# 10g nano reef



## nvsbandit (Jan 14, 2008)

i know i know i shouldnt start my first SW tank with a 10g. but im basically making a nice quarentine tank for when i get a 75 or 90g with an overflow.

the lights im gonna order are 40w (2x20w CF one actinic light and one 10k) with LED night lights.

a fission nano skimmer (NEED advice on this one i like it cus its 30 bucks)

50w heater, thermometer/hydrometer

id be getting about 15 or 16 pounds of live rock eventually.


what im gonna end up doing is getting a couple of snails or whatever to throw in whilst its cycling and even after its done cycling i think it would be a while before i put anything in there.

im new to SW but i have a couple books and pretty much understand the whole thing EXCEPT mixing the salt. there directions right on the box?
how do you adjust salinity?

thanks in advance
Drew


----------



## predator (Jan 28, 2005)

My first SW tank was a 10 gallon... been up for like 4 months... really nothing in it... but so far its easy as hell... evap is a slight issue... and i even have a hood...

i have the nano fission... (i paid $20)... and its well... a $20 skimmer... its not great, but it does skim... For example... i had to shut it down for like 2 weeks because it stopped bubbling... i developed this nasty film... i took the skimmer out and cleaned it and bam... no more nasty film...

lil advise if you do get it... dont even bother with the lil cotton disk... take them out... you will get a more micro bubbles, but they clog up too fast and flood the cup...

As for salt... get a bucket and another powerhead... and another heater... i use distilled water (walmart purple cap)... it is not good for FW, but the salt you add has all the junk you need for SW so pure water is good stuff...

ok so you have a bucket with water in it... turn on the power head... set the therm to the temp of your tank and let it go... add salt and just check perieodically to see what sg you are at... if you go too high... just add water... its that easy...

you running a HOB or a power head?

-me


----------



## nvsbandit (Jan 14, 2008)

umm neither yet i was looking for great input like yours

as for lighting think 40w is enough? swithcin to t-5's


----------



## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

I have heard that for some soft easy coral, http://www.fishneedit.com/t5ho-24quot-2-lamp-aquarium-l.html would be sufficient. You could mod it to have individual reflectors too, and get much more bang for the relatively small buck.


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Before you buy any critters, spend all your money on rock until you have enough. You'll find it just as fascinating as fish if it's any good. Once you have enough rock and the tank has finished stabilizing at it's permanent levels, then you can add other stuff without problems. Adding rocks to a tank already full of critters is a recipe for failure.


----------



## predator (Jan 28, 2005)

I wish i could help more my 10 gal is more of a FOWLR than a reef... sooo since you are going the reef route cant really help...

-me


----------



## nvsbandit (Jan 14, 2008)

so the main difference would be powerheads and high lighting?
or are there more differences....cus i really wanna make this thing basically a quarentine tank with a few small corals. makes no sense i know but i am going to get a 29g biocube for my birthday then im gonna start peicing together a 75 or 90.

so it doesnt have to have much in it i just want to learn the basics so i can do it right on a big scale.


----------



## karazy (Nov 2, 2007)

personaly i dont suggest anythng like the biocube ect.

exept for the redsea max

but thats just one guys opinion


----------

