College Dream reef help

[kipreefer]

Next year I am planning to go to LAke Superiour State University in Sue Saint MArie, MI and get a degree in fishery or wildlife managment. Right now I have a 90 gallon reef and certainly cant take it with me since it is way to large for a dorm room. So I was wondering if you fellow reefers maybe had a favorite setup for a college room size area. Size, lights, skimmer the whole bit. I am just trying to get some ideas. I'll probable have around 900 hundred to spend maximum so you are pretty much free to come up with anything.
Any ideas would really help
Thanx
Peace

Buy aquacultered

 

[kipreefer]

Any ideas would really be appreciated

 

[BananaSlug]

Hey Kipreefer,
I just this last summer had to give away my 30 gallon reef to come here to UC Santa Cruz. I was thinking of doing the same thing you are, get a nano-reef and keep a few of my corals and fish, but decided to go reef-less for a little while so I didn't have to worry about the animals during the transition process. I still plan on setting something up eventually here.
I'd like to hear what type of set-ups people have.

 

[dieselboy]

I had the same dilemma a few years back, and I decided on a sumpless 40 gal. and it worked out well for the time I had it.

Rationale:
-shorter in height than a 50, less lighting needed (esp. with a DSB)and less tendency to *stack* rocks
-no center brace, more light penetration, esp. if using halides
-empty tank weight and dimensions are light enough to carry alone
-aesthetically, the depth is good for such a small tank
-less $ needed for flow requirements
-3 foot length is easily and evenly covered lighting-wise
-tank size is just big enough to avoid looking tiny
-hold enough livestock to look like a real reef, but not so much that it becomes a hassle when it's time to move

HTH

 

[fishfarmer]

Do your dorms have a maximum size for aquariums? Mine had a 20 gal max size, some have even smaller. I wouldn't want you to have to tear down a 40 the first month when your RA starts cracking down on the law

I'm assuming you will be shuffling it around during the holidays. I would probably go with a sumpless 20 gal long FOWLR with a thin sand bed. I omit the DSB just because the tank will be getting moved alot, will be taking up lots of space in the small tank and take several months to mature anyway.

What will the water quality in the dorms be like? Will you be using tap or bottled water? If your lucky enough to have your own bathroom to setup a Tap Water Purifier, you shouldn't have too many problems with algae. With a small tank, water changes should be a snap and will be able to be done in a 5 gal bucket.

During my college daze, I had a 38 gal FOWRCCWDUG(fish only with rock,crushed coral,wet/dry, and under gravel). I moved this tank several times, never lost fish during the moves/setup, I would keep the bioballs and some of the CC wet to maintain the bacteria. During the winter break I left the UG filter going in a bare tank. I lived in an apartment so this wasn't a problem.

[ October 08, 2001: Message edited by: fishfarmer ]

 

[tim000]

last year I had a 55g piranha tank in my dorm, but the regulation was no bigger than 29g. so i made up this sticker that said "Custom 29 gallon all glass tank" and stuck it on the top part of the glass, well needless to say my RA didnt know how big a 29g tank was so she bought it.

 

[monkeyboy]

I'm living at home so i can have my 120

 

[kipreefer]

thanks for the few ideas I was thinking of going with a all glass 20 long or 40 breeder the breeder wold be nice and its cheep to light. I really didnt think about size requirments its a good thing to think about, thanks guys and gals.

 

[BananaSlug]

Yeah, you may want to check into allowed tank size. Here at Santa Cruz it is 10 gallons or smaller if you are living on campus.

 

[White-Queen]

I have a 29g that works well for me. No corals yet except one little mushroom but I have a juv. occelaris pair and a purple pseudo.

Works really well for me.

Angela <><