Keeping a reef in college

MaverickReef · Jun 17, 2019

Hello everyone, here is a little back ground info about my situation, I am a 20 year old college student. I am very passionate about reefkeeping and have had a couple tanks in high school, but couldn't afford the equipment to set me up for success. Now in college, I have slightly more funds to be able to have a tank. I really want to get more experience so I can actually succeed in the hobby. The problem with being a college student is that I have limited space, limited funds, and I know I will be moving every year or two. Is it worth setting up a small tank and moving it all the time, or should I wait a couple years after I graduate and settle down somewhere ?

I still have the tank (not set up) from highschool, but it is a 180 gallon and there is no way I can set up that, but I am willing to sell it to get more funds for a smaller tank.

Any ideas for someone in my situation?

Thank you!

Crabs McJones · Jun 17, 2019

Welcome to R2R!

#WelcometoR2R
Moving causes alot of stress to both fish and coral and yourself. One of the main keys to success is stability. And moving all the time disrupts that stability. In my opinion I think it would be better to wait until you can set up that 180. Take the time you have now to soak up as much knowledge as you can for when you set the big guy up

of course this is just my personal opinion. If you dont mind moving the tank every year or two then go for it

mta_morrow · Jun 17, 2019

Hello and welcome to R2R!

Perhaps a 5 -10 gallon tank could be easy enough to move once a year. If planned out carefully, like maybe 1 big rock for hardy coral and a small hardy fish, it could be ok.

Design it to move it.

hdsoftail1065 · Jun 17, 2019

Welcome to R2R!!! Whew, 2 great points have already been given buy some top notch People and reefers. I have nothing to add other than what ever choice you make we will all be here to help.

Roid Reefs · Jun 17, 2019

If you are up for a challenge, you can always look into doing a .5-2 Gallon pico Jar. No fish, just some colorful zoanthids and an air bubbler and par 38 bulb.

MaverickReef · Jun 17, 2019

Crabs McJones said:
Welcome to R2R!

#WelcometoR2R
Moving causes alot of stress to both fish and coral and yourself. One of the main keys to success is stability. And moving all the time disrupts that stability. In my opinion I think it would be better to wait until you can set up that 180. Take the time you have now to soak up as much knowledge as you can for when you set the big guy up of course this is just my personal opinion. If you dont mind moving the tank every year or two then go for it

Thanks for your reply! I have been soaking up knowledge for the past 2-3 years so I am really eager to get started, but you make some great points. The 180 is very bulky so I am really considering selling it and starting from the beginning.

MaverickReef · Jun 17, 2019

mta_morrow said:
Hello and welcome to R2R!

Perhaps a 5 -10 gallon tank could be easy enough to move once a year. If planned out carefully, like maybe 1 big rock for hardy coral and a small hardy fish, it could be ok.

Design it to move it.

Thanks for the reply! What equipment would you recommend for a tank that small? My only hesitation with that size is that the water quality would be challenging to maintain.

W1ngz · Jun 17, 2019

You need to check out this guy's youtube channel.

Pbh-reef · Jun 17, 2019

To me this biggest issue with college would be traveling- are you likely to be far away during summers or winter breaks? Do you plan to study abroad or to work in a different state over the summer? I think if you have a small tank like @mta_morrow suggested youll be ok to move it every year if you need to, but if you’re considering traveling far from the tank and won’t be able to take it with you than I’d say wait.

Ruben's Reef · Jun 17, 2019

!!! Welcome to R2R @cincyreefer35 !!! I second Crabs suggestion. Moving a tank every year or maybe not even a year and also the concentration on your studies will give you more stress. Hold on that tank, don't sell it and later when you be able to settle you will be able to build your piece of the ocean. For now I would collect as most information I can and little by little in your budget get the equipment you would like to have for that 180.

mta_morrow · Jun 17, 2019

cincyreefer35 said:
Thanks for the reply! What equipment would you recommend for a tank that small? My only hesitation with that size is that the water quality would be challenging to maintain.

I personally have never run a tank that small and I wouldn’t want to give you any bad advice on equipment.

I would recommend heading to the nano reef forum here on R2R and research and ask questions.

As for water quality, a 1 or 2 gallon water change every week may be all you need.

A single azure damsel or a yellow watchman goby with a pistol shrimp could be very entertaining and produce very little waste.

BestMomEver · Jun 17, 2019

Welcome to the reef! And... pico, pico, pico.... you can pick up really inexpensive tiny tanks (or small AIO), buy something like a Kessill A160 and a little filtration and be set. Do it easy... mushrooms, zoas, etc. Picos and nanos are challenging but not overwhelming. Just enough diversion for a college student to procrastinate on studying!

BestMomEver · Jun 17, 2019

Oh... get a small Tunze nano ATO. You’ll be glad....

Pbh-reef · Jun 17, 2019

cincyreefer35 said:
Thanks for the reply! What equipment would you recommend for a tank that small? My only hesitation with that size is that the water quality would be challenging to maintain.

It doesn’t have to be hard to have a small tank, just stock soft corals that don’t use up tons of elements, understock with hardy, captive bred fish, and do weekly water changes with drug store/supermarket distilled or rodi water. My main caution to you is that college can be a time where people get to enjoy not having lots of responsibility and the freedom to travel and explore when unexpected opportunities arise.

Ling_Thing · Jun 17, 2019

Welcome to the r2r family

brandon429 · Jun 17, 2019

May I introduce to you the neatest micro reef with about four grand in corals, one gallon. Seven yrs old~ talk about stable water. Look up Maritza the vase reef on Facebook, that's my friends tank, see if the corals look ok in there

Water quality, easiest to manage of any tank on this board, its ideal for college. We can move them twice a day if needed. No fish, those are coral growers paradise~ the reason it's tops in water stability is you only top it off weekly and there is no ATO it's evap restriction not replenishment doing the work

They're still topped off, but once or twice a week using two ounces of drinking water if you want it doesn't hurt anything. Distilled is better. Gallons absolutely does not translate into stability these are rock solid and tend to outlive the legit multi gallon systems in a few cases

Another reason, they're tiny, I keep one in an apartment that doesn't allow aquariums.
Because it's technically a fish bowl, we were good to go. Sales + biology means I get to reef skirt the rules and grow tons of coral to export to large tanks around here, my frags are all over lubbock as we speak

You should then just carry the entire system up to bio lab as soon as it matures. Don't tell them till it's rock star awesome then plop in there with it. You'll want to do this. The marine biology teacher will say they've not seen anything like that before and you'll be given a pop quiz. On the spot
B