Hobby or mental illness ?

<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: hahaha, very funny. She thought she was loseing you, and it turned out, you were seeing the fish. :p
thats great...

Maybe mental illness is not the most appropriate word.
Obsession ?
love ?
:rolleyes:

actually, Mental illness works quite nicely. :lol:
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10891885#post10891885 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SlowCobra
This hobby is worse than a drug addiction.
Click to expand...

I had to give up drugs to pay for my reef. :(
 
Hmm.... I'm sorta torn between mental illness and obsession.

Take a step back and evaluate the money thrown at a reef tank, is that really sane? I mean, I put several thousand in a little 55 gallon. That's not figuring in the cost of water changes, fish food, smaller items.

There are others that throw loads more than I into a small tank. Just think what is thrown at the really large tanks. I don't even want to know how much I've thrown towards my 300, and it is nowhere ready for water.

Aside from the cost of the hobby.... The worry! I don't know about everyone else, but I worry about mine all the time. Whenever something doesn't really look right.... Panic mode! Run the gamut of tests, water change, then just stare at the tank for a change either way. This of course takes hours and hours, or about a day. Then trouble sleeping worrying you'll wake up and everything will be dead.

Enough blowing off, I could go on and on. Actually.... After reading what I typed, this has to be some type of nasty disorder. I don't know the definition of a "normal person", but "reef keeper" can't be one.





Is there therapy for this?
 
definitly an addiction.... and just think my girlfriend thinks not only am i addicted to my reef tank but im also obsessed with the computer....little does she kno all i do on the computer realates back to my reef addiction :lol:
 
<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...

A 15 year-old wise beyond his years.
 
lol, I know a gut that took out a 2nd mortgage for his tank and call it "an investment for the house, like an addition"
funny part, he really believed himself
 
I think illal alluded to this a little but for me:

Reef Tank = Obsession
RC = Addiction!!! It worse than the tank!!

Jay
 
For me it's an expensive hobby. I'm drawn to purchase something every week. Be it a new frag, a snail, filter media..... Ok, maybe it's an addiction.
 
Its not an addiction. I am in control of this. I dont have to buy new corals or fish or supplies all the time. I can stop whenever I want to. I can. Why doesnt anyone else understand? I just like this so much! I dont want to stop. I'm having a good time...

Ya think there might be a 12 step program for this stuff?
 
I think everyone has an addiction of some sort.

I think this one is pretty damn productive and good for you compared to many others people have.

I feel I have really taken a lot from this hobby, I have gotten better with electrical, plumbing, woodworking and many other DIY skills that just make me more handy in general. I have become more disciplined in ways, taking care of the things that just have to be done, even when dead tired after a day of work. No excuses, just do it. I even think forums are not all that bad, as long as you do not slack on other things with the time spent. I know I have improved my typing and writing skills over the years hanging on forums, and reading and researching are not the worst activities IMO...

I would only think the negatives would be if "surplus" money is being used that is needed elsewhere, of if you are taking too much time (even the most devoted people still need their "personal time", this is where I choose to spend mine) away from family etc.. It think this really depends on the person, as some have much more time and money than others....

I also think it is healthy to vary your "obsessions" too, this I just the one I really spend time on while at home and the one I really wrap my brain around. I prefer my others to be more physical and outside the home.
 
Last edited:
I can relate to ALL of your responses so far! I am definitely addicted to my reef and fish...as much work as it is, the rewards are a huge payoff! I used to ask my husband when it was time for a big purchase...now I just, er, go ahead and buy it! Like for instance, as soon as I'm done with this post, I'm heading over to another website to purchase a refractometer!!!

Hey, what can I say? Gotta have it!...right?
 
Honestly, the reason I started this hobby was to help with my alcohol/drug addiction.Yes I went to treatment, but I needed to fill the time that I spent drinking. So I started doing some research on the reef keeping hobby, and I decided it was perfect for me. One, I could afford it, I just took the money that I would have spent on alcohol and drugs and I invested half of that for retirement, and the rest into my tank. Needless to say, that was a good amount of coin. Second, I needed to find something that kept me happy and something that I found interest in. Needless to say, this hobby was perfect. It is so relaxing and rewarding at the same time. I concider it as part of my "support" group, it keeps me sane.

I have no regrets starting this hobby, it has helped me in more than one way.
 
My new girlfriend is starting to say I spend too much time/money on my tank......

Boy am I gonna miss her..... :D
 
Last edited:
Boy am I gonna miss her.

Funny. I told my wife your stry and she didn't think it was as funny as I did
 
At one point I even started thinking what if my wife and I get divorced.. how big of a tank I can put in the living room, etc. I actually got excited thinking about it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Looking for 40g breeder setups…
Replies
8
Views
207
griss
griss
oceangopher
Tankpocalypse Now
Replies
2
Views
181
Reefing102
Reefing102
S
Its been a while.
Replies
10
Views
2K
Reefing102
Reefing102
R
some random questions
Replies
1
Views
229
SantaMonica
S
M
Back to this wonderfull hobbie after 10 years
Replies
4
Views
293
griss
griss
Back
Top