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Right now, I have a 10 Gallon tank since that is the largest size students are allowed to have on campus. I think it should really be at least 20 Gallon max size. Any ways I'm thinking about possibly getting a bigger tank. However if I did, the only times I would be able to see it and take care of it is in Summer time, Winter Break, Spring Break, and other times I come home. I live only about 10 minute for driving from college to home. So I can go home for doing any thing that needs to be done weekly. Still could go for any thing daily, but that is a lot harder. I might be able to convince my parents to help take care of the tank when I can't.

Any ways for a larger tank, let's say 55 to 75 gallon size. How often does it it needs maintenance? Examples being changing filter cartridges, siphoning the gravel, water changes and all that. For the kind of fish in their, I'm thinking possibly tetras, peaceful drawf chichlids, pleco(s), cories, shrimp, maybe loaches, as well as live plants. It's not out of the question but other possbilities also are rainbows, danios, rasboras. Because it would be nice if the maintenance was less with a larger tank.

If I did get a larger tank though, I'd still keep the 10 gallon to have at college.

If you want the maintenance to be low then choose to understock a little. You could get away with water changes every two weeks, and a decent external filter will run for a month without needing major maintenance, at which time at the minimum you will probably need to rinse out the finest level of filter pad and clean a few pipes. Go heavy on the plants an low on the fish and you should be able to get away with 20-30% water changes every two weeks.

Tanks , whatever the size need similar levels of proportionate maintenance if you stock them to the limit, you can find yourself changing out filter media, doing high level changes etc in a 120 if you overstock it.

If you stock a 75 like a 30- 40 gal, then you may be able to get your maintenance down to almost monthly. Obviously not many fish apart from the bigger predators can get away with weekly feedings, so the ol parents will have to feed the fish lighty most of the time, and you could "boost" feed them with treats at weekends. TBH though its better to be present with a fish tank, I couldnt wholeheartedly recommend having too many pets while in your situation. Trying to make it work when in your situation might come to tears, you cant always trust people to get the feeding level right, BTW you might want to check with your parents if this is all ok, because its no use blaming them if they dont have an interest and the fish get overfed, the tank gets clogged and things die in your absence.

I can give you advice as above to help you make it work, but I'd rather tell you now not to. You wont be there. In the final analysis thats no way to keep a fish. The weekender thing has too many risks and the chances are unless your parents are good and willing fishkeepers that the fish will suffer.

You still need to learn the difference between what you can do, and what you should do. What you can do is run a tank that in your absence could end up killing your fish, and what you should do is wait until your college commitment is over.

This situation depends entirely on the skill of your parents. You wont really be the keeper no matter how you slice it if youre only gonna be there for weekends. It not really fair on them unless they share a love for fishkeeping, and Im sure if they arent , they would rather you do your own fishkeeping and wait for a more sensible time. Most good parents in that situation would probably just tell you to curb your enthusiasm. Fish require monitoring maintenance, and intuitive care that transcends routines. In your position I wouldnt go for it. You have to be there . Fish can be left for the odd week or sowhen you go on holiday etc, but i would never have a fishtank if I couldnt be there most of the time, its really quite bad fishkeeping to do that. Its unrealistic and it goes wrong about 90% of the time. Your reaching adulthood, the time of relying on parents to look after animals for you should be gone, its one thing to have pets prior to college and have your parents help you through, but to get pets and expect the parents to look after them while actually at college is irresponsible. It probably will go wrong unless they do the fishkeeping thing themselves already.

Entirely depends how many fish are in there. Put in a pair of dwarf cichlids, a hardy plant, let them breed, and you'll have very minimal maintenance. Tank might even go months without maintenance and still have near perfect water quality. Your biggest worry would be removing the fry as they grew. About the same with a school of tetras. However if you put a couple schools of tetras, a few pairs of dwarf cichlids, a school of cories, a group of loaches, and a pleco in there then you'd probably need water changes every 1-2 weeks with gravel vacs and rinsing or replacing the filter media weekly. It isn't just the type of fish your planning but how many. The simpler you keep it, the less fish waste is in the tank, the less you have to remove, the lower the nitrates, and the fewer water changes it needs.

