What we find “INTERESTING” in this hobby?

[Glenner’sreef]

From lights that can grow delicate corals to bags, buckets and boxes of salt that perfectly replicate natural sea water, the hobby we find ourselves in is nothing short of miraculous. A glass box in the Arizona desert (where I live) with a stunning slice of nature itself is interesting to me.

1. What exactly do you find “interesting” in reefing? The list is a long one, what say you?

 

[Steph72]

The most interesting part for me has been learning about how intelligent some of these fish are. I had freshwater tanks for years and kept pretty docile (boring lol) fish. My saltwater gang is so much more interactive and each one has their own unique personality.

Growing coral and learning about their behaviors has been a blast as well. I feel like there’s so much more to learn that it will never get boring.

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

+1 w/ @Steph72

 

[dk2nt9]

Variety of corals and learning to keep them alive and well. After novelty wears, you either have a pet to keep or switch to another groups of corals. Exotics as a factor, sometimes you just have to have them.

 

[melbournedan]

i love/ hate that while the reefs on the great barrier reef are bleaching some people are literally keeping some species from going extinct.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

i love/ hate that while the reefs on the great barrier reef are bleaching some people are literally keeping some species from going extinct.

Agreed! When you consider the timing of hobby popularity (80s-20s) As terrible as bleaching is, it’s good that it didn’t start 200 or 2000 years ago. That is definitely interesting!

 

[monicalooze]

The most interesting part for me has been learning about how intelligent some of these fish are. I had freshwater tanks for years and kept pretty docile (boring lol) fish. My saltwater gang is so much more interactive and each one has their own unique personality.

Growing coral and learning about their behaviors has been a blast as well. I feel like there’s so much more to learn that it will never get boring.

Yes! My fish literally look AT me. But not my threadfin cardinals. Definitely dumb, but beautiful fish.

 

[monicalooze]

The most interesting thing for me is learning about the myriad methods and philosophies. There really is no "right way" to reef (though there are certainly wrong ways...haha). This also applies to different biotopes and species specific tanks. The possibilities are endless, as is the potential for learning.

I started with a ten gal nano AIO, with sterile rock, started with a bottle of bacteria, and I've completely switched to a new 20g with a canister filter + live rock using non-chemical, natural methods. KISS. But it's also an NPS, sessile filter feeding tank. For some reason I can't keep LPS or anything with a hard skeleton to save my life, but NPS and filter feeders seem to be "easy" for me. To each their own!

 

[TheReefDiary]

Essentially feels like I'm back in science class learning about all this stuff.

 

[Roli's Reef Ranch]

i love/ hate that while the reefs on the great barrier reef are bleaching some people are literally keeping some species from going extinct.

True. The hobby takes a fraction of 1 percent of coral from nature, and the narrative is that we are destroying reefs when we are actually saving them from death in many cases.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

I have only FOWLR tanks, one with some newly planted macroalgae. But the most fascinating part is the evolution of my tanks, even without coral, my tanks are constantly changing, and I after close to 10 years, I still discover new creature in them from time to time.
The behavior of the fish, so varied, even between fish of same species is also very interesting. Just like people, some are daring, some are curious, some are skittish, some are picky eater and some are aggressive.
Unfortunately, I did not take pictures, not did I keep a diary...

 

[Reefer Matt]

Reefing is interesting to me because everyone has a different reason to "reef". It started as a hobby for me briefly from 2005-2006. Then in 2018 I started back up again.
In May 2021, I quit drinking alcohol, and reefing has been my crutch to stay sober. I focus all my extra time and energy on reefing, and consider it a lifestyle now.
I hear stories from my reefing group about how reefing helps them cope with anxiety, depression, stress, and loss. It is a common bond we share as reefers, and it has made us stronger as individuals.
And the fact that reef tanks are beautiful is a big plus as well!

 

[Rmckoy]

Agreed! When you consider the timing of hobby popularity (80s-20s) As terrible as bleaching is, it’s good that it didn’t start 200 or 2000 years ago. That is definitely interesting!

With the amount of members growing corals .
Do you think it’s possible combined we could all replenish the coral reefs ?

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Reefing is interesting to me because everyone has a different reason to "reef". It started as a hobby for me briefly from 2005-2006. Then in 2018 I started back up again.
In May 2021, I quit drinking alcohol, and reefing has been my crutch to stay sober. I focus all my extra time and energy on reefing, and consider it a lifestyle now.
I hear stories from my reefing group about how reefing helps them cope with anxiety, depression, stress, and loss. It is a common bond we share as reefers, and it has made us stronger as individuals.
And the fact that reef tanks are beautiful is a big plus as well!

You’re a star Matt!!! Thanks for sharing that! Definitely an interesting angle on the life changing benefits of reefing. Again thanks

 

[SamsReef]

I love to watch the corals grow from tiny frag to giant colonies and morph into amazing colors. If it was not for it growing and multiplying, It would be very boring. Those growth nubs gives me tingles
I am constantly trying to see what factors will increase the growth rate even more. Currently 3 experiments are in motion:
1) changing aquascape to increase flow.
2) changed to Calcium reactor and kalk combo 6 months back. I am still keeping all my dosing unit/liquid on standby. I will write a detailed write up on my observations in my build thread in another few months. So far, super happy.
3) getting ph in between 8.2 to 8.4 in spite of calcium reactor. It’s tough but doable and definitely see a positive outcome. Apex monitoring definitely helps here. My wife keeps closing the crack in the basement window
Sam

 

[SamsReef]

Reefing is interesting to me because everyone has a different reason to "reef". It started as a hobby for me briefly from 2005-2006. Then in 2018 I started back up again.
In May 2021, I quit drinking alcohol, and reefing has been my crutch to stay sober. I focus all my extra time and energy on reefing, and consider it a lifestyle now.
I hear stories from my reefing group about how reefing helps them cope with anxiety, depression, stress, and loss. It is a common bond we share as reefers, and it has made us stronger as individuals.
And the fact that reef tanks are beautiful is a big plus as well!

I can relate to this one. Even though I don’t drink alcohol but I keep my mind on reefing chores
over weekend, otherwise I would be binging on all kinds of comfort food.

Sam

 

[MONTANTK]

I really enjoy watching the various personalities of various fish. Sure the corals are cool but I think the fish make the biggest impressions

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I can relate to this one. Even though I don’t drink alcohol but I keep my mind on reefing chores
over weekend, otherwise I would be binging on all kinds of comfort food.

Sam

I predict a “reefer’s diet book” in your future. Lol.

 

[i cant think]

The most interesting part to me is watching the way these tanks take shape. I don’t try to get grid of the nasty phase as soon as they begin and instead I enjoy watching it and how it ages.
I love watching the corals grow in too. Just watching how each polyp multiplies and replicates itself as the skeleton grows. Plus you have the colour as the coral drag ages. The colours change and some become much more dominant than others.
The final thing is, watching how each fish reacts with the surroundings in a much more natural way. And how they change as they age, for examples Bangaii cardinals as juveniles will group and hide within the spines of a Long Spine Urchin, but when they age they start to split off and find their own hosting LS Urchin.

 

[Garf]

Used to be algae scrubbers/filters. Fell out of love with the whole idea of that so now it’s pH stability while maintaining Alk stability. I like messing, it’s part of the hobby for me.