10 Gallon reef tank

[Nemo6292]

Just got back home from spending most of the day at the fish store. I bought everything I need to turn a 10 gallon freshwater tank into a reef tank. List of new stuff:

- Carib Sea Active Aragonite Sand
- AquaClear Power Filter
- Koralia Nano Circ. Pump
- Live Rocks

I've just put everything together. Tanks a little cloudy due to the sand and water. Should I turn on my filter or let it settle to the bottom on it's own?? I am needing to buy the lights for my tank. Where is the best place to find Reef lighting??

 

[carey]

I would run your filter just as you would normally. You can check out fish need it;lights; food;Sponge they might have a T5 fixture for a tank that small. Your other option is to go to Aquatraders - Guaranteed Best Prices on Aquarium Lightings + Free Shipping! I know they have 20" lights. If you want a good amount of coral I would get a 4 bulb T5 light.

Do you have a hydrometer or refractometer to measure salinity? Do you have the test kit for the water so you can watch the cycle? Did you use ro/di water to fill the tank?

 

[Nemo6292]

Yep! Hydrometer. But I am gonna get one of them other ones. (Can't spell it). Lol. The LFS has a system where you can go get saltwater thats already mixed and ran through all kinds of filters. So I got ten gallons of premixed water. I've got a 30 gallon freshwater tank, so I have all the testing stuff. I just gotta get pure ammonia. And thanks for the links to the lighting!

 

[carey]

Excellent. You do sound like you've got everything you'll need. Here is a cheap link for a refractometer

eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

You can also go to marinedepot.com and get one it will come with calibration fluid and be about $20 more than the ebay one.

You should get yourself some buckets and keep maybe 5g of non salted ro/di water on hand on case of an emergency and for tops offs due to evaporation.

 

[sanchezkk]

What is ro/do water?

 

[sanchezkk]

Oops, I meant ro/di water....

 

[Alyxx]

Also get the saltwater cards for the test kit! You can go online or write to API for them.

 

[carey]

reverse osmosis/deionazation filter. It will remover all inpurities from the water and you will avoid algae issues. Especially good if you want corals. The better water quality the happier the corals will be

 

[Nemo6292]

So do I need a reverse osmosis filter?? Or just use RO water from the store?? I am going to keep a couple gallons of RO water on hand in case. I'm also gonna get a small box of the Instant Ocean sea salt for when I start the water changes later on. I am not really worried about corals just yet. I've got some live rocks now and gonna go Monday and get more and let my tank cycle and seed before I had anything.

 

[Nemo6292]

Do y'all think i need a protein skimmer?? The guy at the LFS said no, since it's just a 10 gallon tank. But I may get one later.

 

[TigerBarbs]

You don't NEED one on a tank that small. Weekly water changes will be fine

 

[AquaRick]

You don't NEED one on a tank that small. Weekly water changes will be fine

+1. I'd skip on a protein skimmer for that small a tank and use it somewhere else.

 

[Nemo6292]

When time comes what's so good starter corals and fish?? I'm not looking to go too crazy. Main thing is just learning the basics to salt water and then moving all my saltwater to my 30 gallon.

 

[Nemo6292]

Got one more question before I go to la la land. Lol. I've got everything set up as mentioned earlier. Going to get more rock Monday. What's the best way to cycle the tank. Please be a little descriptive in what to do, I'm new to the saltwater side of AA. Thanks very much for everyones input thus far! Tremendous help!

 

[TheKleinReef]

Liveaquaria.com has a whole section of fish and corals for newbies

 

[TigerBarbs]

Zoas, mushroooms, are super easy and most LPS are easy too.

 

[AquaRick]

Got one more question before I go to la la land. Lol. I've got everything set up as mentioned earlier. Going to get more rock Monday. What's the best way to cycle the tank. Please be a little descriptive in what to do, I'm new to the saltwater side of AA. Thanks very much for everyones input thus far! Tremendous help!

I'd recommend a fishless cycle. Dosing with pure ammonia works very well. See here:
The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling

 

[TigerBarbs]

That's an awesome article that helped me a ton!

 

[Nemo6292]

What about putting a shrimp into the tank? Wouldn't that grow bacteria that would make a person sick??

 

[sanchezkk]

That's a good question....