10g Saltwater Tank Set Up

[alia258]

I want to start a 10g saltwater tank, I have a friend who will supply me with a few anemones, but I need help with the set up. I have a HOB freshwater filter (works up to a 60g tank) that I was thinking of using on it if it's convertible to make a freshwater filter into a saltwater one. I'd also love any suggestions on fish, decorations, color of sand, brands that work best, and tips and the such. I want some rocks and a shrimp or two, and along with that I want either a solitary fish that would live its life healthily in the 10g or a few schooling fish that'll stay small. Any suggestions or ideas? My knowledge is very minimal on saltwater, but I'd love to give it a try! I have been told that a smaller tank is harder to balance the salt, but I feel up to it. So anyone who thinks they can help me out here, I am in serious need of knowledge!!! I thank in advance ^^

 

[alia258]

I was thinking maybe one of these fish might be small enough to be in the 10g, with about 5in being the largest. Opinions? Someone please help me!



A few damsels also seem doable in the tank. Or maybe a single anemone fish (clownfish) the two chromis Chromis lineata and Chromis retrofasciata sound small enough to fit

 

[Convict2161]

My friend has a nice 10g all he has is 1 clown, a goby and pistol shrimp. The nem would depend on what type of lighting your going to use. Like a T5 HO 4 bulb fixture, LED's like the AI or 2 Par30 or Par38 bulbs.

http://www.aquaillumination.com/sol/

http://ledtric.myshopify.com/products/ledtric-par38-zooman72-full-spectrum-18w-reeflamp-1

http://www.boostled.com/products/par30-reef-lamps

Just a few light ideas.

Also you'll need a power head or 2. Koralia makes a nice power head the nano's either the 240 or 425.

You'll need some live rock and sand. I went with all live rock and all live sand in my bio cube.

Here's a few pics of my friends 10 gallon with 2 par 30's and a aquaclear 110 HOB filter.










Oh and damsels are VERY aggressive so to let ya know. I had to re home both mine. There feisty for little guys. I'd stay away from them if it were me.

 

[alia258]

I already have bright daylight fluorescent lights... Can you give me details on the rest? And can I convert my freshwater filter to a saltwater tank?

 

[Convict2161]

I already have bright daylight fluorescent lights... Can you give me details on the rest? And can I convert my freshwater filter to a saltwater tank?

What kind of lights? I there a brand name? You'll want what's called actinic which is a blue. You need to find the wattage of the bulbs. How many bulbs does the fixture hold?

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/lighting/t5-florescent/bulbs.html

And yes you can turn a freshwater filter into a saltwater filter. It's not set in stone what a filter can be used for. My friend uses this one.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/aquaclear-110-power-filter-110-gal

The tank is doing just fine.

 

[Convict2161]

Also have you YouTube 10 gallon saltwater tanks? There are some sweet ones out there.

 

[paul87]

Anemones need very strong lighting. And even a single ocellaris clownfish (the smallest of clownfish) require 30gallon minimum. Hey convict are you sure that's a 10g in that pic. Looks bigger. Like a 20 or 30gallon. Your fish are pretty limited in a 10 gallon. One of those dartfish would do great. You mentioned shrimp too. Maybe consider a pistol shrimp and shrimp goby pair. They live together in the same burrow and are awesome to watch! I would definitely get more info on the anemone that you would get. There are manor fish out there too if you wanted to get a few to put in there. Gobies and dartfish are some of these. Clown gobys are really small.

 

[paul87]

I guess it could be a 10 gallon just looks big I guess. Alot going on in that tank u guess but it is a beauty.

 

[alia258]

In the fish I'm looking for either small schooling or a larger solitary fish. Either way I want it attractive to the eye, and compatible with cleaner shrimp or those blue shrimps. The anemones I'm getting from a friend and one is a group of very small dark brown anemones on a small rock, and he's gonna split another anemone for me (he says I can keep splitting it and make money for my tank that way) the lid holds two bulbs and they're by zoo med, 6500K super daylight ballasted compact fluorescent lamp lights, and it says it's great for nano tanks, marine aquariums, planted tanks, community tanks, and hermit crab tanks. Here's a pic of the front and back of the box:







I also wanted a few brittle starfish and hermit crabs and sea snails, if possible. The most important thing is that the maintenance on the inhabitants doesn't cost too much (frozen food and that sort of thing are easy enough) and I want then all to be attractive to the eye and colorful.

Live rock and live sand also sound fun, but I want to keep the rock to a minimum, and only allow it to take up a max of 1/5 of my tank space or less.

