Advice for a first-time saltwater tank person

[lyss'movingcastle]

Hi, so I've never had a saltwater tank before. Well, to be honest, I have never owned a fish before but I've never really thought freshwater fish were that cool to begin with (no offense <3) I'm thinking about getting a 10 gallon tank to start out with. I'm also thinking of getting an ocellaris clownfish (basic I know) to go in there. I just don't know what other fish I would have that would go good with the ocellairs and be able to survive in a 10 gal. I know I'm adding in a clean up crew, maybe 2 nassarius snails, and a peppermint shrimp. Eventually, I would love to get some coral and an anemone but again idk what would be good :/. So if I could get some advice on anything I stated here or if I'm wrong about my choices please let me know.

 

[Weasel1960]

Welcome to R2R. As you can see you get a lot of helpful advice from us. I am a returning hobbyist after 30 years away. Best advice, do what I am doing study the forums and learn stuff before rushing in. Pick an aquarium size that will be right for you and your home. Smaller tanks are difficult because a small adjustment can have a big impact. Look at build threads here for the size tank you want. Decide All InOne (AIO) or sump then start equipment selection. Meanwhile you are still studying.

Take your time, nothing happens here fast except a mistake that will cost you.

Some good sites to look into...
Bulk Reef Supply (BRS) just bought Marine Depot. Both have great videos on YouTube and their web sites on equipment, setup, do and donts.
LiveAquaria is a good site to look at for selecting fish and corals. Most of the time tells you compatibilities with each other and care tips.
Tidal Gardens has good videos on YouTube for just about each type of coral.

Good luck to you once you get started and don’t forget to do a build thread.

 

[ilawis]

Something else that I think it's worth a watch is Dr Tim's how to cycle a Reef tank
It might be a bit of a heavy watch but if your get your head around it your shooting for gold.
Also like weasel1960 mentioned the BRS videos on your tube especially the 5 min guides are so valuable it's worth getting lost in them.
Good Luck and front forget the build thread! And welcome

 

[RMS18]

My advice, find another hobby lol.

 

[LAA]

Hi, so I've never had a saltwater tank before. Well, to be honest, I have never owned a fish before but I've never really thought freshwater fish were that cool to begin with (no offense <3) I'm thinking about getting a 10 gallon tank to start out with. I'm also thinking of getting an ocellaris clownfish (basic I know) to go in there. I just don't know what other fish I would have that would go good with the ocellairs and be able to survive in a 10 gal. I know I'm adding in a clean up crew, maybe 2 nassarius snails, and a peppermint shrimp. Eventually, I would love to get some coral and an anemone but again idk what would be good :/. So if I could get some advice on anything I stated here or if I'm wrong about my choices please let me know.

Anemone. no way. Tank is to small for one.
clown gobies would work in a small tank, so would saltwater mollies.

 

[olonmv]

Anemone. no way. Tank is to small for one.
clown gobies would work in a small tank, so would saltwater mollies.

I beg to differ. I have 2 Bali mini carpets and 2 rock flowers that are doin just fine in my evo. Tank maturity is a must for anemones.

 

[WVNed]

Go window shopping here. Look in the nano section for a 10 gallon tank.
https://www.liveaquaria.com/category/15/marine-fish
The first thing to understand. A marine tank will only support a tiny fish population compared to a freshwater tank. You could keep 50 guppies in a 10 gallon tank. You can keep maybe 2 nano fish in a 10 gallon saltwater tank.
Even tiny clownfish will outgrow a 10 gallon tank.

 

[resortez]

Hello & welcome to the hobby. There are limitations to a 10 gallon tank but are fun to play with. Besides the clowns, you can have success with a scooter blenny, panda goby or clown goby. I’ve seen some people keep a tiny green chromis or firefish with success in a 10 gallon but with fairly strong water movement. Hope that helps & good luck.

 

[James_O]

Welcome to the forum! (And the hobby)

I second (or third?) the idea for the Evo 13.5. It’s a great tank for the price.

The pair of clowns sounds like a good starting point. I would watch up on BRA (Bulk Reef Supply) YouTube videos. They are super informative and are easy to understand.

 

[JessenD]

Best advice? Are you married? If you are don’t get a tank! Haha just kidding my wife completely appreciates all the time and energy and money I put in my reef tank. She’s extremely understanding when all I do is talk about my reef tank and not her and she totally gets a kick out of me planning stops at LFS’s when we are on family VK’s and delaying our time returning home so I can make it to the LFS before we leave and bring a coral home with me. I am married to my tank and my wife is a hobby! Totally just kidding, she might read this. Love you hon

Knocked it out of the park you are not alone.

 

[G Santana]

Welcome to R2R, whatever you decide, go slow, the adage in this hobby is nothing good happens fast.
Good luck with your build!!!

 

[lyss'movingcastle]

Welcome to the forum! (And the hobby)

I second (or third?) the idea for the Evo 13.5. It’s a great tank for the price.

