Nano cube or 55 gallon?

[Joyfulgirl]

Okay, I've always had an interest in setting up a saltwater tank but I've finally started to do the research and I'm a bit overwhelmed to say the least. So this topic is going to have a lot of questions and any further suggestions would be much appreciated.
Yesterday when I was looking at different fish to research at a local store, the clerk told me about nano cubes and said it'd be a good starter before I go spending big money. I've always heard to start with a 55 gallon as the smallest because if a problem comes up (and it will..) it gives you time to fix the problem without everything dying. Also.. my plan was to start with some live rock and live sand and let the tank cycle and then add some shrimp and some fish. The sites I've been to pour out so much my head is spinning so bear with me.. So my questions are..
1) Nano cube or 55 gallon, which is the better choice?
2) Is live sand and live rock good to start with? I know to get the rock cured, what about coral frags? I also know anenomes are a little more advanced than I'd be able to handle most likely.
3) I was thinking about firefish and gobies, is this a good choice? Also.. what inverts should I get? Cleaner shrimp, fire shrimp, hermit crabs, snails? All of the above?

Someone help me out, please.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

Go with the 55, if you are new to SW you probably can't handle the nano quite yet. Your levels are much easier to maintain in the larger tank. It will also give you room to expand as you become more knowledgeable.

As far as LR and LS, you can get uncured and just put it in the tank with a regular sand bed and the rock should cycle your tank for you as well as seed your sandbed.

You probably shouldn't try corals and the like for at least a couple of months so that you know you have a well established tank you can manage. These creaturs are a lot more sensative than fish.

I am not sure about livestock, sorry.

 

[fishfreek]

1) Nano cube or 55 gallon, which is the better choice?

55 gal. How nano is this nano cube anyway? A 15 gal cube will relisticly give you a max safe capacity of 2 small fish. IMO its way to much of a chance that a beginner will overload small tanks. A 55 will give you room for a decent number of fish 4-6 medium/small fish.

2) Is live sand and live rock good to start with?

Yes. You can use deadsand and supplemnt it with a few lbs of live sand. Live rock is not only a good way to naturally decorate your tank its also a good biological filter.

what about coral frags?

What about them? Are you curious if you can put them in your tank? If so then ya you could put them in your tank once your tank has established itself and is in a position where its fairly stable as far as water peramiters.

3) I was thinking about firefish and gobies, is this a good choice? Also.. what inverts should I get? Cleaner shrimp, fire shrimp, hermit crabs, snails?

Those sound fine. Specificly what kind of goby where you looking at?

 

[jackdp]

Don't forget lighting....regardless of which tank size you go with, if you plan to add corals in the future, don't skimp on the lighting. The type of corals you may want will dictate the type of lighting you go with.

 

[Joyfulgirl]

Okay, so I think I'm going with the 55, someone I know is getting rid of their's and it comes with stand, hoods, Fluval 304, some brand of side hanging filter, Super-strong Powerhead 550, Strong Powerhead 401. Is this a good start? As far as I've heard, Fluval and Eheim are the best.. the hang over is just for extra protection I guess and I know nothing about powerheads. What else do I need, new lights.. what brands are the best.. I used to be into reptiles so I know lighting with them but not aquarium and reef lighting. What about protein skimmers, good brands, etc? Anything I'm forgetting?

I need like a quick step by step guide. I saw one person mixed playsand (2/3) and live sand (1/3), is that a good idea. Should I just get sand and start with live rock? How many inverts should I have as a cleaning crew? What are the best, when do I add them? What fish are good? I said firefish and gobies because I've heard they are good beginners, docile, etc.. anything else to consider? What would be a colorful mixture? Should I get pairs of anything, single of anything?

Sorry for all the questions but this is helping, thanks

 

[tkos]

Go bigger. You will regret buying any sort of starter setup. It is mostly a waste of money and they hope that you will come back and buy bigger stuff from them. Start as big as possible.

 

[fishfreek]

I need like a quick step by step guide.

I could compose one but in all honestly I would guarintee that 9 out of 10 people would have an issue with something. The truth is I dont think anyone of us that has multiple tanks has ever setup two the exact same way.

