hansnfrans
New member
I second the recommendation for AMS.
Please tell me about your maintenance service
- Thread starter sugartooth
- Start date
Pufferpunk
New member
Is that SeaSchor's service?
ReefKeepersCorner
Moved On
Sea Schor can't hold a stick to AMS....
Kathy- Sorry your thread isn't going so well. There has got to be some people on here that have a maintenance service come in for their personal tank/s. I don't blame you for looking into some additional help. You have so much going on in that laboratory you call a basement!
sending PM.
sugartooth
Reef bully
Hahhaaha....thanks RKC!
Crafty and Hans, link no worky. Do you both use/have used this AMS? If so, should I ask for someone specific?
People who have used services, did you interview the actual person coming over or did you just trust the 'sales' guy?
Crafty and Hans, link no worky. Do you both use/have used this AMS? If so, should I ask for someone specific?
People who have used services, did you interview the actual person coming over or did you just trust the 'sales' guy?
ReefKeepersCorner
Moved On
The link just worked for me... Weird... Ask for Adam. He is a very smart guy!
craftytony
OT Godfather
www.ams-chicago.com
I was looking at them for when i go on vacation.....Haven't used them yet....(maybe over this coming holiday weekend)
I was looking at them for when i go on vacation.....Haven't used them yet....(maybe over this coming holiday weekend)
That's an interesting question. We plan one reef tank for now. (I haven't told SWMBO that I've had thoughts of having my own pico - the Red Sea Max is hers.
) In our position were looking forward to the process as much as the result so hiring out maintenance is not in our plan.My first thought was to suggest that maybe it is time to downsize.
My second thought regarded my interest in motor vehicles (cars and motorcycles.) I used to do *all* of my own maintenance. Now I'm happy to pay someone else to do some of that so that I can enjoy riding or driving instead. Time available definitely does factor into that equation.
As an aside on that - maybe more on topic than I would hope - every once in a while I get jerked around or plain ripped off when I pay someone else to do the work. I vow to do more of my own work when that happens, but it doesn't always last too long. I suppose that concern is why you are asking here
The problem with asking us is that most of us are here because we want to do our own work.
I can think of a couple of other strategies and maybe you're already exploring those.
- Talk to service companies and ask for references. Ask the references the questions you asked here.
- Figure out who hires service companies and ask them directly - doctors, restaurants, office buildings etc.
- Find a bright young (or maybe old ) trustworthy person who is interested in reef keeping and can help.
- Offer to hire someone from this list. Maybe your question is a strategy to identify possible candidates. (I have no experience and already have a rewarding career.
)
Good luck - I hope you find someone who can meet your needs.
-hank
sugartooth
Reef bully
Thanks Hank.
My goal here is to identify possible candidates based on feedback from others.
I was hoping to hear from actual experience, not going from store to store having to be 'sold' on their service.
Thanks for your suggestion on downsizing. I understand that would be the right thing to do, however this is the situation I'm currently in so I would just like a little help. Long range goals will not include this. This is for the interim.
My goal here is to identify possible candidates based on feedback from others.
I was hoping to hear from actual experience, not going from store to store having to be 'sold' on their service.
Thanks for your suggestion on downsizing. I understand that would be the right thing to do, however this is the situation I'm currently in so I would just like a little help. Long range goals will not include this. This is for the interim.
sugartooth
Reef bully
My apologies to everyone. And Hank, I forgot to thank you for taking the time to respond.
I think I didn't put enough thought when I composed my initial post.
Here is my situation:
I have busted my hands (which was a real wake up call), tripped on things, spilled, stung by my anemone, and so on. I realized that these things happen when I was trying to rush, or when I was tired and wanted to get through everything.
Safety is a concern. I need to be able to do things right. I have recognized that sometimes I need some help to do things so I decrease the likelihood of damaging myself or the livestock. If I know I'm going to have a tough week at work, or there is illness and so on, I would like to invite someone to come and help out.
I am not ashamed at all to ask for it, I know there is pride in maintaining your own tanks. But in my case, I don't think it should be the inhabitants fault if I'm in a bind.
I also don't think it's worth getting injured to try and keep up when I am having a rough week or two.
I view these accidents as 'warnings'. If I choose to ignore them, wouldn't it be foolish of me?
Thanks again for everyone's suggestions.
I think I didn't put enough thought when I composed my initial post.