You can also set up 10g tanks that require hardly any maintenance. For example my shrimp only tank I had went 6 months with only topoffs running a sponge filter. Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate were zero. It isn't the size of the tank but the bioload of the tank. The only difference is a larger tank can take more fish before it equals the same nitrates or waste build up as a smaller tank. ie if you put that pair of dwarf cichlids in a 10 you'd need weekly water changes, gravel vacs, and at least weekly rinsing of the filter media. Then again it also takes more effort to change 25% on a 55-75g versus a 10g so in the end your moving around the same amount of water. 5 water changes on a 10 equals the same amount of water as 1 water change on a 55. That's where I found my 90g to actually be more work despite lightly stocking it. By the time I changed 25% or over 20g I'd pulled muscles in my shoulders and had a sore back. Even if I only had to do it monthly it was far more work to me than doing even weekly water changes on my smaller tanks. The tank may go longer between water changes with the right stocking but that doesn't always make it less work.

The best thing about bigger aquariums, is that they are not really more difficult to take care of. Once you set up proper lighting on timers, good balance of bio load (not too many fish), and teach your parents not to overfeed them... it will be easy. Your big tank would really only need a 20 percent (more or less) water change once every 2 weeks! The 2 biggest dangers are not being there while the tank cycles, very critical time. And your parents will want to overfeed them, "they looked hungry all the time son".
When i took care of aquariums in public schools, it was scary to come back to a tank that I hadn't seen in more than a weeks time. Sometimes the tank would be suffering a problem with a filter, and the water would be horrible. Other times the caretakers would overfeed and the filters and water were way dirty. Other times still, everything would be perfect. I would encourage the ten gallon owner to move up to higher gallonage. You not being there may be the toughest obstacle. Sometimes I notice problems with fishes while enjoying them at 10PM. The other members of my family have no idea that there is a problem. This would be an issue when you are away.
If you can handle ten, then you hang with them. But not when you are away.
Good luck!!!

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The calming qualities of a good aquarium are irrefutable

Yeah, I wouldn't get a bigger tank unless I know my parents would be willing to help take care of it and know how to also do it properly. Any ways, I don't got the money at the moment to go getting a bigger tank right now. So I was just wondering about for some time later in this coming up school year. At my LFS store this summer, they said I could try getting a 15 gallon and just putting 10 gallons of water in it and filling the rest of the tank with other objects such as gravel, rocks or w/e. I'm not sure about it though. I think I'm going to wait till I meet my RA and RD for this coming up school year and talk to them. Because if they are ok with me having a 15 gallon tank on campus, I might possibly do that. For the rules at my college, you are only allowed to have a 10 gallon tank on campus. So if all 5 of my room mates wanted to (I live in a suite which which is the same prices as a regular dorm room, but just more people), they could all get their own 10 gallon fish tank. So that would be 60 gallons total in the room. I know 100% for sure that my room mates wont be getting a 10 gallon tank and despite that, I couldn't even have a 20 gallon tank. The reason I think my college has that policy is the fear of the tank possibly getting broken and having a big mess of water. My LFS said I could try getting multiple 10 gallon tanks and just tell the RA that they are my room mates. That is an interesting idea, not 100% sure about it though because that would be both more expensive and a lot of work, 2 10 gallon tanks wouldn't be too bad though, but I'm going to try asking about a 15 gallon tank with 10 gallons of water.

Any ways, thanks for all your advice guys (and girls if any replied). Any ways if I did convert my 10 to a 15. I know I would need a new light and tank cover and more gravel. Other that that, would I need a new power filter and under gravel filter? And could I just take water from the exisiting 10 gallon and put that in the 15 with the fish right away or would have to get different water and wait for that 15 to have its own bio cycle first?

