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hobby or obsession

Joined
21 Feb 2009
Messages
333
Location
stroud, glos
at what point did you guys realize this was no longer just a hobby, but in fact a total obsession?
or are you still at the self deluding stage??? :0)
 
good post.

for me it's an absolute obsession. an unhealthy one at the minute.

now when I say I eat sleep breath this hobby, would be the biggest understatement ever. reading surfing etc....and i still get it wrong :p

i fear for my long term sanity, 2 years in I wonder what I would be like after say?...5 years or so :crazy: i really need my wife and son to come home. 5 days left :D :D :D a slice of normality is on the cards and less posting.
 
I would say its a true hobby, I am not fussed about it really, my tank has been looking a mess for ages now and I just can't justify this turning into an obsession, I take my time and let one scape evolve into another and another lol
 
Gang@Ukaps

Total Obsession since the tank went on a downward spiral at Christmas and still going downwards and I cannot put my finger on what the problems is - last saturday I lost the plot and considered jacking the whole thing in and still contemplating quitting.

So long guy's and gals

Regards
paul.
 
Hmmm... good question.

When it's an obsession, most of my internet time is spent looking at fish/plant stuff on the internet. When it's a hobby, I'm mostly on other sites.

When it's an obsession, I'm pruning every day, water changing practically every day, cleaning the glass every day. When it's a hobby my tank is lucky to get a water change every week and a prune once a month.



I am quite an obsessive person. I tend to swap one obsession for another. For a long time, art was my obsession. Then fish took over for a few years, then I got pregnant so it was babies. The tank has been my obsession for the last year. Then I got pregnant again, so now pregnancy is my obsession. I'm sure once the baby turns 1, the tank obsession will come back.
 
These days, for me, it's more a very healthy interest, rather than an obsession.

For instance, I thoroughly enjoyed not having any fish tanks or Internet to use when away for a week recently. If I were obsessed it would have been agony.

I wrote a blog on this subject about 2 years ago. It was interesting for me reading it back and seeing how my perception has changed a little over time.

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/p ... blogid=122

Even if you are obsessed though, I can think of plenty worse things to be obsessed about. But beware, I do know of people who have broken marriages over the hobby... Obsession can be a dangerous thing. :crazy:
 
George Farmer said:
I do know of people who have broken marriages over the hobby...

i've also lost through drinking, hence some of you know my sobriety is almost 8 years old now, so this kind of obsession is weirdly welcomed.
 
:0)
TDI-line said:
I think mine is an hobsession. :angelic:

talk about sitting on the fence!! :lol:

for me, i read info, forums and articles everyday for a couple of hours and have for months now.
currently thinking through setting 2 more tanks up, a low tech in the bedroom!!! now, how i got the thumbs up for that one................... thanks for helping with that george!!! ;)
and another high tech just to play with and try things out! (in the garage)

i was soooooo happy earlier when my partner produced a PFK mag from her shopping bag today............
that was the point i started thinking, hmmmmmmm maybe a tad obsessed.


at least the xbox doesnt get turned on any longer and its kept me outta the pub!!
so its gotta be a good thing................... :shifty:
 
I think I realised it was an obsession when I fancied another tank, but instead of not being able to afford it, I realised there was absoultely nowhere to put it. At which point I even realised there was no room for even another nano. I'm also eternally thankful for phone internet - no more missing ukaps on holls! :D
So yes, definately an obsession.
 
Define obsession......
At what point does a hobby become an obsession?
I think I'm on the edge of hobby, slowly tipping into obsession
I've been researching fish to put with my bristnoses in their new tank. I decided on Rummynose Tetra. Then Neons. Then breezed over Peacock Gudgeons before realising they were totally unsuitable. Then Honey Gouramis. Then Sparkling Gouramis - and thats where I am for now. But there's a whole days surfing to do tomorrow :? Arghh!!

And then there's the having-to-visit-every-aquatic-shop-in-a-10-mile-radius syndrome even though I don't drive! (thats a lot of buses). Its ok though - my OH has to pick up a new asthma pump on Wednesday so I've got an excuse to go to the store by the chemist....... mwah ha ha......
 
I think obsession is just a phase for most. There's so many choices of set-up and it's not exactly straightforward to switch between different types on a whim. So, you end up with numerous tanks and an increasing dependency on optimising all aspects either to keep up with maintenance or just in pursuit of the ultimate method. Before long your household and life starts to revolve around your fish.

After >20 years and several set-ups it kinda wears off. I enjoy it more these days because I have an underlying apathy and I'm more inclined to low-maintenance, steady types.
 
Whenever I begin researching ideas and setting up a tank it feels like an obsession, once it is up and running it becomes my hobby. Although when I had my SW Reeftank that was definitely an obsession throughout, a costly one at that. :lol:
 
I go through peaks and troughs with my obsession level. I tend to find ways to spend the money, as appose to saving up for something, which is bad!

I'll also carry 20kg of seriyu stone in a back pack on the train to Dan's, in order to drive down to croydon, and bring most of it back again, along with a load of other hardscape, and take it back on the train :lol:
 
I'll also carry 20kg of seriyu stone in a back pack on the train to Dan's, in order to drive down to croydon, and bring most of it back again, along with a load of other hardscape, and take it back on the train :lol:
now thats comitment! :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Hmm, hobby or obsession...? I think my state "cycles" (baaaaaad pun, sorry.. :oops: ..) and every few months goes obsessive and then mellows back to a hobby. At the moment I only have one tank and I'm sure once situation allows, I will obsess again and have another one or five tanks.... So obsession here I come again! :clap:
 
I actually had a dream last night about setting up a tank and starting a journal on UKAPS.

No joke.

Do I even need to answer the question...? :lol:
 
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