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

[Sailfinguy21]

The struggle is real. I spent and hour and half deciding on which zoa frag I was going to buy Saturday at my lfs.

I dont think youre the only one.. I spend hourrssss in my local stores.. even petco where i got most if my corals from yes petco mine has a nice frag tank they get corals from ora.

Evrryone knows me and knows ill sit for 2 hours deciding what to buy..

 

[Soylent Wrasse]

My biggest challenge is space. I live in a little house up in the woods in northern Mn (625sq ft). I wish I had just one more bedroom to turn into a fish room.

The good thing about being limited is it really makes you prioritize on bang for buck with any hobby.

 

[Paul B]

I'm old and will probably croak before my tank does!!! ;Wideyed

 

[damselindistress]

KNOWLEDGE - I’m still not a seasoned reefer at almost two years in. I have learned a LOT but feel there’s still a steep curve in front of me as far as really understanding the finer nuances to the hobby. I’m sloooowly learning how to dial in my dosing schedules and titrate my additives accordingly without creating the perfect storm for disaster. I have lost a painful number of corals over my learning process, and one beautiful BTA that still makes me sick. But on the upside I still have SOME of my original corals and my fish losses have been confined to a bangaai and a coral beauty that both would not eat and eventually succumbed, and one leaping fairy wrasse. Still have my original pair of clowns and they’ve grown into fat, beautiful fish that I enjoy tremendously. Oh yeah and one dottyback that got stuck in the live rock but he was a jerk so...

So yeah, knowledge is my biggest obstacle. But with the help of you fine folks I’ll get there eventually;Cat

 

[vangvace]

My biggest challenge is working through my depression and other issues to perform the work and maintenance on the tank as needed.

 

[Arcticfirefighter]

My biggest issue is the Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion I have to have on Wednesday. No bending, lifting, or twisting for 4 months. After that its month to month until I am released by the surgeon. My wife and 73 year old mother (flew in from Ohio to help for a month) have taken over care of the tank. Fortunately, I will be able to get up an walk over to the tank after about a week and "direct" what they need to be doing. Fingers crossed everything goes well with the surgery and the tank while I am down.

 

[MombasaLionfish]

Money and availability of livestock.

 

[robmiller2]

I would have said money about a month ago but I changed duty stations and now its definitely time.

 

[rmurken]

Relationships...lol! Actually come to think of it, I did just realize that lately, I need to leave the durn tank alone and hang out with the fam!

 

[reefsahoy]

Unable to leave aquarium unattended for extended travel.

 

[Sidius]

I'm surprised more people haven't said relationships! lol

My biggest challenge is definitely my wife. To her it's a giant money pit, that she doesn't understand.

 

[Waynerock]

My goal is to keep on truckin and not be my worst enemy. Everything looks good right now and after awhile of that I get the itch to change something and then the corals take forever to reset and grow again. I need a locking top with a 24 hr delay so i have a chance to really think about what I need to do and not be impulsive.

 

[Aheinz]

For me in the next year a possible cross country move

 

[jrock flimflam]

Fear of failure. Afraid i will do something wrong and kill something or end up with a tank of green slime that no creatures would want to live in.

 

[Rcpilot]

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?
Currently stuck in a 1 bedroom apartment while we wait for our new home to be built.
Tankless for another 3 or 4 months.

What would stop you from keeping a saltwater reef aquarium?

At this point in my life, time. My wife and I want to travel and I've set a personal limit of 1 small tank so that I might have more time to enjoy other parts of life. Reefing is a full time commitment and it makes it difficult to leave town for 7-14 days.

Granted, many issues could be solved with technology. I could automate my dosing, feedings and water changes. I don't want to invest $3,500 into automation for a 40g tank.

Do you plan for reefing in the future and if so how?
I do plan to keep more tanks and bigger tanks after I retire completely.

 

[Javier Leon]

Nothing represents an imperative for me to keep reefing, my tank just crashed maybe a month ago with over 100 acros, sps and fish. Instead of selling this tank ( RedSea Max S-650 LED) I relocated to my office to meet his brother of 90 gallons where I still have a couple survivors pieces. Instead of quitting I ordered a 300+ gallons with Exotic Aquarium here in Miami, made a sump outside my house of 1500 gallons and am rebuilding again, only the future will dictate if I have to stop or not , health can make drastic changes in life , so far am healthy and strong to keep working hard, harder and harder. The future of our Corals depends upon all of us. If we stop the future will be uncertain.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

The only thing that limits me is a deep seeded fear that my obsession is covering up some inadequacy in my life. (Just ordered $2700 of acrylic BTW).

 

[John R]

My challenge is supplies! Not impossible but a bit more complicated.

 

[Stigigemla]

I am 73 years now and have no plans of quitting. I have my garden, my own little LFS and a new 430 gallon tank I am installing.
Of course I know that the change from retired to elderly can be quite sudden but I believe I will continue as now for about ten years. Then maybe I will quit the shop.
My only concern is now to develope my new complete 2 part method. Complete means totally complete. Its intended to function without waterchanges just like the Triton method and without depletion of trace elements.

 

[Hallowhead]

I have no issues supporting my current reefs.. the challenge is I want more lol