Reef Tank or Wife

[sde1500]

Got to find some sort of happy medium. My wife likes the tank, but does think I've spent too much on it. So currently on a hiatus from spending anything. Skipped the big local frag swap this year to save a bit. Its about compromise, you both should be happy together, and also have your own hobbies. Just resenting the others hobby isn't healthy. But I'd be interested to hear the other side of this. Because the post being "Wife or tank" kinda sounds like there isn't much compromise going on.

 

[RadagastWizard]

Tank everyday and twice on sundays

 

[boyohboy2]

Would it work to simply budget twice as much for everything you're going to buy? 1 part of the budget goes to actually buy your thing, the other part goes to buying something for your wife.

Just the cost of doing business... hum doing hobby... I guess

 

[J2T]

My wife likes our tank and as a result does not have any issues with how or what I spend to keep it up and running. As far as $100 dollar frags go, I have an issue with that myself so I'm not really a care free spender anyway.

Now, if she did take issue with it and I had to decide between her or the tank, that would be an easy decision to make but tough to carry out.

Funny my wife is kind of similar...I mean I try and save money wherever I can but there are limits in my mind. Honestly when my wife goes with me to the stores we end up spending more because she likes stuff lol.

I basically try and not keep track of how much is spent because I think that would drive me over the edge lol

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Moan Moan Moan, that's all I get these days!

How much did that's cost?, why you doing that?, Your obsessed the list goes on!

Who else struggles with the other half and their tank?


Wife or tank?

We have separate accounts so that helps a lot. Not that she can't know the number. It just helps to not know what each other is spending on their stupid ideas lol

How does the tank fit in with the budget? If you are hitting your savings and retirment- consider having family fun account, and personal fun accounts. I would separate the personal fun money, and if you save up your allowance should be non-issue

 

[Cheeselady]

How about reef tank or husband? Us ladies can have a reef habit to ya know!



But yeah I just don't mention to my husband how much I spend..... He claims not to care about the tanks but I still catch him checking out the tank on a regular basis.

 

[MurphyLong]

My wife is an awesome sport about it, the only part of it she ever gets annoyed with is when I leave buckets on the front porch, or in the hallway near the tank. She's a little OCD about cleanliness, which comes in handy because she'll wipe up salt creep every day with a wet paper towel.
She has never said anything about what I spend on it, but she has asked me why I didn't get certain fish/corals, and I'll explain how much people sell them for, and we're usually on the same page. I won't pay more than $40/fish/frag. That works for me, because I am back in a smaller tank, that will only be home to some clowns, anemone, Starry Blenny, a scooter, and some coral. Once this tank is fairly established, I'd like to setup a nice long and shallow tank in our family room, and she's perfectly okay with that.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

My wife is an awesome sport about it, the only part of it she ever gets annoyed with is when I leave buckets on the front porch, or in the hallway near the tank. She's a little OCD about cleanliness, which comes in handy because she'll wipe up salt creep every day with a wet paper towel.
She has never said anything about what I spend on it, but she has asked me why I didn't get certain fish/corals, and I'll explain how much people sell them for, and we're usually on the same page. I won't pay more than $40/fish/frag. That works for me, because I am back in a smaller tank, that will only be home to some clowns, anemone, Starry Blenny, a scooter, and some coral. Once this tank is fairly established, I'd like to setup a nice long and shallow tank in our family room, and she's perfectly okay with that.

I am so cheap- I hate when I lose livestock- couldn't imagine if it was expensive on top of that.

Also I like the cheap soft and lps coral that move.

Also watching them grow is kind of my last joy after everything is started and running.

 

[Tisbe]

I don't have a wife anymore, the long term girl however grew up jumping horses. For her, this hobby is cheap compared to hers. She wants to get back into the ponies and let me tell you, I can set up a full blown reef will all the trimmings for what it would/will cost her to that for just one year. I'm lucky that she does enjoy watching the corals grow and can spot a pest on a frag from a mile away. She also gives me an earful if I slack on the tank maintenance so a happy tank equals a happy GF.

 

[Xandernfs]

I'm in a similar situation as thelawnranger as we have different accounts. We have 3: hers, mine, and ours. Luckily she has the 'if you're going to do it, do it right' mentality so that makes a little easier. I always make an attempt to get her involved and this way she has investment as well. But this hobby can easily be a money pit.

 

[AnnaCassandra]

How about reef tank or husband? Us ladies can have a reef habit to ya know!

Agreed! I am the wife and though we are both interested in the tank and choose new livestock additions together, I do most of the spending on the "stuff", I also keep track of all our finances so he actually has no idea how much $$ has gone into the tank.

 

[wicz101]

my reef tank let's just say i wouldn't be owning a 500 gallon system and turned a dining room into the fish tank room if i was married. I'll never be told what i can do again!

amen brother!

 

[Sk8r]

Setting up---you might as well sit down and budget your expenses: it is a phase, and it WILL cost what it costs. As a tank matures, you spend less unless you didn't buy what you should have during the first phase.
Once you're beyond that, ideally you don't run a roach motel for fishes and inverts. You concentrate on husbandry and grow-out. Maybe you should take to the bar, give her dinner and drinks, and lay out where expense will end and the direction the tank will take.

 

[davehead86]

My wife hates the cost but loves the outcome. Her reply to other people about my hobby is that I could be out drinking all night at the bar, at least this way shes knows where I am. The LFS or home in the sump room. lol

 

[VegasMike]

I am hust lucky to be in a situation where I don't ask her much about what she buys and she does the same with the tanks.

She actually convinced me to buy the current house we are in by pointing out that two 240 tanks would look nice on either side of the living room fireplace. She got the house she wanted and I got my tanks.

The last house we had in Las Vegas she convinced me to do an addition for a baby nursery and that it would be a great place for the 450 gallon tank/fishroom I wanted.

I almost took the tanks down a year ago as I was having trouble. She was the one who talked me into a restart and it has gone great.

She's a keeper.

 

[jgln]

Post a picture...and while you're at it throw in one of the tank too. :lmao:

 

[homer1475]

My wife hates the cost but loves the outcome. Her reply to other people about my hobby is that I could be out drinking all night at the bar, at least this way shes knows where I am. The LFS or home in the sump room. lol

My wife is the same way. I could be spending it on something else, at least this hobby keeps me home at night.

 

[Tooboot]

Moan Moan Moan, that's all I get these days!

How much did that's cost?, why you doing that?, Your obsessed the list goes on!

Who else struggles with the other half and their tank?


Wife or tank?

I have stuff shipped to the office, then add it to the tank at night while she sleeps.

 

[ca1ore]

Between wives .... still got the big tank!

 

[Ron Reefman]

Hey Ron, can your wife talk with mine?:lolspin:...you are one lucky fella! LOL!!!

Well, you have to understand, she is my 3rd wife and I'm her 3rd husband. We dated for a year, lived together for 3 years and have been married for 12 on the 4th of July. And in all that time we haven't had even one vocal disagreement, let alone a fight! We just fit together.:thumbsup::beer::love1: