10 gal nano

[creep]

Ok, i'm completely new to nano's. I have had a couple of years of experience with my 40 gal FOWLR tank. I really like having a tank in my bedroom, but my 40 is too big. Approximately how much does it cost to set up a 10 gal nano minus the lights. I already have 72 watts of PC i can use for the tank. Also what would i need besides a tank and heater. What type of filter do i use? do i use powerheads? ohh so many question, and no idea where to start any help would be appreciated.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

tank=$9 at walmart
heater=$15 MAYBE...probably cheaper

filtration should be live rock..you'd need at least 10 lbs, and it can run from 3 bucks per pound all the way up to 10...so anywhere from $30 to $100 on that.

then you'd just need a couple small powerheads..maybe 75 gph each..i guess you could go up to 100 on each too tho. But for 2 i'd say you can get them for 30 bucks

sand=$15 for a 15 lb bag of aragonite. Dont use that "arag-alive" stuff..no good imo. you dont know how long its been on the shelf, and the longer it sits, the less "live" its going to be, and the more die off you're gonna get.

thats about it. You can always add stuff like an HOB filter for carbon, but not 100% nessesary. Same with stuff like a fuge. They're nice and definately benefit the tank, but not 100% needed.

if you can find some locals on your local board selling powerheads and rock and stuff i'd say you could do it for under 50 easily. I just got a 660 gph pump for like 10 bucks from someone local. For your pumps, i'd say you could get 2 of them for that same price.

rock can be very different prices. I've bought it at 2 bucks per pound from locals, i've seen it for 1 buck a pound, and i've also seen it for 5 bucks a pound. Just depends on what kinda rock it is, and how generous the person is.

 

[creep]

thanks for the reply, i was reading on other people's nano's and say lots of people modding the aquaclear filter to be a fuge also. What size aquaclear should be suitable for a 10 gal? Also will the 72w of PC be enough light for me to keep pretty much anything i want?

 

[cyenna]

If you go with an Aquaclear you can go with the 110 ($43ish) and skip the powerheads but the flow will not be very random. You can go with the AC 70 ($35ish) and one powerhead and you'd be pretty good as far as flow. Also, the AC 110 is big enough for a heater to fit in so you can have it out of the display. As far as your lighting, you'll have to do research on what you want to keep but as long as the bulb isn't too old then I think you can safely stick with mushrooms, zoos, some softies... Good luck!

 

[sir_dudeguy]

yes you can do that ac fuge. I wouldnt get the 110...i'd get something about half of that maybe, and then just get one more powerhead...skip the second powerhead. Like cyenna said, youll be good on flow.

for the lighting you wont be able to keep everything...mostly just softies like xenia mushrooms kenya tree..maybe some lps but i'm not familiar w/those, and i'd say probably not any sps, def. no clams, and prolly not an anemane...but theres tons of softies. look at liveaquaria.com and look thru their soft corals to see which ones you like...i'd say pretty much any of those.

 

[creep]

what kind of light would i need to be able to keep anything. I was looking at the 96W pc light here would this be ok for anenome's and SPS? or should i get this?

 

[sir_dudeguy]

i'd say that you could only have the sps if you get that second one...the metal halide. That would be a much better bet imo, and its only 50 bucks more. Its less wattage, yes, but MH has a lot more punch into the water than pc does. Plus w/MH you'll get a nice "shimering" look if you've got the water surface moving.