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How Do You Fund Your Hobby?


Bay Area Aquatics
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I work at a marketing firm as kind of the top troubleshooter. Went from website design to weird solutions to managing finances and IT and service tech stack. Like others I chalk the hobby up to “mostly cheaper than therapy”. It’s nice to have some low-stress things to tweak, optimize and manage and watch thrive.  

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I'm a lab manager and research scientist at the University of Washington. We study the crosstalk between the innate and adaptive immune systems using cool tools like lasers, confocal microscopes, fluorescently tagged antibodies, and so on. But on a daily basis I am doing such a wide range of tasks ranging from IT, chemistry, biology, genetics, equipment repair, statistical analysis, regulatory paperwork and logistics all the way to a level of mentorship that can feel like providing therapy, that it feels like my title could maybe just be jill of all trades.

An appallingly messy bench from a few years ago (not mine):

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A fluorescently stained section of tumor (mine!):

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I got back into the hobby this year. I was diagnosed, and successfully beat so far, breast cancer. A friend gifted me a 30g full setup. I have always loved fish, water, fishing, swimming, snorkeling, etc. I used to have a 55g cichlid tank, but that was over 15 years ago. This time I went for a more relaxing planted community setup. I am a nurse practitioner, so I have budgeted for plants, fish, supplies. A little at a time. 

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3 hours ago, ChefConfit said:

Originally went to school to be an automotive engineer before I had the boneheaded idea to be a chef instead. Worked at a very well regarded resta3for 2 years then helped open 2 new restaurants in 2 years then started at a luxury retirement community about a year ago. I also run a knife sharpening business that is where most of my spending money comes from. Also trying to start a breeding for profit setup so the hobby can fund itself. 

CIA 1982

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I train horses,  give lessons, and barn manager at a boarding facility in California. I've had a tank for 30 years but my 27 year old mean catfish died last spring. He wouldn't let me have any more, I gave up years ago. So during lockdown this summer and with the help of aquarium co op I learned a lot and set up 2 community planted tanks.

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I'm a foundryman specialising in the Investment Casting process, also known as the Lost Wax process. I supervise a team that can produce anything from industrial components by the thousand, a one off prototype from a plastic 3D print or a one off bronze sculpture from a handmade clay model. We can cast many metals and their alloys including irons, steels, stainless steels, aluminium alloys, brasses and bronzes. We also use the greensand method so there's not a lot we can't cast. In fact the company motto is 'You ask, we cast'. Check us out here, there's a little video too... https://www.castingshop.co.nz/

My tasks are many and varied but I mainly manage production, quality control and look after the metallurgical equipment to maintain it's accuracy. 

 

Edited by Raeburn
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I am a high school History teacher of 22 years.  I used to produce and direct the plays for the HS as well until my children were born - family first.  It is here were I became an amateur carpenter as my wife likes to call me - I really enjoyed designing and building complex sets.   Now I specialize in Holocaust studies and sociology - Justice and Society class.  I spent some time doing union work serving the educator's were I worked.   It was after leaving that "part time work" that I discovered the zen balance my life lacked - fish keeping.  What a joy it has been.  Thank the lord my wife has been supportive.

Edited by Tedrock
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8 hours ago, Daniel said:

I sell honeybees to beekeepers. My busiest times are Winter and Spring because I have to get ready for the Spring rush when beekeepers restock from their winter loses.

I don't sell honey, which is what people usually associate with beekeeping, but I do collect a little to give to the landowners where I have my principle outyards.

Wow very important work. Most people don’t realize how incredible bees are.

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28 minutes ago, Raeburn said:

I'm a foundryman specialising in the Investment Casting process, also known as the Lost Wax process. I supervise a team that can produce anything from industrial components by the thousand, a one off prototype from a plastic 3D print or a one off bronze sculpture from a handmade clay model. We can cast many metals and their alloys including irons, steels, stainless steels, aluminium alloys, brasses and bronzes. We also use the greensand method so there's not a lot we can't cast. In fact the company motto is 'You ask, we cast'. Check us out here, there's a little video too... https://www.castingshop.co.nz/

My tasks many and varied but I mainly manage production, quality control and look after the metallurgical equipment to maintain it's accuracy. 

 

 

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For the last 40 years I have been a National Certified Interpreter for the Deaf. Hence my logo means interpret in American Sign Language.

I have kept aquariums most of my life. I did take a 19 year break. When my ex husband declared that the 6 foot tank was his! Ha! I made sure I had re homed most of my fishies before I drove off into the sunset..... Taking the Python with me! He didn’t know the difference between an air stone and a rock.... I wonder how long it took him to bail that tank.  LOL

Cory and Aquarium Co-Op have been such an inspiration to me. I love playing with my 3 tanks.  Having a blast raising Corydoras and Mystery Snails. I love all of the Ziss breeding equipment.

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after leaving school i did an apprenticeship in sheetmetal but hated being in a factory so as soon as i did my time i got out and have driven trucks ever since. currently driving a UD prime mover auto air con sound system the works nothing like when i started 20 years ago with unairconditioned road ranger international accos that cooked you on a 40c day.i do some fairly long hours but do very few weekends so it still leaves plenty of fish time if not much $$$

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2 hours ago, Daniel said:

Like the tooling you would use in say, a HAAS mini-mill?

We build the actual machines.  CNC Routers, Plasma cutters, Laser cutters, water jet cutters, and knife cutters,  Occasionally we run up against HAAS on a router deal but we do not make mills or lathes.

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I work in IT and have for the past ~25 years since leaving the army. Worked for almost 20 years at Microsoft in IT management and now am working a much more relaxing job as a helpdesk technician. Way more free time to spoil my fishy friends 🙂

Edited by Ken Dyer
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