why do people keep a reef tank?

davesy · 10-05-2002, 01:32 PM

im just a over a month in this hobby and something happen and i try to ask myself why am i in this hobby. as for maybe because a reef tank is beautiful, and i plan and will try to keep one for those people who cannot afford the tank because they are busy or financial incapability. I love the kids looking at my month old tank then saying "did it really came from the ocean" i love the looks on their face its just like you are sure that when they grew up they wont do something to destroy the reef.
i got this reply just today from a expert reefer "you are not a hobbyist or a responsible reefer. You are the reason our oceans are getting depleted. You do not read about your critters before you buy them and your purchases are not thought out and responsible" maybe because im stocking up quite fast but no bragging they are all still alive. here is another reply from that expert"I only talk to concientious hobbyists. Good news is I am not an op in this room so I can tell you off". im ther to ask some advice, answers to my question and tryin to find new ways to improve the life in my tank. im just new here but i think that responses i got from that expert are rude, certainly not the right way to treat a newbie. I'm JUST CONFUSED, WHATS THE GOALS AND REASONS WHY PEOPLE KEEP A REEF TANK?

Doug1 · 10-05-2002, 02:27 PM

Davsy, thats a tough question to answer there are probably as many reasons as there are reefers, but I think most people are attracted to the beauty of coral reefs and after becoming involved begin to get a better understanding of the dynamics of coral reefs in the wild.
Unfortunatly only a small percentage of the people in the hobby have discovered the wealth of information available on the internet. For every new reefer thats turns up on a BB like this, with sad tales of bad LFS advice there are prlloy a lot out there still bumbling thru. I was just reading and vieing the MACNA segment of the online reef magazine. Given the turnout and the caliber of people who participate in the event, I find the attitude you were subjected too very unsettling to say the least. Sorry but an attitude like that is not worth putting up with. When one seeks an honest answer to questions, they deserve a courteous reply, you may not get the anser you want, but thats life
Check out the mag, especially the MACNA article

http://www.reefkeeping.com/

rottn · 10-05-2002, 03:11 PM

I think one of my main reasons is I've always loved aquariums. I could sit in front of my FW aquariums for hours, just observing. I always wanted SW (much more colourful fish), but was always afraid of SW, until the internet. That's where my research started, and now that I've experienced SW, I'll never go back to FW. SW is just much much much more colourful, beautiful, interesting, diverse, and there are always "surprises" popping up that you have no control over (hitchhikers). Some are good, some are bad, but it's always exciting.

Another reason is that I just LOVE the way people's faces light up when they see our SW tank. Especially kids. My girls had a friend over the other day, and she just looked at the tank in wonder, then at me, and said "but where do you get SW from? There's no ocean near here, is there?"

I think all aquariums have a calming effect (on me anyways) and I love to just relax in front of my tank after a stressful day.

And, FWIW, I agree with Doug that you definitely deserve an honest, and RESPECTFUL answer to your questions.

MROK12 · 10-05-2002, 03:28 PM

A picture is worth a thousand words...this is why!

MROK12 · 10-05-2002, 03:32 PM

Don't let some blow hard get you down!!! People kill me with the holyer than now garbage they throw around. We all start somewhere and "zExperts" are not hatched they learned just as we all do through the experience. Tell that guy to take a look in the mirror. Then tell him to preach to someone else!

MROK12

Doug1 · 10-05-2002, 03:53 PM

Hehehehe the pic says it all

Dude there are a lot of sites on the net that can help out, I wouldnt waste my time withthat sorta attitude, then again theats why we created this board

uurt · 10-05-2002, 03:55 PM

MROK12, great pic, like you said at least 1000 words.
Davesy, don't let a blowhard "expert" upset you. Remember, just becuase he says that he is an expert, doesn't mean HE hasn't had his fair share of failure. To flame a person who is looking for information is not much of an expert. Those experts here at TRT are more than happy to impart some knowledge if they can, especially when someone says "I'm a newbie, HELP!"
And remember this, just because a person claims to be an expert on a subject, I have found that there is always somebody who knows even more.
If the guy claimed to be an expert, he probably wasn't, but just wanted to feel importanat and 'holier than thou'.
IMHO-ignore him, go to where you can get helpful answers and the people are not afraid to say "Gee, I don't know, let me search for you" we are a family here.

Lee

Evergreen · 10-05-2002, 04:14 PM

What "expert reefer" told you that and what gives him the title "expert reefer? Was this a mentor or something or a chat room person? MROK12 is correct. When i was 12 i kept seahorses and they died. Now, of course i realize it was "unethical" to keep seahorses, even though i had read books, i just didnt have the knowledge how to get them to eat correctly or or keep them alive for very long, and yet that early experience has lead me to study ecology and marine biology and to keep reef and other tanks. Maturity, ethic and responsibility come with experience, experience you simply cannot get without making a few mistakes/bad descisions early on (life and reef tanks)
Hopefully, with captive growing of corals, we are "saving" more than we are killing, and you cannot blame reefers any more than the guy next door who drives an Excursion who is pumping needless Carbon dioxide into the air and warming the planet, killing more coral than collectors.

mojoreef · 10-05-2002, 07:14 PM

I really dont understand why you folks waste such energy of silly questions such as these when thier are some really important questions that seem to get left unanswered. If you really wanted to get into the true meaning of reefs and how they relate to us I believe you should answer this question, and until you can you should just be quite.

Question:

Who lives in a pineapple under the Sea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mike

billc · 10-05-2002, 07:22 PM

I didn't know a thing when I first joined this board.. I still don't know much but a lot more than before.. This site has been the godsend to my reefing experience..I have asked some very stupid questions. But have gotten real replies fot just flames for being ignorant to the fact. I try to Post replies only when I have first hand knowlege about the question.. Sometimes I am wrong but dont't get flamed for it.. Keep coming back and keep asking questions.. You may not like some of the replies, ( and my not understand some of the others) Bust of luck on your project..

Stang69 · 10-05-2002, 07:30 PM

SPONGE BOB SQUARE PANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeff

Junkzoo · 10-05-2002, 07:51 PM

CUZ!!! if ya knew ,ya would not ask!

Alice · 10-05-2002, 08:00 PM

Phew! Glad Mike's "important question" got answered; I was sweating that one there for a minute

Junkzoo · 10-05-2002, 08:09 PM

re-read the original post,,
in the "old" days , all FWfish were obtained from the wild, now , most all all are gotten from captive breeding. as we all know , SW fish/corals started the same way. if you look back and see the progression the hobby has went,and the fact that we are /attempting to "re-populate" the ocean with coral frags etc. i admit i still get some fish collected from the wild, but rather get them from captive breeders. i've watched the decline of the reefs/ livestock, and as a ex- part- time collector of same, i do feel remorse for what i had done in the past. i remember seeing OLD Queen angels and French's on the reef, as soon as i saw them , i watched them swim away,,kinda gave them a salute, cuz i knew how they got that big/old, they evaded "us". i'd rather keep and propagate the oceans realm to avoid stripping the reefs of what is there. i feel we will see Queens and other fish propagated in the captive world in our lifetime(i hope) i'd rather watch the spreading growth on my LR ,and share it with other reefers than yank another rock out of the ocean. anyone that wants a "wake-up" go look at a old(even60's-70's) SW book , and see how far we have come
gotta go, gotta go feed the fish, and sit and watch the reef tank,,,

Junkzoo · 10-05-2002, 08:12 PM

Hmmmm, i re-read my last post,,
I THINK I FOUND THE MEANING OF LIFE!