How Has the Hobby Changed for You Over the Past 10+ Years

[Gumbies R Us]

As someone becomes more invested in a hobby, things changed about the hobby, whether it affects the person directly or not. Maybe a new technique is introduced, or a new piece of equipment that makes it easier, or you introduced a new tank into the home. I'm curious to see what has changed for you in the hobby in the past 10+ years.

 

[bpbonds]

As someone becomes more invested in a hobby, things changed about the hobby, whether it affects the person directly or not. Maybe a new technique is introduced, or a new piece of equipment that makes it easier, or you introduced a new tank into the home. I'm curious to see what has changed for you in the hobby in the past 10+ years.

The Equipment is so much better now than it was 10 years ago, your chance for success in Reefing has increased 10 fold with the lights, pumps, wave makers, E.T.C. The cost of livestock has substantially increased but so has everything else, overall it is the best time to get into the Hobby.

 

[rtparty]

The hobby is far more corporate and less hobby these days…if that makes sense

I would also say it’s the hardest it has ever been. No live rock. Lights are the Wild West with very little help from the manufacturers to get things right. Corals are ridiculously overpriced for standard stuff that we all got for free 15 years ago.

Much of the cheap equipment sucks and the “high end” stuff is overpriced. There is almost no middle ground for good equipment at a fair price IMO.

With all that said, I do enjoy the technology side of this hobby and love the controllability and customization we have these days.

 

[ReefGeezer]

I evolved from thinking that dry rock, a crap-load of equipment, and waiting for the "uglies" to pass was the state of the art methodology, to a simpler Live Rock, skimmer, lights, and wavemaker methodology. Maybe "devolved" would be more appropriate. My current method has more similarities to reefing in the 90's. The only difference is the live rock is not as good and the little bit of equipment used is much better.

 

[homer1475]

The hobby is far more corporate and less hobby these days…if that makes sense

I would also say it’s the hardest it has ever been. No live rock. Lights are the Wild West with very little help from the manufacturers to get things right. Corals are ridiculously overpriced for standard stuff that we all got for free 15 years ago.

Much of the cheap equipment sucks and the “high end” stuff is overpriced. There is almost no middle ground for good equipment at a fair price IMO.

With all that said, I do enjoy the technology side of this hobby and love the controllability and customization we have these days.

Couldn't agree with this more.

 

[vlangel]

I am in my 6th decade and have been in the hobby 25+ years. I worked at a lfs in the 90s and social media was still in its infancy. Back then lfs were important to customers as a source of knowledge. My boss taught me a lot about the biology of aquaria, both fresh and salt.

As a result that is the foundation of my own tank,so for me very little has changed. I do have LED lights now but that's about the only upgrade