Hi,
Honestly, I'm more concerned with what you are going to do
with the current 10G tank. You will probably have to tear
the tank down every year, and depending upon the school and
its housing system, maybe twice a year if you have to shift
rooms. Honestly, it might not be time to begin this love
affair with aquariums, or you might just stick with one
large one since you are only 10 minutes away.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Well what I did with this past school year was removing about 50% of the water from the 10 gallon. Taking the power filter, thermometer, light off the tank as well as water plants and rocks. I kept the gravel, fish and under gravel filter but the with the pump for the under gravel filter disconnected. Then I would carry the tank to my car along with the other things I took off from the tank. Then I drove home very carefully. So when I brought the tank home, I added the things I took off back on and added more water. So it was all set to go again. Fortunately it was always warm when I brought my tank home. I'll be a little worried though when I have to in December. Hopefully it wont be too cold, what I got to do is make sure I have my car heated up first so its temp isn't as cold as outside, to bring it from my dorm to my car though I'm guessing will take 1 minute or less. Probably less though.

As for bringing the tank back and forth from my dorm room and my house, it will happen 4 times. When I first move in, I'll bring the tank from my house to college in late August. Then in December, I'll bring it home for winter break (about 2 weeks) and then bring it back to college. Come spring break which I think is in March this year? I'll have to bring it home (about 1 week) and then back to college. Then in May, I'll have to bring it home for the summer. So that is what I did his past school year. Never had a loss of fish nor a fishing having an illness from that. However I'll actually have the tank home at my house for winter break 3 weeks and for spring break 2 weeks since I bring home my fish tank a week home early before finals week in December and 2 weeks for Spring Break just so I don't have to worry about it. During those extra week each, I had my parents feed my fish, I showed them how much to give, but I still visited my house then to check on the fish.

Personally im in agreeance with LHG & Mr Frank. Aquariums are supposed to be stable. Even tho you may not loose fish when you move them, it creates alot of stress on the fish to move them. Also If i am not correct please tell me but all the extra stress leaves them open to disease and it could hurt them down the line.

If you are really wanting to do this then you need to reduce the stress as much as possible. Fish can live without food for a few days or even a week if done correctly. So it would be better if you are only leaving for a week then to leave the tank where it is and just go home. Also you can get automatic feeders which would work in both your college and home situation.

However reguar maintenance is required to keep your tank and fish healthy. I am in a similar situation to you but i dont have any control as its my parents in law that have a tank, they really like the tank and wanted me to take care of it. Now its about 20 miles away and so I have them feed the fish and I come down and do the water changes every sunday as we have dinner with them. So far it has worked but yesterday i found a problem with one of my barbs and i was able to go and get treatment for it. I was lucky i caught it when i did but i dont always have that chance to.

My point to all this is because you are not there every day and your parents dont know what to look for, there is a chance you could loose fish that you didnt need to because you could have caught the problem early or treated early. In the end its your decision. But put yourself in their shoes. Would you like to be carted about every 3 or 4 months? Or would you like a happy stable home.

hth

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

With all the going back and forth I wouldn't keep any fish in the 10 gallon I'm not sure isn't going to croak on me during a move. Personally I wouldn't keep fish such as little schoolers and keep only a few fish of something larger. Of course, I have terrible luck with small schoolers, it seems. Slightly larger and hardy fish tend to be that much more stable and will endure a quick move no problem. I personally had a single mudskipper in my 10 gallon the past year and a move doesn't phase her all that much; she recovers quite quickly from being moved.

In terms of a larger tank, they need to be cleaned just about as much as a small tank IF they are stocked proportionally. I too live close to home and have a 125 gallon. However, I've only got three fish in there. Of course, one of them is an 8" royal plec, so that still gives me a good deal to clean up after. On the other hand, with that much water volume and rather specific feeding directions, there's just about no way to overfeed. In any case, once every two weeks would be a good schedule to keep if you don't overstock, and weekly would be even better. In two weeks you will definitely have to take care of evaporated water. I would avoid stocking too much in case there are weeks that you are not able to come back home due to being too busy. Your parents will probably have to manage daily things such as feeding.

--------------------------------------------
The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

Reply to fishmonster.

