Do I have everything I need

F

fishhugger

Guest
Hi, I am trying to start a ten gallon tank for the first time and I am not exactly sure what I need, I am trying to be as cheap as possible, because being only in 8th grade, I cant afford everything I want. So I want to know what I need, at the cheapests prices. What I think I want to get is:
An HOB mechanchal/biological/chemical filter
A 50 watt heater
I am not sure about a protein skimmer (Do I need one)
20 pounds of sand, How much will this cost. (where do you get sand from for fish tanks, or could I just get a bag of sand at a walmart gardening section or HD)
10 pounds live rock (Does anybody know a place to get it from around Chesapeake Va or Virgiania Beach, I live in Franklin, VA if anybody knows where that is. The only place I Know to get it from is Scales and tales, but its 20 dollars a pund :mad:does petsmart have live rock)
And what I am not sure about is the lighting, I want to get a small anemone, and some corals, will 160 watts be enough, if so, is it possible to get a 160 watt 17 inch light strip, the cheap hood I want to get holds only one bulb.
 
moray345

moray345

Active Member
welocme to nanos!!!!!
First I wouldnt reccomend that little filter they will break easily (take my advise
)get a millenium/tetratec/whisper or something like that. go to your lfs and get ls or some argonite based sand. You do not need a protein skimmer. With lighting I would reccomend the 96w coralife powerquad with that you can keep any lps or softie. About the anemone if it was the main focus of the tank yes but there is much more to worry about than lighting for it like water quality......
HTH,
Moray345
 
F

fishhugger

Guest
I think that the filter is a whisper, but I am not sure.
 
K

kimc

Guest
Hey, You need to try and get live sand. It's really worth the $$$ Also, I have a 7 gal mini bow w/Aqua Clear 110 power filter I made into a fuge... It works great.. I really like it!! Keeps things natural!! Have fun!!!:happy:
 
manjisann

manjisann

Member
Try and decide on what you want to keep and then that will mostly tell you what equip you need. You can never really have too much light (unless your fish turn into calamarie.) The 96w quad seems to be very popular. As far as the protein skimmer, if you are very concientious about your water changes (i.e. 10% once a week) and don't over feed or over stock you can get away without one. I have a 20 gal tank and no skimmer and it has been up since Aug. of 04, the trick is enough live rock and don't over stock or over feed. If you can afford live sand it is great, but since you are on a budget you can get away with putting your live rock in with your sand (make sure you get it at an lfs, I'd be warry of Wal-Mart and definatley nothing you get at a hardware store, it will have tons of silicate and you will have an alge problem to no end.) The critters in the live rock will eventually populate the sand. Hope this is of some use to you.
 
F

fishhugger

Guest
that is all verly helpfull, but how much do you think a 20 pounds of sand will cost, Thankyou
 
manjisann

manjisann

Member
Around here (Utah) sand can be bought for around a dollar a pound (dry aragonite) and live rock is anywhere from 4 to 8 dollars a pound. If you go with the bagged aragonite, before you put it in your tank, wash it very thoroughly in a five gallon bucket. It will keep your tank from getting really cloudy.:jumping:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top