I'm new and need help!

andrea

andrea

New Member
I recieved a 10 gallon aquarium for Chrismas from my boyfriend and I absolutely love fish but I've never done this before! This is what I have (if I'm not giving enough info on something or saying something wrong forgive me).
10 gallon hexagon tank
flourescent hood with bulbs (I don't really know what kind)
Top Fin power filter
50 watt heater
I bought the dead calcium carbonate and the salt to start setting up the tank but after I maintain my levels and everything I don't know what to do. I would love to put in some percula clownfish and a triggerfish but I don't really know what kinds of fish I need (and if those two are even compatible). Please help! Thanks so much.
:happyfish
 
T

thomas712

Guest
Welcome to the Board

So your going to start a Nano tank. I would steer you away from the trigger right now as that fish will be to large for a 10 gallon tank. With those lights you will be restriced to a fish only or perhaps a fish with live rock only, what we call a Fowler tank.
With the limited space that you have I would suggest that you research all desired fish first before going out an purchasing as to min tank size recommend, feeding habits, compatibility and such.
I would suggest that you:
Visit our nano forum
Get a book on saltwater aquariums
Visit this board freaquently and ask tons of questions.
After you set up the tank just sit back and let it cycle without any fish for at least a month, till then you can get some test kits and familierize yourself with the cycle and ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Plan for 2 or 3 small size fish, and a few rocks for them to feel comfortable in the aquarium.
You can cycle your tank just by puting in a pinch of food or a raw shrimp.
Thomas
4000
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Hi Andrea,
W E L C O M E ! :cheer: :jumping: :cheer:
A 10 gallon tank severly limits what fish you can keep. They must stay small and must be able to tolerate the rapid changes that happen in a small tank. I believe a pair of True Perculas is the only Clownfish you would be able to keep but that's all that would fit in there. I think that even to Ocellaris Clownfish will get too large for a 10 gallon.
In my opinion the Trigger is just too big of a fish for a 10 gallon tank.
Before going any further I would strongly suggest you buy The Conscientious Marine Aquarist. This book will give you most of the background information required to have a successful saltwater tank.
Guy
 
cprdnick

cprdnick

Active Member
Sorry to tell ya, but there isn't a nano that can carry a trigger of any kind for more that a few months. The get big and the ones that don't need room. Two percs are fine and once you have those you are on the bio load limit. You may want to put atleast a few pieces of live rock in to give extra filtration. Since you only have NO (normal output) lighting you won't be able to do any kind of coral, but they are fine for a FOWLR (fish only with live rock) nano. The power filter is rated for that aquarium so I wouldn't upgrade it or anything. I would however only use the filter cartriges everynow and then so you can keep some carbon running in the system.
As far as substrate, I'm not sure what "dead calcium carbonate" looks like, but I would go with some sort of sand. Aragonite based sand is perfect and goes for somewhere around 15 dollars for a 25 pound back. I would get some small hermit crabs and a few snails to start with after the cycle is over to keep the substrate clean.
Now, the cycle. There are beneficial bacteria that live in LR and LS (live rock and live sand). These bacteria are part of the nitrification cycle. Waste and decomposing organics create ammonia (toxic to fish). The bacteria process this ammonia and turn it into nitrites (also toxic). These nitrites are then turned into the nitrates which under 20 or 30 ppm is not that bad but is easy to control through water changes.
You will also need to buy a basic test kit that can measure ph, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates for saltwater. You need to buy a hydrometer to check the specific gravity/salinity of your water which needs to be between 1.023 and 1.025. I'm sure I've missed something, but I'm late for something so I'll leave it to someone else to correct me or add in.
Clint
 
karajay

karajay

Active Member
WELCOME

Definately get the book...you won't be sorry.
My only other advice is to research everything carefully before you buy it (livestock, equipment, whatever). It will save your money, your sanity and the lives of creatures.
:happyfish
 
overanalyzer

overanalyzer

Active Member
Weclome and to start your cycle in a ten you will just need a nice big pinch of flake food .....
All good advice. You could also do some skunk clowns in a 10 gallon - they like ot hide and are pretty secretive little fish so they would need some LR hiding places.
You could also do a fish only tank with damsels. They are cheap, the tank is small and damsels are the most forgiving fish in terms of water chemsitry issues.... would be a good learning tank. Spend time researching and reading while waiting out the cycle!
 
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