And one more thing, I was also looking at the bangai cardinal fish, and I really want it if it's possible

 

[Convict2161]

I guess it could be a 10 gallon just looks big I guess. Alot going on in that tank u guess but it is a beauty.

Yeah I know for a fact it is. I pick up the tank for him when petco had that dollar a gallon sale. I know the clown shouldn't be there but... Not my tank kinda thing ya know? He wanted it so...

I think he did a good job for a 10 gallon and it's kinda of funny because nobody thinks it's a 10 gallon lol. Maybe the angle he took the pics?

Corals are doing really well with the 2 Par30's from BoostLED.

 

[Convict2161]

That light isn't gonna cut it or a nem sorry to say.

 

[moo33284]

My friend has a nice 10g all he has is 1 clown, a goby and pistol shrimp. The nem would depend on what type of lighting your going to use. Like a T5 HO 4 bulb fixture, LED's like the AI or 2 Par30 or Par38 bulbs.

http://www.aquaillumination.com/sol/

http://ledtric.myshopify.com/products/ledtric-par38-zooman72-full-spectrum-18w-reeflamp-1

http://www.boostled.com/products/par30-reef-lamps

Just a few light ideas.

Also you'll need a power head or 2. Koralia makes a nice power head the nano's either the 240 or 425.

You'll need some live rock and sand. I went with all live rock and all live sand in my bio cube.

Here's a few pics of my friends 10 gallon with 2 par 30's and a aquaclear 110 HOB filter.

Oh and damsels are VERY aggressive so to let ya know. I had to re home both mine. There feisty for little guys. I'd stay away from them if it were me.

That definitely doesn't look like just 10g! Looks awesome!

 

[alia258]

That light isn't gonna cut it or a nem sorry to say.

What's a nem? And how is the light not gonna cut it? It's the brightest available at petco

 

[moo33284]

The anemone. They needed strong light. Don't know the minimum requirements but I'm sure that light won't work. I just had to spend like $400 on lights for out to make it suitable for what I have in jiffy tank, including a bubble tip anemone.

 

[moo33284]

Jiffy is supposed to say "my"...don't ask how that happened.

 

[alia258]

This is a 10g, and the bulbs met requirements for high light freshwater plants, how much more could it possibly need?

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

This is a 10g, and the bulbs met requirements for high light freshwater plants, how much more could it possibly need?

Freshwater plants and Anemones/Corals have different spectrums of light that they require.

Also, it's not a matter of bulb strength as it is fixture strength. You can have a strong bulb, but if your fixture isn't rated for it, you aren't going to get the light output you expect.

In terms of things to go in a 10g saltwater, you may wanna consider just an invert tank? It's hard to find SW fish that enjoy a small footprint.

 

[alia258]

Freshwater plants and Anemones/Corals have different spectrums of light that they require.

Also, it's not a matter of bulb strength as it is fixture strength. You can have a strong bulb, but if your fixture isn't rated for it, you aren't going to get the light output you expect.

In terms of things to go in a 10g saltwater, you may wanna consider just an invert tank? It's hard to find SW fish that enjoy a small footprint.

I don't understand what you mean by small footprint. My lid is at correct rating for the bulb. I don't want an invert tank though. I want fish, even if only one fish, I want fish. I was thinking a single damsel or a single cardinal or even a goby would fit they way they look on the Internet, or maybe even those could be groups of two, although clownfish looks like it was knocked off the list

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

I don't understand what you mean by small footprint. My lid is at correct rating for the bulb. I don't want an invert tank though. I want fish, even if only one fish, I want fish. I was thinking a single damsel or a single cardinal or even a goby would fit they way they look on the Internet, or maybe even those could be groups of two, although clownfish looks like it was knocked off the list

A footprint of an aquarium is (genetically speaking) the length and width of the tank. If I recall, a 10g is like 20 inches by 10 inches. Not a lot of fish in the wild wild ocean restricts itself to a 20x10 area. Hence why a 10g can be a little difficult to find proper SW fish for.

I'm not saying it can't be done, I've seen plenty of videos of people successfully having them. If you really want a fish maybe look into a Royal Gramma with some Inverts.

As far as the lights go, I don't disagree with the fact that your bulbs fit your "lid." Sadly, keeping decent Corals and especially Anemones requires high lighting usually coming from a fixture that has multiple T5-HO fixtures. Heck, I run T5-HO bulbs on my heavily planted freshwater!

 

[alia258]

I'll look into the high light bulbs, but specifically cardinals, I want one or two and then some shrimp, stars, and the such, would that work?

That royal gramma fish is very pretty but the banghai cardinals would be my first choice