The reason why I bring the tanks home in the first place is because during winter break and spring break, all power cords need to be disconnected or you'll be fined and security will disconnect it. So I wouldn't want to leave the tank alone without light, heat, and filters for 1 week in Spring Break and especially for 2 weeks in Winter Break. Out of all the residence halls at my college, mine was the "fishy" one.

My RA's roommate had a fish tank, my room mate had a fish tank, I had fish tank and the room across the hall had a fish tank.

I think you will find out the smaller the tank the harder it is to maintain.

My 5ft tank basically looks after its self. It is extremly well planted.
The filtration is fully UGF each riser has its own large air pump. The main filter is a large Eheim Pro11. There is also two 4ins ceramic airstones powered by their own air pumps. As you can see there is plenty of water movement and circulation.

The water is prepared and stored for one week. I also preheat the 45Lt before I do each weekly change. At the same time I do a deep substrate clean front only.
My Profile has more details and stocking re both tanks.
The Eheim is fully pulled down once a month.
Water testing basically none.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

I e-mailed the resident directors in charge of all housing at my college. Here is part of the e-mail he replied with.

"I am on vacation now and will not return to the office at (my college) until July 16. I would like to officially answer your request when I return. I appreciate the thought put into your request, this indicates to me its importance to you. I am leaning toward allowing you an exception for a larger tank (no larger than 20 gallons) but would like to talk it through with you. Please respond with a contact phone number and I will call you the week of July 16th."

I was looking at the stats for fish tanks I saw this:

10 gallon Leader 20" x 10" x 12" 111 lbs
20 gallon High 24" x 12" x 16" 225 lbs
20 gallon Long 30" x 12" x 12" 225 lbs

So what I did with this past school year was emptying about 50% of the water, and I was able to carry my 10 gallon fish tank to my car, I only needed help for opening doors. However with a 20 gallon tank, that will be heavier due to more gravel, water and larger glass. I suppose I could remove more than 50% of the water, but it still might be too heavy or even with only 50% water removed, or I still might be able to carry it by myself since I am a strong guy. If not, what I could do is get one of my friends to help carry the tank to my car, and when I do go home, make sure one of my family members is home to help me carry, or in worst case scenario find a buddy nice enough to go to my house with me. So I'm wondering if you guys think this could work?

If not, an other idea I have is, I catch the fish and put them in a plastic bag such as a fancy zip lock one, and keep my 10 gallon tank running at my house, I empty the 20 gallon of nearly all its water. I put the fish temporarily in the 10 gallon until the 20 gallon is set up

If not, another option is like the other one where I put the fish in a plastic bag, and keep them in the plastic bag, and once the 20 gallon is ready again, put the fish in the 20 gallon. So don't even use the 10 gallon.

Thought occurs to me here.

If you're only 10 minutes from the college campus, why not live at home? Then you can have any size tank you like. Plus, you'd save on accommodation costs enormously because I doubt your parents would charge you anything like the same rent as would be charged for live-in student accommodation.

I know I'd do that if it was me in your situation, unless there were VERY compelling reasons to get out of home.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Calilasseia I think General Hague was wanting to rearrange the fish's accommodation not his own.

With all due respect, his choice to live on campus is as a result of the society he lives in & has to be seen in context. The whole society is set up differently. Living on campus in America is integral to the experience, seen as synonymous with becoming independent. Very different in my own country where if one studies in one's hometown it is virtually unheard of to live on campus.... universities are not set up in the same way with social structure and facilities like in the US (I have lived briefly on campus in the US with a friend - so I have seen their facilities, different universe).

We have lots of Americans on campus here as exchange students (I work and study at a university in Australia) and the college experience in the US is totally different. They tell me it is totally different there.... like, totally.



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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

The whole society is set up differently. Living on campus in America is integral to the experience, seen as synonymous with becoming independent.

