Need help starting nano sw tank!

[anniebanana267]

Hi everyone. I’m new to aquariums. Never had saltwater or even freshwater. I’m planning on getting a 15 gallon column tank. It’s a starter kit with an LED or Fluorescent light, there’s 2 different ones to choose from. I don’t know fancy saltwater language as a warning for what’s coming up, haha. I want saltwater fish and I have 1 live rock that’s not really live anymore? It was sitting outside when I bought it, and it’s been sitting in my back porch in a container for a long time now. It says it’s called a small tufa on the tag. Some fish I would love to have are a clownfish, a yellow clown goby, a jawfish, a Royal gramma(?) a mandarin fish, sexy shrimp, Pom Pom crab, dwarf/Pygmy octopus, and/or a cuttlefish. Yes, I’m aware I can’t have them all cuz that’s way too many for a 15 gallon, and some of them are probably not even compatible with each other or with a 15 gallon. So, so far what I know I need are a thermometer, salt, water (obviously), some live rocks, a protein skimmer, a heater, refractometer, Wavemaker OR power head, and a test kit. My question is am I missing anything and do I really need all of this? I’ve read on some places that I may not need some of these things since it’s pretty small of a tank, and I’m just really confused. I don’t plan on getting corals at least not for now. I don’t have very much money so I need the cheapest I can get. If you have any suggestions or links, that would be great. I need any help I can get please. Let me know if any more information is needed and thanks in advance I really appreciate it. 

[Clown79]

Hello and welcome

 

 

First off, you need to do a lot of research.

 

You need to research cycling a saltwater tank, water chemistry, filtration, testing, lighting.

 

It's best to go through the threads and on respected websites.

 

 

The rock you have doesn't sound like liverock, never heard of tuf rock besides the dry rock for freshwater.

 

Liverock is wet and sold wet out of a tank.

 

Then you have dry reef rock.

 

All you listed is needed and often more.

 

Just to start:

 

Rodi or distilled water for making saltwater and for topping up daily evaporated water.

 

Salt

Heater

Powerhead

Refractometer

Liverock

Sand

Thermometer 

Test kits

Buckets

Filter media

 

Then comes the additional stuff like various containers, turkey baster, toothbrushes, foods, etc.

 

Is the tank you are looking at the aqueon 15  because if you want corals, the stock light is not going to work.

 

In a 15g, 3 small fish max for fish.

 

That would mean something like 2 small clowns and a small goby.

 

Jawfish need a deep Sand bed of 4" or more. You will need to research deep sand beds because special care is required with them.

 

Octopus and cuddlefish would need a lot of research as they would need special care.

[Sailingeric]

I recently started my first salt water tank, a 29 gallon size tank, but I would say you might be best doing a FW tank first so you can can understand cycling, care, the work involved to keep them running and most of all, FW fish are cheap.  I had a few bumps along the way with my 75 gallon FW tank but thankfully that made my jump to SW a lot easier.

[anniebanana267]

THanks both for the advice. I ended up getting the 15 gallon LED Aqueon column tank, it’s currently cycling, with 3 dry rock, 15 lbs aragonite sand, Aqueon 10 filter w/ carbon, 250 gph powerhead, and tetra 50w heater. I’d like to upgrade to a 100w heater and a better powerhead. Adding pure ammonia to cycle. Ammonia’s at 2 ppm, specific gravity is 1.022. 

I need advice for lighting, a better powerhead, and heater. Links would be much appreciated, preferably moderately affordable. Thank you  

(edit: another question, if I would buy some live rock would it help speed up the process of cycling so I can add fish sooner?)

[Cintax]

If you're just keeping fish, any light will do. Sounds like your off to a good start. Regardless of what your LFS says, don't buy livestock for at least four to six weeks. It takes that long for the biofilter to establish. Also, no need to run carbon or do water changes until then.

[Clownnem05]

I like Kessil lights and ecotech marine powerbeads I use the powerheads with the backup battery in case of a power outage, both can seem kind of pricey, but you get what you pay for. 

[Clown79]

If you are using liverock, there is no need for ammonia dosing. That dosing is used for dry rock fishless cycle.

 

A liverock cycle requires no ammonia, will cycle on its own and if cured, there is no cycle.

