10 gal SW?

[willowthepoet]

i just adopted a 10 gal FW tank (i consider it a rescue mission) but i'm not interested in another boring (imo) FW community tank... so i'm looking to sell the fish (except one angel... yes, from a 10-gal ) back to the LFS and start a SW.

is it worth my time/money to put the work into such a small SW tank? what are some suggestions for fish/critters to put in there?

i really like wrasses and firefish, would that be a possibility? are there any starfish small enough?

anything else i'm missing?

TIA!

 

[flamingonhot]

If it's your first sw tank then no it's not a good idea.

1. If your like me and read and researched for about a year before you did it and found out everything its a possibility.

2. not many fish can be kept in a 10 gallon, maybe 2 small fish like 1 false percula clownfihs and 1 firefish.

3. Expect to pay at least 200 dollars for everything if not more, are you willing to ppay that much for that small of a tank?

4. since the tanks so small and your most likely going to want another soon your probably going to get another. Do you want to just get the bigger tank now and save a lot of money and stress?

5. can you keep up with water changes and not neglect your tank. saltwater tanks cannot be ignored especially when it;s a ten gallon. Things change too quickly in sw to let the tank be forgotten.

All depends on some of the stuff above.

IMO i would just get a bigger tank and save a lot of time and money now.

The biggest concern would probably be the cost. I can guarantee you that any tank 10 gallons or larger is going to be over 200 dollars.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Your biggest concern in a small tank like a 10 gallon is water loss. It can greatly effect salinity. Daily maintnence would not just be reccommended, but required for your tank to thrive. As long as your are willing to put the extra time and money into a small tank, I'd say go for it, just make sure you are prepared. Read up first so you know what you are getting yourself into. It's definiltey doable (not reccomened, but doable) if you can put forth the time to maintain it.

As for fish, it's debateable. Some will say none. Some will say one clown, and a goby (or other slight variations) and that's all. I've always wanted to set up a nano-reef. I think you would be fine with a false perc clown and some inverts. Some soft coral species could be added after your tank has been well established(for over a year).

 

[DragonForce]

You would be better off buying a 12 nano cube. It has everything built into it. The only thing you will need to get is sand, water, rock and a heater. The problem with nano reefs is that the water quality can degrade rather quickly without proper care. We use an IV bag with an adjustable drip valve for auto top off in my moms 24 gal. If you do the research and get the proper tools it really isn't that difficult to do. The 12gal nano cube is perfect for a pair of clowns.

I actually plan on getting a 12gal nano cube in the future. You can get alot of neat little things that would otherwise get lost in a larger reef system(sexy shrimp, small gobys etc)


Do some searches for nano reefs and nano cubes, you will find a lot of useful information. Good luck!

 

[physicsdude]

Bah, whats said is partially true- but I'm a college student and I have kept a 10 gallon hex tank for a while now with a condy anemone and 2 damsels....Its not that hard, just sit down, write up a maintenance schedule with a pencil and stick to it...test every 3-5 days, change water every week or add if you're like me. If you have powerful lights like me, about 5.6 watts a gallon, test the salinity evry day and adjust as necessary...But above all, I strongly advise you to keep a written log of all tests, water add/changes, etc. so you can begin to understand what you'r doing right and if there is something off the mark...just my two cents...hope it helps!

 

[flamingonhot]

What dragonforce said is right except for one thing, your going to need more than salt.heater,rocks, and sand. There is a whole lot of little and non little stuff that add up over time.