I'm gonna have to disagree with that. It might have been true 10years ago when some colleges actually required you to live on campus for a year in order to go to school there but in the past 3-5years it's become a fast fading trend. I lived at home and drove 45mins to college everyday for a year and then moved to an apartment halfway in between. Most of the people I grew up with live at home and drive the 30-45mins to the university or community colleges. People who decide to go to colleges farther away try their hardest to get apartments so they don't have to stay in the dorms. After her first year of whining and complaining but not really having a choice about living on campus my sister is moving into an apartment with 2 other people who are just fed up with it. Dorms are often overcrowded and getting old. Some still lack air conditioning and other conveniences we've come to take as basic necessities. Nearby universities also no longer have enough dorm space for the amount of people attending so not only can't they require everyone to stay in the dorm but even if people wanted to do so a good portion can't. I've been wondering since I first read this thread why the poster doesn't just live at home and have their tanks but there are plenty of personal and family related reasons someone would choose not to live at home. Then there are still those older adults who go on and on about the experience of living on campus while people my age just roll their eyes and tell them that's silly.

This is starting to look like a live in or at home. I know what I would do and that is certainly not live away from home. Just think of all that money that could be saved plus all the comforts of home.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Well I'm actually an Army Cadet and have a military scholarship that is paying the full tuition for college. If I had decided to live at home for all 4 years, I would actually be debt free. But because I live on campus, have to pay for room and board and meal plan. But I'll only be debt about 10K I'm guessing(that's from loans with interest on them). In addition to getting scholarship money, I also get stipend money which is tax free. This past school year, I got $300 a month, this year I will get $350, year after that $450, and senior year $500. Also get $450 a semester from freshmen to senior year for text books. If I used stipend money towards housing and meal plans, that could reduce amount of loans I would need and interest, but less money for time as a college student vs worrying about paying back the money later on. I go to a private Christian college. I got many reasons for living on campus. Mostly socially related ones, but also for family reasons (being more independent) and convenience. Was very nice to take about 1-2 minutes to walk from my dorm to classes. When I commission in 2010, going to be a Second Lieutenant in the active Army. If I live on base, possibly might be able to keep my fish tank, other wise will have to sell it or give it away for free. So during college is the only time I really have for keeping a fish tank. I'm suppose to get a some time next week I believe, an exception might be given me to allow me to have a 20 gallon tank on campus instead of 10. Point of having the tank at campus is so that I can see my tank very often for myself which is the biggest reason but also as well as to show it to other people, especially girls. Other wise without having a tank on campus, I could only see a fish tank at my house often is during the summer, winter break, spring break and other few times in the year when I go home.

Point of having the tank at campus is so that I can see my tank very often for myself which is the biggest reason but also as well as to show it to other people, especially girls.

yep got to say that would work much better then come up and see my etchings.....


any how I kept a tank at home whilst I was at uni, two foot 25G (UK). I kept it stocked very low and Mum and Dad looked after them. I came home most weekends for WC and maintainance. it wasn't ideal but I couldn't find homes for the fish and Mum and Dad were good about it all.

GFG

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

Hi Sham, I stand corrected ('tho I notice General hague's post on 13-Jul-2007 15:37 backs up my original assessment so must be a varied thing huh?). So thanks for sharing. On the plus side seems people are gettin' to college, on the minus the facilities are not able to keep up with demand.

Keithgh, yeah I can see the savings and comfort of home being a drawcard..... but it's something that has to be lived and weighed up. Plenty o' peeps give it a go then change their living situation to suit.

General hague, congrats on the scholarship.... gee I bet you polish your boots beautifully. Worked with a guy who went to boarding school in the 60s. His shirts were always pressed beautifully... enough for me to comment on it and and he told me why... I digress =====> Enjoy your tanks now because as you said it may be quite a while before you have a home situation that can cater for it..... good luck with impressing the girls. Cute.

ps like the rank yer give's yersel'


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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

Thanks! Yeah, my boots were nice and polished. I put many of the other freshmen Cadet's boots to shame this past school year. I however bought the new desert boots. Those don't get polished, only cleaned, so less work (at least that is what I heard, I'll find out for this coming year). Those new desert boots are super comfortable. As for my name, was the name of a fictional minor character from Babylon 5.