Hobby or mental illness ?

mrme · 10/02/2007, 09:44 PM

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.

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.

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.

seapug · 10/02/2007, 09:47 PM

definitely a severe mental illness. we're all sick.

SlowCobra · 10/02/2007, 10:20 PM

This hobby is worse than a drug addiction.

ACBlinky · 10/02/2007, 10:44 PM

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?

zach0660 · 10/02/2007, 11:17 PM

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.

tmz · 10/02/2007, 11:31 PM

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.

kwaters · 10/02/2007, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted 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.

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!!!!

davidryder · 10/03/2007, 12:35 AM

People love my tank... and I love my tank. I don't think you can go overboard with this hobby

HDAlien · 10/03/2007, 07:11 AM

Mental illness....

monkeydude · 10/03/2007, 07:50 AM

my aquarium, my drug of choice.

flameangel88 · 10/03/2007, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrme

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.

:

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.

mrme · 10/03/2007, 02:56 PM

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.

samsfishnchips · 10/03/2007, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted 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

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

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

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

sam

mxett · 10/03/2007, 03:22 PM

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

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

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

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.

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.

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!

illal · 10/03/2007, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Hobby or mental illness ?

it depends who you ask ... ask me and i say "hobby"

.... ask my girl friend and she says "mental illness"

arts007 · 10/03/2007, 03:26 PM

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

dendro982 · 10/03/2007, 08:10 PM

As long as you have money and time for a tank, and feel good about it - it's a hobby. Otherwise...

jmchzn · 10/03/2007, 08:49 PM

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.

mxett · 10/04/2007, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted 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.

can relate big time

VINH_XUAN · 10/04/2007, 12:33 AM

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.

mrme · 10/04/2007, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted 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.

hahaha, very funny. She thought she was loseing you, and it turned out, you were seeing the fish.

thats great...

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

actually, Mental illness works quite nicely.

pledosophy · 10/04/2007, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SlowCobra
This hobby is worse than a drug addiction.

I had to give up drugs to pay for my reef.

JR719 · 10/04/2007, 01:12 AM

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?

flameangel88 · 10/04/2007, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JR719
Is there therapy for this?

May be a bigger tank to keep us from thinking about it.

illal · 10/04/2007, 08:08 AM

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

10/02/2007, 09:44 PM	#1
mrme Moved On Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: LA Posts: 465	Hobby or mental illness ? 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. 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. 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.

10/02/2007, 09:47 PM	#2
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	definitely a severe mental illness. we're all sick. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

10/02/2007, 10:44 PM	#4
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	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? __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

10/02/2007, 11:17 PM	#5
zach0660 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NE Posts: 549	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. Last edited by zach0660; 10/02/2007 at 11:28 PM.

10/02/2007, 11:31 PM	#6
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	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. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

10/02/2007, 10:20 PM	#3
SlowCobra Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Joliet, IL Posts: 3,079	This hobby is worse than a drug addiction.

10/03/2007, 12:35 AM	#8
davidryder Claris or Elliot? Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nightopia Posts: 2,750	People love my tank... and I love my tank. I don't think you can go overboard with this hobby __________________ A rolling stone gathers no moss... Current Tank Info: 90g mixed reef, corner overflow (Mag 9.5), 25g refugium (Mag 5), 15g refugium, Orbit 260w pc, Pan World 50PX-X (Closed loop), AquaC EV-120 (now skimmerless)

10/03/2007, 07:11 AM	#9
HDAlien Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 476	Mental illness.... __________________ ¡ʞuɐʇ ʎɯ ǝʌo1 ı Current Tank Info: 220 gal. reef

10/03/2007, 07:50 AM	#10
monkeydude Moved On Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: LKN Posts: 101	my aquarium, my drug of choice.

10/03/2007, 02:56 PM	#12
mrme Moved On Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: LA Posts: 465	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.

10/03/2007, 03:22 PM	#14
mxett Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 384	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 I am also usually thinking about new purchases and DIY projects a lot too, always tinkering with something 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 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. 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. 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!

10/03/2007, 03:26 PM	#16
arts007 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 600	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 __________________ Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99% perspiration, which is why engineers sometimes smell really bad. Current Tank Info: 120g SPS reef tank. 2x 400 watt Reeflux 12k on lumenbrights

10/03/2007, 08:10 PM	#17
dendro982 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,963	As long as you have money and time for a tank, and feel good about it - it's a hobby. Otherwise... __________________ Multiple Tank Syndrome: 15g shallow hi light - Xmas tree rocks, nps, sps, clams 6g shallow dark - sun corals collection 5g - sea apples NC12 - tube anemone 20g L - frogfish 125g - filefishes and lion Current Tank Info: 6 BB tanks: NPS, filter feeders and odd fish. LPS, sps and clams too

10/03/2007, 08:49 PM	#18
jmchzn Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: nyc/ct Posts: 147	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. __________________ JMCHZN This reef insures my kids get nothing! Current Tank Info: 90gal/starfire/oceanicTechTank/BubbleKing180 /30gal sump/48"Solaris LED light system/3.5-5" DSB/150 lbs live rock/tunze wave box/aqua 25w uv/PhosReactor THATS IT!

10/04/2007, 12:33 AM	#20
VINH_XUAN Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: sunshine state Posts: 308	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.

10/04/2007, 01:12 AM	#23
JR719 Tang Cop Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: OK Posts: 2,240	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? __________________ Can't sleep, clowns will eat me. America is the most grandiose experiment the world has seen, but, I am afraid, it is not going to be a success. Sigmund Freud Current Tank Info: 300 reef, Aqua controller, Deltec calcium reactor, Reeflo 250 skimmer, Icecap bla bla bla

10/04/2007, 08:08 AM	#25
illal Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Tamarac, Fl Posts: 5,700	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