Here is my situation:
I have busted my hands (which was a real wake up call), tripped on things, spilled, stung by my anemone, and so on. I realized that these things happen when I was trying to rush, or when I was tired and wanted to get through everything.
Safety is a concern. I need to be able to do things right. I have recognized that sometimes I need some help to do things so I decrease the likelihood of damaging myself or the livestock. If I know I'm going to have a tough week at work, or there is illness and so on, I would like to invite someone to come and help out.
I am not ashamed at all to ask for it, I know there is pride in maintaining your own tanks. But in my case, I don't think it should be the inhabitants fault if I'm in a bind.
I also don't think it's worth getting injured to try and keep up when I am having a rough week or two.
I view these accidents as 'warnings'. If I choose to ignore them, wouldn't it be foolish of me?
Thanks again for everyone's suggestions.
Pufferpunk
New member
I know what you mean. I used to have a stunning garden but because of my failing knee, I stopped gardening & it's now covered in weeds. I really would love to hire someone just to come & weed it for me. I have a new knee now & would like to start gardening again but I'm not 100% yet & just can't handling all that weeding. Hubby rolls his eyes when I mention hiring someone though.
Not at all. And my comment was not to mean that you should downsize. My follow up was to say that maybe if I didn't have time to maintain my cars that perhaps I should stop driving. And in either case, that's not really a good answer.
I meant to say that I enjoy driving even when I don't have time or energy to maintain my cars and I'm sure you enjoy your reef tanks even when you don't have time or energy to put into maintenance. (I'm sure your reef maintenance is not as far behind as my car maintenance.
) And in either case, we both enjoy the maintenance aspect, but there are other things that demand time in our lives.And you are smart to recognize the situation and deal with rather then deny. (And no, I'm not denying anything!)
best,
hank
Sugartooth,
If you have to spend 20 hours to maintain your tanks each week, you have too many tanks. I have been there so I know
. I used to have 10 tanks in my house with a 90g being the smallest one.
If this is just a hobby for you, then you should spend just 5 hours/week for maintenance and the other 15 hours enjoying your displays or spend time with hubby. It is much easier to maintain one big tank than multiple small tanks.
Solution = consolidate and enjoy
If you have to spend 20 hours to maintain your tanks each week, you have too many tanks. I have been there so I know
. I used to have 10 tanks in my house with a 90g being the smallest one.If this is just a hobby for you, then you should spend just 5 hours/week for maintenance and the other 15 hours enjoying your displays or spend time with hubby. It is much easier to maintain one big tank than multiple small tanks.
Solution = consolidate and enjoy
Pufferpunk
New member
I did water changes on my 9 tanks today FW/BW/SW (~440g total) & it took about 5 hours with 2 snack breaks. That included draining the sump of my 90g & cleaning the skimmers, re-placing corals that had fallen, etc. I do this weekly but I also take this day off to answer a Hotline all day.
craftytony
OT Godfather
sugartooth
Reef bully
Kimha, I know you mean well, and I would tend to agree. But, I subscribe to what HankB said. Please see his post and the post following that.
It takes me 2 1/2 hours to mow my lawn. If it should really only take me one, should I move to a smaller lot? I think if I want to keep the beauty that is in the tanks, I should really try my best to make it work.
If I can't, then of course it's time to trim. I'm exploring all avenues first. If I need to get out of the hobby, I will knowing I tried everything I could to stay.
EDIT: Kim, I forgot to mention that some of these tanks are set up specifically to suit to the inhabitants. So, yes I will downsize, but still retain multiple tanks. I guess I'm a bit of a purist in some cases. I want to provide as best possible environment for what I want to keep. (ie. seahorses, clown/nem only, reef, deep water, etc.)
It takes me 2 1/2 hours to mow my lawn. If it should really only take me one, should I move to a smaller lot? I think if I want to keep the beauty that is in the tanks, I should really try my best to make it work.
If I can't, then of course it's time to trim. I'm exploring all avenues first. If I need to get out of the hobby, I will knowing I tried everything I could to stay.
EDIT: Kim, I forgot to mention that some of these tanks are set up specifically to suit to the inhabitants. So, yes I will downsize, but still retain multiple tanks. I guess I'm a bit of a purist in some cases. I want to provide as best possible environment for what I want to keep. (ie. seahorses, clown/nem only, reef, deep water, etc.)
Last edited:
sugartooth
Reef bully
I don't understand.
What's so bad about hiring someone to help me?
What's so bad about hiring someone to help me?
Similar threads
