Help me understand why you love reefing (grad school project)

[FoxyFace]

Reefs are BEAUTIFUL!
They're alive.
The water and movements are peaceful.
It's a hobby for nature loving people.
Scientific minds are drawn towards reef keeping.

 

[Helfish]

Thank you for your stories so far and taking the time to give your insights. It is really interesting to read them and even reflect with my own experiences. Hopefully I am not too annoying when asking some more questions from you

 

[Subsea]

Respect for Life.

To understand our connection to our source is to see the larger picture. In seeking to know more about what I love, I see the Beauty in Nature. For me, initially, it was an intellectual thing that challenged my thinking as a Marine Engineer. There was more than biology, chemistry & physics. Biofiltration is holistic and metaphysics. Crosstalk between algae and bacteria and coral.

Yes. I seek to know more about what I Love. Nature is a tool of Creation. Avatar is real.

 

[Subsea]

I'll sum it up short and sweet.
Its the mass amount of responsibility, you're fully dependent on keeping a full fauna life support going. In short you are Mother Nature. You control the sun, food source, temp, environment, interaction with others. Doing this is a lot of responsibility. Way more than having a dog or cat.

I have read a lot of wisdom on this thread. The above is “succinct and poignant”. Kudos to @Saveafish

 

[Helfish]

One thing i like about this hobby besides starring at my tank is going to the local reef store and sometimes i will just stay in there for hours litterally hours starring at the corals lol.

My local petco yes yes petco has a frag tsnk not one of those 15g fish holding tanks, like an actual frag acrylic tank local fish stores use. And they have t5 ati bulbs above it with blue plus. Actinic and 6500k in it. The employee who runs the fish section is a reefer and id say 70% of my corals cane from petco lol.

I know what youre thinking but i have two bubble corals. Hammer. A fist sized torch coral, 3 acroporas, brain coral, zoas, yellow porites, monits and chalices all from that store.. they order thrm from ORA and other name brand suppliers and tbh the corals in petco are much cheaper thrn in local stores.

The only good local store is about 25 min drive away abd they are stocked big time eith any coral you csn think of and there usually 30% cheaper then other lfs.. on top of that occasionally in the 5-20$ frag section you can get some really rare/expensive corals or large corala.

Like today i got a orange yuma mushroom normakly 45$ online for this size for 15$.. i got a neon pink.red mushroom for 15$ normally 40+ in other stores. I also got some frogspawn for 10$. And a neon.bluish green double head candycane for 5$.

Anyway what im getting at is ppl on petco know me im in there evrry other day lol like i have no life.. same with my lfs its nice to walk in and have everyone know who you are and just chat for hours about coral and fish.

Honestly after starting ny mixed reef tank 4 months ago i dont even oay much attention to my 8 discus in ny 135g tank . I feed em and clean the glass and thats it..

I almost wish i could get rid of them and move my reef from my 60g hex to my 135g lol.. but sadly my discus are carriers are discus plague.. a virus.. they dont get sick they recovered.. but they csn spread it.. so i cant sell them.. and a 60g hex is too small for 8 adult sized discus.. and my 92g tank is full of my moms angelfish and jack dempsy.. so im stuck lol.


Salt water does have downsides... like ich... ich in fresh water is meh dose malachite green its dead in 3 or 4 days... I have ich in my reef.. killed my tang and angelfish and a neon dottyback.. i got new fish and same thing.. I have 10 fish left.. royal gramma. 5 green chromis. Azure damsel. Lawmower blenny, scooter blenny, flame hawk... None of them ever catcj oddly so ill just stick eith them and focus on corals.

Ich is one thing that almost made me give up.. its horrible in salt water.. fresh water has no nasty diseases that cant be cured fairly easily.. well except discus plague that wiped out 90% of my discus

Thank you for your story!

