The BEST country to be a reef aquarium hobbyist in is......and what state?

[revhtree]

Today let's have some fun and talk about what the best country to be a reef aquarium hobbyist in is and why!

1. What country do you think is the best country to be a reef aquarium hobbyist in and why?

2. If you chose the USA then what state do you think is the best state for reef aquariums and why?

3. Where do you live and how many local hobbyists do you know personally that live around you?

 

[fishguy242]

hi,i'm going USA,Illinois ,too many places too choose from around Chicagoland area

 

[Ron Reefman]

I live in SW Florida. I get to visit beaches, estuaries and shallows along the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. I also can drive 3 to 5 hours to the east and go snorkeling along the Florida Keys. It gives me the opportunity to see wild reefs and shallow water patch reefs up close and personal. It also allows me to interact with, and even collect, wildlife I can keep in my aquarium.
There are certainly other places that are as good as southern Florida, but are the places I'd like to live? Probably not.

 

[Patientman]

Live in the U.S. (Maryland) … never lived anywhere else. I feel shipping to the U.S. affects high costs of things along with U.S. expectations on profits … so feel other countries may have advantages as far as availabilities and cost of livestock and hardgoods manufactured overseas.

BUT because of the number of hobbyist here in the U.S. I feel we are offered a large array of choices within the hobby.

Have a good number of good hobbyists nearby (well … within 70 miles or so) … very nice local club with many experienced hobbyist willing to share knowledge as well as frags … so feel fortunate to be where I am!

 

[725196]

1. What country do you think is the best country to be a reef aquarium hobbyist in and why?

Wherever you are and have your own tank. That’s the best.


2. If you chose the USA then what state do you think is the best state for reef aquariums and why?

I live in Florida but had SW and reef tanks in NY, PA, OH, IL and TX. I voted other because I am not sure I am in the best place in the USA for reef aquariumbut it is the best place I ever had an aquarium set up.

3. Where do you live and how many local hobbyists do you know personally that live around you?

I live in Odessa, just north of Tampa, FL. I have 2 good friends with reef tanks, about a dozen acquaintances with reefs and lots of LFS staff and owners I talk to on a regular basis. One of my friends live less than 200 yards from me in my neighborhood. It’s nice to have someone so close as we are forever borrowing items from each other. He also has a 3D printed so, ya know, that’s cool!

 

[AZMSGT]

Germany has a fantastic community. I lived there and saw some of it.
Arizona has a great group too. Live there now.
Florida was great and where I started the hobby in 1988.
However, I would never say any one place is better than another. I have no right to, I have not been to everyplace.

 

[fishkeepinginasia]

1. I live in Shenzhen China, and it's great. I have access to several species of fish that are illegal stateside and the prices are much lower. I buy live rock for $1.25 a pound and I bought a powerhead for $3. Here's a little bit about what a fish store here looks like.

3. I only know the guys at the aquarium markets, but I did make a new friend here on Reef2Reef who lives right across the border in Hong Kong. @ScottR. I am hoping to actually join his reef club when the borders reopen and meet some more hobbyists in this part of the world.

 

[Aiden Graves]

1. What country do you think is the best country to be a reef aquarium hobbyist in and why?

Wherever you are and have your own tank. That’s the best.


2. If you chose the USA then what state do you think is the best state for reef aquariums and why?

I live in Florida but had SW and reef tanks in NY, PA, OH, IL and TX. I voted other because I am not sure I am in the best place in the USA for reef aquariumbut it is the best place I ever had an aquarium set up.

3. Where do you live and how many local hobbyists do you know personally that live around you?

I live in Odessa, just north of Tampa, FL. I have 2 good friends with reef tanks, about a dozen acquaintances with reefs and lots of LFS staff and owners I talk to on a regular basis. One of my friends live less than 200 yards from me in my neighborhood. It’s nice to have someone so close as we are forever borrowing items from each other. He also has a 3D printed so, ya know, that’s cool!