 

Ammonia and liverock= ammonia can kill some of the biodiversity that comes with liverock 

 

If you aren't doing corals, no need for light up grade.

 

If doing corals:

 

AI prime

Nanobox

Kessil

Aquamaxx nemolight

Orbit marine

Par38 24watts (coral compulsion)

 

Each of these lights will work but all in different budgets.

 

Powerhead

 

Hydor Koralia 420

Hydor Aqamai kps (awesome wavemaker)

Sicce 530

Jebao (Don't get the sw2- too many issues reported)

 

Heater

(tetras are not great that's why you have issues with it)

 

Aqueon pro (great heater)

Cobalt neotherm

Eheim jagger

 

Heater controller- inkbird

 

Filter- are you using the sponge? If so ditch it. Use filter floss, buy in bulk, cut to size, replace twice a week or more.

 

During cycling filter floss is all that's needed. No carbon.

 

Fyi: if doing corals. Salinity should be either 1.025 or 1.026.

 

1.022 is for fish only

[anniebanana267]

1 hour ago, Clown79 said:

If you are using liverock, there is no need for ammonia dosing. That dosing is used for dry rock fishless cycle.

 

A liverock cycle requires no ammonia, will cycle on its own and if cured, there is no cycle.

 

Ammonia and liverock= ammonia can kill some of the biodiversity that comes with liverock 

 

If you aren't doing corals, no need for light up grade.

 

If doing corals:

 

AI prime

Nanobox

Kessil

Aquamaxx nemolight

Orbit marine

Par38 24watts (coral compulsion)

 

Each of these lights will work but all in different budgets.

 

Powerhead

 

Hydor Koralia 420

Hydor Aqamai kps (awesome wavemaker)

Sicce 530

Jebao (Don't get the sw2- too many issues reported)

 

Heater

(tetras are not great that's why you have issues with it)

 

Aqueon pro (great heater)

Cobalt neotherm

Eheim jagger

 

Heater controller- inkbird

 

Filter- are you using the sponge? If so ditch it. Use filter floss, buy in bulk, cut to size, replace twice a week or more.

 

During cycling filter floss is all that's needed. No carbon.

 

Fyi: if doing corals. Salinity should be either 1.025 or 1.026.

 

1.022 is for fish only

I am not doing live rock right now, I’m doing dry rock without fish

im planning on corals in the future but for right now I’m going to go with just fish when it’s cycled completely cycled of course. I got an Aqueon 100 watt heater and a hydor Koralia Nano 425 gph. As far as the lighting I’m really hoping for something that would fit under my current lid as I have 2 cats that are crazy jumpers and having the lid open is not an option. I’ll definitely take a look at those that you mentioned though, thank you so much for all your help!

[ajmckay]

Agree with the advice given.  Keep researching for sure.  Try to get in on other people's posts and learn there as well.  These same questions are asked literally every day on this forum.  Spend a bit each day cruising the beginner forums, the library, and tank threads.  It will give you ideas for things like aquascaping (the placement of rocks, corals, plants, etc...).

 

Your list of inhabitants is pretty long and there are some difficult to keep species on it.  Personally I would start out with a single or a pair of clownfish and later on add a goby once you get in a rhythm. The octopus and cuttlefish are specialized creatures and aren't reef compatible.  Some experienced hobbyists do attempt to keep them though. 

 

Good call on the koralia nano - it's a great pump that will last a long time.  For lighting - if you're fish only then it's not particularly important what's up there.   The depth of that tank would require a very powerful light though should you decide to keep corals at some point.   For now some simple white/blue LED strip lights would look cool, generate little to no heat, and use little power - plus they're super low profile..   Try something like this: https://www.amazon.com/LEDENET-12V-5050-Aquarium-Light/dp/B00RGG5CWW?th=1

In the "Frequently bought together" section there's a 12v wall plug and a dimmer control (optional) that you would need in addition to these strips.   Get 2 of these things and you might be set - or add a third later on? 

 

The other option is to go with the PAR38 lamp and get a clear acrylic lid to protect the tank. 

 

Good luck.

