Limitations;
Physical Space; my condo is less than a 1000 sq ft. The Living room, dining room, kitchen are all squeezed into an area 16' by 16' with the longest open wall only 10' feet long. My condo is on a third floor. Electrical service here in Peru is 230 Volt, single phase 60 Hz. I only have accesses to one 30 amp & one 20 amp circuit for the tank. I cannot upgrade the electrical service; the building is of concrete construction making modification difficult.
The largest aquarium on the planet in my backyard "œThe Pacific Ocean"
http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh568/captngreg/th_NaploOcean.jpg?t=1331818592
Environmental I live 40 mile south of Lima Peru. I have the largest aquarium on the planet in my backyard "œThe Pacific Ocean". We have lots of earthquakes here! On average we have at least 2 or 3 each year that will get your attention. In the seven years I have lived here we have had one 6.2 that sent most things falling, and one big one and 8.0 in August 2007 that did a lot of damage. The climate is very temperate, only getting into the 60's in the winter & very seldom getting much hotter than 85 in the summer. On very rare occasions there can be temperatures as low as 50 & as high as 95. My place has neither a heating system nor air-conditioning. Here on the cost of Peru we don't have weather or at least rain, No Hurricanes, No thunder storms and No tornadoes. It was told by a friend's grandfather that it did rain 34 years ago. By the way did I mention we do have earthquakes!
Financial In Peru, the cost of labor is much cheaper than that of the US or Europe, but the availability of aquarium supplies are extremely limited, very expensive and not state of the art. The supplies you can find will usually cost you at least three times as much as in the US, if not more! As far as livestock goes it's worse, I do not buy anything here in Peru It might be just bad luck on my part, but the two time I bought from a local fish store I brought back, at no extra charge Ick from the fish I bought & flatworms from the coral. I buy all my fish & corals in the states now and take them back to Peru in my check luggage. I make this trip four times a year.
Personal My team; I work as a captain on a supply vessel operating off the cost of Brazil. My work schedule has me on the vessel for 56 day at a time, and then I'm off for 28. I'm usually available over the phone while at work. I kept my first saltwater tanks a 300 gallon & a 200 gallon with a small shark, back in the early 80's. Didn't know a lot back then, but I was still able to keep some fish alive. I used a pool sand filter, canister filters, an underground filter, and florescent grow lights along with bleached stag horn coral for decoration. Things sure have changed. The second member of my team is Lidia my house keeper. She looks after my tank and Yorkies while I'm at work. Lidia, who five years ago would have a nerves breakdown at the slightest sign of a trouble God forbid a dying or dead fish, can now deal with the usual complications or at least she can give me a call or her son Abraham for help. Abraham is third member of the team; he keeps this whole endeavor from collapsing around me like a house of cards, when I'm not around. He's an electronic engineer & good friend; together we have survived our share of problem and the occasional disaster. Lastly there is the "œcarpenter" Carlos, he will be doing all the woodwork you will see throw out this build, he is also the building's security guard. He checks on the aquarium each night & feeds the coral. Over the years we have had more than our share of difficulties. We learn, we get back up, and forge ahead. The four of us, represent some of the most knowledgeable saltwater Aquarius in Peru and that not saying a whole lot. Hear most Aquarius still use T5 for lighting they don't know or can't even get MH bulbs never mind LED lighting, and I believe there are only two refugiums in all of Peru and I own them both. This is why I relay on my friends in the US and this Reef Central community for knowledge & help. Mr. Wilson I hope you are listening.
