Looking To Start a Very Small Tank In College

[Jaspacouts76]

Ok so im in college and I absolutly love the salt water all i do is go diving and am always exploring it. its pretty much my life and now in college im looking to keep that with me by starting an extremly small set up and all i want to know is exactly what i would need this is the set up that i am looking at

JBJ 3gal Picotope Aquarium, Complete Kits > Aquariums > Saltwater Aquarium Supplies

im looking to do a very small coral reef in it with just a few fish and im just wondering what i would need on top of what comes with this. heating, and maintence supplies etc. so if someone could really help m out and give me maybe a small checklist of everything i would need to get going and keep it going it would be greatly appreciated thank you

[mike47517]

not a SW person but welcome to the sight.

[melosu58]

Welcome to AA. Your plans are very doable but it will not be easy. Smaller tanks are very unforgiving if promlems or mistakes take place. The smaller the water volume the harder it will be. And probably one fish will be all you can get in a 3 gallon tank. Good luck on your tank.

[roka64]

Welcome to the site!
I agree with Mike, if possible, go with the largest you can.

[HoCkEyGmC]

"only a few fish" is going to be only 1 fish. as already mentioned go as large as possible.

[Jaspacouts76]

I would go bidder but its in a college dorm room so space is kind of limited and why can i only have 1 fish??? im just looking for somehting small that wont be too hard to maintain but dont take that as me thinking there isnt alot of maintenece im aware that there will be alot but im trying to keep everything small so that when i clean it i dont have to deal with something to big. so what else do u guys think i would need to get it goin?

[HoCkEyGmC]

each fish will nasty up the water more and more so it gets to the point where the water is pretty much toxic even with the best filters, and there are territory issues and not having enough space and such. i would go with 10gal (or higher i guess) if i were in your situation but thats just me.

[melosu58]

Alot of new folks think the smaller tanks are more easier. Wrong. The smaller the more harder it will be because more dilligence will be needed.

[Jaspacouts76]

ok does anyone know of a 10 gallon tank that is like a kit that would be able to come with everything i would need to get set up minus the stuff like salt and substrate and that stuff but like the basics like filter lighting heating all of that do they make a 10 gallon tank that comes with everything or almost everthing???

[HoCkEyGmC]

you could look into a nanocube, biocube, aquapod, or eclipse system. they are all "plug and play" type units. but a warning; they get to be pricey.

[mlpbarrett]

I did the eclipes unite, it was pricey, but worth it.. but on top of it, I also bought my live rock and coral sand seperate, live rock is pricey but is the best way to go in my opinion.