New to saltwater and want to know a good setup

First of all I'll just come out and say that I am a newbie when it comes to saltwater tanks. I have 3 freshwater tanks, a 10, 5, and a 2. I have recently been looking at saltwater tanks and want to convert my 5 gallon to salt. Plz give me a good setup for around maybe 50-70 bucks. I want to have live coral with maybe 2 damsels (i dont know the correct name of them i just know that they are blue with yelow tails), some snails, some shrimp, and some hermits. I would also like to know a good setup for my neighbor who is converting his 10 gallon fresh to a salt also. he wants basically the same set up as me so plz just tell me some good setups and help me out.

I also wanted to know if there are any kind of bulbs that wil fit without a new hood. I have a wierd hood that takes just regular incandesent bulbs like most 5-10 gallon fresh tanks take. So if there is just a special coral bulb that i can stick in there instead of replacing the hood plz tell me.

you're gonna need much more $ than that to set-up a saltwater/nano-reef...

5+ lbs. of live rock = $35+

5+ lbs. of live sand = $15+

ro/di water 5 gallons = let's just say $5

saltmix = $10+

powerhead(s) = $20+

power compact hood w/light = $50+

hob filter (let's just say a aq clear 150) = $20

and that's just to get a set-up started, you're already looking at $150 at LEAST. you'll easily spend $200, i promise. and probably $300 by the time you stock it with a clean-up crew, some corals, and maybe, that's a BIG MAYBE... fish.

i'm a newbie too, i was told that i can start up a 10 gallon for around $150-200 by the guy at the lfs, but i had doubts... so i did lots and LOTS of research (boy was he wrong!). bottom line is i've spent around $500 dollars so far, but i'm loving it. learning a lot everyday.

so do more research, if you're still interested (i was, i was even more excited as i learned more)... come back and let us know how it's going.

peace

ocean/hai

Wow thats a lot of money, but I'll look for deals and i have a job as a soccer ref and im hoping to get a real job so i guess that'll help to pay for it a lot. By the way what is an HOB filter because i have a regent freshwater filter and at my LFS they just use a freshwater biowheel in some of their salt aquariums so is my filter fine. I'm very curious about how to light my tank. I have the Aqua Scape 5g or something like that (its a kit at wal-mart and Petco for about 35 bucks). It has a weird hood. Its almost completely covered by a plastic cover except for and opening thats about 11"by 4" where the light sits on, and the openings in the back for filter, heater, etc. Also could someone please give me a complete list of things I NEED to start a tank. I already have a 5g tank, Regent filter, heater, Ph test kit, Ammonia test kit, and various other small things so plz tell me the major things I would need to start a tank. By the way thank you for the response audi and can someone plz make this list. Thank you very much.

So far on my search for cheap salt water necessities, i have found a power head, and 2 lgith systems that i think might work. Plz give me some opinions on whether or not hte powerhead will work and which lighting system world work best. If you come across a lighting system that you think would work best plz give me the web site thank you.

POWER HEAD:

http://www.petguys.com/-66000380002380.html

LIGHTING SYSTEMS:

http://www.jbjlighting.com/sys_clamp_on.html

http://www.hellolights.com/913wretrofit.html

would one of these light be good to support soft corals just be a good overall lighting system for the tank im setting up. Thank you again and plz respond with your opinions.

the money i've spent so far IS with DEALS...

i got my 18 lbs of live rock for $2 a pound

you NEED LIVE ROCK, i would get about 6-7 lbs.

i got my lights for about $120 2 36w jbj 50/50 power compacts and a 18w jbj pc for my refugium.

"hob" is a hang on back filter (power filter). i would buy aqua clears 150 and make a fuge out of it.

don't skimp on YOUR LIGHTS!!! you'll regret it later... i would get at least 30 watts of lighting on your 5 gallon. just get one of the jbj combo power compacts like me you'll get both your 10,000 k and act. blue lighting in one clean package. it's about $50 retail.

do your research man... no ones gonna make a list for you. don't be lazy, if you are... don't get into the hobby.

use this...

http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/

just go to the local fish/pet store and buy that stuff... you'll spend the same amount with shipping.

that power head would be fine.

the jbj clamp on would be fine for soft corals.

If your new to Saltwater, go for a larger tank as they are more stable and are easier to keep. 10g at least. You probably wont get a decent set up for less than $200. It's quite an expensive hobby, but worth every penny.

thank you both for the reply. I have been searching everywhere on the internet for info on saltwater tanks and ive evn asked my LFS but they say dont even try to make a nano tank so i dont get any info out of them. And dont worry i not lazy i just prefere getting info straight from people who know what they're talking about. But anyways, the jbj light and power head will work fine for LR and soft corals? Thank you both for the replies.

yeah they'll work fine...

what are you planning to use for substrate? you'll need some live sand to seed it!

how big is your regent filter/ how much flow (gallons) per hour is it?

I plan on using aragonite sand (i think thats how its spelled) for my substrate. Im not sure how many gallons per hour it gets but its made for a 10-15 gallong tank so it should o fine. I have the same one on my 10 gallon and it does great there.Thank you again for the reply.

well good.

just run that filter without the filter media, just use it for water flow to go with your powerhead.

i would get a little live sand to seed the aragonite.

you seem to be headed in the right direction !

