Making sure I'm not being an idiot trying this - 10 gal invertebrate

banjocat

Candiru
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Dec 5, 2007
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After being out of the hobby for a couple of years, I recently bought two 10 gallon aquarium kits on sale. I was thinking of trying out one of the 10 gals as a saltwater invertebrate aquarium. I'll post my plan of action, but I think I can still return the salt and hydrometer if I'll just be wasting my money and overly risking the invertebrate(s). I asked someone at a pet shop and he said to not do it. He said because of it only being 10 gallon and the filter. I'm willing to upgrade the filter if it is something in the $30 area. Because of room issues I would prefer to avoid bigger aquariums for now.

My plan of action

Mix ocean salt into conditioned water and adjust salinity after testing with hydrometer(plan to upgrade to an RO unit later if I can do this without it being a failure). I then plan to put the water in the aquarium and setup the filter and heater and let them run overnight. The next day I plan on buying live rock. After checking the live rock for obvious dead things I plan to put it in the aquarium and let it cure and cycle. One youtube mentioned completely replacing the saltwater after curing because of nitrates, so I might do that. From what I understand some of the live rock organisms will die while curing, so I should be able to use that to get my cycling going. If that doesn't work, I plan to use a piece of shrimp or something to start the cycling. I'll then add regular sand or live sand(if you think it is necessary). After the cycling is done I plan to add 1 or two little blue legged hermit crabs. After awhile if things seem stable I might add a clown goby.

setup plan so far

10 gallon aquarium
heater
HOB Whisper PF10 filter - Could upgrade this if necessary. Was planning on using it if only went with 1-3 hermit crabs
3-10 lbs live rock - At low end if I'm using it to seed dry rock
Sand
Reef crystals salt - it was actually on clearance for cheaper than the regular so thought I might as well get the better kind even though I'm doubting I'll ever try to grow coral.
Probably a light even though I'm not growing coral
1-3 hermit crabs
Clown goby in the future if things are doing alright
 

krichardson

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Sounds like a good start to me.I am not familiar with that brand of filter though so I can't speak on that.
 

banjocat

Candiru
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Dec 5, 2007
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Sounds like a good start to me.I am not familiar with that brand of filter though so I can't speak on that.
Thanks, just thought I would check because I've never had a saltwater aquarium before. From past experience with hob whisper filters I'm thinking it isn't very strong. Just thought if I kept the bioload low that it might be ok for now.
 

krichardson

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Thanks, just thought I would check because I've never had a saltwater aquarium before. From past experience with hob whisper filters I'm thinking it isn't very strong. Just thought if I kept the bioload low that it might be ok for now.
It's been a few years since I've been in the salt game but keeping the bio low is a good idea..Do you intend to get a protein skimmer?
 

Thekid

Potamotrygon
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B banjocat if you want inverts you should buy RO water from a grocery store to avoid the metals and other nasties that the inverts can't handle.

Always buy cured live rock from a reputable dealer instead of a big box store.

You don't need a protein skimmer if you don't want one.

Remember the HOB is only for mechanical filtration and don't try to add unnecessary things and keep it simple and it'll be fun and easy.

Have fun.

www.wetwebmedia.com is a great resource for info too.
 
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banjocat

Candiru
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Dec 5, 2007
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Michigan
It's been a few years since I've been in the salt game but keeping the bio low is a good idea..Do you intend to get a protein skimmer?
I was going to try to avoid one, but understand if that would be a bad idea. If I start getting more equipment I might want to consider going bigger on the aquarium to make it worth it.

I feel kind of inspired to try, at least with a hermit crab, because of a book I read when I was younger. The book is Pets in a Jar http://www.amazon.com/Pets-Jar-Collecting-Animals-Science/dp/0140491864 and it has a section on keeping saltwater hermit crabs in a gallon jar. I figured even my limited setup would be 100 times better than that, because the book doesn't use live rock, filtration, etc. But yeah the book might be exceptionally bad on its advice, so was thinking my setup might still not be enough
 

krichardson

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I didn't say that he needed a protein skimmer but it wouldn't hurt.
 

banjocat

Candiru
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Dec 5, 2007
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Thanks, think I've only seen distilled at grocery stores but I can check around.

So I shouldn't even bother with biomedia in the HOB, Since the live rock will be helping with that anyway?

B banjocat if you want inverts you should buy RO water from a grocery store to avoid the metals and other nasties that the inverts can't handle.

Always buy cured live rock from a reputable dealer instead of a big box store.

You don't need a protein skimmer if you don't want one.

Remember the HOB is only for mechanical filtration and don't try to add unnecessary things and keep it simple and it'll be fun and easy.

Have fun.

www.wetwebmedia.com is a great resource for info too.
 

Thekid

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Sep 18, 2014
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Land of corn
Thanks, think I've only seen distilled at grocery stores but I can check around.

So I shouldn't even bother with biomedia in the HOB, Since the live rock will be helping with that anyway?
You live rock is your media.

Good luck wit ph the project. Once you start you won't want to stop. Keep us updated.
 

banjocat

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 5, 2007
341
20
48
Michigan
You live rock is your media.

Good luck wit ph the project. Once you start you won't want to stop. Keep us updated.
Thanks. Know I'm excited just by the potential for hitchhikers on the live rock. Already feeling tempted to get a bigger setup if the smaller one works out. Had considered trying both 10 gallons as saltwater, but for now I think it is best I keep the other one a freshwater planted like originally planned.

For anyone who wants to answer: Do I have to completely replace the water after the cycle/cure like one youtube claimed or will the algae/diatoms that grow towards the end of the cycle help enough with the nitrates? If it is anything like freshwater, I would think a complete change could hurt the biological filtration. If I have to completely replace the water can I use regular conditioned water during the cycle and then switch to RO once I add the invertebrates?
 
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