# How much time do people spend actually watching their tanks?



## Ady34 (22 Feb 2012)

Hi,
just out of curiosity wanted to see how people enjoyed the fruits of their labour.
Its clear to see the blood, sweat and tears that go into setting up and maintaining a planted aquarium from all the journals and topics for discussion within the forum... I know that for many, building and maintaining is part of the allure of the hobby, but after the work is done when do you find time to sit down and actually watch your creation? 

With the wife at work and the kids in bed i spent a very calm hour and a half watching my tank this evening, a couple of cups of coffee, an armchair and an underwater haven..... RELAXED!






Cheerio,
Ady.


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## skeletonw00t (22 Feb 2012)

I should probably just sit back and enjoy mine more... But I never do. I'm either messing with it or not in the room


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## Iain Sutherland (22 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

At least an hour a day.  House mates think im nuts!


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## Tom (22 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

I watch my goldfish more than my planted tanks.


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## Alastair (22 Feb 2012)

I get lost staring into mine in the evening. My tv doesn't know what it's like to be watched my me. I do find though that sitting admiring it also has its downside in that it has me seeing what can be changed etc 


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## Radik (22 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

I am surrounded by 3 tanks positioned in L shape. 1x 30 cube in front of me on office desk. 1x 30 cm cube on right side next to desk I just turn head right to watch and one 60cm 80L next to that 30cm cube on the right. So I am pretty stuffed. As I work from home you bet I watch them all the time


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## johnjo (22 Feb 2012)

Iv only had mine up and running since Saturday but my daughter's already telling me I'm weird cos I'm staring at the plants all the time. "god dad, what you staring at,  you've not even got any fish in it yet!" ha ha. Annoying teenagers is another hobby of mine.


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## ghostsword (23 Feb 2012)

The tank in the living room I watch maybe 2 hours a day, but the one in the room much more.  I really like to sit in front of the tanks and just take it in.


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## roadmaster (23 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

Can only view my tanks an hour or two during the week (too busy),but on weekend's during winter, when I'm not fishing,,I sit in front of them for hours.


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## sussex_cichlids (23 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

I must admit i spend best part of the day in front of mine can get lost starring into it for hours think the longest spent looking at one of my tanks must been about 4 hours or more  

I like they way the chairs positioned its perfect and who needs TV when you got that to watch!!

Only thing missing in that picture would be nice cold beer and you have the perfect picture


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## hinch (23 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

i stand and watch mine for ages too especally the fry tanks. i play a game with myself count the fry. which is almost impossible as there's hundreds and they move all over the bloody place..... doesn't stop me trying to count though


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## George Farmer (23 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

That's a great photo, Ady!  And excellent discussion point.   

I have just the one tank now. It's in my kitchen/diner.  I spend around 5 minutes every evening giving a little prune here and there and will often sit back for a few minutes afterwards to enjoy it. I cannot walk through my kitchen without taking a look at the tank, ranging from a few seconds to several minutes depending on how busy I am. 

I am really into my shrimp at the moment and actually spend a lot of time with my nose right up to the glass. It's a fascinating perspective, and very different. I love my shrimp for this.

I deliberately don't keep a tank in my main living room anymore - too distracting. 

There's an interesting balance between analysing my tank to see how it can be improved, or thinking about the next layout vs. simply enjoying for what it is in realtime.  

If the balance is in favour of the former, I know it's time to create a new aquascape.


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## bluemoon280 (23 Feb 2012)

I watch my hole in the tank as its in my living room, most of the evening. 

My wife sits in front of it!




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## awtong (23 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

Tend to spend 30-60mins at least in the evenings while the wife is watching tv.  Sometimes on the sofa from a distance sometimes on a foot stall nice and close.

Really like to watch when the veggies are in for the plec's.  Most of them have started to come out for it when the lights are still on now   

It does make you think about additions and changes though!

Andy


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## mlgt (23 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

I wouuld spent around 1-2 hours on my main tank as it lights up my living room when I lift up the lid. It doubles up 
My gran sits in front of the tank for an hour each day and enjoys feeding the fish.

The kitchen tank maybe when I am cooking so 15-30 mins a day. The study only gets glimpses so maybe 5-10 mins a day as this is slowly growing in. Once it matures after a few months I guess I will spend more time in making it flow better and where to tie mosses etc.


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## Ady34 (23 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

Hi all,



			
				johnjo said:
			
		

> Iv only had mine up and running since Saturday but my daughter's already telling me I'm weird cos I'm staring at the plants all the time. "god dad, what you staring at, you've not even got any fish in it yet!" ha ha.



i know that feeling, my wife thought i was mad for a month, staring into a tank without fish! To some degree she still thinks im mad!  



