Too Old To Reef: How long do you expect to be in the hobby and will older age dictate when you break your tanks down for good?

How old do you think you'll be before you are too old to care for a reef tank?

  • 50-60

    Votes: 27 2.8%
  • 61-70

    Votes: 79 8.1%
  • 71-80

    Votes: 202 20.7%
  • 81-90

    Votes: 129 13.2%
  • 90+

    Votes: 42 4.3%
  • I'll reef until I die

    Votes: 498 51.0%

  • Total voters
    977

Salty Lemon

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Solidly middle aged here, but my clan is not long-lived.

When the day comes, I plan to die suddenly and painlessly.. lol.
C'mon Beej...we know you are going to live forever. No worries there.
 

Quietman

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Heck, I just started last year at 56 and you're asking me when I'll stop? LOL

I plan on reefing as long as I can. Might have to get smarter and stop carrying buckets around at some point. It'll probably be my mental health before the physical limits me. This isn't a hobby you can forget things for too long. :)
 

WVNed

The fish are staring at me with hungry eyes.
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I am 58. I am old enough to know that will be determined by many things that are beyond my control.
but I am just getting started good. I was looking at 500 gallon+ tanks on Custom aquariums yesterday.

I dont think I will ever quit. I have had fish since I was little and my own tanks since 1985.
 

mfinn

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I've had a fish tank in my life for 55 years almost continuously. There were a couple of my later teenage years that I didn't.
I've had a saltwater tank since 1985. Not the same one. lol
I currently have 2. A 233 gallon tand a 66 gallon tank.
I can't imagine not having one. But as a retired person with a limited budget, I can see there might come a day when I wouldn't be able to afford one. This is a very expensive hobby and I think that would be the tipping point verses physically being able to take care of it.
I'm 67 now and I picked the 71 to 80 category on the poll.
I'm hoping I can live up to my pick.
 

Katrina71

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I've had a fish tank in my life for 55 years almost continuously. There were a couple of my later teenage years that I didn't.
I've had a saltwater tank since 1985. Not the same one. lol
I currently have 2. A 233 gallon tand a 66 gallon tank.
I can't imagine not having one. But as a retired person with a limited budget, I can see there might come a day when I wouldn't be able to afford one. This is a very expensive hobby and I think that would be the tipping point verses physically being able to take care of it.
I'm 67 now and I picked the 71 to 80 category on the poll.
I'm hoping I can live up to my pick.
Can we at least confirm a freshwater tank?
 

mfinn

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Can we at least confirm a freshwater tank?
If that was all I could afford, absolutely.
But I have a 10 year history with Discus, so my freshwater stocking list isn't going to be cheap. lol
 

Sea MunnKey

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Honestly I doubt if I'll die reefing. Realistically speaking it's more like depending on the physical & mental health being ... visualize this my future ... forget if I had actually fed the fish or corals like 5 minutes ago or not!!?? Or when did this tank came about in the living room after the next morning awake from last night's sleep? o_O ;Dead ;Meh . That's pretty scary and I don't want to be "quarantined" either ;Jawdrop

Ohh another new addition ... How many of us will remember anyone of us here on R2R like 20 - 30 years from now on? Oh my ... ;Jawdrop ;Hurting
 
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Dempsey941

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A former employer of mine accrued so much store credit with an LFS that he could have them maintenance his set up for like 10 years. Then the business went under so he used his credit and bought everything in the store and proceeded to start his own store.
 

Greybeard

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My current system was designed with decades of experience going into the build.

Shallow, low, and wide. Peninsula setup. I can easily walk all the way around the tank, and reach any part of it, without overt stretching or gymnastic maneuvers.

Under my tank, on one side, is a bar, and a shelf full of regularly used maintenance stuff, test kits, tongs, glass cleaner, etc. On the other side is a display shelf. Pictures of my family, grade school ceramics by my kids, etc. One thing _not_ under my tank, is me. There is no need for me to be on my knees, trying to clean a sump, or even removing a skimmer cup. Never again.

I now have a 'sump closet'... Ok, it's not as convenient as the big rooms I see some folks have, but I can stand up, and reach everything I need to reach... I can see, follow electrical cords to their source, and (BONUS!) I can CLOSE THE DOOR so none of my non-reefing friends have to look at my tank mess.

These folks setting up 30" tall tanks, on a stand so high you need a step ladder to reach the top? Ok, yeah, it looks awesome, but you're going to need to hire a scuba diving monkey to clean the darned thing. No, thanks.
SumpCloset.jpg


I'm getting older... not exactly a thin man, either. Design for easy maintenance, and perhaps you'll extend your hobby into your golden years :)
 

paraletho

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I think looking at my family history I can expect reasonable health into my 80’s. That being said as long as my mental faculties hold up I took 70 to 80. I realize that I am not as sharp as I used to be but still have a lot left in the tank. Goals it is all about setting, fulfilling, and resetting.
 

Peace River

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The tank size and contents may change, but I expect to have fish and be part of the fish community until I make that last swim with the fishes.
 
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