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Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well I'm still not being allowed to do this :\ even if it would be $100 cheaper than originally thought. *sigh*
10g Pre-Build lol
- Thread starter Aquarium1
- Start date
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mrg02d
Aquarium Advice FINatic
You could get this started for less than you think. You can start without corals and then save up christmas/birthday (or whatever) money for a decent light.
Just get some cheap aragonite sand, some dry base rock, a heater, and something for circulation.
I have a 2.5g pico tank set up right now. It uses a small AquaClear HOB ($28 at petsmart) to move water, filter out junk from cycling, run carbon when needed, and hold some chaeto macro algae.
Small 25W heater from Walmart keeps the tank warm at night. ($13 at walmart).
5lbs of aragonite sand and some small rubble rock from my 20g tank.
You could use dry base rock to form your future filtration and buy 1 live rock from a LFS to get you going.
Thats all you need to get cycling. That and salt water.
Matt
Just get some cheap aragonite sand, some dry base rock, a heater, and something for circulation.
I have a 2.5g pico tank set up right now. It uses a small AquaClear HOB ($28 at petsmart) to move water, filter out junk from cycling, run carbon when needed, and hold some chaeto macro algae.
Small 25W heater from Walmart keeps the tank warm at night. ($13 at walmart).
5lbs of aragonite sand and some small rubble rock from my 20g tank.
You could use dry base rock to form your future filtration and buy 1 live rock from a LFS to get you going.
Thats all you need to get cycling. That and salt water.
Matt
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Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
Thanks Matt. However, I'd need a refractometer, which would be another $30, and then a light, which... idk lol and I know my local walmart doesn't sell any good heaters, and then I'd need 2 test kits (reef and sw) which would be another 40-50, plus I don't have a source for any aragonite, so I'd have to get like a 20 lb bag.
mrg02d
Aquarium Advice FINatic
You dont need a refractometer right now. Just get comfy with fish and inverts. I used went without a refractometer for almost a year and was fine. Try petsmart for a heater, or order one from somewhere that also sells the rest of what you need for the bare bones basics. (Marinedepot is good).
Check ebay from time to time for a used light. With a small tank, you could do fine with PC lighting. Keep in mind that you dont need to find one that fits perfectly. My 2.5g has my old 65W 50/50 PC light from Coralife over it. Its alot of light, but I wasnt going to spend more money when the light works fine (needs a new bulb). You could easily be fine with one of those 6500k CFL for illuminating the fish until you can upgrade.
Again, employ the KISS principle...Keep it super simple! My LFS sells nice dry base rock for $2.00/lb and looks much nicer than my fiji rock! 2lbs of that plus 2 lbs of live rock will get you going along with some dry aragonite sand.
As for test kits, just get a SW test kit to check the basics. You dont need to care about alkalinity, calcium, and phosphates right now.
Matt
Check ebay from time to time for a used light. With a small tank, you could do fine with PC lighting. Keep in mind that you dont need to find one that fits perfectly. My 2.5g has my old 65W 50/50 PC light from Coralife over it. Its alot of light, but I wasnt going to spend more money when the light works fine (needs a new bulb). You could easily be fine with one of those 6500k CFL for illuminating the fish until you can upgrade.
Again, employ the KISS principle...Keep it super simple! My LFS sells nice dry base rock for $2.00/lb and looks much nicer than my fiji rock! 2lbs of that plus 2 lbs of live rock will get you going along with some dry aragonite sand.
As for test kits, just get a SW test kit to check the basics. You dont need to care about alkalinity, calcium, and phosphates right now.
Matt
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Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well I have a free source for base rock. How'd you measure salinity? There's really only 1 fish that could even fit in this size tank, which would be a clown goby, so I'd probably want to go ahead and buy any lighting I'd need because my main focus would be corals. Thanks for all the information btw
kdogg85
Aquarium Advice FINatic
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- Nov 26, 2009
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I use a floating glass hydrometer to measure salinity. Remember to correct for temperature(tells how to do it on the package) Better than the swingarm and about 12 bucks at the lfs. As far as rock, do you want a solid wall or heavy pieces that don't eat alot of space.
i know surface area matters but....
i know surface area matters but....
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Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
If I did it, probably a solid wall, or something close to it.
mrg02d
Aquarium Advice FINatic
A neon stripe goby should fit in the tank too, but they cost a bit more than a clown goby. They stay quite small. I am considering putting one into my 2.5g pico.
Matt
Matt
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Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
Cool.
Mitchell0605
Aquarium Advice Addict
IMHO no fish really fits apart from a Clown and they only just squeeze in. Many people out there believe that even the Clown Goby is unethical in a tank that small. I'd stick to inverts like Sexy Shrimp and Cleaner Shrimp. Jimbo had a pair of Sexies in his pico.
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Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well I've decided to turn the 10 into a planted tank, however the 2.5g is still in question.
ilostnemo
Aquarium Advice Addict
haha i just wanna help cause youve told me how bad you want a salt tank lol. and id say enough for maybe 20-30 gallons.
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Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
thanks. I'll have to see how things go
ilostnemo
Aquarium Advice Addict
lol. keep us up to date!!! i acutally love my pico so you should do one and we can be pico brothers hahaha
so you should do one and we can be pico brothers hahaha
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Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
hahaha that'd be cool.
ilostnemo
Aquarium Advice Addict
lol. i wish saltwater wasnt so much
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Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
same here buddy... same here.
ilostnemo
Aquarium Advice Addict
i mean i got 200 in my 2 gallon lol. of course i bought expensive stuff haha.. i priced setting up a ten gallon and priced it at 155 before corals and thats with the 60 bucks for the light which you said you can get for 20.
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Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
from someone on this forum lol. Since I don't really have a need for it, Zer0 might sell it to you.
ilostnemo
Aquarium Advice Addict
lol well still. plus if you already have the tank thatd drop another fifteen so thats what 100? and maybe id hate to take it from you. i was actually thinking of leds but i dunno where to get them
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