New the The Saltwater Community!

JustenT · Dec 13, 2019

Ive had freshwater fish for a while now, i have a handful of tanks, and even a few Axolotl. I have maintained CO2 Aquascapes, and now i want to move into a little but of saltwater.

So right now i have a 12x12x12 inch tank, roughly 8 gallons, rimless, it was a planted tank. I have some live sand, and roughly 5LBS of liverock, i plan on getting more.
Im using the same filter i used for my Freshwater tank, and it have some good flow, but i will add a powerhead, or change to a larger fluval filter. I don't have room for a sump.

SO.
Do i need a protein skimmer?
Do i need a wavemaker/powerhead?
Are gobies Jumpers? and could i fit a goby W/ a Pistol shimp in my setup?
Could i fit a solo clown, with some snails, maybe a shrimp/crab?
What are some easy corals? I want to add a few corals, and i plan on getting a decent light, either

HIPARGERO LED Aquarium Light, or a fluval coral light.

How long should i cycle the tank, and do i use a quick start?
I don't have a lid, so how hard will it be to maintain levels?

Skynyrd Fish · Dec 13, 2019

Welcome aboard!

Skynyrd Fish · Dec 13, 2019

Skimmer is not needed. A power head might be nice depending on your flow needs. A clown and snails, crabs, and a shrimp would be fine. Read up on corals. There’s lots of easy ones. You’ll decide what direction you want to go. I would cycle the tank for at least four weeks. You will do regular water changes, so a skimmer is not needed. You can use a good steam distilled water from the grocery store if you don’t have ro/di water. Good luck.

Fishy212 · Dec 13, 2019

Hey man! Welcome to R2R.

You do not need a protein skimmer but it will certainly help during the long haul.

I would recommend getting a power head to get some movement and to keep the detritus flowing.

I know a guy that has a clown in 5 gallon tank and is doing great for 4/5 years so far. I don’t think a clown, goby and shrimp will be too much. It kind of depends on how often you change filter media / water changes.

I would try to get a lid, get biospira to get your tank going. 4/6 weeks is recommended but depends on if you are using x amount of liverock or live sand.

slow and steady is a policy you should adopt.You maybe having fun, getting excited, but some people go too fast and end up getting overloaded or overwhelmed. Take your time and ask lots of questions! People here will help you!

good luck !!

Chefwheredyougo · Dec 13, 2019

JustenT said:
Ive had freshwater fish for a while now, i have a handful of tanks, and even a few Axolotl. I have maintained CO2 Aquascapes, and now i want to move into a little but of saltwater.

So right now i have a 12x12x12 inch tank, roughly 8 gallons, rimless, it was a planted tank. I have some live sand, and roughly 5LBS of liverock, i plan on getting more.
Im using the same filter i used for my Freshwater tank, and it have some good flow, but i will add a powerhead, or change to a larger fluval filter. I don't have room for a sump.

SO.
Do i need a protein skimmer?
Do i need a wavemaker/powerhead?
Are gobies Jumpers? and could i fit a goby W/ a Pistol shimp in my setup?
Could i fit a solo clown, with some snails, maybe a shrimp/crab?
What are some easy corals? I want to add a few corals, and i plan on getting a decent light, either
HIPARGERO LED Aquarium Light, or a fluval coral light.
How long should i cycle the tank, and do i use a quick start?
I don't have a lid, so how hard will it be to maintain levels?

First, WELCOME TO R2R AND THE HOBBY!

Some gobies are jumpers. It's been said that the only fish that won't jump is the one you want to... but there are plenty of people that run tanks open. You should look into softies such as zoas, palys, and mushrooms. You may be able to squeak by with some lps as well. Euphyllia are gorgeous and add good movement to the tank, but can cause harm to other corals with their sweeper tentacles. Flow is important in this hobby, so I'd look into small powerheads. So is correct lighting spectrum for corals.

SPR1968 · Dec 13, 2019

Welcome to R2R!!!

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