Contemplating getting out.

[yoggi58]

Here is my take on things, even though I'm just getting into the swing of things. I flew R/C planes for the past 12 years or so, and I just got burnt out on it. I was always going bigger and better, and pretty soon it was costing over 5K a summer to feed my addiction. I'm just plain burnt out on it now....and I've got a $1200 engine just sitting on the shelf for the last 3 years. I scaled back, got some smaller planes and am hoping to get back into what made the hobby fun. That is the part I miss.

As for the tank, I see your trying to cut costs, have you thought about selling the Halides and building your own LED rig? Less electricity, no bulbs to change for a LONG time, and it's just plain fun to build things. Perhaps frag out all your high end corals, do a lower light softie tank, or a zoa garden. Changes thing up to make it fun again.

That is what hobbies are all about...having fun. If it's a chore, it's time to find something new. Hence my move into saltwater.

And yes my 125G freshwater tank bores me.

Scott

Building an led set up has been in the back of my mind. Being an engineer I work with electronics all day long, so usually I dont want to deal with them at home. But maybe its time to get to work. Another issue is I have not researched LED technology for the last 3 years. I remember not being convinced with the light penetration compared to the halides. I guess I should do some research. Time to put on the thinking cap.

 

[RoastReef]

+1 on maybe going FOWLR. You can try out some new fish that aren't reef safe; and you won't have to run halides. You can save a lot by not having to maintain corals.

 

[LS1 WS6]

I would sell of trade the stuff for a cool nano set up. Way less money in everything from electric bill to salt and other additives. That way you can still stay in a hobby that brings you enjoyment.

 

[yoggi58]

Update:

Well, after much debating, I am going to sell only my brackish 55 tank and a lot of equiptment i have laying around along with some frags. Also I decided to get a copperband butterfly after many recomendations for the aptasia problem. I picked one up last night so I cant wait to get home and see how he is adjusting and if he has found any aptasia. I tested my levels last night and even though I neglected the tank for the last six months, everything was in good shape. Only my calcium is low but that is an easy fix. I think this will get the fire going again. I would just hate to give it up that easy only for it to come back later and start back up. For now the adiction won

 

[Reefdiver72]

Congratulations I am glad to see your passion is back. This hobby seems to be slowly losing a lot of people I would of chose to get rid of brackish also they are harder in my opinion to take care of they would of never lasted 6 months of doing nothing lol.

 

[cortez marine]

Relax,
There aren't many environmentalists left with the credibility to judge you.
The litany of fraudulent eco-ngos, the pretenders, the posers, the money grubbers and ambulance chasers, the "trend of the month environmentalism" etc. has confused what it really means to be green.
Fake aquarium reform organizations have already spent 10 million dollars to do nothing and most went to salaries, perks, plane rides, perks, per diems and private agendas.

If anyone were to feel guilty in this trade for its foibles and excesses, imagine how badly you'd feel if you knew what has really happened in the name of aquarium reform?
Steve
What ever you think you're guilty of....there are self proclaimed environmentalists much, much more to blame for the state of affairs in the aquarium trade..

 

[crooks]

Update:

Well, after much debating, I am going to sell only my brackish 55 tank and a lot of equiptment i have laying around along with some frags. Also I decided to get a copperband butterfly after many recomendations for the aptasia problem. I picked one up last night so I cant wait to get home and see how he is adjusting and if he has found any aptasia. I tested my levels last night and even though I neglected the tank for the last six months, everything was in good shape. Only my calcium is low but that is an easy fix. I think this will get the fire going again. I would just hate to give it up that easy only for it to come back later and start back up. For now the adiction won

Sell your frags on here I would like to see what you have.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=180

 

[yoggi58]

Relax,
There aren't many environmentalists left with the credibility to judge you.
The litany of fraudulent eco-ngos, the pretenders, the posers, the money grubbers and ambulance chasers, the "trend of the month environmentalism" etc. has confused what it really means to be green.
Fake aquarium reform organizations have already spent 10 million dollars to do nothing and most went to salaries, perks, plane rides, perks, per diems and private agendas.

If anyone were to feel guilty in this trade for its foibles and excesses, imagine how badly you'd feel if you knew what has really happened in the name of aquarium reform?
Steve
What ever you think you're guilty of....there are self proclaimed environmentalists much, much more to blame for the state of affairs in the aquarium trade..

Thanks. I guess I am not too worried about "environmentalists" think of the hobby. It was more of a personal "Do I want to keep spending my money this way instead of maybe contributing more to charity or even saving money for the future". Since I have no kids and I already do contribute to charity through my church, I think I am giving my self a pass. I guess better then spending it at the bars right.

 

[yoggi58]

Sell your frags on here I would like to see what you have.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=180

I will put pictures toghether for the club. I need to get rid of the aiptasia first though. But if you are close by, you are welcome to stop by and see if anything interest you.

 

[pmcadams]

Be careful what you get rid of... I dropped out twice over the last 10 years and after being gone for 3 or 4 years from my last reef, I am starting another one. I sure wish I had all the stuff back I got rid of. If you think maintaining a tank is expensive, tear it down and start all over again Its a hard thing to get out of your blood once you are hooked.

