Besides when you're on vacation, have you ever paid a service to maintain you're aquarium?

[smartwater101]

Do any of you have tanks (perhaps larger ones?) where you like to have a service company come by, from time to time, to help with maintenance?

The longer I let the back wall fill with coralline algae, the more I dread scrapping it off. (I hate the look) Its a circle of procrastination that has no end haha. I'm not sure what it would cost me, but its to the point where I just want to hire someone to spend several hours cleaning it for me. And even though i very much prefer to do everything myself... I just might!


Whats your thoughts on these kinds of things? What experiences have you had when hiring such services?

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

I think a portion of the hobby enjoyment for me is the tank maintenance but it would be nice to have someone do a large monthly upkeep on pumps, powerheads and filter media. Also, I am with you on the cleaning of the glass... Any companies that are nation wide?

 

[smartwater101]

I think a portion of the hobby enjoyment for me is the tank maintenance but it would be nice to have someone do a large monthly upkeep on pumps, powerheads and filter media. Also, I am with you on the cleaning of the glass... Any companies that are nation wide?

Yeah, I'm similar to most people who likely frequent these forums, I very much prefer to do things myself. Those tank walls though... pulling the 'hands-on control freak' right outta me lol

 

[Spar]

I talked to a couple companies for my tank a while back. It was a pretty instant no-go for me once considering their required water change percentage (and refill cost after). They all required a 75% water change each visit, and I think monthly was the minimum they would come out (I could be mis-remembering the frequency though). On 400g's of water volume it just would have been excessive. And they wouldn't let me do any of the additive on my own, etc.

Regardless of the cost side of it, it just took a lot of the husbandry fun out of it for me.

 

[smartwater101]

I talked to a couple companies for my tank a while back. It was a pretty instant no-go for me once considering their required water change percentage (and refill cost after). They all required a 75% water change each visit, and I think monthly was the minimum they would come out (I could be mis-remembering the frequency though). On 400g's of water volume it just would have been excessive. And they wouldn't let me do any of the additive on my own, etc.

Regardless of the cost side of it, it just took a lot of the husbandry fun out of it for me.

Mandatory minimums makes it very unappealing. That just makes me want to post in R2Rs Want-to-buy, and offer a hundred bucks for someone to do it lol I really don't want to do it

 

[ThunderGoose]

I've had someone in when I had a bad cold and once when work was crazy busy but now I have an auto water change set up so routine maintenance is easy.

Now if I can find someone to remove anemones and mushrooms from rocks...

 

[3dvice]

My tank is usually fine for about 12 days at a time with the ATO full and I portion out baggies of food in the freezer for the cat sitter to drop in each day.