10 gal questions

[clownfish4life]

I would like to setup a 10 gal, with live sand, live rock, a few fish and maybe a shrimp or 10 if it's not to clutterd and maybe some corals I just need to know what type of lighting will i need and some info on filtration.

 

[squidd]

I have a 10 gal sitting next to my 125 that I have used for a QT and am currently using as a HT (hotel tank) for one 2" Dragon Wrasse while he grows big enough to put in my main tank.There is 1 five pound LR an inch of sand and 1 fake plant there's really not much room for more and still give the fish room to swim and grow! For filtration I am using an Emperor 400 (definatly overkill)and a simple 24" florescent. No corals. The water stays clear, BUT keeping it stable is a never ending job. A simple evaporation top off can change salinity .02 I test for nitrates weekly because I'm overfeeding for growth. It's nice to be able to do a 50% water change out of the 125 into the 10 when needed (often) I would suggest keeping a 5 gal bucket of sw ready at all times. It can be done, it's done all the time. But I have seen in a side by side comparison Volume= Stability. My .02

 

[entice59]

I only have a maroon clown and a scooter blenny(not recommended) in my 15 gallon. I would recommend getting a small fish or two and a shrimp. Do research on the fish before getting them, it may look small now but its going to raise h*ll if you get the wrong type of fish.
Corals are harder to keep but if you keep your levels maintained there should be no problems. I recommend starting out with some mushrooms or polyps. But it is absolutely nessary you get a good lighting system for your tank. $120-150, should be the decent price for a good lighting system. Either Power Compacts or VHO (very high output), i recommend VHO's they look better in my opinion then power compacts. Mushrooms can be kept in lower lights depending on wattage of the bulb, always check wattage.
I would get a red sea prizm skimmer if your budget is kinda low, fairly good protein skimmer. I would invest in one definitely, once you see what it removes from your tank you will agree. If you are willing to spend a little more then go with CPR a bakpak skimmer.
Filtration, i would get about 15-20 lbs of live rock, and a bag of live sand(20-25lbs usually depending on brand), skip crushed coral. I use the smallest penguin filter because my tank is limited in space because its acrylic.
If price is really limited and you want something simple, i would get a protein skimmer, sand, atleast 10 lbs of live rock, NO lighting, i would get one with two bulbs atleast and a small penguin filter.
good luck

 

[firefishspike]

i have both a ten and a twenty, everyone is doing fine and so is the water
but it came at a real costly price, so unless you're willing to pay like what I did, don't do it
if you read my sig, my tank has a lot of things in it, equipment to maintain the little 20 gal cost me over a grand
but it's your tank, you do whatever
good luck

 

[tiffster]

10 gallon reefs are most certainly possible. I started off with a fifteen, and I now have a ten too (they become addictive.) I agree with entice about the simple set up. Although, JBJ makes 36 watt power compacts that will fit on your tank for 40 bucks, e mail me and I will tell you were to get them. One pc will cost less than two NO fixtures after you figure in $15-20 per NO bulb plus the fixtures themselves, and you will have 6 more watts (whoopty doo right?). Anyway it is possible. If you want details on maintenance schedules, additives, etc, etc, just let me know! Have fun!
Oh, Phong, your signature is getting really , really long!

 

[tiffster]

I guess I should update my sig.
The ten now has a purple stripe psuedochromis, snails, conk, mushrooms, yellow polyps, green and orange zoanthids, a pink tipped condi, oh, and um...one peppermint shrimp now
Apparently psuedos like shrimp, even if they are bigger than them Lesson learned...

 

[firefishspike]

hi tiff
me and cynthia just upgraded!! yeppie!!!
jerry sold us a 29 for 20 bucks
also I just got a nudibranch

 

[dindi]

You can have it...with a 10 gal but you have to be very carefull..had mine for 3 years, just see my sig, no corals though..

 

[lesleybird]

Most people agree that the minimum size for even a tiny salt water tank is about 25 gallons. Anything any smaller and the water quality levels change too rapidly. A smaller tank is actually more difficult to maintain than one a little larger. In salt water the maximum amount of fish inches is a lot less than in fresh water. In most of the books that I have read they say about 1 inch of fish length for every 2.5 gallons of water.....a little less if you add crabs and shrimp and the like. And don't forget that this is the maximum only after the tank had cycled for a few months. Good luck, Lesley

 

[slappy]

i had a 10 but ran out of room and put everything into a 20, i got a 96 watt pc for like 100.00 bucks that fits perfect on a 10, thats 9.6 watt per gallon so you can keep just about any coral you want, email if you want the website where i got it
bonehindge@aol.com........goodluck ( go with at least a 20 my .02)