 

[Joyfulgirl]

So is it not worth it to get that? It's used, not new so it's not like a starter kit from a store, it's what they used for their freshwater tank.

 

[ellisz]

Why is a 55 the smallest to start out with? I started with a 29 gal and then had a 38 gal for many years. This was for fish only but as long as you don't want big fish, it would not be a problem. I am doing a 29 gal with a wet/dry and overflow for my office. It is a bit over kill but watching fish swim in a healthy environment is fun

BTW, the 29 started with left over parts. Currently I have a 75 gal, a 29 gal, 2 20 gal and a 10 gal tank. I had a 38 gal too but I sold that one. The 75 and the 29 are up and cycled and 1 20 gal is the sump for the 75. The other 2 will be QT tanks if needed.

 

[Joyfulgirl]

So one says bigger one says smaller. I would never buy a starter kit from a store because they charge more for them to throw a couple of boxes into a tank and seal it. Is there still room for error in a 29 gal

 

[biotoxin]

30g talls are nice. Id get one if i had the cash. Also maybe a 36g bowfront. 55 is a lot to start with. The lighting alone will be probably 500$, keep that in mind. I dont wana even think about how much lr will cost, plus supplements, food, ugh. I love my nanos

 

[jackdp]

I think the the question to ask is how confident you are in being able to maintain the water quality in a smaller tank and how much time do you plan to put into maintenance. How small is this nano cube? My first salt tank was/is a 20 gallon but I've had a 15 FW for years and also have a degree in biology with a lot of college chemistry so I find keeping water chemistry stable a little easier.
In a smaller tank every thing happens faster due to the smaller volume of water. The tank heats up and cools off faster, if something dies the water quality degrades quickly, pH swings can be greater. All these things can be easily dealt with, but if you're not willing to put in the time then stick with the 55. If you have the money stick with the 55.
Before you can get good advice on filtration, lighting etc, you will have to have a good idea of what you want to keep in the future. Fish only, fish with LR, or a full blown reef tank. Planning now for what you want to keep in the future will save you money and headaches in the long run. If its a good deal on the 55 setup then get it and do ALOT of research before setting up.
Patience is a virtue, especially with SW aquariums.

 

[tkos]

Longer tanks are better. The more surface area the better. This allows you to keep more fish and bigger fish as they have more area to swim.

 

[biotoxin]

ya if keeping fish is your main focus. Longer is not ALWAYS better.

 

[tkos]

When is it best to have a tall tank?? Fish swim across not up and down.

 

[biotoxin]

really? wow then i duno what the hell my fish is doin when he comes to the top when i feed him. He must be insane. Fish swim where the want to, just because the have they ability to swim horizontally as opposed to vertically doesnt mean thats all they do. Really depends on what you wana do with a tank, they're good for planted tanks for more room for growth. I think its a rash generalization to say tall tanks are bad but if you wana make those statements feel free. Ill be right here to correct you

 

[jackdp]

A longer tank is better due to the larger water surface area that comes into contact with the air. With a longer tank and good surface agitation you can get a better gas exchange between the air and your water. This in turn will help export excess CO2, oxygenate the water and help provide a stable pH. Some fish do prefer to swim like hell back and forth across longer tanks, as some fish will prefer the depth of a taller tank...again it depends on what you want to keep. For reef tanks, a longer, shallow tank will allow you to place more corals with high light requirements closer to the lights. A lot to think about...

 

[tmcpeek]

I think its a rash generalization to say tall tanks are bad but if you wana make those statements feel free. Ill be right here to correct you

Like Fishfreek said not all people have the same way to do things. Instead of being rude, put in your .02 and leave it at that. We all have different opinions and that is what makes this such a great site. You can get different info and make your own decision based on what you have read/heard. Also it helps make your info more credible when you state facts like jackdp did for the longer tank.

 

[biotoxin]

rude? All i stated was i like tall tanks and i start gettin bashed for it. My opinion is just as valid as the next persons and thats my .02.

 

[steve-s]

Please keep this peaceful. If anyone wish's to debate the benefits/disadvantages of tall vs long tanks please start a new thread. This thread is getting off topic and will be locked if it continues...

Cheers
Steve