Starting Salt Water tank

[akgcrt29]

So, For valentines day I bought a salt water tank, Im going to do fish only.

I have the filter, air bubbler (i dont know if i need it or not?), crushed coral, fake plants,

I have the Salinty set right where it needs to be at, BUT!, I dont know what I need to do? Need help and advice.

Its just a 10 gallon tank for now, just starting out small, I do have a 45 Im also going to start as soon as I expirement with this 10 gallon, WHAT DO I NEED?!

Please list me everything I Need to go out and buy still, I do not have the ph tester yet, im going to get that tommorow, please just list everything I do need to go get so I can be ready Thanks so much!

I plan on just getting the nemo family. that was in the dentist's tank haha.

 

[roryb24]

get some live sand to cover the bottom let the tank have some time and make sure it is stable then add fish

 

[akgcrt29]

get some live sand to cover the bottom let the tank have some time and make sure it is stable then add fish

so get rid of the crushed coral all together?, or just add some live sand in with it?. or just live sand only? haha,

 

[roryb24]

Do either the crushed coral is fine.

 

[Hinds04]

I dont like responding to these because you can search and find answers easily but the advice you have been given makes me feel sorry for you. It is best to use the fine sand and it does not need to be live most live sand that has been sitting on shelves isnt very live anyway. Just get regular sand (cheaper), you will also need about 10 lbs of live rock, fill your tank about 3/4 full with your prepared water, get it to temperature, add live rock, add sand using a pvc pipe and a funnel, do this slowly as not to create a big cloudy mess, add an ammonia source to start the CYCLE (a raw shrimp will work). Test your water every few days. When your ammonia gets to the right level remove the shrimp, then test water, you will see ammonia rise and fall, nitrite rise and fall, then nitrate raise at this point do a water changes to get your nitrate down. Now you are ready for a fish. This is pretty vague still but should give you some understanding...

 

[Smitty]

I also agree that crushed coral may not be the best. It can trap detris and can be a problem if you aren't on top of it. I would recommend Argonite fine sand as that should help buffer the PH (as opposed to regular sand).