First tank. I want to do saltwater w/ 5 - 7 lb live rock and likely 1 small fish. I am upgrading the lighting, and getting a power head. Other than that what are changes I will need to make to the filter/pump. Can I just use what I have? Again 1st tank so I'm just going off of Internet advice. I have the fluval edge 6 gallon it is for my daughter I want to give her a little nemo.
Fluval 6 gallon advice
- Thread starter AJStaples
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Bectan01
Aquarium Advice Addict
Unfortunately a clown fish requires a much bigger tank than that. A 5g isn't really suitable for any fish but there are plenty that go in a 10g, clowns require a 20g. If its your first saltwater I highly recommend going bigger, the bigger the tank the easier it is to maintain. Check our some of the nano build on here for advise on how to set it up, do plenty of research first before buying anything and patience is the key with salt water 
Brandon K.A
Aquarium Advice Freak
Bigger tank, the better. Best to start with a 20 or 29 gallon like me.
Bectan01
Aquarium Advice Addict
Please don't put a clown fish in there anyway, your daughter will be more upset when it dies check out liveaquaria.com in the nano section, like I said there will be no fish that fit in that size but there are plenty of small gobys that will do ok. What a lot of people do with pico tanks is tiny reefs with fancy shrimps?
check out liveaquaria.com in the nano section, like I said there will be no fish that fit in that size but there are plenty of small gobys that will do ok. What a lot of people do with pico tanks is tiny reefs with fancy shrimps?
Brandon K.A
Aquarium Advice Freak
Plan on cycling the tank with live rock? That's what I plan on doing.
baron1282
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2012
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- 936
Yes, just buy uncured live rock. I also agree, a small White Blenny or a Pigmy Wrasse. One or two small fish would be fine. Not much more.
I would go with at least 12 pounds of live rock, and I would buy at least one bag of live sand. Most bags I have seen have 30 pounds of live sand, but I don't think you would need all of that for your tank. Just do enough for a 3in sand bed.
When you cycle the tank, it might be easier to just get a uncooked shrimp, and put it into a clean pair of panty hose (Rinse the hoes). Throw that in your tank, and let the cycle begin. The rock that you get from LFS will most likely be cured already, so you won't have to worry about too much die off, which means hardly any ammonia to cycle your tank. Once the cycle is done, you will just take the hoes out of the tank and throw the shrimp and hoes away.
My tank took three weeks. With this small of a tank you will not be able to get hardly any fish in your tank. Your looking at ONE small fish, and two will be pushing it. A nice Clean Up Crew would be cool to add, such as a hermit crabs and a few peppermint shrimp, and a few snails. But, beyond the Clean Up Crew, you will not have much swimming in your tank.
My advice is, to set up your tank and cycle with freshwater, and throw a awesome looking Betta in with maybe three Cardinal Tetra's. Buy yourself a 20 gallon kit, and get the Marineland Penguin 200 filter (The filters the kits have are crap), make sure you got a good heater as well. The kit will mostly just be your tank and hood. I would add this too it.
Filter:
http://www.amazon.com/Marineland-Pe...&keywords=Marineland+Penguin+Power+Filter+200
Heater:
Amazon.com: Aqueon 06104 Submersible Aquarium Heaters, 300 Watt: Pet Supplies
You can get the 30 pounds of live sand, and 20 pounds of live rock and set it up. You can than get a pair of Clowns like you want!! There is only a few that can live in a 20 gallon, but they look great, and are hardy. A great fish to start out with! I think the Black and White Clowns are really cool looking! Please read this as well!! Very helpful!!
http://www.liveaquaria.com/PIC/article.cfm?aid=126
Clownfish for Sale: Clownfish Species for the Home Aquarium
I would go with at least 12 pounds of live rock, and I would buy at least one bag of live sand. Most bags I have seen have 30 pounds of live sand, but I don't think you would need all of that for your tank. Just do enough for a 3in sand bed.
When you cycle the tank, it might be easier to just get a uncooked shrimp, and put it into a clean pair of panty hose (Rinse the hoes). Throw that in your tank, and let the cycle begin. The rock that you get from LFS will most likely be cured already, so you won't have to worry about too much die off, which means hardly any ammonia to cycle your tank. Once the cycle is done, you will just take the hoes out of the tank and throw the shrimp and hoes away.
My tank took three weeks. With this small of a tank you will not be able to get hardly any fish in your tank. Your looking at ONE small fish, and two will be pushing it. A nice Clean Up Crew would be cool to add, such as a hermit crabs and a few peppermint shrimp, and a few snails. But, beyond the Clean Up Crew, you will not have much swimming in your tank.
My advice is, to set up your tank and cycle with freshwater, and throw a awesome looking Betta in with maybe three Cardinal Tetra's. Buy yourself a 20 gallon kit, and get the Marineland Penguin 200 filter (The filters the kits have are crap), make sure you got a good heater as well. The kit will mostly just be your tank and hood. I would add this too it.
Filter:
http://www.amazon.com/Marineland-Pe...&keywords=Marineland+Penguin+Power+Filter+200
Heater:
Amazon.com: Aqueon 06104 Submersible Aquarium Heaters, 300 Watt: Pet Supplies
You can get the 30 pounds of live sand, and 20 pounds of live rock and set it up. You can than get a pair of Clowns like you want!! There is only a few that can live in a 20 gallon, but they look great, and are hardy. A great fish to start out with! I think the Black and White Clowns are really cool looking! Please read this as well!! Very helpful!!
http://www.liveaquaria.com/PIC/article.cfm?aid=126
Clownfish for Sale: Clownfish Species for the Home Aquarium
Bectan01
Aquarium Advice Addict
^this is really confusing advice, he already has the tank and has put water in it. It's a 6gallon. ???
I put in 7 lb live rock and and have a nice coat of reef sand. They came from a an established tank that is a few years old. There's a few small snails and tiny star fish that came out. I'm leaning toward 2 Catalina goby and a clean up crew ill put in in a few weeks. Any objections to this?
baron1282
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2012
- Messages
- 936
I would go with just One Catalina Goby, two in that small of a tank will not work as they might fight for territory. I thought you didn't put water in your tank already .
Post Pics! We like Pics!
Just be ready, Gobies tend to be elusive. I hardly ever see my Sleeper Goby. As long as you give them some caves to hide in, they will come out more as soon as they feel comfortable!
I would suggest a small Wrasse still. Maybe in this category!
Wrasse Fish for Sale: Cleaner Wrasse and other Reef Safe Wrasse Species
I wouldn't go above two fish, the Wrasse will give you more movement and something to watch more, while the Goby will like to hide and pop out every now and than, I think the Catalina likes to perch, so you might see him more. Two Gobies might fight for territory in that small of a tank, so I would go with one.
. Post Pics! We like Pics!
Just be ready, Gobies tend to be elusive. I hardly ever see my Sleeper Goby. As long as you give them some caves to hide in, they will come out more as soon as they feel comfortable!
I would suggest a small Wrasse still. Maybe in this category!
Wrasse Fish for Sale: Cleaner Wrasse and other Reef Safe Wrasse Species
I wouldn't go above two fish, the Wrasse will give you more movement and something to watch more, while the Goby will like to hide and pop out every now and than, I think the Catalina likes to perch, so you might see him more. Two Gobies might fight for territory in that small of a tank, so I would go with one.
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