			
				Radik said:
			
		

> I am surrounded by 3 tanks positioned in L shape. 1x 30 cube in front of me on office desk. 1x 30 cm cube on right side next to desk I just turn head right to watch and one 60cm 80L next to that 30cm cube on the right. So I am pretty stuffed. As I work from home you bet I watch them all the time



I'd get nothing done!



			
				awtong said:
			
		

> Really like to watch when the veggies are in for the plec's. Most of them have started to come out for it when the lights are still on now





			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> I spend around 5 minutes every evening giving a little prune here and there and will often sit back for a few minutes afterwards to enjoy it. I cannot walk through my kitchen without taking a look at the tank, ranging from a few seconds to several minutes depending on how busy I am.
> 
> I am really into my shrimp at the moment and actually spend a lot of time with my nose right up to the glass. It's a fascinating perspective, and very different. I love my shrimp for this.



great to hear people are spending time watching and enjoying their tanks ,and of course the occupants, which i personally feel are as important as the plants and hardscape in keeping the interest.

A recurring theme though, 



			
				awtong said:
			
		

> It does make you think about additions and changes though!





			
				Alastair said:
			
		

> I do find though that sitting admiring it also has its downside in that it has me seeing what can be changed etc
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk





			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> There's an interesting balance between analysing my tank to see how it can be improved, or thinking about the next layout vs. simply enjoying for what it is in realtime.
> 
> If the balance is in favour of the former, I know it's time to create a new aquascape.



aquascapes are labours of love, but we strive for perfection, and are continually intrigued by improvement....
as a beginner i look at my tank and am constantly seeing ways in which basic hardscaping could have been improved let alone plant choices and fish species. I have ideas continually racing round my head and ideally would have unlimited time and resources to afford me numerous set ups! I can see why people have the urge/need to rescape every 6 months as there is so much to try and learn and so many styles to experience. Even seasoned pros like George get the itch, having probably produced more scapes, and successful ones, than ive had hot dinners! Im going to try to keep this one running for at least a year to give me a good understanding of the basics before changing. Despite its niggles, it has a slightly rough around the edges charm for me and much like a first car, it has some sentiment attached already. Im actually growing plants, and although there have been additions, some failures  and some continuing challenges, its probably the type of scape that you could keep going for ever, but i know there will come a time...
Anyway thanks all for sharing your views, its clear to see that for most, planted tanks are a passion, sometimes a consuming one that is enjoyed as it should be. Im forever sneaking a peak at mine whether its from the sofa or in the 'designated viewing zone'   



			
				sussex_cichlids said:
			
		

> I must admit i spend best part of the day in front of mine can get lost starring into it for hours think the longest spent looking at one of my tanks must been about 4 hours or more





			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> I deliberately don't keep a tank in my main living room anymore - too distracting.





			
				ghostsword said:
			
		

> The tank in the living room I watch maybe 2 hours a day, but the one in the room much more.  I really like to sit in front of the tanks and just take it in.



Cheerio,
Ady.


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## skeletonw00t (23 Feb 2012)

Tonight i actually sat back & watched my tank for half an hour. It was great to just enjoy the tank for once & not be messing around with it


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## Ady34 (23 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*



			
				skeletonw00t said:
			
		

> Tonight i actually sat back & watched my tank for half an hour. It was great to just enjoy the tank for once & not be messing around with it



I think thats sometimes just what you need to do. 
If were keeping up with general tank husbandry and the fish are being catered for, then we can solve all the other issues we may have in time with a clear head and some research.
Planted tanks are great to look at and should be enjoyed. 
I love the construction, and the learning, but most of all i enjoy the watching.
Ady.


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## m_attt (23 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

my main tank is by the dining table so sit and watch it while eating, if i just sit and watch it randomly for too long i cant help thing hmm what if that bit of wood was there and then i find myself pulling it apart and moving stuff about for an hour.


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## Viv (24 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

All my main tanks are in my living/dining room - the 450 acts as a room divider on the left, the 180 and the fighter are opposite the sofa and the 125 is on the right. I watch these on and off all day when I'm at home - which, as hubs full time carer is quite a bit! I look into the shrimp tank in the kitchen every time I go in there - again quite a bit! It helps that we don't have a TV at all and restrict our projector viewing to after about 6pm in the evening. As I'm typing every time I look up I can see my new krib fry in the 450 - much better than anything else I can imagine!! 

