Need advice for new 10 gallon

awesome. I'll hopefully have the basics of the 10 g set up by then. I'm getting glass so no drilling for me!
 
Here is what my LFS is recommending:

18'' Nova 36 W T-5 82$
Filter: Penguin 100 30$
Hagen 50 W Sub 20$
Hagen LCD 3$
Arag-Alive Fiji 10lbs 20$

What do you all think?
 
what kind of tank are you trying to set up. will it be a reef tank w/ corals, fish only, fish only with live rock?? this will help us to give better advice to what you need.
 
Do you plan on having Live Rock? I thought you had said Live Rock earlier... If so ditch the filter. You shouldn't need mechanical filtration with LR (the biological filtration) in a FOWLR system. I'd get a full 20 lbs of a good Fiji Live Rock.

You can get the filter as an added backup but I wouldn't use the bio-attachments at all. You can run the carbon and filter occasionally to help with water clarity.

10 lbs of sand should be enough and with that small of a tank I don't think it matters that your getting Live Sand vs just regular old aragonite. I would just make sure it is a sugar sand size. I wouldn't go bigger than 1.2 um (microns) The live sand in a bag in my opinion is just a marketing ploy as there really isn't anything they can do to sustain the bacterial colonies in that plastic bag through months of being on a store shelf, warehouse etc.

The lights will be enough for a FO or FOWLR tank but not really anything else like corals. Well you might be able to get away with softies.. Maybe..

The Hagen heater I'm not sure about. I had one a LONG time ago and if I'm remembering correctly it was hard to get stable at a specific temp. I use the visitherm stealth heaters now and like them. (But that is just what I like.. and is JMO) Maybe someone else can chime in on the heater.

The thermometer as long as it is an LCD it should be ok. I have a coralife. One way to see if it works correctly is to take a cup, fill half full with ice, place the probe, fill the rest of the way with ice and then fill with water. Let sit for like 5 minutes. It should read 32 degrees if it does it was properly calibrated.
 
Do you plan on having Live Rock? I thought you had said Live Rock earlier... If so ditch the filter. You shouldn't need mechanical filtration with LR (the biological filtration) in a FOWLR system. I'd get a full 20 lbs of a good Fiji Live Rock.

You can get the filter as an added backup but I wouldn't use the bio-attachments at all. You can run the carbon and filter occasionally to help with water clarity.

10 lbs of sand should be enough and with that small of a tank I don't think it matters that your getting Live Sand vs just regular old aragonite. I would just make sure it is a sugar sand size. I wouldn't go bigger than 1.2 um (microns) The live sand in a bag in my opinion is just a marketing ploy as there really isn't anything they can do to sustain the bacterial colonies in that plastic bag through months of being on a store shelf, warehouse etc.

The lights will be enough for a FO or FOWLR tank but not really anything else like corals. Well you might be able to get away with softies.. Maybe..

The Hagen heater I'm not sure about. I had one a LONG time ago and if I'm remembering correctly it was hard to get stable at a specific temp. I use the visitherm stealth heaters now and like them. (But that is just what I like.. and is JMO) Maybe someone else can chime in on the heater.

The thermometer as long as it is an LCD it should be ok. I have a coralife. One way to see if it works correctly is to take a cup, fill half full with ice, place the probe, fill the rest of the way with ice and then fill with water. Let sit for like 5 minutes. It should read 32 degrees if it does it was properly calibrated.


This is super helpful. Ultimately I want to have coral (probably mostly soft), live rock, CUC, and a couple of fish. Little ones. I was thinking of ordering the live rock/sand from Tampa Bay Saltwater. The sound awesome and it would give me an excuse to go to Charlotte since you have to pick it up at the airport.

I want the lowest maintenance nano aquarium possible. (Yes, I hear the oxymoron) So if extra LR or Live sand helps that along so be it. I've heard of several people putting buckets under the tank for automatic top off. That sounds fabulous! Any special ideas about the best system to do this?

I'm considering a sump/refugium but that will be a little time in the making but would consider a 5.5 g or a 10 g. What the heck, why not.

You mentioned the light would be too weak. What light could I get that wouldn't limit my selections (too high or too low)?

Another thought, this is going in my bedroom. If you know of any components that are especially irritating in the noise they make please let me know. If I had one of those clicky shrimp, I'd go nuts.

Amber

(I just posted pictures of my baby girl doggie in another forum if anyone is interested...it's the random stuff forum)
 
What's a good moon light for this 10 g tank?
 
My guy told me I had to have a heater...is this true? Also, I see some folks have a "chiller". Why is this and do I need one?
 
Is the filter we are referring to the same thing as the protein skimmer? If not, what kind of protein skimmer would you recommend?
 
What's a good moon light for this 10 g tank?

There are lots of moon lights out there. I'm getting one in the blue spectrum as that is what was recommended. There are individual lights that you can hang inside a canopy, or some are even built into light fixtures.

Honestly if your gonna have corals and want to do PC Lighting I'd do something like this
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~SL2111.html

Its going to cost you, but if you plan on having any high lighting demand corals you might as well get the expense out of the way now. But realistically I think you should decide a plan on the tank, what types of corals you want to have and then you can decide on your lighting needs. Its much easier that way. But realize that if you see something thats "Oh Kewl" and you just have to have it.. You need to make sure your lights will support it.
Have you read "Robert Fenners - The Conscientious Marine Aquarist"? If not I highly suggest it to all new people in the hobby. Its going to answer a TON of questions that you don't even know you have yet.

My guy told me I had to have a heater...is this true? Also, I see some folks have a "chiller". Why is this and do I need one?

You should have a heater (I live in the northern country with snow and ice with wild swings in temps).. Scooter said you didn't need a heater and that might be but where I live I won't run a tank without a heater because it can get darn cold out even with my heat running in my place. So I guess it is a point that I choose to have a safety net. Chillers are just the opposite. If you live in a very hot climate you are going to want to maintain your temperature between 78 to 82 degrees. Preferably 78 degrees. If you water gets to warm the chiller will kick in and start cooling off you water. (Think of it as AC for your tank)

Is the filter we are referring to the same thing as the protein skimmer? If not, what kind of protein skimmer would you recommend?

No he's talking about a hang on the back bio-wheel filter that has a carbon based filtration pad in it. A protein skimmer pulls out organic wastes from the tank and deposits them into a collection cup. Your going to want something like this
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~ACRPDB.html

I am not good with Nano skimmers as I don't have a nano tank. But I have read about these on this forum and have seen a lot of good reviews about them. Maybe a nano owner with a Remora will speak up.

hth
 
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