Any tips on balancing fish keeping time, family time, and work?

[houie925]

Cut down the number of tanks.

Add a drip system so you don't have to spend time doing manual WCs.

Run bare bottom with lots of flow so you don't have to gravel vac.

Run socks so you can just throw them in the wash or cheap polyfill so you can just toss it and replace.

Feed pellets only most days to minimize prep time.

Involve the kids as much as you can.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[dogofwar]

I probably spend 2 - 2.5 hrs per week, mostly on a weekend day, maintaining my 50-60 tank fishroom. It would take less time with better water pressure and more hot water...

I do weekly water changes and try to change the mechanical media in my filters at least weekly.

The key (at least for me) is having all of the tanks together in a fishroom and having the tanks set up for easy maintenance.

I can drain multiple tanks at the same time. I change filters as I re-fill.

For me, it's enjoyable...especially with some tunes and a beer or two!

Matt

 

[divemaster99]

My schedule is wake up, feed my tanks, go to school, come home and feed my tanks again, leisure activities (either with family, watching tv, fishing, or watching my tanks), then go to bed and repeat again. Other than in the summer, then My entire day is nothing but fish .

 

[BuffaloPolypteridae]

Inappropriate things
Feed fish
Work
Feed fish
Innapropriate things

WC days are my days off
Inappropriate
WCS
Inappropriate
WCS

I don't plan on children, ever, so don't really know how to go about organizing time around them.... Maybe teach them to help with the maintenance and feeding? Lol



Sent from my XT1080 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[FishNCash]

The reason for 45mins - 60mins feeding is the tanks are not all in one place. The bichirs eat so damn slow that it takes 15-20mins for them to consume the tilapia. I am thinking of putting the bichir tank on timer so they get used to the light. I spend another 5 mins stuffing pellets in shrimps for some of the fish. then I have to use a tong to feed bcuz they are too slow to get the food from the dats. With the growout I dunk the food in and need to watch to make sure they are eating.

For waterchange I think I need a bigger drain hose to cut down time. Most of my tanks are bare bottom so maintainance is a breeze. I like the idea of not keeping high demand specy fish.

 

[hulk181]

I quit keeping bichirs and plecos for that reason. If they're kept in bichir only or pleco only tanks then its fine but its often tough to feed them in community tanks. I got tired of having to target feed them. Part of the fun of keeping fish is that they're smart enough to get food when you drop it in, but some fish need extra help and it becomes a burden.

I got rid of all my plecos and polys and now I spend a lot less time feeding my fish. You might consider selling yours too if you feel like they take up too much time to feed them.

 

[Redearsunfish]

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?

Automating is the only real way to cut down time, e.g. constant drips or one switch water changing systems. Besides that I can suggest specializing in one type of fish and consolidating tanks by auditing your tanks in terms of livestock and actual tank numbers and geographic location in your home (i.e. try to keep all the tanks in one location if you can .

 

[hulk181]

You could also get rid of your 2 40 gallon growouts and use a sump as your growout/refugium instead. What I would do is use 60 g tanks (or as big a tank as you can fit under the stand) as sumps under each of your big tanks. You dont need baffles or anything fancy, just throw media in there. Then grow out fish in there. That would save space and a lot of time doing water changes on your smaller tanks.

How are you changing water? I use sump hoses and drain into big 95 g trash cans. Then I put MagDrive 18 pumps connected to garden hoses to drain the water in the can out to my lawn. And another one goes to my fruit trees. Its super fast.

 

[D.Wolf]

Keep fishes that you like the most, get rid of growout tanks, try to automate things (water changes takes most of time - i use barrel and a pump - dont have option for drip system)..

Sent from my GT-I9100 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[fishnatics]

I remember when I was in that situation. I spent so much time with all my tanks that I totally ignored everything. I was putting off family time. After my nervous breakdown I realized that my family was more important. Fish can always be replaced but family can't. I sold all my tanks. Now I only have a 125 gallon and I feed once a day when I get off work and just relax in front of the tank while the kids are in school and wife is still at work(30 min.). Once the family gets home it's family time. I change the water every other week which is about 1hr.