DIY Maintenance or Monthly Service?

[dvflyer]

I'm wondering if it would be worth the $$ to have someone maintain my tank for me. I've had quotes of anywhere from $75-$120/ month to maintain a 100-125 gallon SW FOWLR tank.
It seems like a properly set up tank would need very little in the way of "professional maintenance". Not to downplay the importance of their knowledge, but it seems like they would only be needed in the event of something going wrong.... or would their service eliminate (to some degree) the possibility of something going wrong in the first place?
Thanks for any thoughts.
Mike :happyfish

 

[mbrands]

I find that part of the fun of this hobby is doing it yourself.
If you have the cash and just want something that looks nice, then use a professional service.

 

[dvflyer]

Me too. The more I read here, the more excited I get about building my own little ecosystem. When I read about members getting a new piece of LR and watching things come crawling out, I can't wait to get this started.
Perhaps having a pro come out for a year to get things going would be beneficial?
Mike

 

[mbrands]

Again, its totally up to you. Personally I couldn't imagine sitting back and watching someone have all the fun (especially while I was paying him).
You are starting off right though by doing as much research as you can. That will definitely help to do things right the first time.
Good luck and welcome to the boards!