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First ever saltwater tank!


CurtBoswell

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CurtBoswell

Hey everyone! :) This is my first post on nano-reef.com! I have been researching on and off for about two years. Originally I was going to start a 40 gallon tank but it was way too expensive for me. Eventually I decided on a 5.5 gallon tank. I know that it will be hard with to keep parameters in check because it is small and my first tank. I will cycle it with 6lbs live rock and 5lbs live sand. I will have a HOB filter to hold some Chaeto. I know it won't be a lot at this time but it'll be enough for until I can buy the materials to set up a refugium. That also will be a 5.5. The tank will cycle for at least a month before I even think about putting something in it. After that I will introduce a CUC consisting of 6 dwarf ceriths, 3 Nassarius, 4 Florida ceriths, and 4 nerites. I would like to have a good variety of corals and possibly a yellow clown goby. I really wanted a clown fish, but with them getting too big for the tank I decided not to. Oh, and 6 sexy shrimp! I love them! Haha! They're one of the first things I wanted in a saltwater aquarium! I would like to build my own lights using screw in LEDs. If you have any info on how I could do that and what I would need to do that. I would appreciate that! I'm going to use a hydro pico 180gph for the circulation. Sound goo? Am I missing anything?

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Thanks! Does anyone have any advice?

Break up your sentences into paragraphs (so it isn't a wall of text). :) More people will read it all, and respond to different sections of your post.

 

OK, some better advice...

Originally I was going to start a 40 gallon tank but it was way too expensive for me.

My advice would be to compromise and get a 20 gallon tank (either high or long). If you need to, just wait and save up a little (it shouldn't be that much more than a smaller tank). If you'd really like a 40 gallon tank, save up for that instead.

 

I really wanted a clown fish, but with them getting too big for the tank I decided not to.

Since you'd like a clownfish, just get a bigger tank and keep one. Otherwise you will buy all this stuff for your small tank, only to upgrade just a little later on.

 

I would like to build my own lights using screw in LEDs. If you have any info on how I could do that and what I would need to do that.

If you want LEDs, but don't necessarily know how to do it, I would look into one of these value LED fixtures: http://reefbreeders.com/value-led-fixture/ They'd be nice for a 20 gallon tank.

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CurtBoswell

Thank you Seabass! I will do that next time! Haha!

 

The reason cost is such a big thing for me is because I am a high school student still an I don't have a job. I sell car parts on eBay but that's no enough money to keep up with larger water changes and matinance.

 

Also space is an issue right now too. I may go 10 gallon with a 5.5 refugium. Would I be fine with a ocellaris clown in there?

 

I don't need fantastic lighting until I get corals right?

 

I just picked up two books from the library that I'm going to read before starting the aquarium. They are "The Saltwater Aquarium Handbook" by Geprge Blasiola and "Reef Secrets" by Alf Jacob Nilsen and Svein A. Fossa. Has anyone else read them?

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Also space is an issue right now too. I may go 10 gallon with a 5.5 refugium. Would I be fine with a ocellaris clown in there?

Yes, you could keep an Ocellaris Clownfish in a 10 gallon tank. You might also consider a 15 gallon tank; they don't take up that much more room.

 

I don't need fantastic lighting until I get corals right?

That's right.

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CurtBoswell

So just a regular CFL would work for a while?

 

And for sexy shrimp. I read if they're hungry they will eat zoas? What would I feed the shrimp? And how often?

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chicagoreef

Welcome to the madness! And the constant plotting and planning and scheming. There is always yet another idea to think about.

 

Have you looked at used tanks from craigslist/local reefing forum/etc? That is a good way to save a lot of money - as you probably already realize, the cost of the actual tank can be quite low - its all those add ons, especially light that significantly increase the budget. And try to keep it simple - don't try to spend money solving problems you don't know yet if you will have.

 

Think about maintenance - specifically how you will get water for top off and salt water. Will you make the water yourself or buy it? Most people go with making RO/DI water and salt water, but a lot of us with smaller tanks just buy distilled water and salt water. At 10 gallons replacing 2 gallons a week isn't going to cost too much (but could be a hassle if you need your parent to drive you around). I'd strongly suggest at least a 10 gallon with or without a sump over something smaller.

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CurtBoswell

Thanks Chicagoreef!

 

I actually already have a ro/di system.

 

I have 2 5.5 gallons and a 10 gallon aquarium already. Would I still see the sexy shrimp and would they be fine with the ocellaris clownfish?

 

I am going to get a CUC and Chaeto from reefcleaners.com. Are they a good company?

 

If I put dey rock in my refugium while cycling the tank will it turn to live rock as long as I have live rock in the display tank?

 

I was thinking about putting this mini protien skimmer in the sump/refugium. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001V95TZA/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?tag=viglink20358-20

 

Do protein skimmers kill copepods or other good life in the aquarium?