I am gland, that you took the step to enter the saltwater hobby. Seems that you enjoy it, even though you have had challenges with ich. As you enjoy spending time in LFS and discuss with the staff, how does that make you feel? For me the community aspect is very important. I have been reading reef forums since 2010, when I started to plan my first tank. Although usually I do not actively participate to the discussion, just then, when I feel I have something say. Mostly I enjoy reading the discussions and the debates people have. This is niche hobby, however I feel that the community stronger because of that. Reef2Reef have great people in it, which provide support, a shoulder to cry on and challenge to move forward. Some days I spent hour here, just reading. Without this sense of community, I do not know, I would enjoy this hobby as much as I do now. Would feel lonely for sure. In Finland we have few Facebook groups, as the forum has been quiet (essentially dead) for some time now. Still feel, that forums offer more content and it is easier to find past information and have more in-depth conversations.

Have you thought what is your goal when advancing with reefing?

 

[Helfish]

Reefs are BEAUTIFUL!
They're alive.
The water and movements are peaceful.
It's a hobby for nature loving people.
Scientific minds are drawn towards reef keeping.

I remember that there are some studies with evidence, that keeping aquariums can lover stress and blood pressure. So according to the research there are defined health benefits as well, as you described. Would you consider, that you are more interested or conscious about nature because of this hobby?

 

[Helfish]

Respect for Life.

To understand our connection to our source is to see the larger picture. In seeking to know more about what I love, I see the Beauty in Nature. For me, initially, it was an intellectual thing that challenged my thinking as a Marine Engineer. There was more than biology, chemistry & physics. Biofiltration is holistic and metaphysics. Crosstalk between algae and bacteria and coral.

Yes. I seek to know more about what I Love. Nature is a tool of Creation. Avatar is real.

Insightfully explained. As you said, this hobby has enabled me to learn and see the bigger picture. Also, I would say to be more aware of the state of the oceans and reefs, which is why I am horrified about the microplastics entering the ecosystem. Reef tanks are fascinating as it requires balance in many aspects. I have learned the importance which bacteria have in a successful system. Off topic, I did read that the bacteria in human intestines may have greater impact on our health than it has been thought before.

 

[Subsea]

Insightfully explained. As you said, this hobby has enabled me to learn and see the bigger picture. Also, I would say to be more aware of the state of the oceans and reefs, which is why I am horrified about the microplastics entering the ecosystem. Reef tanks are fascinating as it requires balance in many aspects. I have learned the importance which bacteria have in a successful system. Off topic, I did read that the bacteria in human intestines may have greater impact on our health than it has been thought before.

Bacteria effect all aspects of our existence. They are the “microbial overlords” that connect everything. Nitrogen fixation bacteria, types of Cynobacteria, convert inert carbon dioxide gas in the athmosphere into ammonia to make Earth green. Then in our marine environments, bacteria that perform nitrification in oxygen rich enviroment perform denitrification chemistry when in the “facultative zone” of reduced oxygen.

It is humbling to realize how perfect the “coral holobiont” manages carbon to all levels in the food chain by using the unseen workers of bacteria to perform that task. I marvel at the dna language that programmed that into “bacteria genetics”

John Tullock’s book, The Natural Reef Aquarium, summed it up for me:

LESS TECHNOLOGY / MORE BIOLOGY.

 

[Subsea]

@Helfish
In a recent conversation with UT Molecular Biology grad students. In one case study, intestinal bacteria were transferred from one human to another also transferred phycological behavior patterns that are often associated with stress.

 

[JBKReef]

Growing up I never had one strict hobby. I would enjoy fishing and outdoor life for a couple years, then I became a movie buff and consumed that hobby for a couple years. Cooking was a big pull for awhile when I was trying to impress dates. I would call all of those hobbies I still have today; but you can only eat so much in a day, discovering new films- once you’ve watched the classics its hard to find new films to consume, and fish and the outdoors are not really accessible in my region year round.

My wife came into my life about 3 years ago, and moved into my home about a year ago. She is a veterinarian, and in a former life wanted to be a marine biologist (Degree and all), but was pulled into small animal veterinary care. My wife would always speak fondly of her favorite class, which was her independent study her senior year of high school where she cared for a mixed reef tank. Anytime we would revisit memories of school, she spoke fondly of this time in her life.

