Thinking of getting out?!?!?

[Bob Weigant]

Im on my 5th round of yeah Im done only to come back. Every time I missed it but I will say I dont spend nearly as much as I used too. In a few years I want have the money I do today so I'll just keep things on a much smaller scale

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I’d get out but I figure it would be much more work for me than to just keep going. That and I seriously think I would go mad without it as it’s really the only hobby I have left….

 

[kratosxxl]

I just started reefing again after a 10 yr break, but I spend 10 times more lol. Might not last long, but who knows. You can also do fish only to keep that awesome colorful fish you always wanted, you can do LPS/soft for easy maintenance, you can do freshwater planted although it's not easier than reef tbh, or you can do freshwater community fish. What I'm trying to say is you can change things around to restart that passion you had at one time :) For me, it was a Hawaii trip and the kids saying "I wish we had this at home" after snorkeling :) 10k + later im posting hjere :)

 

[Jimbo327]

With high cost of everything (rent, food, gas), I'm surprised more people are not getting out.

 

[elmareefer]

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

Great advice. Everyone makes mistakes I’ve learned in this hobby. I ended up spending a boatload on mail order live rock and wish I didn’t. I’d rather have those skinny arches and the look of that compared to the big boulder look. I’m looking for 2-3 of those pieces to supplement with so if anyone has a thought on manufacturer lmk. I like the already purple stuff like real reef rock but that’s stuff is all boulders . I think it will help with my flow too being more open may equal less issues

 

[Freenow54]

I always took the whole thing over to the laundry tub. I defiantly like that idea better, even if some debris is left in the bottom . That way I will clean it more often , I always put it off . Mine are set up just like yours in square plastic tubs . Perfect see? asking questions is not being stupid Not asking and doing the same things is

 

[Freenow54]

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.

Point Taken ,and I think you are correct , just thinking of my wife , and others. I enjoy the hobby for sure. I have lost 5 friends , and had to give up 2 things that I loved doing because of physical restrictions ( they were remote places to get to , and my back has a herniated disc. Even doing maintenance is a calculated exercise, not to mention the drawbacks I have had as to success .

 

[Bob Weigant]

With high cost of everything (rent, food, gas), I'm surprised more people are not getting out.

Thats exactly what stops me from going to a bigger tank

 

[RevFinny]

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?

Get out while the getting is good

 

[bristleworm]

I've gone through these cycles with Discus. I think they are more pain than they are worth. Get out of them only to find I really miss them after a couple years and get back into them. I've finally resolved myself to the fact, that they are just in my blood.
My advice, take a break. You'll know over time if you miss it.

 

[Reef Jedi]

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.

I’m in this exact same boat except I instructed her to call my LFS who I’ve been friends with for 25 years and they’ll handle it.

 

[kratosxxl]

Point Taken ,and I think you are correct , just thinking of my wife , and others. I enjoy the hobby for sure. I have lost 5 friends , and had to give up 2 things that I loved doing because of physical restrictions ( they were remote places to get to , and my back has a herniated disc. Even doing maintenance is a calculated exercise, not to mention the drawbacks I have had as to success .

I do have a injured back also (had surgery actually) what i found easy to do is to utilize buckets with caster , long garden hose for water changes so i dont need to lift anything

 

[RelaxingWithTheReef]

For me interest in the hobby is constantly ebbing and flowing. I will be at a low point of interest for a while, then go to the LFS or see a nice tank, and get instantly re-enthused. I attribute my longevity in the hobby to a few things:

1. My main tanks are in the living room and dining room. I enjoy watching the tanks every day even if it’s just for a few minutes during dinner.

2. I put a lot of effort into designing setups that maintain good water quality and require really low maintenance. Apex controllers keep watch, dosers keep things balanced, and some trace elements make for systems that can go months without water changes when life gets really busy. Outside of basic weekly testing, I monitor and maybe tweak things every couple or few months based on ICP-MS.

3. I think having reasonable expectations is important to reduce the hobby related frustration and stress. I rarely clean the glass because the urchins and snails do a pretty good job, not perfect, but pretty good. The tanks have some GHA, but I really don’t care. I just like sitting back and enjoying the tranquility of the reef for what it is. That part never seems to get old.