New here! Help needed!! Nano 10 gallon

ducksarecool12

ducksarecool12

New Member
Hi!! Just signed up and really excited! I've been wanting to have a saltwater tank and have finally decided I'm gonna do it! I enjoy hard work and challenges, even tho many people don't suggest 10 gallons (especially for new saltwater keepers) that's what I want to do! I've had a few freshwater tanks but never saltwater. Anyways, I know nothing... I do know I want to have live sand, live rock, fish(not sure what kinds yet), and then soft coral as I've read it's easier for new saltwater keepers. I don't have lots of $$$ so I want to start slow and get the basic essential first. Like getting the tank, salt, sand, filter, and live rock, but holding off on the lights, hood, etc. I want to get started this weekend. After I get the tank where I want it, I put the live sand in, fill it with tap water and add salt, then I can immediately add the live rock? I've also heard you burry the live rock to make it touched the bottom glass?? Any and all information and help is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance! :)
 
thelameball13

thelameball13

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by ADEE http:///t/395086/new-here-help-needed-nano-10-gallon#post_3516819
Well aren't you a polite one mr "I just joined today". The post was a sentence off from trolling... Basically a blank slate, no sw knowledge at.all. Wanting to fill a tank with tap water, spend little money, start with a nano and when I wish the guy luck I'm the dumb one?
I could eat a bowl of alphabet soup and shit out a smarter statement than that.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Wow indeed. ADEE, you need to be more polite yourself. Many hobbyists start off this way, including myself 8 years ago.
Ducks, start by reading some guides. They really do help. Pay attention to articles on water quality. Small aquariums need a little more specialized knowledge, but its nothing you cant learn yourself.
Get yourself a filter rated for twice your tank size. Buy a small koralia nano powerhead when you can. Go to your local Walmart and buy ten gallons of fresh water out of their machine. Add it to the tank and add five cups of instant ocean salt. Mix overnight. Take a couple of gallons of water out of the tank and add your live rock first, then your sand around it.
In any case, read, study and listen to those who have done it before you.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Welcome to the site!
Never use tap water. the grocery store or Walmart carries RO (reverse osmosis) water in the refill stations. So get a couple of 5g jugs (you will use them often) and mix your tank salt with RO water. Like Snake said, rock goes in first, then sand.
Fill the tank half way with the mixed saltwater, until you have the rock and sand in place, then gently add the rest of the water.
You do need a good beginners book. I used the "Saltwater aquarium for dummies" book. It explains all the equipment and what it's for and will get you familiar with the terms. It will help you to know what questions to ask. Robert Fenners "The conscientious Aquarist" is another very good book for just starting out.
Use pure ammonia, or a chunk of raw shrimp to start the first cycle...not a live fish. A good beginners book, and the lab type test kits are first purchases to make. I can't stress how important having your own test kit is. During the first cycle...you can use test strips...but only then, and when you set up your quarantine tank. It will cost just as much to set up a 20g or 29g as it does to set up a 10g. A 40g to 90g run about the same cash need to set up...then 120g to 200g. You are not saving anything to stay so small as the 10g...I would suggest the 20, or 29g to start. They all take the same equipment, and almost the same amount of rock.
You will need:

  • Tank

  • Rock

  • Live sand

  • Master reef test kit (LAB TYPE, not strips) get the reef kits because you said you want corals.

  • A filter... HOB for a 10g is best or a small canister...NEVER an undergravel filter.

  • 2 nano Power heads

  • Saltmix

  • Lights (T5s or LED for corals, regular fish lights will not do)

  • RO water...your own RO unit is the best way to go....or like I said, go to Walmart and for 37 cents a gallon you will save yourself a ton of headaches that tap water will cause.

  • Refractometer or hydrometer
    Thermometer
    Heater
    Skimmer (needed a few months after the tank is set up)
    5g jugs
    Bucket (mark it fish only)
    Turkey baster (mark it fish only...a very handy gadget to have)
    A plastic food safe garbage can for mixing your saltwater and doing water changes.
    A utility pump (for mixing the salt in the RO water, and for water changes)
    Flex hose (for water changes)
 
ducksarecool12

ducksarecool12

New Member
Thanks guys! The Other reason im going with a 10gal is because i already have a stand for It. I'm going to get the tank, filter, salt, and water tonight and live rock, test, and sand tomorrow. Sound good?
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducksarecool12 http:///t/395086/new-here-help-needed-nano-10-gallon#post_3516874
Thanks guys! The Other reason im going with a 10gal is because i already have a stand for It. I'm going to get the tank, filter, salt, and water tonight and live rock, test, and sand tomorrow. Sound good?
Hi there,
I know that having a stand already seems like it would be easier to do a 10g tank. But it is very small and can be a challenge. Just know that going in. 29g is a very good nano tank. You could build a basic stand for maybe $40.00. Just like Flower said, it costs about the same to set up a 10g-29g. Most folks starting out get everything set up and going and wish they went bigger... I know I did, started with a 29g and upgraded to a 125g within the year of setting up my first SW tank.
Now, saying that, I will also say that I don't like people telling me that I can't do something. So, if you are going to go a head and set up the 10g. Be prepared to be on top of it like a son of a gun. I would be prepared to do weekly 50% water changes (which is not bad because it would only be 5g or so). Get over sized equipment, and maybe even drill the tank and use a sump style filtration setup (this can be done without drilling, you would just need a siphon style HOB overflow box and lifter pump). The problem I see with running a nice 10g tank is that if you don't have a sump (to hide all the equipment) you will have all HOB (hang on back) equipment and the real estate on a 10 gallon tank is quite small. So it will kind of look junkey IMO.
I run a 10g QT (quarantine tank for new fish additions or Hospital tank for sick fish), and it is a utilitarian tank. Its nothing I would ever brag about looking good, if you catch my drift. It works, but I have to do 50% water changes bi weekly. all this for two small fish the size of a quarter.

