Help on geting started!!

[AlonelyCody]

I have a 2.5g and a 10g that I would like to start up with SW but am unsure what I need to do I have a heater and a filter for the 10g would I need to upgrade my filtration for SW? For now all I would like to have is some LR and some inverts. So I guess you could say I would like to eventual have a reef tank. Would I need to upgrade my lighting? I have 20w on it now. any info would be great.

Thanks.

 

[alrmc4]

that is going to be a difficult undertaking with a tank that small you are going to have a hard time keeping the water stable it is actually easier the bigger the tank plenty of lr and that is the best filter out there for a tank that small a skimmer would probably be a good idea hope some more knowledgeable people chime in with more ideas for you

 

[austinsdad]

Wouldja/couldja consider going anywhere from 30 to 55g? I think you'll get more out of your reef tank if it could hose a few small fish and something other than smaller coral. And like alarmc4 said, the smaller tank will give you more trouble maintaining stable water conditions.

I'm not real sure, but maybe 6 or more watts per gallon is what you'll probably need. 2 watts won't do it for you with reef aspirations.

 

[AlonelyCody]

Well I am starting to same money for a 75g tank for my cichlids. I would be moving them out of a 30g tank. I think i should wait and once I have done the change over then I will use that. So a 30g would be easyer to maintan than a 10g? so around 6 watts per gallon would be good? That way I can put more LR in it and maybe in time get a few fish. I like reef tanks and that is what I will be shooting for. any other information or links for beginners to SW would be much apreceated.

Thank you all for the info!

 

[austinsdad]

I don't have my refernce books handy, so maybe someone else can verify the watts per gallon need for what you want.

I'm using 4x65s, which gives me about 3.46watts per. About to upgrade to the 4x96 (or 95, not sure). That'd give me 5.1watts per gallon, so maybe 6 is in the MH range.