Why do people leave the hobby

[garyfri]

I know it can get expensive, but I just upgraded to a IM 200 EXT (starting a build thread and then a hurricane came) and really enjoy each part so far. I have a 75 gallon and deal with all the frustrations.

I understand burn out and when a hobby just gets old, but I see often people selling gear or aquariums that seem pretty new. They state getting out of the hobby less than a year from getting something big or awesome. Is "cost" the number one reason people get out of the hobby? Does the sales forum and people leaving fluctuate with the economy or is it pretty constant on people departing the hobby?

Thank you for the knowledge it is just something I was wondering.

 

[Crashnt24]

I know it can get expensive, but I just upgraded to a IM 200 EXT (starting a build thread and then a hurricane came) and really enjoy each part so far. I have a 75 gallon and deal with all the frustrations.

I understand burn out and when a hobby just gets old, but I see often people selling gear or aquariums that seem pretty new. They state getting out of the hobby less than a year from getting something big or awesome. Is "cost" the number one reason people get out of the hobby? Does the sales forum and people leaving fluctuate with the economy or is it pretty constant on people departing the hobby?

Thank you for the knowledge it is just something I was wondering.

Some people start the hobby expecting something easy and fast IMO. When they find out the constant attention a reef tank needs, it becomes too much for some people to handle. Maybe they have two jobs? Or three little kids and two dogs with a manual labor job? Who knows? It's just not for everyone and it sucks that they have to lose time and money to figure it out.

 

[vessxpress1]

There's a percentage of people with impulsive personalities. They see other people with reefs and jump into the hobby before thinking it through. They just want a reef yesterday.

Some leave for health reasons. But yeah, a high percentage of the time it's due to the tank not going well (likely due to lack of equipment and testing) and/or cost alone. I'm somebody who left the hobby (but kept some stuff) and took a 10 year break. I was in it for a few years. I had to move and had a new child on the way and at the time I just didn't want the money drain anymore. Even though I still loved the hobby.

Now I'm back in a small way with a 20 gallon shallow frag tank for now that I've put a lot into and have been buying quite a few frags for lately. I wanted my kids to be able to see it and wanted to utilize the latest tech. It's way better than it was 10 years ago. From lights to test kits. Hasn't got any cheaper though.

Sometimes the problem is some people have other expensive hobbies and somethings gotta give.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I think for beginners this hobby can be very frustrating. There are a lot of problems that are challenging to both diagnose and treat. It can be too easy to make one mistake and lose everything. And like so many other things, there are people who like to take advantage of beginners, selling them equipment that isn't well tailored for their situation, selling them fish before tanks are cycled, and just giving bad advice among other things. I think for the unprepared it can look like a massive money sink that can't possibly work. I've had those days! Fortunately I chose to keep trying instead of quit.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

I think it is a hobby that you have to study and commit to continual learning. I suspect many people don't want to take the time to really learn what is involved and don't realize how very complex it is.

 

[garyfri]

So just a little back ground. I start over 20 years ago (no internet just reading books from the 80s) when I was stationed on shore duty (military) with a 35 Hex. Had fish only and a canister filter. Things went horribly wrong after a water change (what was RODI water back then) and I lost everything. Algae was not really an issue on a fish only aquarium. I got stationed on a carrier, but I always knew I would be back. Pretty cool hobby. That being said I do not remember it costing this much lol. I have been learning a lot with my 75 gallon with coral, fish, and BTA. Algae oh my God lol. My foxface is huge and I talked my wife into let me upgrade. So here we go, never had to do plumbing before but so exciting. I am going to take it slow. My friends got frustrated because I waited like 1 1/2 years before getting something besides fish.

 

[NashobaTek]

For me it was life got in the way. I enlisted in the Marine corps and had to get rid of the aquarium. Then it was bigger livestock and showing the animals. Now I have the size of aquarium I wanted way back in the 70-80's. I have my dream fish and I plan on adding a seahorse, pipe fish aquarium after we're moved.
I have always loved saltwater fish and corals, and I started with fresh water when I was a kid.

 

[Steph72]

Well said! I’ve experienced everything you just said! Especially horrible advice from shop owners. I’m still very new to this hobby and it’s been rough...a lot of frustration

 

[Kfactor]

I would have to say the upkeep for some ppl think it’s going to be easy then find out it’s a lot of work time and money to put in . The fun for me is watching it evolve and turn in to somthing Beautiful ( I hope lol)

 

[Kris 2020]

I know it can get expensive, but I just upgraded to a IM 200 EXT (starting a build thread and then a hurricane came) and really enjoy each part so far. I have a 75 gallon and deal with all the frustrations.

I understand burn out and when a hobby just gets old, but I see often people selling gear or aquariums that seem pretty new. They state getting out of the hobby less than a year from getting something big or awesome. Is "cost" the number one reason people get out of the hobby? Does the sales forum and people leaving fluctuate with the economy or is it pretty constant on people departing the hobby?

Thank you for the knowledge it is just something I was wondering.

I don’t know why people get out completely, but I know I have gone through lulls where I haven’t been good about maintenance. One reason I have lost interest is lack of funds. I have enough to keep the tank going, but not buy anything new for it, so I get uninterested in what I have. Then due to lack of maintenance, corals die off, along with more interest.
another reason is, like after one move, I had some deaths of inverts and coral via rock avalanche, and the move itself single parent with 2 kids financially and busy-wise, it had to take a backseat for awhile. But still, I have never just quit and dismantled a tank, only upgraded. 2019 found me uninterested, I was only doing water changes every couple months, feeding maybe twice a week, down to anemones and fish. Everything else died off. Kept trying to get back into it, I would make water weeks later I was dumping the stale water change water. I finally had to decide either take it down or get my husbandry in order...and I just couldn’t picture my living room without that tank. So back at it.

