Grad school with a reef tank?

[OpenOcean33]

Hey guys, I currently have a red sea max e260, I have gone through some recent losses in the tank (fish and coral) due to dinos, and ich. I am going to be starting grad school this summer which will consume a lot of my time. I am debating keeping my tank during school because of the focus i will need. I would love to keep it but won't have the time to work on it again if big problems arise. I was also considering keeping my clowns and anemone and getting a 10gallon water box cube to place on my desk. So i could enjoy still having a tank. What would you guys suggest??

 

[Jekyl]

Would recommend a 20gal instead

 

[Nigel35]

A NUVO peninsula 20 would be great

 

[pgravis]

I just finished grad school in December. That combined with mandatory overtime and stress of covid being an icu nurse made me lose the majority of my coral and fish. Tanks looked like garbage. Seemed like I was in a battle between briopsis and dinos that made the tank an unnecessary chore that I didn’t have the bandwidth to deal with. Rather than being a stress relief, the tank just added to the stress whenever I had the time to look at them. I would say downsize/greatly simplify/or shut it down and go new when you finish. My new custom tank is sitting in the garage waiting for me to have time to get it rolling again. I did save some of my nicer pieces, but that has been a whole other stress inducing situation! But having a few fish and some nice pieces is giving me the motivation needed to get the new setup going and having some nice stock to start out with.

 

[OpenOcean33]

I just finished grad school in December. That combined with mandatory overtime and stress of covid being an icu nurse made me lose the majority of my coral and fish. Tanks looked like garbage. Seemed like I was in a battle between briopsis and dinos that made the tank an unnecessary chore that I didn’t have the bandwidth to deal with. Rather than being a stress relief, the tank just added to the stress whenever I had the time to look at them. I would say downsize/greatly simplify/or shut it down and go new when you finish. My new custom tank is sitting in the garage waiting for me to have time to get it rolling again. I did save some of my nicer pieces, but that has been a whole other stress inducing situation! But having a few fish and some nice pieces is giving me the motivation needed to get the new setup going and having some nice stock to start out with.

I am too an ICU nurse going to be in CRNA school. I love my tank now but i know it will cause me stress and doing water changes (making rodi water and mixing salt i live in an apartment and cannot store large amounts) and maintenance takes me a whole day which I may not have that kind of time to spare. Thats why i was thinking a 10 gallon, however, if i have any algae issues it would be stressful but i figured matinence would be simpler. I only plan on doing clowns and anemonens.

 

[Uncle99]

Maybe it’s time for a break?
I took a 7 year break when I was working.
You can always restart when life changes, and it will.

 

[pgravis]

congrats on crna school! I didn’t go that route-but many co-workers have, and I can’t imagine having the time to keep a tank from what I’ve heard, especially when you get into clinical rotations. A lot would depend on other commitments, such as family. Free time will be limited (as you know), choosing how to spend it will be key to making it work.
Good luck-I’ll be curious to watch how you move forward.

 

[saltmine]

Grad school whooped me so hard I could barely take care of my cat. I don’t think I would have been able to upkeep a big tank or even deal with the mental stress of it. Do what is best for you, but I think you will be glad if you don’t have another headache on your plate when you get later into your degree. Granted, this is coming from someone who did their degree pre-COVID. I don’t know if things will be different now.

 

[squidarcher]

I got lucky, my mom is interested in the hobby and I'm teaching her how to take care of my 75g before I go to college. I'll probably just set up a 20 gal or something with my clowns

 

[OpenOcean33]

Maybe it’s time for a break?
I took a 7 year break when I was working.
You can always restart when life changes, and it will.

I am thinking this as well, i feel like i have just gotten so attached to the fish i hate to see them go.

 

[OpenOcean33]

congrats on crna school! I didn’t go that route-but many co-workers have, and I can’t imagine having the time to keep a tank from what I’ve heard, especially when you get into clinical rotations. A lot would depend on other commitments, such as family. Free time will be limited (as you know), choosing how to spend it will be key to making it work.
Good luck-I’ll be curious to watch how you move forward.

Thank you! I have a feeling if I have a day off i would like to spend it probably with friends and family or going out for the day and not be required to maintain a small reef. However, i have become attached to the clowns and have had them for 5 years and they are happy, always laying eggs. I also thought if i kept is simple two clowns and an anemone it would not take much work. However, i know how it goes lol. My time will defenitly be limited and i am curious to see where i go too.

 

[OpenOcean33]

Grad school whooped me so hard I could barely take care of my cat. I don’t think I would have been able to upkeep a big tank or even deal with the mental stress of it. Do what is best for you, but I think you will be glad if you don’t have another headache on your plate when you get later into your degree. Granted, this is coming from someone who did their degree pre-COVID. I don’t know if things will be different now.

I agree i do not want the added stressor, its just hard to let it go! lol

 

[OpenOcean33]

I got lucky, my mom is interested in the hobby and I'm teaching her how to take care of my 75g before I go to college. I'll probably just set up a 20 gal or something with my clowns

lucky you! i am defentily jelous lol

 

[saltmine]

I agree i do not want the added stressor, its just hard to let it go! lol

I totally understand, tanks are so cool! I think it’s something you have to weigh in your mind. I wonder if in some capacity you already know it will be too much, and that is why you are asking here?

 

[OpenOcean33]

I totally understand, tanks are so cool! I think it’s something you have to weigh in your mind. I wonder if in some capacity you already know it will be too much, and that is why you are asking here?

I knowb the 70 gallon would be too much, but I've never had a nano tank wondering if I could have it pretty self sustaining. Just 2 clowns and an anemone, minimal feedings. No coral

 

[OpenOcean33]

So I have decided to break it down, not do a nano tank. If after starting school I have the free time I will defebitly be starting a nano tank. It was an extremely hard decision

 

[pgravis]

I don’t think you’ll regret your decision when school kicks in full time. Hard to do though for sure! Just remember how nice of a setup you will be able to get once that crna money starts to roll in!

 

[Uncle99]

So I have decided to break it down, not do a nano tank. If after starting school I have the free time I will defebitly be starting a nano tank. It was an extremely hard decision

Great decision IMM, focus on education, have some fun.
You’ll be back!

 

[saltmine]

So I have decided to break it down, not do a nano tank. If after starting school I have the free time I will defebitly be starting a nano tank. It was an extremely hard decision

I think that's a really mature choice that you will appreciate later on and it is most likely better for the fish as well. Good luck with grad school - I wish you the best!

 

[Willis19]

Hey guys, I currently have a red sea max e260, I have gone through some recent losses in the tank (fish and coral) due to dinos, and ich. I am going to be starting grad school this summer which will consume a lot of my time. I am debating keeping my tank during school because of the focus i will need. I would love to keep it but won't have the time to work on it again if big problems arise. I was also considering keeping my clowns and anemone and getting a 10gallon water box cube to place on my desk. So i could enjoy still having a tank. What would you guys suggest??

Hi, I vote to keep it and keep just the fish and low maintenance corals, so you don't need to worry too much and your time investment is just for feed them and water changes and enjoy it with a cup of coffee. Reasons, in grad school you need something extra that helps with your mental health. Some do sports, others prescribed drugs, we our reef tank. In my case, it helps me to deal with my work related stress. In grad school was running the thing that saved my life. Good luck .