Future First Saltwater Tank

[Scottyhorse]

Hi everybody. So I am really jumping the gun here. Lol. All I have right now is a 2 gal shrimp tank, and I am going to have a 20 gall fresh right after Christmas. Fish just fascinate me, and now I am already planning on making a saltwater tank!!!

I don't have $30 a month allowance, so I think I will start around March when I get my birthday money. I usually get about $250 and then whatever I have saved up for allowance.

The biggest tank size I would get is 10 gallons, but I would like it to be around 5-8 gallons so I can keep it on my desk where I do school. I want a few live corals, and the only fish I would want is a goby. Even though they are shy and don't do much, they have always been my favorite saltwater fish. Besides sea horses and deep sea fish. But I obviously can't keep those - yet. Plus, I would like a couple shrimp.

For corals I prefer soft corals. But, if they are not good for begginers then I'll opt for hard.

I believe I will also use a pound or two of live rock so I can get it to cycle faster, and I'll also have some 'dead' coral in there. I don't know what it is really called lol.

So, that is really all I know what I am going to do. Otherwise, I am clueless. Do I need a sump? A skimmer? A powerhead? What salinity, substrate, light, and ph do I need. What goby would be good for this tank? Could I add a crab? Hahaha this is all confusing. I just want to start preparing now, because time goes fast, and it would be nice to start being able to purchase some things.

So, how, what - uh..... Can you help me?

 

[Qube]

Hi everybody. So I am really jumping the gun here. Lol. All I have right now is a 2 gal shrimp tank, and I am going to have a 20 gall fresh right after Christmas. Fish just fascinate me, and now I am already planning on making a saltwater tank!!!

I don't have $30 a month allowance, so I think I will start around March when I get my birthday money. I usually get about $250 and then whatever I have saved up for allowance.

The biggest tank size I would get is 10 gallons, but I would like it to be around 5-8 gallons so I can keep it on my desk where I do school. I want a few live corals, and the only fish I would want is a goby. Even though they are shy and don't do much, they have always been my favorite saltwater fish. Besides sea horses and deep sea fish. But I obviously can't keep those - yet. Plus, I would like a couple shrimp.

For corals I prefer soft corals. But, if they are not good for begginers then I'll opt for hard.

I believe I will also use a pound or two of live rock so I can get it to cycle faster, and I'll also have some 'dead' coral in there. I don't know what it is really called lol.

So, that is really all I know what I am going to do. Otherwise, I am clueless. Do I need a sump? A skimmer? A powerhead? What salinity, substrate, light, and ph do I need. What goby would be good for this tank? Could I add a crab? Hahaha this is all confusing. I just want to start preparing now, because time goes fast, and it would be nice to start being able to purchase some things.

So, how, what - uh..... Can you help me?

Skimmer--not needed on a small tank. You just have to stay current with your water changes.
Sump-not needed.
Power Head- you will need something between 250-400gph.
Salinity-for a reef, shoot for 1.025-1.026.
PH- I shoot for 8.1. It will fluctuate through the course of the day.
Substrate- your choice. Look into aragonite sand.
Lighting- all depends on what kind of coral you want to keep. I would suggest T5 lighting to start out with.
Gobies- check out Liveaquaria.com. Everything is broken down by care level, tank size, etc.
Crab- yes you could add a crab. If its a reef, do your research on crabs first, as some are reef safe, while others are not.

Additionally, you will most likely need a heater(depending on where you live), live rock (or dry rock, if you're willing to wait for a longer cycle), and the ability to get saltwater and freshwater that is made from a RODI unit. Most fish stores sell water, or you can purchase a cheap RODI unit from eBay. Not having RODI water can lead to algae problems down the road.


All in all, you can do a lot with a little money in a 10g tank. Search through the different forums on here, there is a wealth of information to be had. Welcome to the salt world!!

