Revhtree says that "Sometimes it's OK to take a break from the hobby."

[BillyW]

Took about a 2 year break when we moved from Fort Knox to Fort Hood. I was miserable so I got a small tank tank and all was right in the world. Moved from Fort Hood to Fort Bliss for a year and although the move was Terrible everything lived. Got orders for Hawaii and now I have a big FOWLR tank itching to get back to the mainland to get some sticks again.
Fish are great but dang do I miss the challenge and the excitement of seeing frags grow, even if it’s just a few mm at a time. I will never be out of the hobby permanently. It does something for me that I need.

 

[revhtree]

This is the first time in like 19 years I haven’t had a tank. Trust me I will have one running again a ASAP!!!!!

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Longest I was out since starting out in my mid 20's was just under 3 years, back in 2012. Up until 2012, I consistently had either salt (predator esque fowlr) or fresh (discus) since '98. Divorce is hell on hobbies (so is alimony). Eased back in 2015 after divorce was finalized with a 30g aio and I'm loving that much more, this time around.

 

[Dave-T]

I was very heavily into fresh and saltwater back in my teens in the 70s. Just got back into it last year and started a reef tank. So I’d call it about a 45 year break.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

i haven't taken a break yet. When i entered the hobby in 2021, it was my first time coming into the SW side as i've done FW for some time. i did take an extended break from FW though, prior to entering SW.

Your still a newbie in saltwater so no break for you

 

[Bruce Burnett]

No one truly quits, we just take long breaks

Started saltwater in the 80s got out for a number of years for health reasons. Got back in with a 300 gallon. Sold every single thing having anything to do with aquariums for dirt cheap as we were moving again and planned to stay out of hobby. Had not even been in new house a year and was buying stuff to set up a 100 gallon display. So you are right just sometimes we take a long break.

 

[RocketEngineer]

When I first got into the hobby I was single in my first house. Lots of DIY because I had a limited budget. That DIY lead to too many changes too fast and the system crashed. But at that point there was a lady in the picture. Soon after getting engaged I lost my job and the hobby took a back seat. The tanks went into storage when we bought our current house. Eventually things settled down but it’s been about 6 years without a tank. The new one is going very slowly and there have been numerous stumbles in getting it set up. This time I’m going slow and making ease of maintenance a much higher priority.

Does not having a tank but still answering questions on a strangely popular thread count as leaving the hobby?

 

[Gtinnel]

I started in the hobby around 2000 and kept one or two tanks for about 9 years, when working two jobs and having young twins became too much and I got out of the hobby. I didn’t start another tank until 2019.

To be fair though I wasn’t taking a break from the hobby, because I had no intentions of ever getting back into the hobby. It was my wife’s idea to setup another tank, which is now 4. She says that suggesting a new tank is her biggest regret.

 

[Reefvision]

had sw tank in late 80’s - moved across country and then back in early 90’s - finally got back into sw /reefing in 2016. Been loving reefing now and have 4 different reef tanks in operation. So I guess I was out of hobby near 20 years or so.

 

[Nick Steele]

Only been in the hobby for 3 years and am actually setting up another tank in the near future. But I was very close to taking a break recently when we were moving. One place we were looking at didn’t want any pets including fish tanks. I lucked out and we found a better fit that didn’t mind tanks! So I just got rid of my 55G freshwater and will be replacing it with a 13.5G reef and 15G freshwater tank!

 

[Troylee]

Took a 12yr break after getting divorced and moving around multiple times… I wanted to set up a tank but I know better haha! I was renting different houses here and there and was like I’ll just get a small one for now that’s easy to move… uh huh…. Finally settled Into a new house and bought that “small tank” that lasted 4 months before I bought a huge one!

 

[MizzouMark]

I'm coming to the end of a seven-year break. I was transferred so had to take down the tank and dismantle everything for the move. I was getting ready to place the order for the new tank in early 2020 and COVID hit. I'm finally in a position now where I can place the tank order. The sump room is almost done so the 5 quarantine tanks can be put in use while the tank is being built. Good news is that my wife wanted a bigger tank (will be 360 gal) and I kept my old tank (225 gal).