The Planted Tank Forum banner

Anyone bounce back to the hobby after a break?

1K views 13 replies 12 participants last post by  RWaters 
#1 ·
It's been a long while since I posted here. I think I lost some enthusiasm for my planted tank earlier this year, mostly because I was getting married and with all the planning I didn't have time to manage my tank. My CO2 tank ran out and my tank became swamp thing. I'm moving this weekend and had given thought to selling off my 50 gallon... but I was remembering back to when the tank looked good and it's certainly a nice thing to have around when it is in good shape :) I ripped out all the plants last night in prep for the move, many of which have too much algae to salvage. It might be fun to start with a blank canvas again.

I was just curious if anyone else went through a phase like this -- took a break from the hobby and then bounced back? ;)
 
#4 ·
All the time. I've been in the aquarium hobby for 35 years. Sometimes I have lots of tanks that I fuss over and sometimes I have one tank that's pretty much ignored.

:icon_redf When I'm ignoring my tank it seems like I never have algae, the plants look fine (hardy plants only when I'm lazy), and the fish live forever. But when I'm fussing with them all the time, I can create all sorts of disasters.
 
#6 ·
Dedication is an admirable thing. To be able to maintain a hobby and the important things in life at the same time can be very dificult. Sometimes you have to choose what's most important and give it priority. Health, family, friends, home and work. I once had a whole corner of my basement full of aquariums, fish, plants, frogs, crickets and gallons and gallons of water. Sickness, family and work made it difficult to keep things right, so I had a 5 year break. I regret giving everything away, but now, with a fresh start and a differnt perspective, I'm enjoying my hobby more than ever.

I have only one aquarium now, Its bigger and better than anything I've done before, and its doing really well (knock on wood). I'm enjoying it more, although its more work than any one I kept before, its much less that the total.

My son has started keeping and breeding bettas. One aquarium and slves of jars. Its made it even better, to see my son happy, being resposible and enjoying something I'm interested in. My wife is happier, with one nice aquarium. It's in the living room with her approval, not a "science experiment in the dungeon". (her words..lol)

I really think for me...a break from hobbies is a good thing and often the right thing to do. Now someday I hope to get back to the sports car I'm building in the garage, but thats another story.
 
#8 ·
Same as many of you. One tank given me on my 40th birthday by my wife and some friends (who had heard me waxing nostalgiac for the tanks of my childhood) became 6 tanks, all the additions smaller than the original 29. Then we moved east from California, and everything was packed mighty carefully for the move, and stayed boxed in the basement of our 200 year old Vermont farmhouse.

I got my fingers wet caring for the goldish the kids won at the county fair (adding a betta and some white clouds to their tank). They have grown big, though they are slightly deformed (Quasimodo goldfish) feeder fish, one with a kink in its back and the other with one eye.

Then last April after 5 years in boxes, a couple of the stored tanks emerged from the basement. Two tanks set up now, 29 and 20. And this time everything is set up just as I want it to be (last go round I stumbled into a love of planted tanks after the initial set up, and had to convert the tank... this time I knew what I wanted from the start).
 
#10 ·
In a word Yes.

Finding these forums has been a great asset for my learning about CO2 injection and fert addition.

Keeping plants growing happy was always my focus but not having a community to learn from/with kept my results in a pitiful state.

I had sold a 40 Long years ago only to have it given back to me later. Then after finally purchasing a home I got the itch again... My focus again was to emulate the awesome show tank at Albany aquarium, now that was 15 years ago.

Upon getting ready to set up the 40 again (2.5 years ago) I got cold feet about the tank and replaced it with a 55. Fit on the stand I built, has been a great learning experience.

Thanks to all here on the Planted Tank and Aquabotanic forum for helping my with my hobby success to date.

You all Rock.:thumbsup:
 
#13 ·
I just keep coming back.

First tank in HS was a 2.5 gallon cube. Fun but then life changed and it went away.

Then after a few years of college I got back in with a "big tank" a 30 gallon tank. Fish only community tank. It was with me till I finished college, survived a move but then my travel schedule made it impossible to keep.

Last bout of things started with a 46 bow three years or so ago salt, moved to reef then moved it all to a 125 reef a year ago and used the old 46 to start up my foray into planted tanks.

I'm sure in time this current fascination will pass but I'm sure if I do leave "I'll be back".
 
#14 ·
I had a long break. In the late 60's/early 1970"s I had three tanks - two with community fish and one for frogs. They were the old stainless steel frame, slate bottom tanks. Boy were they heavy. Anyway, I gave them up around 1972 or 73. I got back into the hobby after buying my sons a ten gallon tank in 1998. They never really got interested, but the bug bit me again. I now have six tanks set up, four that are currently empty, and a wife who can't understand my obsession - er, I mean hobby!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top