Jump to content
Top Shelf Aquatics

College SUCKS!


JaceR

Recommended Posts

I'm finishing up my first year of college, and I must admit being *dry* aka reef less sucks. It seems like all of the good deals are going on while your in college. For example a complete plug and play RR 58g Oceanic tank with a sump skimmer everything for 250 +125 if you want a MP10 (this is just one example).

I love lurking around Nanoreef bug it just makes it that much worse. How did you college/college grads do it? did you guys have a tank at home or bring one to college? lets hear give me some ideas.

Link to comment

DO IT! It won't be easy, but I think it's worth it.

 

I started a reef tank up my Sophomore year.

 

There are countless downsides though.

 

First, it was a PITA to move around, especially since my school forced everyone to change dorms during the summer. As a result, I ended up moving my tank at least 2 times a year.

 

I also wasn't close to home. My school was about 2000 miles from my parents' house, so I always had to find a place to house the tank and someone to take care of the fish over breaks. Fortunately I befriended all of the faculty in my Biology Department, and they loved taking care of the tank. It also helped that I was the animal caretaker for the department, so maybe the faculty felt like they had to return the favor.

 

I also made connections with local reefers, so over winter breaks, I would take the fish to their house. The coral and inverts were always fine on their own (as long as you have an ATO).

 

 

When I graduated, I had to sell everything :'(

 

But then I started medical school... and I lasted an entire semester before I started up my current tank. Right now, it takes a lot more effort to try and find the time to dedicate to the tank, but I still love it. It's a great stress reliever.

Link to comment
Spiderguardnano

I'm on the same boat as well i just started school for a PTA and its so stressful already

I've been buying pieces for my tank every month since November and its still not wet. so far i have my tank,skimmer,return pump,and sump

 

i just bought my mp10 this weekend on my local forum.

 

so little money here and there definitely helps

 

next for me and most expensive is going to be my lights

Link to comment
LarryMoeCurly

I have a tank at home, about an hour away. I usually go home two weekends a month, one to work and the other to clean the tank. Not seeing the tank and leaving the (over)feedings in my parent's hands gets annoying, but I don't often regret it. I think it keeps the obsession at bay simply because I cannot get new livestock since I am not home to receive/acclimate/tend to it. I would say with some certainty that the tank does suffer because I'm not home though, it is neglected.

 

Along the same lines, I could not imagine having a tank at school, escpecially in a dorm; the logistics are difficult to fathom.

Link to comment

Get a Part-Time job?

 

Thats not my problem haha! I work in the summer at a bar and make pretty decent moola doing that. It's the 4 months at home in the summer/ moving 3 hours away to college and winter break and spring break and all of that nonsense.

Link to comment

Set up a pico. <5 gallons and keep softies and inverts or one small fish. When it's time to move, it can all go in one 5 gallon bucket. Keep the equipment to a minimum, but I would have an ATO of sorts.

I started my tank while in college and if it weren't for the lights on timers and ATO, the tank would have suffered from neglect.

Link to comment

Set up a pico. <5 gallons and keep softies and inverts or one small fish. When it's time to move, it can all go in one 5 gallon bucket. Keep the equipment to a minimum, but I would have an ATO of sorts.

I started my tank while in college and if it weren't for the lights on timers and ATO, the tank would have suffered from neglect.

 

 

I'm thinking of setting up a cad lights 8g after finals (at home), and possibly bringing that with me to college. I'm staying on campus though so I'll have a roommate next year (who loves to play loud music) is that a big concern? Also what do I do over winter break?

Keep in mind I live 3 hours away from my school.

 

I see it as I have 2 options.

 

Option A- 8g Cadlights AIO that I could bring back and forth to campus.

 

Option B- Set up a 20ish gallon tank with a sump ATO good filtration and leave it at home and go home once a month for maintenance.

Link to comment

Ya just get something small like 3-5 gallons, you can transport it in a bucket if need be.

 

Or consider one of those mini reefs in a jar, if that doesn't work out at least you can make a bong out of it.

Link to comment

not sure whats common in the states, but up here everyone lives in rez first year, then you rent a room in a student house the other 3 years of university. I'm in third year engineering at mcmaster university, started a reef, I currently have a 16H and am working on upgrading to a 20 long, so long as you stay smallish. I have almost everything automated enough that I can leave for a week or two with no concern, just have someone check in once a week to empty the skim cup. Personally I stay in hamilton (the city my school is in) in the summer, only ever go home (3-4h car ride) for weekends once every 2 months or so. If i was moving home every summer it would be a big PITA though. Just keep it small and manageable.

