Clueless Newbie (imagine that)

[roxy_fox_0]

Soo, I have been absolutely dying to start a saltwater tank for a long time now and I have no idea where to begin. I don't want a huge tank for financial and spacial reasons, but I think that a small 10gal would be a great start for me... I am in love with clownfish and I was wondering what kind of things I would need to get started... any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[seahorsecu]

I would recomend a 29 gal if you want a clown. Bio wheel filters by MARINELAND are awesome, CORALIFE lights are the best ones out, oviously a heater and thermometer, a saltwater testing kit for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and PH. A hood would be good. What kind of clown are you thinking about?

 

[roxy_fox_0]

Well, Im thinking about a black and white percula and a regular percula... would they get along together? I read that they don't NEED anemones, but if I wanted them to have one would I have to get certain ones and one for each fish or could they share? What about other equipment, i've read about powerheads and protein skimmers and stuff like that...

 

[seahorsecu]

They should get along just fine and after a bit of fighting finding who is dominant, they should share one anemone. Although, only 2 clowns per anemone. I wouldn't use a skimmers, that are not natural. You could use a powerhead, they do help.

 

[canisee2]

Ok since this is your fisrt saltwater tank i would not reccomend a small tank until you have more experence because the smaller the tank the less stable its is just my 2 cents but what seahorse said was good if you still want a small tank.

Austin

 

[roxy_fox_0]

How do you suggest I should cycle the tank and how long does it take?

 

[roxy_fox_0]

The reason I want a smaller tank is because it would just be more practical for me... I'm a college student and although I live in a house with housemates, I don't have anywhere to put a huge tank, also because it would be better for me financially to get and maintain a smaller tank... why are smaller ones less stable?

 

[canisee2]

You should cycle with live rock and live sand. It should take a bout 4-6 weeks. But it could be shorter.

Austin

 

[canisee2]

Oh ok,but your question about them being less stable i actually have no idea lol sry but everybody says to start big more stable just my 2 cents.

Austin

 

[roxy_fox_0]

How will I know if it's done cycling and all that good stuff... so basically to start with, I should get a tank, heater, thermometer, live sand, live rock, powerhead, and a filter... (what kind of filter does it matter?) also testing kits... then I just put it all together and then wait... but how do i know when it's done? also, what's the easiest way to clean the sand, I have a brackish tank and I vaccum the gravel, but if you did that the sand would just get sucked up and dumped int he bucket...

 

[canisee2]

I would not vaccum it destroys the bacteria and bugs that is good for your tank thats why you have to wait so long for it to cycle but any hang on back will do but the marinelands a good and make sure when your setting up the tank that you put the live sand in first and then water and then live rock do keep your tank clean iw ould just get a clean up crew after the tank is done cycling then wait another 2-3 weeks to get fish. And to know when the tank is done cycling you just check your water with your test kit i would say after 4 weeks of being set up and if amonia and nitrites and nitrates are zero you can then get a clean up crew.
Hope this helps,
Austin

 

[roxy_fox_0]

... what's a cleanup crew? what salinity do clownfish usually prefer do you know? if i wanted to get an anemone when would i put that in and does it just anchor itself on the rock or how does that even work? (i feel so stupid!!!)

 

[canisee2]

Originally Posted by roxy_fox_0
... what's a cleanup crew? what salinity do clownfish usually prefer do you know? if i wanted to get an anemone when would i put that in and does it just anchor itself on the rock or how does that even work? (i feel so stupid!!!)
Your not stupid ok a clean up crew is things that clean up after the messy fish and the food the leave behind so i if its a 10 gallon you can get maybe 1-2 clown perculars and the cleanup crew should be 5 hermit crabs and 5 snails that would work i belive. also i would wait for at least 6 months before getting an anomone and you have to have good lighting.I would sugesst 4 watts per gallon so i would recommend about 32 watts because 10 gallons are not deep so you dont need alot and the anomone will like to be in the rocks i belive but you have to wait for 6 months just my 2 cents.

Hope this helps,
Austin

 

[seahorsecu]

Just use a sand cleaner it is like a rake but handheld size, you can get them at pet stores or this website!

 

[roxy_fox_0]

Do you have to get a certain kind of hood and light bulbs? So you suggest a good HOB filter or a protein skimmer? I have heard different things... do they work jointly or are they two totally separate things, i'm not really sure what a protein skimmer even does really...

 

[canisee2]

Originally Posted by roxy_fox_0
Do you have to get a certain kind of hood and light bulbs? So you suggest a good HOB filter or a protein skimmer? I have heard different things... do they work jointly or are they two totally separate things, i'm not really sure what a protein skimmer even does really...
Ok protein skimmer i dont think you really need one on a 10 gallon but a good hob filter will do and now for the lighting you need pcs. which is power compact so if you give me your email if you have one ill show you a place to get some lighting for your size tank
Hope this helps,
Austin

 

[roxy_fox_0]

my e-mail is:
roxy_fox_00@yahoo.com
what do you suggest a good filter is? right now I have a tetra whisper on a 10 gal brackish... do you think I could convert that into a saltwater tank?
How do powerheads work what do i plug them into?
ugh this is making me so excited and i need to pace myself haha

 

[canisee2]

Originally Posted by roxy_fox_0
my e-mail is:
roxy_fox_00@yahoo.com
what do you suggest a good filter is? right now I have a tetra whisper on a 10 gal brackish... do you think I could convert that into a saltwater tank?
How do powerheads work what do i plug them into?
ugh this is making me so excited and i need to pace myself haha
Ok also take this slow do not go fast slow good

fast bad

.
Also a whisper 10 will be good and i would buy a new ten gallon because if it was brackish you could have used copper to treat some fish which is harmful to saltwater fish a powerhead is for water movemeant i would get a small one of these also you just stick them to the wall and plug them in and there going im going to email you in a mintute

Austin

 

[roxy_fox_0]

Okay, for now, I think that I'm going to try and buy a tank and hood/lighting in the next week or so... then get the powerhead and the filter and the heater and the thermometer the next week, then get the live rock and sand... also, should I use filtered water and then add the sand, or should I use regular water and do some of the "start right" stuff and then add sand... i live in indianapolis and they have a high mercury content in their water... and I dont want to do anything wrong with this tank... so i'm paranoid about everything haha

 

[canisee2]

Ok check your mail and also got to your local fish store and ask them for RO water and its going to cost you like 3 dollars for 10 gallos of water and the ro water is clean water with 99% of all bad chemicals gone and if you local fish store does not have it then buy a bag of sea salt and go to walmart and look for the jugs of ro water.

Austin