Advice for an expecting parent

[ti_lavender]

Hi all, I’m back in the hobby after I got out when I went away to college. That was about 15 years ago and a lot in the hobby has changed. I bought a used setup that seemed like it hadn’t been setup very long. I’ve been wanting a tank for years and I work at home 90% of the time. The tank is next to my desk so I see it all the time

my build thread is here:
22.4 aio

I’ve told myself I won’t add anymore livestock aside from CUC as necessary starting after Xmas. The intent here is to allow for more stability. What advice would you all who have gone through the arrival of their first child recommend to help me keep a healthy tank? My partner is due end of May.

 

[jabberwock]

I was totally unprepared for a child. She is 12 years old now. I would just encourage you that BILLIONS of people are or have been parents. It can be hard at times, but mostly everything comes naturally.

I would not sweat it.

 

[blaxsun]

Get as many good nights of sleep while you can.

 

[flashsmith]

Babies sleep alot so you'll have plenty of time for maintenance because your days of going on date nights and hanging out with the boys are over for awhile. Babies are easy. Just wait till they hit about 12 until they move out. That's when the real work begins.

 

[Pipo5]

Congratulations man when i started my first saltwater tank my wife got pregnant with twins.it was easy in the beginning now there 1 and waking and like to touch everything so get lids and cover rear of tank and hide controllers they turned up my return pump and flooded my living room lol. also I adjusted to there time and do all my maintenance water change feeding at night when there sleeping.

 

[Tamberav]

Hi all, I’m back in the hobby after I got out when I went away to college. That was about 15 years ago and a lot in the hobby has changed. I bought a used setup that seemed like it hadn’t been setup very long. I’ve been wanting a tank for years and I work at home 90% of the time. The tank is next to my desk so I see it all the time

my build thread is here:
22.4 aio

I’ve told myself I won’t add anymore livestock aside from CUC as necessary starting after Xmas. The intent here is to allow for more stability. What advice would you all who have gone through the arrival of their first child recommend to help me keep a healthy tank? My partner is due end of May.

My husband works a lot and my family is in another state so knowing I would not have much help… I sold all my SPS and went softy dominant but have some LPS too and the tank can go months of being ignored I do not regret my decision even a little.

Main thing is to have everything baby proofed including the tank. Remember that any open water source is a drowning risk (once they are moving), even a bucket if they can get to it. So child locks and covers or stands they can’t reach.

How difficult it is will vary by each baby and support system. My baby seemed to have lower sleep needs so the whole babies sleep a lot did not seem to apply for us. Some babies are colicky and cry a lot, sometimes for hours. Some won’t nap if you don’t hold them (we went through this for about 2 months). You just never know.

Just plan accordingly based on what support you have.

 

[Tim'sReef]

Congratulations you're in for a wilde ride but so worth it. When I got back from picking up my used reef tank I literally stepped over the doorstep and her water broke haha talk about timing. (And taking chances for a new reef, if the car broke down i would have missed it)

After my son was born the tank stood empty for a week and then I wanted to start and filled her up. I took it slow and did the setup and scaping and all other things in the moments my wife and son where sleeping.

That was a year ago. Now I must say that I had a red sea max nano running along side the bigger reef but I took that one down last week cause I didn't have time for 2 tanks, work, kid and the wife. But one is perfectly do able for me.

As said above baby's are pretty easy. When the start moving around that's when the time consuming parts start, my son started walking and crawling very early so you might have less time than you might expect.

Just plan your maintenance. I do mine on Saturday or Sunday mornings and have a little quality time with my reef.

 

[gobybryant]

Congrats! My little guy just turned 1.5 and I’d say automating as much as I can has helped. ATO and light timers for my T5 lights have been a game changers for me.

 

[ti_lavender]

Thank for all the congrutaltions! I’m very excited about the little one. We’re getting support from my older parents and my partner’s mom will come visit for a month or so.

I appreciate the input. I’m glad to not hear spend $$ on a fancy controller. I’ve got an ATO going and lighting on its own schedule. I just started dosing 2-part via dosing pumps. I may invest in an RO/DI setup so I don’t have to go to the LFS for water.

Once they’re moving around I’m much concerned about the tank. I need to look in to ways to brace it to the wall.

 

[ti_lavender]

Get as many good nights of sleep while you can.

That’s the plan. I’m enjoying them while I still have them.

 

[ti_lavender]

Congratulations man when i started my first saltwater tank my wife got pregnant with twins.it was easy in the beginning now there 1 and waking and like to touch everything so get lids and cover rear of tank and hide controllers they turned up my return pump and flooded my living room lol. also I adjusted to there time and do all my maintenance water change feeding at night when there sleeping.

Woah! Definitely want to avoid any flooding.

 

[LeannaBanana]

I would say babyproofing is more critical at this point than maintenance. You'll still have time for the tank! You won't have time for everything, but chores are chores, and as long as you're in a routine (e.g. "Every Sunday is tank maintenance day..."), most of that stuff stays similar and just adjusts to a new schedule as needed.

As others have stated, enjoy your sleep while you can, and toss out every bit of baby advice you hear. Yours will be different and you'll know best.

Congratulations, and enjoy the ride! It gets hard, then easier, then harder, then easier, then harder again in waves. Pretty much from day 1. Just know that "this too, will pass" at both the bad and good parts. <3

 

[Rusty_L_Shackleford]

Thank for all the congrutaltions! I’m very excited about the little one. We’re getting support from my older parents and my partner’s mom will come visit for a month or so.

I appreciate the input. I’m glad to not hear spend $$ on a fancy controller. I’ve got an ATO going and lighting on its own schedule. I just started dosing 2-part via dosing pumps. I may invest in an RO/DI setup so I don’t have to go to the LFS for water.

Once they’re moving around I’m much concerned about the tank. I need to look in to ways to brace it to the wall.

I bought an rodi before i bought the tank. Screw lugging water from the lfs. Plus i csn monitor the tds, i know the fikters have been changed. Plus life often makes it hard to get to the lfs when theyre open. I mean cost of water, jugs, gas, my time it will pay for itself in no time. Plus i can make water on the fly in case of an emergency.

For securing the to the wall, i would get some flexible metal strips from the hardware store with the holes in them. Screw one side into the back of the stand and the other side into the studs behind the tank. Works a treat for bookcases to and will prevent them from tipping WHEN a kid climbs on them.

Oh, and congradulations!

 

[w8lifts]

Tank lid, saved a few toys from swimming already

 

[vetteguy53081]

Keep it simple with easy specimens allowing tank to continue to mature. As Baby sleeps, it will be best time for maintenance and water testing and even feeding

 

[Rmckoy]

I was out of fish and coral keeping for many years and out of the blue my 6 year old daughter at the time wanted nemo lol
We set up a 75 gal for that purpose .
since that day novelty was short lived and it became my hobby

other than helping feeding she was pretty good not getting into things .
My wife’s grand daughter is a different story.

no matter what I did I couldn’t keep her away from it .
I woke up one morning at 4am and she was making breakfast for the fish
Waffles and syrup floating in the sump .
Good thing the tank is very tall and she couldn’t reach the top of the dt

 

[exnisstech]

Sublet raising children and come back for the grandkids, they bring more pleasure without all the pain