Please Read!!!!

falseperc

falseperc

New Member
I am a 14 year-old hobbyist and have been keeping FW systems for 10 years now, ever since my 1st goldfish bowl (AACK!), and I have a lot of experiance. I also volunteer work every Saturday and Sunday at The Pet Den, in the fish department. Well, I have 7 FW setups and 22 Betta Bowls, but have wanted a reef tank for SO long. I have researched the topic heavily, for about 4 years, brainstorming stock, reading a TON, etc. I have experiance with the Pet Den's 75 gallon reef tank for over 3 years.
The thing is, I just got a brand new 55 gallon tank (no light, sand, or anything) for my birthday. I plan on making it a reef tank.However, here is the problem-I only have $53.42......I am fully aware of the price and commitment involved in reefkeeping, but do not have enough money! I know you guys may not take me too seriously, but I have had an obsession with fish since 4, and can take great care of a reef-if I could afford one.
I make 5 bucks a week, but it'll take ages to earn a lot...also, I do not want to make an impact on the environment, so I will be purchasing only captive-raised everything. Captive raised is more expensive.....
I also am asking for donations of lighting systems, LR, skimmers, inverts, basically, anything, no matter how small will be graciously accepted. Please help me out, i've wanted a reef tank for ages, to be able to trade frags, discuss the reef, etc.
I live in Huntington Station, NY 11746 and will gladly pay all shipping costs for any donations.
Again, thank you in advance,
 
suver569

suver569

Member
I'm not knocking FalsePerc, but he/she sure does seem to have pretty good grammar and typing skills for being 14. Not to mention punctuation.
I'd think twice before sending anything. IMHO
I'll probably recieve flames for this, but it's all too easy to be an imposter on the internet.
 
falseperc

falseperc

New Member
mnreefman: thank you for helping me out.....I have been researching reefs for a while, so you can say I was alreadt 'bitten' by the bug ever since the Pet Den set up their 75.....
suver569: The only news article I was ever in was when I was eight...... You can rest assured i'm not into pokemon anymore...LOL I kind of embarassed about that article, but its all the proof i've got....Oh, yeah, my name is Michael Giangrasso, paragraph 12. Link: http://future.newsday.com/6/fkid0613.htm
All other donations welcome!!!!!!!!!1
 
suver569

suver569

Member
Glad to see you didnt flame me for that comment. Never know who to trust, especially on the internet. I hope everything works out for ya.
If you are 14, you seem like your a very intelligent 14. Personally, I could have cared less about the impact on the invironment at age 14, let alone have the paticence to build a reef tank at that age and not impact the enviornment.
Best of luck to ya.
 
falseperc

falseperc

New Member
Thanks, suver. I like to be thopught of as intelligent..... I've been into the hobby since 4, when I got a goldfish instead of that seagull I wanted (don't ask, VERY long story, Pet Den [an exotic pet store which I volunteetr time at now] had a seagull, I wanted it, I got a fish instead, and boy am I greatful I got the fish!) Anyways, i've been into fish for so long, and reef tanks for 4 years, that it comes as second nature to me to want to help the environment.
Again,. all donations welcome!
--Mike Giangrasso
 
jenni1979

jenni1979

Member
Sorry, I could not help this, but I had to say something. If you don't have money, why don't you go mow yards? There are ways to make money when you are 14. I wish I could take donations too. I have a family to help support and I have to buy my own things for my tank. Maybe you are getting in over your head. Even if you do get donations of everything you need, how are you going to afford to keep it up and running? If your lighting completely dies on you, which I have heard happen, and you have to purchase lighting right away from your lfs so your corals don't die, how are you going to do that if you are have no money? I am not sure what the labor laws are there but here you can work at age 16, so just wait a couple of years and you could go make your own money. Sorry, I am not trying to lecture you but there are other ways to do this. You need to learn how to earn things for yourself and not take donations for everything. I know you are probably used to your mom and dad giving you everything but you can't depend on that forever. Even if you do take donations, to get live fish shipped to you, you usually have to ship it overnight, which costs at least $30. You could easily go to the lfs and buy most fish for that price. Saltwaterfish.com even offers free overnight shipping with only a $75 minimum purchase. All you need is about $25 more to do that. Also, you can get sand real cheap at a hardware store. Get the sand box play sand. I believe it is real cheap. On my tank what I did was purchase about 25lbs of baserock, which is real cheap at your lfs, and about 25 pounds live rock off ---- for $75 free shipping. I am just making some suggestions for you. I am not trying to be mean or anything at all. I just think people should earn things for a living.
 
ac

ac

Member
Sorry,
I'm going to have to agree with Jenni1979. I understand it's tough to get hired places when your not 16, but if you in fact have the passion for reefs, that is your motivation to mow lawns or what ever else you can find. If you do take care of a reef tank at your LFS you must realize that the $$ investment in equipment is only the beginning, and believe me equipment does fail and you need to be ready financially to deal with the failures for the good of the animals. Good luck I really do hope things work out for you.
 
falseperc

falseperc

New Member
Well, I kinda have this.....brand new, the site is under construction. This is my means of moneymaking.......
link deleted.
 
falseperc

falseperc

New Member
Yes, I made tha animation, and yes, it is a link. I made the animation with GIF Construction Set Professional and all other photoshopped images with PhotoShop (yes, I LOVE to do images)
 
jenni1979

jenni1979

Member
Great! That is a wonderful idea. You might want to advertise in the newspaper or put up some postings in a fish store if they will let you.
 
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