Time required for maint. on 90 gal

[bubbleblower]

Hi there
I'm considering getting a 90 gal reef setup. LR, sump, skimmer etc. After the tank is stable How much time is going to be required to keep it in a healthy state?
Thanks

[Myka]

Is it mostly the same for any size tank. Your stuff just takes up a bigger space. :D I think most people with "top notch" reef tanks will spend 3-4 hours a week doing fish related stuff; from feeding to testing, dosing, making new RODI water, mixing saltwater, etc. Some people have a lot of things automated though, and they have the luxury of spending less time maintaining the tank, and more time staring at the tank. This luxury comes at a price. There are some OCD'ers out there that spend a lot more time than that, but I don't know any of them. ;) You can get away with an hour or two a week, but don't expect diamonds when you're only panning for gold. :p

[Black Phantom]

Nice reply Myka
The other thing that a lot of people overlook is the added cost. More rock, more sand, more salt, more RO water, more lighting etc.
You get the idea.
Personally I love the big tanks but looking at some of my bills over the years I think I could have bought a new house instead. :loco:

[gobytron]

This hobby is what you make of it.
VAlue in value out kind of thing.

The question you're asking is almost impossible to answer because everyone has a different system...

Talk to TomR, he's a guy who professes to be lazy in his retirement and enjoy his awesome tanks, as such he has set up a very simple but sophisticated ato and water changing system for his two massive tanks.
I think that his is a good example of how people can take some work and stress out if this hobby with a little ingenuity and some planning.

You could easily set up a tank that had near auto water changes, automatic freshwater top offs and even have it fed automatically.

I started in this hobby with no ato, no aquacontroller and no clue...
I was putting about an hour a day into tank maintenance overfeeding, constantly playing with my water params and that was with just a 72 and an aquapod.

Now I have several tanks, the largest of which is a 95 and I would say that I put in about an hour a week in maintenance.

It's cost me a little more money over the years but i have acquired a lot of pieces of equipment that help me.

Just do your research so you know what is involved and then have a look around at what this hobby has to make keeping a reef manageable for your own specific expectations.

[Leah]

Its like children you don't know till you have them :wink:

[gobytron]

except kids are easier to find a babysitter for.

[bubbleblower]

Thanks for all the replies!
I've been researching as much as I can, but at some point in time you have to jump in and start screwing up:biggrin:
Thanks