10 gallon salt water

ColeFishing

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 5, 2012
1,820
8
38
Ohio
I have never done anything with saltwater aquariums. But in the last few weeks I've become very interested in starting one up. The only reason I'm going to do a 10 gal is because I have one. I have a 10 gallon tank with a regular/crappy light and a fluval C3 filter(the only HOBs i use) which should suffice. I want to do a FOWLR but will settle for FO. Can you tell me what I'll need to get for a salt water tank. Like skimmers, UV, how to use salt and what kind. Also does the light matter much?


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thechief

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 4, 2012
1,143
1
38
the dirty south
Just so you know the smaller your tank the harder it will be in saltwater but if you can make it happen then it will be a a great learning experience I don't think you need a skimmer on a ten others might say you do but I don't think so lights don't really matter unless your wanting a nano reef as far a salt mix its up to you I use oceanic get a hydrometer or just bring your water to a store and they can test it with a refractometer get like 15 pounds of cured live rock get some filtration ring things from a established salt tank and put it in your filter it will speed up the cycle along with the rock and if you can get sand from an established tank too what kind of fish or inverts do you plan on keeping if you do it right your gunna love salt and want to go bigger! Good luck to you!

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ColeFishing

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 5, 2012
1,820
8
38
Ohio
Just so you know the smaller your tank the harder it will be in saltwater but if you can make it happen then it will be a a great learning experience I don't think you need a skimmer on a ten others might say you do but I don't think so lights don't really matter unless your wanting a nano reef as far a salt mix its up to you I use oceanic get a hydrometer or just bring your water to a store and they can test it with a refractometer get like 15 pounds of cured live rock get some filtration ring things from a established salt tank and put it in your filter it will speed up the cycle along with the rock and if you can get sand from an established tank too what kind of fish or inverts do you plan on keeping if you do it right your gunna love salt and want to go bigger! Good luck to you!

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Yes I plan on this being the beginning of my salt water journey lol. I one day hope to keep a flying gurnard and a panther grouper and one of those super friendly massive puffers (all separate of coarse). Anyway, I have play sand in the aquarium now as it is currently housing tilapia. I dont like the look of the play sand so I want to buy the white ocean sand. I already have some difficult freshwater tanks up so I already spend about an hour and a half each day with them and I'm not afraid to add more time to that as I'm an not usually busy at night anyways. What are the salt water ring things you speak of. I've. Ever heard of them. I plan on getting a hydrometer too. As for stock Im not 100% sure yet. The guy at the LFS said a pair of clownfish would be perfect but I'm not going to put two 6" fish in a 10. I saw some small crabs and this thing called a scooter blenny which I really loved. But they also had some type of puffer which only grows to around 4" max so I think that might be really cool upon much further research. Also these things called flame gobies looked cool. I'm not really into the damsels and such as they seem to aggressive(even though the puffer can top that). Any suggestions. Sorry for long post.


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Greg31

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Sep 15, 2009
1,739
0
51
Maryland
Why not just set up 20 or 29g. Saltwater is a way bigger time dump then fresh.

2 weeks and your basicly at your fresh water finale. Salt can take years.

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thechief

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 4, 2012
1,143
1
38
the dirty south
Yes I plan on this being the beginning of my salt water journey lol. I one day hope to keep a flying gurnard and a panther grouper and one of those super friendly massive puffers (all separate of coarse). Anyway, I have play sand in the aquarium now as it is currently housing tilapia. I dont like the look of the play sand so I want to buy the white ocean sand. I already have some difficult freshwater tanks up so I already spend about an hour and a half each day with them and I'm not afraid to add more time to that as I'm an not usually busy at night anyways. What are the salt water ring things you speak of. I've. Ever heard of them. I plan on getting a hydrometer too. As for stock Im not 100% sure yet. The guy at the LFS said a pair of clownfish would be perfect but I'm not going to put two 6" fish in a 10. I saw some small crabs and this thing called a scooter blenny which I really loved. But they also had some type of puffer which only grows to around 4" max so I think that might be really cool upon much further research. Also these things called flame gobies looked cool. I'm not really into the damsels and such as they seem to aggressive(even though the puffer can top that). Any suggestions. Sorry for long post.


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They are filtration rings they should have them at your lfs and yeah I wouldn't do a pair of clowns gobies blennys inverts would all be cool and yeah I think you should start out a little bigger because when water evaporates in a ten gallon the salt level can get deadly in that small of a tank and a 30 will widen your stock list more I would get crushed coral for sand that's what I use just be prepared for a sand storm for a couple of days in your tank

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ColeFishing

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 5, 2012
1,820
8
38
Ohio
Why not just set up 20 or 29g. Saltwater is a way bigger time dump then fresh.

2 weeks and your basicly at your fresh water finale. Salt can take years.

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thats cool. I'm fine with that as i already spend lots of time in fresh. also, I'm doing a 10 because i have all the stuff for it. i will probably get a 20L for Christmas and just cycle with my tank water.
 

