Thinking about converting

[TAbruzzi]

i am considering converting my 10 gallon freshwater to a saltwater tank. any tips/ideas? any and all are appreciated !

 

[Mrc8858]

Is this you first SW tank? If so I'd advise to start as large as you can. The less water volume the more your mistake will be amplified which turns a lot of people away from SW in the beginning.

 

[TAbruzzi]

yes it is my first. would a 25 gallon be good to start with?

 

[Mrc8858]

Ya that would make it much easier. That's 2.5x the volume of a 10 making any mistakes that much less. The main issue with new SW keepers and small tanks is correct salinity.

 

[TAbruzzi]

ok sounds good. i plan on starting sometime next month. could you give me some general ideas in the area of must haves and getting the tank cycled? for example i know that you must declorinate the water and and the salt but what about filtration? what is the best way to go?

 

[Mrc8858]

It will depend on what you want to keep. Do you want corals? Also, dechlorinating tap water for SW isn't recommended. You should either purchase your own Ro/Di filter to make your own at home or buy your water at the lfs or supermarket.

 

[TAbruzzi]

wow thanks for that. im not entirely sure of what i wanted to keep either. probly a few fish and an anenome. i dont think thats coral.? any ideas?

 

[Mrc8858]

Nems aren't coral they are inverts but require high light requirements much like corals. Honestly I would say get coral before a nem cause if they die in your tank they can realease all their toxins into the water killing everything. You also shouldn't add them to a tank until its matured (running for 4-6 months). Don't let this scare you off though if you want one then by all means do some research and work towards it

 

[begginersluck]

Here's an idea for you,

Take it as slow as possible. Many people rush into it when converting from tropical to marine. Do as much reasearch as you possibly can. The more you learn.... the more you will want to learn. There is so much to it. Some great video's on youtube too i HIGHLY recommend these.

Another great idea would be for you to post your ideas on here before doing them. That way you will get the best advice and will limit mistakes. There's tonnes of advice on here!

Best of luck and i look forward to seeing your new SW tank!

 

[TAbruzzi]

yes i am at least a month away from even purchasing the tank lol. thats exactly what im doing. just shopping for ideas right now. ive read multiple things on the internet about sumps but i cant tell if these are necessary or not. also what about substrate? san seems like a better choice but wouldnt a siphon bring that up?

 

[Mrc8858]

Sumps aren't a necessity but it does help a lot (even increases water volume) and I would go with sand maybe even mixed with a little.crushed coral if you want a little rougher look. When siphoning you'll just have to control the flow by pinching the hose or using your thumb to cover the end

 

[TAbruzzi]

ok! so i guess the next question is what would be the best beginner fish to look at for a 25 gallon?

 

[Mrc8858]

Many people decide to go with clowns which personally I can't stand em even though I have two (my GFs lol) others would include gobies, dartfish, blennies, and damsels. A warning though, damsels are very aggressive and once added to a tank are very difficult to catch and usually won't take kindly to newcomers no matter what the size.

 

[Khij159753]

Clowns, gobies, firefish, bangaii cardinal, chromis. Damsels if you want mean fish that are pretty

 

[Mrc8858]

Try going to liveaquaria.com and check out their "beginner fish" section. Once you find fish that catch your eye you can check their requirements and if you can meet those needs then write it down. Build a list of fish/inverts/corals you like and start working on a compatibal list which we would be happy to help with

 

[TAbruzzi]

yes i have been looking at that a lot lately. there is a locally owned shop around me that ill probly be going to look at soon enough and im sure hell be able to offer some advice! i was thinking about some clown fish or maybe a smaller lionfish or even possibly an eel which ironically are all found under SW Beginner. i would like to buyin person rather than online but if i had to i would probly order from live aquaria

 

[Mrc8858]

yes i have been looking at that a lot lately. there is a locally owned shop around me that ill probly be going to look at soon enough and im sure hell be able to offer some advice! i was thinking about some clown fish or maybe a smaller lionfish or even possibly an eel which ironically are all found under SW Beginner. i would like to buyin person rather than online but if i had to i would probly order from live aquaria

You'll want a little bit bigger then a 25 for dwarf lions or eels. A 40 breeder tank is a good start for small predator tanks. Mrpillow has a great 40 breeder predator tank.

 

[TAbruzzi]

yes id figure id have to upgrade from it rather soon. with that said ill probly go with some clown fish or something simple to start with.

 

[angel50]

I am currently running a 10g sw. Its a transition from my 55g while i build my 220 g setup. I am running it with a couple of pieces of cured live rock with crushed coral as substrate. I am using my old protein skimmer from my 55, basically for additional water movement, plus an additional powerhead. i do water changes about once a month. it is stocked with 2 clowns, thats all that survived the move into our new house. Both clowns are doing very well and the simple filtration setup seems to be working fine.

I will agree bigger is always easier....except when it comes to your wallet.

 

[TAbruzzi]

would a protein skimmer be better than a typical hang on filter?