Thinking of getting out?!?!?

[elmareefer]

So, after all this I’m thinking of selling my reed setup. It’s been fun, ups and very few downs, however for some reason I’m not sitting back watching it much.
Not near as much as the spring. Didn’t really go into the baseball in the summer which is where the tank is at.

Just dressing all the work I put in just to break it all down. Wife thinks I’m. It’s btw

Any thoughts on this? Have you had times where you were like, cutting my future spending and get what I can?

 

[The Ugly Phase]

I have times where I'm not as interested in the tank and then boom back into it never think of getting rid of it though

 

[Uncle99]

Sure, after 4 decades, I’ve made changes.
Once 10 years ago I stopped, tore down, but kept my stuff as it’s never worth a ton to others.

Then 5 years later, I restarted again. Then I doubled the size, added a refuge, and two frag tanks for about 10 years. But it was costing a ton and it’s really hard to “make” any money from frags.

Recently, downgraded to a smaller (from 160g with frag tanks to a simple 80g AIO) which reduced time and cost, and this 8m enjoying more, as maintaining is so so much easier and less time consuming.

But can’t see never having a tank forever.

But of course, at the end of the day, it’s always a personal choice, none two alike.

Good luck on whatever you decide.

 

[Nano_Man]

Don't break down just do the lowest maintenance on your reef and just go do something else for a few months you will get interest back. I think all reefers go through this just keep plodding along. Keep reefing my friend

 

[get-salty]

only reason i dont think about getting out of this hobby bc i know i will get into a more expensive hobby. so i am good where im at.... my wallet and my wife are happy.

Cheers and happy reefing for Texas!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Honestly, I see people take breaks from the hobby, but most people never truly quit.

I agree with nano man that maybe turning your tank into a low maintenace tank can make it more enjoyable while you recover from burnout!

 

[Freenow54]

So, after all this I’m thinking of selling my reed setup. It’s been fun, ups and very few downs, however for some reason I’m not sitting back watching it much.
Not near as much as the spring. Didn’t really go into the baseball in the summer which is where the tank is at.

Just dressing all the work I put in just to break it all down. Wife thinks I’m. It’s btw

Any thoughts on this? Have you had times where you were like, cutting my future spending and get what I can?

I have had Tanks for over 60 years. Lots of set backs , but too stubborn to quit. However , since I have a third ready to assemble , I am rethinking it all. The fear of a flood , and being unfair to my wife when the inevitable time comes

 

[areefer01]

I would encourage you to get out if that is what is on your mind. Nothing wrong with it.

 

[Grog]

Don't break down just do the lowest maintenance on your reef and just go do something else for a few months you will get interest back. I think all reefers go through this just keep plodding along. Keep reefing my friend

This can be done. I know a few folks who have let tanks sit, unmanaged, for a year or more. They just fed the fish and topped off the water. The tanks did surprisingly well

I've left this hobby before though. I was travelling internationally way too frequently to keep up with my systems. Now I'm semi-retired, going into full retirement, and I don't think I will ever be without a tank unless there is a tragedy.

I have times where I'm not as interested in the tank and then boom back into it never think of getting rid of it though

Honestly, I see people take breaks from the hobby, but most people never truly quit.

I often joke that no one really ever leaves this hobby once they are in it. They may say they are done, then a few years later they get that itch again. LOL

Having said all the above, leaving and getting back in can enable you to redo things you didn't like in your earlier build out. Correct mistakes, upgrade equipment, and try new processes.

 

[Grog]

I have had Tanks for over 60 years. Lots of set backs , but too stubborn to quit. However , since I have a third ready to assemble , I am rethinking it all. The fear of a flood , and being unfair to my wife when the inevitable time comes

My wife wants NOTHING to do with the tank. Like zero interest. So much so, that I actually included a line in my will giving all of my aquatic gear to a friend. Just so she can sleep easy in case something happens. I did this because she asked, "What am I going to do with all this if something happens to you?" Problem solved.

