My Daughter Wants a Nemo

LOL! That is so cute! At least you have a better idea of how to care for a 'Nemo' than most people in your situation. Sorry I can't help you out, but I bet you'll do fine.

well what type of lighting do you plan on having on the tank and what care level do you plan to do?

Taking care of an aquarium is quite some work at the beginning. I suggest you to find a tank that is suitable. I am not a nemo expert but http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-ClownFish.htm and a few other are good places to look. As far as mixing the salt goes, go down to a local fish store and ask them how to use a hydrometer or refractometer which measures the salinity of the water, there are various type. Another thing to consider is you want to cycle your tank before you add the nemo. Biozyme is a good product to cycle the tank and introduce beneficial bacteria that will keep your aquarium healthy. Also, go around on you tube and see how other are setting up their aquarium.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYcSrNho_lU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM6mVOj6wkM&feature=related

As for equipment, I recommend looking a protein skimmer. Sometime on craigslist there are good deals for skimmers .



Hope the best of luck!

buy a 8g biocube for her. that will have the stock lights which are fine, 5 pounds of LR, a sand bed, and a koralia nano. take out the bioballs, in the second chamber put LR rubble in it. use your fifty watt heater.. wala total cost probably $200

DO NOT let her or yourself see coral or you will venture down a path you dont want to take lol and if you do your water maintence becomes even more tedious. With just a clown fish and a neat shrimp you can change the water once every 2 weeks.

http://www.marinedepot.com/Oceanic_...Oceanic_Systems_Inc.-OA82050-FIAQNCNT-vi.html

on sale^ perfect for what your looking for as well

just need to learn about mixing sand which takes minimal time and is not hard. and find a place that deposits RO water which is the only essential thing i see you needing

well i say corals make the tank pretty. soooo you have to do corals i say some nice t5's and you could handle some low lighting corals in the tank and you will need around 15-20 pounds of live rock and some good amount of sand.

i say it's not necessary to use RO water but if you have it use it. i just use a bucket of tap water and some prime and let it sit for 10 mins or so. peppermint shrimp are nice smaller and sometimes act as cleaner shrimp.

If you do do my 8gal BC idea it will be alot cheaper and easier then what these guys are talking about.

koralia nano- 30
5 Pounds of LR-40

Clean up crew which in your case if you do biocube would be your choice but id suggest 5 Cerinths, 3 Hermits, 2 Narsisus, and one sand sifting star. Just get a basic common skunk shrimp! theyre great for cleaning as well and look cool! As for coral.. you could always just add shrooms and leathers and your lights can more then easily take those on.. as well as frogspawns and torches! you have a wide options and your water changes wont need to vary to much from the 2 weeks either.

you will also need a testing kit for nitrates which youll want to keep below 20

like i said if you get the biocube you will have the lights already which are the biggest expense. rock is second and with such a small tank 5 pounds is pretty cheap.

Ro is probably gonna cost you 3 dollars tops for like 10 galloons every 2 weeks.

and to be honest... it is easy. i went out and impulse bought 400 dollars worth of equipment from my LFS to start an aqaurium knowing nothing about it. it just takes paitence and readiness to take advise