My shrink said I needed a hobby.

LOVEROCK · Jun 25, 2023

Welcome !

Keko21 · Jun 25, 2023

Buckster · Aug 2, 2023

Hello Tim and welcome to R2R!

SPR1968 · Aug 3, 2023

Hi Tim welcome to Reef2Reef!

LilElroyJetson · Aug 7, 2023

Freenow54 · Aug 7, 2023

MrWellington said:
Hello folks. Been lurking quite a bit in the shadows but decided to do a formal Introduction.

I'm Tim from Jenkintown PA. I'm very new to this hobby, although it has always intrigued me. As the title says, it was in-fact my Psychiatrist that told me, insisted really, I needed a new hobby. Something that can be engaging, educational, occupy lots of time and provide a good level of pleasure while doing it.

Before this endeavor, I did woodworking for almost 20+ yrs. I did everything from small boxes to designing and building my own home - by myself. About 5 yrs back, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. And with worsening tremors and slow reaction times, woodworking was clearly not a great fit while running 5HP shapers, table saws, or using razor-sharp chisels. So I had to give that all up.

Which brings me to today.

I did have a work associate from years back that loved and showed me pictures of his reef tank. He shared many of his own tips that I clearly remember. The first and most important being: "A saltwater aquarium isn't a fish tank or reef tank, but rather an artificial ecosystem in which fish and corals can live and thrive." At the time, I was also getting into gardening in a big way, and what he said really clicked. Being the scientific/analytical type, I didn't just buy flowers and plants, stick em in the ground hoping for botanical garden results. Rather, I researched the species, soil/light/nutrient requirements and then decided if that plant was a good fit. With gardening, I also had to cope with weeds, pests, and diseases if I wanted the garden to be all-it-could-be. Do these struggles sound familiar?

And - true to personal form , I've never been one to "start small" or "test the waters", so to speak. It's always "jump in with both feet, knowing full well I may get water up my nose".

That said, my first endeavor is a 120G 48x24x24 built-in (as in, in the wall) tank with as much automation as I can provide. Being a data scientist & process consultant by trade, I "think" I can also program some type of AI Intelligence system to assist in tank management. Because -- why not, right?

And the best part, I have the full backing of my wife - even after letting her know the amount of time and finances required to be successful in my first "Eco-System".

Wish me luck!

Horrible disease sorry. I had a stroke a year ago. After I had trouble maintaining the tank, as it effected my balance. Luckily I have improved greatly. I just suggest you pay special attention to the height of your tank, and make it very accessible for maintenance I wish you the best

ScottB · Aug 9, 2023

MrWellington said:
Thanks. Yes, DBS is amazing technology. While i'm not looking forward to having a hole drilled into the center of my brain, it's definitely on the menu in the next few yrs.

I'm starting with APEX. I want to see how much of the raw data is available and what it does under the hood. Unfortunately, Neptune hasn't made the API available.

Lacking much surgical experience I agree it seems rather freaky but Mark would take the trade any day. IIRC correctly it is two holes and then chest implants for the batteries. He did swear by the Mt Sinai doc that did it. Met expectations. I drove him for a followup or two. It does bring later complications apparently--like if you need sedation/surgery for something else. Narrows down the people qualified/willing to do the work. DM if you want.

APEX does seem to record a lot but has a very retail interface to that data. You may not find it satisfying but more than enough to run a reef. A reef is a mix of data and feel. Both get adjusted by outcomes.