Poll: So is 60 too old to get back in the hobby?

[vlangel]

Ha ha, at 58 its nice to check a box about my age that is one of the younger options!

I have been in the aquaria hobby since I was a kid. I have kept so many different fish and creatures both fresh and salt, currently have seahorses and a pico reef. One is never too young or old to be amazed about the fascinating creatures in our world. Researching and setting up an aquarium can be stimulating at any age.

 

[Benny Morosco]

Welcome to R2R! I will be 50 this year and I was out for 10 years and just got back in!! Live Love Build Reef tank!! Lol

 

[Slicktop]

Got into salt water hobby over 20 years ago and got my Dad into it around the same time. He will be 80 next week and i will be 54 this week! Its like golf, something we can do together regardless of age..

 

[harley3]

I'm 47 but in ex-Navy, preacher's son years I am 62 with a 70 year old liver. Welcome to R2R. You will love this place.

 

[jsker]

Voted, all I will say is 1964 rocks

I have been around fish tanks all my life. When I was a crumb snatcher my father had a freshwater setup and then is disappeared. I started myself with freshwater at 18. When I moved out in my first apartment I had a 40ish and 150 fresh water with Oscars. added a 75 and had to sell the 150. Switched to salt around 1987. Stopped saltwater and took a break in 2001 and got back into saltwater and reefing in 2015.

 

[Fin]

I will be 64 in December. I am noticing that it takes me much longer to finish a build though. I have a new 125 gallon system in the works with the hopes of having something meaningful to keep me occupied when I retire in a year or two. I am still pretty mobile, but I am slowing down with social activities and enjoy just staying home with the wife, dogs and fish.

 

[reefwiser]

Just turned 65 and have had aquariums since the age of 10. I am working on my next tank build for when I retire. I will be building out another coral research system to keep me busy growing corals and learning about them. I also keep planted Nature aquariums for my wife to enjoy.

 

[Dom]

I don't know how to respond to this question...

I mean; we're talking about setting up an aquarium, not putting on a uniform and throwing 7 innings from the pitcher's mound at Yankee Stadium.

If I was 75 years old and wanted a saltwater aquarium, I would do it, health permitting.

And if I knew someone that wanted to get back into it at that age, I'd HELP them.

 

[Greybeard]

Under 50. I can still say that, for a little while

 

[rkpetersen]

Wow, surprising number of other old farts here. I'll be 60 in a few months. ;Meh Actually though, it's pretty nice; I managed to retire a few years early and I wouldn't have gotten back into the hobby yet if I were still working.

 

[tweeter]

I started in freshwater fish in the 80's, had my 55 gallon tank for 12 years. Then the kids got older and life became to busy, so I let it go. The kids grew up, and I ended up with a 2 month old grandson that I was to raise. My sister kept trying to twisted my arm into getting a saltwater tank, I said are you crazy?? Well, my husband found a 55 gallon tank for free sitting at the edge of the street & brought it home, and my sister, twisting harder on my arm popped up with sand and equipment, and all the while I kept saying no. Well, it's six years later, and now I have a 125 gallon reef tank to go along with my 55 reef tank ....It's all my sister's fault!!
I'm 57 now, and so glad that my sis twisted my arm! It has saved my sanity! When life gets tuff, I just get on R2R, and read all these great posts!! I love all my corals and fish, for me it's therapy!!

 

[Forsaken77]

This explains the "grumpy old men" syndrome . Almost there myself... 40

 

[jolt]

59 here. I am very much looking forward to being able to putter around with my tanks for a long satisfying retirement. Planning to start that at age 63. It’s great to read of so many others still enjoying the hobby in golden years!

 

[Muttley000]

Wait, I just turned 50 last week and now I'm an old timer lol

 

[Frogspawn Rob]

I had fresh water fish tanks as a kid and then again in my 20's. Last year I had heart surgery and while recuperating I walked on the beach one morning and o whim was setting up a 30 gallon biocube in the afternoon. After reading tons on this site and watching many videos on youtube, I now have 3 tanks. The biocube with 4 fish and easy to grow corals, a 120 gallon reef tank with harder to grow corals and 5 fish for now. I plan to add up to 5 more fish in the future. I also have a small QT tank. I did this starting at age 59 and now 60. I make my own water, do all my own water changes (weekly), constantly look for coral to buy (even made a trip to World Wide Corals which is a 3 hour drive for me each way) and love the hobby. It's been a bumpy ride at times
but it's given me a ton of happiness and far less time to get into trouble elsewhere.
Mike

More power to us over 60 Reefers! I had heart surgery last September and am awaiting my new Waterbox 230-6 next month! Been dragging since 1972 and enjoy every minute of it, through the Good, the Bad and the really Ugly! Key the music! Keep on Reef’in!!

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

50-60 is an old timer now?

Lol

 

[Reefs anonymous]

I’m above 55 and decided to start my reef to get even with my wife. We’re empty nesters now and Heck, she ignores me when she’s doing her hobby, so I figured I’d return the favor!

 

[Reefs anonymous]

Oops, Double post

 

[JeannieS]

Is 60+ too late to start? I got my first tank a little over a year ago at 63. So glad I was able to retire 6 mo. ago and spend as much time as I want with it. I expect it to keep me mentally and physically active for many years to come. So much to learn every day! Really appreciate all the information I found in the forums. Thanks for all the help and encouragement.

 

[SPS Junky]

64 and still in love with reefing! From the old school. SPS dominant 90G custom rimless (120G total volume). Welcome back!