How do you tell people

[flitabout]

So my hubby keeps asking me why we spent all this money and time setting up the tank if there are no fish in it. Ugh I am sick of telling not just him that I am doing this to save money and just buy the fish once instead of them dying if I am not able to keep on top of water changes every single day. We go a few hours and I get the same question just different wording. I told him that, that was why I pushed to get the tank up so fast so I could get this going.
So how do you tell people why your tank is empty even after it's been up for a week or even longer?

 

[D.Hicks]

Because they are not Betas and require stable water conditions in order to live a long and successful life in your tank.

 

[Bettaorr]

So my hubby keeps asking me why we spent all this money and time setting up the tank if there are no fish in it. Ugh I am sick of telling not just him that I am doing this to save money and just buy the fish once instead of them dying if I am not able to keep on top of water changes every single day. We go a few hours and I get the same question just different wording. I told him that, that was why I pushed to get the tank up so fast so I could get this going.
So how do you tell people why your tank is empty even after it's been up for a week or even longer?

If they keep asking I'd explain everything to them and if they keep asking after I'd tell them to look up a new tank online

 

[Animal]

So my hubby keeps asking me why we spent all this money and time setting up the tank if there are no fish in it. Ugh I am sick of telling not just him that I am doing this to save money and just buy the fish once instead of them dying if I am not able to keep on top of water changes every single day. We go a few hours and I get the same question just different wording. I told him that, that was why I pushed to get the tank up so fast so I could get this going.
So how do you tell people why your tank is empty even after it's been up for a week or even longer?

Just tell them its to get the water right for fish

 

[DavidAl]

Tell him the truth: you're waiting for a specific set of bacteria to grow so it can consume the fish waste one the fish go in.

David

 

[BlazedSaint]

explain the nitrogen cycle, also find a picture to help him understand it

 

[BlazedSaint]

hopefully this helps, i had trouble explaining to my GirlFriend why we had an empty tank and why she couldnt run out and buy 100 guppies on the first day of set up, i used this picture to help explain it to her

 

[Fishperson]

Just explain it, and use pictures if possible.

 

[meegosh]

Just ask him why he needs so many <insert his vice (guns, tools, fishing rods, etc)>?

Seriously, explaining it if you haven't tried already, or pictures as shown above.

 

[flitabout]

I have explained it. He just doesn't get it. You should have seen the look on his face when I came in the house with a gallon jug of ammo and then put it by dropper in the tank. I told hime it was cheap and it was the only size I could get in town without having to drive 60 miles to get it.

 

[Buu]

Haha they will never understand anything. Why aquarium things and fish cost so much, why you get "addicted" and always want to check out new fish/plants/decor at the shop. I think unless you have the bug and love the hobby, you just don't understand and it doesn't make any sense. You just have to get use to it and be prepared to explain everything a million times haha. Hubby can't understand why i spending 150$ on a light "just for plants" or why I wanted to get a 100 gallon tank w/stand for 100$!!! (You guys know that's a steal!). I just throw his 20$ of dip a week and DVD obsession back at him =)

 

[Andy Sager]

As suggested, you try to explain that you are preparing the tank for the fish's futures. When all else fails however, tell the people that there ARE fish in the tank. They obviously just can't see them. They're called INF ( invisible nerf fish) lol ( That's how we explained empty tanks in the pet store )

Hope this helps

 

[flitabout]

I gave up trying to explain it and I finally just told him this is my tank and I will do it my way. Then I told I was going to buy new lights for it he went through the roof! I told him that when we got together I was working 2 jobs I had horses and bred Siamese and Balinese. I have after 4 kids had to give all of that and this it the first thing I have truly been excited about in years. So deal with it!! lol He hasn't said another word about it!!

 

[Fishfur]

If it were me, I'd have quit trying to explain after the second try and told him if he can't be bothered to listen to the answer to the question I can't be bothered to repeat it. I'm often glad I'm single.

 

[Autumnsky]

You are growing special microscopic bacteria for the fish world inside the aquarium.......

ooooh so mysterious........

 

[azmodan]

There's a science behind cycling and maintaining a fish tank that isn't terribly hard to understand if you actually care. Does he care might be the right question. Explain to him that this is your hobby and you want to do it right. If there is a financial issue involved tell him you guys can discuss the correct appropriations of money so that he's in the loop too. If he doesn't understand any of this then I kinda wonder if this is an indicator of larger future issues to come in other things.

Or you could just insist that there ARE fish in the tank and you feed them everyday with ammonia. Special INVISIBLE fish that are just beautiful to those who believe in them. When he breaks up with you thinking you're crazy then you can find a new aquarium-loving boyfriend!

 

[Animal]

Hahaha why didn't I think of that with my ex wow that would have worked so much better

 

[BlazedSaint]

There's a science behind cycling and maintaining a fish tank that isn't terribly hard to understand if you actually care. Does he care might be the right question. Explain to him that this is your hobby and you want to do it right. If there is a financial issue involved tell him you guys can discuss the correct appropriations of money so that he's in the loop too. If he doesn't understand any of this then I kinda wonder if this is an indicator of larger future issues to come in other things.

Or you could just insist that there ARE fish in the tank and you feed them everyday with ammonia. Special INVISIBLE fish that are just beautiful to those who believe in them. When he breaks up with you thinking you're crazy then you can find a new aquarium-loving boyfriend!

Lol Lol Lol Lol +1 to this idea, it just made my day!

 

[gilpi]

My wife thinks I'm out of my mind when I try to pass advice on filtering.
She thinks its cruel for me to clean my filters once or twice a year, just rinsing them rather than replacing the media with sterile, clean pads, but then my fish last for years and thrive in my tanks!
Oh, I also love my wife