Managing tank /newborn

[buffalobill]

Hi eveyone,
My wife gave me the best present in the whole world and it's not a new coral. My first son 7 pounds 13 ounces and 21 inches. Last couple days have been rough but trying to get through it. (two indviduals who don't have a clue) Tommorow he and my wife come home from the hospital. Those beds for the dads are really rough. I've been going back and fourth from hospital to home and making sure the kids in the tank are also getting fed. I don't want to neglect the tank and certainly don't want to neglect the baby. Any advice for a new dad on how to raise a child and still enjoy a hobby that one day my son will hopefully get involved in. I've made a couple meetings in the begining of the year but these past couple months, I knew I needed take advantage and be with my wife for both our alone time was coming to an end.
Thanks
Kevin

 

[Moe_K]

Hmm, I have two kids, the oldest is almost 2.
The budget may be an issue. Tough to justify new expenses for livestock.
If your tank is already established, maintenance is rather cheap. Big expense will be electricity, but if your tank is established, you know that cost by now.
Time is tough. Not much you can do there. Try to autmoate as much as possible? Or keep it very simple? Softies don't need much in the way of intervention or additives.
Keep bouncing the baby on your knee in front of the tank and point out the fish. My boys love looking at the tank already.

 

[Jill & Brian]

Time is the biggest thing. like Moe said go down to bare minimum when it comes to the reef. Keep it simple, and it will be more of a reward than a challenge. My youngest (1.5 yr now) loved the tank, and would point at it and watch the fish. He also used to fall asleep on my shoulder watching the tank. It can be a very calming influence on kids, especially babies.

HE even used to like sitting in his swing or bouncer in front of the tank. It kind of mezmorised him and calmed him down.

Good luck with it, and with tne new baby!!

By the way, you will probably notice your tank getting healthier when you are not in it as much

 

[TomD]

Good Luck with the baby!! I agree with Moe that softies and even LPS do not need all that much work.

Now that my tank is established it is much less work at least for me.

 

[Leroy]

When my son was born 23 yrs ago every hobby I had came to a stand still but I didn't have a tank then. Soon after my daughter was born and me and my wife's life was on hold between work during the day and she worked nights when I came home. It was like two ships passing in the night. I spent quality time with both my children, cooking dinner, washing clothes, bathing them and making sure they were put to bed and hoping they would sound sleep. After all that I didn't have much energy for much and always kept one eye open as I slept and both ears open for their cries at night.

Congratulations and let the fun begin cause you'll hear it over and over.............time goes by fast. Spend it with them, share it with them. Enjoy the moments and memories.

 

[buffalobill]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Off to the hospital.
Kevin

 

[Jim Tansey]

Actually its a good hobby for someone with a newborn, you will be tied to the house a lot more, so why not putter with the tank, you ain't going golfing.

Jim

 

[JCheung]

Hey you can multi task here feed both your tank and son nori at the same time, while your changing water change your kid. hey instead of telling your kid a story at night you can read him the technical specs of your tank, it'll put them to sleep much faster. Bottle of plankton in one hand bottle of formula in another, just don't get them mixed up.

 

[~Flighty~]

The tank is mesmerisin for the babies with all of those bright shiny fishies that seem to defy gravity in front of their eyes. When they get older it is an unbeatable educational tool.

You'll have more free time than you think, it is just different than pre-child free time. you can always clean the skimmer when you are stuck in the house while the kid is sleeping and you can't do anything noisy.

 

[Jim Tansey]

Ya....cleaning the skimmer and changing the baby are kinda the same.

Jim

 

[Behrmon]

Make sure you don't mix up the fish goo and the baby goo.

Congrats & I agree with the above statemets that you will most likely (at this point) find yourself in the house with time to work on the tank.

 

[JCheung]

Just don't forget to wash your hands after sticking them either in your tank or your kids diaper.

 

[wrassefan]

you will need a break from time to time for yourself....that is when doing a bit of tank maintenance is actually relaxing with a couple of beers....you'll be amazed at how fast the baby and the corals grow....keep it

 

[Greg Hiller]

If you can afford to...automate as much at possible. Automatic topoff is a lifesaver, if there's calcium hydroxide in the water then you are adding calcium and alkalinity, too. If you keep only fish that will all eat flake food then you can automate feeding as well if you want to. Keeping the fish density down a bit will also help a lot with tank maintenance. All lights on timers of course.

 

[JayM]

....you'll be amazed at how fast the baby and the corals grow....keep it

The corals or the baby?