What is most enjoyable

[jtl]

As I get ready to exit the hobby for hopefully the last time I was reflecting back on what I have enjoyed most going back to 1985 with fish only. I conclude it is setting up the tank and getting the first inhabitants. I really enjoy laying out the plumbing and in a few cases I even built my 100g tanks to my specifications. It was also fun shopping for equipment. This time I kept track of all of my expenditures and what an eye opener. The costs add up so fast. I am selling my equipment and live stock for 1/3 of what I have into it. I started with all frags and now have lots of small colonies but I am tired of it. I find myself spending less and less time looking at the tank and it seems like tank maintenance day (weekly) comes around faster with each passing week. I sure I will miss it as I have in the past but at 72 how many more years do I have to think about reefing and the water buckets seem to be getting heavier. Fortunately I have never had a tank crash or any major problems so in that sense the hobby has been good.

 

[Hitman]

Sorry to hear your having to leave the hobby. It’s a sad day that we must all look at and make the same decision one day. Sounds like you had a great run over the years!

 

[Dripdroppin]

Wow what a good run. Don’t be surprised if you get the itch to set up a nano I’m a few years. I can never stay away too long lol

 

[jtl]

Sorry to hear your having to leave the hobby. It’s a sad day that we must all look at and make the same decision one day. Sounds like you had a great run over the years!

It is a great hobby that tests one in so many ways. Think about all of the basic skills, construction for cabinets and floor loads, plumbing, electrical. Then there is all of the sciences, biology, zoology, chemistry, physics. I have always been a diyer so I enjoyed all of this but once everything was up and running it became less fun so I would get out only to miss it and get back in. There is one thing that bothers me and that is I spent almost 2 years getting the system stable and the corals growing and some lucky person will get the benefit of my efforts for a fraction of the cost. Oh well, it is my choice.

 

[jtl]

Wow what a good run. Don’t be surprised if you get the itch to set up a nano I’m a few years. I can never stay away too long lol

I actually thought about it, it would be easy to save some of my higher end corals to stock it but I have always said that 100g is my preferred size. Not too big but easy to keep stable.

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

@jtl What a run!! You’re an inspiration to all of us “newbies”!! I would say the best part of this addiction is my early morning (before the wife and kids wake up) weekend coffee and tank gazing...always brings such a relaxing feeling over me and is a great distraction to life’s little ups and downs...

 

[WVNed]

My wife made a comment on the 240 I am getting so I told her to bury me in it.

 

[Bob Weigant]

Ive had to leave and come back after a messy divorce. When the time comes for me to give up my big tanks for good I could see myself just paying with a bio cube. Keep it very simple

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

My wife made a comment on the 240 I am getting so I told her to bury me in it.

I never thought get buried in it. Now your making me think. I wonder if I can get buried in it, but at home like Elvis.

 

[Peace River]

As I get ready to exit the hobby for hopefully the last time I was reflecting back on what I have enjoyed most going back to 1985 with fish only. I conclude it is setting up the tank and getting the first inhabitants. I really enjoy laying out the plumbing and in a few cases I even built my 100g tanks to my specifications. It was also fun shopping for equipment. This time I kept track of all of my expenditures and what an eye opener. The costs add up so fast. I am selling my equipment and live stock for 1/3 of what I have into it. I started with all frags and now have lots of small colonies but I am tired of it. I find myself spending less and less time looking at the tank and it seems like tank maintenance day (weekly) comes around faster with each passing week. I sure I will miss it as I have in the past but at 72 how many more years do I have to think about reefing and the water buckets seem to be getting heavier. Fortunately I have never had a tank crash or any major problems so in that sense the hobby has been good.

I truly hope that whatever you do, that you will continue to share your knowledge with others and make a difference in your world. I know that for me what I find the most enjoyable is the fish community (I mean the people). Beyond that, the thrill of fish hatching and growing in the space that I provide is a major high point for me. Good luck in your next adventure!

 

[jtl]

I have a person interested in my set up, equipment and live stock. The problem is I don't even know if I want to sell it to him. He has never had a tank, works 12 hour days 6 days a week. I volunteered to disassemble and reassemble the plumbing but now I am having second thoughts. His only day off is Sunday so everything has to be taken down, moved and set back up in one day. I am afraid something will go wrong and he will lose a bunch of nice corals.

 

[BigRedReefer MT]

I have a person interested in my set up, equipment and live stock. The problem is I don't even know if I want to sell it to him. He has never had a tank, works 12 hour days 6 days a week. I volunteered to disassemble and reassemble the plumbing but now I am having second thoughts. His only day off is Sunday so everything has to be taken down, moved and set back up in one day. I am afraid something will go wrong and he will lose a bunch of nice corals.

I completely understand your hesitations. I recently moved my 75 from my old home to my new one in one day and it was an 18 hr nightmare. I didn't lose any fish or corals and no cuc but it was an adventure I don't look forward to in the future.
As far as the interested offer I feel your heavy heart. I work 5x 15+ hr days so I know first hand how hard it is to maintain a reef with that schedule. The fact that he would be coming into it completely green would make me cringe as well. Nobody can tell you what the right course is there. If you feel that your corals you have grown since frags deserve a good chance I would vote against it. That said,,,, I also learned what I know through a crash course of velvet, ich, qt and fallow periods. Light upgrade to keep corals alive and keep a sebae crispa from going walk about. It will really boil down to the potential buyers desire and will to do what needs to be done. Sorry to add to your dilemma.

 

[jtl]

I completely understand your hesitations. I recently moved my 75 from my old home to my new one in one day and it was an 18 hr nightmare. I didn't lose any fish or corals and no cuc but it was an adventure I don't look forward to in the future.
As far as the interested offer I feel your heavy heart. I work 5x 15+ hr days so I know first hand how hard it is to maintain a reef with that schedule. The fact that he would be coming into it completely green would make me cringe as well. Nobody can tell you what the right course is there. If you feel that your corals you have grown since frags deserve a good chance I would vote against it. That said,,,, I also learned what I know through a crash course of velvet, ich, qt and fallow periods. Light upgrade to keep corals alive and keep a sebae crispa from going walk about. It will really boil down to the potential buyers desire and will to do what needs to be done. Sorry to add to your dilemma.

I priced this to sell without any hassles on my end so for me to take any responsibility for moving and setting things up is a risk I don't think I want to take. I may be better off to wait for an experienced buyer or sell the live stock individually. Here is my listing
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/selling-everything-bulk-sale.601023/#post-6076364

 

[Auquanut]

I have a person interested in my set up, equipment and live stock. The problem is I don't even know if I want to sell it to him. He has never had a tank, works 12 hour days 6 days a week. I volunteered to disassemble and reassemble the plumbing but now I am having second thoughts. His only day off is Sunday so everything has to be taken down, moved and set back up in one day. I am afraid something will go wrong and he will lose a bunch of nice corals.

I understand your hesitation. I recently took down an African cichlid tank. (just too many tanks) Gave the fish that I had kept for years to a coworker who was supposedly experienced with cichlids. Within 2 weeks, everything was dead. I felt like a heal!
Hope you will keep involved with R2R. If you ever get the itch, maybe you can live vicariously through the rest of us. I know we can use your experience.

 

[BigRedReefer MT]

I priced this to sell without any hassles on my end so for me to take any responsibility for moving and setting things up is a risk I don't think I want to take. I may be better off to wait for an experienced buyer or sell the live stock individually. Here is my listing
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/selling-everything-bulk-sale.601023/#post-6076364

A truly beautiful tank my friend. My 75 is no where near that pretty.