Help! Been bit!!

[Convict2161]

Well... I have my 55 gallon Cichlid tank and now ladies and gentlemen I want to start up a small saltwater tank for the bedroom, something not too big. Something that will look nice in the corner on a nice little stand I have that has a weight limit of 350 pounds.

LFS and a friend recommended a 14 gallon bio dome? For my first go around with about 3 or 4 fish max and some critters with live rock and live sand. Also star fish. Keep in mind I know NOTHING about saltwater fish so I've been doing A LOT of reading and it seems once it gets settled its pretty straight forward although there is more going on then in a fresh water tank.

Was just curious what your thoughts were...

 

[ShadoeFox]

Based on my own experiences, admittedly, I'd suggest going a bit bigger than a 14 gallon. If we're talking about a biocube (my assumption since I've not heard of the Biodome before) you might consider going for a 29, or just build a tank up from scratch (So to speak.)

I started with a 37 which cycled and was running with fish in less than a month (Believe it or not, it has been stable since), and a five I meant to use as a semi-display quarantine (Which took FOUR months and several modifications to stabalize). even more than fresh water, Saltwater lives with the more water equals more safety.

That being said, if your confident of your abilities with the water chemistry, go for the fourteen. Just know you're going to have to watch it, and even among the nano-fish you're pushing it with more than two small fish, right out of the gate.

Also be aware, if you might ever go reef (And again, I've discovered it's hard not to. Especially since my LFS has a guy who's like a coral crack dealer. Seriously) you'll have to consider the fish based on if their reef safe, though to be fair most of the nano's I've looked at really are.. but that might just be I somehow draw myself right to the fish.

As for starfish, they'll (Most at least) eat anything that moves slow enough. Including small fish and corals.

Lastly, don't waste the money on live sand. Live rock is worth the money, live sand isn't really quite "Alive" enough, and any sand will be "live" in a very short time once in the tank.

 

[rdnelson99]

One thing I would say is that small tanks are harder to keep than larger tanks. With such a small amount of water, things can swing out of control a lot faster than in bigger tanks.

Also, in my opinion, if I were going to do a small tank in the bedroom (wait a minute, my wife has informed me that should read "When") I think I would want to make it a nice little reef tank with a couple of special clowns.

 

[ShadoeFox]

ironically my wife has single handedly converted that five INTO a reef tank in our bedroom. Thus the looking to upgrade to ten...heh. One day I'm minding my own buisness, getting RODI water, then suddenly she's got coral in a bag and a look in her eye. Admittedly, the guy at our LFS is pretty good, but it kinda startled me.

Gotta admit though, that tank's pretty as heck now. I'd hesitate to enlarge it except she wants a pink skunk clown or maybe a barnacle blenny or two for the thing.

 

[rdnelson99]

I saw some really nice set-ups at the grand opening of a new LFS here in Atlanta. Here is a thread I started about one of the tanks they have set up. Of course, I don't think I would go with a pair of $7.000.00 a piece clowns in mine but......

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f23/7-000-00-clown-173077.html

 

[rdnelson99]

If you go to that thread I posted, be sure to go to the end and watch the video.

 

[Convict2161]

Thanks guys! I have thinking to do and I'll be sure to check out that. Video.