Is this tank even big enough...???

[bruinsbro1997]

I have wanted to take the plunge into saltwater for about a year now. I finally can when I got my new tank! Only problem is...

it's 5.5 gallons. That was the deal, nothing bigger...

From what I've read on here the only fish suitable for that size of a tank is a small goby like a neon goby and just a few inverts. Unfortunately I do not have any lights for it and no filter either. Is a skimmer really necessary in this big of a tank? Also what kind of filter would you reccomend...

But first and foremost, can you even do anything with this tank for saltwater besides using it as a sump or refigium?

Oh BTW I don't want corals, seems too hard regarding lighting requirements and nutrients and the prices at the LFS are outrageous...so I just wanted the setup to be some live sand, 5 lbs. live rock or so and just one teeny weeny fish...

 

[carey]

I have a 4G Pico and have one clown goby and a few inverts, but I have alot of coral. lol

Check out Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums and look at their nano fish section, give you some idea.

I bought a prepackaged tank deal so the filter came with it. You can use a regualr hang on back model, maybe a nano filter or even an aquaclear 20 would work.

I don't have a skimmer on the 4g so you'll be fine. just have to do water changes every week and watch the parameters. Such a small tank things can get out of hand in a hurry.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

I have a 4G Pico and have one clown goby and a few inverts, but I have alot of coral. lol

Check out Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums and look at their nano fish section, give you some idea.

I bought a prepackaged tank deal so the filter came with it. You can use a regualr hang on back model, maybe a nano filter or even an aquaclear 20 would work.

I don't have a skimmer on the 4g so you'll be fine. just have to do water changes every week and watch the parameters. Such a small tank things can get out of hand in a hurry.

Thank you Carey! New you'd come around and help me sometime

I was thinking just an AquaCleaer 20 for this one, it's cheap and the LFS has no nano filters...

Are corals that hard? I heard the majority of the ones on the market are stony, which are super hard to take care of.

And I know the answer to this is a very possible no, but is it okay to just keep one clownfish by itself in this tank with nothing else? My LFS has just one with an anemone in it and it's been thriving, don't know how they do it...

And for water changes...my LFS sells premade RO saltwater that goes for 0.69 cents a gallon, would that be a good place to start instead of making the saltwater yourself?

 

[carey]

I have very easy to care for corals mostly in my pico. I have xenia, alot of zooas, a kenya tree, some candycanes, a few mushrooms and some others.
here are 2 pictures of my pico so you can see that it can be done.

I for sure wouldnt put a clown in a 5g, way too small. :-(

The prepared sw should be fine, you'll only need like 1-2g a week for water changes and for top offs. (no sw for the top off btw, use regualr Ro/di water)

 

[bruinsbro1997]

I have very easy to care for corals mostly in my pico. I have xenia, alot of zooas, a kenya tree, some candycanes, a few mushrooms and some others.
here are 2 pictures of my pico so you can see that it can be done.

I for sure wouldnt put a clown in a 5g, way too small. :-(

The prepared sw should be fine, you'll only need like 1-2g a week for water changes and for top offs. (no sw for the top off btw, use regualr Ro/di water)

Aw shucks What about ten gallons??? I can always convince my mom into upgrading...

Are all those corals easy to take care for? They look really pretty! What kind of lights do you think I should get for a five to ten gallon tank?

I'm not a saltie...so...um...I don't know what top off is...

 

[carey]

When your water evaporates, you have to top it off so to say with fresh unsalted water. bear in mind that salt doesnt evaporate so you dont add sw to the top off. does that make sense how I wrote it? LOL

10g and maybe you can squeeze in a single clown fish and some inverts.
I have an led fixture currently for my 4g, it came with a 23watt compact flourescent that I may be adding back on, the leds' are quite strong.

Here is an example of the light that would work over a 5g or maybe even a 10g

Energy Saving Epoch Cliplight

That light would be enough to keep most basic corals like I have in the 4g. Not sure if it would give you enough spread though on a 10g tank.

For the most part, my Pico is a coral tank first, and fish tank second. lol

 

[bruinsbro1997]

When your water evaporates, you have to top it off so to say with fresh unsalted water. bear in mind that salt doesnt evaporate so you dont add sw to the top off. does that make sense how I wrote it? LOL

10g and maybe you can squeeze in a single clown fish and some inverts.
I have an led fixture currently for my 4g, it came with a 23watt compact flourescent that I may be adding back on, the leds' are quite strong.

Here is an example of the light that would work over a 5g or maybe even a 10g

Energy Saving Epoch Cliplight

That light would be enough to keep most basic corals like I have in the 4g. Not sure if it would give you enough spread though on a 10g tank.

For the most part, my Pico is a coral tank first, and fish tank second. lol

Ah okay that makes more sense, my LFS also sells regular RO water for 69 cents a gallon so that'll work for the top off.

What are some basic corals? All the answers I got were mushrooms and zoas when I asked on another forum...

For now I'm just gonna say I have the five gallon, but I'll keep you updated

 

[carey]

Well mushrooms and zooas are the easiest to keep in my opinion. They also come in sooo many colors too. Leather corals are also easy to keep, like toadstools.

Saltwater Aquarium Corals for Marine Reef Aquariums: Colony Polyp, Orange/Green
Saltwater Aquarium Corals for Marine Reef Aquariums: Green Mushroom Coral

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Thanks carey

Turns out I'm keeping my thirty gallon that was supposed to be given away. So...building time!

Check out the thread if you would please
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...997-if-itll-even-work-164509.html#post1491041