Do You Use Reefing As Therapy?

[Reef Rhino]

Yes, Therapy. The quiet, solitude, and beauty of the Fish Room, which is just a glorified basement laundry room, but which now looks like a Reef Store with several Reef tanks to tend to like the indoor Garden of Eden that it all is.

Three kids - 24, 22, 22, and all now living back at home .... More work now than ever. Enough said.

I go down there to Think about them, to Pray for them, to regain my sanity, to celebrate Life and Creation, to re-group, to escape, to cope, to avoid the noise and banter, to sculpt, to decompress, to play the mad scientist, to swim with the fishes, to watch the silly and comedic hermits, the dancing corals, and the lights flashing in the currents, etc., etc.

Yes, Therapy.

 

[CO2TLEY]

I wouldn’t say therapy, more of an addiction

 

[Flame2hawk]

I have 2 very large FOWLR tanks. Some say easier than reef. I disagree. I suppose because they really become pets and when one dies, it really stings. So when they’re happy and all looks good, I’m looking for the next thing to do to keep them there. So would say challenging, rewarding, stressful, hands on, time consuming and sometimes relaxing….in that order. BUT really enjoy it as a hobby as I like to be challenged and constantly learning!

 

[fish farmer]

Actually quite the opposite....it often makes me require therapy lol.

When the tank frustrates me, my wife always asks, "Is the tank bringing you joy?".

 

[Waters]

When the tank frustrates me, my wife always asks, "Is the tank bringing you joy?".

My family can all sit and stare at the tank and enjoy it....I am always looking for problems lol. It is kind of a problem

 

[Outlaw Corals]

When the tank frustrates me, my wife always asks, "Is the tank bringing you joy?".

That would start a fight instantly if my wife ever said that to me

 

[visioned]

That would start a fight instantly if my wife ever said that to me

next time you go out and your wife is wearing a dress, just ask her if it brings her joy

 

[Solo McReefer]

The building the system is therapeutic

But corals are more like a living art in my esteem, and can be anxiety inducing

Getting good deals on the system and the corals is part of the hobby for me

 

[braaap]

No. I use whiskey.

 

[tbaum101]

Some things haven’t been so great in my life lately. But instead of employing destructive habits, I lean on my reefing. It provides the focussed distraction I need to realign my mental status, and get back to being myself. Do you use reefing as your mental therapy? How does it help you, if so?

Here’s a section of my new LPS frag tank that I was enjoying recently.

Absolutely! It took me a while to find a substitute for habbits picked up in my youth. Reefing gives me a focus when I'm home, away from work to focus on that's just for me and I'm able to share my success (and utterly defeats) with my family and it serves as a great focal point for conversation as well as a project that never ends with my youngest who is on the spectrum. He Absolutely LOVES doing the water tests....especially when I started to log the parameters.