 

[Paulie069]

Some people start the hobby expecting something easy and fast IMO. When they find out the constant attention a reef tank needs, it becomes too much for some people to handle. Maybe they have two jobs? Or three little kids and two dogs with a manual labor job? Who knows? It's just not for everyone and it sucks that they have to lose time and money to figure it out.

Bump

 

[Paulie069]

For me it was life got in the way. I enlisted in the Marine corps and had to get rid of the aquarium. Then it was bigger livestock and showing the animals. Now I have the size of aquarium I wanted way back in the 70-80's. I have my dream fish and I plan on adding a seahorse, pipe fish aquarium after we're moved.
I have always loved saltwater fish and corals, and I started with fresh water when I was a kid.

You will love a seahorse tank, I myself have my seahorses in my reef tank ( just have to make sure corals are seahorse safe) along with my fish in all I have 12 seahorses and 11 fish in my tank

 

[Perthegallon]

I’ve wanted to throw in the towel so much in the last 6 months it at first put a huge strain on my family everyone hated the fish then next I was having to deal with advice from a lfs that was giving me bad info and just trying to make a quick buck but I trusted him because he didn’t have bad reviews over all the first 6 months is hell and starting a tank is very expensive I also did massive amounts of research to learn that it’s all bs

 

[Indytraveler83]

What's knocked me out before:

Constant crashes. One or two fish dying is one thing, but when a system crashes, stabilizes, then crashes again, it's demoralizing. Education and learning can help, but sometimes bad luck just comes in waves.

What could knock me out in the future:

Commitment. These tanks are a lot of work, and much of it can't be done by friends or family. Unlike dogs or even kids, these systems require special knowledge that isn't common sense type of things. When life gets really busy, noone can help you with bigger things.

 

[t5Nitro]

People frequently bring up time and money. Honestly, time away from forums is in itself a big stress reliever. Stop reading forums if it's giving you anxiety what other people are doing. Keep reading if you think it helps you. Also have a set amount of cash in mind and quit spending at or near that value. It's way too easy in any hobby to get carried away, especially in this one when people charge ridiculous prices for things, especially when oftentimes it's livestock that can be hit or miss on if your valued investment even survives. Stop burning through time and money with some simple tips above and it makes it a whole lot nicer of a hobby just letting the tank mature on its own, less tinkering and more observing. Let's face it, there is something always wrong with the tank at any given time it's not quite possible to have everything exactly perfect all the time.

Edit to mention that if you're looking to gamble the high price of some corals and aren't even semi-automatic on the tank maintenance then I would 100% encourage that first. Sometimes I put in 80 hours a week and have no interest in messing with the tank when I get home. It's another task at some point in your life. Simplify it and it makes it at least less of a hassle.

 

[Cell]

It's expensive, a lot of work, and not always rewarding. Losing fish or coral can be demoralizing.

 

[jmcdona6]

There are of course the fickle and impulsive people who it's not really about reefing being hard, its that they like to try stuff and shift around their interest often. Once they find out it is hard they dip out even quicker than normal.

For those that entered with more rational and deliberate intentions...I think it is when they have their first major setback that is both emotional and financial. That Ich outbreak that kills off half their livestock. The first $100+ coral they bought dies a few weeks later for no apparent reason than...it just happens sometimes?

You can rationalize and plan for equipment and initial stocking...but you just don't know how fragile the "investment" is until you see $1000+ dollars go literally down the toilet or trashcan.

 

[garyfri]

Well said! I’ve experienced everything you just said! Especially horrible advice from shop owners. I’m still very new to this hobby and it’s been rough...a lot of frustration

That is the truth. I research everything i can before I purchase. My wife likes my fish, but does not do anything to help or learn. So on fathers day she went to the LFS and they talked her into buying a twin spot goby and another BTA. ERRRRRRR.
I have been trying everything to make sure my twin goby is good and I hope with my tank 1 1/2 years old he has enough to eat. He wont do pellets and a lot of people say they don't eat pods. still alive and looks healthy, but talk about the concern.

 

[garyfri]

People frequently bring up time and money. Honestly, time away from forums is in itself a big stress reliever. Stop reading forums if it's giving you anxiety what other people are doing. Keep reading if you think it helps you. Also have a set amount of cash in mind and quit spending at or near that value. It's way too easy in any hobby to get carried away, especially in this one when people charge ridiculous prices for things, especially when oftentimes it's livestock that can be hit or miss on if your valued investment even survives. Stop burning through time and money with some simple tips above and it makes it a whole lot nicer of a hobby just letting the tank mature on its own, less tinkering and more observing. Let's face it, there is something always wrong with the tank at any given time it's not quite possible to have everything exactly perfect all the time.

But part of the fun is getting all the BRS packages and making my kids break down the boxes.

 

[Cell]

Tbh I'd like to believe for most reefers reading forums reduces anxiety, not increases. You get to read all these experiences of other reefers and realize they've made the same mistakes you have. They've had the same ups and downs. Perspective gained is invaluable.