10g Pre-Build lol

[Aquarium1]

Ok so this is the thread where I'll try to learn from for a possible 10g Nano I may be starting soon . So I have a few questions before I start.

1. What are some possible options for stocking? I was thinking maybe a clown goby or yellow watchman goby. Any other things you can think of? I know I'm very limited, just curious.
2. What should my CUC consist of?
3. What are some good beginner corals I could start out with? I'm planning on getting a 2x18w Nova T5 HO for lighting.
4. Where are some good, affordable places for an ATO system (or any supplies in general lol)?
5. Other than the articles on this site (which I will be looking through), what are some other good websites for articles and care sheets etc?
6. Any advice you can offer to someone who's just starting out with sw? lol. Just things you might have done differently.

If I think of any more I'll post them but this is all for now. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you so much .

I'm going to be taking this build slowly. I'm on a pretty low budget so I can't really afford to go too fast, especially if it would risk any damage to anything living in there.

 

[ilostnemo]

So your finally gettin a SW up and going ill tag along and help. and corals id get some zoas and some shrooms for sure! and i was planning on with my 10g nano when i do it was to just get two small powerheads with 15-20 lbs of rock and take a aquaclear hob filter and make a refuge outta it and stock wise was going to be a yellow watchman goby

 

[Aquarium1]

Thanks nemo. Not sure if I'll have a fuge because of my low budget, but maybe a little after I get a tank started, I might get one. and those gobies seem really cool. It would be even awesomer if I could get a goby/shrimp pair lol but there's always a chance they won't pair or split up if bought as a pair.

Oh, also wanted to say that I have an RO unit. Not sure if its DI but it is Reverse Osmosis. Its a small unit but its better than nothing, I guess.

 

[Mitchell0605]

About time A1!

1) For fish, any goby would be fine but for something interesting look into a Neon Goby pair. These fish are striking and are a great pair when together.
The Shrimp and Goby pair is also a great idea. Search liveaquaria.com for gobies and it will say the goby's prefered Shrimp partener. And if you buy them as a set they will never unpair. Or if you buy a goby that is a shrimps preferred your almost certain to get them to pair up.

2) Nothing huge here. About 10-20 Nassarius snails for sand stirring, some Trochus and Cerith for your glass and rock. About 10-20 of each of them. Two or three hermits will also be interesting tank mates. Also look into Cleaner Shrimp (Scarlet Skunk), Sexy Shrimp and Peppermint Shrimp. Those three won't fight eachother and if you get two Cleaners ot two Sexy's you could get a pair that spawn. Or you could by them mated. Even if they aren't mated they don't fight though. Get a pair of one I reckon for another pair in your tank. (If you get the Neon's. Imagine that, two spawing pairs in your tank. Cool as.) If you get the Shrimps don't get Hermits as there won't be enough food to go around unless you feed ridiculous amounts.

3) Good colourful starter corals are Zoanthids, Corallimorphs, some LPS including Acans, Trachphyllia and Lobos. Bubbles are also good. But for your tank you need small ones. Your lights will be fine even for some SPS if you wanted to.

4) No idea.

5) Here's some databases I've found:
Saltwater Fish Photos & Profiles at the Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish
Fish
Marine Aquarium Fish Profiles - The Fish Research List

6) Stock just a little over the minimum amount of rock you need (roughly 1.5 - 2lbs per gallon) so you have plenty of coral room.
Take things slow as.
Your gonna want to build up your CUC slowly because at first there won't be enough food for them all.
Have fun.

Well hope this helps A1.

 

[Aquarium1]

Thanks Mitchell. So, I got some bittersweet news. I can't do the 10g tank until I get a job (which wouldn't be til at least a year or two). However, if I can figure out the costs, and can do it cheap enough, I might be able to do a pico reef with my 2.5g tank. It would be strictly corals and inverts and I'm most likely going to do an ATO system, but a 2.5g is better than nothing, as long as I do it right.

So, any lighting suggestions for a 2.5 bowfront tank? lol

 

[Aquarium1]

here's the dimensions 11" straight across x 7" in the middle, front to back (5" on the sides) x 9.5" tall. I was thinking maybe there could be a chance I could do LEDs since its so small but idk.

 

[Mitchell0605]

You said cost was a problem? LED light kits for this area are expensive. You could get a clip on halide. Speak to Jimbo. He had a 2G pico that he light with a MH.

