help :-(

[terranova]

Here's the story in a nutshelll...

I'm leaving for college in August.
I'm going to be a freshman at UCONN. :-D
I'm barely going to be home for the next 4 years.
I'm spending most of my summers in CT after this one.

My reef tank makes up nearly half of the electric bill.

That's a problem.

The rest of my family does not get enough satisfaction out of that tank to keep up with the bill, especially if i'm not even going to be around.

At first dad said he thought I should just break down the whole thing, but that nearly gave me a heart attack...

I decided that maybe the best thing to do would be to change out the light fixture, seeing as how that sucks the most power.

Then I could give away/sell the few corals I do have, and just keep a simple FOWLR tank.

It makes things much easier...for both of us.

Good iea? Bad idea? Better idea?

Who wants corals? :lol:

And who wants a 4' Aquamedic dual 250watt MH + dual 54watt T5 light structure?

And who wants to tell me what I should replace that with?

Thanks guys.

 

[chemisfun11]

I can make use of what you'd like to give away easy. I have a few tanks set up at my school and I'm always looking for donations.

As far as your lighting situation, you could probably set up NO or VHO flourescents on a shorter photoperiod to cut the lighting. External pumps and powerhead will reduce heat in the tank as well. It really all depends on what coral/inhabitants you plan on keeping in the tank while you're away.

 

[Corpus Callosum]

I really think any tank, even FOWLR, needs dedication and monitoring/maintenance. So just make sure your parents are up for the task (I know mine weren't), otherwise I'd say take it down and just start up again after college or when you get settled down somewhere.

Maybe not what most would want to hear.. but my advice, as I've taken down my tank also until I finish this last year of college.

oh and whatever equipment doesn't sell.. I'll take off your hands

 

[DEXTER SOLIS]

dude, lighting is nothing compared to what runs 24/7, your pumps. not a bad idea to go FOWLR, but it will still require maintenance. if you wil be in college, you can probably get a nano. but to keep a tank & not enjoy it is kinda pointless, the hobby requires alot of energy, bothe from you & LIPA, if you take away one would spell disaster.break down, start fresh when you are ready, youve made too many friends that can give you frags when you get back. nothing will be different when you return, you will still need MH, pumps & tank. I would try to get some $$ for college from live stuff. & try to keep dry goods. pumps you can sell as they always come out with more efficient ones. they try to do it with lighting but you always end up with MH's.

my 2 cents.

 

[shyland83]

well, assuming pumps are around 200 watts, and shes running 600 watts of lighting. if your lights are only on 8 hours a day you will cut your usage in half by getting rid of the lights. But i'm still going to have to agree that breaking it down might be a better idea. Be easier and more cost effective to re set it up in 4 years than to keep it running all that time and only get to see it a few times a year. sell it off and spend the money on "books" (aka, nights out at the bar). just my opinion, but if keeping it running is that important to you don't let us change your mind.

 

[billsreef]

My mother was the one that got me into fish tanks in the first place, I'd leave my fish with her whenever I was away for a semester or longer and couldn't take care of my tanks...she never did to well with my fish. IMO your probably better off dealing with taking down the tank and putting it in cold storage. College is not a time to be tied to a fish tank, your going to find lots of things to do If anything, a small desktop nano that could easily be moved would be fun for the college years.

 

[bobbbm]

Yo go enjoy College you will have enough to worry about !!! The hobby will always be here when you get back. And just think about how much money you will get to spend with your real job.

 

[Fragmented 99]

what coral o you have for sale

 

[NYer]

PM me with any Zoo corals that arent brown

 

[terranova]

Thanks everyone for the input...

I'm not really sure what I'm going to do yet, honestly.

My dad can be trusted entirely with taking care of the tank, so it's not like I would have to worry about it.

If I take down this tank, i'm not setting up another one.

The biggest issue is...it's an inwall tank. And we just redid our basement. It's going to look silly with a 4'x2' hole if I take it down...

And it will honestly be emotionally hard to part with. :-/

I see what you guys are saying with the pumps - I could also get rid of my Oceans Motions unit and then just run my return for circulation, if I sold off some liverock and got rid of my corals. That would also lower the cost. I guess going FO is an option too...

Thoughts? >.<

 

[DEXTER SOLIS]

4'X2' hole??????can you say........LCD TV=$1000, not having to do water changes= priceless

j/k

I know dad put in alot of work, eversince the 72 bow. unless he tells you he wants to keep it up for you, dont assume. you can use the cash to help you ease the pain of letting go, or giving mom & dad an awsome gift. LOL

 

[KathyC]

Dare I say you sell off the corals, L/R & fish..and run it as a FW tank while you're gone?
It would be that much easier for your parents to maintain and would solve the issue of the hole in the wall.
Store the rest of your reef equipment and even I know how many friends you've made with this group..and I'm not around here to often, these folks will definitely fill your tank back up for you when you're ready..after college. You'd only need a power filter & very downgraded lighting, you could get those for what you sell your L/F, corals & fish for.

 

[DgenR8]

I know from your posts that your Dad has been a big help in setting up your tank. Talk to him before you do anything. You may find that your tank represents something to him that he wouldn't want to let go of. His little girl is not so little anymore, and watching you go off to college, and really begin your own life will probably be pretty tough on him (and Mom). They may want to keep the tank, even if not full out reef.

 

[pyro383]

IF you don't want to sell off your corals, I and others members can house them for you and if you ot your father wants to come get them it wouldn't be a problem.

 

[Spracklcat]

FO is a great option if your dad wants to maintain it. Otherwise I was thinking what Kathy was and making it a fw (the horror ).

You know you can part out your corals to the club and everyone will give them back when you are ready to start up again. Lots of us have done that. OR you can sell them and ask for frags when you are ready to restart.

But in the ned, the most important thing is making sure your animals are well cared for, so if giving them away or selling them to trusted people is the best way to ensure that, then that's what you should do.

 

[LCGoldman]

Liana,

I'll trade you a dog for your set up

Every college co-ed should have a dog on campus. And, you know you want Beethoven

 

[KathyC]

Are you still trying to get rid of Beethoven Lonnie? He's such a NICE dog!

Liana..forgot one thing.. CONGRATS ON GETTING INTO UCONN!!!!

 

[LCGoldman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9851959#post9851959 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KathyC
Are you still trying to get rid of Beethoven Lonnie? He's such a NICE dog!

Alright, we'll throw in Webster too!

 

[terranova]

Lonnie, you know I would love to take your dogs. Unfortunately that isn't going to work out. Still. :lol:

As far as the suggestions go...

-It was dad's idea to break down the tank in the first place, not mine.
-Changing it over to freshwater is almost definetely not an option. The TV actually sounds like a smarter idea.
-I appreciate all the offers for housing corals/fish and donating back eventually. The only thing is I don't even know if I'm going to end up living here...after my 4 years at UCONN I have 2 years of grad school to follow, so I probably wont set up another reef until I'm actually out of my parents house. Scary...

As hard as it is for me to say this, it sounds like this tank is going to come down.

I'm going to need a lot of prospective parents, and helpers...

*sigh*

I guess i'll make a volunteer thread soon.

 

[teen]

how much do you want for the lights?