respect that.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Ah ha, I guess it's not just me, there's a whole bunch of you out there!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ashish Patel]

I had a reefer come over to do some trades. When he left my wife gave me some feedback. She said I think you where talking and wanting to show him too much and he clearly was in a rush. Lol. I said it's the first reefer seeing my tank I was excited that someone understood the crap that was was coming out my mouth. I was more excited to show a fellow reefer my tank than getting corals

 

[Ashish Patel]

I can't believe how similar all our personality are. Its that OCD gene and wanting to learn and master something in us all

 

[Petcrazyson]

I make it a point to kidnap people, tie them to a chair, put them at gunpoint and talk to them about clownfish breeding. plus you can hold them for ransom and get more money for corals! Win Win!

Good idea…I may go ahead with that plan then

 

[FourPawz]

People are usually astonished about what the equipment it takes to keep everything alive.

I see your from SE NC where?

I am just across the bridge in Leland. Work in the junction.

 

[doubleshot00]

I am just across the bridge in Leland. Work in the junction.

Me to. Right off 133.

 

[Mackey]

Good idea…I may go ahead with that plan then

Although it comes with the caveat that once you get to how to culture rotifers, most of them choose the bullet.

 

[Fish_Fry]

I wish I had more friends I could talk to about the hobby. It's usually quick conversations when people come over and see the tank. I also have a 5 gallon FW planted cherry shrimp tank in my office at work. I find it's a great conversation starter and people always ask about it, but not to any deep extent.