I WANT TO GET A TANK FOR MY ROOM .. NOT MORE THEN 15 GALLONS IF I CAN HELP IT.. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU GUYS NO OF ANY KITS OUT THERE. AND ALSO WHAT KIND OF FISH WOULD I BE ABLE TO STOCK IT WITH.... LET ME KNOW GUYS THANKS FOR THE HELP.. I WAS TOLD ABOUT THE NANO CUBE
WANT TO START A SMALL SALTWATER TANK
- Thread starter hegofloben
- Start date
Live rock with a small fish possibly, with maybe a few polyps and mushrooms if you upgrade the lighting. For fish, you could keep a dartfish of some sort, a goby, or something along those lines that stay small.
I would go with the full 15 gallons if that's your limit for now.
I have to ask how much to you know, or understand about saltwater setups?
you will need about 1-1 1/2 lbs of live rock per gallon, this is the best filtration, a protein skimmer for a tank this small is impractical, mostly the models that are the right size are terrible and have to be heavily modified to pull any skim mate darker than a light tea.
you will want to use a fine aragonite sand, an inch or so deep. (I'm assuming this is for a dorm room?) if not make the sand 3-4" deep.
you will need water movement, a powerhead or 2 will be great.
are you planning a fish only, a light reef, or a little slice of the reef?
I ask for the lighting is complex and it all depends on the aim of the tank, say you only want a little clown goby and a pair of percula clown fish (very doable in 15gls) with a few zoanthids and Xenia, a 2x40 watt satellite would work, but if you wanted an sps, lps dominated tank you would need T5, VHO, or Metal Halide lighting. like I said complex.
you will also need the equipment to maintain you system, like a refratometer, or hydrometer. tests for the nitrogen cycle (ammonia, ect) calcium, alkalinity and so on.
good luck, and if you have any questions I will try and help as best I can.
I have to ask how much to you know, or understand about saltwater setups?
you will need about 1-1 1/2 lbs of live rock per gallon, this is the best filtration, a protein skimmer for a tank this small is impractical, mostly the models that are the right size are terrible and have to be heavily modified to pull any skim mate darker than a light tea.
you will want to use a fine aragonite sand, an inch or so deep. (I'm assuming this is for a dorm room?) if not make the sand 3-4" deep.
you will need water movement, a powerhead or 2 will be great.
are you planning a fish only, a light reef, or a little slice of the reef?
I ask for the lighting is complex and it all depends on the aim of the tank, say you only want a little clown goby and a pair of percula clown fish (very doable in 15gls) with a few zoanthids and Xenia, a 2x40 watt satellite would work, but if you wanted an sps, lps dominated tank you would need T5, VHO, or Metal Halide lighting. like I said complex.
you will also need the equipment to maintain you system, like a refratometer, or hydrometer. tests for the nitrogen cycle (ammonia, ect) calcium, alkalinity and so on.
good luck, and if you have any questions I will try and help as best I can.
The best thing you can do right now is to get a good book and read it. Saltwater is not something that you can just ask how to do, and do it. There is a lot to learn, and you should definitely take the time to study a book. These tanks also are not the type that can be put together, and cycled in a couple days. I agree that if you can't go bigger than 15 gallons, then do the 15 gallons. The bigger the tank the less any mistakes will effect the tank. For instance 1/4 cup of salt in a 15 gallon tank is a big change in salinity, where in a 55 it is minor, and in a 500+ it is not noticable.
Good advice. I certainly don't know your experience level, but if you never kept saltwater before, a small nano tank isn't the best tank to start with. There is very little to no room for error with a small marine tank, and keeping seahorses alive long term is practically an art form! Good luck.