where will this hobby be in 5 years? 10?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11607356#post11607356 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kydsexy
i think it's amazing that you all have such positive views on this topic, makes me feel like there is hope but.....

we have to remember that it's not the responsible reefkeepers (oceanologists, ecologists, zoologist, marine biologists, ichthyologist, etc.) that are destroying the reefs. I think it's important to speak with the wild collectors of fish and live rock to make a change. Until then, it will continue in a downward spiral. I've seen a bunch of reef chemists and a few marine biologists on this site and i think it's a great step.

Do we have any "everyday people" who are taking a stand and/or trying to support the hobby in other ways than just buying aquacultured? :D
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I agree entirely that we should all be doing as much as possible to make a difference to stave the depletion of natural reefs. However, this thread is about what people predict will change in the hobby over the next 5-10 years. You're trying to steer it into an environmental debate. There is an entire forum for that. Post the question there. Please don't hijack an unrelated thread.
 
I was just looking at the "Drs." website and it's nice to see so many aqua-cultured corals available.

Essentially, as wholesalers and consumers learn how to grow corals there will be more of them to frag and sell. As far as the fish though, it looks like we're a long ways from captive breeding substantial numbers of fish we like to see in our tanks. It does help when consumers can keep their fish alive for a long time.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11607638#post11607638 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aninjaatemyshoe
I agree entirely that we should all be doing as much as possible to make a difference to stave the depletion of natural reefs. However, this thread is about what people predict will change in the hobby over the next 5-10 years. You're trying to steer it into an environmental debate. There is an entire forum for that. Post the question there. Please don't hijack an unrelated thread.
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didn't mean to offend you. save the reefs! aquaculture your livestock :D
 
I can't speak about the next ten years, but having been away from the hobby for almost twenty years compared to now, today is light years from where it was. Given the rapid improvements in technology, we're going to look back with the same disbelief I had coming back into the hobby. And most of the changes I've seen have been mechanical in nature, protein skimmers, m/h with specific K values, upflow, Kalc and calcium reactors. As I look at the controllers on the market and what's coming, it's happening so fast that it's like pc's, if you buy today it's outdated tomorrow. I do believe the basic's husbandry requirements will remain the same, but the tools/toys are going to be exciting. Unfortunately, I also agree that the options on livestock diversity is going to decline due to societies inability to control realistic consumption with managed growth. I think we're getting immune to the rapid change in the hobby as it compares to what we're seeing in our daily lives. While the pace of change in the hobby lag's the technilogical advances we're faced with every day, it would be interesting to archive this to re-visit in ten years.
 
tcollins: you bring up an good point, we have come a long way from where this hobby was in the not so distant past. I believe there will be significant changes from technological advances that will have very positive impacts, LED's being just one of them.

I think there will be many more reefers. In fact, I would not be surprised to see this hobby "explode" compared to todays numbers, making reef aquariums much more commonplace. The technology will be much more automated.
 
lol back to the environmental side (sorry i have a heart)

i agree, good point tcollins, but along with the improvements of this hobby, there has been a declination in the health of the Earth. I think we should take this into consideration :D
 
We will have to rely on our ability to frag and trade, thus preserving species.

I hope our expertise will serve to preserve captive species, and one day, allow us to re-seed areas of the ocean with our captive specimens.
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These are two points that are commonly brought up in when people talk about conservation and the hobby. My hope is that within the next 5-10 years people will get away from these feel-good sort of beliefs and realize that fragging and trading corals has essentially no conservation value. Also, once corals enter the hobby they will never be used to re-seed the wild reefs, regardless of how bad things get (nor would conditions likely support that).

I certainly think this type of topic is very relevant to this thread. After all, the hobby is intimately linked to the health of the natural reefs. All of the improvements in powerheads and skimmers don't make a bit of difference if we can't get the animals to put in the tanks.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11610166#post11610166 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by greenbean36191
These are two points that are commonly brought up in when people talk about conservation and the hobby. My hope is that within the next 5-10 years people will get away from these feel-good sort of beliefs and realize that fragging and trading corals has essentially no conservation value. Also, once corals enter the hobby they will never be used to re-seed the wild reefs, regardless of how bad things get (nor would conditions likely support that).

I certainly think this type of topic is very relevant to this thread. After all, the hobby is intimately linked to the health of the natural reefs. All of the improvements in powerheads and skimmers don't make a bit of difference if we can't get the animals to put in the tanks.
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yes, very important and relevant topic, and a piece of the picture of where this hobby is going
 
I can't imagine the USA banning the explotation of other countries resources for profit. Can't think of an instance where we've done this, of course we have protected our corals........
 
I think there is going to be a huge jump in online buying in the future. I have seen many lfs go out because of the internet. I have yet to walk into a lfs with the quality of corals like some online places.
I think more and more people will be controlling there aquariums through the pc, including water chemistry. That is going to be done fully with probes in the near future i have no doubt. At least the testing end of it. I am sure all dosing will be computer controlled in the not so near future also.
Lighting is a given with the led's. It will rule. I personally like the MH lighting. Something about big bulbs and reflectors makes me happy. I will be sorry to see them go.
I also think the nano craze will be over once keeping a larger aquarium is cheaper. Though i think nano's have helped bring in some quality reef keepers over te last few years.
 
FFrankie, that's interesting. do you think keeping larger aquariums will be cheaper? in which way? boy, I hope you're right! :)
 
It's cheaper now already then it was a few years ago. But i was meaning power consumption with products like the led systems. I should have been more specific. Also i see a drop in other products. Remember how much skimmers were just 3 years ago. The same skimmer i bought for 350 is now going for around 150.
 
I smoke, chew, drive an 18 wheeler, and drink too much to be worried about 5 years from now. BOL to all of you that are around


















JK
 
where will this hobby be in 5 years? 10?

- LR will be $20+ per pound

- salt increases by 4x's today's price

- our energy provider's charge more for "luxury" or "overusage"
similar to the cellular overage dog and pony show.

- epoxy resins/composites have endless possibilities

- any reefkeeper who is in possesion of bio-balls will be..............

- a heavy "wild caught" tax for both fish and inverts passed down to the consumer

- more intrest in diy/manmade aquascaping and rock


Overall I see the cost's being the only real effect on the hobby, the current technologies and methodologies are at a culmination presently. T
 
T man, do you make a lot of your own rock? I think man made rock will be coming up strong. I have seen some pretty awesome tanks in German forums that have been done this way.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11627791#post11627791 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FFrankie
T man, do you make a lot of your own rock? I think man made rock will be coming up strong. I have seen some pretty awesome tanks in German forums that have been done this way.
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My next plans for an SPS dominated aquascape will be virtually all manmade materials.

Truth be known that if one is interested in the progression of this hobby here in the states - research where the Europeans are at presently. TinMan
 
I think that the majority of the oceans reef wil be destroyed by global warming, and the question of wether a coral or fish species will be extinct or not will depend on the Reef Hobby. However this might not happen in 5-10 years so, hopefully technology will get advanced enough to save all species. The Technology side of the hobby I feel will be very automatic, somewhat like the AeroGarden is with gardening.
 
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