Planning A 10g Saltwater Tank

[Bettafanatic]

Okay, I think my LFS sells yellow watchmen gobies but I'm not sure, I'll check tomorrow because I have to get a saltwater test kit. lol i forgot to get one and am feeling stupid

Okay, so everything is all set up. I put in two live rocks and two caves, and a few smaller stones. Got white sand, a nice ocean background, and a really good quiet filter that filters 110 gallons per hour. Temperature is 80 degrees and salinity is between 1.020 and 1.2021 is that a good level?

A question about salinity. If I wanted to raise it a couple of numbers, would I add a lot of salt or only a little? How much, exactly, for a ten gallon if I wanted it at 1.023 because I was told that's a good amount. Also, once the tank is cycled and I've added the invertebrates, can I add all the fish at once? I don't think so but just wondering.

And if my LFS doesn't sell gobies at all, would another clown do? I like tomato clowns do those fit in a 10g? If not, any other suggestions?

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Okay, I think my LFS sells yellow watchmen gobies but I'm not sure, I'll check tomorrow because I have to get a saltwater test kit. lol i forgot to get one and am feeling stupid

Okay, so everything is all set up. I put in two live rocks and two caves, and a few smaller stones. Got white sand, a nice ocean background, and a really good quiet filter that filters 110 gallons per hour. Temperature is 80 degrees and salinity is between 1.020 and 1.2021 is that a good level?

A question about salinity. If I wanted to raise it a couple of numbers, would I add a lot of salt or only a little? How much, exactly, for a ten gallon if I wanted it at 1.023 because I was told that's a good amount. Also, once the tank is cycled and I've added the invertebrates, can I add all the fish at once? I don't think so but just wondering.

And if my LFS doesn't sell gobies at all, would another clown do? I like tomato clowns do those fit in a 10g? If not, any other suggestions?

Haha okay sounds great! You want your salinity at .025-.026. So you need to raise it a bit. What you need to do is whenever you do a top off make sure the water is at .025 and slowly your salinity will rise to exactly that. Once it is .025 ONLY top off with fresh RO water. Remember salt doesnt evaporate, only water does so that salt in your tank isnt going anywhere for the most part. When you add to your tank add your hermits and snails first, then wait a week and add a shrimp. Wait a week and add a fish. Wait 2-3 weeks and add another fish. Etc. never add fish or inverts too fast because this could add too much waste into the system and mess up your cycle. Your lfs HAS to sell gobys... They are pretty common. If they dont for some crazy reason i dont suggest getting another clown, much less a tomato clown. One clown is enough for a 10 gallon tank and ot has to be an occ clown. Tomato clowns get huge and are super agressive... Scratch that off the list!

 

[Bettafanatic]

Aw shame about the tomato clowns. Oh well! So I'll add another teaspoon of salt in the morning to raise the salinity. Cycling will start tomorrow once I get a kit.

Ikr my LFS is pretty messed up. I will have to ask if they sell any other gobies because i dont recall seeing any.

And when adding another fish, I have to quarantine it for like a month, right? Or for just two weeks?

 

[Ibrahim]

Aw shame about the tomato clowns. Oh well! So I'll add another teaspoon of salt in the morning to raise the salinity. Cycling will start tomorrow once I get a kit.

Ikr my LFS is pretty messed up. I will have to ask if they sell any other gobies because i dont recall seeing any.

And when adding another fish, I have to quarantine it for like a month, right? Or for just two weeks?

I think you'll need 1/3 a cup of salt.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Aw shame about the tomato clowns. Oh well! So I'll add another teaspoon of salt in the morning to raise the salinity. Cycling will start tomorrow once I get a kit.

Ikr my LFS is pretty messed up. I will have to ask if they sell any other gobies because i dont recall seeing any.

And when adding another fish, I have to quarantine it for like a month, right? Or for just two weeks?

I dont qt..... Haha if you can qt then thats awesome! What tank would you do it in?

 

[Bettafanatic]

I dont qt..... Haha if you can qt then thats awesome! What tank would you do it in?

Oh yeah good question

 

[dlsrks]

Get you a Blackbar Chromis. They stay real small and are a good community fish. I know Blue Zoo Aquatics has them.

 

[Bettafanatic]

Thanks I'll keep it in mind

 

[Bettafanatic]

Anyone know how much salt to add if u want to raise the salinity from somewhere around 1.020 to 1.021? I just need a base

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

You will need to experiment IMO. Thats what i did because some people have differant salt, sized buckets, etc

 

[Bettafanatic]

Oh good point. Anyways, cycle is started up. I dosed with ammonia so I'll be checking the levels in thirty minutes (does half an hour ago). pH is 7.8 is that a good pH or should I raise/lower it? My test kit didn't come with normal pH range it only goes from 7.4 to 8.8 or something like that.

Also, while at the LFS i saw all these things like calcium test kits, kH stuff, and all these weird things. Are they important, or any other levels I need to keep in check?

 

[severum mama]

Reef or FOWLR? 1.022 is fine if you don't want corals.

Salt mix can vary from brand to brand, and even batch to batch. To say that adding 1/3 cup will be the right amount is an oversimplification at best. I don't even recall what brand was mentioned, if any. Check specific gravity with a hydrometer (cheap and not very accurate), or better yet, a calibrated refractometer (more expensive but more accurate). Make small adjustments as necessary, in your mixing bucket, until desired sg is reached.

7.8 is low. PH should be 8.2-8.4.

 

[Bettafanatic]

Ok I'm using Instant Ocean salt and an instant ocean hydrometer. I added a little more salt, just waiting for it to mix in so I can test salinity.

How do I raise pH?

Oh, and cycle is started up. I dosed 4 ppm ammonia and am awaiting nitrites.

 

[severum mama]

Do you have a top on your tank? Lack of gas exchange can contribute to low pH. Right now I wouldn't worry about it too much. A cycling tank is going to give you wonky readings for pretty much everything.

 

[Bettafanatic]

Yeah, my tank has a lid. I like to keep it lit up and I hear that firefish are jumpers.

I'll raise the pH after the cycle but how would I do so once it's done?

 

[Bettafanatic]

pH has gone up to 8.2. Yay!

Do I need a calcium test kit? Saw one in the LFS and was just wondering if it's any important.

 

[Bettafanatic]

Sorry another question about the cycling. It looks like I already have some nitrites. Quick, huh? There's only .25 but it's a start.

Anyways, the ammonia level has gone up a lot. Originally, it was only 2 ppm so I added a little more to bring it to 4, but today it was 8. I'm not sure if that's my fault or if it's natural since there are nitrites too. Thanks

Sorry I'm asking so many questions.

 

[carey]

When I dose ammonia i usually wait awhile after so that it's all blended in and then I test. You may have added the right amount at first. But either way, nitrites are a good sign. They should go up dramatically and then fall to 0 all by themselves, no water changes or anything.

As afar as the Ph I would let it roll as is...my 125g reef tank is naturally at 7.8 and everything does just fine., it's alot better than dosing your tank with chemicals constantly to attain the "perfect" ph.

 

[Bettafanatic]

I know I waited an hour after the first dose so it was 2, and after I dosed again I waited a whole day before testing. I heard ammonia was supposed to spike so I'm not sure whether to bring it down to four manually or not.

Going to get a calcium and alkalinity test kit sometime soon. Any suggestions on good levels?

 

[carey]

I wouldnt worry too much about those tests for awhile yet, at least til after you've had some corals for awhile. But for a reef tank, calcium should be 450+ and alkalinity between 8dkh and 10 dkh. I use salifert kits for the calcium, alkalinity, magnesium and phosphates, much much more accurate but a bit more $$.