Why do you Reef? We would like to know.

[Billldg]

I think we all have different reasons why we started reefing. Whether is to relax, to relive a childhood memory, or whatever reason peaked your interest, we all would like to hear what got you into this hobby. Myself, being from Miami originally I was always around the ocean. Going to Crandon Park as a kid for marine biology or John Pennecamp State Park to snorkel never really left me when I moved. I always wanted to venture into keeping a reef tank but was worried about the upkeep. Finally I purchased a 120 gal tank and the rest is history. I reef to help me relax, I could watch a reek tank all day long and never get bored. To watch the fish swim and to watch them look at you wondering what they are thinking as they look at you. To watch a torch coral sway in the current, or even watch my scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp. It is very therapeutic to me, watching them relaxes me.

What's your reason?

 

[Scorpius]

Always wanted a reef tank since I was little. Finally started my first tank in 2013 and never looked back. Stick head for life!!!

 

[SPR1968]

I find it simply mesmerising to look at the tank and I could watch it all day.

My favourite time is when I go ocean blue in the evening and to have a living coral reef in my home is a great privilege and simply amazing

 

[Lowell Lemon]

I think it is all the varied life forms in the reef aquarium. Fish, shrimp,worms, bivalves, coral, crabs, and the endless list goes on. Always something new to discover inside your own home or office aquarium. Then there is the art of the display and care of those life forms. From micro to macro the possibility of a display is endless. Then the joy when the livestock multiplies and gives rise to a new Generation. Sharing the results of a new tank in pictures and words....is that not what it is all about.

P.S. I love the tanks and equipment as well!

 

[Scorpius]

Most of my hobbies also bore me after awhile, but with my reef tank I have yet to get bored.

 

[KrisReef]

I've thought about this a lot lately, and what it boils down to is that I like to scrape algae, dump the skimmer cup, and siphon water during water changes. Otherwise, I would be bored just looking at the tank and watching the sticks grow.

Also, when I am looking at my reef, I think of all the many wild reefs in the world. It is peaceful to look into the tank and know that 2/3rds of the world is submerged underwater. I contemplate how much life there is out there in Gods creation. His tank is a lot nice than mine. :)

 

[reef lover]

My serenity......

 

[davocean]

I'm 54, I've had a tank of some kind since I was 7, I'm not sure if I could sleep w/out a box of water of some kind near.
Some people sleep w/ a fan on, the fan I leave on pushes water!

While I did dive way after I started SW, lately ear issues have put a stop to that, so I'm so glad I can at least still gaze at my own chunk of reef in my living room.

 

[Scurvy]

Wanted a reef for at least 15 years prior to getting wet a couple/three years ago. Was fascinated by the thought of having a reef in my living room.

In hindsight I've found it to relax me when I'm stressed, frustrate me when I'm calm and worry me while on vacation :)
It's more rewarding than I ever anticipated, keeps me engaged with something other than netflix and I've enjoyed almost every minute of it!

 

[reef lover]

In hindsight I've found it to relax me when I'm stressed, frustrate me when I'm calm and worry me while on vacation :)

This right here!! Lol

 

[RichReef]

The challenge.

I've always had great fish tanks since I was small. This is just the pinnacle of what a fish tank is.

 

[Joshua Kerstetter]

When I was in middle school I remember seeing The Naked Gun 2 1/2 as a rerun on TV. Everyone should remember there's an iconic scene where Frank Drebbin goes into question the bad guy in his office. Starts messing around with the 'unbreakable' pen, it flies out of his hands, and kills a Lionfish in a tank. That always amazed me that someone could keep a fish like that in their own private fish tank. I've always wanted a salt water tank because of that scene. That and I'm a 'tech' in every possible way, I frequently tell people 'we know the only reason I'm here on earth is to fix things for other people', so constantly thinking about the tank, how to improve things, how to monitor, test and troubleshoot keeps me interested all the time in it.

 

[AndrewB]

I've debated chiming in here.... maybe tmi

I think from the moment I first saw a clownfish in the pet store like 30 years ago I asked my mom for one. She said something to the effect of "when you have a lot of money you can do that."

I think I made my first reef just because I felt like I was joining the elite. To impress my peers. Conversation for visitors. That sort of thing. Then a few moves happened and the reef was sold.

I struggled to transition from college student to adult and fell into drugs and alcohol. I was always living on the edge. I avoided any legal issues. Managed to keep working and buy a my first house but I had made my life hell. So I decided to clean up, and to distract me I started a reef. Every $50 I'd spend on bourbon started to go into a reef fund instead. Didn't take long and I was ready to take the plunge. Life, as it tends to do, threw me a curve. I found out I would need a new liver if I wanted to see my 36th birthday. So priorities shifted a bit. Anyway... I'm 35, I had a liver transplant 2 months ago, and I have a new lease on life. I started this newest reef as my "recovery reef." More than just a conversation piece or status thing for me these days. Its my story.