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So just a regular CFL would work for a while?

Yes, but that light spectrum might encourage algae growth.

 

And for sexy shrimp. I read if they're hungry they will eat zoas? What would I feed the shrimp? And how often?

LiveAquaria considers them reef safe (meaning they shouldn't eat zoanthids). IDK, I've never kept them. They should eat fish food (typical flake or frozen foods).

 

Would I still see the sexy shrimp and would they be fine with the ocellaris clownfish?

Read some of these threads (especially the first one): http://www.nano-reef.com/index.php?s=a3083621d3e6daa09c402fd57629d430&app=googlecse#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=sexy shrimp

 

I am going to get a CUC and Chaeto from reefcleaners.com. Are they a good company?

ReefCleaners is a very good company, and John is a good guy.

 

If I put dey rock in my refugium while cycling the tank will it turn to live rock as long as I have live rock in the display tank?

Dry rock will eventually turn live. I like keeping all the rock in the display area where the flow is stronger, and your cleanup crew can access it, and I tend to clean it more often (use a turkey baster to blow off detritus).

 

Do protein skimmers kill copepods or other good life in the aquarium?

Nope.

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CurtBoswell

Alright so it'd be better just to put all the rock into the display tank and just have chaeto, heater, and thermometer in the sump?

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That's just what I'd do. There are people that have rock and/or sand in their sump. I just find that it's more maintenance keeping it clean. It kind of depends on what you want the sump to do. If you are looking for nutrient export with Chaeto, then you don't need anything else.

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That one won't do Specific Gravity, just Salinity. I recommend getting one that does both. Just search for "Reef" or "Seawater" in then title. It may be a few dollars more.

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You can do a conversion, but the range would be hard to read with accuracy. They offer one with a dual scale (for $10 more) which shows why this isn't your best choice.

$T2eC16F,!yEE9s5jDWL9BQpbhlEnFw~~60_12.J

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Although it is a smidge more expensive, if you are looking to get other equipment, I recommend Bulk Reef Supply. They have amazing customer service, and a Refractometer (same one I use!) here

 

The other nice thing is it comes with calibration fluid, to make sure your readings are accurate. So it really doesn't end up being that much more if you take that into consideration.

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CurtBoswell

Do I need the calibration fluid? Sorry I don't know anything about refractometers. Haha!

 

Also, I was looking at Par38s. I see they have a mixed color and an antinic. I like the color of atinic on tanks. Would I need to use a mixture of the two bulbs? And how many would I need for a regular 10 gallon aquarium?

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I would highly recommend it. You see unlike a hydrometer, a refractometer needs to be calibrated initially and periodically. It's the price to pay for having a much more accurate tool.

 

For the Par38 - One would cover a 10g, but may have shadowing on the sides. Two may be a bit overkill, but I see some people go two Par30's to get even coverage, and decent output. Which Par bulbs have you been looking at?

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CurtBoswell

I'm not sure which ones yet. I was hoping someone here could point me in the right direction. Haha! I want ones that definitely have a blue tone to them.

 

I also want to be able to keep all types of corals. First I'll start with a few zoas and work my way up gradually. But I want to have the lights before I need them for more demanding corals.

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CurtBoswell

Reefcleaners.com has a 5.5 gallon pack with

5 dwarf ceriths

2 Nassarius

4 Florida ceriths

3 nerites

And they also have a 10 gallon pack with

10 dwarf ceriths

3 Nassarius

6 Florida ceriths

4 nerites.

Which package should I go with since I have a 10 gallon?

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I'm not sure which ones yet. I was hoping someone here could point me in the right direction. Haha! I want ones that definitely have a blue tone to them.

 

I also want to be able to keep all types of corals. First I'll start with a few zoas and work my way up gradually. But I want to have the lights before I need them for more demanding corals.

 

if you are keen on Par bulbs, I would recommend the Par bulbs from out sponsor here Coral Compulsion

 

They have a wide selection. I would say you are looking for the 18-22k if you like the blue look.

 

This one is on sale right now, and would be close to the same prices as the lower powered Par 30 bulb! It will have that blue look, and is also 'full spectrum' which is a fancy way of saying it will render all colours well :)

 

I would also recommend looking into another sponsor here called Nano Box. Dave from Nano box just released a new 'budget' fixture which looks super sharp. Although it may seem that the price is more than a Par bulb, keep in mind the Nanobox fixture is good to go out of the box, and has a mount and everything! Check it out here It is approx. 60 watts IIRC, which is 2-3 times more powerful than 2 Par 38 bulbs ;)

 

Hah, I am probably not making your decision any easier, but both are good choices! For the price, I would go with the Nanobox :)

 

I'm going to warn you that this is a addicting hobby and you'll be buying a larger tank in 4-8 months.

 

I'm actually going smaller for my next tank, so not 100% accurate :lol:

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