 

[Beengirl]

A 10g will be a challenge cuz the water parameters are more difficult to keep in check. But if you're up to a challenge, go for it. The yellow watchman goby say smaller than most of the others. There's also the clown goby that would work in that size tank.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Skimmer--not needed on a small tank. You just have to stay current with your water changes.
Sump-not needed.
Power Head- you will need something between 250-400gph.
Salinity-for a reef, shoot for 1.025-1.026.
PH- I shoot for 8.1. It will fluctuate through the course of the day.
Substrate- your choice. Look into aragonite sand.
Lighting- all depends on what kind of coral you want to keep. I would suggest T5 lighting to start out with.
Gobies- check out Liveaquaria.com. Everything is broken down by care level, tank size, etc.
Crab- yes you could add a crab. If its a reef, do your research on crabs first, as some are reef safe, while others are not.

Additionally, you will most likely need a heater(depending on where you live), live rock (or dry rock, if you're willing to wait for a longer cycle), and the ability to get saltwater and freshwater that is made from a RODI unit. Most fish stores sell water, or you can purchase a cheap RODI unit from eBay. Not having RODI water can lead to algae problems down the road.


All in all, you can do a lot with a little money in a 10g tank. Search through the different forums on here, there is a wealth of information to be had. Welcome to the salt world!!

So, to make the salt water, do you just use aquarium salt? How much do you usually need?

How do you raise your PH? I think my PH is about 7.4, but I am not sure.

I'll do some research on the gobies and crabs.

I'll need to use a heater at least in the winter. My shrimp tank gets to about 67 degrees with out one.

What kinds of corals are good for begginers?

Can you send a link to a good RODI unit? Do I NEED one?

 

[Scottyhorse]

A 10g will be a challenge cuz the water parameters are more difficult to keep in check. But if you're up to a challenge, go for it. The yellow watchman goby say smaller than most of the others. There's also the clown goby that would work in that size tank.

I don't mind a challenge as long as it's not a total pain in the butt and a waste of money.

 

[oyf709]

Hi everybody. So I am really jumping the gun here. Lol. All I have right now is a 2 gal shrimp tank, and I am going to have a 20 gall fresh right after Christmas. Fish just fascinate me, and now I am already planning on making a saltwater tank!!!

I don't have $30 a month allowance, so I think I will start around March when I get my birthday money. I usually get about $250 and then whatever I have saved up for allowance.

The biggest tank size I would get is 10 gallons, but I would like it to be around 5-8 gallons so I can keep it on my desk where I do school. I want a few live corals, and the only fish I would want is a goby. Even though they are shy and don't do much, they have always been my favorite saltwater fish. Besides sea horses and deep sea fish. But I obviously can't keep those - yet. Plus, I would like a couple shrimp.

For corals I prefer soft corals. But, if they are not good for begginers then I'll opt for hard.

I believe I will also use a pound or two of live rock so I can get it to cycle faster, and I'll also have some 'dead' coral in there. I don't know what it is really called lol.

So, that is really all I know what I am going to do. Otherwise, I am clueless. Do I need a sump? A skimmer? A powerhead? What salinity, substrate, light, and ph do I need. What goby would be good for this tank? Could I add a crab? Hahaha this is all confusing. I just want to start preparing now, because time goes fast, and it would be nice to start being able to purchase some things.

So, how, what - uh..... Can you help me?

I am just gonna use previous format lol

Skimmer--not needed on a small tank. You just have to stay current with your water changes. (agree with it water change is super important to this,however, you can play around with some regular filter, I saw someone use a wet-dry filter removed all media and placed some algae in it. I think technically it would work)
Sump-not needed. (agree)
Power Head- you will need something between 250-400gph.(if you are looking for soft coral, should aim for lower water flow towards 250gph)
Salinity-for a reef, shoot for 1.025-1.026. (agree)
PH- I shoot for 8.1. It will fluctuate through the course of the day. (agree ph drop in nite when lights out)
Substrate- your choice. Look into aragonite sand. (u can even try bare bottom for a small tank like yours, easier to clean and look really nice)
Lighting- all depends on what kind of coral you want to keep. I would suggest T5 lighting to start out with. ( T5 or LED fixtures)
Gobies- check out Liveaquaria.com. Everything is broken down by care level, tank size, etc.
Crab- yes you could add a crab. If its a reef, do your research on crabs first, as some are reef safe, while others are not. (Disagree, cuz most crab are not reef safe especially in a small tank like this, your goby will be very dangerous,all other one are algae eater and small tank like that would prefer almost 0 algae grow, so they wouldn't survive )

