help please new to saltwater..

newyorkjets00

newyorkjets00

New Member
ok i got a 10 gallon tank from walmart... and would like to just have to fish a clownfish and the bringht yellow one.... right now i just filled it up with water from the sink and turned the filter on.. what do i do now? how long till i can get my fish?
 
newyorkjets00

newyorkjets00

New Member
ok i read the article... so to get started i need..
the tank and light- which i already have
sand
powerhead
skimmer
live rock
then the fish?
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by newyorkjets00
ok i read the article... so to get started i need..
the tank and light- which i already have
sand
powerhead
skimmer
live rock
then the fish?
Well you need to decide if you want a fish only tank or a reef tank. If fish are all you are interested in live rock isnt necessary. You will want at least a 2" sand bed, a power head for circulation, and in lieu of the skimmer you may want to just buy a biological filter, one that has a bio wheel in it, also a heater, for a 10 gal tank you will want a 50W heater.
Once you have all that and it is set up and running you will need to let your tank cycle. There are numerous acticles on equipment for testing water perameters and cycling advise. I would highly recomend while your tank is running with no fish in it, to read up on all that before you attempt to add any live stock.
One last thing, you mentioned the 2 fish you want. The "bright yellow one" is a rather vauge description of a fish and there are a number of them that fit that bill. You would need to be a bit more specific as you are limited to the size fish you can put in that tank. :joy:
 
newyorkjets00

newyorkjets00

New Member
i think i would like just 2 small fish in my tank i dont really need the rock...
so i need.. "2" sand bed, a power head for circulation,and a better filter? i already have a heater for the tank.
 
S

shark bait

Guest
Best bet is ro/di water. Or get the store water that has no additives. The water that has additives and minerals for flavor are not great for the tank. Over time is will cause a alge bloom, and it will be due to the mineral content of the water. You can get pre-mixed salt water in 5g from the LFS
 
sfoister

sfoister

Member
Originally Posted by newyorkjets00
remember im new here lol.. so u gotta break names down to me. and the cost of this stuff would be nice please.
At the risk of being flamed by someone that may be more patient than myself, I really recommend you consider the amount of time and money you're about to invest into this and then think about how bad you really want it. If this is just some passing fancy that hit you while walking into a pet store one day you may want to buy a ferret or a dog instead.
Owning a saltwater tank is not like owning any other animal. It takes more time and more money than you think.
If you're serious about this, walk over to your tank, empty the water, and turn off the filter, then go to a book store and pick up a book called "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists" by Robert M. Fenner.
That book goes in depth on the products you need and the different types of tank setups you can invest in.
I really don't mean to sound harsh here, but I'm just making an observation and it seems like this may just be a passing fancy. And this is not a good hobby to have a passing fancy for.

Edit: Also, the most common bright yellow fish is prbably a yellow tang, or possible a yellow wrasse. Both of these fish will be too large for the 10 gallon tank.
Edit again: Check out this thread also. https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/264597/a-list-of-extremely-helpful-threads-for-all-hobbyists
 
newyorkjets00

newyorkjets00

New Member
i assure you this is something i have wanted to do for awhile now.. just have not had the time but now i do so i thought i would persue it... so please bare with me i know im a newb or whatever ya call me.. but i really want to get some orange clownfish :happyfish so please list what i need to buy to get started.
 
clown316

clown316

Member
well... ive had a nano tank for over 5 months now...and now im upgrading to a 58... let me tell you... i dont want to change your mind on anything... but listen to all the people on these boards... because they are very knowledgable and experienced. They will give you very good advice... first... you want a better filter.... maybe a canister filter..... a power head for circulation as the others stated... i would recommend a protein skimmer (not needed) for such a small tank..... hydrometer to test the specific gravity/salinity of the water.... live sand ( one bag of the arag alive will be more than enough). live rock would be nice..i would say 20 lbs..... test kits for the water... nitrate, nitrites, etc.... rerverse osmosis ( ro/di) water will be a good choice... you can buy the ro unit at the local fish store (lfs) or buy the water by itself.... and... that should do it.... your looking at a price of no less than o say.. $$400 for everything... thats just my advice... take it for what its worth... saltwater fish keeping is very expensive and time consuming... make sure you are ready forthe cost and the commitment... although saltwater fish/tanks are beautiful... they are a lot of work... sorry about the long post...
 
clown316

clown316

Member
Originally Posted by sfoister
At the risk of being flamed by someone that may be more patient than myself, I really recommend you consider the amount of time and money you're about to invest into this and then think about how bad you really want it. If this is just some passing fancy that hit you while walking into a pet store one day you may want to buy a ferret or a dog instead.
Owning a saltwater tank is not like owning any other animal. It takes more time and more money than you think.
If you're serious about this, walk over to your tank, empty the water, and turn off the filter, then go to a book store and pick up a book called "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists" by Robert M. Fenner.
That book goes in depth on the products you need and the different types of tank setups you can invest in.
I really don't mean to sound harsh here, but I'm just making an observation and it seems like this may just be a passing fancy. And this is not a good hobby to have a passing fancy for.

Edit: Also, the most common bright yellow fish is prbably a yellow tang, or possible a yellow wrasse. Both of these fish will be too large for the 10 gallon tank.
Edit again: Check out this thread also. https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=264597

and i AGREE with all that s foister said.. i kinda repeated some... i didnt read his post..lol... but we cant stress enough how important it is for you to provide the proper housing and environment for these fish...
 
triga22

triga22

Active Member
I would get a pengiun power filter. You can mix your own saltwater with some salt you get at the fish store.
 
newyorkjets00

newyorkjets00

New Member
ok so i got the 10 gallon tank and lights already. next would be
water,a better filter.... a power head for circulation ..... live sand .. test kits for the water... nitrate, nitrites??
 
sfoister

sfoister

Member
Read the thread I told you to read and buy the book I told you to buy.
All of your questions can be answered in the thread, and then you can research those answers with the book.
We can give you a laundry list of things to buy but you'll never understand why you need all of this stuff unless you read about it yourself.
 
adairable

adairable

Member
Originally Posted by sfoister
Read the thread I told you to read and buy the book I told you to buy.
All of your questions can be answered in the thread, and then you can research those answers with the book.
We can give you a laundry list of things to buy but you'll never understand why you need all of this stuff unless you read about it yourself.
relational understanding vs instrumental understanding
 
triga22

triga22

Active Member
I would get the Penguin Power filter. For a powerhead I would get a Maxi Jet. Salt Reef Crystals is great. For a test kit to start off with get the liquid master test kit, its like 15 bucks at the store. RO/DI water can be bought at a normal store such as Walmart and Publix, Kroger. About 30 cents/Gal is what I pay.
 
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