Do You Ever Think of Cutting Back on This Hobby?

[dr_sudz]

I am being put forth an unusal demand, at least I think its an unusual situation. I have 3 kids, and I have 2 large tanks in the basement, they are both covered and I have a dehumidifyer running down there to take out any extra moisture. My mother in law thinks the tanks of such volume create too much humidity and thus a cause for mold. She is willing to put up a large down payment, but in turn i wouldn't be allowed to keep the tanks. My wife on the other hand is not completely opposed to the large tanks and knows how dry it stays around my tanks and is alright with the 2 but doesn't want too many more if any kind of thing, so we are having to decide if we except the house or forever remain in rent.

 

[dr_sudz]

have you worked on cutting down your maintanence time? I know you have a thread about it and some MFK'ers, including myself made some suggestions to help you.

if you can become more efficient at the water changes etc. you won't need to cut back.

that way you can enjoy your full hobby and still have lots of time for yourself.

I personally would plumb as many tanks together so that you could do one water change that would have multiple effects. This is what i have done with my two tanks.

 

[FishNCash]

have you worked on cutting down your maintanence time? I know you have a thread about it and some MFK'ers, including myself made some suggestions to help you.

if you can become more efficient at the water changes etc. you won't need to cut back.

that way you can enjoy your full hobby and still have lots of time for yourself.

I took all your suggestions and tried them. They have help me reduced my maintaince time greatly. I guess I have lost the excitment of having many tanks. Like someone said earlier, I rather focus one two tanks to make it SHOWROOM display than having many tanks that is bare and filled with fish. Plus I am thinking of going Salt! More reasons for me to cut down so I can FOCUS.

 

[djarmstrong]

I was thinking on selling everything a couple months back , but now have changed my mind i am now keeping all my Tanks , Fish and Turtles and just yesterday got myself a 70gal with stand and a couple of extras for only £30 . So i guess no , i am not going to cut back . . . . . well in this near future .

 

[Tom500]

ive thinned out mostly to make life easier for myself and family and to concentrate on my education more ive sold 2x 5x2x2 tanks and my tropical pond will be getting drained down this weekend.

This is basically why i am thinning out. I need to concentrate on my education and get a part time job to give me a bit more cash so less time for fish. I also think of cutting back on the hobby every time i run out of cash lol (which is all the time) or when a fish dies and i feel useless, but thats just the nature of the hobby.
I also cut back a lot a couple of years ago when i was 16 for 12 months and put the money ontop of the budget my parents had given me for a car, so i could have a fair car instead of a banger. Im affraid cars will allways come first with me, im obsessed. Its where all my dads money goes too lol

 

[Aqualoon]

Yeah, save your money for salt - and it's true what they say, the bigger the tank the crapload of more money it is.

For a 29 gallon I could easily drop near 1k for equipment that wouldn't be "over kill" for the tank.

But I'll tell ya, I just started going salty and I am having a real blast with it, whole new learning curve

 

[jlnguyen74]

I took all your suggestions and tried them. They have help me reduced my maintaince time greatly. I guess I have lost the excitment of having many tanks. Like someone said earlier, I rather focus one two tanks to make it SHOWROOM display than having many tanks that is bare and filled with fish. Plus I am thinking of going Salt! More reasons for me to cut down so I can FOCUS.

If you think maintaining freshwater tank is too much, then don't ever go salt! Plus, your old lady will have a heart attack when she sees the electric bill on the first month after you go salt! Two tanks are good Joe. Just decide on which types of fish you like best to keep, and the rest are expendable

 

[Lupin]

Not going to downsize. I actually need to add more tanks.

 

[benzjamin13]

I've thought about it lately, but I know I can't stay away from the hobby.

 

[12 Volt Man]

I am being put forth an unusal demand, at least I think its an unusual situation. I have 3 kids, and I have 2 large tanks in the basement, they are both covered and I have a dehumidifyer running down there to take out any extra moisture. My mother in law thinks the tanks of such volume create too much humidity and thus a cause for mold. She is willing to put up a large down payment, but in turn i wouldn't be allowed to keep the tanks. My wife on the other hand is not completely opposed to the large tanks and knows how dry it stays around my tanks and is alright with the 2 but doesn't want too many more if any kind of thing, so we are having to decide if we except the house or forever remain in rent.

I think your mother and law is wrong.

if the tanks are well covered, you are not losing very much water at all due to evaporation. what little comes out, condenses on your glass tops, and falls back in right?

I had 8 tanks in one room (all well covered) for many years and saw no issues with mold. now, open top tanks, thats different.

and you have a dehumifier which is good.

I would keep your tanks. your not going to get sick from them because I doubt they are causing you any trouble

you probably get more moisture in the air from simple shower use each day than you do from a well covered set of tanks...