How to enjoy your tank with a busy schedule

[Zack]

So this past summer I've been insanely busy and on top of getting burned out, I really haven't gotten to enjoy my tank save for a few minutes here and there. Here's my schedule

Monday- Thursday wake up @6, start doing hw for summer school (papers/quizzes/tests) @8 I go into my internship and get out @5. When I get home I usually do more hw and study for my exams/ make dinner/ go to the gym then more studying.
Thursday night till Sunday night I work in SM and don't get to see my tank at all.

I know this is a pretty average schedule but it just seems like I have no time to just relax and take a breather. How do you guys do it and still find time to enjoy your tank?

[350gt]

I wouldn't have a tank with that kind of schedule..... Just being honest.

I was going to say to set your lighting schedule to your hours but not being home for 4 days would be pointless...

[koa25]

I've gotten to the point sometimes where I don't realize i have a tank. I just add food and chemicals to this giant body of water in my living room as I go running out the door to my next errand. I actually have my lights starting at 10 in the morning and not turning off until 10 at night just so i can see my tank in between getting home at 5 or 6 and making dinner doing paper work cleaning and going to bed around 9 or 10 to do it all again. So i only get a good 3 or 4 hour window to stop in mid chore to enjoy it if i am lucky enough to be home. It's been a while since I've gotten a good Allan arm (BBQ attendees should remember this term, Haven't seen it used. Figured it was fitting) from digging around in my tank. Don't really get to play around in it anymore sadly.

[Zack]

I wouldn't have a tank with that kind of schedule..... Just being honest.

I was going to say to set your lighting schedule to your hours but not being home for 4 days would be pointless...

Well the 4 days of work thing is only until I move back into SM on the 14th. For now it sucks but I need to pay bills and my internship is not paid. I perform all the maintenance and my roommates do the feeding/ top offs while I'm not there.

[Zack]

I've gotten to the point sometimes where I don't realize i have a tank. I just add food and chemicals to this giant body of water in my living room as I go running out the door to my next errand. I actually have my lights starting at 10 in the morning and not turning off until 10 at night just so i can see my tank in between getting home at 5 or 6 and making dinner doing paper work cleaning and going to bed around 9 or 10 to do it all again. So i only get a good 3 or 4 hour window to stop in mid chore to enjoy it if i am lucky enough to be home. It's been a while since I've gotten a good Allan arm (BBQ attendees should remember this term, Haven't seen it used. Figured it was fitting) from digging around in my tank. Don't really get to play around in it anymore sadly.

I feel you mike. I feed everything, inspect stuff, do the top offs/ dosing/ WC's/ empty the skimmer cup and then it's out the door or back to class to do assignments.

[350gt]

Well the 4 days of work thing is only until I move back into SM on the 14th. For now it sucks but I need to pay bills and my internship is not paid. I perform all the maintenance and my roommates do the feeding/ top offs while I'm not there.

Ahh okay......

You got some very good room mates..... With that much going on, I think anyone of us would just give it a break till things get more situated...

[Zack]

Yeah, it's been bad but I know once school starts and I won't have to be out of town when I'm at work it'll get better.

[allan]

Keep it going, keep doing the work for your degree and internship. Everything else is secondary to that. If your tank is faring well, let her ride until you've graduated and can get a job. Then you'll pause on your way to work one day and take a gander... and wonder where all those colonies sprung up from.

I get up at 3:30, dose kalk, and then my day begins. When I get home around 5pm I walk into the tank room, move a frag, glue a frag, make a frag, clean some glass, feed the fish, turn on the top off, then I leave it alone. I'll check in on it on my way upstairs, but other than that my enjoyment is kind of limited to the weekends. I've taken to sitting in the fish room on the weekends and practicing guitar. Watching the fish. Wondering what's growing into which. Marveling at how big that frag is, or lamenting how dead that frag looks.

BLUF, your tank right now is secondary and that's where it should remain until you've completed all of the requirements of school. When I decided to go back to school I gave up reading and the guitar. Else, I wouldn't have been able to stay on top of the course work.

[Zack]

I think the fact that I'm not home on the weekends is whats doing it for me. I'm glad that this summer is almost over and I'll get more alone time with the tank. Thanks a bunch guys .

Allan, also it just hit me the other day that the blue zoa frag I got from you had doubled in size. Crazy what happens when you're not looking :P

[allan]

See? Silver lining. Ha ha