 

[Beengirl]

I am just gonna use previous format lol

Skimmer--not needed on a small tank. You just have to stay current with your water changes. (agree with it water change is super important to this,however, you can play around with some regular filter, I saw someone use a wet-dry filter removed all media and placed some algae in it. I think technically it would work)
Sump-not needed. (agree)
Power Head- you will need something between 250-400gph.(if you are looking for soft coral, should aim for lower water flow towards 250gph)
Salinity-for a reef, shoot for 1.025-1.026. (agree)
PH- I shoot for 8.1. It will fluctuate through the course of the day. (agree ph drop in nite when lights out)
Substrate- your choice. Look into aragonite sand. (u can even try bare bottom for a small tank like yours, easier to clean and look really nice)
Lighting- all depends on what kind of coral you want to keep. I would suggest T5 lighting to start out with. ( T5 or LED fixtures)
Gobies- check out Liveaquaria.com. Everything is broken down by care level, tank size, etc.
Crab- yes you could add a crab. If its a reef, do your research on crabs first, as some are reef safe, while others are not. (Disagree, cuz most crab are not reef safe especially in a small tank like this, your goby will be very dangerous,all other one are algae eater and small tank like that would prefer almost 0 algae grow, so they wouldn't survive )

I got a little lost with the lack of punctuation at the end if this post. Are you saying that the goby would die because it eats algae? That's not true cuz YWG are carnivores, not herbivores.

I'm not a big crab fan myself, so I wouldn't suggest them either. A pistol shrimp/YWG pair would be cool, though.

To OP: there are some other gobies that are quite small. I think it was mentioned, but check out the sw nano section of liveaquaria.com.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I got a little lost with the lack of punctuation at the end if this post. Are you saying that the goby would die because it eats algae? That's not true cuz YWG are carnivores, not herbivores.

I'm not a big crab fan myself, so I wouldn't suggest them either. A pistol shrimp/YWG pair would be cool, though.

To OP: there are some other gobies that are quite small. I think it was mentioned, but check out the sw nano section of liveaquaria.com.

I could have 2 gobies?

So I won't get a crab then. Could I have some shrimp with the gobies, or would they eat them? Also, what do gobies like to eat, and where do I get their food?

 

[TheTodd]

I agree that a 10g reef will be tricky, but if you keep all your parameters in constant check, it is doable. Not sure if it was mentioned yet, but you will want to get a good test kit. As for an RODI unit...it is good to have and you should use RODI water, but if your budget is tight, then maybe just buy the water from a LFS. That cost will add up over time, but with such a small tank, its not like you would be buying too much at a time for water changes.

 

[Scottyhorse]

We have well water, if that makes a difference. For a saltwater, should you test every day? Also, we live about a half hour away from the lfs or petco.

 

[Qube]

I am just gonna use previous format lol

Skimmer--not needed on a small tank. You just have to stay current with your water changes. (agree with it water change is super important to this,however, you can play around with some regular filter, I saw someone use a wet-dry filter removed all media and placed some algae in it. I think technically it would work)
Sump-not needed. (agree)
Power Head- you will need something between 250-400gph.(if you are looking for soft coral, should aim for lower water flow towards 250gph)
Salinity-for a reef, shoot for 1.025-1.026. (agree)
PH- I shoot for 8.1. It will fluctuate through the course of the day. (agree ph drop in nite when lights out)
Substrate- your choice. Look into aragonite sand. (u can even try bare bottom for a small tank like yours, easier to clean and look really nice)
Lighting- all depends on what kind of coral you want to keep. I would suggest T5 lighting to start out with. ( T5 or LED fixtures)
Gobies- check out Liveaquaria.com. Everything is broken down by care level, tank size, etc.
Crab- yes you could add a crab. If its a reef, do your research on crabs first, as some are reef safe, while others are not. (Disagree, cuz most crab are not reef safe especially in a small tank like this, your goby will be very dangerous,all other one are algae eater and small tank like that would prefer almost 0 algae grow, so they wouldn't survive )

I agree with Beengirl, the punctuation made this post confusing. Gobies are primarily carnivores, so algae supply isn't an issue.

