Saltwater Help

[micstarz]

Hi guys! I've been keeping FW for about 5 years and I want to start saltwater now. How should I go about setting up a tank? I want to do a nano, with a tank that is 15.5X10X12 ... is this acceptable for a first timer?

What about stocking and decor? Equipment? Good begginner species? How many fish? Basically all I have is a heater, a tank, a power filter, money for salts and a hydrometer thingy and a brain and some MFK friends

 

[marinebiologist]

ive read that its better to start big but im starting my first sw too and its a 12 g. i geuss as long as your on top of things everything will be fine. im buying 16 lbs in about a week and probably going to add a hi fin red banded gobie and an ocilleres clown fish. what size is your tank.

 

[skiptomyzoo]

Hey I sent you a pm, if you have any more questions feel free to ask and I will do what I can to answer, but keep in mind I am pretty new to it myself.

 

[micstarz]

Thanks! I'm gonna start with a Hi-fin red banded goby too. My tank is slightly less than 10 gallons. It's partially covered, but it's by a window...so salinity issues are gonna be big.

 

[princess]

guys i don't know why noobs always start small, other than a betta there isn't much u can keep in a 10g but yet you see fit putting a wild fish in the smallest tank possible without even a mention of an RO unit,skimmer or even cycling. my advice is read books learn all you can then you won't need your hand holding as much, just lazy.

 

[micstarz]

I'm not really a noob. But because I live with my parents, and my parent's anti-pet attitude, I'm pretty lucky to have the collections that I have. The sizes of my tanks are pretty much limited to 20gallons under. Sorry if I took this the wrong way, but you sound a little bit offensive...

 

[micstarz]

I am actually now considering a single specimen Mantis Shrimp...is this feasible for a first-time saltwater keeper?

 

[BIGgourami]

there isn't much u can keep in a 10g but yet you see fit putting a wild fish in the smallest tank possible without even a mention of an RO unit,skimmer or even cycling.

why would you need an RO unit or skimmer for a 10 gallon tank

a 20 gallon tank with appropriately sized fish.. what's the problem there?
if i recall you had/have a 12 gallon?

 

[BIGgourami]

I am actually now considering a single specimen Mantis Shrimp...is this feasible for a first-time saltwater keeper?

certainly.. it's been joked that mantis shrimp could live in a sewer if they needed to

as long as you dont make any gigantic errors (putting bleach in the tank, set the salinity lik 1.050, etc) they should do fine

a ciliated mantis would be fine in that small a tank as would a smith's
stomatopods.com has some good info, a forum, and a store that you can paruse at yourt leasure..

the only thing i would say about keeping a matis as your first SW pet is be VERY careful

 

[sweeTang21]

as long as your careful as to what fish you add into a system thats less then 10 gallons you should be fine. Nano's are mainly for corals anyways. Watchman, clowns and other small species of gobies are fine, just be careful not to over crowd. A tank of softies and low light LPS will be a good looking setup, however if your introducing corals then id strongly suggest the use of RO water. If you intent is to avoid corals, then your going to be very hard pressed for a tank full of fish, as you will quickly overstock and see many issues down the road. Id go to your LFS and find some beginner corals that you like, and plan for those. if your able to add a light, id get a Compact flouresent light, they make small ones, otherwise you may not have any luck at corals either.