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I am reading all these posts, looking at these magnificant reef systems people have created, and wondering, what do you do as your day job to maintain such big systems? Furthermore, how do you find the time to dedicate to the hobby? I am mom to two kids, 2 and 8, work per diem, and am going to school part time,and would love nothing more than find the time to take a breath some days. I would love to dedicate to the hobby, my interest is extremely high. I would like to get some input on your schedule, to share what your day job is (again if you want), and how you do what you do day to day.
I understand it takes time to build a reef. I am grateful for that, so I can dedicate small amounts of time over a long period.
I thought this might be a great way to get to know my fellow reefers. Anyhow, if you want to jump in and contribute, thanks in advance.
You're absolutely right, it's not easy to find the time
I work in the I.T. department of one of the biggest law firms in the world. I work a full 40 hours a week, plus I'm on call 24/7 a week at a time once evert 10 weeks. Thankfuly, we are able to have my wife stay at home with the kids (3 and 6). From the time i come home, to the time the kids go to bed, my time is dedicated to my family. Helping with schoolwork, shopping, fixing dinner, playing, what have you. After the kids go to bed, and on weekends is when I get most of my work time in on the tank. Both of my tanks are in the den, so I can work on them while I chat with my wife, listen to the TV or surf TR. Thankfuly, my tank is to the point that it doesn't require more than 15 minutes or so a night to feed, check everythng over, run tests, and whatever other minor details need attention. Waterchanges and other major maintenece usualy take pace on the weekends, either while the kids are paying, or again, after they go to bed. I'll usualy spend a cumulative couple of hours on the tank spread out over any given weekend. it's really not bad at all, since i don't view any of it as a chore, as I really enjoy working on the tanks. It doesn't really detract from anything else, since I tend to get yardwork and housework out of the way during the day on weekends, which leaves plenty of time to spend with the kids, and I can spend time with my wife while I'm working.
It certainly souns like you have your ands far more full than I do. I think the real key is t grab 5 or 10 minutes when you can for the general maintenece stuff, and try to set aside an dour or so (however long it takes you to o a WC, tank cleaning and other major maintenece items) one a week to just get it done.
my system is pretty much automated ... so it takes care of itself while i am working or hanging out with the wife. we have a 14 year old, so he usually hides in his room on HIS computer and does his thing outside. i guess i am lucky that he is at the age where he wants his privacy and can entertain himself outside.
i work about 50-60 hours a week for the company that my family owns, doing vinyl siding and home improvements and repairs. when i get home i am ready to just relax and the tank really helps me do that. i have all of the automation equipment to provide me with that advantage.
i also do the majority of the work on my tank on the weekends. usually all i do during the week is turn my RODI unit on and off, and run the mag float over the glass a few times. the wife and i have been spending more time outside in the yard in the last week or so, doing some landscaping and Bonsai trimming out bushes.
finally, i also work on my local clubs website (admin/mod) so i have to check that everyday. the things that i do around here including moderating, writing articles, TRL, and contests ... i consider an honor to do and was really blown away when Rob approached me about it. i check THIS site throughout the day from my cell phone and am usually on it from the time i get home to the time i go to bed. although i might not be AT my computer, i am usually logged on.
__________________ Bobby
"I glue animals to rocks" 125 gallon SPS reef, 3 x 40 breeder frag system.
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I am a home theater/home automation installer. I am in a different boat than lReef lKeeper and Phurst because I am just getting my tank up and running. I have a 3 year old son and a wife that manages a restaurant. My day usually consists of getting up and getting my son to daycare by 7:30 to work by 8, I am usually of by 4 or 5 then home to dinner and family time. Most of my work on the tank is after my family has gone to bed or on Mondays (the wife works and my son is in preschool half of the day, and it's my only guaranteed day off) I find time to research the hobby while driving to jobs away from the city and at night before bed, I too check up on TR through my phone.
__________________ "Noone cares how much you know, untill they know how much you care."
"Fear Leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering"
I work for the city as a transit planner. I am usually at work 45-50 hrs a week. I am married and we have a son in college. During the school year we often have a high school exchange student living with us. The exchange students are not allowed to drive and so we are responsible for getting them to extra curricular activities and such.
I would say I have to spend 15 minutes or so a day on my tanks but I also tend to putz with them for far longer. On the weekends I spend an hour or two doing water changes and more major tank maintenance.
I am a mod here at TR, co-host on TRL, write articles and work with the contests. Like Bobby my computer is usually on most nights. I am never on TR during the day if I am at work. I will be starting my master's this summer.
Other than that am the webmaster and I play on the music team at church, am VP of the Raleigh Aquarium Society and volunteer with Youth for Understanding, the exchange student organization.
My tank also is a fresh set up. I work 70+ a week I leave the house at 11:00 A.M. finish the first job at a mom and pop LFS. between 5-6 P.M. 6 days a week. Thenits home to the wife and 16 year old. I then leave at 9:30 P.M. and work 3rd shif as a Mechanic. Things are much easier now than when I did this 25 years ago with my sister. Thanks for the Berlin method, no underground filters anymore. Sunday evening or Monday morning LFS is closed on Mondays. I'm just waiting on M/H lights to get things going. Working alot makes it much easier to be patient (sp). Nothing like a 20 min. power nap while waiting on a NH3 test lol.
My wife and I work together, for 40-50 hours (each) per week, perhaps more during crunch time. We have two young kids, who are night owls compared to most children.
Feeding is done before the kids go to bed, but any work is relegated to any remaining minutes after they have gone to sleep, or on the weekends when the youngest is napping. I try to do some small bit of work on the tank every day (testing, changing media, checking fittings, cleaning a pump, cleaning the collection cup, turning chaeto, blowing LR, exploring critters in the sump, scraping glass, making SW, filling the top off reservoir) so I am not faced with a marathon of work on the weekend. All told, including feedings (but excluding viewing) - probably 3-4 hours a week.
Research (Reading and Forum participation) probably takes the most time (sometimes I feel guilty that I spend far more time researching than on my tank), with limited research during the weekdays, and the bulk during the weekend. Probably 8+ hours stretched over a week. Eeeek...I spend more time with you guys than I do my tank!
Seriously, when I am wishing that I could find more time for the hobby, I remind myself that the limited time keeps me from changing things too fast...which we know is a good thing when reef keeping is concerned.
I work for at&t in a retail store, working anywhere from 40-50hrs a week. Most of my spare time is dedicated to my friends, my tank and my lady (she gets most of it, but she will say my tank does). Unfortunitly being in retail I do nto have set hrs and I work diff shifts all the time. My tank has been running for a little more then a yr. I always feed my tank in the morning and sometimes add top off water which takes no more then 5 to 10 mins. I noramlly do bi weekly water changes which takes about 30mins or so. I noramlly clean my tank 2-3 times a week which takes about 10 min. Since my shced is all over I do these misc task on my tank whenever I fing the time. And just like others have said it is not a choar to me, I enjoy it, it helps me relax.
And yes a reef tank can cost alot. I am going to move mid next month and my expenses are going up significantly. I am actually considering starting to work for a friend cleaning local tanks, he owns a pet store literally across the street from where I will be moving. I am dreading my electric bill and hope the small extra income will help out. The most frustrating part is when a fish or coral dies, it is just like throwing away money. I have lost hundreds in fish and coral. Partly my own fault. But all in all I love the hobby...lifestyle.
__________________ It's not the size of the boat, it's the motion of the ocean, but it takes a long time to get to London in a row boat.
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