[tomfromstlouis]

You know, just sitting in front your tank watching the inhabitants? This IMO is the primary purpose of maintaining these complex environments and yet because of the pace of my days I find myself NOT watching for days at a time.

I am talking about at least a ten minute session where I get to lose myself. No getting wet or maintenance; feeding allowed.

Years ago I came home (was living alone) from work once and sat down in front of my tank and did not move until bedtime - completely forgot about dinner.

The answer to my original question is I sit for maybe twice per week, much less time than I spend on maintenance. This is not right. I am getting my doses in short glances and I think I need longer sessions. Just sayin'.

 

[Mizuhuman]

Initially, I would sit there and watch them for an hour, but now only for 10 or 30 minutes.

 

[Agent69]

I stopped staring to long because algae makes me wanna go OCD on the tank. I just let things grow and then once it looks to my desire then sometimes I stare and wonder if there's anyway I can make it better which leads to a rescape

 

[Veritas]

i've noticed that too, I spend way more time working/tinkering/researching the tanks than actually sitting and watching them.

kinda funny how that works.

Now that I have the 29g in the living room though, it definitely gets a lot more viewtime

 

[Farm Fish]

I spend way more time working/tinkering/researching the tanks than actually sitting and watching them.

Same here.
However, I have a cheap wooden chair in front of my tank that is definitely my happy place. I have a busy job and little kids so it's hectic as soon as I walk through the door at dinnertime. Once we get them put to bed, though, I spend a good 20 minutes each week night just watching fish and relaxing. Sometimes my wife joins me there, too. My favorite thing is to play "find the otocinclus". Tank maintenance has to wait till Saturday. If I had more time, I could easily spend an hour a day just watching.

So, I guess the short answer to the question is "about 100 minutes per week".

Wife and I agree that even though the aquarium hobby isn't nearly as inexpensive as I anticipated, it still beats de-stressing with alcohol and TV.

 

[cjstl]

Once M.T.S. kicks in, it's really hard to pay the appropriate amount of attention to all of them. But I agree that I watch the fish in my 29G for a good 20 minutes a day. I also have a rack right next to my desk with six tanks/vases. I watch those a fair amount. Getting ready to start a new job working from home, so I'll probably be doing a lot more staring

 

[AquaAurora]

It varies depending on how busy I am. I recently went from 2 tanks to 7 (I got mts bad)! Between maintaining them all I don't get to sit and gawk as much as I'd like for each. Some days I can stare at a single tank for 10+ minutes, usually its a much shorter time though, lmaybe 1-2 minutes.
I definitely spend a lot of time re-scaping, especially my 20g long which I have the most specific idea of what I want it to turn into (keep adjusting as I add/remove plants). With 7 tanks and bucket brigade duty (really want a python) I spend a good bit of time siphoning and hauling water around too.
But the tanks are all in active areas of the house so even if I can't sit and stare for several minutes on end I can get glances or stop for a few seconds to look as I pass through the rooms they are in. The 2 most recently set up tanks are in the office which I am in at least a few hours a day and they are on the desks my husband and 1 sit at so we both get to view them longer than the others. 3 of them are in the room just outside the office and an decently active area of the house. The last two are in the living/family room by the door which me and my husband relax in after work while and after prepping dinner so we can watch those two in the evening and see anytime we head out.

 

[KnownSyntax]

For me it's probably 30-40 minutes a day, more if I'm just stressed since it kind of relaxes me seeing the fish swim around and play with each others. It doesn't get really anymore view time from my family or guests, unless they are in my room since that's where it is located at.

 

[thedudeabides]

As much time as I can. Don't have a set time but have definitely spent multiple hours on occasion. Some times just a minute or two.

I find it really helps with rescaping to sit there for long periods of time and think what would look best where.

 

[Bushkill]

With about 900G of water and in the area of 25 tanks, everything from eggs on a slate to a 180G planted display, the weeks are pretty maintenance-packed.

But I make a point of getting up early on weekends.

I run blue actinic lighting for a sunrise and sundown effect in the fish room and the 180G in the den.

With the blue glow of those lights, a hot cup of coffeee in hand, I move my stool from area to area and just take it all in and the mayhem of the week seems long gone.

 

[MERSF559]

now that school is over ihave all the time to sit infront of my tank lol

 

[Method]

Crappy iphone pic, but you get the idea. If I'm watching my TV I'm watching my tank!

 

[AnotherHobby]

My aquarium is strategically placed by the main chair that I hang out in when I'm reading, surfing, researching, or enjoying some bourbon or scotch. I stare into it all the time since it's normally only about a foot away from me. It's very easy to just get lost in it. I really love it, but it does drive the urge to mess with it more often.

 

[zachawry]

The question doesn't make sense for me.

The tank is in the living/dining room, and is easily seen from the kitchen, so if I'm in my house, I'm watching the tank. It's not focussed watching for long periods, more like 10-15 seconds every minute. My eyes just kind of naturally drift to it when I am doing something else. I'll look at it for a bit and then go back to what I was doing before.

 

[Method]

The question doesn't make sense for me.

The tank is in the living/dining room, and is easily seen from the kitchen, so if I'm in my house, I'm watching the tank. It's not focussed watching for long periods, more like 10-15 seconds every minute. My eyes just kind of naturally drift to it when I am doing something else. I'll look at it for a bit and then go back to what I was doing before.

Exactly

 

[zachawry]

Exactly

"Continuous partial attention" is a phrase describing how lots of people recently do things. Maybe we should coin the phrase "continuous partial aquascape appreciation." Too bad it doesn't reduce down to a catchy acronym. :icon_wink

 

[jeffdenney]

I have a couch in front of my 220... I just started stocking so ive been wayching a lot lately.. making sure everyone is happy.. also been checking params a lot, but mostly wayching.

My roommates watch a lot now too. My other tank is in my room.. I generally only watch that for a few min a day. Check plants and algae, feed my axolotl.. then move along. if I stay ill end up in the water.

 

[tomfromstlouis]

My acronym for any variation of "continuous partial attention" is "distracted". This is slightly off-topic, but I think that countering shorter attention spans is one of the primary benefits of just watching.

Method's signature includes this: "... We will understand only what we are taught. - Baba Dioum" I do not know who Dioum is - I'll google it next - but I would offer that understanding can come from observation and thought (self-teaching), not just force feeding, er, learning from others.

Those of you continuous partial attentioners ought to consider spending fifteen uninterrupted minutes in front of your tank, no TV on in the background, no smart phone in your hand, just watching what your fish do with each other. Watch a snail for five minutes. It is from these types of (in)actions that studies note reduced blood pressure etc.

I doubt the experience will offset a lifetime of interrupted glances, but there is some part of your brain that is starving for what comes from slowing down and observing and letting your mind wander.

 

[Farm Fish]

there is some part of your brain that is starving for what comes from slowing down and observing and letting your mind wander.

Amen Brother. Turn off the TV and watch your aquarium.

The owner of my LFS told me that studies indicate that watching an aquarium lowers blood pressure and improves well-being. Anyone here have a reference or link supporting that?

 

[Kat12]

It's not uncommon for my husband to come down at night and find me sitting on the foyer floor watching my guppies. I can't estimate the amounts of time but I do spend a chuck watching. The kids do with theirs too.