Thank you. So if my filter is just used for water flow what should i use for filtering. Do i just leave it to the LR and LS? I dont need a skimmer for a 5g right? Also what fish would be good. I only want maybe 1 or 2 that stay small. I also wants a clean up crew and some soft corals. which would be the best to start with?

coral life make a mini power compact bulb that's 50/50. They are 10watts & they fit standard incandescant hoods. I use 2 on my 10gal. It's enough to keep my low light corals alive but I would like to upgrade my wattage one day.

yeah the lr and ls does your all your filtering. that way you can run some filter media while doing a water change to catch all floating debris if you want to.

DO WEEKLY water changes! you'll be changing about 1 gallon per week. remember to use ro/di water or you'll have a higher chance of growing unwanted algae.

no skimmer! your weekly water changes will remove all unwanted by-products and waste. plus it'll replenish your trace elements so that no dosing is necessary. plus your only having soft corals so it'll definitely be okay.

i would go with 3 astreas and 3 nassarius snails. maybe one each of the blue-leg and red-leg hermit crabs. i don't like hermit crabs myself but thats just my opinion. i have 5 astreas, 3 margaritas, 4 nass. and 4 bumble bee snails as my cleaner crew.

fish... just one. a clown goby would be a very good fish for that tank. they stay small and don't need lots of space or food.

corals? maybe some mushrooms, there's so many kinds, do some research.

Again thank you very much. i appreciate you respinding back so quick too. So now that I have a lot more figured out than when i started this thread do you think it will cost about $120ish or so. Another thing, what is ro/di water? One question that ive been looking for but cant find an answer is about how long does it take for your tank to cycle and when do you know its done. If my neighbor does almost the exact same set up as me on a 10 gallong wil he do fine. What major things might he need compared to my 5g. Thanks.

T-dawg can you give me the web site of this bulb so I can look at it. It sounds like exactly what I want if I dont want to buy a whole new lighting system. Does it still have the same functions of a regular flourescent bulb and light system? Will it be able to keep up most soft corals? Plz reply to me this sounds like it might work. Thanks.

n-new16,

don't waste your money on the dual screw-in 10w pc lights. you'll spend about $25 for both bulbs when you can just shell out the additional $15 ($40 total) for the jbj clamp on light and you'll get 36w and 50/50 lighting.

ro/di is reverse osmosis and distilled water... i'd stay away from spring water, imo. i guess people use the purple? label at walmart... i just get my water from my lfs for $.50 a gallon.

yeah about $150 to be safe...

cycling depends... on your lr and ls, it depends how much die off will happen. my tank cycled in about 8 days, but i used lr from an established tank and i just got LUCKY! but i still waited a WHOLE MONTH before i put my clean-up crew in there. i made sure my ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate were all at zero and that my tank was stable (ph, alk., and temp). it gave me a chance to learn about my tank, how fast water evaporates, how much my tank's temp varies and it gives you time to set-up everything to your liking.

just be patient and have fun learning, don't rush it and all will be okay!

as for your neighbor, he/she will need twice as much lr and ls, 2 powerheads, maybe a bigger heater, a bigger hob filter and 2 of those jbj 36w pc lights = mucho dinero!!!

ocean/hai

Thanks for the info. I'm planning on starting it up in about a month or two (need money and need to move freshwater fish up to the 10g in my room). When I get about $80 I think ill just get the LS and LR and thw salt mix and have it with just water and LR and LS for about a month and a hlaf then Ill add the cleaner crew and after about another month Ill add a fish or two. Thanks for the help and Ill probaboly find another question so plz keep checking up on this thread. Thanks.

I knew i would have a question very shortly. Ive been reading all over this website and some others using the search button, but i cant get this cleareded up. Can someone explain to me the whole light thing. The diffrent types, advantages and disadvantages of the watts and the different types? Basically all i no about the lights are that they cost a lot. I know they are a very important aspect of a tank so can someone plz clear up my confusion. Thank you very much whoever can do this for me. I know it might take a while to type out but it will help me immensly. Thanks again.

dude!

i told you to go with the 36w jbj clamp... it's a great light for your 5 gallon... maximum light, minimal heat.

if you're looking for something else, i think they make a retrofit kit for your hood.

ocean/hai

Its not that I dont want to get that I just want to be able to understand the whole light thing, because it seems to be one of the most important part of a tank. I will most likely get the JBJ on but me and my neighbor are biking up to my LFS and if they dont have any lights that fit my tank then i will get the JBJ for sure. I just really want to understand the whole light concept.

use this:

http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/?article=13

Nanonewbie,

My tank is now 3 weeks old and I am still adjusting everything. I am finally learning how to keep my temp and Specific Gravity stable. Buy big so you do not have to spend it again. Take your time read all you can on this site. Every question I have had there is a thread for. A little more time, but you avoid getting flamed.

Happy searching

Thank you both for the info. That article really helped. But i still have one question wats the actinic light? what does it do? Isnt it supposed to help coral? Any ways thanks a bunch.