Beginner

J

JennyB

New member
ok so i'm brand new to this I've had freshwater all my life but have always been fascinated with marine fish. I finally decided that i'm going to do it!
I have a tall 12 gallon tank. It was recommended to get two clown fish an anemone and a few shrimp,and that would be a good beginner tank. Any other recommendations for a newbie starting out :) Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
Anemones are generally good for tanks that have stabilized and been setup for 6 months to a year. What kind did you get? Most of them need fairly strong lighting and good flow.
 
Get one shrimp. Nano tanks are more difficult to maintain. Unless you're really committed to stay on top of things. My suggstion is first start my reading EVERYTHING on saltwater aquaria keeping before you even think of setting up your first SW tank.
 
All that I have bought yet is sand salt a filter and hydrometer. I'm going to take it slow with setting up. I want it to be just right before I start adding live things. Do the clown fish need a anemone or would they be happy with rock starting out?
As for the larger tank it's kinda out of the question due to space issues but I was hoping if I just stuck to two fish and a little cleanup crew it would be manageable.
As for commitment I'm extreamly committed to this i've always had lots of pets and freshwater fish so i'm ready for responsibility and the challenge :)
 
Last edited:
aandfsoccr04 said:
Anemones are generally good for tanks that have stabilized and been setup for 6 months to a year. What kind did you get? Most of them need fairly strong lighting and good flow.
Click to expand...

All I have bought is salt, sand, a filter, and hydrometer. I'm going to take it slow with setting up. Do the clown fish need an anemone or would they be happy with rock starting out?
 
Clown fish do not need an Anemone. I would guess most captive bred have never seen one.

I would suggest trading your hydrometer in for a refractometer.
 
Hydrometers are susceptible to giving bad readings. The floats can get stuck, old salt in the device can throw off readings and a few other things. Hydrometers are a bit more expensive but aren't susceptible to the things mentioned above. Plus they're easier to read IMO.
 
As mentioned above hydrometers are suseptable to false readings due to being dirty, air bubbles on arm, temperature. Refractometers are more accurate. they need to be calibrated with a saltwater solution. I believe most come with some Calibration fluid. You just place a drop on the meter point at a light and dial it in. Also, I believe some are temperature compensating. Check out bulk reef supply
 
I bought my refractometer from BRS around $30. Its easy to use, just remember to float your calibration solution bottle (well sealed!) inside your tank so when you calibrate the refractometer the first time it will be set for your tank's temp.
 
One of the biggest problems for small tanks is evaporation. When the water evaporates it leaves the salt behind increasing salinity. In a 12 gallon tank a tiny bit of evaporation will make a huge difference in salinity. When you top off with fresh water it will lower the salinity. If these happen in large amounts in a small tank then there will be huge salinity changes which can really mess with fish. I would highly suggest for a tank that small to get an auto top off device to keep it stable. Just make sure it has a safety mechanism in it so there is no chance of the tank overflowing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Q
Which mini snail for artemia tank?
Replies
2
Views
170
griss
griss
M
Choosing Between Innovative Marine and Waterbox for a 200-Gallon Mixed Reef – Your Input Wanted!
Replies
6
Views
4K
griss
griss
A
First SPS coral. Is this bleaching?
Replies
6
Views
575
apavlik2
A
A
  • Locked
Single drain Overflow System for a 55 gallón tank ?
Replies
1
Views
447
BrianD
BrianD
D
Beginner in Aquariums
Replies
4
Views
1K
EchoVetEcho
E
Back
Top