to all college students...
- Thread starter bluelagoon
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bluelagoon
Member
Originally Posted by rob_ou
Hey guys, I'm a junior at the University of Oklahoma. I just got my first 20 gallon saltwater tank yesterday, and I'm going to start stocking it with Live Rock and other stuff tomorrow. I was told it was best to wait a few days before adding fish. I know this isn't really a Q&A forum, but can anyone tell me the benifits of using live sand over Crushed Coral?
just do a search on crushed coral, you will find numerous threads on why not to use it!
Hey guys, I'm a junior at the University of Oklahoma. I just got my first 20 gallon saltwater tank yesterday, and I'm going to start stocking it with Live Rock and other stuff tomorrow. I was told it was best to wait a few days before adding fish. I know this isn't really a Q&A forum, but can anyone tell me the benifits of using live sand over Crushed Coral?
just do a search on crushed coral, you will find numerous threads on why not to use it!
rob_ou
Member
Yeah, after spending a few hours reading different discussions on here, I now know that my setup won't work for long. I've got to empty my tank to transport it home over x-mas break in about 6 weeks, so I'm going to change everything out then. I made the mistake of going to a pet store instead of a fish store, so that was where all my false info came from. They even set me up with an undergravel filter system. Before you all go nuts, yeah, I know it's not a good thing, but it'll have to work for about 6 weeks. I'm not putting anything to sensitive in there yet anyway, just some inverts, maybe a damsel. Thanks for your help.
It seems like everyone has their own preference as to how to care for a tank. Seems like there's no real consensus around here except that my whole setup stinks. Haha.
It seems like everyone has their own preference as to how to care for a tank. Seems like there's no real consensus around here except that my whole setup stinks. Haha.
bluelagoon
Member
Originally Posted by rob_ou
Yeah, after spending a few hours reading different discussions on here, I now know that my setup won't work for long. I've got to empty my tank to transport it home over x-mas break in about 6 weeks, so I'm going to change everything out then. I made the mistake of going to a pet store instead of a fish store, so that was where all my false info came from. They even set me up with an undergravel filter system. Before you all go nuts, yeah, I know it's not a good thing, but it'll have to work for about 6 weeks. I'm not putting anything to sensitive in there yet anyway, just some inverts, maybe a damsel. Thanks for your help.
It seems like everyone has their own preference as to how to care for a tank. Seems like there's no real consensus around here except that my whole setup stinks. Haha.
since ur in a dorm, u may want to go w/ bare bottom, so it's easier to transport. that's what i did :joy: damsels can also get very mean, and smart, a lot of people have problems getting damsels out of their tanks and have to remove a bunch of live rock in the process!
but i'd definitely stick w/ bare bottom, instead of crushed coral or sand, seeing how ur not supposed to stir the sand up, creates spikes in ur levels (nitrates, i think). and since u have to move it back and forth, i would avoid putting a lot of corals and stuff in there, it won't be a stunning tank, but it'll still be nicer than everyone else's at ur school! (assuming no one else is in the hobby)
Yeah, after spending a few hours reading different discussions on here, I now know that my setup won't work for long. I've got to empty my tank to transport it home over x-mas break in about 6 weeks, so I'm going to change everything out then. I made the mistake of going to a pet store instead of a fish store, so that was where all my false info came from. They even set me up with an undergravel filter system. Before you all go nuts, yeah, I know it's not a good thing, but it'll have to work for about 6 weeks. I'm not putting anything to sensitive in there yet anyway, just some inverts, maybe a damsel. Thanks for your help.
It seems like everyone has their own preference as to how to care for a tank. Seems like there's no real consensus around here except that my whole setup stinks. Haha.
since ur in a dorm, u may want to go w/ bare bottom, so it's easier to transport. that's what i did :joy: damsels can also get very mean, and smart, a lot of people have problems getting damsels out of their tanks and have to remove a bunch of live rock in the process!
but i'd definitely stick w/ bare bottom, instead of crushed coral or sand, seeing how ur not supposed to stir the sand up, creates spikes in ur levels (nitrates, i think). and since u have to move it back and forth, i would avoid putting a lot of corals and stuff in there, it won't be a stunning tank, but it'll still be nicer than everyone else's at ur school! (assuming no one else is in the hobby)
benj420
Member
Originally Posted by bluelagoon
since ur in a dorm, u may want to go w/ bare bottom
hmmmmm, when I was in school, I got thrown out of the dorms for going bare bottom....
I graduated a few years ago, but now work at Western Michigan University, so I will throw in my 2 cents.
I don't know if they plan on turning the power off to the dorms over Christmas break this year, but I know they plan on turning the heat off, or at least down to like 50 since the cost of heating is supposed to be so much higher this year. If you are going to school in a colder climate, they might do the same thing where you are at and it might be wise to make sure your heater is up to the chore.
rob_ou, check out this thread on sand vs cc:
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=185636
since ur in a dorm, u may want to go w/ bare bottom
hmmmmm, when I was in school, I got thrown out of the dorms for going bare bottom....
I graduated a few years ago, but now work at Western Michigan University, so I will throw in my 2 cents.
I don't know if they plan on turning the power off to the dorms over Christmas break this year, but I know they plan on turning the heat off, or at least down to like 50 since the cost of heating is supposed to be so much higher this year. If you are going to school in a colder climate, they might do the same thing where you are at and it might be wise to make sure your heater is up to the chore.
rob_ou, check out this thread on sand vs cc:
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=185636
bluelagoon
Member
i've heard in the past that they claim to turn the power off, but i dunno...i really don't think i'd be able to trust leaving my tank for longer than a couple days anyways, since it does always need topoffs.
like when i went away this past weekend... had the girl across the way turn the light on and off, feed my fish once, but didn't have her check the water level! she must have left the hood not quite covering the whole tank, leaving about an inch along the front exposed, and man did that water evaporate! lost probably almost an inch and a half of water, out of my little 5 gal tank. didn't check the specific gravity though, so not sure what it got up to.
so my xenias that already didn't have enough light are now really started to look bad, they are very sensitive to high salinity.
the wierdest part is, i had one xenia climbing up the side of the tank, but when i came back, it was completely gone, and i have no idea what happened to it...