Navigating holiday visitors: How do you deal with guests and your fish tank?

[Lost in the Sauce]

What is a visitor/guest?

Those folk that try to sell you solar or Jesus I think.

 

[olonmv]

Honestly, this is a smart idea. I may actually do this as it’ll be much easier to explain the stocking and they may be a bit more interested in the science side of things.

Binder came to mind at first because…..old. But when I originally pitched the idea to my kids, the idea was a tablet. Click on the pic of what you’re interested in and it sends you to the info page.

 

[Surskit]

i love to show my tanks to people, and i also go really in depth talking about it. it does help that the only visitors i have are people who find fish cool though lol

 

[i cant think]

Those folk that try to sell you solar or Jesus I think.

I always thought it was the people that just stare at you like you’re insane when you say you bought a 3 digit fish and then go and say a coat is better than a fish for that price?

 

[vlangel]

My tank is just inside the main entrance door and also near the dining room on one side and the living room on the other. Ha ha, so it's pretty hard for anyone to ignore with my strategic placement!

I do however gauge the information given by my perception of the interest shown in the tank. If a guest wants to know a lot in detail I will share a lot. If guests only want to know the names of my fish then that is all I tell them.

 

[G Santana]

I show them this

 

[Mnmbrix]

I like to treat it as if I am at a museum and leading a tour. I love the idea that it is a piece of living art. If it does nothing more than to bring beauty to their lives then it is already a success. If it drive interest into fish or even better corals, then I will open up that can of worms very slowly. I only give knowledge that they are seeking while letting them just take in all that there is to see.

I LOVE this thought process

 

[bob w]

i share my tank info if asked and most people ask

 

[RichReef]

If they ask I show them. My wife and kids are more prone to asking people to look at it.

As far as talking to guests about it I only answer their questions. The tank speaks for itself.

The funny thing is people are always telling me the amount of work it must take and are shocked when I always tell them that their dogs are way more work than my tank. 20 minutes a day and 2 hours every other weekend....... once I found my groove.

 

[Borat]

If they ask I show them. My wife and kids are more prone to asking people to look at it.

As far as talking to guests about it I only answer their questions. The tank speaks for itself.

The funny thing is people are always telling me the amount of work it must take and are shocked when I always tell them that their dogs are way more work than my tank. 20 minutes a day and 2 hours every other weekend....... once I found my groove.

More like 1 minute a day and about 2 minutes on weekends for me..

 

[dsouth1103]

I love/hate how we all relate on the fact that nobody wants to talk us about our tanks. Forums will have to do I guess hahaha

 

[ff2807]

Do not let anyone in....my wifes grandson fed my reef a coke

 

[Borat]

There are people who are afraid of fishes in water - if they are your guests, probably not a good idea to ask them to

Do not let anyone in....my wifes grandson fed my reef a coke

That's a good experiment - how did it go in the end?

 

[ff2807]

There are people who are afraid of fishes in water - if they are your guests, probably not a good idea to ask them to

That's a good experiment - how did it go in the end?

I cut off his hand stumpy has not been back since

 

[nuxx]

Was right in the middle of the house and 10 feet long, hard to avoid.

I would pretty much nicely let the people to not touch the acrylic (my biggest issue) and not to really poke around in the area under the tank with the sump and stuff.

Otherwise fun to show. Also was in the dining room, so we had a few holiday meals in front of it.

 

[ReefGuard Systems]

I keep it pretty high level. People seem to lose interest fast if I go into to much detail

 

[Charles Zinn]

Binder came to mind at first because…..old. But when I originally pitched the idea to my kids, the idea was a tablet. Click on the pic of what you’re interested in and it sends you to the info page.

Could then show growth and profits from fragged corals...like net or profit. Harder to be judged then by non reefers.

 

[Kevin_Mac]

I have my sitting area in front of my tank ,if they don't ask a question right away they will after a few drinks. I then give the tank tour/ explanation . The more drinks the more interest!

 

[maroun.c]

Always happy to share info about the tank and its inhabitants, woth as much detail as people are interested in things. Few non reefer visitors have asked to see the filtration in the basement and they of course get a tour which can be more exciting to some than seing the tank...
I don't worry about people dumping anything in the tank as its in a closed wood cabinet.... no sump as its in basement... which is safer when you have people around especially kids friends.... anyway everyone knows better than dumping anything in the tank

 

[zheka757]

9 out of 10 people will make a nice coment on my 400g inwall build, couse it's right there next to entry door. 5 out of them will ask if I have Nemo or dory! Couple will ask if it's salt water or fresh water.
But that 1 out of 10 people will look at it for a split second and move on. This type of people are ignorant in my opinion, and hurt my feelings a little. But I mean for rear how can someone won't aprisiate natural beuty of reef?