Can it be done in a 10g tank?

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ltj2489

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May 19, 2003
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Hey everyone, I have a 30g FO SW tank and love it. I just cleaned out a 10g tank I have and would love to turn it into a "mini" marine tank with some Clowns, LR, and an anemone or two....

Can this be done and what would i need in terms of a current an d lighting? I have the filters, heaters, etc, so my only concerns are A) Whether it can be done and B) What types of lighting / powerhead I will need.

Thanks!
- J
 
An anemone definitely wouldn't be a good idea in a 10g tank unless you have a strong track record of keeping them alive in bigger tanks. It's hard enough when water quality is stable, but the fluctuations of a smaller tank make it much harder.

I would suggest looking into smaller fish and some soft corals - nanotanks are fun, but you just have to accept their limitations to be successful in the long run.
 
Yes, it can be done, but watch out for two things: evaporation and temperature fluctuations.

With SW, when the tank water evaporates, it leaves behind the salt, which raises the specific gravity in the tank. This is bad. In a small tank, care must be taken to replenish evaporated water daily.

The temperature can be controlled with a heater, but take care not to place the tank near a window or an A/C vent. A sunbeam can over heat 10 gallons pretty quickly.
 
Great advice! I have been very successful at keeping my levels stable in my 30G tank so I'm willing to take on that challenge....

I guess that leaves the question of what lighting do I need other than the standard flourescent lamp that came w/the tank? Also, can you use crushed coral with anemones or do you need live sand?
 
If you don't already have a hospital/quarantine tank to support the 30g, the new 10g would work very nicely for that ;)

If you decide to go with a nano setup...
Do you have an anemone in the 30g? If you've never kept an anemone before, I would also strongly suggest against trying it in a 10g tank. Anemones require absolutely stable, pristine water conditions and a very well established tank.
 
Originally posted by ChilDawg
Clowns are a little too large for a 10g.
Click to expand...


Nah, a couple percs or skunks would be fine. Just don't get Maroon or Tomato clowns, those do get big.
 
I was thinking about a couple percs and a couple clarkii....

Never kept an anemone before, but hey there's a first time for everything right? :-)

** So, what would everyone recommend I get for lighting?? Do I need to build a custom hood, or can you buy them already loaded with the appropriate bulbs?
 
Originally posted by Corax
Nah, a couple percs or skunks would be fine. Just don't get Maroon or Tomato clowns, those do get big.
Click to expand...

I was leaning toward the ones that I had seen most commonly, but thanks for reminding me that the others are around and that the perculas are a little smaller than the others (didn't know...)
 
Two pairs of clowns is a bit much. I'd stick with one or the other. As for lighting for an anemone, something strong. I'll let someone else fill in here, but expect to hand over alot of $$$.
 
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