Help, I can't stop.

[elderberry99]

I think I better clear this up a little.
I do not have an obsession. I am not an addictive person either. I was having a little fun with a hobby that I am getting back into. I am having a good time going through the catalogs, and looking on the internet and placing orders to get back the items and equipment I need to get back up and running.
I just thought it might be interesting to poke fun at myself for having to buy so much stuff all at one time again. Look at all the equipment and supplies you have under your fish tanks, or stored in that cabinet or maybe in that box behind the sofa or in the closet. It all had to come from somewhere. Well, I had all that "stuff" before I got rid of it along with my tanks some years ago. Sure I missed my hobby, but the situation and time did not allow me to have all the stuff up and running at the time so I let others have it all that was also in the hobby.
Now that I have the time and ability to slowly get back into it, I am having fun doing so. It is sort of like having my garden. Half of the enjoyment of having the garden is getting it prepped and ready for planting. The other half is sitting back and watching it grow and then reeping my bounty.
Sorry if I made myself sound like I was going off the deep end here.

[Orion]

LOL, I think a lot of us went off the 'deep end' at one point or another. We were up to 18 tanks at one time several years ago. And while having all those different fish was fun and very interesting (it was almost like living in a small fish store), my 'hobby' had turned into my second job. It didn't take but a few years of that to start becoming stressed out and aggravated at every little thing that went wrong with one of the tanks. I really thought about just quiting all togeather, but didn't want too because I remembered at one time how much I enjoyed it. Now I've only 1 tank running with fish, and I enjoy my tank immensely.

Speaking of Public Aquariums in NC, It has probably been close to 20 years since I was there, but I remember one that I loved going to when I was a kid. It was on the ocean, but I don't remember the name of it. Several years ago it was closed down for a while for repairs after a hurricane swept the east coast. I don't remember much about it, but I do remember that I had a massive cylindrical tank that had stairs spiraling down it that you could walk. My aunt had a house in Burning Springs I think, so it was somewhere relatively close I'm assuming. We might have had to take a ferry across to get to it, I can't say.

[elderberry99]

The one that comes to mind at the moment is Pine Knoll Shores. I used to live about 30 minutes away from there and just about lived there at the Aquarium as much as I could. I remember when they were doing so much work there to rebuild, so that makes me think that is the one you may be referring to.

[Fuzz16]

hmm...yo have only done freshwater?

yo could try saltwater. it will make yo slow down a bit too and maybe give yo a reason not to want to many tanks.

i have 6 and they keep me very busy and eventually wit so many tanks its hard to keep up wit all the work behind thm

[midmichman80]

Want to talk about going off the deep end. My gf was getting jealous of my fish and tanks. She would come over and I would drag her to every fish store in a 40 mile radius. I do have an addictive personality and I know it, but I also know enough to stop when I need to. If it comes to bills or fish, I am choosing bills, not to say I wouldnt' spend enough extra money on my fish. I think Orion hit it on the head, we all have gone a bit crazy, either starting, restarting, or rearranging a tank can easily stimulate a splurge of aquaria antics. I think most people in this hobby started for a reason, the joy and pleasure the fish give us. As we get more pleasure from something we do, we want to do it more, kind of the basis for addiction. Now, I have slowed down a lot from a few weeks ago, I probably spent over $500 in those few weeks on fish/tanks/plants/etc.... I have more to go, just waiting for more money to come in, and as long as we can do this, our hobby stays a hobby and doesn't turn into an addiction.

[Cichlid-Man]

Where abouts in NC are you?

I've slowed down in recent years, but at one point i was fish tank crazy. I am addicted to buying coral frags though....its the truth. I've been off the deep end...

[midmichman80]

BTW Elder, welcome back to the hobby. This is a great forum I have found to gather a lot of information. Everyone has been very helpful, so don't be afraid to ask "silly" questions. I have asked many many and learned a lot from this site.

[TabMorte]

Originally Posted by FishGeek

VERY good idea!!!

THanks Fish Geek. I take her to other fish keeper's places with me and we eye other tanks and go ohhhhhh could we do that? We've met quiet a few in our city now. It's very rare I have to go to any stores to buy fish or plants now which is awesome.

[AlyKat]

I'm right there with all of you...MTS runs rampant around here...I at one time had 6 tanks up and running...I've cut it down to 5...well, 4 if you consider the goldfish are not in the house anymore...I sometimes think I'd like to cut one more tank out, but I can't...especially if I want the GBRs...I'll be right back up to 6 again...sigh...but it's a good thng!

[brooklynfish]

Originally Posted by Fuzz16

hmm...yo have only done freshwater?

yo could try saltwater. it will make yo slow down a bit too and maybe give yo a reason not to want to many tanks.

i have 6 and they keep me very busy and eventually wit so many tanks its hard to keep up wit all the work behind thm

I agree. Saltwater will force you to slow down a bit. Even though your slowing down with saltwater, it still is very rewarding.

I only have 1 tank (10 gallon), soon to be 2. (SW Aquapod 12)