Hobby or mental illness ?

M

mrme

In Memoriam
:D hehe i was pondering today about wether or not i think about my tank to much.
Sure this hobby is great, and i learn new things about life in the ocean everyday. But when has it gone to far ?
Will it ever have gone to far ?

Or will the day it has gone to far, be the day i have a 10,000. gallon Reef in my living room ? I'm not sure really lol, and almost think that wouldn't be going "Too far".

I just wanted to hear what all of you have to say.

Haha, Just so you guys know a little about my addiction.
I never tap into money that i need for food/bills.
I always have money aside for the tank though, somtimes all my extra money. :bum:

Lately i have been pondering ways to make my money back... maybe a frag prop' tank. Or somthing similar.

I almost hesitate to turn the lights off on my tank everynight because i love looking at the tank so much. When i had a timer, and the tank lights would be off by the time i got home from work, i would be kind of upset. :(
Luckily, that timer stoped working. :rollface:

Sorry if This thread is Odd, but i thought maybe it would help us to get it out and talk about it. I know i have a little bit of an issue. :lol:
 
I think this hobby could possibly be a cure for mental illness - I suffer from severe depression, and while meds help, I swear an hour just staring into my reef does just as much.

Never mind how much you love your reef, and how much money you set aside for it; if you weren't spending on beautiful animals (and all the goodies needed to care for them), you'd probably be spending it on something else. Who needs a retirement plan anyway? :D
 
I am fifteen years old and I look at it this way, reefkeeping is a wonderful hobby and you learn so much from it, especially on how to manage your money.
Why not spend the thousands of dollars we do on our tanks and equipment.. It is far better than any drug or alcohol addiction that you see some kids get into. If anything reefkeeping is cure for those diseases and it keeps you out of the trouble you don't want to get into.
 
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I agree with ABC,this hobby provides a seemingly endless place for your mind to engage, wander and relax .It goes well beyond the feed the child a new toy activity involved in buying a new specimen or piece of equipment ,although I must admit that's my favorite part.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10892178#post10892178 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by zach0660
I am fifteen years old and I look at it this way, reefkeeping is a wonderful hobby and you learn so much from it, especially on how to manage your money.
Why not spend the thousands of dollars we do on our tanks and equipment.. It is far better than any drug or alcohol addiction that you see some kids get into. If anything reefkeeping is cure for those diseases and it keeps you out of the trouble you don't want to get into.
Click to expand...

HERE HERE Zach!!! I wish all teenagers had some sort of outlet...I give you kudos for staying on track! For my teen....school, soccer, homework, shower and bed...BTW she loves the reef tank.

As for me...I think I am pretty sane, but this tank may just drive me CRAZY!!!!:D :eek1:
 
Re: Hobby or mental illness ?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10891669#post10891669 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mrme
:D
I almost hesitate to turn the lights off on my tank everynight because i love looking at the tank so much. When i had a timer, and the tank lights would be off by the time i got home from work, i would be kind of upset. :(
Luckily, that timer stoped working. :rollface:

:
Click to expand...

Just reverse the day/night cycle on the timer or set the timer to go on at 7pm and go off at 8am like I do and I stay up till 2am to watch the tank.
 
hahaha Flameangel has the idea !
thanks for the suggestion.. i may just do that. :P

Acbinky had a great point.

It looks like a lot of you try to not let your heads go to much.
While there are a few that think we are all "sicko's". LOL

At least we are starting to propagate some of the corals, and fish, and also starting to make man made live rock. If not, i would feel real awful, having to take from the ocean to view it in my tank.

All my corals are second generation at least, and my fish are tank bred.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10896210#post10896210 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mrme

It looks like a lot of you try to not let your heads go to much.
While there are a few that think we are all "sicko's". LOL
Click to expand...

lol, almost everybody that don't know much about the hobby will think we are "sicko's" :D

which can be applied to just about any hobby, we are strange creatures indeed :rollface:

anyway, talk to you guys later, my tank's calling (must obey) :bum:

sam
 
I do know what you mean. I have spent a lot f money recently on my tank, and usually hide my new purchases from the wifey :cool:

I am also usually thinking about new purchases and DIY projects a lot too, always tinkering with something :mixed:

The temptation to go larger is a constant battle to resist, given in reality I dont think I can afford it, whilst keeping the wife and four kids. Its a dilema :D

It has taught me patience though, after bleaching my sps's with new lumenarc mini's, I am resisting changing or purchasing anything until they recover. They are showing good signs so far so I will lower the reflectors to normal height slowly soon I hope. :p

I like to balance my reef addiction with my golf addiction. Perfecting my swing, lowering my handicap and straightening my putts takes my mind off my reef obsession. :D

Seriously though, these two hobbies keep me driven and motivated through lifes struggles, I wouldn't have it any other way. Unless the wife orders me to stop of course. She's nasty! :( :D
 
I know im in deep when, wherever I go I think "How can I use this for my tank" Obsessed? No, just dedicated to my reef illness
 
Mental illness. It gets me into trouble. My girlfriend confronted me in the most serious way the other day. I love her a lot and we have a great relationship. She loves the reef and takes care of it when I'm away. She asked me where I had been Saturday. I thought She hadn't really noticed that with the reef there has been missing hours in my day sometimes. Especially Saturdays. So anyway last Saturday I went out for some bagels and was gone for about 2.5 hours. When I got home she said she had been noticing I have been MIA more and more and this was the last straw. Was I unhappy and was I seeing someone else. Meeting them every Saturday. I laughed so hard Saturday is NEW FISH DAY AT THE LFS!!! I stop by often and talk and get to know the local reefers. Well she wasn't really buying it so Sunday I told her there was a new place I wanted to check out and would she like to come. She did and was in shock at how much time I could spend staring into the tanks like a mental patient. She got so bored she waited in the car and fell asleep reading the Times. She is ok now and kicks me out the door when she needs some time. I works out great.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10898929#post10898929 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmchzn
Mental illness. It gets me into trouble. My girlfriend confronted me in the most serious way the other day. I love her a lot and we have a great relationship. She loves the reef and takes care of it when I'm away. She asked me where I had been Saturday. I thought She hadn't really noticed that with the reef there has been missing hours in my day sometimes. Especially Saturdays. So anyway last Saturday I went out for some bagels and was gone for about 2.5 hours. When I got home she said she had been noticing I have been MIA more and more and this was the last straw. Was I unhappy and was I seeing someone else. Meeting them every Saturday. I laughed so hard Saturday is NEW FISH DAY AT THE LFS!!! I stop by often and talk and get to know the local reefers. Well she wasn't really buying it so Sunday I told her there was a new place I wanted to check out and would she like to come. She did and was in shock at how much time I could spend staring into the tanks like a mental patient. She got so bored she waited in the car and fell asleep reading the Times. She is ok now and kicks me out the door when she needs some time. I works out great.
Click to expand...

:lol: can relate big time :lol:
 
Heard it today on TV " over 30% of spouses are sleeping on separate rooms". This hobby ought to be a factor...a big one I guess.
 
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