To Reef or Not To Reef......

[banditpowdercoat]

Do you have someone to watch over your tank? Feed and do water top offs? I work a 21/21 day schedule. When I am gone for 21 days, the mother in law and my wife(separated) come and check on the fish and feed. A ATO for water top offs is all they gotta worry about, and empty skimmer. I do water changes when I am home. Well, I really havn't done them for months, now back into it. Depending on the corals you want, that depends on how much workload. Softies and Polyps are really low care where SPS would need constant water attention.

Not being home, with a reef tank can be done. I've been doing ot for 3 years now, and I'm far from being an expert or anything

[Doc_Polit]

Usually when I am away, my wife will be home to watch over my tanks.

She is amazingly supportive and "hands-on" when it comes to my tanks.

I was planning to keep only softies, LPS and more "mellow" stock.

As well, I do plan to utilize an ATO, auto dosers where necessary and a controller. I want my specimens to thrive as opposed to survive.

Any other/more thoughts?

[banditpowdercoat]

Then you should have no problems. Start with a FOWLR, maybe some Zoanthids for color. They are hearty. Then, once you get your routine down and see how much work your tank needs for bioloads etc, and water quality, then go for some SPS, LPS. Give the Mrs time to adapt too. They don't usually absorb the info like us reefaholics can and don't understand why they need to add this, or that. Mine was I just gotta feed them, right? magnesuim?? Isnt that for car wheels? Why do the fish need it, they don't drive. AlkaliniWHO?? Don't they have a 7 step program for that?