Debating on starting a 10 gal mini reef tor the kid.

[ThatGuy]

Want to start up a 10 gal for my daughter so I can take my 40 pillar back. My only delema is my wife said I would have to use equiptment we have and can't buy anything new. So I'm wondering if I can get away with no skimmer if I do weekly water changes. Also will a 2 bulb 24watt t5ho fixture be tomuch or not enough. As far as filtration is I was debating on a HOB filter with rubble rock or making it a AIO. Any suggestions or thoughts would be great. Thanks.


Josh

 

[mnat]

Can you run a 10g tank with that light and the hob filter? Absolutely, NikkiT did it for years. You just have to be really carefull what you put in the tank and make sure you are religious on a gallon a week water change. She ran is basically as a fish only with inverts. You might be able to get away with like some mushrooms or other extremely simple corals, but I would not push it. It was actually nice to have a tank and not worry about corals.

 

[jgraz]

I just started a 10 for my son. Right now it's just inverts and zoos. Hob filter and a odyssea 4x18" T5. Getting 2 clowns once I break down my pentagon. Very nice.

 

[ThatGuy]

A gallon a week is less than I was thinking, but I guess thats about right for such a small tank. As far as corals I was going to put some mushrooms and a small kenya in there. For the bottom would it be better as a bare bottom or should I do a sand bed? Havent given fish a thought yet because my daughter always goes for something crazy (ie sfe, damsels).

 

[mnat]

As far as fish goes start here:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15+2124

Just about every one of those fish would be fine and some in multiples. The only one I would avoid is the catalina just because is needs much cooler temps than a reef and a 10g is tough to keep cool.

I would go with a sandbed, but that is just me. Any increased biological filtration is always a plus in my book. The good news is that cleaning a sand bed in a 10g is really simple as the whole process takes about an hour.

10g, so 1 gallon a week is 10% which is fine as long as you do it every week. Also, sand and rock will take up some room so it is actually more than 10%. The other thing I would say is if you do not have a glass cover, you really have to watch your evaporation rate as salinity is much more prone to rise in a 10g tank.

 

[ThatGuy]

I just started a 10 for my son. Right now it's just inverts and zoos. Hob filter and a odyssea 4x18" T5. Getting 2 clowns once I break down my pentagon. Very nice.

Is the lighting t5HO or just regular T5's? Does a 10 gal need that type/much of lighting to have corals?

As far as fish goes start here:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15+2124

Just about every one of those fish would be fine and some in multiples. The only one I would avoid is the catalina just because is needs much cooler temps than a reef and a 10g is tough to keep cool.

.

Figures. The prettier they are the harder they are to keep.

 

[jgraz]

Yes t5 HO. It does not need it, i would like to keep some type of coral. I just had it laying around. I will work out well for my needs.

 

[ThatGuy]

Well I got the go ahead from the misses. So here it is.

The sand is new(rinsed for about 10 min), One rock is new, the other is LR from my tank, 75% of the water is from my Coral tank, and the HOB filter is full of rubble rock from my sump. Should this be good to go or will it go through a cycle?

 

[mnat]

I would throw some Dr. Tims or Biospira in there to add some bacteria. The tank will cycle when you add livestock.

 

[NikkiT]

Welcome to the nano world!
Yes, you can absolutely keep a 10g tank for her with a HOB filter. My first tank was a 20g high, which I ran with a HOB filter with carbon, bio balls, and filter floss successfully for years (1995-2000), and I ran a very similar set up (hob filter, filter floss, carbon, bio wheel removed) from 2006-2008. I would suggest adding lots of porous live rock.
My original tank contained 2 damsels and a maroon clown (keep in mind I was in 8th grade when I got those fish, don't judge), hermits and camelback shrimp; the set up in law school contained a pair of false Percs, a blue devil damsel, a cleaner goby, two serpent stars (they were so pretty), hermits, a cowrey, and shrimp, as well as a small sebae anem and from 2007-2008 a tiny 1" bubble tip anem. If you add damsels (and keep in mind clowns are damsels), add all other fish first.
The key is water changes, do at least 10% per week, and if possible, get yourself an ATO. If an ATO isn't in the budget, plan testing SG and on adding Ro/Di water at least every other day.

Let me know if you are looking for more rock, we have dry (formerly live) rock in our garage that you are welcome to if you want to come get it.

 

[ThatGuy]

I would throw some Dr. Tims or Biospira in there to add some bacteria. The tank will cycle when you add livestock.

I figured the used water, rubble from my sump, and LR would be enough bacteria. Also put a clump of cheto in there as well for good messure.

Welcome to the nano world!

Thanks.



As far as loosing water I took mnat suggestion and put the glass cover(does that block any light?) on it to help with evaporation, but I did already put a little mark on the side of the tank to keep tabs where the water should be.

As far as fish go I think I'm going to go the goby route, but if she wants clowns i think that will be the only 2 fish and just add shrimp from there. My LFS has camelback shrimp for $5 so I'm probably going to pick up what he has left as a start(they only go after polyps not mushrooms(I think)). If not them, a bunch of grass shrimp. Just hope she goes for it.

 

[NikkiT]

We have a glass cover on our 45g cube. Does it block light? Absolutely. Is it a problem? Not really, the t5 fixture we have over the tank is giving sufficient light that the corals are colored up and growing. Just be diligent about keeping it clean (dust +salt creep = mess) and make sure your cleaning product won't create problems for the tank; I suggest vinegar.
That sounds like a great plan. We have our 12g stocked with a pair of yasha gobies and a candy pistol, a pair of green banded gobies, a magnificent goby, and two trimma gobies.
We have power compact lighting on the tank and our favias do great in there, as does our dendro.
I like camelback shrimp for a non- reef tank. If you want to do something "nano scale" you could also consider sexy shrimp, bumblebee shrimp, and petersons anemome shrimp. I also love our little Pom Pom crab, and kids seem to love servant stars.

 

[jgraz]

I agree on the sexy shrimp. I have one in the 10 gal and it's always in the forefront. As for the Pom Pom that's in there too but it is rarely if ever seen that goes for the serpents too. I have a fire shrimp also that is all over the tank.