How to set up a 10 gallon saltwater aquarium?

Question

equipment, fish ,coral, live rock and sand

Answer 1

I would suggest the following steps (for a common marine tank with fish, and invertibrates only although sponges, fans, zooanthids and mushrooms are easy to add)
-fill your tank with salt water ( specific garvity should be around 1.021 - 1.025 and a new filter (you need somthing that moves at least 50 gallons/hour, you can get ones that have mechanicl, biological and chemical filters that hang off the back of the tankhttp://www.aquariumfish.net/information/bio-wheel_filters.htm). Use only Reverse Osmosis cleaned water, regular water (even dechlorinated) will cause huge slime and algae blooms.
-Add a few inches of crushed aragonite, shells or sand
-Add 5 pounds of live rock (cured is best, you can tell if it isn't if it has a stong smell)
- You will need to have floescent lights (one floescent and one actinic tube is better and you change one every six months so that niether is ever more then one year old)
- A heater is probably a good idea depending on what fish you have
- Test the water daily, Like a freshwater tank the ammonia nitrite and nitrate levels will all take a turn at rising, then subside to normal levels. When the levels are no longer spiking, it is time to start slowly adding fish. This can take a few months to a year - depending on how lucky you are.
- Maintaining a fish-only tank isn't too hard once it is started. You do weekly salt-water changes of about 10% of the water, and replace evaporated water with water only (salt doesn't evaporate). Feed whatever is appropriate to the fish in the tank.
- Corals are what makes it a huge expense and challenge as they need metal halide lights, skimmers, refugiums, chillers etc. not too mention the supplements and feeds.
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Answer 2

I would not recommend a 10 galon nanotank for a newbee. Get at least a 30 or a 55. I had two 10 gal nanos in the past, then a 20, a 30, and 125 gallon saltwater tanks. It was easy to maintain these from the large tank. The large tank itself is very stable considering I only have 5 tiny fish. The margin for mistakes in nano tanks is so huge, you have minutes in some cases to save your lifestock.

Answer 3

if this is your first salt water tank i wouldnt set up a 10 gallon tank, it'll be more trouble than it's worth. it's better to start big. it may sound weird but the more surface area on your tank the healthier the fish will be. starter saltwater tanks should be no less than 50 gallons. and the rule of thumb is 5 gallons per one inch of full grow fish. which means if you get a fish that you could put 4 two and a half inch fish in a salt water tank. you can put more but it really not a good idea and it stresses the fish. bottom line dont do a ten gallon tank.

Answer 4

Don't, a ten gallon tank is very small for most tropicals let alone marine fish. The larger the tank the more stable and marine fish need stability. Unless you are incredibly skilled don't attempt a nano as it is called.

Answer 5

check out this website for answers. www.kokosgoldfish.com. They deal not only with goldies, bettas, tropicals but also saltwater fish. It is free to join and aks questions. The people on there have been keeping fish for years and are pretty knowledgable and friendly and will gladly answer you questions and help you out

Answer 6

i had one for a while with ten pound live rock and ten pound live sand, i had a bubblier a regular filter and a power head, i just had a couple of yellow tail damsels

Answer 7

Good Luck.

Answer 8

have fun!