Viv


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## Morgan Freeman (24 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

I have a sofa facing my tank and nothing else   

It helps to have interesting fish, my flame tetras are always active and fun to watch.


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## spyder (25 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

Like a lot of people I tend to try and have at least 30 mins a day just checking things over, looking for bad leaves, thinking about what to prune next, what to move where, what to evict etc. I often drag the 2 seater sofa from the other side of the room and relax with a vodka or a glass of wine in front of the tank.

Tonight I am working again and have to resist the temptation of putting the lights on the tank to have a peek. I left for work before light's on. In the past this has lead to problems but nowadays I can have 20 mins without any issues.

When I had RCS in the nano's I had to be dragged away from the tanks!


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## somethingfishy (26 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

now i have started introducing some plants and im rethinking my tank views, i find myself losing an hour most days drifting in and out of good and bad ideas in front of the tank lol then i have to have a look on the other side just to keep things in balance


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## Mark Evans (26 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

I'm never about to see them. If I do get chance to come home during the week, it's a quick 'lights on' check....'lights off'  :?


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## George Farmer (26 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*



			
				Mark Evans said:
			
		

> I'm never about to see them. If I do get chance to come home during the week, it's a quick 'lights on' check....'lights off'  :?


TTL viewing only.


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## Antipofish (27 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*



			
				Mark Evans said:
			
		

> I'm never about to see them. If I do get chance to come home during the week, it's a quick 'lights on' check....'lights off'  :?



Thats a pity mark cos your current tank is awesome.  I would want to sit and admire it all day, and not get anything else done, LOL.  But saying that, you get some awesome images and video footage, so you will be able to look back on them even after you close one down and start another.  Maybe find yourself half an our at the end of the day, lights out except the tank, and a nice cold one


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## PeteA (27 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

Every day the two tanks get inspected by me and the other half as soon as we get in and before we head to bed at night.  Generally they get watched a few times during the evening too, we've got young shrimp in the larger tank so nearly always spend a bit of time and try and spot as many as we can


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## Kristoph91 (27 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

My roommate's at uni think I'm weird,I go into my room for at least an hour each evening to stare at it. It's so therapeutic! And its right next to my bed too  

Kris


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## toaster (27 Feb 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

As my tank sits on my desk I find it extremely distracting, but I love it there as I can see everything clearly and up close. And its a shrimp tank and shrimp are enjoyable to watch. Nom nom nom'ing on all the algae and when they scrap at feeding time


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## Ady34 (14 Jul 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

old thread revisited, i spend double the time now    The wife loves it  :silent: 







you all still watching yours?
Seems like many forum members have multiple tanks that were hearing of now and more are setting another nano or two up.....addictive isnt it?
Ady.


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## Ian Holdich (14 Jul 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

nice view Ady, you just need one for the middle now.

the empty sofa is mine.


my sofa by Ian Holdich, on Flickr


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## Ady34 (14 Jul 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*



			
				ianho said:
			
		

> nice view Ady, you just need one for the middle now.
> 
> the empty sofa is mine.
> 
> ...



you can even put your feet up...nice


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (14 Jul 2012)

I think sometimes, I take for granted to look at my tanks for any amount of time.

Im one of them people who is always striving for that little bit better, and unfortunately in some cases its a bad trait to have. As your never satisfied with what you have achieved.  

I know this as I spend all my spare time doing something with the tanks, as oppose to enjoying all the prior graft.

Never thought about this before.
 Thanks Ady.


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## Alastair (14 Jul 2012)

Unfortunately at the minute I've not seen my tank for a week so far but with my new set up I've found myself sat at my dining table getting a numb backside for a good few hours staring at it. Never get tired of it. My television is obsolete for me. 


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## Iain Sutherland (14 Jul 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*



			
				Whitey89 said:
			
		

> I think sometimes, I take for granted to look at my tanks for any amount of time.
> 
> Im one of them people who is always striving for that little bit better, and unfortunately in some cases its a bad trait to have. As your never satisfied with what you have achieved.
> 
> ...



+1 to this.  Discovered that if i sit further back then i dont just see all the niggles and actually enjoy viewing, alternatively with the marine i sit with my face an inch from the glass... beauty is in the detail with corals  
either way i havent seen my marine or large tanks with the lights on for nearly 2 weeks now.. stupid shi(f)t work!


