New to salt water.....

[kenyon1313]

A petstore in West Palm has a complte salt water set up for 150.00. It is a 12 gallon. Includes all you need to set it up but fish. I was thing o getting it to start out to make sure I could do this ok

What do you all think?
thanks

 

[loganj]

Probably not a good idea. I don't want to discourage you from trying SW of course, it's just that these "kits" rarely have the needed equipment and are more geared towards separating you from your money than setting up a sucessful tank. Small SW tanks are a bit more difficult to keep because of the small volume of water...things can go wrong much more quickly. I would look at, if space and money is an issue, at least a 20 long tank...bigger is better. You'll also want to decide what kind of tank you would like to set up...fish only (FO), fish only with live rock (FOWLR), or a reef. I'd suggest the FOWLR for starters as you'll have a bit more leeway with water parameters and lighting. I'd also suggest reading the articles on this site that pertain to SW tanks. Pick up a copy of "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" either online or at your favorite bookstore. This will give you a good breakdown of the different types of tanks and how to set them up. We can help with setting the tank up and can advise you on what equipment to buy and what equipment to stay away from. It's not a cheap hobby to get into, but if done properly, the results are worth every penny. Welcome to AA.com!

 

[c0mf0rt]

I second that..... SW is AWESOME... but if you're new it's better to start with a larger tank.... it keeps the tank more stable.... I have a 55 and I've already realized that if it was larger things would be a little easier.... though I'm doing great with the 55 ....

 

[quarryshark]

Agree with both above. A larger tank is more forgiving.

 

[XxTitleisTxX]

Larger is easier... but if you can't afford it, make sure the kit comes with a heater, hydromer, water conditioner and a good filter. Also you may need to purchase more as you come to realise it can become difficult. You'll need to test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH most of all. And if you are planning on keeping any sort of coral, i doubt that the provided lighting would be sufficient. In the end your better off going with a larger tank.

Another point is that you shouldn't expect to house much more than maybe a few shrimp and maybe a fish. Saltwater fish require almost twice as much swimming space. HTH

Jarrod.

 

[XxTitleisTxX]

Welcome to Aquarium advice.

 

[MarkLehr]

I love small marine aquariums! I have kept several 5 gallon and 10 gallon aquariums over the years, and definately would encourage you to try SW!

With a 10 gallon, I would not buy a kit, instead put together your own. If money is not an issue, then live sand, live rock, and a small protein skimmer would be the perfect setup.

If money is an issue, then use a Penguin BioWheel filter, with crushed coral as substrate. You would treat this setup like a FW tank, doing a weekly 2 gallon water change. You will need to replace evaporation almost every day to keep the salt level constant. Monitor Nitrates prior to every water change. If Nitrates exceed 40ppm then do a 5 gallon water change. Hopefully this will only occur a couple of time per year.

Foolproff fish options:
1 Coral Beauty Angel & 1 Perc Clown (Nemo)
1 Perc Clown & 1 Six Line Wrasse
2 Perc Clowns.
1 Sharp Nose Puffer.

I suggest that you choose only 1 option and do not mix and match. These are the easiest SW fish to keep in my opinion and would make a great small setup. Fish to avoid in 10 gallon tank: Manderine Goby, Damsels, Chromis, Blenny's.

Good luck!

 

[austinsdad]

If you set it up, I'll bet you're gonna want a larger one inside of 2 months.

Welcome to AA!

 

[lando]

Welcome To AA!! I would not recommend starting with a 12 gal. tank, although it could certainly be done. It would just take more dedication and the tank would have less room for error then a larger one. IF funds and space are and issue, by all means go for it. Just know what you are getting into. I look at it as more of a growth issue. In a 12 gal. you can only get two or three small fish. You will quickly want something larger. I would say start with a 38 gal. or a 55 gal. Best of luck in whatever you decide and remember to keep asking questions here. Lando

 

[steve-s]

Foolproff fish options:
1 Coral Beauty Angel & 1 Perc Clown (Nemo)
1 Perc Clown & 1 Six Line Wrasse
2 Perc Clowns.
1 Sharp Nose Puffer.

While you may have personally had some success with the above list, I would not suggest anyone stock a 12 gal tank as mentioned here. At best you would be looking at one hardy fish depending on adult size/swimming needs. Any Centropyge angel, toby puffer or combination of fish would be extremely unwise.

Cheers
Steve

 

[MarkLehr]

Steve,

I wasn't clear i suppose. I was listing choices of stocking options. Option 1) Coral Beauty & Perc Clown; Option 2) Perc Clown & Six Line ; Option 3) 2xPerc Clowns & Option4) 1 Sharp Nose Puffer.
Sorry for the confusion.

If you did understand my options correctly, I want to say that I have kept these setups personally & guided a number of hobbyists thru these combinations with great success. I agree that almost any deviation from the list above or any additional mixing and matching could be a disaster, but the above lists certainly work and work well long term. Tried & tested & successful many times.

 

[steve-s]

You where very clear, I understood just fine

In a 12 gal tank though, I did then and do now disagree with those choices despite your claim to success. The only fish I would recommend from that list for a tank that small would be either a single clown (pairs better in a 20+) or the sole sixline. None of the others would be very resposible choices IMO.

Cheers
Steve

 

[lando]

I must say that I agree 100% with Steve. A 12 gal. is a bit small for a coral beauty or puffer to thrive in. Two small fish, three at max and that is it. Limit the list to percs, gobys, grammas or chromis.

 

[JG]

Larger is easier ! More room for water chemistry mistakes. I run a 10 for my daughter and a 30 for myself. I did not start the 10 gallon untill I mastered the 30. The 30 is much easier to maintainas well.

 

[MarkLehr]

I'm afraid we can only agree that Perc Clowns are a good option! I definately would not keep Goby's or Grammas because of dietary restrictions, and Chromis tend to have a hard time surviving unless in very large groups, probably stress related.

One thing about this hobby that makes it so challenging for the newcomer is that you will often find many experienced aquarists whom have all had different experiences with the same situation! I think this is probably do to the source of the fish being collected and sold & the quality of the distributor & LFS. We all know a Regal Angel is not a *Regal* Angel unless from the Red Sea...

There you have it! A 10 gallon tank with a live sand bed, live rock, a large protein skimmer, daily evaporation replacement, weekly water changes, weekly Nitrate tests, and 1 Perc Clown!

 

[austinsdad]

Alright Kenyon. Sounds like the verdict is in.

One fish, maybe a couple of snails and hermits, and a shrimp.

Still gonna do the 10g?