Bored? Try Something New!

[Reefer Matt]

Hey Reefers! Sometimes when you achieve your salty dreams, the hobby becomes a little stale. I constantly look for ways to keep things fresh, and thought I'd start this thread so you and others can suggest your ideas for doing so too.

Sometimes little tweaks are all it takes to open up a new venture into reefing. For example, I started selling frags at local trade shows, and launched a YouTube channel to share my reefing journey. Those certainly keep me busy, and give me fresh perspectives of reefing.

What do you think? Have any ideas for those getting bored with the hobby?

 

[EricR]

No idea as I've never had a chance to get bored (yet).
Whenever things are cruising along on auto-pilot for a while, something new and unexpected seems to crop up.
*enjoy my useless babble that in no way helped move this otherwise interesting topic forward,,, DOH!

 

[Reefer Matt]

No idea as I've never had a chance to get bored (yet).
Whenever things are cruising along on auto-pilot for a while, something new and unexpected seems to crop up.
*enjoy my useless babble that in no way helped move this otherwise interesting topic forward,,, DOH!

I hear ya! Something always pops up for sure. And your post isn't useless. You replied to this thread, so it won't go where most of my threads do, in the "Unanswered Threads" category. Thank you, and Happy Reefing!

 

[kbnh]

I’m at this point now, tank has been running for almost two years now, I’ve stopped using my skimmer for a few months with no negatives and took it out the sump just yesterday. I was thinking of chaeto or some type of macro algae but your comment about frags has me thinking I just turn the space into my frag tank

 

[Reefer Matt]

I’m at this point now, tank has been running for almost two years now, I’ve stopped using my skimmer for a few months with no negatives and took it out the sump just yesterday. I was thinking of chaeto or some type of macro algae but your comment about frags has me thinking I just turn the space into my frag tank

I think frag tanks are awesome in that you can keep potentially hundreds (or more) different frags, but not have to worry about placing them in your display. You get to learn about coral you wouldn't ordinarily have, and can try out different things to augment their colors and growth. Also it gives you another tank to put your frags from the display in.
IMO, selling and trading with local Reefers is the best part of the hobby. More so the trading and giving part.

 

[santeeeyyy]

Hey Reefers! Sometimes when you achieve your salty dreams, the hobby becomes a little stale. I constantly look for ways to keep things fresh, and thought I'd start this thread so you and others can suggest your ideas for doing so too.

Sometimes little tweaks are all it takes to open up a new venture into reefing. For example, I started selling frags at local trade shows, and launched a YouTube channel to share my reefing journey. Those certainly keep me busy, and give me fresh perspectives of reefing.

What do you think? Have any ideas for those getting bored with the hobby?

Im done with my current gallon. Currently I have a one gallon project I am trying to do because I have a spare gallon tank that isnt used. So that is gonna be my next project until i can expand bigger

 

[bakbay]

Very timely thread indeed. I’ve reached boredom this past summer and added a Haddoni tank, frag tank, and a dedicated hospital tank — along with my main SPS & mixed tanks! 5 tanks running in total.

Trading & buying fish can be fun but I missed one QT and wiped out all 20+ designer clowns - tough lesson! Anyway, I’m not sure what’s next tbh — consolidate and build a ginormous tank?

Looking for ideas myself — please keep things flowing.

 

[PizzaIan339]

This is an idea I have had that is not really a reef but could be cool. A large tank and make it into a mangrove “river” like in the Bahamas or Florida. All sorts of fish darting in and out of crevices in the roots maybe even a stingray or shark. I could never really do this myself but it is an idea!

 

[IntrinsicReef]

I have been getting into macro photography of reef aquarium organisms. After 20+ years in the hobby, being able to see things on a different scale gives a fresh perspective and piques my interest. I loved microscopes and magnifying glasses as a kid. I'm kind of surprised I didn't get bitten by the macro photography bug sooner.

 

[rtparty]

Tear it down and start over! Tank resets are sure fire way to get you involved again. You’re either involved in setting it back up or involved in selling it all off

 

[ukgeoff]

I'm only 22 months into reefing, so a relative newbie.

I'm currently going through the "snake oil" phase. I've just bought some Selcon food additive and Brightwell amino acids to try out. One and a half weeks later, the only difference I notice are my rock-stable water parameters starting to swing lol.

...In the meantime, still dreaming of achieving my salty dreams. What a place to be

 

[turtlewax2020]

I started to frag up my own coral and started trying to learn more about infections and diseases in coral. Reading alot more on different scenarios. Trying to get together with the local reef people also to get out of the house once in a while on a weekend to talk face to face with like minded people and get ideas and bounce them off eachother.

 

[Reefer Matt]

I gotta figure something out myself. It seems people were much more social a couple years ago. Now everyone is dead silent in my area. I guess I’ll just grow out coral for my lfs and trade it in.

 

[turtlewax2020]

I gotta figure something out myself. It seems people were much more social a couple years ago. Now everyone is dead silent in my area. I guess I’ll just grow out coral for my lfs and trade it in.

That's sadly how I am feeling now also, I'm becoming that reef keeping hermit that just stays in the shadows watching and just kinda going to a local event once in a blue moon. I have the select few people who I call my friends but this is why I am just trying to expand my own hobby in the home because It gives me some peace of mind that I am taking care of a bunch of living animals and inverts and trying to give them the best I can.

 

[Reefer Matt]

It also doesn’t help when my reefing friends leave the hobby. Talking 10+ year Reefers! Maybe it is time to downgrade myself?

 

[turtlewax2020]

It also doesn’t help when my reefing friends leave the hobby. Talking 10+ year Reefers! Maybe it is time to downgrade myself?

Nahhh! I would keep doing what you are doing!!! Everything has been looking great and doing an awesome job with the knowledge and I always like learning from others and who have the same mind as I do when it comes to the hobby.

 

[shakacuz]

It seems people were much more social a couple years ago. Now everyone is dead silent in my area. I guess I’ll just grow out coral for my lfs and trade it in.

COVID forced people to be anti-social, or took away from providing a time/space for people to be/become social. i'm on the same boat as you with trading coral in to the LFS, but i started this hobby with the intention of connecting with other likeminded folk in my area.

In my area, i'm struggling to find local hobbyists outside of those i've already come to be acquainted with. i don't believe i'll leave the hobby anytime soon, but i do question where i'll be in the hobby in another year or two.

 

[CBonito]

I gotta figure something out myself. It seems people were much more social a couple years ago. Now everyone is dead silent in my area. I guess I’ll just grow out coral for my lfs and trade it in.

It seems like that doesn't it? Everything was so much busier maybe even just a few years ago. Now it's like no one does this anymore and no one cares. And that maybe true. A lot of upheaval has caused people to leave or reassess their abilities to fund their hobbies...

Tell ya what though...you grow stuff, I'll come see ya. I'd rather pick up stuff locally from hobbyists than sit there and think of all possible ways Fedex can gooch me out of 500 dollars.