5 gallon tank

[mpwatson2001]

hi id like to set up a 5 gallon nano reef. Can i keep 2 common clowns? What equipment would i need? im on a budget as im 16 so i only want to use the necessary equipment. Thanks for any help!

[tonkadawg]

what sort of budget? what do you want to keep?

 

I would suggest checking out these articles as a start:

 

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

 

very helpfull in setting up my 21. Also, spend some time here, reading posts, seeing what has worked for others and what hasn't. Others will tell you reading is the key - read everything you can find. I have learned so much over the past 2 months, it makes my head hurt - but its all good - my nano is coming together nicely!!!

 

My set up:

21 gal Via Aqua, 30 lbs LR, 15 lbs LS, 2x36watt PC, 100watt ebo jager heater, 2x90 Rio 90 PH's.

[mpwatson2001]

hi. well i have been reading articles on the web including those since late november i just worry i have forgotten something. Below is the list of things i am thinking fo using. are they ok?

 

Instant Ocean 4kg Salt - £10

seadrometer Glass Hydrometer - £7

Lees Small Air Driven Skimmer - £15

Coral Sand 4kg - £4

Agarde Heater/Stat 50w - £12

Mistral Airpump 300lph - £13

 

Thats a total of £61

If i include the cost of the Percular Clownfish (£9) i want to keep.

 

The grand total is £70.

 

Should i also get a few turbo snails too?

I might also get a couple of kg's of liverock.

 

Thanks for any help!

[tonkadawg]

unless I am missing something (which is defintely possible - really hard to come to work on the day after Christmas), you don't have anything for filteration, in which case you would HAVE to get LR and LS. And if I did miss the filter, I would suggest getting LR and LS anyway.

 

I would also suggest getting RO water - no phosphates. Don't forget test kits (at a bare minimum, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, and PH).

 

I would hold off on anything other than LR and LS (as far as livestock) until the tank cycles.

 

HTH

[mpwatson2001]

i plan to get LR and LS. But how much would i need for a 5 gallon tank? i will buy a basic marine test kit. Instead of RO water i was planning to use Rowaphos which absorbs phosphate and silicate without realsing back any of the absorbed materials, which sounds good to me. I had considered using an u/g filter, i might. Do you need to use a protein skimmer if you are planning to only keep LR, LS and a clownfish?

 

Thanks for any help!

[tonkadawg]

I have read that about a pound of LR per gallon (sorry no metric conversion - us here in the states have to be difficult) - in my 20, I have about 30 lbs.

 

From my understanding, skimming is not necessary, especially if you keep up with your water changes. Some here swear by 'em, others could take or leave 'em. I personally don't use one. If all you are going to keep is LR/LS and 2 [edit]clown fish [/edit], then I would say you don't need one.

 

I am not familiar with Rowaphos, so I can't comment on it.

[mpwatson2001]

I think there are 2lbs to 1kg. Below is my theoretic basic setup. I will buy more LR and and some LS when i can afford too. Is it ok to support one or maybe even two common clowns?

 

5 gallon tank with light.

Instant Ocean Salt 4kg

Glass Hydrometer

Algarde Heater/Stat 50w

Live Rock 1kg

Coral Sand 4kg

Powerhead 600lph

Under Gravel Filter

ACQUAMARINE Saltwater Test Kit

 

I think that will cost about £80, which means i still need about £50. So if i can get a saturday job i should be able to make that in about two weeks which is cool!

 

I dont plan to setup this tank until the spring anyway.

 

Thanks for any help!

[Salim]

If your waiting until the spring I'd save up and buy all your live rock initially so that you don't cause an ammonia spike when you add it later.

 

A good way to save a bit of money is to buy half live rock and half dead/base rock. But, it will take longer before you can add livestock because you'll have to wait for the good rock to seed the other stuff.

 

And forget you ever heard of UGFs don't use one, don't even mention it again.

 

Read everything you can find, and ask smart questions. You'll save yourself alot of headaches in the long run.

 

Good luck

 

Salim

[mpwatson2001]

i think i will buy some dead rock. im not in a real hurry. What other internal filter can i use then?

 

Thanks for any help!

[LiQuiD]

Get the rock and you won't need another filter but by all means DO NOT get an undergravel filter. If you don't get much LR and must use another filter, get a small hang on back type like an aquaclear.

[mpwatson2001]

I dont think i can use a hang on filter as the tank is circular.

[LiQuiD]

Then get a bunch of LR and do your water changes. Just don't go the undergravel filter thing. Not that they don't work, they work well for the concept, just keeping them going properly is the problem and when the filter screws up your screwed as well.

[mpwatson2001]

i thought the u/g filter would aerate the sand. Would it not.

Should i use

 

3kg of live rock and 2kg of dead rock

 

or

 

2kg of live rock and 3kg of dead rock.

 

Thanks for any help!

[LiQuiD]

This is the deal, the filter draws water through the substrate, the good bacteria grows on the substrate and is fed by the water being drawn downward through the substrate. Without other filtration (LR), this would be the only filter for the tank. If the powerhead or bubbeler fails/gets clogged/slows down etc., the bacteria dies and you are left with no filtration and thus in a sence you will start to once again cycle the tank and most likely kill your fish in the process. I would get more LR then dead rock. Well for the size of the tank, 5 lbs of LR should not be that costly, it should be much cheaper then the 2 fish you are going to buy. Just buy the LR, you won't be sorry.

[Pikelet]

I think your costs seem a little on the low side. I put together a complete costing on a 10g including a few animals and cleanup crew. That came out to about USD$400. OK your tank is half the size so you have some savings there but you need to consider ALL your costs not just the few you have listed. I suspect you're actually looking at closer to USD$300.

[mpwatson2001]

oh sorry i thought it was a kg to a gallon not a lb. my mistake. I will buy 3kgs (6lb's) of LR. I will have a look over my shopping list. i might have missed something out. I already have the tank and the light etc. so that might be something to do with it.

 

Thanks for any help!