What is it?

florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I will not bore you with the road I traveled to get to this spot tonight. But at this spot I wonder what is the great attraction to this hobby? Is it achieving the perfect equilibrium in a closed system? Or is it the dally challenges to reach that state. How many of us have perfectly working systems yet look to improve on them? Is it that we constantly need to challenge ourselves to seek an even higher standerd of perfection that drives us?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
How funny is it that you ask that question at this point in my hobby experiences...a month ago I could have probably given you a much different answer...tonight as I sit here with a horse on his death bed....one tank with brown algae...one tank with cyano...and another with green algae on the sand....I will sit back and wait for someone else to give you an answer to that one....I am not a very happy hobbiest at the moment....
Do know htat I have and continue to do all that is advised, and all that I know to be correct "husbandry"....It just seems as thought at this time I am not acheiving my wanted results.
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
whats wrong with your horse?
my friend has a smaller male horse .i dont know much about them but this one seems to act like a dog.
call his name and he will trot over and play.
he has a dead eye from an infection but dont seen to slow him down.
this hobbie is like any other .
think people see a tank and think that would be awesome to have then in a few years lose interest.the few that stick with it will love it for the chalenges and its ups and downs.
its alright to let the tank go here and there i think its normal.
my tank has been in treatment for a month and i really dont look at it too much but cant wait to put it back together.
good luck with your horse.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Ah Joe. This really intrigues me. Some time ago I started this thread.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/330966/is-experimentation-a-part-of-this-hobby
You will see if you read it most all I got were answers by people that could only think in terms "academia" definitions of what an experiment was. In their "egotistical answers" they wanted to ensure everyone that an experiment must be done in controlled environments under strict guidelines......blah blah blah.
Well I must tell you I am not in this for any egotistical, tree hugging, grandiose thought that we are making a difference in helping to save the worlds reefs by aquaculturing, mariculturing, breeding and all of the other things that go along with the "environmental" ideals of the hobby.
You see, in my own egotistical self motivation, I enjoy trying to mimic the looks of the reef. I enjoy looking at my tank, f'ing around with my tank, adding and subtracting to my tank, trying new equipment and techniques in my tank. And to me this is an experiment. An experiment in my own ability to achieve what I want to have, something that looks like the ocean and amazes me when I look at it.
I have probably offended some here, especially those that took a certain stance in my other thread on experimentation, but they have their opinions and I have mine. I don't mean to offend, only in my own way to try to help people here and to learn and to provoke some thought sometimes. Something you choose to do most times and I applaud you for it.
Yes this intrigues me, because it will be interesting to see what others have to say.
Let the games begin!!!!
 
dgon27

dgon27

Member
For me, a full blown beginner, the attraction to this hobby is the non-stop eagerness to learn that fuels my desire to one day have the knowledge that the people on this forum have. I love the responsibility and care level that it takes to maintain. I am so far away from a perfect system, I don't even know what it actually takes to have a perfect system. The one thing I know is that I have 3 creatures of the sea that are living in my home in a 110 Gallon enclosure. For me, keeping the little guys alive and thriving keeps me interested. There is so much more equipment I think I need and am constantly reading these forums trying to find out what and why I need it. Oh, and then I get the brown stuff on the sand (cyano) and the red stuff on the LR (diatoms) Just more to learn. I don't ever see myself getting bored, but maybe overwhelmed or in too deep.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Oh, and then I get the brown stuff on the sand (cyano) and the red stuff on the LR (diatoms) Just more to learn
You reversed them...the brown on the sand is diatoms...the red is cyano
 
nordy

nordy

Active Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3067266
I will not bore you with the road I traveled to get to this spot tonight. But at this spot I wonder what is the great attraction to this hobby? Is it achieving the perfect equilibrium in a closed system? Or is it the dally challenges to reach that state. How many of us have perfectly working systems yet look to improve on them? Is it that we constantly need to challenge ourselves to seek an even higher standerd of perfection that drives us?
Provocative post, Joe. But then, you are good at that!
For me, having been in the hobby for about 9 years, seriously for a couple, I used to think that I knew a lot about SW fish keeping (Please, don't laugh!). After joining SWF.com, ahh, not so much. Then, because my tank was stable, sucessful, and long lived, I thought I had approached "perfect equlibrium in a closed system" This too, not so much. I have had some setbacks with my tanks and have, through consultation with fellow SWF.com members, research here and in other places, some experimentation on my part, and a few more setbacks, have increased my knowledge, improved the condition of my tanks and the inhabitants in them, and most importantly gained more knowledge as well as some measure of confidence that I do actually know a fair amount about the hobby.
So, to answer your question in a roundabout way, it's the Aha moments, the Eureka moments, where I realize that Hey! I have actually just learned something valuable that has come to be for me the great attraction in this hobby. I started in SW because I was bored w/FW fishkeeping and was intrigued by the technical challenge of going over to the salty side. That got me started, and got me hooked, but it's those special moments that do it for me, when I am able to overcome an obstacle or solve a problem, or improve the condition of my tanks that bring me great satisfaction and continue and increase the attraction to this hobby.
Oh, and talking to the kids who come into my office and see my nano tank, and explaning just what its all about? Priceless!!!
 
oceansidefish

oceansidefish

Active Member
While there are alot of joys in this hobby relating to the little zookeeper in all of us, my experience is a bit more internal and I would ever dare say a bit spiritual. To me my reef is more of a real life example of the beauty underneath everything. One look at a raging ocean does not command a sense of calm, tranquility or beauty....but a look below that raging surface shows a much deeper and more colorfull existence in the ocean. Some people paint, some have zen gardens I have a daily reminder that beauty lies just below.
And of course who does love giving their cleaner shrimp french names???
 
salt210

salt210

Active Member
I have been keeping SW for alittle over 4yrs now and to tell you the truth the only thing that I can think of for a reason is that I love taking care of it. I know that I have an extreme amount to learn but I love doing it.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Henry my old friend, I must humbly apologize. I make it a point to read everyone of your threads and posts. Somehow (old age) I missed the one you linked.
My own personal thoughts on the subject are as follows.
Everything we do gets us from point A to point B if when we reach point B we have achieved perfection there is no longer a challenge associated with that endeavor . I have never heard an artist in any field classify his or her work as perfect. Others may see it as perfect but to the artiste there is always room for improvement when I look at my tank I never think it is perfect and that is what I feel keeps me so interested in this wonderful hobby of ours. If I am not making a physical change to my tank I am always making mental what ifs. Move a rock in my mind and what would it look like add a fish in my mind and is it perfection? We have the privilege to paint on a live canvas using god’s wonderful and beautiful creatures. Perfection for me will never happen but oh the joy in trying to get there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top