I wanted to find a hobby for my wife and I to share together. We live together, and spend many hours a day with each other, but that’s normally spent eating meals and watching television. I wanted to find something we could share adventures with. So one weekend, I decided to build a reef tank for her. I had no idea what I was getting into. I attempted to reach out to her old school / teacher who had the reef tank and ask if any of the corals from her tank 15 years ago were still alive. Unfortunately they were not but that did not deter me. As I dove deeper into research I realized just how large of an undertaking the tank would be. At this point I had to invite her into the process to make sure I was not making any major mistakes. As time went on, and I researched and researched, we made decisions together on what kind of tank to get, the fish in the tank, and types of coral we would start out with.

That was about 18 month ago when I started this journey, It looks like the first pictures I took of equipment being delivered were around July of 2017, the tank received its first fish on Jan 1 2018, and we’ve been on the road ever since. The hobby has definitely become my own though. I continued to read, and research, and join reefing communities. I now know more about corals in the tank than she does, however she knows more about the finned and inverts in the tank.

We take weekly trips to our LFS, go snorkeling and scuba any chance we get, and admire our fish tank nightly. We plan to upgrade and build a larger tank whenever we move into a new home. Through her fond memories of school, I have found what I believe will be a lifelong hobby.

 

[Helfish]

Bacteria effect all aspects of our existence. They are the “microbial overlords” that connect everything. Nitrogen fixation bacteria, types of Cynobacteria, convert inert carbon dioxide gas in the athmosphere into ammonia to make Earth green. Then in our marine environments, bacteria that perform nitrification in oxygen rich enviroment perform denitrification chemistry when in the “facultative zone” of reduced oxygen.

It is humbling to realize how perfect the “coral holobiont” manages carbon to all levels in the food chain by using the unseen workers of bacteria to perform that task. I marvel at the dna language that programmed that into “bacteria genetics”

John Tullock’s book, The Natural Reef Aquarium, summed it up for me:

LESS TECHNOLOGY / MORE BIOLOGY.

Thank you for the reading tip, definitely will check that book

 

[Helfish]

Three things for myself:
I think it is a great challenge.
It is the diy aspect of things.
It is also the relationships and interconnected web that we are attempting to recreate and sustain in our homes. There is simply something very rewarding in creating a whole ecosystem and attempting to keep it balanced.

I also love the ecosystem aspect of this hobby where one strives to keep the delicate balance where the animals thrive. I once read in the forums where one person said that he aims to have better than natural conditions for the animals he keeps. I think by this he meant a life without predators, constant supply of food, no storms etc. Of course when keeping animals like fish in captivity we cannot offer the same freedom, however I have been carrying that sentence with me for a long time.

How does it make you feel when you are doing it yourself (DIY) and what makes you enjoy that aspect?

 

[Subsea]

Insightfully explained. As you said, this hobby has enabled me to learn and see the bigger picture. Also, I would say to be more aware of the state of the oceans and reefs, which is why I am horrified about the microplastics entering the ecosystem. Reef tanks are fascinating as it requires balance in many aspects. I have learned the importance which bacteria have in a successful system. Off topic, I did read that the bacteria in human intestines may have greater impact on our health than it has been thought before.

@Helfish

Thank you for the thread topic you have started. I nurture what I love. Knowedge & Truth is the process to understand all things. Self awareness is a process of illumination. As you go through the journey, the light shines on new awareness & discovery.

You are the OP! It’s your thread! You decide what is on topic.

This website is a powerful social platform with a highly sophisticated group of reefers. We should raise social, ethical & moral awareness of our tragedy in the works. I have spent many hours in commune with my Source while on & in The Deep Blue: 24 hrs 365 days 17.5 years.

I may be crusty & salty.
A Cajun Aggie in Austin


https://cen.acs.org/articles/91/web/2013/06/Ocean-Plastics-Host-Surprising-Microbial.html

Ocean Plastics Host Surprising Microbial Array

Environment: Some microbes living on plastic waste may help break down the materials
By Mark Schrope
microbial species colonizes plastic waste floating in the ocean, according to a new study. These microbes could speed the plastic’s breakdown but might also cause their own ecological problems, the researchers say (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013, DOI: 10.1021/es401288x).

