10 gallon tank for my kids help

[Drewpdog]

i would go with 2 ocelaris clowns and a watchman goby (they dont get enough credit!)

if your doughter saw a "dotty back" at the store and liked it was a "lavender dottyback" or "orchid dottyback" because thats a fridmani chromis and they need a bigger tank even tho they arnt fast swimmers like say a reef chromis they need space from other fish and can be highly territorial and will claim a nice cave as thier own dont get me wronge i love them they are great fish with a great personality but in a 10 gallon tank they need more roomc ause they like to set up a home and then your clowns have no where to swim

 

[jgibson1513]

so two clowns and a goby is just about right for a 10 gallon.any suggestions on the clean up crew. don't want big bio load.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

imo people say the cleanup crew adds more of a bioload then they actually do. Unless they're just talking about turbo snails...cuz those do poop a lot. But stuff like ceriths and astreas...i never see their poo actually laying around like i do with turbos.
and in any case, ceriths are better than turbos imo. Slower yes, but much better cleaners. So i'd say start with 1 per gallon...then if its not enough, get more.

 

[jgibson1513]

thanks sir_dudeguy sound like a good plan to me.

 

[jgibson1513]

so i am going to get 10 gallon tank ac 70 ohf a small power head or two two clowns 1 goby 10-15lb live rock from 220 10 ceriths and live sand from 220 anything more i should have to start with

 

[rhoodhouse]

silly question, but if it's for your kids...what are you looking to spend?

 

[jgibson1513]

iwould like to spend as little as possible but still want to have successful tank.want to help the kids gain respect for the fish and the corrals.want to help them do the water changes and have them test the water with my help ofcourse.so it will be their tank not mine. needs to be ten gallon to fit upstairs with out my wife leaving me lol!!!!!

 

[rhoodhouse]

do you already have the 10 gallon, or is that just the size you are looking for? I'm asking because i have a 5 gallon tank that florishes. no special nothing. matter of fact it is just a 20 watt pc lighting 50/50. no skimmer. top off once a week, water change once a month. really low maintance, surprisingly. and i have 2 clowns in there. obviously the smaller the tank a overall smaller amout to go in...less money to spend. matter of fact, my 4 yr old helps me and my husband with both our tanks, and now he wants one. so we've been thinking about a 2.5 for him. with small kids i don't want to put alot of money into it. i have never had one that little, so i can not say i would totally recommend that size. i have a current thread under my 5 gallon nano if you would like to take a look, it's on page 1.

 

[jgibson1513]

i already have 10 gallon just setting here.what kind of things do you have your 4yr old do.i am thinking my kids will do water changes,test water,top offs and things like that with my help ofcourse.

 

[rhoodhouse]

well...being 4 it's hard for him to do alot. my husband does what he calls tank inspection. we look at the corals, make sure everybody looks happy. talk to him about the ones he likes. we will look and see where the water level is. talk about if he thinks we should add some or not. when we feed the fish, we place the mixture in a cup. he will help put a couple of tablespoons in my tank, then he dumps the rest in my husbands larger tank. our tanks are pretty well established, so we don't test alot. but if we do he will help. we started that because he did want to help and be apart of it. he understands these are our tanks. and he is helping to be able to gain his own tank.

 

[jgibson1513]

that great how does he react knowing he is helping out.my goal is to help my kids understand the water perimaters and why we need to matain them.also to help them get some more pride in what ever thay do.i would have them help out downstairs on the big tanks but they are setup kinda high and don't want them to stand on something by the tanks.

 

[rhoodhouse]

Matthew does great.....he is always asking "can we go get my tank today dad?". He is to small (4 years old) to understand what he is doing other than adding water and feeding the fish, but that is fine for now. He can identify alot of the differant corals in the tank and does know a little about them though. I love this hobby and if I can swing it this is going to be something that the whole family will enjoy and grow with togerther.
Rodney Hood

 

[jgibson1513]

thats great your son likes it so much. thats what i hope to happen with my kids after they are able to help on there tanks. i like the idea that they will be able to learn and respect the fishs and the corrals lives.

 

[KafudaFish]

Just to add another kid, my daughter has been "helping" me since she could basically walk. She usually holds the hose for the water change, feeds the fish, and told me where to put the rock for my new mantis tank. Not bad for a first try. I will be setting up a pico tank in her room "for her". She likes to look but she knows not to hit the tank or get into the sump etc.

However I keep all of my chemicals in the hall closet on a top shelf. Who knows when she might think I need to dose my tank with something. Also I do any chemical test after she goes to bed. At 2 she is still too young for that.