yeah, that sounds about right. I don't know much about fluids, so I couldn't help you there, but I can tell you this - they not only tend to take a while to render, but they can also take a long time to sim as well. I've experimented with the clouds-inside-a-model thing, and it works at least decent. Endorse that suggestion, I do.
Book Wise
https://X4nd5r.deviantart.com