I want a nano tank
- Thread starter B0bby3
- Start date
but is their any way of convincing her of the benifits of having one?
All I can tell you is unless you live on your own, you gotta live by your parent's rules. If she says no, she says no. If you can convince her that spending every dime you have on a fish tank is a good idea, go for it. For comparative reasons, I'm 29, married, own a home and I try to convince my wife that keeping fish is a good thing. She doens't really see it my way all the time.
Oh so you have some experience then? That's cool. Maybe you can set up a nano tank with some of the live rock and sand from the tank you already have. That will cut costs. Other than that, you have to see what she says. It doesn't get any better little man, my wife is my new mom. 
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Be careful. Equipment can easily burn holes in your pockets...nano-size doesnt mean nano-costs as many items cost just as much no matter what the size...hydrometer, test kits, chemicals, etc. A nano is more $$$ per gallon than a larger reef in most cases. My 10g nano easily cost me over $1000 when I was all done.
Also, the lighting is an expense your parents should be okay with and be aware of before hand. A nano can add an extra $5-10 to your parent's monthly electric bill...an expense that they might not see the value of until you become a marine biologist.
Also, the lighting is an expense your parents should be okay with and be aware of before hand. A nano can add an extra $5-10 to your parent's monthly electric bill...an expense that they might not see the value of until you become a marine biologist.
thnkx hahnmeister, that is a lot to consider! we already have test kits, refractometer, chemicals, and an extra power jet and lots of spare parts from our freshwater tank....i will talk it over with them. I plan to use my allowance to pay for fish and the tank.( i will have to save a lot of $$$$$ to buy a tank) thnkx for the advice!!!!!!!
Bobby
Bobby
BlueNano22
New member
It's a great hobby, so I think if you start young, your knowledge will only increase. So good luck if you ever get the chance. Maybe your parents will help you because mine don't!
Kogo
In Memoriam
parental support is essential for young reefers. i wouldnt try to circumvent their wishes. and also, if they are experianced aquarists and they say your not ready, then i would tend to believe them. most parents in the hobby cant wait to get thier kids started. if they are holding you back, they may have good reason.
at eleven, showing your parents that you trust their judgment and are willing to do things thier way will pay off more than getting internet advice and second guessing thier judgment.
anyway keep up the good work helping with the family tanks, cotinue to demonstrate your responsibility and patience and your own tank will likely come in time.
TRUST YOR PARENTS thats what their there for.
at eleven, showing your parents that you trust their judgment and are willing to do things thier way will pay off more than getting internet advice and second guessing thier judgment.
anyway keep up the good work helping with the family tanks, cotinue to demonstrate your responsibility and patience and your own tank will likely come in time.
TRUST YOR PARENTS thats what their there for.
mister crabs
New member
I agree 100 percent with kogo on this one. dont go running to your parents and say "but the guys on REEFCENTRAL said i was ready!!!" better to be patient...continue to help out with family tank and LEARN as much as you can about this hobby by reading waht is posted here so when your parents finally give in (and they will) you will have the knowledge about the hobby so you dont end up making mistakes that cost THEM money like killing fish or corals and buying the wrong equipment. Any time you save your parents money somewhere they like it a little more.
just my .02
just my .02
BlueNano22
New member
Kogo is TOTALLY right. The only reason my parents let me start at such a young age (which was 12, now I am 14 going on 15 (Jul.22) ) was because fish and animals was and still is EVERYTHING to me. I did my school work and in spare time I read as much as I could about animals, fish especially. If you're helping out with another tank, a good idea is to ask if you could pick out some fish for it. It could turn out to be a great family hobby!
HartfordWhalers
New member
my first tank i snuck into the house after saving money and told her to wait and awtch. I have had a 2.5, 5,10,12,20,30 and a urent 40 and brother had a 55. Mom and dad didnt help me with anything, and i started at 10 you shoudl be fine. Start with a good anount of LR and build from ehre, i had one fish for a year the first tank so i would say go for it, im 15 now and im fine....
fishes2889
In Memoriam
i bought my first tank without my mom or dad knowing. When i broguht it home i had it running up for 2 weeks inmy basement ill someone finally noticed. My first tank was 10g when i was 11. The i went onto a freshwater then turned into saltwater 55g when i was 12. Then 75g saltwater. The the big grandaddy.....the 120g me and my dad built i bought everysingle peice of that monster when i was 14 but then i had to take it down because i moved here. And i had a nanocube but that cracked. Now im in florida and im back to square one. Now i have a 10g nano and im looking forward to having more down here.
fishes2889
In Memoriam
dang i cant type.lol
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
I started keeping fish at 10 as well, but they were freshwater, and alot easier. I didnt get into things heavy until I was 16...with a large agressive tank, and then african cichlids when I was 18.
One thing I will say in favor of a reef tank for a kid is that the #1 thing I see happen with kids is that they get bored or distracted for a while, and so they forget to do water changes for a week or so...or a month or so...etc. Pretty soon the water is yellow and the fish are dying, and the tears start flying (not over the fish, but cuz mommy gets out the leather belt). With a reef...a nano at least...once its up and running stable, it can pretty much run istself. If you pick critters and corals that make a balance in the tank of nutrient uptake and production...you can go months at a time without water changes. As long as you keep the number of fish to one or two...a nano can be easier than a freshwater tank.
One thing I will say in favor of a reef tank for a kid is that the #1 thing I see happen with kids is that they get bored or distracted for a while, and so they forget to do water changes for a week or so...or a month or so...etc. Pretty soon the water is yellow and the fish are dying, and the tears start flying (not over the fish, but cuz mommy gets out the leather belt). With a reef...a nano at least...once its up and running stable, it can pretty much run istself. If you pick critters and corals that make a balance in the tank of nutrient uptake and production...you can go months at a time without water changes. As long as you keep the number of fish to one or two...a nano can be easier than a freshwater tank.
BlueNano22
New member
Wow....everyone telling their childhood stories about how they came into the hobby, that's pretty cool. My first tank was supposed to house frogs and stuff like that, but when I was just lookin' around at Petco, the fish were just so amazing and so I stuck with them all my life.