 

[TX_REEF]

instead of getting out, I would take a long think and figure out what you really like about the hobby. A lot of us go "mixed reef" which at the end of the day means everything, which means your effort is also "all of it". I encourage you to honestly assess what thing or few things specifically make you happiest. is it a specific type of coral? A fish? some specific inverts?

From there, make a plan to change what you have now into only what interests you most. For example, this may mean turning your mixed reef into a clownfish and nem only system, which may further mean you can get away with a smaller tank, less maintenance, expense, etc. while maximizing your enjoyment

Hope that helps, my brain has gone there a few times, and i know i should follow my own advice, but then I converted a room in my house into a fish room, so I'm in too deep

 

[vlangel]

I am in my late 60s and decided to simplify my tank system. I have a 75g with a canister. The canister has a pre-filter so dont need to open the canister but 1 or 2Xs year. I keep easier fish and coral that are not as finicky. I enjoy this tank very much.

 

[edsbeaker]

I’ve been in and out of this hobby over the past 35 years, and I’ve never regretted tearing down and selling a tank when I lost interest. The one thing I do regret is getting rid of the expensive equipment that I could have easily stored, because as some people have mentioned, we always come back to it.

 

[Sam7]

I would totally get out and tear it all down. Dont even look back my friend....i will be there next week to pick it up.

 

[Freenow54]

I am in my late 60s and decided to simplify my tank system. I have a 75g with a canister. The canister has a pre-filter so dont need to open the canister but 1 or 2Xs year. I keep easier fish and coral that are not as finicky. I enjoy this tank very much.

That is interesting . I have three canisters , and find it more difficult each time to lift it and carry it to the laundry tub to clean. My back is a mess as Paul B says from having too much fun when I was younger. Anyway what is your pre filter , and more important what do you use the canister for?

 

[vlangel]

That is interesting . I have three canisters , and find it more difficult each time to lift it and carry it to the laundry tub to clean. My back is a mess as Paul B says from having too much fun when I was younger. Anyway what is your pre filter , and more important what do you use the canister for?

Yes lifting would be hard ( if not impossible since the Oase BioMaster 800 is their big one) but I never lift it. I have an end table with drawers beside the tank. The canister fits behind the end table beside the tank. To work in the canister I only need to move the end table a little and I can do whatever I need to from there. I did preplan when I set it up and put the entire canister in a plastic bin so water drips and small spills are not an issue, especially since the tank and end table and canister are on a laminated flooring. To rinse the pre-filter I only need to unplug the canister, and turn the valve to shut water from draining into the canister and open the pre-filter valve. Then it comes right out and I put it in a Tupperware gallon container to carry to the sink where I open it up and wash the sponges out. Once cleaned and rinsed I put the pre-filter back together, carry back to the tank and put back in, open the valve back to the tank and turn it on. Its a game changer and only takes 10 minutes.

If I need gfo or carbon I can put those in the top basket but its still not too much of a deal.

I will say that the pre-filter can not be removed under a tank cabinet. Its too long to pull out under a cabinet.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I am not sure that anybody in a forum can make that decision for you, but it reads like you want to be talked into staying. It follows that to get to this point you have already made up your mind up to leave and are looking for somebody else's reasons to stay.

A hobby should be something that you enjoy and want to participate in, not something you need to be talked into doing or enjoying. Tear the tank down and spend your time, energy and money doing something else that you find rewarding.

 

[BryanM]

^^ What bean said.

Sometimes it is indeed work, especially if you do all your maintenance on one day like I did last week.

But its your life, and it has to give you joy, otherwise exit stage left.

 

[flashsmith]

only reason i dont think about getting out of this hobby bc i know i will get into a more expensive hobby. so i am good where im at.... my wallet and my wife are happy.

Cheers and happy reefing for Texas!

I’ve had lots of hobbies and every one of them have been expensive. However this is the only one that there’s always something to buy. Sure you can do it cheap but you won’t be very successful and you’ll always want to upgrade. Nowadays your 3-4 k in on just a 50 gal and that’s before livestock. Ain’t nothing about this hobby cheap. lol