 

[cortez marine]

Ta da....
Start keeping species thats are non photosynthetic.
Specialize in shade reef organisms....
Do dendros and the odd red zoanthids coming outta Mexico soon.
Be "the man" on tubastraeas!
Huge reef niches exist in areas that are mostly shaded and underledges.
Many species live there all their lives.
Why not make that niche more of a specialty?
Steve

 

[lotekfish]

I started 3 years ago with a 30 gallon nano tank and almost from the start I wanted to go bigger but kept holding off. Then a year ago I got laid off from work- man was I glad I didn't invest in a large tank with lots of lighting and the subsequently large maintenance costs. I still have my nano tank which is fairly low maintenance, and instead of lusting after SPS corals which would require more lighting, I got really into low-light mushrooms. There are an amazing variety of colors and they reproduce quickly. I've been able to continue this hobby and spend relatively little on it by growing out unique mushrooms and trading them or selling them back to the LFS.

 

[ROB2005]

One thing about this hobby, it can be difficult to be on hiatus forever from it once you have started it. Once you start this reef hobby it has made you its bish forever calling you from every avenue till you return to her.

 

[shred5]

Down size to something simple and cheap like a finnex 30 gallon m-tank.. That is what I did. Sell your equipment which should easily pay for the new system. The cost to keep it going should be minimal. I went t-5 to save on energy. The new system requires very little time which is a plus too.

Dave

 

[vessxpress1]

I've been off and on with this decision for the past year and I finally decided to just give it a break for a while. I set my reef up in 2005. I have really enjoyed it and learned a lot. Others have enjoyed it as well. The decision wasn't over financial reasons, although I can't say I won't enjoy having the extra annual $$ freed up.

I felt a little guilty giving it up at first, but sometimes you just need a break or a change. My whole life, my interests have been somewhat revolving on 3-5 year cycles. Sometimes much shorter. I just haven't had the motivation lately. I felt like I haven't been giving the tank 100% and I said when I started that if it ever came to that some day, I would get out and walk away. The limitations my current house puts on me factors into the decision. The ability to not be home and/or leave on vacations without worrying about it factored in for me as well.

I think sometimes you need to take a break to realize what you're missing. Like they say in relationships, "distance makes the heart grow fonder". That is probably the way it is with reefs too.

I don't feel bad about it. I"m saving some of my equipment. I know I will be back. When, I don't know. But for the time being, I still plan on keeping up with the hobby and all the new innovations that come along. I'll come back wiser and with a better idea of exactly what I want to do for a better set up.
I may come back sooner than later and just do a cube tank with a halide or something. Maybe a small setup but much more advanced than what I had. I don't know. But I know it will be really weird not having it there.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[James983]

One thing about this hobby, it can be difficult to be on hiatus forever from it once you have started it. Once you start this reef hobby it has made you its bish forever calling you from every avenue till you return to her.

Amen brother!

 

[brbarkey]

I just broke down a 125 gallon planted freshwater tank because of cost and time. It just got to be too $$ to do it right and too time consuming. Now I only have a nano salt water at home and a 120 gallon poison dart frog tank. Then at school I still have a 75 gallon freshwater planted tank and 3 dart frog tanks...something for me just had to give! It was hard making the decision and I went back and forth several times but I just bit the bullet and torn the sucker down...

 

[lordofthereef]

I see a of of people "closing shop" just browsing the for sale forums. At the end of the day I think it is your call. You can look at it as all kinds of money and time invested, but if you had fun with it, you spent money on yourself to enjoy yourself. This may be a poor analog, but we pay money for internet, cable tv, cell phones/data plans etc. but we rarely look back at a year's worth of bills and have a problem with it. Think of it that way. You spent the money as entertainment, had a good time, but your subscription is ending and you are not wanting to renew it. If you are truly having trouble paying to keep the reef tank up IMO it is at that point that it becomes a burden and no fun anymore.

 

[aerie2008]

I´m with lordofthereef on the entertainment spending.

I´m only in saltwater since September 2009, but I can already tell it is very different from freshwater, and more fascinating than any other hobby I had so far. I think it is near to impossible to go without it once you started keeping your own little reef.

As for financials: I checked prices and maintenance costs before I set up my own tank. Hence I have only a very small reef, but it makes me very happy.
The costs for electricity are about 22 € per year with the setup I have.

As it requires only small water changes, the costs for salt etc. are minimal.

I am against buying animals that are wild-caught and will not multiply on their own in the setup I have; this would be no different if I had a larger tank.
Hence the costs for the live beings in my tank are small as well.

As it is, I am currently most fascinated with all the little critters that hitchhike in with the live rock, anyway. I do not know yet if this fascination will fade over time (right now, I don´t think so).

If you wish to cut costs, I would recommend downgrading to a small reef, therefore, rather than going without one at all.

Kind regards
Annika

 

[wooden_reefer]

This hobby is expensive but I think sometimes people spend too much on unnecessary stuffs.

make things you can yourself and economize on pumping energy.

The open loop can be very much slower for example and you can use energy efficient powerheads rather than a formal closed loop.