Too late to set up reef tank?

[crrichey]

I am a sophmore in highschool. So far for my new aquarium that I am building I only have the tank. I have guesstimated that by the end of the school year I will have enought money to finish and stock the reef tank. That only leaves two years before I head off to college! Also, I do not know if aquariums are aloud in student housing, they don't like to call them dorms! I am not too worried about roomates, you get to choose your roomate, and it is one of my close friends, so it should be pretty safe. My mother was worried about people pouring beer into the reef tank! So was I! Anyway, I would hate to have to tear it down only after two years. What should I do? Am I overeacting?

[Zebo]

I setup mine a month before college, wont your parents take care of it while your there, and u can come back to tend it occasionally? Fish tanks are allowed in dorms, but you end up with the room issue, but once u leave your dorm you'll just have to take it down again. Best bet is get the parents to tend it =P, and yes beer is not good for fish lol

[crrichey]

I don't know if I could stand to not have it in a 100 mile ratious of me! I plan on going to NAU, which is up in flagstaff, az. I live in phoenix, az. That is pretty far to travel every weekend! Also, I love my mother, but she does not know jack about reef keeping! It scares me sometimes! I thing that she could learn, but it still bothers me.

[Zebo]

Well teach her, my mom didnt know jack about tanks and now she comes with me to the Marine aquarium society and is learning well. I wouldnt visit it every weekend if its a far drive, maybe every other weekend? or every 3rd? Get your main tank at home, and setup a nano at school.

[BlAcK_PeRcUlA]

I set up my 29g in 9th grade and now i'm a sophmore. When I go to college i'll probably take my tank down because I wont have time in college and I already know what equipment mistakes I have. My first tank (12 gallon) lasted only 1 year until I wanted to upgrade so I think you'll be ok if you set it up now.

Once you set up a tank and have it lookin good, you want to make a bigger and better one. Good Luck

[crrichey]

I was thinking of maybe building a system that could be easly set up and taken apart in a mater of hours. Would probably use all hang-on the back equipment. Simple lighting and use light weight liverock for aquascaping. I would use two part additives and the like to replenish calcium and other minerals instead of using a ca reactor.

[BlAcK_PeRcUlA]

I was thinking of maybe building a system that could be easly set up and taken apart in a mater of hours. Would probably use all hang-on the back equipment. Simple lighting and use light weight liverock for aquascaping. I would use two part additives and the like to replenish calcium and other minerals instead of using a ca reactor.

:lol: No reef can be easily taken apart and setup in hours. They're all pains in the arse.:)

But, I use two part additives, and aquascaped without supports. Lighting probably wont make a difference whether it is complicated or simple as long as it's in a hood. Hang-on equipment is ok but having a sump is one of the most important things IMO and IME.

[dkh0331]

Can you check w/ the school student housing to see if aquariums are allowed?

Worse case is you set it up, enjoy it for two years and then tear it down, selling or giving away your livestock right before you went to school, if the school did not allow you to have it.

Unless your mom is into reefing, I would not expect her to take care of your tank for you.

Way back in 70's when I went to school, one of guys did have a reef tank. Everybody respected it, was in awe of it and no concerns about anybody pouring beer into it. Of course we were always studying and did not take part in such activities.....:beer:
Maybe a stray ash or two made its way into the tank......:smokin: but that was by accident.

David

[Philip]

Even if you do take it with you often times (at universities I've attended) they shut the dorms down for christmas and spring break. You'll also have to move it twice a year. Not worth it IMO

[crrichey]

I don't think that the dorms are shut down during eather of these events. It is a farly small university, and quite a few students stay there for major holidays. Why would you want to leave during christmas when there is such good snowboarding just 5 minutes away! There is also an inn that is ran by the students year round for the hotel manegment courses at the school. During christmas parents and friends stay there and enjoy the area. Also, my mom loves aquariums! Its a great life!

[ktwalker]

I would have the nice aquarium now, then get a nano for college. Lots of things can change from now until then. Don't count on univ. policies staying the same over time, esp. in this fiscal climate. You'd prob. be more flexible if you had a nano instead in your dorm.

kris

[crrichey]

Maybe.

[Flanders]

I agree with having a nano or nothing at all. I lived in the dorms for two years and started a reef tank almost as soon as I got my own place. You won't want that f'ing headache in your dorm room, trust me, you'll have enough adjustment to do.

If I were you, I would get a nice 7 bow, stock it with hardy stuff (you could start this now and move it to school), and plan for a much bigger tank the minute I moved out of the dorms.

[willra]

Just think about it! You have 2 1/2 years with this tank!! That is a long time and you will be suprised on how much you can accomplish.
I started mine one year ago, and I am a junior in high school, which means I have about 1 1/2 more years. Even if I had to tear it down now, it would of been worth it! Secondly, I have been taking it very slow with my tank, and I feel very pleased with the results.
However, I do agree with you in that when you go to college you will have to tear it down. That is probably what i'm going to do, or I might get a nano reef for my dorm. I'm telling you, it is definately worth it to start a reef! Good luck and I hope you decide to go forward. ;)

[crrichey]

I have been thinking, I might not be going to collage first thing. Right now, I am interested in construction, and I am going to get a part time job with one of my mom's friend's husband this summer. I want to see if it really is something I want to do. After highschool, I will get a full time job building homes for a few years. I will save up money and go to a comunity collage first. I'll see if collage is even right for me. I will work on getting a major in business manegment. If I like it, I would transfer over to something like ASU to finish. After that, I would work on setting up my own business. If that does not work, I could always start my own aqurium store! I will still have to tear down the aqurium, but it would be moved to an apartment instead.

[Zebo]

Trust me working construction is no fun, and unless you have your own business and you get alot of jobs, itll be a hard life. I worked 12 hour days 6-7 days a week all summer since i was a freshman, and i can honestly say I HATE IT. I now have my own fence building company which i can do on my time when i work around college, and i make bookoo's of money, so there is good money to be had, but here in texas working in 105 degree weather the rest of my life, just wont do. Best thing IMO is go straight from HS to college, university or community, if you goto a local community, live at home and keep your tank up. File for financial aid, most people that parents make lots of money still get at least 1/2 of their financial aid to pay for college.

[crrichey]

Sounds interesting. Thanks

[Lazyreefer]

First of all. I am from Oklahoma (State Fair is BIG here). Some buddies of mine went to the state fair and won some gold fish. A couple of these died while they were playing football with them. 2 or 3 were droped passes and one was spiked.
They decided to keep one in the room. Anyway the gold fish they keeped started to swim really fast. Turns out one guy put a half of a 1/5 of Bacardi into the water. Goldfish died. While this was funny at the time.
It woiuld not be funny if someone dumped anything into my reef tank. I would much prefer a pound of sugar in my gas tank. It would cost much less.

Good Luck!


Remember!!!!! Party HARD and get a 2.0!! So you can stay in school and live to party another day!

[Lazyreefer]

P.S.
Construction is very COOL! Just make sure you own the construction company.

[RODSREEF]

Have you seen those dorms at NAU? I moved my son up there twice. Barely enough room for the beer. Leave the reef at home.
Trust me on this one!

[crrichey]

I heard that they built some new dorms for freshman?