Andrew

 

[Scurvy]

I've debated chiming in here.... maybe tmi

I think from the moment I first saw a clownfish in the pet store like 30 years ago I asked my mom for one. She said something to the effect of "when you have a lot of money you can do that."

I think I made my first reef just because I felt like I was joining the elite. To impress my peers. Conversation for visitors. That sort of thing. Then a few moves happened and the reef was sold.

I struggled to transition from college student to adult and fell into drugs and alcohol. I was always living on the edge. I avoided any legal issues. Managed to keep working and buy a my first house but I had made my life hell. So I decided to clean up, and to distract me I started a reef. Every $50 I'd spend on bourbon started to go into a reef fund instead. Didn't take long and I was ready to take the plunge. Life, as it tends to do, threw me a curve. I found out I would need a new liver if I wanted to see my 36th birthday. So priorities shifted a bit. Anyway... I'm 35, I had a liver transplant 2 months ago, and I have a new lease on life. I started this newest reef as my "recovery reef." More than just a conversation piece or status thing for me these days. Its my story.

Andrew

Congratulations to you and good luck in your recovery!

 

[oldfishman]

I have had fish since I was 11 years old and now I am 74. I had salt back in late 70’s. I like the challenge of a reef tank.

 

[Forsaken77]

Well... I started a tank because it used to be relaxing to me. Now it seems more stressful with so many points of failure on a large tank. I've had 72 gallons of saltwater on a carpeted basement floor. It's not a fun ordeal.

Now the tank isn't in the basement, because it was too big to fit, and I'm always concerned that it'll leak somewhere... the tank itself. It's in a main area and we rent out a ground level apartment attached to our house. The tank is right against the tenants bedroom wall, but in my house obviously. So if 180 gallons leaks out, it won't only flood my house, it'll flood the tenants as well. So I'd be double fu...dged.

So relaxing has turned to stress. I feel I should've gotten a better made tank than Marineland, but I use glass tops because I don't like 5 gallons of evaporation per day (exaggeration) and most tanks are rimless. I shelled out for a high end stand to help ease my anxiety, as if that will keep a seam from popping, lol.

So we'll see. Either all goes well, or I'm living in my car with a bucket of fish in the trunk.

 

[Forsaken77]

Well... I started a tank because it used to be relaxing to me. Now it seems more stressful with so many points of failure on a large tank. I've had 72 gallons of saltwater on a carpeted basement floor. It's not a fun ordeal.

Now the tank isn't in the basement, because it was too big to fit, and I'm always concerned that it'll leak somewhere... the tank itself. It's in a main area and we rent out a ground level apartment attached to our house. The tank is right against the tenants bedroom wall, but in my house obviously. So if 180 gallons leaks out, it won't only flood my house, it'll flood the tenants as well. So I'd be double fu...dged.

So relaxing has turned to stress. I feel I should've gotten a better made tank than Marineland, but I use glass tops because I don't like 5 gallons of evaporation per day (exaggeration) and most tanks are rimless. I shelled out for a high end stand to help ease my anxiety, as if that will keep a seam from popping, lol.

So we'll see. Either all goes well, or I'm living in my car with a bucket of fish in the trunk.

 

[tiggs]

Two reasons. First, I'm in a very stressful line of work and it relaxes me. Secondly (and most important), reef keeping is literally the only thing that has ever brought me peace in life. Life can be crazy, but my reef makes it tolerable.

 

[Bastray]

My grandfather helped me set up a tank when I was 11-12 and I remember how much I loved spending time with him working on the tank. I went to college and got rid of the tank. I had struggles with addiction and when I got sober one of the first things I did was set up a tank. It helped me relax, focus on something other than drugs and alcohol, and was something I really took pride in. I got married and had kids and after my first kid was born I took the tank down and it was 6 years or so until I set another one up. I love being able to come home from a stressful day and do the mundane tasks involved in a tank as it lets me clear my head. It's also very challenging and humbling. Once you think you have the tank locked down, something always happens it seems. That challenge keeps me interested every single day. I've had tanks off and on for 20+ years and I still feel like I know nothing half the time. That's why I love the hobby.

 

[88471]

To me, an aquarium is a living work of art. There's something very satisfying about looking at a beautiful tank and knowing I did that. After my current planted freshwater tank was featured in several aquascaping forums and used in a few advertisements, I needed a new project. I felt like I needed to go bigger and better so a reef tank was the next step. I admit I am nowhere near satisfied with my 6 month old reef tank, but it's a learning process. Someday I hope to have a reef thats as beautiful as my planted tank.