So I decided to build a Nano saltwater reef tank.

GA Firing Line

Bypass

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So I got a 10 gallon aquarium and a emperor 400 HOB filter rated for 90 gallon tanks but only going to be used in a ten. LCD lighting because there will be a anemone in the tank with the two clownfish. This is a experiment just to see if I can do it and keep all of this stuff alive before i get too much into this hobby. Anyways I just got the aquarium set up yesterday and am waiting on it to cycle.
The live rock and everything will be here tuesday so I will be able to get that in here as well. BTW I am putting the clownfish in before the tank cycles fully. Fingers crossed they survive.

 
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Dinky Dau

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I had a friend that had a big one for about 10 yrs and loved it..He has some crabs, and shrimp that were really nice..Good luck with your endeavor!!
 

Bypass

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I had a friend that had a big one for about 10 yrs and loved it..He has some crabs, and shrimp that were really nice..Good luck with your endeavor!!
Thanks brother. This should be fun. :)

The cat seems to like it already. He will go nuts when the fish are in it. :)
 
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lftd&pwrstrok'n

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The first saltwater set up that I did was in a 10 gallon. If I remember correctly, I had a clown and a couple of chromis in it along w/ a small clean up crew and corals. I didn't have it set up very long, maybe a few months, before setting up a larger one. I ended up busting the 30 gallon and getting rid of everything just to keep the fish/corals/rock/etc alive and out of frustration. Set up a 55 gallon that worked well for several years and then crashed. Never could figure out what happened so only freshwater now.

But, I love the little Nano tanks that are filled to the brim w/ corals. I may try to set up another tank one of these days...
 

Bypass

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We have a 20 gallon freshwater tank. We love it. Saltwater seems a little to intimidating.
It may end up being a nightmare but I have all the test kits, refractometer, and ph up and ph down stuff. I will just have to keep a close eye on it to make sure everything stays within parameters. If I can do it anyone can do it. I will keep you guys up to date on it.
 
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Bypass

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Mar 25, 2015
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The first saltwater set up that I did was in a 10 gallon. If I remember correctly, I had a clown and a couple of chromis in it along w/ a small clean up crew and corals. I didn't have it set up very long, maybe a few months, before setting up a larger one. I ended up busting the 30 gallon and getting rid of everything just to keep the fish/corals/rock/etc alive and out of frustration. Set up a 55 gallon that worked well for several years and then crashed. Never could figure out what happened so only freshwater now.

But, I love the little Nano tanks that are filled to the brim w/ corals. I may try to set up another tank one of these days...
Right on, yeah the saltwater fish are beautiful and fun to watch. This experiment will tell me if I want to delve any deeper into the hobby though.
 

lftd&pwrstrok'n

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Right on, yeah the saltwater fish are beautiful and fun to watch. This experiment will tell me if I want to delve any deeper into the hobby though.

The creatures that you can get are simply amazing. The colors of the corals and fish are breath taking. Over the years, I had an eel, a purple lobster, different shrimp, crabs, snails and coral. Often times you get stowaways on your live rock as well. I got an anemone and several emerald crabs through live rock. Of course, you also get the bad stuff too...

It's addictive, so let me know when you are ready to upgrade to a 55gallon. I've got a complete set up sitting in the barn that I will most likely never use again. If I do saltwater again, I am going HUGE!!!

It really isn't more labor intensive than fresh water. It is more expensive though. Just keep an eye on your levels and salinity and you will be fine.
 
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Bypass

Arrrgghh!!! I'm a pirate.
Mar 25, 2015
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Chatsworth, Georgia
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The creatures that you can get are simply amazing. The colors of the corals and fish are breath taking. Over the years, I had an eel, a purple lobster, different shrimp, crabs, snails and coral. Often times you get stowaways on your live rock as well. I got an anemone and several emerald crabs through live rock. Of course, you also get the bad stuff too...

It's addictive, so let me know when you are ready to upgrade to a 55gallon. I've got a complete set up sitting in the barn that I will most likely never use again. If I do saltwater again, I am going HUGE!!!

It really isn't more labor intensive than fresh water. It is more expensive though. Just keep an eye on your levels and salinity and you will be fine.
Agreed, If I end up liking this I may go to a 100 plus gallon. Will do.
 

lftd&pwrstrok'n

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It's doing good. The fish are still alive. It is a little green right now though due to it being summer time and it getting full sun all day.


Fish are amazingly resilient. I dumped fishing minnow into our "garden pond" (a 150 watering trough) spring before last. They made it through the frozen water of winter and are still swimming along happy enough. No filtration. No aeration. Just them and the goldfish/koi and water plants.
 

Bypass

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Mar 25, 2015
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Fish are amazingly resilient. I dumped fishing minnow into our "garden pond" (a 150 watering trough) spring before last. They made it through the frozen water of winter and are still swimming along happy enough. No filtration. No aeration. Just them and the goldfish/koi and water plants.
Yes they are. They have survived several 100 percent water changes. Which I don't do very often just when the water gets really bad. At nearly 6500 gallons each time I have had the local water department out here checking for leaks once. Then I told them I have a in ground pool and a 6500 gallon pond and they said oh never mind then. It is surprisingly cheap to fill up the pool and the pond. Water is cheap. For 100 bucks I can fill up both.
 

Bypass

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Mar 25, 2015
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Last water change I found a baby Koi in the pond. Apparently they are breeding. I guess the rest of them got eaten or something since there was only one.
 
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