Starting a small tank?

[mamasquishy]

This is a whole new world compared to fresh-water. My best friend bought a used ten-gallon and wanted to buy a clownfish. She never got to.. and i was thinking of doing it for her as a surprise. I've researched ALOT

and it still just doesn't compare with asking someone experienced and getting a real answer. first of all i only want to put a tank-raised percula clownfish, a starfish, and an anemone. I read a bubble anemone is efficient enough for the clownfish's needs. Is that correct? And what kind of starfish is suitable (preferably something small)? I've read about live rock and sand. I've read about lighting and ph and stuff. I've read about filtration and something called... protein skimmer.

Exactly how should i set up this ten-gallon tank and in what order do i do things? How do i prepare the used tank itself? As for live rock and sand... i don't know what to choose or how to prepare it. lighting.. what do i get? ph (and stuff) how do i check and test these things? Filtration.. it's a small tank obviously so what specifically do i need? I know it's alot but help me out please!

I wanna do this for my friend and not leave her worried about anything other than maintaining it.

 

[nycbob]

unless ur friends is really into saltwater fish, i wouldnt surprise her it. it takes a lot of dedication to maintain a saltwater tank. clownfish and then anemone? the anemone needs very strong light, such as t5 or mh. u r talking about an investment of over $300-400 just to start a 10 gallan tank. it doesnt sound like ur friend really hv the knowledge for this.

 

[prk543]

Not only that, a 10 gallon takes a lot of effort to maintain an anemone. Just evaporation alone in a 10gal causes significant swings salinity.
A saltwater tank isn't something you can just throw together, it should be cycled before you add fish, and must be established for about 6 months and have proper lighting before you should consider adding an anemone. Also a Bubble tip and all species of anemone would rapidly outgrow a 10g tank. My BTA doubled in size in the year I have had it.
Now a 10 gal tank could be a good tank for your friend to learn on. If you want your friend to have her tank, I suggest that you pick up a gift card to a local store and allow her to get the basic stuff she needs. Building my tank was very rewarding, and I wouldn't want your friend to miss out on that.
-prk543

 

[trouble93]

My very first SW tank was a 10gal. As a matter of fact it's still up a running today I use it as a sick tank, but anyway it's a lot of work for that size tank...There are things you MUST have from the start. Live rock a must live sand a must a good filter a must. This is not something you can do over night. You have to let the tank cycle that could take a few weeks. Lighting is something else that will set you back a few bucks.

 

[mamasquishy]

Everyone is either restating what i said or being negative. trouble93, I already said live rock and sand and filter.... what new information did you provide? prk543, aside from salinity and anemone (which was helpful) information, you repeated trouble. nycbob, i said NOTHING about my friends knowledge of salt-water tanks... so who are you to assume? I didn't say i didn't have the funds or the time. I didn't say that my friend wasn't motivated (money or maintainence). I'm not shoving it in her face only for it all to die in a week, I wouldn't do that. No one is giving me details or answers to WHAT I ASKED. She has researched herself and she knows how much work it is, i never said she didn't. Clownfish/amenome or NOT i still need to know what i basically need FOR the tank, becuase i want to get her SOMETHING in it. Specifically when it comes down to what goes in it, i could put another kind of fish, keep the starfish, and scratch the anemone.

 

[robertmathern]

well with a thank that small. I would not worry about a protene skimmer. You r tank would be mostly skimmer. I would look into a canister filter to add a little more water volume. As far as lights I would google nova extreme. I am not sure what they have for a tank that size but they might have something. Good luck the best advise I can give you is. If you put your wallet in your tank it wont give it back lol

 

[oceansidefish]

Honestly if I were you I would spend the money and go buy her a 20G tank at wallyworld. A 10g is going to be a pain to maintain if you want anything interesting in it. If not here it goes...
10 pounds of livesand, any brand but I like caribsea and another 10-15 pounds of liverock. As far as a starfish and anem go, not in that size tank and definately not in a new tank. They would just die. I would get her a pair of clowns and maybe a clown goby or a yellow watchman goby. For lighting I would get some Power Compacts (no anems on these). You could keep some mushrooms and zoos in there on those.
Honestly though get a bigger tank. Small tanks are MUCH more difficult to keep and you can get a 20g for about 20 bucks or so.

 

[mboswell1982]

they actually have 20g longs at petsmart for 24.99, its a really good deal on a pretty nice lil tank