What's your biggest PERSONAL challenge to reefing in the future?

dwest · Sep 30, 2019

Travel here too. It’s always difficult to be gone weeks at a time.

Dorinda · Sep 30, 2019

I had to say other. Being patient. Waiting for the cycling, then if there is an issue with the water or algae, it try this and wait. No fast fix to a problem in this hobby. It teaches you patients.

WVNed · Sep 30, 2019

My issue is my health. I am not that old at 59. I have some ongoing stuff that is slowing me down.

I will quit when I die. I have set up a system that is easy access and low maintenance. Long term planning is key.

Caggii · Sep 30, 2019

For me currently I have many challenges I am just getting into the hobby. Trying to plan good placement for the tank, figuring out exactly what equipment I need for the tank, and the devouring as much knowledge as possible to avoid whatever pitfalls I can, and lastly staying patient I’ll be redoing the floors in my house in the next couple months and I am waiting until that’s done to set up my tank.

DropoffCorals · Sep 30, 2019

Biggest challenge I am seeing is Australia price increases as they see prices soaring here in the states. Import prices are skyrocketing and it is getting tougher to bring in nice corals at a price point everyone can enjoy. They are definitely capitalizing on Indo being closed.

While I understand free market, supply and demand, etc, I fear it will get to a point where many leave the hobby.

Javamahn · Sep 30, 2019

Crabs McJones said:
Can we make the poll able to have more than one choice chosen? Time is my biggest factor, but money and relationship also comes into play. I have to be very careful of how much I spend on the tank and how much time I spend on it, otherwise the wife starts making subtle hints that I'm spending to much time on the tank.

My wife's hints are not so subtle. A recent APEX failure and replacement nearly took me out of the hobby. She flat out hates the tank.

Ron Reefman · Sep 30, 2019

My challenge is building a DIY rimless 90g tank (36"x30"x20") and making it the very best I can do as this will probably be my last aquarium build. I want it full of corals that fluoresce well, so mostly zoas and RFA's, but open to anything else that fluorsce well. In the evening, with the house dark and just blue leds on over the tank... it has to look CRAZY!

RoyC · Sep 30, 2019

Old age. At 72 years may be limited.

Todd1white · Sep 30, 2019

With 29 fish in a 180g, nutrients. Just now seeding a BioDenitrator so we’ll see if I’m still challenged in few weeks.

gotmesalty77 · Sep 30, 2019

mta_morrow said:
My current challenge is how fast my RBTA’s are splitting.

I’m no going to have another tank, and I have no local reefers to even give them away.

LOL ill pay shipping on one!!!

TreyC2010 · Sep 30, 2019

I enjoy taking on the challenges but they can weigh on you. Starting back up with a new 48x30x24 tank from Miracles. Didn’t know that Pukani Rock wasn’t available now. Patience is usually a challenge but I like to see the slow progression of a tank. I guess my biggest challenge would be making sure I start off this tank the best I can and making it ready for future additions of fish, coral, and equipment.

gotmesalty77 · Sep 30, 2019

it's always been money or at least the money I want to spend on it and obviously second time I really would like to start small-scale propagation tank. after spending four years away from the hobby I basically spent the entire time trying to figure out if I should buy a tank after jumping back in I'm definitely going to have a tank for quite some time now I just wish I could make some money off of The Hobby in some way just to pay for it

gotmesalty77 · Sep 30, 2019

Javamahn said:
My wife's hints are not so subtle. A recent APEX failure and replacement nearly took me out of the hobby. She flat out hates the tank.

My old lady hates tank to but I mean it's better than lots of other Hobbies I could have or going to the bar and getting wasted

Jah's reef · Sep 30, 2019

TreyC2010 said:
I enjoy taking on the challenges but they can weigh on you. Starting back up with a new 48x30x24 tank from Miracles. Didn’t know that Pukani Rock wasn’t available now. Patience is usually a challenge but I like to see the slow progression of a tank. I guess my biggest challenge would be making sure I start off this tank the best I can and making it ready for future additions of fish, coral, and equipment.

gotmesalty77 said:
it's always been money or at least the money I want to spend on it and obviously second time I really would like to start small-scale propagation tank. after spending four years away from the hobby I basically spent the entire time trying to figure out if I should buy a tank after jumping back in I'm definitely going to have a tank for quite some time now I just wish I could make some money off of The Hobby in some way just to pay for it

Fo me maintaining proper alkalinity levels

SoggyNW · Sep 30, 2019

My biggest challenge at the moment and going forward is location. Other than petco my closest LFS is 3 hours away. I also don't have any local club or even anyone trying to sell on craigslist. It's a major pain to try and get quality live stock.

Dr. Dendrostein · Sep 30, 2019

revhtree said:
With uncertainty in how and where we collect coral and fish nowadays being a big challenge to reefing in the future there are also personal challenges as well.

What are some of you PERSONAL challenges for reefing in the future?

What would stop you from keeping a saltwater reef aquarium?

Do you plan for reefing in the future and if so how?

image via the beautiful tank of member @FarmerTy

Going into uncharted water for me , fragging. Scotty!! I need more frag plugs....

Tjm23slo · Sep 30, 2019

space

andrewkw · Sep 30, 2019

SoggyNW said:
My biggest challenge at the moment and going forward is location. Other than petco my closest LFS is 3 hours away. I also don't have any local club or even anyone trying to sell on craigslist. It's a major pain to try and get quality live stock.

The closest reef store is 3.5hours away from me. The ones I like to visit are 7+
It's not ideal at all, add to the fact this is a rural area so I have few local reefer friends and shipping is barely an option here because the carriers subcontract their work out to 3rd rate companies. - my wife sent her iphone in for repair, I stayed home waiting for it because it was out for delivery it got delayed because the driver never made it and the following day he made a joke about it and how he just didn't make it out. Anywhere else that would get him fired but he'll probably be delivering for years to come.

When I actually do go shopping it can be a bit overwhelming. While this setup is far from ideal, it's not stopping me from succeeding and you shouldn't let it stop you either. When you go on vacation check out shops and then go back right before you leave, plan trips for other reasons then get livestock on the way home ect. If people come to visit you try and get them to bring you livstock ect.