As far as crabs go, I disagree as I don't know of anyone who has had issues with Porcelain Crabs or Pom Pom Crabs wiping out their fish and corals. There is good reason to exercise caution when picking out a crab for your tank, as there are some that can destroy a tank pretty quickly.

 

[Qube]

I got a little lost with the lack of punctuation at the end if this post. Are you saying that the goby would die because it eats algae? That's not true cuz YWG are carnivores, not herbivores.

I'm not a big crab fan myself, so I wouldn't suggest them either. A pistol shrimp/YWG pair would be cool, though.

To OP: there are some other gobies that are quite small. I think it was mentioned, but check out the sw nano section of liveaquaria.com.

A pistol/goby combo would be great for this size tank! I should've thought to suggest that!

 

[Qube]

We have well water, if that makes a difference. For a saltwater, should you test every day? Also, we live about a half hour away from the lfs or petco.

You can run an RODI on well water, but depending on how "raw" the water is coming out of the tap will determine how long the filter would last. I agree with TheTodd, for the size tank you are going for, a trip to the LFS wouldn't be too painful in the beginning.

 

[oyf709]

sry posted that at 2am of my time, with my eyes half closed, wat I was suggesting was that crab should not be part of this tank at all. It just not ehough algae to survive for them in a small tank like this and the rest of the crab are no reef safe

 

[Scottyhorse]

You can run an RODI on well water, but depending on how "raw" the water is coming out of the tap will determine how long the filter would last. I agree with TheTodd, for the size tank you are going for, a trip to the LFS wouldn't be too painful in the beginning.

Could you post a link to an RODI system? Also, or fridge has a water dispenser with a filter, and it makes it taste like tap water. Would that work instead of an RODI?

 

[Scottyhorse]

A pistol/goby combo would be great for this size tank! I should've thought to suggest that!

Could I do any goby with the shrimp? I also really like sexy shrimp. I might do a couple of those?

 

[Scottyhorse]

sry posted that at 2am of my time, with my eyes half closed, wat I was suggesting was that crab should not be part of this tank at all. It just not ehough algae to survive for them in a small tank like this and the rest of the crab are no reef safe

If I put in a couple bunches of macro algae could I have a crab?

 

[Qube]

Could you post a link to an RODI system? Also, or fridge has a water dispenser with a filter, and it makes it taste like tap water. Would that work instead of an RODI?

This is the unit I started out with.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/0PPM-Portab...751?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c5bbe8af

There are more efficient/better units out there, but I started off small.

As far as water from your filter in your refrigerator, it isn't the same as RODI.

 

[Scottyhorse]

This is the unit I started out with.

0ppm Portable 50 GPD Reverse Osmosis Ro Di Filtration | eBay

There are more efficient/better units out there, but I started off small.

As far as water from your filter in your refrigerator, it isn't the same as RODI.

I can actually afford that one!! Lol. Do I need it right away, or can I wait a couple months after setting up the tank to buy it? Also, how the heck to you use one?

 

[Qube]

I can actually afford that one!! Lol. Do I need it right away, or can I wait a couple months after setting up the tank to buy it? Also, how the heck to you use one?

It will come 3 colored water lines. The red hooks to the faucet, the black goes down the drain, and the blue is your filtered water. It will come with a faucet adaptor as well.

When you set up your tank, you will want to use either RODI or water from your LFS. You never want to put water in your tank that comes directly from your faucet. Petco sells "real ocean water" in their saltwater section. I started a nano with this last year and had good luck with it, but eventually switched over to making my own water due to the cost.

If you decide to make your own water, you will also need a salt mix. I have used Instant Ocean Reef Crystals with success. You can also use plain Instant Ocean, but the Reef Crystals has additional calcium and magnesium which is needed by corals. Typically, most salt mixes will mix to 1.025 with 1/2 cup of salt per gallon. To measure your salinity, I recommend a refractometer (around $40), but you can use a swing arm hydrometer (around $10) if need be. Just make sure you knock all the bubbles off of the arm when measuring, as they can give you a false reading.

I know I've said a lot, but I figure you can just read through your thread when you get ready to set up or just ask again.