420reefn_it's Blog

[420reefn_it]

It is sad that i am now having to part with my reef tank but i feel it is for the best. There is a reason that not a lot of young people have reef tanks, do you know why?

THEIR EXPENSIVE!

after adding it all up, i am almost always disgusted at how much i spend on my tanks

this last tank i have is a custom acrylic tank with a built in overflow a 10 gallon sump and a 175watt mh light. all of that alone is almost 300, but when i had come to the realization that my tank including the livestock was worth over 700! it was immediate sickness. I realized that I am 18 years old and I do not make a lot of money. And when I had realized that i had dropped that much money into a tank that i was not satisfied with, i knew instantly that i can no longer be a reef keeper. I should be spending that money on more important things like food, gas, and, my car payments. Not blowing it all on just something pretty to look at.

Now i will be starting college soon and i already need money for books, and on top of that, i have to move out of my moms house or i'm going to go psychotic. I don't know how much i longer i can stand living with an alcoholic, chain smoker. I love her to death, but she has got more mental problems than an asylum. The only thing now that i can ever think about is how i can i get out of here, how can i save enough money, how can i make enough money, and why did i spend so much graduation money on my reef tank.

I am an idiot for ever thinking that i could afford this hobby, and i should have known that from the start. Now that i am starting college, i won't be able to work as much. How am i ever going to leave!

I've also decided to quit smoking today as well, there is no possible way i could afford to keep up that habit living on my own, and nor do i want to. i feel like a using pig, having a reef tank and smoking cigarettes. it's like i'm always just smothering myself with whatever i want and that's just wrong. it's like i am ignoring my needs and only thinking about wants, and that is in my opinion, a decent description of addiction.

I realize today that it is those 2 addictions that have drained my bank account all summer, and that in order to move on with my life, it is important that i quit both, for good.

[Zarathustra2]

Wow. Welcome to adulthood. I think we all went through this around your age. I hope in another 10 years or so you are in the place where you can come back into the hobby where it is not a serious drain to you or your family.

If you need any support on quitting smoking please feel free to contact me. I'm on day 5 right now. Previously I quit for 7 years (after about 12 years of smoking - up to 2 packs a day) and picked it up again due to a trip to India with a lot of stress in my life. Been smoking again for about a year and just decided I needed to quit. It's all about motivation and setting that motivation up for yourself.

[+dapettit]

I am 54. The wife and I decided to get into the hobby after our youngest was married. This hobby has become ver fulfilling for the both of us (suffering from empty nest syndrome). But even at this stage in our life it is an expense. We kid around with a saying that somes it all up. "Now that the kids are married and out of the house we decided to get a reef tank. KIDS ARE CHEAPER!!

[420reefn_it]

well after breaking down my last tank

i was unable to sell/trade it on ARC, seems that nobody was interested

it was a custom acrylic 20 gallon with a built in external overflow (i paid $150 for it)

so then i tried out craigslist

i traded that tank for a 46 gallon bowfront and stand

unfortunately many people weren't interested in buying that either

Now i am trading the 46bow and stand

for a 110 gallon tank, stand, light, and even a 30 gallon sump!!!

so now i don't know if i should keep that set up or put it up for sale/trade

it's amazing what trading can do for you! Maybe that's one trick to surviving in today's economy. the art of trading...AMAZING!!!

[+ACampbell]

I think you should cash out your chips while your ahead. If you had trouble with the 20 then 110 will not be possible. Just some friendly forum advice, take you time with transactions. Posting a lower price every 20 minutes will only entice an interested party to wait for you to hit your bottom dollar.

[caferacermike]

I think it is time for some more friendly advice. You need to learn some discipline. Sorry. From what I've read in your posts you seem unable to focus your energies in a positive manner that allows you to succeed at several things at once. You had this long diatribe/pity party about how you must get out of the hobby due to all these conflicts with your parents and needing your own place, needing to make more money, other hobbies taking to much time etcc.... After reading your other thread about how they charge to much for this hobby, needing your own apt, etc.. I must ask myself how on earth could you possibly afford, or dedicate yourself to, an even larger tank?

Discipline would have allowed you to take a minute before making your post here that practically butt slams ARC and it's members for not wanting your tank for various reasons. Now when you need something in the future, who will you blame if members are unwilling to sell you frags or trade with you?

This is a very nice community that I am positive would help set you up with a large tank but you will need to present yourself with the maturity, understanding, and discipline that it will take to take on the hobby nice and slow.

At this point I have to ask what is more important, moving out on your own or setting up this very large tank in the place you dread the most?

[Chrispar]

+1 CRMike

[420reefn_it]

I think it is time for some more friendly advice. You need to learn some discipline. Sorry. From what I've read in your posts you seem unable to focus your energies in a positive manner that allows you to succeed at several things at once. You had this long diatribe/pity party about how you must get out of the hobby due to all these conflicts with your parents and needing your own place, needing to make more money, other hobbies taking to much time etcc.... After reading your other thread about how they charge to much for this hobby, needing your own apt, etc.. I must ask myself how on earth could you possibly afford, or dedicate yourself to, an even larger tank?

Discipline would have allowed you to take a minute before making your post here that practically butt slams ARC and it's members for not wanting your tank for various reasons. Now when you need something in the future, who will you blame if members are unwilling to sell you frags or trade with you?

This is a very nice community that I am positive would help set you up with a large tank but you will need to present yourself with the maturity, understanding, and discipline that it will take to take on the hobby nice and slow.

At this point I have to ask what is more important, moving out on your own or setting up this very large tank in the place you dread the most?

ok for one. i was going to use the 110 for a snake

two, i have been giving ARC members discounts on the stuff that i am selling on craigslist

three my trading/selling business has been going quite well

and four, i'm just trying to help people out by giving good prices. i am sorry if this is a problem to you

[420reefn_it]

and by the way, i'm selling the 110 tommorow