Small S/W start up questions

[4MB]

Ive spent the last few weeks searching around the internet and driving to local pet stores asking questions about getting started with an aquarium.

Ive always wanted a s/w aquarium. And had planned on getting one when I build a home in the next year, year and a half. I saw this really neat 15 gal aquarium and thought it would be wise to start off with something small to see if I can keep up with it and to test the waters so to speak with having a s/w aquarium.

I only want something with 2 to 3 fish whether it is just fish or have other inhabitants Im not sure.. Probably no larger than a 20 gal tank. Any ideas, thoughts, opinions, and advice would be appreciated.

Probably one of the fish will be a clown fish, so other fish that it could get along with.

 

[T1adler]

I think a larger tank would be more forgiving for a beginer. A small tank means your water quality parameters tend to be less stable.

Just my two cents.

Tim

 

[4MB]

Ive done a lot of research and have come across a lot of people saying that. How small of a bigger tank do you think would be the easiest? Im kind of restricted on size due to my small living area right now. I know I wont be able to accomodate anything that is too long. I might be able to do something that is taller and not as long and make a base and other stuff for it.

How much less stable are they?

Also thoughts and opinions about Aquatic Concepts. Or do any of you know of other places for fish in the portland area.

 

[thefishbowl2006]

[violation]

 

[jacksonsmom25]

I sent you a PM.

 

[Hedonist]

There are many LFSs to shop from, visit them and form your own opinion... not everyone has the same experiences at the LFSs...

We do not want nor need another this shop vs that shop ordeal

There is in addition to the ones already mentioned:

Atlantis on Main Mall Rd
Hidden Reef on Commercial
Coastal Aquatics in Freeport
Golden Lamb in Gardiner
Little Shop of Pets in Portsmouth
Aquatic Atmospheres in Vassalboro has some coral frags & used stuff

There are a few other shops out there but these are the ones that pretty much support the club in one way or annother, some offer discounts to card carrying members..

I also agree taht a 20-30 would be best to start with..
Have fun
Denise

 

[Hedonist]

Still looking for a location for the Fish Bowl... are you pet shop or just fish ... if fish, salt and or fresh?
Denise

 

[jacksonsmom25]

I offered to sell him my 20g high with stand..but no bites yet

 

[Drewpy]

I have almost completely ignored a 10 gallon frag tank and the thing thrives...
Xenia that grows about 1 millimeter a year in the display grows well in there...
Macro algae takes off just thrown in there...
capnella same...
mushrooms same...
zoos same...
Had some LPS variety in there short term...
i even quarantined a maxima clam in there for a month--- happy as a clam
All it has is a heater, a power filter, a very small power head, and i change some carbon here and there... I don't even replace water everyday...

no nuisance grows and the 65 watt pc 10K bulb is old

There is no fish though--- so maybe that's the trick... and keep easier corals...
Until someone told me small tanks were hard i wouldn't have known it...

 

[natybug]

Denise:

http://www.thefishbowl2006.com/

That's the site he put in his profile.

 

[cabin]

I think that one reason a small tank can be "ignored" and thrive is that, as Drew proposed near the end of his post, there are no fishes, hence no feeding to pollute. My quarantine tank is the same way. I virtually ignore it except to top off with fresh water and frags grow out there happily. But once I need it for quarantine purposes and actually put fish in, I have to pay at lot more attention to water quality issues. So you could go small and skip the fish, or put in only tiny fish (no clown), and probably be ok, as long as you use live rock and let it mature properly before adding anything.

I setup a 25 gallon tank (24 inch footprint), intending to keep it simple, but DID have fish, and had no end of trouble with algae, so I ended up putting a sump in after all, and things stabilized nicely after that. So if you want to try a small tank to get the feel for the hobby, I'd say pick a 20 gallon minimum, and do add overflow, and sump/ refugium. I think a refugium is a really good thing to do. All of this is a lot of bother for a small tank but will help to maintain stability and, since you are looking for experience anyway, will give useful insights for what you want to do when you have more space.

 

[smtarr]

I agree with Wynne. When I started in the hobby I was told 55g ABSOLUTE minimum tank size. I started out with a 10g Eclipse and added another strip light. (1-10,000k and 1-actinic 15w bulbs changed out on an annual basis) I kept a green bubble tipped anemone and his gold striped maroon clownfish along with a tiny yellow tailed damsel. You need to be RELIGIOUS with water changes. I changed 10% weekly. Anthony Calfo recommends 100% water changes weekly on nano (less than 30g) tanks. You read that right- 100%!!! You still have to age your salt makeup water at least a couple of days. No need to run a skimmer on a nano tank if you are doing sufficient water changes. You're going to hear all kinds of differing oppinions. We all can only suggest based on our own experience. I've NEVER had any problem with algae in any of my tanks and I use tap(well) water exclusively. Have fun with the hobby and try not to obsess about it. I almost guarantee no matter what size tank you start you'll soon have a larger one as well as more than one. One principle you'll need to consider is having a quarantine tank. You'll soon regret it if you don't. Your original nano tank will work well for a quarantine tank. Happy reefing. Sue