First 10 Gallon Saltwater Tank

[HiepNotik]

Hi Everyone, This is my first time posting and learned a lot from this forum so far, just wanted everyones opinion on starting a new 10 gallon FOWLR. Plan on keeping just a pair of Black and White Clown Fish, and a few cleaner shrimp for CUC. I haven't started yet but have made a list of things I need to buy first. Just wanted to know if they are good to use or not. And if I'm missing anything please let me know. Thank You so much for your help.

1.Salt Instant Ocean 50gl Mix $10.39
2.Live Sand Arag-Alive Live Sand $26.99
3.Filter Media AquaClear Filter Midia
4. Cured Live Rock Fiji Live Rock $50.00/ $4.00 LB
5.Powerhead Koralia Nano $26.19
6.Heater Vesi-Therm 50 Watt $13.59
7.Master Test Kit API Master Slat Water $13.69

Equipment I already have:

Tank
Aquaclear 20 HOB
Stress Zyme (can these be used in Saltwater?)
Stress Coat (this one as well?)




W

[Reefscape]

Hi Everyone, This is my first time posting and learned a lot from this forum so far, just wanted everyones opinion on starting a new 10 gallon FOWLR. Plan on keeping just a pair of Black and White Clown Fish, and a few cleaner shrimp for CUC. I haven't started yet but have made a list of things I need to buy first. Just wanted to know if they are good to use or not. And if I'm missing anything please let me know. Thank You so much for your help.

<<That all sounds like it could be a good little FOWLR tank..cool...>>

1.Salt Instant Ocean 50gl Mix $10.39
2.Live Sand Arag-Alive Live Sand $26.99
3.Filter Media AquaClear Filter Midia <<not needed, your live rock wil be your filter when used in a ratio of 1 - 1.5lbs per gallon of tank water>>
4. Cured Live Rock Fiji Live Rock $50.00/ $4.00 LB
5.Powerhead Koralia Nano $26.19
6.Heater Vesi-Therm 50 Watt $13.59
7.Master Test Kit API Master Slat Water $13.69

Equipment I already have:

Tank
Aquaclear 20 HOB <<Not needed, use live rock>>
Stress Zyme (can these be used in Saltwater?) <<Not needed>>
Stress Coat (this one as well?) <<Not needed>>


W

Added a few comments above in red...Add to the above, some lighting for viewing pleasure, a hydrometer or refractometer..

Your pretty much on the right tracks with the above..

Niko

[Grins]

In addition to what Niko suggested I'd ditch the Live Sand and get the dry Aragonite instead. You may find the shopping list in my Advice to Newbies link below helpful as well.

[gatotsu77]

In addition to what Niko suggested I'd ditch the Live Sand and get the dry Aragonite instead. You may find the shopping list in my Advice to Newbies link below helpful as well.

I don't really want to question your suggestion here, as I know you're a successful and very knowledgeable reef-keeper, but I have read elsewhere in this forum that aragonite can bring issues with nitrates later on, something to the effect of the fauna growing in the sand are not able to dig into it as they are supposed to be able to. What are your feelings on this? It is comparable to keeping silica sand in a fw tank? (where it must be churned periodically to keep nitrogenous bubbles from forming?) What about bonafide live sand, like out of a tank at the lfs?

[Grins]

aragonite is marine sand...where have you read on the forum that it is a problem? I'm not questioning you've read it, I'm just curious that no one else challenged that kind of information.

[Andrew_Murphy]

I don't really want to question your suggestion here, as I know you're a successful and very knowledgeable reef-keeper, but I have read elsewhere in this forum that aragonite can bring issues with nitrates later on, something to the effect of the fauna growing in the sand are not able to dig into it as they are supposed to be able to. What are your feelings on this? It is comparable to keeping silica sand in a fw tank? (where it must be churned periodically to keep nitrogenous bubbles from forming?) What about bonafide live sand, like out of a tank at the lfs?

Maybe you are confusing the aragonite with crushed coral substrate?

[gatotsu77]

aragonite is marine sand...where have you read on the forum that it is a problem? I'm not questioning you've read it, I'm just curious that no one else challenged that kind of information.

