First Saltwater!

[Tatertot]

I just got my first saltwater tank! Unfortunately it is a two gallon, but I'm determined to keep it healthy. Do you guys have any tips to taking care of it? Also, can you help me decide what to stock it with?
Ideas:

• Sexy shrimp
• Zebra Shrimp (https://www.saltwaterfish.com/product-zebra-shrimp)
• Neon goby
• Clown goby
• Dwarf seahorse
• Cleaner shrimp

If I want to keep ephillia, can I put any other corals with them? What other corals would be good to start with? This is the tank:
http://www.amazon.com/KollerCraft-TOM-Deco-Aquarium-2-Gallon/dp/B000YIYNYW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1455381041&sr=8-6&keywords=saltwater+aquarium+kit
Thank you so much!!

 

[Tatertot]

I also just found out that
a.) Scooter blennies are also possible candidates
b.) The heater isn't set to a specific temperature

Thank you!

 

[bang guy]

Hi Tatertot,

A 2 gallon system would be difficult even for a very experienced reefkeeper.

The Shrimp you mention might have a slim chance but there is just no way you will be able to keep a fish of any type in a 2 gallon saltwater system.

Don't mean to burst your bubble so soon but what you are proposing will result in failure.

 

[lmforbis]

+1

 

[Tatertot]

Hi Tatertot,

A 2 gallon system would be difficult even for a very experienced reefkeeper.

The Shrimp you mention might have a slim chance but there is just no way you will be able to keep a fish of any type in a 2 gallon saltwater system.

Don't mean to burst your bubble so soon but what you are proposing will result in failure.

Any suggestions for what I could do?

 

[bang guy]

I would seriously consider going with a freshwater system unless you have the funds for a much larger saltwater. 75 gallons is an excellent starter tank for saltwater.

 

[Tatertot]

I would seriously consider going with a freshwater system unless you have the funds for a much larger saltwater. 75 gallons is an excellent starter tank for saltwater.

I know the details are iffy, but what if I turned it into an infinity pool type thing with a ten gallon tank? I get some kind of stand to put the two gallon on top of in a ten gallon tank, and I let the two gallon overflow into the ten gallon. I REALLY don't want to turn it into freshwater- I already have a ten gallon.

 

[bang guy]

There have been a couple of the newer hobbyists starting nano systems. Hopefully they can join the conversation and share their experiences.

A 10 gallon system is possible, it's just not going to be easy. Other than the Seahorse your stock list in the first post could work.

 

[jay0705]

I have a 10 gal. I keep a problem fish in lol. The tank is no different than any of my other tanks. Sand, lr, ect. However the amount of evaporation is insane, the salinity can jump from 1.020-1.022 in a day. Don't watch it and in 2-3 days your stuff is dead, or at best very stressed.
Now do your homework get everything you need, test kits, refractometer, supplements, salt, power head, ect. Then go SLOW and yes a 10 can be doable. As mentioned above tho a 75 is honestly easy and allows sooo much more stock.

 

[Tatertot]

It's all set up!
Thank you Jay for the advice, I now have a gallon jug filled with cured freshwater handy. I am super exited to put things in the tank, but right now it's only cycling. I have it filled with live sand, lava rock, and I have a filter from *****. I'm going to use the light from the two gallon and turn the filter into a nano refugium. Right now the water is kind of cloudy because I was just messing around in it and I accidentally got REALLY fine live sand. I'm debating on whether I'm going to get a powerhead, I feel like it would be too much flow. The tank will probably have mostly softies, maybe some ephillia, so I won't get supplements. The salinity is pretty good right now, I'm going to draw a line in sharpie where the water level should stay. I have an algae wafer sitting in there to get the initial ammonia spike, but I still need a test kit. I'm not really ready to wait, I might get live rock soon so there is a chance for life in the tank (hopefully not apitasia though! ). I'll attach some pictures.

Future Nano Refugium

Filter