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No apologies necessary on your post and in fact you gave me a get list of items to think about. Thank you so much!Age is relative. I recently got back from a dive trip and I was paird up with a young lass of similar age. She was an amazing diver and a great person to be around. Still talk to her after the trip. My point is age is age and we can't stop it. Enjoy it while you can. Responsible of course, right? I mean Jack LaLanne never stopped, right?
My point in all of this as an older reefer, although a bit younger than you, is to just be smarter about things. I say this as when I started my display I was fine but a year or so after I had a hip replacement. That brings a bit of a challenge when working under the display, restrictions on some movement, etc. So had I known before I would have done things a bit different.
So we are talking about setting it up front to be age friendly. MAINTENANCE.
Display size such that you can reach all around to work front to back top to bottom. 18 - 24 inch, etc
Raise the stand so it is easier to work
Sliding trays - use silicon tubes when you can to attach return pumps, skimmer pumps, so you can have a bit of room to slide in, out, and work
Lighting under display, canopy to work
Enough space to reach around the sides and back of display should something fall
Pre-plumb water for ATO
Pre-plumb lines for auto water change. If not auto water change then easy water change system on wheels. Roll in, add water, salt, heater, power head, mix, rest. Get hose with siphon, output to container of same size, with markings, turn valve, empty to mark. Move siphon to new salt container, turn on pump, refill, roll away and empty, clean.
Step stool platform so you can walk left, right, side of display
Tools within reach - no leaning
Keep it simple. Make it easy for tomorrow. Above all once you are satisfied make a letter to a loved one. We should all do this. You write down what the equipment does, how it works, document what to do when to do it. Label everything. Plugs, timers, valves, equipment, food, dosing. You may go on vacation, you may get sick, you may go to the ED, etc. This way a house sitter or maintenance company can back you up while you are out.
Lastly see if there is a fellow hobbyist near you, or family member, or maintenance company. Talk to them about backing you up should something happen. I had to ask for help when I was out for surgery and recovery.
So TL; DR - you are not too old. Just plan a bit more than normal to make things more friendly for you tomorrow. Especially around maintenance and backup support should you need it. You will find it to be very easy once properly thought out.
All the best and welcome.
PS - sorry about the long post and formatting.
I noticed in my reply a wrong word was used...get should have been great. As they say close but no cigars.No apologies necessary on your post and in fact you gave me a get list of items to think about. Thank you so much!
I don’t think you are too old at all. However, I personally think 200 gallons may get a bit difficult. Water changes will require some heavy lifting and it will be a lot to maintain.
A smaller tank 20-40 gallons may work a bit better for you on my opinion and be way easier to maintain. Just my two cents.
I appreciate your thoughts. Everybody that posted was very thoughtful. When I get going with a setup, I will always use this forum to post and use all of the ideas that are posted daily.Welcome to R2R! You're only too old if you think you are. Are there things I do differently today than I did 40 years ago? Yes, but not many.
No way man. In fact, reef keeping is an exciting hobby that will challenge you (as you already know) and make you feel good by having a hobby! 200gallons is enormous. Can I suggest something in the 70g range? Just lifting tanks and sumps for a display that size is hard for a younger person.A long time ago I had a reef tank like in the late 80s and early 90s. Life changed had a family and work all toke over. Now I'm 76 and can't do a lot of activities like golf and climbing mountains. I still like to be active so I thought maybe a Reef tank would be of interest. I thinking the size of around 200 gallons. Since it takes a lot of work and dedication I would want to keep it going into a least my mid 80s. I know maintenance is a big deal to be successful. I'm curious what people in the know thinks about this for a old guy.
Hell, I’m 83. Had tanks since I was 20. You’re not old you’re just getting started. Welcome backA long time ago I had a reef tank like in the late 80s and early 90s. Life changed had a family and work all toke over. Now I'm 76 and can't do a lot of activities like golf and climbing mountains. I still like to be active so I thought maybe a Reef tank would be of interest. I thinking the size of around 200 gallons. Since it takes a lot of work and dedication I would want to keep it going into a least my mid 80s. I know maintenance is a big deal to be successful. I'm curious what people in the know thinks about this for an old guy.
Well, thank you sir. That was one encouraging statement.Hell, I’m 83. Had tanks since I was 20. You’re not old you’re just getting started. Welcome back
You hold a lot of wisdom and patience at your age. One is NEVER too old to try something different. It just depends on how compatible your health is to the rigors of starting and maintaining a new tank. Keep in mind that you will probably have to have the crawlspace (if you have one) looked at to see if it will need extra support for a tank that size. DO NOT put it upstairs! Also, finances are a key piece of the puzzle. A tank that size will take a lot of money to set up. A lot. But if you have the means, you can automate your system to a great extent. There is SO MUCH MORE out there compared to even ten years ago. You're going to be pleasantly surprised. So, back to my first sentence. Your wisdom and patience are going to go a long way in this hobby. I say go for it.A long time ago I had a reef tank like in the late 80s and early 90s. Life changed had a family and work all toke over. Now I'm 76 and can't do a lot of activities like golf and climbing mountains. I still like to be active so I thought maybe a Reef tank would be of interest. I thinking the size of around 200 gallons. Since it takes a lot of work and dedication I would want to keep it going into a least my mid 80s. I know maintenance is a big deal to be successful. I'm curious what people in the know thinks about this for a old guy.
Thank you for your reply. I have a structural engineer set to come and have a look in our crawl space. I have a idea of what it will cost but I would be interested in what you or someone else could give a very rough estimate.You hold a lot of wisdom and patience at your age. One is NEVER too old to try something different. It just depends on how compatible your health is to the rigors of starting and maintaining a new tank. Keep in mind that you will probably have to have the crawlspace (if you have one) looked at to see if it will need extra support for a tank that size. DO NOT put it upstairs! Also, finances are a key piece of the puzzle. A tank that size will take a lot of money to set up. A lot. But if you have the means, you can automate your system to a great extent. There is SO MUCH MORE out there compared to even ten years ago. You're going to be pleasantly surprised. So, back to my first sentence. Your wisdom and patience are going to go a long way in this hobby. I say go for it.