I'm beginning to wonder if I've confused Aragonite for Crushed Coral as Andrew_Murphy suggested... I could have sworn I just read that in the past 24 hours too. I did a quick search on the forum, but couldn't find what I remembered reading. The more I read, the more wrong I believe I was in thinking it was Aragonite, but rather Crushed Coral which I was reading about last night, and I apologize for my incorrect statement posted earlier. I was just fairly certain that I had read somewhere that aragonite causes issues with nitrates down the road... :lipssealedsmilie:

[HiepNotik]

Hey Guys thanks for the reply, I have a few more Question, instead of starting a new topic I thinks its better if I stick to one thread. lol

My first question is, is there any brand of salt better then the other? I went to my LFS today and they had the Oceanic 50gl for 8.98, or should I stick with instant ocean?

Another things is, a HOB is not really needed as my rocks, and sand will be my filtration, but if I do use it will that help? or will it make things worst?

Can I bring online prices to places like petsmart and get a better deal? I know this works but I was wondering if they would do more then 1 item? lol because I can get a lot of my items there like Salt, Live Sand, Test kits and save on shipping and wait time.

My LFS rocks are cured but don't even have any colors on them....any place online to buy good live rocks?


My LFS Charges an Arm and a Leg for everything why??? lol

[HiepNotik]

Another question just to get it right for sure, when I use "cured" live rocks I don't have to go through the cycle? I mean I will let is cycle for a week or so before I add 2 of my clowns, but as far as the 2-3 months of cycle I don't have to go through?

And another...lol when choosing live rocks what am I looking for really? color? or life forms? (sounded scary there....)

[Grins]

I'm beginning to wonder if I've confused Aragonite for Crushed Coral as Andrew_Murphy suggested... I could have sworn I just read that in the past 24 hours too. I did a quick search on the forum, but couldn't find what I remembered reading. The more I read, the more wrong I believe I was in thinking it was Aragonite, but rather Crushed Coral which I was reading about last night, and I apologize for my incorrect statement posted earlier. I was just fairly certain that I had read somewhere that aragonite causes issues with nitrates down the road... :lipssealedsmilie:


No problem, it probably was the crushed coral and there is definitely a long sticky on that here.

[Grins]

My first question is, is there any brand of salt better then the other? I went to my LFS today and they had the Oceanic 50gl for 8.98, or should I stick with instant ocean?

Instant Ocean is fine for most cases. If you decide to go to a reef later you may choose to get a reef salt which is higher in some of the minerals that is needed for skeletons (calcium, magnesium, etc.) Oceanic is very high in calcium and magnesium for instance but it is so high that I use a 50/50 mix with Instant Ocean. You'll find a large number of other suggestions for reef salt as well, Tropic Marin, Reef Crystals, etc.


Another things is, a HOB is not really needed as my rocks, and sand will be my filtration, but if I do use it will that help? or will it make things worst?

If you do use it, make sure you maintain it properly. If it not maintained well then it could of course cause problems.


Can I bring online prices to places like petsmart and get a better deal? I know this works but I was wondering if they would do more then 1 item? lol because I can get a lot of my items there like Salt, Live Sand, Test kits and save on shipping and wait time.

I only ask stores to match prices with their own online store or with other local brick and mortar stores. It is unfair to ask a brick and mortar to compete with the prices of an online store that doesn't have the higher overhead that a local store has and especially if you take the time of that local store up.


My LFS rocks are cured but don't even have any colors on them....any place online to buy good live rocks?

Best prices on live rock in my opinion are from local reefers that are tearing down tanks or reaquascaping.



My LFS Charges an Arm and a Leg for everything why??? lol



Overhead generally.


Another question just to get it right for sure, when I use "cured" live rocks I don't have to go through the cycle? I mean I will let is cycle for a week or so before I add 2 of my clowns, but as far as the 2-3 months of cycle I don't have to go through?

You still need to go through a cycle. Cured live rock may help it occur faster but there will still be a cycle and you'll want to see a spike in ammonia and then the nitrate cycle to occur to make sure that the beneficial bacteria exist to handle any live stock. I'd certainly not plan on adding fish after only 7 days, but yes you should be able to before 90 days. However, I encourage you to use a QT tank for your new livestock.


And another...lol when choosing live rocks what am I looking for really? color? or life forms? (sounded scary there....)

lots of surface area via nooks and crannies and a lighter weight which shows it is porous versus dense. Colors can indicate coraline growth as well as some life forms such as sponges, worms, corals, etc.

[HiepNotik]

Wow! thanks for your help Grins.