Clueless Newbie's 10 gallon

[snailpoo]

Hi all,

 

This is my first attempt at saltwater tanks, so please bear with the clueless newbie questions.

 

I was going to buy a JBJ Nanocube 12g DX, but shied away due to the numerous stories of cracks.

 

Instead, I decided use a standard 10 gallon tank. I guess my first question concerns lighting. The original JBJ Nano 12g had only 24 watts, and the stock pictures from last year's competition showed some very intricate tanks. Since the DX only upgrades the lighting to 48 watts, can I go with 40 watts over my 10g?

 

I have already ordered a Current USA Satellite 40W PC light strip, but am now concerned by seeing everyone else with 10 gallons upping their lighting to 9 or 10 wpg.

 

 

The other question I have is what filter do I need? A JBJ Nano cube has a built in wet/dry filter. I intent to put about 15 pounds of live rock, so do I really need a filter, or will just a powerhead work? I ended up buying a Millennium 2000 wet/dry HOB. At 160 gph, will that provide enough circulation?

 

 

Thanks in advance for all the help!

[MarineManiac]

depends what corals you want to run if any at all. fish don't need much. i run 65w 50/50 over my 20H and i have soft corals mostly. hammer, shrooms, GSP, ric, xenia, finger, and they seem to be fine. i'm not into the SPS. 10 gallons are very shallow and don't NEED the intensity of the higher wattages, your working on chilling your tank than because of the mass heat. 15lbs will be plenty, i'd also get live sand or carib-sea LIVE argonite. i used 20lbs and can't say enough good things about it. quick cycle and great buffer. you don't have to use media in your filter, i do and rinse it in my old water every weekly water change. i like the clarity of my water, and have had no negative effects. however i do not DOSE anything. i have a felling activated carbon would absorb some of your dose. thats about it. good luck.

 

i'd use a small power head also.. say 100gph smallest you can find and maxi-jet

[snailpoo]

Thanks!

[zeuss zoso]

I am also starting a 10g and was wondering about filters. I have a standard tank and am going to use 2 MaxiJet600 powerheads. I will put about 10 lbs. of live rock and 15 lbs. of live sand. What should I do about the filter. If I would like coral and 1-2 fish could i get a standard hang on filter and remove the floss?

Help is appreciated.

Thanks

[ugination87]

hello. i am a newbie as well but i have been running my standard 10 gallon tank for about 4.5 months now. the lighting i use is 96w 50/50 power compact. at first, i didnt think that it would be enough lighting for lps. but it is.i have a very large torch in my tank and its doing great with my 96w pc lighting. anyways, for the filter, i have the aquaclear 110. i got this because the guy who introduced me to being an aquarist?? told me that i can later put some chaeto in the filter and i can replace my styrofoam and carbon filters. anyways it gives it alot of flow and makes the tank more stable. i think my filter holds like 2-2.5 gallons of water. anyways hope that helped

[shag26272]

where did you get that name snailpoo from? Lol thats my name on BF2

[snailpoo]

where did you get that name snailpoo from? Lol thats my name on BF2

 

Whoa. I didn't know anyone else used this name.

 

I got SnailPoo from an overgrown mystery snail in my FW fish tank over 10 years ago after I got fed up with all the slayers, widowmakers, and killers05632 running around Quake.