Spouse thinks reef lighting is tacky...

JaaxReef

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So... yes, another thread on this topic.

A little background: My wife is VERY into aesthetics. If something doesn’t perfectly fit the room or it doesn’t look chic or stands out, she thinks it’s tacky or trashy. I don’t think she is completely opposed to the idea of me having a tank after she saw how great it looked and how much my little 9 month old daughter loved watching it before.

I was able to get a small tank Red Sea E170 with white cabinet in our current place we just sold since she worked with me to design a room around it, so it looked like it fit in more. The room was a loft on the interior of the house and was not visible from any windows. She hated the higher kelvin temp lighting because she thinks it looks tacky, especially if you could see it from a window from the outside of the home.

So, we are moving and building a new home, which meant renting for 3-4 months. Home should be done on March. I sold our tank and all livestock and shut everything down since I couldn’t have it while renting. Putting the money from sales aside to hopefully start a new tank next year. Of course being a reefer, I think about upgrades and having a larger system that is planned out to go in a specific room in our house and have a water station the the basement. She seemed on board and supportive at first, given our daughter’s interest in the tank.

As we are talking about the house and the design and look of the rooms, she just casually mentions, she has been thinking and she doesn’t want a tank in a place where people can see the “tacky bluish light” through a window... which rules out every room in the house other than the unfinished basement. So to me it feels like she just shut down the idea of a tank at all...

I really wanted the tank on the main floor, just so my daughter and I can enjoy it, and honestly don’t care about what people think of the color hue of light they can see through a window when they drive by our house... I think it is a little obsessive and frustrating that she cares so much that now I can’t have the tank in a main living space where I could enjoy it. I no longer see it worth the investment to put it somewhere where it is basically hidden and I don’t spend any time.

Any tips or ideas on how I can approach this? I know this hobby is a fulfilling and very fun one, and I’d rather not give it up if I don’t have to. Plus it might be a fun way to enjoy something and bond with my daughter as she gets older.
 

LadyMac

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Explain to her that no one will really be taking notice, and if they do that’s kinda stalker is on their part. I feel like she could definitely compromise on this matter. If she’s designing the whole house otherwise you should at the very least have a say in an aquarium and it’s placement.
 

CasaReefer

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I really can't say what I want to say. but if we worked together or were related I let ya have it. My Guess is your are going to put it in the basement OR your gonna give your stuff away or sell it for cheap and move on to something she will let you do How she wants you to do it. At the prosriped time she gives you to do it in. With the money she says is O.K for you to spend on it. Whatever " It" Is......JMO
 

Quietman

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Trying to be helpful...
-lower light corals, softies and zoa. You can use whiter light, your daughter will still love it. Maybe more with Xenia.
-light schedule earlier so off at night
-screen one side of tank with room divider
-use light with less spillage or multiple lights lower, cabinet top.
-have her help you shop and design light shields. Present it as decorating challenge. Because, it is really. You're not the first person to suffer from "blue light blues"
 

CasaReefer

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Trying to be helpful...
-lower light corals, softies and zoa. You can use whiter light, your daughter will still love it. Maybe more with Xenia.
-light schedule earlier so off at night
-screen one side of tank with room divider
-use light with less spillage or multiple lights lower, cabinet top.
-have her help you shop and design light shields. Present it as decorating challenge. Because, it is really. You're not the first person to suffer from "blue light blues"
Wow That was AWESOME.... Wish I would have known you when I still had my first 2 wives... That thought they could tell me what to do....lol
 

Bossman

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My wife is involved in this hobby too. If she weren't I would have one tank. Now I have 3 red sea tanks in my living room. She thinks the bluish light shining through our windows is cool, like I do.

I would try to get her involved, Incrementally. Ask her what fish she likes. If she doesn't know, bring her on liveaquaria and start showing her. Take her to the LFS. Before long she'll be scraping the glass like my wife does. I'm so fortunate....
 

TARHEEL78

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I really can't say what I want to say. but if we worked together or were related I let ya have it. My Guess is your are going to put it in the basement OR your gonna give your stuff away or sell it for cheap and move on to something she will let you do How she wants you to do it. At the prosriped time she gives you to do it in. With the money she says is O.K for you to spend on it. Whatever " It" Is......JMO
This is exactly why I posted what I did.
 

siggy

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This sounds exactly like my wife..to the T. I played YouTube videos of reef tanks for a week and talked about getting back into the hobby. That allowed her to witness all the glory and she accepted the Idea of another tank. I set the tank in the living room and for a year she was fine, then wanted it in the basement also. We finally agreed on the den.
I dont get to enjoy the tank as much as I would like to but I am Grateful ;) for having a Tank. Best of Luck
 

Quietman

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Got lucky here too. Started reefing late in life (56) and my wife was all in from the start. Her concerns were more about the 'fishy' smell...her nose is bloodhound like (function, not appearance). I was more worried about light spill than she was but we put tank in the 'den' and find I like the 'moon' lights out there at night. And so far the HOA hasn't sent the cops to investigate my "herb farm" in the den.

If she hadn't been into it though, doubt I've gone very far past a very simple tank low light tank as I've suggested. A hobby just isn't worth marriage stress to me.

Maybe you could take up something really annoying for a few months and make Reefing seems tame. Develop a sudden desire to play the clarinet for instance. :) I kid of course. Compromise is never easy but is the main factor of most successful relationships. Just ask my first wife...
 

Mical

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If she's set on restricting you to her aesthetics, I would have her consider a fish room/man cave option for you.

OR: as a local reefer friend did "Honey here's the option(s): a fish room or a 30x30 heated garage w/welding equipment, air compressor and a new Harley"
 

Jon Fishman

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Honestly, if it were me...... I would sell her on the “lights are on when it is daytime, and off at night” approach....


Have lights come on at 6am or so. After that, it’s a classic case of pitting your daughter against her...... A Mother will put up with a lot to please a daughter who will inevitably resent them later anyways, but they don’t know that.


Pictures of previous aesthetics? For all I know, her tastes suck anyways
 
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