Cost for maintenance service for office aquarium

[Baronen]

I am a dentist and currently have a 20 gallon all in one in my office. I love it. Patients seem to like it as well. One thing I don’t love is maintaining a tank in an office setting. Even a 20 gallon is challenging as I have no place to make rodi and often buy water at petsmart and that gets pricey.

I’d love to upgrade to a 100 gallon but could not maintain it myself. Anybody here hire a maintenance service? How much does it cost? Are they usually pretty trustworthy, could they come in my days off?

 

[tzabor10]

I have used one for tank sitting. $60 a visit. Upstate NY

 

[DrMMI]

I'm a pain management physician in NJ and had a 100g reef in my waiting room (I now have a 200 g). I used to use a maintenance company for the tank and he would come every two weeks to do a water change, clean the glass and skimmer. He used to charge around $100/visit. I still had to make my own water and buy my own salt. Eventually, I learned a bunch and just started doing it myself. I invested in a DOS for awc and there was no reason to pay someone to do it for me anymore. I put a saltwater container in an empty room and ran the tubing through the drop ceiling. The drain line goes straight into a sink drain.
Can you fit a 5g jug of saltwater somewhere? If so, you can make the water at home and just bring it with you. Set up an automatic water change and now all you have to do is clean the glass every few days and feed the fish. It'll save you a lot money in the future.

 

[Baronen]

I'm a pain management physician in NJ and had a 100g reef in my waiting room (I now have a 200 g). I used to use a maintenance company for the tank and he would come every two weeks to do a water change, clean the glass and skimmer. He used to charge around $100/visit. I still had to make my own water and buy my own salt. Eventually, I learned a bunch and just started doing it myself. I invested in a DOS for awc and there was no reason to pay someone to do it for me anymore. I put a saltwater container in an empty room and ran the tubing through the drop ceiling. The drain line goes straight into a sink drain.
Can you fit a 5g jug of saltwater somewhere? If so, you can make the water at home and just bring it with you. Set up an automatic water change and now all you have to do is clean the glass every few days and feed the fish. It'll save you a lot money in the future.

I can certainly make the water at home and bring it in. I’ve even bought specific jugs for this. Problem is I don’t have the energy to actually do it. Maintaining my home 100g system is enough for me. The last thing I want to have to do it stay at the office and tinker with the aquarium or do a water change. I called around today and an lfs would visit once a month and do the water changes for 145 bucks. That seems like a good deal no?

 

[tzabor10]

I can certainly make the water at home and bring it in. I’ve even bought specific jugs for this. Problem is I don’t have the energy to actually do it. Maintaining my home 100g system is enough for me. The last thing I want to have to do it stay at the office and tinker with the aquarium or do a water change. I called around today and an lfs would visit once a month and do the water changes for 145 bucks. That seems like a good deal no?

I would certainly take the offer. Also gives you another set of eyes on your tank.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I can certainly make the water at home and bring it in. I’ve even bought specific jugs for this. Problem is I don’t have the energy to actually do it. Maintaining my home 100g system is enough for me. The last thing I want to have to do it stay at the office and tinker with the aquarium or do a water change. I called around today and an lfs would visit once a month and do the water changes for 145 bucks. That seems like a good deal no?

That’s sounds fair because it depends on how far they have to drive to you. Let say with driving and time to wc and clean with saltwater provided close to two hours.

It would be prob about a 30 mins task for you but looks like it’s not worth your time.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

The way I look at it is, any hobbyist that’s close to you would charge 100