This is a old pic of the 10g QT after it was just set up. I have added a HOB skimmer that takes up one entire side of the tank. Sorry I don't have another recent pic because it looks pretty bad, but again, it works.
NOTE:: QT's do not have live rock or live sand. That's why I have coffee cups and PVC in there.
Set up a 29g if you can. You won't be sorry.
 
ducksarecool12

ducksarecool12

New Member
Hi again, I really appreciate the information y'all are giving me. I'm going to go ahead With the 10gallon reef tank. It's not that I'm not going to spend a lot of money on the tank, but I will only be able to spend about $100 every one or two weeks. The equipment I'm going to start with and start getting it tomorrow:
10gallon tank~
Salt~
Live Sand~
Test KIT~
Then next week I will be able to get:
Filter(for 70 gallon)~
Live Rock~
Heater(50watt)~
Will all this stuff work? What am I missing? Can I set up my tank with only the salt and live sand for a week without a heater, live rock and everything? Or should i wait till i have it all? I'm going to use water from Walmart. I will eventually get lights but are powerheads really necessary? I've read that the filter will do just fine but I'm really wanting to do this right the first time! :) I will probably have more questions later but that's all I have for now.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducksarecool12 http:///t/395086/new-here-help-needed-nano-10-gallon#post_3516921
Hi again, I really appreciate the information y'all are giving me. I'm going to go ahead With the 10gallon reef tank. It's not that I'm not going to spend a lot of money on the tank, but I will only be able to spend about $100 every one or two weeks. The equipment I'm going to start with and start getting it tomorrow:
10gallon tank~
Salt~
Live Sand~
Test KIT~
Then next week I will be able to get:
Filter(for 70 gallon)~
Live Rock~
Heater(50watt)~
You are not allowed to post links to other sites...it's a common mistake that is against the rules...I don't want you to get kicked off the site.
Will all this stuff work? What am I missing? Can I set up my tank with only the salt and live sand for a week without a heater, live rock and everything? Or should i wait till i have it all? I'm going to use water from Walmart. I will eventually get lights but are powerheads really necessary? I've read that the filter will do just fine but I'm really wanting to do this right the first time! :) I will probably have more questions later but that's all I have for now.
Hi,
You missed a very important item in list #1....the very much needed beginners book.
You need the power heads more than you need the heater right now. The life of the ocean is the wave, and if you don't have the wave your tank is going to go bad fast. A 10g tank should be used for a QT, as Sweatervest recommended. A 29 bio cube will be much better. An actual stand with with a larger tank, lights, filter, heater...even fish food costs $160.00 at *****. for $200.00, you can get a 29g Biocube with even a built in skimmer and the same stuff as listed above. The amount of money to purchase what you need with the 10g is the same amount of money for the 29g Bio-cube. Not to mention the Bio-cube will look so much better...it's all self contained.
A 10g tank is extremely hard to keep going, I wouldn't try a 10g reef, and I have been in the fish hobby for over 35 years. Sand goes in AFTER the rock. You can't build on shifting sand, it will cause a rock slide, possibly breaking the tank or crushing your critters. so you must swap those items on your list.
This is a 55g tank, stand and hood with LED lighting.... If you can hold on to your $100.00 you were planning on for 3 weeks.....

  • MARINELAND® 55 Gallon Aquarium/LED Hood/Stand $299.99 ...that's right, a nice 55g with stand, lights and tank for $300.00 brand spanking new. Now imagine how cheap the 29g can be found...stand and all. You can order from the internet, your options are not limited.

P.S.
In case space is a problem...I have a 56g tall tank with a stand... that I got at Petsmart for $179.00 the footprint is 30 X 18 inches ... So believe us when we say you can do much better then the 10g
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
Hmmm.... I'm going to for sure start looking into a larger tank! :)
Nice!! I know its hard because you want to get going right away.... Because its so awesome.!! But patience now will pay back 10 fold. For real.
Check Craigslist in your area people are always getting rid of tanks. Stands are easy to build. And the DIY's are usually a lot better built then the store bought ones.
I am glad you are at least considering a bigger tank.
 
mrbigglesworth

mrbigglesworth

New Member
If you are serious about a nano tank around 10 gallons, look into fluval or jbj. Jbj has a nano tank designed for saltwater with lights included good enough for soft corals and compartments hidden outback for pumps heaters etc. I have a fluval 5 gallon spec that has a hidden compartment as well. Its a good tank, you would have to mod it a little bit but you could put most of your equipment outback. With a small tank the two essentials are water changes and top off water. Make sure you start slow, especially in a tank this small, your nitrates can rise very quick by adding the smallest things. Good luck and once you get into it you'll love this hobby for the rest of your life.
 
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