Your *Better* Half

[icebear]

What does your *better* half think of your obsession..erm, hobby?

Just wondering statistically.

I know some love it just as much, some like it a lot but don't obsess, some are take it or leave it others may be hours away from filing for divorce

So i'm asking, what does your spouse or SO think of your enjoyment of reefkeeping vote the closest thing and then post a bit more, like whether the only obstacles may be the money or time spent or if you both have a hard time keeping eachother out of the LFS!

[MiddletonMark]

She got me into it ... had previously put herself into debt on her nano ... so she is NOT encouraging expansion ... nor any more DIY stuff.

That said, she does come to about half the reef meetings, is generally interested in it, does note when things are wrong ... but of course I feed, buy everything, change water, etc etc.

And she's the one who got me into it, but I'm far more obsessive about it - I love learning and this is ideal for that

[c1ownfish]

My Hubby love's is!! I catch him watching the tanks all the time... He really enjoys the mechanical side of it... He always says he will take care of the building, elec, and plumbing and I just need to keep everything alive!!! Like I have the easy job!!

Well at least it has kept us busy together the last three days we have been stuck inside!! (NC doesn't know what to do when it snows, and everything shuts down!!) what fun!! I am about to go crazy!!

[LongShot]

My wife is as deeply obsessed about her African Cichlids as I am about my reef. As I suspect is the case in more than a few households with 2 or more "aqua-freeks", finances get a bit, uuhhhh, complex. Every time I get something for the reef, she automatically figures it's OK to order that exotic Lake Malawi peacock she's been drooling over. 'Course when she gets her fancy fish, I just as automatically figure it's time I added that wonderful purple edged cap.

Fortunately, we do talk, so we're not headed for the poor-house..... yet.

Regards,
Bert

[reefer_wannabe]

A couple of years ago when racing season was over, and I was sitting around the house going stir crazy, my wife told me to get a hobby. HA! I showed her! She enjoys looking at the tank and nags when the glass is dirty, but wouldn't lift a finger to help out. Like I said, it's MY hobby......

[Awestralian]

We are both animal crazy...
She loves our tanks as much as i do, and sometimes is as obsessed as much as me.
She puts her foot down sometimes, when i get out of control, then she goes crazy and i put my foot down. We keep each other in check but eventually we give in to each other. Thats when the trouble/fun starts...

[Doug1]

I really need to hide that top off trash can, even the drape and screen arent working, she KNOWS it's there

[icebear]

it is nice to see that this hobby isn't endangering too many relationships


My hubby falls under the "likes it but glazes over" category- except when it comes to the DIY- he really enjoyed the lighting project... he wasn't allowed to help on the overflow because he immediately pronounced the 1" ID tubing as 'overkill' so i fired him But now that he sees it working he realized why.

The next thing he is irritated with is that (if you all havn't noticed) i'm not a very organized person. Sometimes the fish food ends up next to the bird food and 5 gallon buckets become temporary tables.....

[wanareef]

My wife is very supportive. She is even a great Aptiasia spotter as well. She wants to have some say as to what (color) goes into the tank.

She is a wonderful, supportive wife

[Stang69]

Well like they say "If ya cant be an Athlete.........


Jeff

[traip93]

THANK YOU "finding nemo"...my wife hated my hobby before she saw the movie....too much money and too much of my time. After seeing the movie, she wants a DORI" Well I explained to her we'd need atleast a 6' tank....we are goin gthis saturday to pick out the 6' tank....sweet!!!!

[Reefdude5]

Now chad, that's a score if i didn't say so myself! I don't have a hubby, but im sure she will like it when i do!

[Geoff]

i will see if i can get her to reply! she does have a predator reef tank. likes looking at it and feeding Pongo the grouper. as for maintanance well i do have to drag her to help with the water changes. she is always stealing my tank money for her tank.

G~

[Igo]

My situation is not listed. My better half wanted the tank and is really interested in the "livestock"

Im a DIYer and built the stand and canopy, sump, lighting...........and I did all the reseach to (hopfully) do it right. Dont get me wrong I like it, its a great hobby but I gave the tank to her for x-mas and her b-day. Its the gift that keeps on giving for sure.

So she is obsesed with the live stock aspect and I am obsesed with the every day operation and maintance.

I guess the first choise is the most applicable although I feel like I spend much more time working on the tank and she spend much more time looking at it

This is my first post so I guess I will tell you about the tank.

75g
95# figi LR
4 55watt 10k compacs
2 55watt blue
DIY stand and canpoy (Oak)
DIY sump (soon to be redone to fix micro bubles)
2 yellow-tailed damsels
1 Yellow tang
10 astra snals

its still at the beginning stages, levels are all good though the rock is cured. We are going to add some mushrooms soon I think and some coral soon.

This site has been VERY VERY helpfull. I am a forum addict already! Thanks for all the great info here!

I hope I dont get introuble when she reads this

[tangcrazy]

my wife thanks I am insane, She thanks I have gone overboard, she thinks I have tied up too much money in the fish. She gets all excited about the reef, or when I breed a new batch of fish, or looking at some I have raised for selling, but she never helps with maintenance or expresses interest on hving her own tank.