I am at a point that I need to make more time for family. this mean ill cut my time spent on the hobby. I don't want to leave the hobby unless I have no choice. I am currently running 265 lightly stock, 150 heavily stock. Two 40 growout. I spend 45mins to 60mins daily feeding all the tanks. I spend about 3 hrs weekly doing WC and other maintainnce. My question is how much time do you spend feeding all your tanks in a day? How much time do you spend a week doing water change and other tank maintainance? What tips can you offer me in this hobby to cut down feeding and maintainance time?
Any tips on balancing fish keeping time, family time, and work?
- Thread starter FishNCash
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It is always a balance. I have three times the tanks and more gallons all the way around and spend less time. I had to slowly get less demanding species and lower stock numbers through attrition and reality checks of my true time. I decided not to feed the very best fresh food more then one time per week. Now I go for frozen prepared etc to streamline. If I have to do something important my schedule evolves and the nitrates may just go up more then I use to allow. Life is a series of prioritizing event. Sometimes weekly maintain goes 10 days.
I was in the same situation not so long ago, trying to juggle my tanks, gym, socialising, work and hardly ever spent time with my family so I had to sell all of my tanks and just keep my main tank 
it sucked at the time but the less maintenance and more free time are actually a relief as well as saving money so it worked out well in the end.
If you want to keep them all and just free up time you should look into drip systems?
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it sucked at the time but the less maintenance and more free time are actually a relief as well as saving money so it worked out well in the end.If you want to keep them all and just free up time you should look into drip systems?
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Man I hear Ya on spending time with tanks! I also have my cars I work on, gaming time, Craigslist time looking for fish and tanks etc. I have a 4month old son, 13 yr old daughter and a gf that is more needy than my son..... I found that involving my gf when I rescape my tanks helps, showing her the fish I like online and teaching her a bit about my stock is a big helper. We go on family hikes and walks which helps because they can help me find driftwood and rocks. Insomnia is a big helper!!!!!! I've pretty much given up on a social life and made my family my priority followed by my hobbies. It's doable but there is some psychological games to be played. My gf now accepts my time I spend doing the things I do because I'm not out drinking, hanging out at the bars etc. Just finally growing up a bit has allowed me more freedom to do and buy things with out getting crap than anything. Just figure out a way to involve the ones around you. There's 168hrs in a week, your wife or gf should allow you to have 10-15 hours a week to do something that makes you happy
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I have a 220 and a 150 and have recently had a kid so I've had to cut down on time spent on the tanks as well.
I only spend ten minutes feeding, I chuck in a bowl of defrosted prawns and some 7.5mm NLS pellets. I've been doing this for years and the fish are in good health. I'm heavily stocked with big fish like two arowana's over 2'.
My biggest tip though, and a lot of people might not agree with this, is that I only vacuum the substrate once a month instead of once a week.
So once a month I have a big job vacuuming and cleaning out the filters but then on the other weeks I just syphon out 75% of the water leaving me free to play with my kid. I then just fill it up again by pumping in water that I have already treated and heated in water butts.
This is working out really well for me because I wouldn't be able to spend three hours cleaning each tank each week.
The water has remained good and the fish are in perfect health
Hope that helps
I only spend ten minutes feeding, I chuck in a bowl of defrosted prawns and some 7.5mm NLS pellets. I've been doing this for years and the fish are in good health. I'm heavily stocked with big fish like two arowana's over 2'.
My biggest tip though, and a lot of people might not agree with this, is that I only vacuum the substrate once a month instead of once a week.
So once a month I have a big job vacuuming and cleaning out the filters but then on the other weeks I just syphon out 75% of the water leaving me free to play with my kid. I then just fill it up again by pumping in water that I have already treated and heated in water butts.
This is working out really well for me because I wouldn't be able to spend three hours cleaning each tank each week.
The water has remained good and the fish are in perfect health
Hope that helps
If I just feed and don't spend much time looking, I only spend about 15 minutes a day. I have a 240 in the living room, so I still am able to spend some quality fish time 
. I don't understand why it takes so long to feed daily? I don't have kids at home and I kept fewer gallons when I did. One option is to get single. I did that and eventually upgraded wives. Wife 2.0 likes that the fish keep me out of the strip clubs.
. I don't understand why it takes so long to feed daily? I don't have kids at home and I kept fewer gallons when I did. One option is to get single. I did that and eventually upgraded wives. Wife 2.0 likes that the fish keep me out of the strip clubs.
If I just feed and don't spend much time looking, I only spend about 15 minutes a day. I have a 240 in the living room, so I still am able to spend some quality fish time
I like this
In the past I worked 12 hour night shift went to school full time had 4 tanks two dogs and went through a divorce. Needless to say all the tanks got sold had 220, 125, 20, and a 30 going. I had a bunch of cichlids, catfish, and predators. So water changes and feeding were added stress not enjoyment. I went 3 years with no tank.
Now 10 years later I have a 5 month daughter and a 3 year old son a wife and work in management. I have a 750 and a 200 both systems systems have drip but do not run because it makes my yard muddy but I have hose hookup after pump so pump drains tank and I use drip to fill. With the overflow pipe I do not have to worry about over fill. I spend honestly 10-15 min a water change once a week. I keep big tank bare bottom and sand in other with 3 plants. I keep all stingrays so I can feed big chunks of food so 10 minutes feed time. I have lights on 11 to 10 so I can feed in evening when kids go to bed.
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Now 10 years later I have a 5 month daughter and a 3 year old son a wife and work in management. I have a 750 and a 200 both systems systems have drip but do not run because it makes my yard muddy but I have hose hookup after pump so pump drains tank and I use drip to fill. With the overflow pipe I do not have to worry about over fill. I spend honestly 10-15 min a water change once a week. I keep big tank bare bottom and sand in other with 3 plants. I keep all stingrays so I can feed big chunks of food so 10 minutes feed time. I have lights on 11 to 10 so I can feed in evening when kids go to bed.
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