Reef possible in College (sps)?

[Eeels]

Hey everyone,

I’ve had the reef bug on and off since I was a kid, and I’m trying to figure out whether there is any realistic way to make this hobby work in my situation or whether I should just wait until later in life.

I’m in college right now. Most of the year I’m in North Carolina, but I’m from California and usually go back there for the long summer break. That’s the main problem.

My current situation:

- I’m not in a dorm next year
- I’d likely be in a school-owned house, or possibly an apartment after that
- I do have people in Winston-Salem who could physically check on a tank if absolutely needed, but they do not know reefing at all
- My dad used to do saltwater, but he doesn’t have the time to run a tank for me
- I cannot realistically move a reef tank cross-country for summer
- So the big issue is how to handle being away for an extended period, especially summer

I’m not asking whether reefing is hard in general. I understand the basics pretty well already. I’m more asking what the realistic ownership models are for someone in this kind of life setup.

What I’m trying to figure out:

1. Is there any realistic way to run a reef in college if you may be gone for part of the summer?
2. Has anyone here actually done this successfully, and if so, what was the setup?
3. Is the only viable answer a very small tank, or can something like a 40-50 gallon work with the right automation and support?
4. If you had non-reefer friends nearby, what tasks could they realistically handle and what tasks would be too much?
5. Would you just say wait until I have one stable year-round home base?

I’m trying to be honest with myself and not force a bad setup just because I want the hobby badly. At the same time, this is not some random impulse; I’ve wanted to do this for years.

I’d especially appreciate hearing from anyone who has actually dealt with:
- summer break
- leaving a tank for weeks
- college housing changes
- automation vs real human backup
- whether it was worth it or a mistake

Thanks.

 

[BryanM]

I would not do this.

Who/how will it be maintained over the summer, and how do you guarantee you can in to the same house the next year?

Relying on others to maintain it usually ends up in disaster.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

There have been a couple of members who have had tanks while being at college. I do agree that being away from your tank, especially during the summer months, would cause some concern.

 

[FrugalReeferJon]

I did the whole college thing in a town 1 and a half hours away from home and living in dorms, albeit over 30 years ago (Go South Carolina Gamecocks!). You may not like it but my advice would be to prioritize your studies and getting your degree before thinking about getting into this hobby. The livestock you have when keeping a reef tank will require a lot of your time, attention and money and I just don’t see it happening when you’re living in a dorm in a college environment. But hey, I could be wrong.

 

[blkcoral]

Reach out to Alan at Koral King. He started in college during COVID and has turned his experience into a top quality coral/fish store. He can be reached via Instagram most easily.

@Koral King

 

[vetteguy53081]

I would consider a fish only tank with an auto feeder for the summer and someone to drop occasional frozen meals