 

[Aquarium1]

well I was just putting it out there. I didn't know if the smaller LED fixtures would work for such a small tank or not lol. Anyway, I've got most of the costs written down in case I have to buy everything and I left room for the two local stores I have that are moderately ok; Incredipet which is somewhat of a chain store and Petsmart -_- Hopefully I can go buy them soon and compare prices.

 

[Mitchell0605]

IT wouldn't be expensive at all. 4lbs of rock. A little sand. A little powerhead/filter thingo. Cheap as chips.

 

[thominil]

2) Nothing huge here. About 10-20 Nassarius snails for sand stirring, some Trochus and Cerith for your glass and rock. About 10-20 of each of them. Two or three hermits will also be interesting tank mates. Also look into Cleaner Shrimp (Scarlet Skunk), Sexy Shrimp and Peppermint Shrimp. Those three won't fight eachother and if you get two Cleaners ot two Sexy's you could get a pair that spawn. Or you could by them mated. Even if they aren't mated they don't fight though. Get a pair of one I reckon for another pair in your tank. (If you get the Neon's. Imagine that, two spawing pairs in your tank. Cool as.) If you get the Shrimps don't get Hermits as there won't be enough food to go around unless you feed ridiculous amounts.

Disagree on the CUC part, maybe 5 nassarius at most, 10-20 would surely starve. Maybe 2 trochus or astrea snails, again, 10-20 is almost gauranteed to starve. I would stay away from hermits because of the bigger shell need problems, your snails will most likely have to give up theirs when your hermits feel they need a bigger one, in other words, dead snail and a possible ammonia spike in a tank that small. Cleaner shrimp honestly get too big for a 10g IMO. Better off with a peppermint. I don't know about sexies, might end up on the lunch menu...

Everything else I agree with, good advice!

AQ1-RO is fine.

 

[Aquarium1]

well without lighting, ATO or livestock, it would be around $150. What chips do you know of are $150? Of course, thats if I ordered everything online with shipping. It might would be around $120 if I had local pet stores that offered the same prices as the online ones. So anyone have any good links for an ATO system (most likely DIY unless theres something cheaper)

 

[Aquarium1]

Disagree on the CUC part, maybe 5 nassarius at most, 10-20 would surely starve. Maybe 2 trochus or astrea snails, again, 10-20 is almost gauranteed to starve. I would stay away from hermits because of the bigger shell need problems, your snails will most likely have to give up theirs when your hermits feel they need a bigger one, in other words, dead snail and a possible ammonia spike in a tank that small. Cleaner shrimp honestly get too big for a 10g IMO. Better off with a peppermint. I don't know about sexies, might end up on the lunch menue...

Everything else I agree with, good advice!

I might move on to the 10g once I get a job (so maybe 1-2 years D right now I'm thinking about 2.5g pico. Thanks tho .

 

[Mitchell0605]

Well.... fair enough. Why do you need a ATO for the tank? Just top it up yourself every day.

 

[Aquarium1]

Just thought it would keep it balanced better, considering it being only a 2.5g. And then if something happened where I couldn't be home for a few days it would help a lot.

 

[thominil]

Hmmm...I'll dig up a link to a light....Check back in like 5 mins, I'll edit and add to this post.

*EDIT* Sorry, couldn't find anything, Current USA discontinued the 12" PC fixtures...

You could DIY it with sockets and Coralife 10w 50/50 screw end bulbs.... Not much I can think of, sorry.

 

[Aquarium1]

Thanks thom , just don't let it be too expensive

 

[Aquarium1]

O, btw I did find this one, but i didn't know if it would fit right since its about an inch longer than my tank 12" 1x18W Current USA PowerCompact Single Satellite Fixture

 

[thominil]

Ahhh....that was what I was looking for.... Either that, or some hobby/hardware stores sell small multi-bulb PC fixtures for desks and such, you could swap those bulbs out with the correct color temp/wattage bulbs.

 

[Aquarium1]

Well there's lowes, walmart and big lots that I can check out, even though we only go in these stores occasionally lol. So what about ATO systems? Any good links (cheap, diy or otherwise)

 

[Aquarium1]

So I just realized something. Idk why I was estimating $300 for this tank before because I've been thinking and the same stuff I'm using to make this tank would be able to make the 10g too. With the exception of the lighting and heater in that they would actually be cheaper!!! Idk why I was estimating $300. I'll have to go over my list in the morning but maybe a 10g might cost the same if not cheaper than a 2.5g . Oh the suspense. Lol. Well it would be more costly in salt, coral fish and food but otherwise.... Lol. Also another question. Would a 20-25% pwc per week be enough on a 10g? Just wanted to make sure, thanks.