Plastic waste from consumer products often finds its way into the oceans in a range of sizes, from microscopic particles to large chunks. This accumulation of plastic worries environmental scientists. For example, fish and marine mammals can mistake the plastic pieces for food and ingest the debris, or toxic chemicals can leach from the plastics.

But much still remains unknown about the ecological impacts of these materials. So a group of Massachusetts researchers, led by Linda A. Amaral-Zettler at the Marine Biological Laboratory and Tracy J. Mincer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, decided to study the microbial communities found on plastics to explore how the organisms affect marine environments.

 

[Helfish]

@Helfish

Thank you for the thread topic you have started. I nurture what I love. Knowedge & Truth is the process to understand all things. Self awareness is a process of illumination. As you go through the journey, the light shines on new awareness & discovery.

You are the OP! It’s your thread! You decide what is on topic.

This website is a powerful social platform with a highly sophisticated group of reefers. We should raise social, ethical & moral awareness of our tragedy in the works. I have spent many hours in commune with my Source while on & in The Deep Blue: 24 hrs 365 days 17.5 years.

I may be crusty & salty.
A Cajun Aggie in Austin


https://cen.acs.org/articles/91/web/2013/06/Ocean-Plastics-Host-Surprising-Microbial.html

Ocean Plastics Host Surprising Microbial Array

Environment: Some microbes living on plastic waste may help break down the materials
By Mark Schrope
microbial species colonizes plastic waste floating in the ocean, according to a new study. These microbes could speed the plastic’s breakdown but might also cause their own ecological problems, the researchers say (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013, DOI: 10.1021/es401288x).

Plastic waste from consumer products often finds its way into the oceans in a range of sizes, from microscopic particles to large chunks. This accumulation of plastic worries environmental scientists. For example, fish and marine mammals can mistake the plastic pieces for food and ingest the debris, or toxic chemicals can leach from the plastics.

But much still remains unknown about the ecological impacts of these materials. So a group of Massachusetts researchers, led by Linda A. Amaral-Zettler at the Marine Biological Laboratory and Tracy J. Mincer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, decided to study the microbial communities found on plastics to explore how the organisms affect marine environments.

Very interesting article. I remember reading that in Finland too there is research done about the plastic eating microbes, think Neste was funding it. There is also a new Finnish innovation which aims to challenge plastic packaging by biodegradable packages:

https://www.bioeconomy.fi/the-biodegradable-sulapac-material-aims-to-challenge-plastic/

Recently the inventors received funding from Chanel, so hopefully this will take off

 

[Helfish]

Love fish, nature, ocean.
Part hobby, part art, part science / chemistry and always a challenge/continual learning.
Get a lot of satisfaction out of thinking of ways to continually improve and then seeing the results.


I fished all the time growing up.
My Dad had a 55g freshwater starting when I was around 10.
My first FW tank was about 1989.
First reef 1991.
Some breaks along the way but more often than not had a box of water.

I worked part time in a LFS in college and still learned a lot more from other LFS at different points as I dove further into reefing.
Good friendships with other reefers and owners of LFS now along with it's nice to trade in corals for supplies etc. I would not enjoy the hobby as much without the LFS in my area.

Would you consider that aquarium hobby is part of your lifestyle, something which will always follow you in some ways? The human to human contact you get form LFS is something which cannot be achieved in online stores. Browsing and comparing the selection is easy in online stores, however one cannot just ask more information on something. How would you describe the relevance of online communities, example Reef2Reef, to your hobby?

