So many have quit
- Thread starter DEWreefing
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Money definitely playing a role. Everything is inflated and interest rate really high. I think you’ll see even more people get out of reefing in next few months when student loan payment restarts. Everyone is tightening their belts. And if you need to eliminate spending, reefing will probably be the first thing to be stopped.
For some reason I’ve been on a long streak of overall lack of interest with my tank. That leads to me paying more attention to the money and time it’s actually takes. I’ve been considering taking some time away but have been riding it out to see if my passion returns for reefing. Also, even getting out is TONs of work
I think also having more active reefers near you helps to keep people in the hobby. It is more fun. Just having other people to talk with and share frags or seeing what works or admiring the different type of tanks. People used to trade frags or just give them away because it was fun to see what those frags will turn out…back in the days…you sneeze and the frags browned out or bleached. Now, with all these crazy prices, no one wants to trade anymore. So I think it is becoming more isolated. Zoom meetings. Instagram and social media. Etc.
I honestly hate selling for the most part, it just becomes a haggle and that's what I don't want. I still trade (prefer it actually) or give frags to friends (and bank corals when I can). I agree about not having reefers closer. I've met a few people here that I really enjoy sharing the reefing journey with, but I don't have the time to get away and hang out as much as I would like to. Although, I'm gonna have a shit ton of free time soon, so for my friends struggling now, lmk and I'll come talk you back into the hobby. 
But, I get it, it can be tough at times and hard to keep focused. I also think that we spread ourselves too thin and try to keep too many animals/corals and it becomes a major job keeping everything happy. A simple solution is to remove the unhappy pieces and let the others thrive and grow as big as they can and enjoy those animals. To me, the tanks with massive or actual colony sized pieces are the ones that stand out to me. Anyone can keep 100 baseball sized pieces, then simply replace one of those baseballs with a nice new one when it TN's or doesn't make it. To me, that's not reefing. I say let 'em grow big!
But, I get it, it can be tough at times and hard to keep focused. I also think that we spread ourselves too thin and try to keep too many animals/corals and it becomes a major job keeping everything happy. A simple solution is to remove the unhappy pieces and let the others thrive and grow as big as they can and enjoy those animals. To me, the tanks with massive or actual colony sized pieces are the ones that stand out to me. Anyone can keep 100 baseball sized pieces, then simply replace one of those baseballs with a nice new one when it TN's or doesn't make it. To me, that's not reefing. I say let 'em grow big!I think what killed my fire in the hobby was the torch game. I would spend hours hunting down all the HG everything was super over priced hard to get and when I finally got some high end they wouldn’t do good then just melt.
Since then I’ve just been enjoying the simpler part of the hobby nice easy stuff and kind of taking the route of the like the planted tank styles just making and nice tank and cool fish
Since then I’ve just been enjoying the simpler part of the hobby nice easy stuff and kind of taking the route of the like the planted tank styles just making and nice tank and cool fish
Yeah, chasing the next big thing is kinda foolish in this hobby and I don't mean to be critical of people who have the money to spend on overpriced animals, to each their own. But there are so many cool things in this hobby, that if you get stuck on one thing, you're going to be disappointed. I've seen some very simple displays that were just a massive anemone and a pair of clowns and it was awesome. To me, less is more in this hobby. The ability to keep and maintain actual colonies, is something that we all should strive for, it shows that you really know what you're doing.
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In the last 23 years I have had a tank for 22 years and 6 months. Had periods without a tank two times, when I moved states. I have been on the board and even President of large local clubs for a ten year period, I have moderated large sites (in the helpful way, I never banned anyone), I have taught basic aquarium science in several high schools.
I have seen a lot of people come and go.
Unfortunately the direction of the hobby and the community has changed tremendously. We provide new people with pictures of systems that are unattainable and then try to sell them the next great piece of gear, or an even more expensive coral so they can reach a fake pinnacle, which is unobtainable.
So many of the hobbyists have jumped on that band wagon, instead of away from it.
Corals that have a track record in our hobby of being beautiful and easier to keep are often shunned in favor of corals that are "new" and let's be honest photoshopped or filtered to the point of non recognition. Both hobbyists and stores are guilty of this.
IMO the hobby has had it's peak and will likely get smaller. Soon we will all have the newest designer corals and frags will be harder to sell. So prices will drop, and the people in it for the money will leave too. I remember when the Tyree Green Leather was $125 for an inch frag. I traded in 8 for $900 and the person was happy. That same coral is $15 now. It was beautiful and desired 15 years ago, it's just as beautiful now.
Also the support system of the hobby seems to have broken down. Partially because of Covid yes, but also in my opinion, because there is a large percentage of people who are not happy with their own tanks as they are comparing it to those photoshopped systems online. So if someone is not happy on their own, they are less likely to feel impowered to help others.
When people get into the hobby, pursuing a goal that is unattainable, their only outcome is to fail, and they leave.
It's been a strange progression. We need to get back to the backyard swaps and local meet ups and away from the corporate stuff IMO. That will help us go quite a long way. The corporate events moving away from education is also concerning. The hobby really was moving along in a good direction and took a hard hard turn.
Again, JMO.
I have seen a lot of people come and go.
Unfortunately the direction of the hobby and the community has changed tremendously. We provide new people with pictures of systems that are unattainable and then try to sell them the next great piece of gear, or an even more expensive coral so they can reach a fake pinnacle, which is unobtainable.
So many of the hobbyists have jumped on that band wagon, instead of away from it.
Corals that have a track record in our hobby of being beautiful and easier to keep are often shunned in favor of corals that are "new" and let's be honest photoshopped or filtered to the point of non recognition. Both hobbyists and stores are guilty of this.
IMO the hobby has had it's peak and will likely get smaller. Soon we will all have the newest designer corals and frags will be harder to sell. So prices will drop, and the people in it for the money will leave too. I remember when the Tyree Green Leather was $125 for an inch frag. I traded in 8 for $900 and the person was happy. That same coral is $15 now. It was beautiful and desired 15 years ago, it's just as beautiful now.
Also the support system of the hobby seems to have broken down. Partially because of Covid yes, but also in my opinion, because there is a large percentage of people who are not happy with their own tanks as they are comparing it to those photoshopped systems online. So if someone is not happy on their own, they are less likely to feel impowered to help others.
When people get into the hobby, pursuing a goal that is unattainable, their only outcome is to fail, and they leave.
It's been a strange progression. We need to get back to the backyard swaps and local meet ups and away from the corporate stuff IMO. That will help us go quite a long way. The corporate events moving away from education is also concerning. The hobby really was moving along in a good direction and took a hard hard turn.
Again, JMO.
