What are the most annoying things non-reefers say when looking at your tank?

[knukles55]

that looks amazing!!!! pointing out the one aptasia that I didn't even know was there......

 

[Eienna]

When my friend first came to live with us she was asking all kinds of questions about my reef, including whether the corals were plants. It's nothing to get upset about. She loves it now and wants her own XD

 

[lisawolk]

Why don't you just do freshwater? It would be so much easier!

(Which is when I say, "have I ever complained? I love saltwater! You can't have coral in freshwater.")

Then the classic, "Dory & Nemo!" and since I have both of them I guess I can understand that one...

 

[PDR]

For me its when people come over and look at my 4 reef tanks that I spend so much time and money on, and then look at my semi neglected super overstocked freshwater tank (first tank ever, complete with plastic plants and decorations) and say, "I like that one!"

 

[lisawolk]

that looks amazing!!!! pointing out the one aptasia that I didn't even know was there......

Yup! Or, "hey, what's that pretty green thingy?" "uh, that would be a majano, and they're actually not good, but thanks for noticing!"

 

[spspirate]

"Is this all real coral?"

 

[Urbanknight]

The most annoying..."You need to get a life. You waste too much of your time messing with that stuff!"

 

[Davesgt]

Most annoying thing they say about my reef tank is " ohh does that black light hurt them?" lol
and the most annoying thing they usually just do without asking is touching my Arowana tank, it makes me want to dip their hand in the tank and let him eat it lol

 

[levi213]

When I'm feeding my angler "Don't let him eat that poor shrimp!"

 

[jack89]

1) hey its nemo !!!!
2) are you sure its saltwater ??
3) what kind of plants are those ?
4) for sure those plants are not real..
5) play around with magnet
6) wat a waste of money you shall feed the fish in river and donate those money
7) i will get few fishes from my pond near my house you shall keep it.. they are big and beautiful
8) will this fish get big like sharks

 

[Dtackett]

Or..."you should put a shark in there. And some seahorses"

Makes me wanna punch someone.

that would be an amazing tank while it lasted! all of about 5 minutes lol

For me its when people come over and look at my 4 reef tanks that I spend so much time and money on, and then look at my semi neglected super overstocked freshwater tank (first tank ever, complete with plastic plants and decorations) and say, "I like that one!"

lol that's how it was for me. but I only had 1 reef and it was when I was first starting. "I like the one with the plants!" you mean the one ive barely even fed in the last 2 months?

When I'm feeding my angler "Don't let him eat that poor shrimp!"

lol live feedings are great.

my favorite one was "you paid how much for that? its only 2 inches!"

 

[Reefer's Paradise]

Hahaha the best is when you tell someone how much something costs in your tank and see their jaw drop and feel them mentally squeeze their own wallets in disbelief as you smile with the accomplishment that you're housing that said fish/coral. And in my case my wife in the background shaking her head as she finally learned how much that fish/coral costs!!!! [emoji28]

Classic, "so it's all alive?"
I answer yes even the rock and sand. Laughing inside as they try to wrap their heads around that.

 

[Dtackett]

yeah I didn't tell my ex wife how much anything cost lol whenever she asked id let her pick out a new frag. our lfs doesn't have a price list up. you have to ask. the guy who ran it knew what I liked to spend so if it was more than that he would look at me and shake his head no and if it was under that he would shake his head yes. he also wouldn't say how much it was when he rung it up because she was standing there lol gotta love when someone else knows the struggle and how to get around it. luckily shes my ex and my now girlfriend is a reef addict who misses her 250 reef and wants to set up another one lol

 

[Reefer's Paradise]

Niiiice! Just left one of my LFS today after spending $250 for zoas with my wife over my shoulder and just got the "I can't believe you spent that much" glare all the way home until I prepared dinner and wine and dined her into not caring anymore haha. She's like all non reefers and doesn't understand that the $ means something totally different to us than them lol
I also do most LFS trips or plan to receive shipments while she's at work and know I have enough time to acclimate and place in the tank before she's home and doesn't know what I did [emoji28]

 

[rlcobbsr]

Those rocks are alive ? How big will they get ? How do you grow rocks ? What do you feed them ? The saddest one was the person that did not know what corals were and they were in there late 20's to mid 30's. Never heard of them. I changed the subject.

 

[Dtackett]

Those rocks are alive ? How big will they get ? How do you grow rocks ? What do you feed them ?

can really confuse them when you say

"yes the rocks do get bigger, you feed the coral and the coral grows the rock"
they don't need to understand the amount of time it takes to "grow rock" but its funny to see the dumbfounded look lol

 

[rlcobbsr]

Yea it can be real comical and sad when you try to explain the workings of a real live reef to a lot of folks. Put they can tell ya what Honey Boo Boo and Mama June's favorite food is.

 

[Dtackett]

they have a favorite? I thought it was "All"

 

[rlcobbsr]

Good point...I assure you I couldn't tell ya.

 

[Dtackett]

lol