Thinking about taking the "plunge"...

[Oxydoras]

So I've been keeping freshwater aquariums for most of my life and have been toying the idea of setting up a little nano tank. I have an empty 5 gallon with a heater and a whisper power 10 HOB filter (I know, not the best but I'm thinking I'm going to get a Fluval U2). The heater keeps my water at a steady 83-84 which I've read is good for most average saltwater tanks.
I was thinking if I go the saltwater rout I'd like to add some cured live rock and possibly either a single small fish or crab (unless you more knowledgable folk think my system could handle a single fish and a little crab buddy). I dont know much about coral's but maybe you guy's could point me in the direction of one that has some nice color but is still beginner friendly i.e. doesnt need crazy powerfull lighting. Also, would my tank need a protien skimmer if there were going to be just one or two small inhabitants? If so could anybody recomend one that would be suitable for a tank of my size?

 

[FLESHY]

I love the nanos. To me the most impressive tanks are the monsters, and the very little, tiny ones.

Heres why. When you start out in saltwater you dont really know what you are doing. Having a larger aquarium helps to...smooth out the bumps. You have more leeway when it comes to screwing up water quality. Stuff happens real quick in a 5g.

Now if you are still determined...here are a couple things to consider.

If I was you just starting out, I would probably go with soft corals. These dont require as much light, and they are generally speaking the hardiest.

While we are on the subject of corals...83-84 is pretty hot. There arent many places in the ocean that get that warm. I would shoot for 78. The more stable you can keep your tank, the better.

Filtration is fine on such a little tank, and they sell mini skimmers too. I dont know how well they work, but I guess this is your chance to try it and show us. I always recommend a skimmer, but you can start things off without one possibly. Especially in such a small experimental tank.

Stocking wise I might get a very small fish: catalina goby? Or something along those lines...and a couple peaceful, small invert cleaner friends. Put the inverts in first, maybe 1 at a time, and then add the fish.

WWM (wet web media) is a great source of information for beginners in saltwater aquaria. Good luck, and be sure to post pictures when you get stuff going...oh and if you have more questions, ask!

 

[Oxydoras]

Thanks for the response! It's funny you mentioned a catalina goby, that was the "single fish" I was refering to, I saw one on Live Aquaria and was utterly blown away by the bright pink/orange and blue's on such a dimunitive fish (I mean all that color on something 2"?!)! I'll read up on soft corals, any in particular that you'd recomend? Also what type of non coral inverts would you recomend? Blue leg hermit, some species of snail? So the filtration I have now should be sufficient; or would you recomend me going with the U2? The only other heater I have stays around 76.8-77, would this be to cold? Sorry about all the questions, this is just so exciting!! I always love the thrill of setting up a new system

 

[FLESHY]

The key to doing all this is going to be going very slow.

I would introduce a couple snails, maybe a turbo and a nassirus when you add the LR. Then I would introduce the catalina when everything was settled, and then maybe a hermit or two. (Make sure you have shells available, because even though the bluelegs stay small, some people say that they will kill snails for their shells. Never seen this in 8 years of reefing, but better safe than sorry.)

I have friends that have "softie" 10g tanks with just a whisper trickle filter on them. I would just recommend that you find a way to get purigen or chemipure in there to have good saltwater chemical filtration. But as far as filtration goes, more is better...especially because it will give you a little more flow...you dont have any room for a powerhead so...thats really your only option.

Id prefer a little hotter for the heater, but like I said, stability is the big thing. And 83-84 is WAY to warm in my opinion. My corals pretty much stop growing when the water hits 80. I actually killed some of my first acros bc the temperature was too high. Your going to want to cover the tank so the catalina cant jump out (always a worry in small systems)...and that will help keep your temperature up a little bit.

If I were you, I would go for some mushrooms, zoanthids...and maybe one larger species. A little patch of xenia? Corals are up to you. Pretty much all softies are bombproof. If you have something you are looking at, just ask if it would be a good choice.

 

[Oxydoras]

Thank you for all your help FLESHY! I'll look at some of the corals you suggested today at my lfs to see what species I like, I've always liked the look of the green mushies Would I be able to put the purigen or chemipure in my HOB filter (behind the filter pad maybe in a piece of nylon stocking?)? Would putting an airstone help with water circulation for the corals? As for the catalina goby, I was reading the description of care on fosters and smith and it said that they do best in a temp. of 60-70 and that prolonged exposure to tropical temperatures can have a negative affect on their health. To quote the website -"This temperate species thrives in water temperatures between 60° F and 70° F. The Catalina Goby may be tolerant of warmer, tropical temperatures in most reef aquariums but only for a short time. If exposed to tropical temperatures for too long, the Catalina Goby can experience decreased resistance to disease and a shorter lifespan."- Is this true in your opinion? And as for going slow that's not going to be a problem, I want to make sure I do everything right on this tank as I'm dedicated to making it a success!