Link to comment

An AOI tank under 10G with an ATO would be easy to maintain if stocked reasonably, and able to transport back and forth from home and college.

 

Just look at the pics in Awpong's signature!

Link to comment

Dang that sucks. I have it good. My college is only about 12miles away from my house so i am able to compute back and forth each day. That makes keeping my tank maintained so much easier. Also having a part time job helps, even though I don't get many hours. Just gotta work and save up for things. As the others said, go with a small tank since it'll be easy to move around.

Link to comment

Live off campus, just cause no one else is doing it doesn't mean it isn't better. Then you have more privacy and can't get kicked out of school for having a stash. Plus you wouldn't have to go back home to parents every break if you weren't up to moving the entire tank...



Or you could set up a FW tank just to keep you from going crazy.. They do fine even when being neglected.

Link to comment

Live off campus, just cause no one else is doing it doesn't mean it isn't better. Then you have more privacy and can't get kicked out of school for having a stash. Plus you wouldn't have to go back home to parents every break if you weren't up to moving the entire tank...

 

Or you could set up a FW tank just to keep you from going crazy.. They do fine even when being neglected.

 

It's just so much cheaper here to live on campus.

Link to comment

Just set up a 10 gallon cube or something Low-Tech (Apex Will Take Care Of ATO, Lights, Auto Feeder, Etc.)

Link to comment
ragtimewilly

A minimalist 5 gallon or even smaller would be pretty cool, just add a lamp with a par38. Minimal maintenance if you choose the right corals and don't go overboard with fish or inverts. And like everyone mentioned something that small would be pretty easy to transport.

Link to comment

I had a ten gallon reef when in college. Nothing fancy, two strip lights both 50/50, a hob filter, powerhead and heater... Was able to move it home on long breaks etc. Three hour drive. To this day is one of my favorite tanks I ever had.

 

Set one up and enjoy it, just keep it real simple...

Link to comment

I would say it is best to wait until you finish up college, then buy all the saltwater goodies and setup as for a congratulation(pat on the back) on getting a bachelors degree.

Link to comment

I would say it is best to wait until you finish up college, then buy all the saltwater goodies and setup as for a congratulation(pat on the back) on getting a bachelors degree.

Lame lame lame. This is horrible advice, too many folks are working and waiting there whole lives away, all they accomplish is racking up a bunch of debt.

 

Honestly statements like these make me feel sick in my stomach. It is difficult to explain why, especially to those that say them.

 

Life is too short to put materialistic goals first.

 

Balance is the key, just like reef-keeping. ;)

Link to comment

I would say it is best to wait until you finish up college, then buy all the saltwater goodies and setup as for a congratulation(pat on the back) on getting a bachelors degree.

 

Although this is the most professional advice given, and I should probably take it. I don't think I can go another year without sometime of marine life in a glass box.

 

 

Lame lame lame. This is horrible advice, too many folks are working and waiting there whole lives away, all they accomplish is racking up a bunch of debt.

 

Honestly statements like these make me feel sick in my stomach. It is difficult to explain why, especially to those that say them.

 

Life is too short to put materialistic goals first.

 

Balance is the key, just like reef-keeping. ;)

 

Balance is the key now I'm just trying to see what balance is right for me.

Link to comment

2-3g pico you can pick up and take home with you without even breaking it down. I have my 2g at work with me and when I am visiting family over the holidays I literally toss the tiny tank in a small rubermaid container so it doesn't make a mess in the car and bring it home with me. Completely full it is under 20 pounds - it is like a travelling reef tank.

 

Just hit the 6 month mark - the glass is dirty as hell so I had to take a top-down, but it'll give you an idea how easy it has become to keep a reef in something barely bigger than a big-gulp cup:

4-10_top_right.jpg

 

4-10_top_left.jpg

(Excuse the bubble algae I haven't had time to remove)

 

Total Cost: $25 for tank and pump new, $15 for heater, $100 for light, LR/Sand $5. Coral was free since it is all frags from my home system. That means brand new it was only $145.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...