What keeps you reefing?
 

So we know what brought you into reefing, and what could kick your butt and out of reefing, those are the easy parts. What about all that hard work, effort and time in between? What is it that drives you and keeps you motivated to, "just keep on swimming" ?

For me, it is a combination of things, but boils down to two. 1. The ability to come home from work after a long day and just plunk myself in front of the tank and gaze. Watching the anemone sway and fish dart through the rock work. Finding that Pom Pom crab that I hadn't seen for over a month. Seeing that frag grow another branch. That alone is worth all the sweat and tears.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/...c6b97b639d.jpg

2. I actually enjoy the thrill of the hunt. Going to fish stores or seeing other tanks and looking for that specimen that I don't have and striving to obtain it one day..

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/...23b9d3791e.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1265/...33a9a307a9.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/...50274eb60b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/...e664df01a8.jpg

The beauty of life is what brings me back.

Insanity

Kien :lol:

Oh and my kids

A high credit card limit and a foolish bank loans manager.

buying new (to me) stuff and selling old stuff.

upgrades and experimentation.

O.C.D. and it's better than watching T.V. after having a "smoke":hippie:

too true.

I always wonder how those who dont "indulge" can appreciate their system as much as I do mine after a long day at work and the preceding smoke in front of my tank.

sometimes I wonder if the reefing makes reefing better or if it's the other way around.....Lord knows I have had many a frustrating aquascape come together after a little bit of it.

+1 Haha :biggrin:, as Kien stated to sit back and just watch has to be one of the biggest stress sinks I have encountered. So great during school, very tranquil area to study and relax by.

One of my greatest joys of reef keeping has to watch coral excel and color up in your own personal display. When I first purchased all 3 of these they were a very plain bleached out color;

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/720/p1120272.jpg

Bought this about 3 weeks ago and so far It has to be one of my favorites, when I first got it the green was very pale and there was no pink guess time will tell what the final color will be.
http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/1255/p1120269.jpg

Because I love water and the creatures that live in it. Because I play on and in it and have an awestruck wonder at the beauty of the creatures that call it home (FW *and* SW) and of secrets still contained in it.

well im still new at it 6 months old and already starting on my second tank.

firstly i have always loved watching my systems for th relaxation.
secondly it would be the "god" factor... on the 3rd month lockrookie created an eco system. hehe
but mainly what will keep me into the hobby is most of you. the friendliness the helpfullness and "dont give up" attitudes cause "ive been there" it makes a person feel apart of something bigger than just a hobby. and i love watching you guys pick on each other. face nog/lostlight the fight over the clams greg won lol.

what will make me get out of the hobby after 17 years of fw tanks and now salt.... now that im in.. absolutely nothing short of being imprisoned. and even then i may ask to start a nano in prison out of a styrofoam cup. ill call it rehabilition.

Finding new treasures and adding them keep me from parting with my reef.:smile:

I was going to say the thrill of having an empty tank BUT I think it's having a piece of living artwork that's always changing and responds to your efforts.

Tony's spot on as well.

Tony hit the nail on the head. I think the same way.
As well as I tend to be a bit of a shop-a-holic for things that interest me. I'm forever buying a new piece of equipment, new additives, trying new ideas, etc. I did the same thing with my woodworking equipment years ago. I had to have every new gimmick on the market. Some of them I've never even used. :redface:

30 yrs. later and I still have no idea why. :lol:

You still working with a lot of wood Lance or have you moved on?

The feeling of responsibility towards the animals under my care

What keeps you reefing?
 

And don't forget about all the really wonderful and helpful people that you meet.


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I've stayed in the hobby because I've been successful in most of my endeavors so far and because my tanks mainly just cost me time and not money to keep. In other words, if more things died and I had to pay thousands a year that I could not earn back I probably would have called it quits by now.

reply
 

It's interesting how everyone's repsonses are generally positive and seem to come quite easily. I really have to think about it right now though. I have a reef tank, but am not really into it anymore. So I guess I can't say why I'm still in the hobby, other than that fact. It's sad but I've been pondering getting out for various reasons in my life. But at the end of the day it would be harder for me to get rid of everything, than it would be to just keep maintaining it. Like I said, it's sad.

When I was "into" it though, it was because of the community surrounding it. The people here on Canreef, the LFS tours, the meetings and tradings etc. Now that I live in an area where that barely exists, I find it hard to be motivated to keep my reef anymore.

Thanks for listening.

Ditto

I am into it still and the above is definitely a part of it.

Also as Lance said being a shop-a-holic and always wanting new stuff for the tank, is a part of it.

reefing
 

cheaper than another Trophy wife, beautiful, high maintenance, but the beauty of a stunning reef tank is that " it don't talk back."

The constant re-engineering. I LOVE looking at the systems and saying, what if I did..... Its like being a mad inventor but having fish to look at after :D

Seeing this:
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...k/PB234328.jpg

grow into this:
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...k/CIMG2733.jpg

And beyond!

And the constant tinkering, adjusting, filling up, changing and all the other stuff we have to keep our reefs looking clean and happy that is just so rewarding when you sit back and just enjoy your reef.

with all I've invested why quit

why
 

Stress relief and a low IQ.
Keith.

Too deeply involved to quit at this point in time. Besides, being obsessive compulsive, quitting an addiction is very difficult to do. Much easier to just indulge my obsession.

Felicia loves the tanks, fish & corals, which helps keep me going.

Also, there is so much to learn & experience with reefing, as opposed to doing fw.

Most of my friends are "fish friends" so having this community for mutual support & fellowship is great for keeping me involved.

To meet chicks (don't tell my wife !). :biggrin:

I guess it's the same awe that makes me dive -to see all the amazing colours and creatures and marvel in the sheer diversity of nature.

Having a tank in my house gets me that more regularly than diving and only costs maybe 10 - 100 time more !

To spend money and test my theory "Money is not real"