First marine tank. Stocking help?

>:(

Feeder Fish
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Dec 10, 2007
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I started my first marine tank last Monday. I went small (10 gallons) as I was afraid of investing a lot of time and money and then failing miserable. I've been keeping freshwater tanks since I was a little kid, so I know I'm up to the challenge. The idea of lots of maintenance doesn't scare me.

Here's my set up:
10 gallon glass tank
200 watt heater (safe?)
Topfin 30
light strip from my old 30 gallon tank (fluorescent)
10 pounds live sand
small chunk of live rock and two pieces base tufa
using the petco marine salt mix and have a hydrometer/thermometer from aquatic gardens

I plan to go to the Petco in the next city from mine as they actually have a good saltwater selection, maybe later today. I don't have a skimmer because I've read in several posts that on a small tank a skimmer is redundant with regular water changes and removes vital nutrients, but I'll get a skimmer if it's necessary. Do I need special lighting for a FOWLR tank? (No seems to be the answer from my reading...?) Is there anything I'm missing?

I don't really plan to do corals, as I'm too afraid I'd kill them, but I definitely like them. I'm also more interested in keeping "things" than I am in keeping fish. Unless there are any teeny tiny fish I can fit in a ten gallon. What are some really cool things I can do in a tank this size? When I started the tank, all I wanted for sure was sea stars. I like them.

Let me check my parameters, tank is going well so far, though.
 

BIGgourami

Polypterus
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Jan 31, 2007
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i would try buying another 30 gallon tank.

it'll make your equipment fit better and give you more room to make mistakes...

i'll post mroe later but havew to make dinner now...
 

>:(

Feeder Fish
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Dec 10, 2007
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Mmm. Dinner. I appreciate the help.

The only reason I don't want to go with a 30 gallon is that it does cost more to set up. I don't want to spend a ton and fail. This little tank is basically my test run. If I can keep a marine tank successfully for a few months, maybe half a year, I will upgrade for sure. I know more water= more leeway, but I figure if I can deal with being super careful then I'm definitely ready for salt.

Oh! Parameters:
79 degrees f
salinity 1.020
nitrate 0
nitrite 0
alkalinity looks like a 200. It came out at kind of an inbetween color
ph 7.8 How can I get it to go up safely?
 

Dreaco

Feeder Fish
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Jul 12, 2007
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you need to bump up the salinity to 1.023 to 1.025 that may help a bit with your ph and alk, but it not you need to get a calcium/alk suppliment to raise it.
 

>:(

Feeder Fish
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Dec 10, 2007
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Thanks. I've found so many different opinions on what the salinity should be. I've just been looking at the hydrometer, and making sure I was in the green area. Plus about.com said 1.020 was good, so I've been going off that lol.

Also, I've been thinking about cycling. Ok, granted I have live sand and rock, but would that be enough to have already stabilized the tank? I've been sprinkling teeny amounts of flake in but 0 reading on ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite seem kind of early.
 

BIGgourami

Polypterus
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Jan 31, 2007
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teeny ammounts of food will do nothing...
try a few food shrimp in a nylon if anything, but all of my tanks have been successfully cycled with just LR/LS.

i mentioned getting a bigger tank cause i don't want you to spend less and fail, i want you to spend more and succeed.

a 10 is REALLY small for a begginer. i've been doing it for a few years now, and just started a 10.

if you can get/spring for compact florescent lighting you can get some mushrooms and soft corals.
t5's seem to be getting pretty cheap you could do some LPS and a few SPS with that.
 

>:(

Feeder Fish
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Dec 10, 2007
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Compact fluorescent? Ok, I'm on my way to Petco. I'll pick up a new light fixture. I think they even have mushrooms there too. I'll take a look and see what's going on for tanks around here. I guess it wouldn't be too bad to get the bigger tank, put what I have now in it and then get the rest later once it seems like I'm doing ok.

Oh, I just thought I should tell everyone about how much of a deal my live sand was. I got it for $7.99 because the shelf was mislabled or something. I should have bought all four bags lol but I felt guilty getting even the one so cheap.
 

sweeTang21

Feeder Fish
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Mar 10, 2007
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i couldnt agree more with biggourami. Think about it, your only going to spend about 100 bucks more and your getting triple the size. Thats huge when it comes to stocking the tank and certain fish you can keep. Obviously your going to be on the small side with stocking but the amount of water is really going to help you. Take Big G's advise and the get the 30. You'll thank us later lol.

nothing wrong with taking a good deal when you can get it lol. Think about it, chain stores bring in a bunch of money anyways and besides you just got that bag for cost lol. Its good that your like that though.
 

BIGgourami

Polypterus
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Jan 31, 2007
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>:(;1670715; said:
I guess it wouldn't be too bad to get the bigger tank, put what I have now in it and then get the rest later once it seems like I'm doing ok.quote]

and completely reasonable too.
who says all the set up money has to be spent at once, get maybe a few more pounds of LR and like 1 fish, when you get more money, get more rock and more livestcok. get your tax return? cool more rock... bonus at work? cool! another fish. didn't go out to eat this week? a frag of coral....

the mushrooms are probably the hardiest corals i've ever found, you could even probably keep them under normal output lights. i'd recommend even if you don't really plan on "coralizing" this tank, just get a few shrooms to get your feet wet.
 

>:(

Feeder Fish
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Dec 10, 2007
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Well, I went to check what they had and didn't see anything I liked. I'm still looking around for a bigger tank, so I'm off to Petsmart tomorrow. I refuse to patronize my lfs because they sell lots of dyed fish :cry:. I did pick up a cheap hood for the ten gallon and a 50/50 compact bulb for the time being. I think the buy everything slowly plan is what I'm going to go with.

And, when I came home, a teeny teeny hermit crab had crawled out of my supposedly cured live rock that I had scrubbed lightly with a tooth brush. He's cute with little blue legs. I hope he's desirable; I could never kill him. I'd post a pic of my free hermie, but I can't find the charger to my camera. Let me see if I can find him on the googles.

I saw mushrooms too, and I think I want some. Eventually. And bubble coral, is it hardy as well? I'm going to look it up.

BIGgourami;1670754; said:
didn't go out to eat this week? a frag of coral....
Plus I can finally lose that last 10 vanity pounds in time for bikini season lol.

sweeTang21;1670717; said:
nothing wrong with taking a good deal when you can get it lol. Think about it, chain stores bring in a bunch of money anyways and besides you just got that bag for cost lol. Its good that your like that though.
I work retail, so I understand these things happen sometimes. I didn't expect them to give me that bag, I was going to switch for the real price.
 
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