# Sw setup questions (I know nothing)



## Epok (Jun 20, 2011)

I recently posted in the classifield section that I am looking for a 5 gallon reef tank. Now that i have realized I dont know anything when it comes to keeping Saltwater setups. I wondering if someone could point me in the right direction on what I need to start a tank vs. keeping a stable tank. What I want the tank for is, a small bedside table tank(Nothing bigger than 10 gallons). Now since I dont know anything when it comes to Salt water setups I was hoping to get some advice. I've had some people saying I shouldnt do such a small tank as a reef tank but others saying its fine. Personally all I would like to see is one or two clownfish with maybe some shrimp/snails. Nothing to big.

So I guess what I am really asking is what is your opinion of small reef tanks? Whats the smallest I can go that I could safely keep up to two clownfish? What do I need for filtration, lighting and heat? What is a setup going to cost me? 

Thanks for the info


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

here's some starter info: http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/marine-chat-10/saltwater-beginners-part-1-getting-started-1791/


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Don't start with a 5g, go for a 10g if you insist it be small. I had problems with my 10g after I had experience with my 30g, but I'm not expert in the field either. It's far less stable of a system and can crash a lot easier due to the smaller volume of water.

You don't need a filter, just cured live rock. Heater, I dunno, depends on what size tank you go with, it's the same as freshwater, I don't even remember what temp I set mine at but they're doing fine. Two clownfish in a 10g might be a problem, or perhaps I just had a bully, but they didn't enjoy each other's company to put it lightly.

Make sure you do all your research first before buying the sand, cured live rocks (or non-cured and curing them) and sea-salt. You've got to get the right PH and salinity, making sure your tank is cycled first before even adding your clean up crew, let alone shrimp and fish.

As far as other equipment, you'll need a refractor meter for testing salinity, and DEFINITELY a master test kit. If you're not going to be having corals, the lighting is up to you.

Cheers,
Chris


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

bigger the body of water the less likely to foul, in addition your gonna be adding water or salt every other day with a 5 gal or a 10.

i tried a 20 gal sw set up and it drove me nuts, but then i did a 150 gallon sw and it was soooooooooooo so simple , with a bigger body of water too toxic stuff, and changes in water chemistry are slower and more gardual easier to control, with a small body of water it can happen in an hour or 2 if you have something die in there ,

if you want a reef tank go big easier in my opinion, if you want a fowlr tank <fish only with live rock> you could get away with it , just gonna have to monitor your stuff more closely


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## Epok (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks guys  Ill do some reading and go from there, it sounds like I should just not go into cause I dont have the room or money to buy another large tank. I just wanted to go small like 5-10 gallon nothing more


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## albert_dao (May 28, 2012)

Here's a step-by-step I made of the Nano I set up at my friend's store:

Log In | Facebook (I hope this link works...)

It can be done, you just need to be armed with knowledge or a lot of people who can provide it 

Hope that helps.


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## pinkjell (Apr 22, 2010)

I started out with a 5 g. I wanted a mandarin, and since I had a bigger SW tank 3 years ago (33g) and I didnt enjoy it at all, I set up a 5 g - just the size I wanted. Full water changes were weekly, but I didnt have to add water in the meantime. I did grow brown algae, i think thats what it was, and I couldnt get rid of it no matter what I did. You just cant get the water flow that you need in a 5g. I had one clown, 1 mandarin, a few gobies, shrimp, crabs, and I stocked it with live copepods and baby brine shrimp. I actually didnt feed anyone for 8 days and I had no casualities (was in hospital unexpectantely) but it was completely full of algae when I got out of the hospital. It only took about an hour to clean off everything. But, I decided to get something a little bigger just because I wanted to add more critters and I got a super deal on a biocube 14g and stand at J&Ls so I went with it. I transfered all my rock over and fish, and the algae disappeared and everything is good and stable. The biocube is self sufficient and I dont even have a heater in the tank. I found with the 5 g that the salt creep was too much - and I had a proper 5 g top on the tank too, and once the salt gets on your walls from the spray, your wall paint is crackled.. and the biocube contains the salt. Its much nicer visually then the 5 g. I wanted a small tank so that I could figure out what I was doing. I did have a small filter system, a bubbler, and a heater in the 5g. Oh, and I did get a ton of live rock. I have to admit though that I am very happy with the 14 g now. It is more stable and less work then the 5g. I was constantly concerned about the 5g.


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## Epok (Jun 20, 2011)

pinkjell said:


> I started out with a 5 g. I wanted a mandarin, and since I had a bigger SW tank 3 years ago (33g) and I didnt enjoy it at all, I set up a 5 g - just the size I wanted. Full water changes were weekly, but I didnt have to add water in the meantime. I did grow brown algae, i think thats what it was, and I couldnt get rid of it no matter what I did. You just cant get the water flow that you need in a 5g. I had one clown, 1 mandarin, a few gobies, shrimp, crabs, and I stocked it with live copepods and baby brine shrimp. I actually didnt feed anyone for 8 days and I had no casualities (was in hospital unexpectantely) but it was completely full of algae when I got out of the hospital. It only took about an hour to clean off everything. But, I decided to get something a little bigger just because I wanted to add more critters and I got a super deal on a biocube 14g and stand at J&Ls so I went with it. I transfered all my rock over and fish, and the algae disappeared and everything is good and stable. The biocube is self sufficient and I dont even have a heater in the tank. I found with the 5 g that the salt creep was too much - and I had a proper 5 g top on the tank too, and once the salt gets on your walls from the spray, your wall paint is crackled.. and the biocube contains the salt. Its much nicer visually then the 5 g. I wanted a small tank so that I could figure out what I was doing. I did have a small filter system, a bubbler, and a heater in the 5g. Oh, and I did get a ton of live rock. I have to admit though that I am very happy with the 14 g now. It is more stable and less work then the 5g. I was constantly concerned about the 5g.


Any chance you can send me pics and dimensions of the biocube your talking about?


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

I've got a 29g biocube, and love it. Great little system, currently housing 2 clown fish and live rock.

Here's a link to what it looks like and the details of the 14g version, probably has a smaller footprint than the 10g because its a cube instead of rectangular, but it'll definitely cost you more than a 10g....

Oceanic BioCube Aquarium - 14 Gallon


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## pinkjell (Apr 22, 2010)

thx for sending the info about the 14 g...i got the tank and stand for 199. Ive been looking at them for a long time..and the 14g alone is usually 249. It was a good deal for me but yes definately more then probably your looking at spending. I would definitely save a bit to get something better - if your able to do that.


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## albert_dao (May 28, 2012)

:/

Biocube lighting leaves much to be desired. While it may satiate the demands of easier corals, the bulbs options you have available are severely lacking when it comes to displaying corals. There are many corals that are amazing under MH/T4/LED just don't look nice in biocubes (power compacts) no matter what you do with them.


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