The pair of clowns sounds like a good starting point. I would watch up on BRA (Bulk Reef Supply) YouTube videos. They are super informative and are easy to understand.

I've seen alot of people saying that and I'm actually considering it! Question though, would I need anything else to add to it? I know its an all in one, but I know sometimes when things say that but don't mean ALL (if that makes sense).

 

[olonmv]

I've seen alot of people saying that and I'm actually considering it! Question though, would I need anything else to add to it? I know its an all in one, but I know sometimes when things say that but don't mean ALL (if that makes sense).

Heater, sand , rock and small wave maker (optional for coral if I’m correct). Most Fish should be fine with the current the pump makes. I have never ran the optional skimmer. I can help you step-by-step how I did mine. It’s just the long way.

 

[olonmv]

Also, I strongly suggest you get a RO/DI system, I got the 4stage ro buddy off Amazon. That or haul seawater or RODI water from a LFS. I prefer the latter and haven’t regretted my decision. I see look of kill me please when people walk in with jugs at my favorite LFS.

 

[MaxTremors]

Any possibility of going with a larger tank? The smaller the tank the harder to keep (can make a huge difference)

I don’t know how much truth there is to this anymore. There are differences, obviously, but I don’t know that it’s harder. It used to be that there just wasn’t good equipment for nanos, but that’s not the case anymore. I also don’t know how true it is that smaller tanks have less stable water chemistry, so long as you have the necessary/adequate components, there’s no reason why water chemistry would be different in a larger tank. I suppose things can happen faster in a smaller tank, and less water volume means that when things die or release toxins they can be more concentrated, but it’s not like larger tanks are nuke proof. I guess my point is that the age old argument that small tanks are less stable just isn’t as true as it used to be. There are plenty of reasons to go with larger tanks, but I’m not sure that they are less difficult is one of them. I’ve kept tanks of all sizes (from 2g to 200g), and some of the most stable, successful tanks I’ve had would be considered nanos, and currently all I have going is a nano specifically because it’s easier and there’s less maintenance (there’s just less labor involved).

 

[MaxTremors]

I've seen alot of people saying that and I'm actually considering it! Question though, would I need anything else to add to it? I know its an all in one, but I know sometimes when things say that but don't mean ALL (if that makes sense).

You would need a heater and probably a wave maker or replace the return pump (I’d add a wave maker so that you can have more randomized flow). That’s all you’d need equipment wise to get started. If you want to add a skimmer or upgrade the lights down the line you can. The skimmer is probably unnecessary on such a small tank, if you keep up on water changes you won’t need it. If you decide to take the top off, you’ll need to get an ATO (automatic top-off system) to keep your salinity stable, but if you keep the lid on you can maintain it manually by adding some fresh water once or twice a week. There are tons of accessories and modifications you can make, but just starting out you really will only need a heater and a wave maker.

You’ll also need a refractometer, thermometer, salt (or saltwater), a source of water (either RODI or distilled from a store, or get your own RODI unit), sand (unless you want to go bare bottom), live rock (or dry rock seeded with just a little live rock), test kits, buckets, water change hose. There are a lot of little things you’ll need (I’m sure I’m missing something), and tons of optional accessories, but as far as just equipment for the tank, the EVO 13 has pretty much everything you’ll need.

 

[James_O]

I've seen alot of people saying that and I'm actually considering it! Question though, would I need anything else to add to it? I know its an all in one, but I know sometimes when things say that but don't mean ALL (if that makes sense).

A heater and power head would be the only two things I can think of off the top of my head. Once you really get into salt, you will want corals. You might want to consider upgrading the light in the future, but that would be totally up to you.

(that was just for the actual tank. You would obviously need hardscape, sand, salt, buckets, etc.)

 

[James_O]

You would need a heater and probably a wave maker or replace the return pump (I’d add a wave maker so that you can have more randomized flow). That’s all you’d need equipment wise to get started. If you want to add a skimmer or upgrade the lights down the line you can. The skimmer is probably unnecessary on such a small tank, if you keep up on water changes you won’t need it. If you decide to take the top off, you’ll need to get an ATO (automatic top-off system) to keep your salinity stable, but if you keep the lid on you can maintain it manually by adding some fresh water once or twice a week. There are tons of accessories and modifications you can make, but just starting out you really will only need a heater and a wave maker.

You’ll also need a refractometer, thermometer, salt (or saltwater), a source of water (either RODI or distilled from a store, or get your own RODI unit), sand (unless you want to go bare bottom), live rock (or dry rock seeded with just a little live rock), test kits, buckets, water change hose. There are a lot of little things you’ll need (I’m sure I’m missing something), and tons of optional accessories, but as far as just equipment for the tank, the EVO 13 has pretty much everything you’ll need.

Just saw this. This is a great list.