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## Aquadream (14 Jul 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*



			
				Whitey89 said:
			
		

> I think sometimes, I take for granted to look at my tanks for any amount of time.
> 
> Im one of them people who is always striving for that little bit better, and unfortunately in some cases its a bad trait to have. As your never satisfied with what you have achieved.
> 
> ...


If you only know how much this reminds me of my self. I can look at any of my tanks for hours. That unfortunately gets me some times behind with work that I have to do.


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## Ian Holdich (14 Jul 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

I think Whitey has probably covered what most people think here.


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## oddn0ise (15 Nov 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

I probably spend more time working on it than looking at it, but enjoy both.

Have just bought a magnifying glass and this is proving very popular with the kids, would recommend it.
They're now really into checking out the shrimps.


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## jack-rythm (15 Nov 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*



			
				Whitey89 said:
			
		

> I think sometimes, I take for granted to look at my tanks for any amount of time.
> 
> Im one of them people who is always striving for that little bit better, and unfortunately in some cases its a bad trait to have. As your never satisfied with what you have achieved.
> 
> ...


Think your absolutely bang on fella. Couldn't of hit the nail more square on the head!

 

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## m27 (18 Nov 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*



			
				oddn0ise said:
			
		

> I probably spend more time working on it than looking at it, but enjoy both.
> 
> Have just bought a magnifying glass and this is proving very popular with the kids, would recommend it.
> They're now really into checking out the shrimps.



i was thinking of getting a magnifying glass too, have baby red cherry shrimp for the first time so I spend a lot longer viewing these days


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## Notator (18 Nov 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

To the right of my computer is my nano...to the left is my 240l (under construction)...

The WORST thing for productivity EVER is to have my tanks on or next to my desk...but I love it!


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## jack-rythm (18 Nov 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

Yea, I'm in my final year at uni and thought it would be a good idea to have a nano next to my computer.. Big mistake..  

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## martinmjr62 (18 Nov 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

Mines only been set up for two weeks and no fauna yet but I still sit and look at the plants swaying around. Hopefully getting some Otto's and amano shrimp tomorrow so I will probably spend even longer watching them in their new home


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## mafoo (19 Nov 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

My desk looked like this at one point:




The tanks are side by side now.

I have my 120L on the chest of draws in my bedroom. Its nice to watch when I'm in bed - but i really have to sort out a remote control for the lighting. I currently have 5 tanks in my room, 2x 60L on chests of draws, 2 fluval edges and a 120L on another chest of draws. I have no more space for tanks


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## jack-rythm (19 Nov 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

I think I would become single if the mrs came home to find 5 tanks in my bedroom..


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## Notator (19 Nov 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*

 
How did you get away with 5 tanks?? What's your secret?

Working from home + tanks next to computer = angry customers + learning lots on UK aps !  

It gets worse, I have a new FE powered CO2 system - I have been known to just sit and watch the bubble counter and the reactor go round and round....


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## mafoo (19 Nov 2012)

*Re: How much time do people spend actually watching their ta*



			
				Notator said:
			
		

> How did you get away with 5 tanks?? What's your secret?
> 
> Working from home + tanks next to computer = angry customers + learning lots on UK aps !
> 
> It gets worse, I have a new FE powered CO2 system - I have been known to just sit and watch the bubble counter and the reactor go round and round....



 I added then one by one, muahaha


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## Terri (24 Nov 2016)

My community tank I watch constantly, it's a room divider to stop my naughty dogs going on the work top and seen from all angles, better than a pot plant by miles!
We built a lovely front room 2 years ago and have only been in there twice in 18months until tanks started landing in there, I now spent atleast an hour each morning just staring at my tanks, if I can't find my hubby he is in there, either staring at the tanks or falling asleep!
Yesterday while i was working he started assembling my my new f35 and today I will make a start creating something beautiful to to my guppies from my 46l edge into it then recreating my 46l edge for my baby angel fish to grow her on till I need a bigger tank for her (need a bigger front room but I'm also thinking I could squeeze a 6ft tank on the top landing which I will make the hobbies idea).
Only got one day off work but I'll either be upto my armpits in fish water, trying to catch guppy fry or staring at the 4 tanks I have now.
Normal day off I guess lol.
I have a really stressful and intense job, blood pressure thru the roof, (work related) bad sleep pattern (work/shift related) and this tank staring hobby has no side effects apart from rising damp in the fore arms and a slightly leaky bank balance but it's worth it!


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## rebel (24 Nov 2016)

40 minutes daily including tinkering time...


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## sciencefiction (24 Nov 2016)

15-20 min max during the week while I feed but probably hours at weekends...I take videos and rewatch them when I am away


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