KellyFrancis

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 14, 2012
1,303
4
0
Somerset WI
I've got aragonite sand in my aquarium. I like that. It looks...cleaner..than crushed coral. I'm assuming that comes down to a matter of aesthetics though as they both do the same thing. And, other than that, I've got nothing to say that hasn't already been said.

Good luck and post pics!! :thumbsup:
 

thechief

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 4, 2012
1,143
1
38
the dirty south
I've got aragonite sand in my aquarium. I like that. It looks...cleaner..than crushed coral. I'm assuming that comes down to a matter of aesthetics though as they both do the same thing. And, other than that, I've got nothing to say that hasn't already been said.

Good luck and post pics!! :thumbsup:
Yeah I would actually recomend to the op to get aragonite sand I would of but I was on a budget and crushed coral was cheaper so I went that route

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Otherone

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 2, 2009
2,683
4
0
Lancaster,PA USA
Crushed corals IS aragonite - only difference between the 2 types mentioned is the size of the grain. Aragonite is a good PH buffer.

Saltwater basics - Test kit - Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20 ppm or lower for fish, 5ppm or less for hard corals, PH 8.2- 8.6. Hydrometer - readings 1.020 to 1.025 for Fish, 1.024-1.026 hard corals + clams. Test your own water, be in control, and if possible use only R/O DI water to aviod problems related to poor water conditions and high levels of dissolved organic matter. Top off once or twice a day with freshwater, salt does not evaporate. Water changes of 10-20 % weekly with pre heated, pre mixed and matched saltwater. You'll also need a heater in the main tank 86 degrees is a good temp - helps with both PH and salinity stability.

Organic Filtration - Live rock and substrates are your Bio-filters. Cure all LR to aviod deadly hitchikers. Use sterile sand or aragonite not someone elses. Marine Ick and other deadly organisms have a sandbed stage and just because their fish show no signs doesn't mean it's not there. Water movement over the rocks is important- get 2 good quality powerheads facing each other with a gph of 10x your tank volume minimum. HOB filters are a waste of electricity - get a small HOB skimmer, they are built to handle the abrasive nature of SW. The 2 powerheads also keep SW compounds from falling from suspension. You can use the curing process of LR to cycle your tank - research it, this can take up to 10 weeks but is by far worth it in the long run.

Lighting - Fish only irrelevant, corals and clams - resarch the thier watts per gal and gph flow.

UV sterilzer - your goal is an eco-complete system. UV will kill algae spores + disease juviniles but it also kills planktonic larva as well as Micro and macro fawna + flora babies/spores - it's a trade off. Not using one is more benificial in the long run.

Salt mix - for fish only use a saltmix lower in Cal, Mag,+Alk , for corals use Reef mixes but start with the mixes lower in Cal, Mag,+Alk.

Take it Slow! - do your research 1st - and most of all enjoy!
 

ColeFishing

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 5, 2012
1,820
8
38
Ohio
Crushed corals IS aragonite - only difference between the 2 types mentioned is the size of the grain. Aragonite is a good PH buffer.

Saltwater basics - Test kit - Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20 ppm or lower for fish, 5ppm or less for hard corals, PH 8.2- 8.6. Hydrometer - readings 1.020 to 1.025 for Fish, 1.024-1.026 hard corals + clams. Test your own water, be in control, and if possible use only R/O DI water to aviod problems related to poor water conditions and high levels of dissolved organic matter. Top off once or twice a day with freshwater, salt does not evaporate. Water changes of 10-20 % weekly with pre heated, pre mixed and matched saltwater. You'll also need a heater in the main tank 86 degrees is a good temp - helps with both PH and salinity stability.

Organic Filtration - Live rock and substrates are your Bio-filters. Cure all LR to aviod deadly hitchikers. Use sterile sand or aragonite not someone elses. Marine Ick and other deadly organisms have a sandbed stage and just because their fish show no signs doesn't mean it's not there. Water movement over the rocks is important- get 2 good quality powerheads facing each other with a gph of 10x your tank volume minimum. HOB filters are a waste of electricity - get a small HOB skimmer, they are built to handle the abrasive nature of SW. The 2 powerheads also keep SW compounds from falling from suspension. You can use the curing process of LR to cycle your tank - research it, this can take up to 10 weeks but is by far worth it in the long run.

Lighting - Fish only irrelevant, corals and clams - resarch the thier watts per gal and gph flow.

UV sterilzer - your goal is an eco-complete system. UV will kill algae spores + disease juviniles but it also kills planktonic larva as well as Micro and macro fawna + flora babies/spores - it's a trade off. Not using one is more benificial in the long run.

Salt mix - for fish only use a saltmix lower in Cal, Mag,+Alk , for corals use Reef mixes but start with the mixes lower in Cal, Mag,+Alk.

Take it Slow! - do your research 1st - and most of all enjoy!
Thank you so much. Exactly what I was looking for. I might just wait till Christmas so I can start with a 20 gallon long. Thanks :)


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