 

[Helfish]

Im old. A master naturalist. I like nature better than people. I would rather talk to the deer than my neighbors. Grew up when kids played outside, ran around the hood, climbed trees and ate dirt. I found nature fascinating. Found a snake and talked the parents into a tank to keep it in. Fed it, studied it and decided it needed to get more exercise, so I let it go. It did bite me a few times, but you cant blame it, it was ******. With the tank empty it was only natural to want a fish. Fish didnt last long. What do kids know and the parents didnt know either. Moving forward. Out of school, married, new house. Get a fish tank... Fresh water, learned a lot . Went as far as to breeding fish to trade at the small fish stores that were around at the time. Fun stuff. Grew some plants in the water too. Learned a lot about water chemistry and biology. Found other interesting things to do and let it go. Moving forward a few years (too many years). I had always liked the color of saltwater fish so decided it was time to get back into the hobby and try that (oh its very hard to keep a saltwater tank) stuff. Found it was not that hard and kept a 125g for 4 years while I did all the wrong and right things. Now today I have 600 to 700g system that im trying to make into a mixed reef. Built the tank and sump. I like working with my hands. I'm trying to balance things out the natural way. I keep adding diversity and really enjoy new things popping up out of nowhere. Would really like to talk to the fish and see whats going on to better understand the workings of the tank.

I can relate to your childhood, as I too was fortunate to live in a place where me and my three brothers could play outside in the woods. We were always exploring new places, old farm yarns etc. I remember, that I was very fascinated by streams and puddles. It seemed there was always some kind of life in them. There was lot of frogs in the area and were always catching them by hand and taking back home and nursing them in our back yard. Most of the time they started to breed and then we took the frogspawn back in to different places. About ten years later we started to notice, that the frogs were becoming more scarce. There was more and more housing development in the area and most of the old puddles were gone and the stream near our house was drying up. Even though I was, I wondered the situation.

I have never really liked fishing, even though people tried to encourage me in to it. I was always more interested to keep the fishes alive in a tank and watch their behaviour. Of course, sadly most of the fishes did not live very long and at the time I did not understand why.

Really great that you got in to the reefing hobby, even though people keep telling how hard it is. Your huge tank sounds awesome. How does it make you feel when you are tending your tanks? Would be great it you could post a picture of it

 

[Helfish]

Please let me know, if any of you have difficulties to understand my questions or writing. English is not my native language and sometimes it feels challenging to explain myself correctly

 

[TexasTodd]

Helfish, yes, I believe I'll always be interested in aquariums and like talking with people at LFS. I order on line too but prefer LFS. On line is really just coral colonies and frags I can't get through LFS. Even special fish I just tell a LFS and wait for them to find the fish.

 

[lapin]

Really great that you got in to the reefing hobby, even though people keep telling how hard it is. Your huge tank sounds awesome. How does it make you feel when you are tending your tanks? Would be great it you could post a picture of it

Tending the tank is a love / hate relationship. I think its a lot like the chickens some times. You like the fun stuff. At times the day to day chores can be a pain. No one really likes to clean out the chicken coop or vacuum the sand bed. If you dont do it then ya got problems. Its just a small percentage of what the tank is all about. Not bad, just something you have to do. Its more fun to feed. You get to see them beg and do all kinds of antics to get you to feed them. Now one shrimp climbs the turkey baster when I feed. The other 3 are nocturnal and wont come too far out from under the rocks, yet. The tank is still pretty young. Almost a year old with dry rock.
Attached are 2 pictures I took 3 weeks ago with my new gopro. I have to get close to avoid reflection. I had it set and somehow got a fish eye lens look. Funny

 

[Helfish]

Tending the tank is a love / hate relationship. I think its a lot like the chickens some times. You like the fun stuff. At times the day to day chores can be a pain. No one really likes to clean out the chicken coop or vacuum the sand bed. If you dont do it then ya got problems. Its just a small percentage of what the tank is all about. Not bad, just something you have to do. Its more fun to feed. You get to see them beg and do all kinds of antics to get you to feed them. Now one shrimp climbs the turkey baster when I feed. The other 3 are nocturnal and wont come too far out from under the rocks, yet. The tank is still pretty young. Almost a year old with dry rock.
Attached are 2 pictures I took 3 weeks ago with my new gopro. I have to get close to avoid reflection. I had it set and somehow got a fish eye lens look. Funny

Looks huge Will be a stunner once it matures.

If things start to go wrong, then it is discomfortable for me and I get very stressed. Most of the time I enjoy the up-keeping though. I would definitely like solutions, which would make the up-keeping simpler and easier. For example, I hate carrying water buckets. Feeding is usually the most entertaining time as it is fun to observe the behaviour.