 

[Aiden Graves]

South Mississippi. It’s not the best location to find a lfs but we make do. I order a ton of stuff online and shipping is cheap since we are close to Florida.

 

[ScottR]

1. I live in Shenzhen China, and it's great. I have access to several species of fish that are illegal stateside and the prices are much lower. I buy live rock for $1.25 a pound and I bought a powerhead for $3. Here's a little bit about what a fish store here looks like.

3. I only know the guys at the aquarium markets, but I did make a new friend here on Reef2Reef who lives right across the border in Hong Kong. @ScottR. I am hoping to actually join his reef club when the borders reopen and meet some more hobbyists in this part of the world.

We’re waiting to meet you. We’re also planning to do tank tours eventually.

 

[ScottR]

I’ve reefed in the US and now in Hong Kong. I can’t say it’s the best here. But it’s a huge hobby here. I can easily sell/buy/trade corals with hundreds of others. We also have a street that runs 2 blocks with mostly aquarium stores and many of them SW. I’m super spoiled. Being close to Indonesia and Philippines is a huge plus.

 

[ScubaFish802]

Today let's have some fun and talk about what the best country to be a reef aquarium hobbyist in is and why!

1. What country do you think is the best country to be a reef aquarium hobbyist in and why?

2. If you chose the USA then what state do you think is the best state for reef aquariums and why?

3. Where do you live and how many local hobbyists do you know personally that live around you?

1. What country do you think is the best country to be a reef aquarium hobbyist in and why?

Countries in Asia seem to have the most plentiful and cheapest saltwater anything.

2. If you chose the USA then what state do you think is the best state for reef aquariums and why?

The farther WesT or South you go the better it seems.

3. Where do you live and how many local hobbyists do you know personally that live around you?

I live in Vermont, USA. It’s barren here. I don’t personally know another saltwater hobbiest (unless we are counting the one LFS employees).

 

[reefingBeAmazin22]

hi,i'm going USA,Illinois ,too many places too choose from around Chicagoland area

We’re not that far away, I’m about an hour west from Chicago

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

USA for sure. Too many hobbyists from other countries post and say "I wish we had X here" or "we can't buy Y here."

As for best state, I don't know what that is, but I know it's not Maryland. The hobby basically doesn't exist here. There is no used equipment available within 2+ hours, and the only place that has a decent tank selection is in Lancaster, PA, over 1.5 hours away from me. There are very few people selling frags locally, and those that do sell named pieces for retail price or higher.

 

[Giovanny zuluaga]

I live in Colombia and for the hobbyist it sucks... we don’t have laws around the hobby so is a kind of illegal. Most of the dry stuff must be buy overseas and for the live stock is very difficult to find it… even tough we keep very decent reef aquariums.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

USA, Indonesia or Australia are the best for this hobby. USA has everything, but companies such as BIOTA and ORA only ship within America. Indonesia and Australia literally have the reefs in their countries, so its easier to get things sustainably.

 

[PupChow]

Hard to say best since I have not been to the other countries, although I definitely feel blessed to be in the US (Maryland)! Lots of options here!

 

[Cre8or30]

Today let's have some fun and talk about what the best country to be a reef aquarium hobbyist in is and why!

1. What country do you think is the best country to be a reef aquarium hobbyist in and why?

2. If you chose the USA then what state do you think is the best state for reef aquariums and why?

3. Where do you live and how many local hobbyists do you know personally that live around you?

Idk.. never lived in another country. I can tell you living in NOLA is bad place. Everything here is more expensive than other states such as Ca. Example in NOLA if I paid $30 for a frag that same frag would be $10 in California. Then there’s a threat of Hurricanes here...

 

[Jonas Bergkvist]

America because i’m living in Sweden and most reef stuff is much more expensive here than for example America. Importing things from America is like $90 shipping plus VAT, and it takes 1 month for package to arrive

 

[Zionas]

Count me in! I’m a Chinese hobbyist. Which species of fish are illegal to sell and buy back in the States? Very interesting.....