 

[ilawis]

I don’t know how much truth there is to this anymore. There are differences, obviously, but I don’t know that it’s harder. It used to be that there just wasn’t good equipment for nanos, but that’s not the case anymore. I also don’t know how true it is that smaller tanks have less stable water chemistry, so long as you have the necessary/adequate components, there’s no reason why water chemistry would be different in a larger tank. I suppose things can happen faster in a smaller tank, and less water volume means that when things die or release toxins they can be more concentrated, but it’s not like larger tanks are nuke proof. I guess my point is that the age old argument that small tanks are less stable just isn’t as true as it used to be. There are plenty of reasons to go with larger tanks, but I’m not sure that they are less difficult is one of them. I’ve kept tanks of all sizes (from 2g to 200g), and some of the most stable, successful tanks I’ve had would be considered nanos, and currently all I have going is a nano specifically because it’s easier and there’s less maintenance (there’s just less labor involved).

I understand your point but I am assuming that due to you having a few tanks you tend to seed your tanks using live rock from other tanks and because your experienced you are able to identify they symptoms faster than most people and have your tank set up with all the right equipment prior to when a issue might be expected to arise.
I guess a better example of how a tank is more stable the larger you go is if a fish died behind a rock in a 2g tank the speed of the effects of that dead fish is going to be much faster than in a 200g tank. Furthermore during the beginning setup of a tank the ammonia spike would be far faster in a small tank than a large one.
I'm terms of stability for a practical example my tank is 1500ltrs I fly away from home for 10 days and come home for 4 then away again. My tank is still new only 5 months old and I started it in a unfortunate circumstance where I ended up with a fully stocked preditor tank from day 1 with no cycled media (I do not recommend this btw) during this time I was also working as I still am now. Over this time the ammonia would rise to 1ppm I would do a 50% water change sometimes 2 over the 4 days to keep the ammonia down. If this was a 20g tank there is no way it would have survived this brutal schedule. (FYI not a single fish died through this ordeal. Excluding a fish that got eaten by the Moray eel but he doest count as a casualty of water conditions).
So my point is for the less experienced or prepared of us a larger tank is a more stable environment and does provide more precious time to identify and resolve risks and threats.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Go to the bank, establish a line of credit. Begin tossing money at any problem you see. Do not expect a good ROI.

 

[MaxTremors]

I understand your point but I am assuming that due to you having a few tanks you tend to seed your tanks using live rock from other tanks and because your experienced you are able to identify they symptoms faster than most people and have your tank set up with all the right equipment prior to when a issue might be expected to arise.
I guess a better example of how a tank is more stable the larger you go is if a fish died behind a rock in a 2g tank the speed of the effects of that dead fish is going to be much faster than in a 200g tank. Furthermore during the beginning setup of a tank the ammonia spike would be far faster in a small tank than a large one.
I'm terms of stability for a practical example my tank is 1500ltrs I fly away from home for 10 days and come home for 4 then away again. My tank is still new only 5 months old and I started it in a unfortunate circumstance where I ended up with a fully stocked preditor tank from day 1 with no cycled media (I do not recommend this btw) during this time I was also working as I still am now. Over this time the ammonia would rise to 1ppm I would do a 50% water change sometimes 2 over the 4 days to keep the ammonia down. If this was a 20g tank there is no way it would have survived this brutal schedule. (FYI not a single fish died through this ordeal. Excluding a fish that got eaten by the Moray eel but he doest count as a casualty of water conditions).
So my point is for the less experienced or prepared of us a larger tank is a more stable environment and does provide more precious time to identify and resolve risks and threats.

But the issues you’re mentioning scale with the tank you’re keeping. A massive tang dying and being left in a 200g tank is going to foul it the same way a tiny goby in a 10g would. You can cycle a 20g tank the same way you cycled your predator tank with appropriately sized fish (as you pointed out cycling with fish isn’t recommended, but the size of the tank doesn’t matter if the bioload is scaled appropriately). Obviously putting a bunch of triggers and eels in a 20g regardless of how cycled it is is probably going to end badly. And to your point about dealing with ammonia spikes, I’d argue they’re easier to deal with in a nano than they are in a massive tank, a 5g water change is much easier to do than a 50g water change. Regardless of size a tank that is cycling is inherently unstable, but the cycle is a tiny fraction of the lifespan of a tank, basing your decision on what size of tank to get on how it will cycle seems kind of short sighted.

Experience is going to help you regardless of the size of the tank, but even if you’re new to the hobby, I don’t think keeping a nano is harder than a larger tank. Again, there are differences and size specific considerations you have to take into account, but I don’t think ‘harder’ or ‘less stable’ are the appropriate ways to describe those differences.

All that said, I always recommend that people go with the largest tank they can afford or that they have space for simply because there are more options for tank inhabitants the larger you go. Part of that is that it sucks to not be able to keep entire categories/families of fish and more real estate means more corals, but also because the larger you go the more able you are to simulate/fulfill all the niche ecological roles that exist on a reef (ie biodiversity). But I also don’t think we should be discouraging people from keeping smaller tanks if that’s the kind of tank they want to keep.