[Clown79]

6 hours ago, anniebanana267 said:

I am not doing live rock right now, I’m doing dry rock without fish

im planning on corals in the future but for right now I’m going to go with just fish when it’s cycled completely cycled of course. I got an Aqueon 100 watt heater and a hydor Koralia Nano 425 gph. As far as the lighting I’m really hoping for something that would fit under my current lid as I have 2 cats that are crazy jumpers and having the lid open is not an option. I’ll definitely take a look at those that you mentioned though, thank you so much for all your help!

You can get acrylic or glass cut to size for a lid and buy aquarium lid clips to hold it in place.

Then you can use pendant lighting.

 

Otherwise it's diy lighting the hood

[Subsea]

On 2/18/2018 at 10:12 AM, anniebanana267 said:

Hi everyone. I’m new to aquariums. Never had saltwater or even freshwater. I’m planning on getting a 15 gallon column tank. It’s a starter kit with an LED or Fluorescent light, there’s 2 different ones to choose from. I don’t know fancy saltwater language as a warning for what’s coming up, haha. I want saltwater fish and I have 1 live rock that’s not really live anymore? It was sitting outside when I bought it, and it’s been sitting in my back porch in a container for a long time now. It says it’s called a small tufa on the tag. Some fish I would love to have are a clownfish, a yellow clown goby, a jawfish, a Royal gramma(?) a mandarin fish, sexy shrimp, Pom Pom crab, dwarf/Pygmy octopus, and/or a cuttlefish. Yes, I’m aware I can’t have them all cuz that’s way too many for a 15 gallon, and some of them are probably not even compatible with each other or with a 15 gallon. So, so far what I know I need are a thermometer, salt, water (obviously), some live rocks, a protein skimmer, a heater, refractometer, Wavemaker OR power head, and a test kit. My question is am I missing anything and do I really need all of this? I’ve read on some places that I may not need some of these things since it’s pretty small of a tank, and I’m just really confused. I don’t plan on getting corals at least not for now. I don’t have very much money so I need the cheapest I can get. If you have any suggestions or links, that would be great. I need any help I can get please. Let me know if any more information is needed and thanks in advance I really appreciate it. 

Far out.  The water can get deep fast.  

 

Might I suggest  you do a low energy macro lagoon with softies & LPS.  

[Subsea]

My tank at < 6 months.  This is a 120G display with 49G cryptic sponge refugium.

 

 

[anniebanana267]

On 6/10/2018 at 1:44 AM, Subsea said:

My tank at < 6 months.  This is a 120G display with 49G cryptic sponge refugium.

 

 

Love your aquascaping!! Absolutely gorgeous!

[Subsea]

Clown gave you good advice on lighting.  With a 29H the pendent lights will reach the bottom.   I  would mix a reef royal blue  with a 5000K bulb from Home Depot.  

 

Also consider some ornamental macro in display  tank.

 

https://www.live-plants.com/

[Subsea]

When you mentioned getting a bigger heater, I thought you lived in a cold environment.  When heaters fail, they normally fail with contacts closed, which means they stay on all the time.  IMO, 50W is big enough for a 29G tank.  

 

Personally,  I like eggcrate over my tanks so that they can breath.   Gas exchange between nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas provide nitrate as a fertilizer and  carbon dioxide combines  to form carbonate & bicarbonate alkalinity which when coupled with photosynthesis produces glucose which is a carbon source for the reef.  So carbon dioxide grows coral and macro.

[anniebanana267]

thank you! Im not sure how to close this post but I already have my light and mostly everything set up :) but I'm definitely looking into the macro algae!

[Subsea]

The reality is, you are still starting a nano SW tank.  You can’t close the thread.  You can only  stop replying.  

 

Might I suggest that you start  a tank journal.  All information is in one place.  Before I comment on someone’s thread, I look at their profile to see relevant information of system and what does this person know so that I can address their concerns where they are.

 

 

[anniebanana267]

45 minutes ago, Subsea said:

The reality is, you are still starting a nano SW tank.  You can’t close the thread.  You can only  stop replying.  

 

Might I suggest that you start  a tank journal.  All information is in one place.  Before I comment on someone’s thread, I look at their profile to see relevant information of system and what does this person know so that I can address their concerns where they are.

 

what I meant was that most of this information is no longer true, I've upgraded since then and gotten more things, changed some things, etc. I may see if I can do that journal. thanks!